about 1 in 7 receives food stamps in US

kabic · #1 05/04/11, 12:25 PM

Here is some data of what parts of the country receives the most assistance with food stamps. Maybe useful for those who beleive they may have to defend their stores from the masses when the goverment stops giving aid.

http://blogs.wsj.com/economics/2011/...e-food-stamps/

mekasmom · #2 05/04/11, 12:33 PM

It's too bad that so many households are eligible. But it is better to use taxes to stop hunger rather than use them to make war.

marinemomtatt · #3 05/04/11, 12:36 PM

Trips to the grocery store have shown me that Oregon has high food stamp usage. Sometimes I get pretty ticked off by what I see being bagged up for food stamp users, sheesh many of them eat better (as in more expensive cuts of meat), than we do (some eat worse because of poor food choices)
Back in the eighties we were on food stamps for two months, there were a lot more restrictions back then.
Oregon is looking at restricting the lifetime amount of financial aid given, NOW 5 years, SOON down to 18 months. Budget crisis.

partndn · #4 05/04/11, 12:44 PM

Wow. What was interesting to me is the RISE in usage, indicating the economy has had a noticable impact on what the usage was a year ago. My state (NC) had DOUBLE the rise percentage than any state surrounding me!
I knew things here sucked. I shouldn't be shocked to see it confirmed.

marinemomtatt · #5 05/04/11, 12:51 PM

My husband is a foreman and when one of his guys complains about a job hubby says "Be glad you have a job, tomorrow it may be gone, so either shut it or go sit in the van and hope you get a call for work tomorrow".
Complainers are easily replaced these days of so many out of work.

SquashNut · #6 05/04/11, 12:54 PM

on fox yesterday, they said the fed goverment had robbed the pension funds to finace the goverment til Aug.
I am looking for articles about this but haven't found any yet.

texican · #7 05/04/11, 01:26 PM

Unless there are hard and fast limits on welfare, there'll be long term dependency problems.

Anyone finding themselves suddenly unemployed, or broke, should be able to get assistance for a few months. After six months, it's a lifestyle choice. The person should either change their lifestyle, or move, to where there is a chance of making a living. I know folks who've been on 'relief' for several generations... they have less than zero incentive for working or taking care of theirselves, or their broods... why bother, when someone else will do it.

I wish there wasn't a need for 'relief'... Localize 'relief' and a lot of problems would disappear within a year (folks with morality issues would find discover the right path in life, or be turned away...).

Of course, 'reform' such as this would never happen, as the welfaristas would rather go to war (riot/loot/burn) than work. We as a nation have reached the point that there are more people not working than there are working. These are the people you have to worry about... In a bad old teotwawki, everyone not prepped is subject to becoming a "zombie".... those dependent on handouts will zombify first. We're on a one way track over a cliff... if we don't reform/eliminate our welfare/entitlement expenditures, the bus IS going off the cliff... taking all of us down with it.

used2bcool13 · #8 05/04/11, 01:44 PM

can't agree with you more Texican.

bruce2288 · #9 05/04/11, 01:56 PM

I question whether the criteria may be too low. Are there really1 in 7 who can not afford to feed themselves. Granted they may have to give up cable, cigs, beer, soda, cell phones, but really one in 7, I am not buying it.

ne prairiemama · #10 05/04/11, 02:45 PM

WOW! We are currently getting them as you all know, but working hard to get off them.
I am very grateful to have the help, but don't want to always need it.

I think also that at least here it would be nice if there were some little pamphlets or something that taught people more about cooking from scratch ect. or something. We eat the occasional junky food to be honest but really I don't think alot of people know how to even cook dry beans or that sort of thing. You can eat alot cheaper with noodles, rice and dry beans than premade stuff. stuff can be added to them to make a complete and filling meal. People say they don't have time too make stuff but if you're hungry you make time. crockpots/rice cookers ect. can help. Only in the odd circumstance is there no way to make food from scratch. when we had bad water then the rice ect. had added cost to it for cooking...

I think that they need to let people know that plants and seeds are available on the program. That info is practically hidden! You can get alot more food from a
a tomato plant than the same $$ spent on a few tomatoes already grown at the store.

People put dh down for working at wal-mart and have laughed in his face. I'm glad that he still keeps going and working and doesn't just give up and want to stay on assistance for food. I'm sure for some though it could be really hard and even drive them to want to stay home and collect help instead of working.

I had no idea there was so many other people using FS and that it had increased so much! Our states (we use them in 2 states often since we are near the line) are both light states though but I see misourri has more...Iowa too...

10kids · #11 05/04/11, 02:50 PM

Some of my husband's family is Mormon. Their Church welfare system is, or used to be, a large garden on church ground. If you need assistance, and are able, you are expected to work in the garden in exchange for food. That is the system this country should have had all along.

ne prairiemama · #12 05/04/11, 02:53 PM

Oh and Bruce here's the criteria

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applica...ligibility.htm

Theres no way we'd need FS's if we made 3-4k a month even with 10 people here with the way things are right now.

Ernie · #13 05/04/11, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ne prairiemama

WOW! We are currently getting them as you all know, but working hard to get off them.
I am very grateful to have the help, but don't want to always need it.

About 13 years ago my wife and I were on WIC, so I can relate to your situation. I don't think we were on it long, but mostly because we hated the grade of food that it allowed. We didn't particularly need it at the time but because we qualified for it we were convinced we ought to apply for it.

I don't particularly have a problem with assistance, I just don't think it should be government run. Would be much better if you and your brood were my neighbor and could come help me in the garden. The benefit I'd get out of that would be far greater than the loss of what it took to feed your family.

So knowing that you're on food stamps ... what are you doing to stretch those limited funds further to feed your family? There would be a great lesson in that for the rest of us, as I think before too much longer food will be rationed or simply unavailable.

ne prairiemama · #14 05/04/11, 03:19 PM

Ernie that would be SUPER!! We would LOVE that! It would be fun! I agree it shouldn't be government run. I think people have mostly forgotten how to work together because they don't have to. They are "independant". Working together is going to be key I think though when things get worse. I'd MUCH rather work for something and have someone willingly help than get something "free" from the gov. who is sorta robbing them of it...

To make our food money stretch we are buying seeds and plants for now and they will make food later as far as the fruit bushes ect. Our seeds are mostly ones that can be saved out of the plants so when things are worse we'll still have some. We're learning to garden. Hopefully I won't kill everything lol.
We eat alot of brown rice, dry beans and noodles.
The pintos make great chili and you can substitute lentils in say tacos and spagetti for all or part of the meat.
We buy wheat berries instead of bread and make it from scratch (healthier too!) as well as rolls/buns pizza crust ect.
We buy in bulk when there are sales. With the Ma and Pa store here we get a case discount price and since dh works at Walmart we get a discount on a few of the food things there too,not all. (bulk is good for our family size and like you all know for inflation protection)
We try not to waste any food. If something does get wasted usually we can feed it to the hens so it's turned into usable food again

Those are a few things, I don't want to ramble too much (too late huh?) or get t he thread too off track but I'm sure there's more lol.

mightybooboo · #15 05/04/11, 03:54 PM

Im surprised it isnt higher actually.I dont mind feeding hungry people,I left my politics on the rest of subject out it.

mekasmom · #16 05/04/11, 04:06 PM

It's too bad that home-ec skills aren't taught at home or in public schools. If people knew how to make bread, tortillas, can foods, grow a garden, and things like that they could more efficiently feed themselves on less money. They wouldn't be living hand to mouth even if they did need some food subsidy like food stamps. It would just be more cost effective and better for people as a whole. And an even bigger problem is that some Moms would not presently be able to teach their children those skills needed to help feed themselves because they never learned them from their homes or schools. We need a widespread educational push towards growing and cooking our own foods.

bluemoonluck · #17 05/04/11, 04:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mekasmom

It's too bad that home-ec skills aren't taught at home or in public schools. If people knew how to make bread, tortillas, can foods, grow a garden, and things like that they could more efficiently feed themselves on less money. They wouldn't be living hand to mouth even if they did need some food subsidy like food stamps. It would just be more cost effective and better for people as a whole. And an even bigger problem is that some Moms would not presently be able to teach their children those skills needed to help feed themselves because they never learned them from their homes or schools. We need a widespread educational push towards growing and cooking our own foods.

I would love to see these things taught / valued in schools!

However for the majority of the people on the gov't teat, they are too lazy to make their own bread, weed a garden, or can veggies. Even if they had the knowledge, they wouldn't bother

SquashNut · #18 05/04/11, 04:28 PM

Sounds to me like parents need to teach these things. how can we complain about being too dependant on goverment and then complain cause the schools don't teach enough skills to our kids?

ne prairiemama · #19 05/04/11, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SquashNut

Sounds to me like parents need to teach these things. how can we complain about being too dependant on goverment and then complain cause the schools don't teach enough skills to our kids?

Good point. The public schools are too busy teaching gay history to worry about practical skills...

I wish i was taught this stuff from a young age so I didn't have to learn NOW. I'm learning though and my kids are learning too so at least they will have the tools to feed themselves ect. better

They think its fun and I have to admit I am enjoying it too.

Strange Bear · #20 05/04/11, 04:58 PM

It would be nice if anyone who is on welfare has to be on birth control. Then the population of welfare (generational) recipients would decrease. Probably not soon enough though.