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Living with welfare
By Marlene Kaiser of Kaiser Distributing
Food stamps and Welfare One of the biggest shocks of my life was when I graduated from college with a teaching degree, was discovering I qualified for food stamps.I found a good job with good pay, but not good enough.I was a young mother with five children, and thought that now I'd have the tools to take care of them adequately with only one job. How wrong I was. Food stamps were instituted that year to help the US farmer. They are still regulated by the Agriculture Department because they were a farm welfare project designed to help consumers purchase more farm products. Many farmers rejected that idea, but they have benefited from the program just as many others have. At first you could only purchase items grown in the US, but with so many of our food supplies coming from outside the country, that requirement was dropped in the 80's. It was too difficult for grocery stores to enforce. When I first heard about food stamps, I was amazed to learn that I qualified for them. I applied because I could see that it would help me to stretch my salary. I received my first batch in August of 1972 and it was double the normal amount because Montana was trying to get people to accept them. I was embarrassed to have them, and traveled a long way from home, about 40 miles to the big city where I wasn't known,to spend them.I did this for the 2 years I taught there. At least I was able to keep my family fed.Prior to that time, we often didn't have much more than oatmeal to eat. At first,food stamps had a coupon book that was stamped at the grocery counter and returned to the welfare worker, hence the name. Well, crooks discovered how easy it was to duplicate the coupons, and for quite a few years,the graft in food stamps was very high. They were counter fitted and sold for a pittance of their worth by these crooks. The solution at first, was to make them harder to counterfeit,and the coupons were given to a grocery clerk like money. A better solution came with Horizon cards similar to credit cards.This cut the graft, but I'm sure it isn't completely ended. There are people who maintain several addresses and identities to get more food stamps.This works for a while, but eventually they get caught. Regardless of the graft and other problems, food stamps have been one of the most successful government projects. They have benefited the farmer by making it so that low income people could purchase more of their products. They have benefited those qualifying for them because they can then pay their other bills better. Food stamps have benefited society by helping low income people maintain homes, be able to pay rent and utilities better.They are great when there is a recession or problems with unemployment.Hungry people have little ambition or incentive to work. It has decreased malnutrition, especially in the southern states.I thought that food would be less of a problem to us in Florida, than it was in Montana, but I was very wrong. In cold climates, you can preserve food better. There are fewer vermin. Food keeps better and longer,in a cool, dry climate,so it can be stored. In a hot, humid climate, you need to purchase smaller quantities of food more often. Even with refrigeration,it is still more difficult to keep food. When I studied about malnutrition,one fact that stood out was that it was much more prevalent in the south. I learned why first hand when I was transferred by the Veterans Administration Medical Centers to Miami.The practices I had of shopping and food storage, had to be modified to suit the hot climate. Food stamps caused controversy,when they first came out. There are many people now who think they should be done away with.I have personally witnessed the good that they have done to help many people,including my family. Contrary to opinion, the facts are that most people who use food stamps do so for a short period.There are some who rely on them for years, but the vast majority of users are short term users. Food stamps help them to get over a hump, and they do it gracefully. Now, the program is more accepted, and much of the stigma has gone. Still people using the program are embarrassed and some who qualify won't apply because of that. I no longer use food stamps, I would still qualify, but I'd only get $10.00 per month, so I don't bother. I didn't use them for most of my working career, but I was always on the edge because social work doesn't pay what is should for the level of responsibility. When I look back on my life of hard work, great ambition, and success in getting an advanced degree.I was fortunate to have a great career,I really enjoyed. Even so,it is still a shock that I qualify for food stamps at all.
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Contributor's Note
I am getting more signatures on my petition, but I still need about 40 more and then I will get published and promoted by more than myself. I want congress to know that we feel they should sacrifice also. The salaries and perks that elected congressmen receive is staggering. My petition is at http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-congress-to-cut-their-pay-to-help-the-deficit
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 | | nick appreciated this intel. Mar 1, 2011 |  | | jannepaige liked this intel. Mar 1, 2011 |  | | respected this intel. Mar 1, 2011 |  | | frederick recommended this intel. Mar 2, 2011 |  | | Nora Quiason respected this intel. Mar 2, 2011 |  | | ®Sa agreed with this intel. Mar 3, 2011 |
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Thank you for sharing this information about food stamps,Marlene.
I support these programs for people in need, but I don't like seeing grocery carts filled with junk food, prepared foods and junk drinks, being paid for with a food stamp credit card. If you really want to light my fire, let me see a family of obese people in control of that grocery cart.
I remember WPA and I've worked since I was 11.
Keep up the great intels.
Best wishes.
Frederick
Thank you for this great intel. I have known many food stamps recipient in my work and I am humbled by what they can do with so little. Food stamps will only pay for food items. People who need food stamps also need hygiene staples such as soap and toilet paper.
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