Food stamps will shrink Nov. 1: Recipients worry about food, heat

[Miranda4peace]

A temporary increase in food stamps expires Oct. 31, meaning for millions of Americans, the benefits that help put food on the table won't stretch as far as they have for the past four years.

Food stamps — actually the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program — go to 47 million Americans a month, almost half of them children and teenagers.

"Every week is a struggle as it is," said Heidi Leno, 43, who lives in Concord with her husband, 9-year-old daughter and 5-year-old twins. "We hate living paycheck to paycheck and you have to decide what gets paid."

RECOMMENDED: Food stamps: How does the program work?

Starting in 2009, the federal stimulus pumped $45.2 billion into SNAP, increasing what would have been a monthly benefit of $588 a month to $668 for an average household of four. In November, that same family will start getting $632 a month, about a 5 percent cut.

The benefits, which go to 1 in 7 Americans, fluctuate based on factors including food prices, inflation and income.

Families and providers worry the expiration of the stimulus bump comes at a particularly bad time:

— Though Census figures from September show poverty remains stuck at around 22 percent, in some states, including New Hampshire, the number of children living in poverty is climbing.

— The House voted to cut almost $4 billion a year from the roughly $80 billion-a-year program in an effort to find savings in the budget. A Senate bill would cut around $400 million a year.

— In cold weather states, even a slight decrease in the benefit can trigger a decision between heating and eating. Heating fuel prices are expected to increase this year too, the government warned this week.

And the program could face another shortfall if the government is shuttered past Nov. 1.

Danielle Walker, 37, was shopping at a discount Aldi store in Morgantown, W.Va., with what little cash she had, the end of September still three days away. Her food stamps had run out because of a previous cut from $500 to $61 a month that came about when the father of her 12-year-old son died, giving the boy survivor benefits that changed the family's income level.

With two disabled sons, 12 and 16, each with different dietary requirements, she can barely imagine how she'll absorb another cut. So, she'll visit food pantries, clip coupons and shop at the least expensive stores she can find. She also explains her situation to manufacturers, who send coupons.

"I'm a mom who does outside-of-the-box things," she said, adding, "I have to feed my boys."

But the stimulus was never intended to be a permanent source of money, said former New Hampshire Sen. Judd Gregg. He opposed the stimulus, calling it at the time "a great deal of money not well spent."

"All stimulus funding was to be temporary," Gregg, now the CEO of a banking industry group, said Wednesday.
http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Latest-News-Wires/2013/1010/Food-stamps-will-shrink-Nov.-1-Recipients-worry-about-food-heat

[gopiscrap]

1. Yet there is plenty of money for war and the military

there is plenty of money for corporate tax breaks...there is plenty of money to pay executives excessively, there is plenty of money for jails and prisons, but not enough to feed our brothers and sisters? We are fucked as a nation!!!

[Miranda4peace]

3. Paper money is a joke

Getting food, shelter, energy etc to people who need it doesn't require paper IT REQUIRES ACTION.

I agree with you 100. Priorities need to change, NOW!

[Fumesucker]

6. If you're hungry and have no money all you have to do to eat is steal some food

Whether you get caught or not you're going to eat..

Free range poor people are worth nothing even to themselves, in prison they are worth ~$30,000 a year to corporate stakeholders.

Priorities, we haz them.

[leveymg]

2. We have become a pathetic country.

This really makes me sad and angry.

[blkmusclmachine]

4. Republican Economic Terrorism.

[damnedifIknow]

5. Mixed feelings about this

I've heard of and actually have seen people selling food stamps for like 50 in cash for something around 80 or so in food stamps. Okay, now if they really needed the food that bad would they be selling their food stamps? I realize there are many needy people out there but I have seen this type of thing.

[Miranda4peace]

7. That doesn't mean they don't need the stamps!!!

It just means they think they need something else more, which is unfortunate, because food is important.
When you look at the income of individuals receiving food stamps and you look around at everyone else, can you wonder why they want "cash".
Our economy is about culture prioritizes status and consumption, if you don't have you are considered a reject, poor, unworthy, even anti-social etc. We are no longer judged by our education or job, but by our watches and cars and wallet.