[Cabin Fever]

Wow, have I had my eyes opened. I had no idea how many people who visit this forum are on, or have been on, food stamps or some other form of government assistance. It almost seems that we, as an entire forum, do not represent the US population as a whole in terms of the percentage of us who receive governmental assistance. Of course, I have no idea what the national percentage is: 10%, 20%? I doubt if it's any higher than that.

At any rate, I'm proposing an anonymous poll to see how we as group of individuals, who are striving to be self-sustaining and self-reliant, compare to the national trend. In the mean time, I will attempt to find out what the national percentage is.

Melissa, is this thread becomes fills with judgemental posts and/or bashing, feel free to delete it with my blessings. My purpose is soley fact finding.

So, my question is, "Have you ever received food stamps, welfare, or any other form of government assistance (not including school loans, farm subsidies, etc)."

 

[Tonya]

We have recieved WIC, BUT the kids were foster kids and the social worker basically told us we HAD to do it. We did until the babies were a year old and done with formula.



What surprised me is that a year or three ago I read where the AVERAGE welfare reciepent is white and lives in a rural area. So much for the preconcieved notions that it's just inner city folks free loading on the system, eh? And funny how it's "assistance" when white folks need it and "free loading" when black do.

 

[RockyGlen]

It's free loading when someone who does not need it takes it, and it is assistance when someone who needs it is getting it. Race does not enter into it, IMO.

 

[AngieM2]

Yep, I did for two years. Just after the divorce, no support, going to school to get qualified to have ajob.

Before these neat cards... and it took Mom a whole summer to talk me into it cause I'd paid the taxes for it..

Was great getting off.
But very very very tight. Two hours of over time in two months made me average $1 more than allowed for the last food stamps, so for $2 I lost about $112 in food stamps (was down to $61 a month at that time). 20 years ago.

Angie

 

[Splinky]

My Family and I were on food stamps for a couple of years while I was a teen. My Father had worked for IBM. They layed off everyone that worked in that location. He had a hard time finding a job in the same field after that. The work he did was specialized.

My parents were so embarrassed. I never was. We only recieved the help we needed to survive. The nasty attitudes we recieved in supermarkets were from small minded people.

I have no respect for the people in life that slam those on goverment assistance because if they had the choice between watching their kids starve and getting help, they would be getting help too.

 

[Cheryl in SD]

The county heard we had 5 children (I don't know how), and called to ask us to sign up for food stamps and WIC. I responded we didn't need them. She kept pressing. I told her we made to much to qualify anyway. She told me that we could make up to $52,000 a year & still get WIC. I still said no, thanks anyway and no, we don't make over $52K.

 

[RockyGlen]

Cheryl, your county probably has the same problem ours does - not enough people on assistance to use the budget up. Supposedly, their budget will be cut next year if they don't overspend this year. They claim here that if they can't give assistance to people who qualify but don't truly need it, that in the future they will not be able to give it to people who need it because they won't have it. I don't know if that is true or not, but that is what I have heard.

I think they ought to get rid of the entire system and replace it with passing out beans, rice, and canned vegetables and such in person - healthy, cheap foods, along with toilet paper, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Quit giving out money and start paying their rent and utilities directly. I think that would cut down on the abuses of the system - if it was more difficult and less beneficial.

 

[Wildwood Flower]

I received WIC with my first child==it was such a great program. I got milk, cheese, eggs, and cereal, I believe. Plus we had some nice classes on childcare. I think it's a good program.

I also got reduced price lunches for my son and a foster girl one year. We qualified for "free" lunch and I asked the principal if the kids could work for their lunch. He said, "No."

I opted for the reduced price lunch--I told the kids "There's no such thing as a free lunch."

I know we qualified many times over the years for food stamps, but I never applied for them. Just made ends meet with what we had.

 

[LamiPub]

not sure how to answer this....does getting ss death benefits count as receiving government assistance?

 

[NickieL]

Probebly could have qualified for help with my hospital bills and food a few years ago, but we didnt try to get any. :shrug:

 

[SquashNut]

Us 5 kids were raised on welfare. Mom got a check of about $298 a month and commodities. There was no food stamps yet. We moved from house to house cause she didn't pay the rent. My brother made alot of fried rice dinners for us.
mom gave the left over commodities to my uncle to feed the hogs.
i think my gardening and what some would call food hoarding comes from needing more food as a kid.
We were on food stamps for 2 monthes when dh hurt himself for 2 monthes. But when he went back to work we stopped them.

 

[Ravenlost]

Like Angie, I started getting assistance after my divorce. Both children were on WIC and I received food stamps and day care assistance, plus federal grants for school. I did not want to apply, but my Daddy told me he had paid taxes for many many years and now I would be getting some of his money back. He helped me not feel so ashamed. I also did not want to apply for anything other than food stamps, but the kind lady at the welfare office insisted I sign up for day care assistance and school.

When I moved to attend college after being awarded an academic scholarship I had to go apply for food stamps in the new county. The worker there snidely told me to quit school and get a job. I informed her that if I did that, I would still be eligible for food stamps, but if I got a college degree I would never need her food stamps again.

I was right. I graduated college in 1988 and have never recieved any assistance since that day.

 

[Hears The Water]

I have and still do. It is the only way I can get any kind of medical assistance on the kids... and it is a huge blessing for us as their medicines cost right over $1,000 a month. We recieve $32 a month for food stamps and we live on the social security benifits from their dad.
God bless you and yours
Deb

 

[donsgal]

I don't know if you consider unemployment compensation government assistance or not - or whether you are just talking about welfare and food stamps.

Anyway, one year I did go on unemployment due to my then-dh not wanting me to work! LOL I made a whopping $180 dollars a week from it.

One time, when I was a child (around 14), my parents received food stamps for two months while my father looked for work. There were many times growing up when I'm sure we would have qualified for assistance, but never applied. The only reason we did that one time is because we had no money and very little food.

I think that government assistance is fine as long as it is used and not abused. My philosophy is that everybody needs a little help sometime in their life and there is no shame in accepting it. After all, we pay taxes all the rest of the time, I don't feel that we are "entitled" to it for that reason, but everyone should be allowed to benefit from the programs available if they really, truly need it.

donsgal

 

[TxCloverAngel]

Me too.

after my divorce I was a single mother to three boys. I got food stamps for 6 months.
they were ag reat help. at first I felt so guilty but then it hit me..... I have worked a full time job from the time I was 15 yrs old. I PAID for this help. But got off as soon as I could.

 

[FiddleKat]

Cheryl, your county probably has the same problem ours does - not enough people on assistance to use the budget up. Supposedly, their budget will be cut next year if they don't overspend this year. They claim here that if they can't give assistance to people who qualify but don't truly need it, that in the future they will not be able to give it to people who need it because they won't have it. I don't know if that is true or not, but that is what I have heard.

I think they ought to get rid of the entire system and replace it with passing out beans, rice, and canned vegetables and such in person - healthy, cheap foods, along with toilet paper, toothpaste and toothbrushes. Quit giving out money and start paying their rent and utilities directly. I think that would cut down on the abuses of the system - if it was more difficult and less beneficial.

Good point......DD's school had us sign up for free lunch for her. I told her teacher I didn't need to since DD has such severe food allergies I prefer bringing her lunch and snack with her instead of it being provided.
Teacher said, that was fine, but wanted us to sign up anyway, because for every child who qualifies, whether they take the free lunch or not, helps boosts what they get from the gov.

As for the OP, we recieve food stamps. Well, next month probably won't or our benefit will drop greatly now that DH is back working. DD receives SSI. Last year we were approved for food stamps and were to get $11 a month. I figured it wasn't worth the time, and it was easier to make do with what we had.

 

[FiddleKat]

I don't know if you consider unemployment compensation government assistance or not - or whether you are just talking about welfare and food stamps.

Unemployment is not gov. assistance. Your employer pays into that.

 

[Gercarson]

It's free loading when someone who does not need it takes it, and it is assistance when someone who needs it is getting it. Race does not enter into it, IMO.

Americans love to assist those who need help and do so with a big heart and open arms as much as they can. We are "that" sort of people.
But - like RockyGlen has said so very well - we do not like "free loading". There is a huge difference.
If you need assistance ask for it and it's probably yours - not many strings attached - we love to help.
If you are a freeloader - well ... even those who require some assistance will frown on you. We "help those who help themselves".

 

[ceresone]

Yes, CF, please clarify exactly what you do mean. I'm sure you dont mean the SS death benefit? But do you mean Social Security for the older retired folks? or Social Security for some in our neighborhood that just wont work? qualify for SS because on drugs, think they might be bi-polar, etc. Theres so many types its hard to say.
No, We dont qualify for food stamps, despite my having $40. a month for groceries. I'm holding a no-interest loan for property we sold--that I cant collect for 7 years--but that dis-qualifies us.
Just curious, why did you eliminate farm subsidies? or are they the same as farm loans?

 

[Peace n Quiet]

Fifteen years ago, I was seventeen years old and pregnant.
Together, we made less than $15K that year. But we managed... without ANY support - from our families or the government.

Two years later... we had baby #2. It was a banner year - Made $18K!! My pregnancy was troublesome, and DD was in NICU - our portion of the medical bills amounted to $15K.

Two years after that - with both of us working two jobs, and much scrimping by... we had our bills under control and bought the farm we live on now.

I don't knock those who NEED assistance... I know many honest people who have no other option. We were very blessed to be able to find cheap rent, reliable used autos, second hand clothes, etc. along the way.