Sorry, my tight budget only accommodates trips to the cheapside of Naples. But thanks for the offer.

I have many thoughts about food stamps!!

When I was in high school, I worked as a check out girl at the grocery store. When people would come in with food stamps, many times they would buy Oreos, Doritos, soda, etc. There are no restrictions as long as it is "food".

When women would come in WIC certificates (Women, Infant, and Children program), the certificates would say: 1 lb. Cheese, 1 dozen eggs, 1 gallon juice, 1 loaf bread, etc. They would list specific wholesome items that were nutritional. They also had exclusions, like if it said "Juice" it had to be 100% juice. You couldn't buy "juice drink" with only 10% real juice in it.

It is my belief that instead of food stamps, we would get more nutritional mileage out that money if we modeled it after the WIC program.

I agree with you completely, Jillness. When I was living in Oklahoma, I worked at a grocery store. The most insulting part was when the girl handing me the foodstamp card has her acrylic nails and highlights in her hair. Give me a f*cking break.

I didn't realize food came in the form of stamps. Sounds disgusting.

At this moment in time there are no where near enough private or faith based programs to help near record numbers of families in need. If you start slapping programs together now, a lot would end up being nothing but government rip-offs. Someday, we should all get together and decide what we want private, what we want local, what we want state and what we want federal, but once the boat starts taking on water debate isn't going to help anyone.

I agree with you Jill, I've seen that happen many times...

Out of curiousity, do states like Cali and others with illegal immigration programs allow illegal immigrants to qualify for food stamps?

That could be a reason for the rise..

It wouldn't have a big impact on the rise because there hasn't been a surge in illegal immigrants.

Hmmm... I actually work in the agency that issues the food stamps to people in my locality - I'm really one of the 5 people in my office that issues the card to the client.

And I can honestly say that the amount of cards I issue a week has significantly gone UP. And they keep going up. More and more people are coming in.

It's actually a little depressing.

Huh?!

There hasn't been a surge in illegal immigrants since 1960?

I would disagree.

"This year, 28 million Americans are predicted to receive food stamps. That's the highest number since 1960."

That doesn't mean there's been a surge in anything. It says that this year has the most since 1960. There are about 122-million more people in the U.S. now than there were in 1960.

I know, thats why I was askng the question if illegal immigration is even a factor.

But I still think its shortsighted to think we have no more illegal immigrants in this country now than in 1960.

No one said we didn't have more illegals now than in 1960, but an increase of about 275,000 people a year over 48 years isn't a surge.

And none of the states mentioned in the article are among the top six with highest immigration levels.

Again, thats why I'm wondering if its a even a factor

While I do think anything that makes us a healthier society is positive, I think there are some legal issues with your idea jillness.

With WIC its okay to regulate to make sure babies get the nutrition they need as babies. (especially with the risk of women using the funds for other things, this is supposed to be for food for the baby and the mother for the well-being of the baby)

But I think there are constitutional issues with "forcing the poor to eat healthy or not eat at all" - while I know your are not being that extreme, that is how it would be seen. The big issue will be "people have a right to eat what they like"

good point zeze, never thought of it like that

Funny, my college English professor had the same idea! "So we should force poor people to eat generic peanut butter instead of Skippy?", she screached at me. (not that you are taking her position, though). "The ingredients in Skippy and Ralph's peanut butter are the same, you think tax payers should waste money simply for a brand name label?" was my reply.

I see it like this, food related welfare is to help people get nutrition so they don't starve. It isn't intended to give people recreational food. It is sustinance to survive. I don't think it is right to be concerned for a baby's well being, and to ignore the well being of adults to the detriment of tax payers in our society. It would not prevent them from buying Oreos with their own money, so I don't really see any "force". I think government funded food should be nutritional, because that is the intent of welfare at all.

And if you allow people to buy cheese, you aren't really forcing them to eat "healthy". It just has more nutrition than junk food.

It's so sad that in a country this wealthy, so many people are going hungry. And I think it's going to get worse. I read a Times story a week ago that talked about how food banks are seeing increased need. I think the US should revise its rules for food stamps, giving anybody who needs food the chance to have it. Like Citizen says, who can feed a family of three on less than $5 a day?

I agree with Jillness, because the more nutritious food goes a longer way.

It's a government program, and as pointed out by the WIC program, it can obviously be done, so why not.

One can look at the states listed as having an increase and plainly see that illegal immigrants aren't causing the rise.

Food prices have gone up, plain and simple. Milk is at $4-$5 a gallon in some places.

Working families are suffering. They say that food banks can't even keep up with the demand.

It's never going to get a politician votes though, to say let's spend more tax money on making sure the poor are well fed. For some reason, people would rather see their taxes go on refurbishing sports stadiums and things like that.

And when crimes rise because it will, because no matter what, hungry people have to eat and will do so by any means necessary if it comes down to it, then what?

I know what, there will be people supporting more taxes to build more jails.

Well, most people are going to know what I have to say, it should be state issue, and private funds, not federal. But I have to say I totally agree with Jillness. WIC is a great program for pregnant women. If you are on food stamps, you should not have buy nutritious food, not candy.

"I think the US should revise its rules for food stamps, giving anybody who needs food the chance to have it."

Where should we get these funds? Raise taxes even more?

Oops! "you should not have buy nutritious food, not candy."

Should read "you should have to buy nutritious food, not candy."

The funds could come from new taxes on oil company profits.

Yes, let's tax the oil companies so that they raise the price of gas and gas gets even more expensive.

Zeze: I see where you are going with your point, but I do not believe there are any Constitutional issues as the freedom to choose what food you buy with Socialistic programs really isn't a Constitutional Issue. (I will admit that there are probably a few judges who could make a ruling or two from the bench to prove me differently though.)

Additionally, many of these programs are state run programs, not federal programs. No one is forcing anyone to go onto one of these programs, so I can't see how these could be construed as a constitutional issue.

Furthermore, I believe with this logic, we could also say that it is a Constitutional Issue that people in the armed forces have to eat some of the rations that they do. All-in-all, I feel worse for what some of our troops have to eat in comparison to someone on WIC.

I also worked in a grocery store in high school and some college and saw what I would term a significant abuse of the welfare system. How can someone afford a Navigator, new nails, a hairdo from hell and not be able to feed their families? Its called priorities, and a gas guzzling expensive SUV, tacky acrylic nails and extensions should not be your priority if the goverment is feeding your family. If I had to utilize foodstamps I would be happy with whatever was given to me, I wouldn't complain if I had to eat no name brand peanut butter instead of jiffy.

They're raising the prices every day anyway, this woud least siphon a little of that money back.

Whether or not they raise it, adding taxes will only raise it more and hit many of those who already can't afford to live.

Maybe allow a significant discount for fresh ingredients instead of packaged foods. And fresh ingredients will last much longer than other stuff. A bag of chips will last a family one night (I'm guessing...) but veggies can be re-served and proteins can allow for various meals.

There was a mention of food stamps on another board when talking about Walmart. People mentioned stuff about buying DVD's with cash and their food with the food stamp card. The board got very racist, very quickly unfortunately.

I seriously think if you are asking for government assistance, you do not deserve the LUXURY of eating Oreo's and candy. Candy is not a neccessity. I don't care if you are pregnant, have children, or anything.

Skippy peanut butter is nasty away...Stick to Jif

First of all I never knew this site was here, I just stublemed upon it. Sorry to say I register just so I could respond to what some of the comment that have already been made. First of all not everyone using food stamp are like those describe by you and some others on here. I have worked most of my life until at the age of only 35 I developed heart problems. So now my husband is the only one working and providing for our family and yes he is a stand up guy because he not only provides for us but he is not a dead beat dad who does not take responsiblity for his other children who are not with us yet!!!!!!!!! When I was unable to work our financial stituation hit rock bottom, my father agree to let us stay with him and get back on our feet. He is 72 years old and had a stroke last month. So now we our holding together a household of 7 and damn right I receive food stamps. I do almost all the meals in the home and I have to make less than 500.00 go the month, which I can usually do with some help from my husbands last check of the month. So for you to run your mouth and say that we should be only allowed to purchase certain things is so wrong. Like pop, no my children do not drink it but by damn I deserve something small as a treat too. I do not buy sugar cereal, or sugary snacks, I make most of what my kids eat so that I know what is in it. As for WIC I received it for awhile but it is the most unrational system that I have ever seen. I told me that my son who is 4 years old, almost 4 ft tall and 55 lb was over weight. So I guess someone hiegth does not factor in. And yeah they give you cheese, milk, juice, peanut butter, cereal, which does help but hell what am I going to do with the cheese and peanut butter with no bread, flour and anything else to mix it with.

I know that I have been going off here but you never know who toes you are going to step on with what you say and how you say it. As once said by the greatest body in the world THOSE WHO LIVE IN GLASS HOUSE SHOULD NOT BE THE FIRST TO CAST STONES. You never know what might happen in your life.

By the way when I said that I deserve a treat too, I purchase a total of 4 one liters a month. I drink water from the tap and not the bottle, and I make ice tea and with store brand ice tea bags not a mix!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Some of us do have a brain in our head and know how to manage things

My family was also extremely poor. No home owner insurance, had termites in our raised wood house. We had a garden that I worked and we bought very simple foods. My parents refused to get food stamps and rathered us each sandwiches every night...which we did a lot with our produce.

Only after I left for college did my dad even consider getting food stamps. I think more people should be like my dad.

I still hold that packaged candies should not be bought with it. Just use paycheck for that. Now cereal is another matter.

Dixieangel0722..I hope you weren't talking about me...Sorry if I upset you.

While your story is tragic, dixie, I still don't see how it's right to buy soda or candy. *shrug* Yes, you deserve a treat once and a while, and I have no problem with you using that "little bit of assistance from your husband's last check" to buy that treat.

I understand where you all are coming from but you never know what you will do until it's you. dixieangel0722, I am sorry for your families hard time. I understand, I work with families and have several that need gov assistance. I was almost homeless from a job loss one year and I was refused gov assistance since I do not have children and I had a college degree - I was told. Fresh food is expensive, buying fresh spinach, lettuce, tomatoe, and so forth only last so long. Sorry to say that yes, processed food is horrible but it last a lot longer. Also, if you are in poor area, your grocery store may not carry everything fresh and/or organic; so if you don't have a car and can't afford public transportation you are out of luck. There are also stores, I know a few in the city I live in that are basically processed food heaven, if they have anything fresh it's meat and it's usually some weeks old - yes it is also in a poor part of the city. There are people who abused the system, people who never learned how to eat and that are clueless, there are also others that are on the system that needs it. To point fingers and say this and that, is wrong but hey it's your opinion you have a right to it. You never know until you are desperate or in a situation as that.

Beans and Rice Baby! Beans and Rice! Its Nice!

People are quick to point fingers at each other and ignore the high food prices caused by the policies of this current administration.

Where are people who live in the city going to grow a garden to grow their own food? In the concrete?

Demonizing the poor makes people feel superior because they can tell themselves they are better than the rest of them. Not true.

As far as taxing oil revenues increasing gas prices, I say so be it. Our over dependence on oil is causing us too many problems as it is. And as it stands gas prices are rising, so why not tax the revenues?

The days of taking advantage of cheap gas and everyone driving huge SUVs and Hummers is over. We are being forced to conserved resources and I say so be it.

FYI: Illegal Immigrants/Undocumented people are not eligible; however, their American Children are.

My mother had to apply for food stamps when we were children, she earned $10,000/year - not enough for a family of 4. She would usually stick to the bare minimum of what we needed - we were hungry a lot, in those days the stamps didn't get you much - she tried to grow and make other things, but it was difficult with her working several jobs and trying to raise 3 children in the ghetto.

Yeah, if she could spare it one month, she'd get us cookies or candy. We were CHILDREN - we went to school and saw what other kids had and that's when we realized we were poor. I don't think anyone who hasn't been that poor (no car, tiny flat, not enough food, not enough clothing for growing kids, etc) can possibly understand the psychological effect this had on us. My mother bought food staples like veggies and fruit because she understood nutrition - I think a lot of us here should not be surprised to realize that the poor and working-class in this country (i.e. earns less than $50,000/year for a family of 4) suffer educational inequality and segregation due to income-specific districting which is often race-specific, which means uneducated people are raising kids who cannot achieve a decent level of education. Being poorly educated means that people honestly do not know the food groups - I'm saying this because we who ARE educated assume everyone in this country knows what we consider 'the basics'. Furthermore, when you're working 2 or 3 jobs with kids in an area that is rife with crime, drugs, and the like because your low property taxes (a symptom of racism and classism that dates back to the 1950s, and continues to perpetuate racial and class stereotypes) mean your schools are overcrowded, under resources, and the bussing system in your area has been conveniently forgotten on the legal books - this is when people aren't aware that condoms should be used to protect from pregnancy and STIs, that fruits and vegetables should not come packaged or frozen, etc.

I won't deny there are doubtlessly a minority of people out there who abuse food stamps and governmental relief programs - of course there are. But our media has been misconstruing this minority of people as representative of the MAJORITY of people on relief - we've all heard of the "welfare queen" stereotype. But we don't often hear that the majority of those on relief are white women, and we don't often study why it is that legal Latino and African American communities are over represented in the working class and poor. It isn't because anyone is lazy (this goes for all races and genders), or stupid - it is because of an ignorance that is perpetuated by our society - our society which has contained an ethno-economic system since 1776 that was solidified during the Great Depression, our society which allows segregation in schools to continue by districting and eliminating bussing systems, our society which is subject to the misconstrued and dated notions of race, class, and gender from decades prior.

lula29 - UMMM I live in the city and still grow vegetables. I took a pot, filled it with dirt, put in seeds, and watered it....

I also went to public school (60% black and 40% white). I am an engineer now so I think no one has excuses for poor education. I also live in Louisiana. We are 2nd worse in the nation btw. While I may be up to my neck in student loans now, I at least finished with no help from family.

angelfromlsu,

And your little city grown garden is enough to feed a family?

From what you said in the first place, no because your family still had to go on food stamps, so apparently your family just proved that your little windowsill garden isn't sufficient.

You proved yourself wrong by your own admittance.

angelfromlsu,

Sorry I got you confused with someone else's post. I thought you wrote that your family accepted food stamps, but you didn't.

However, it's still crazy to think that you, having grown up in Louisiana, should expect those living in more urban areas to grow a garden to support the food needs of their family.

It's silly actually. Absurd.

I guess I really stirred to pot on this one. I did not mean to hit anyones nerve but what you were saying hit one with me. Most of the time the little bit of treat we get in the house is bought with my own money or my husband's as some would look at it but by what comments are being made is also saying that my kids don't deserve the oatmeal and rasin cooking I make with the stuff I purchase with my food stamps. I buy the oatmeal because we live in cold weather and it is not instant, I also use it to make meatloaf. Maybe the answer will never be able to be answered because of so many ways that we were raise and the situtations that we end up in but maybe just maybe some funding should be spent on teaching about and how to prepare the right foods and not on the hundreds to thousands of job that would have to be created to monitor everyones purchases. Because there will always be that few stores that ring things like this up as actual food items and if they are just putting the amount in the machine it will aprove it.

By the way I hold 2 Asst. Degrees in the medical field. I am using what I already have for education and trying to add to it to going into another portion of the medical field.

All I was trying to say is don't look down on those you, yourself have not walked that mile in their shoes.

Angelfromlsu...I comend your parents and their efforts to support and raise their family with a good work ethic and good morals, unfornuately times have change and we no longer have alot of those options anymore, if I did I would use them, but heck to get enough produce for 7 people we would have no where to sleep because the pots would have the space. Heck we are so tight, like a lot out there, we can't afford the pots

Well sorry if I ruffled feathers but this hasn't been solved for decades and probly wont for a few more.

Bless all and prayers for all

After reading the last few posts it is true that urban garden communities are popping up all over the country in empty lots, roof tops and sponsored gardens owned by private companies. This isn't Florida & James from Good Times just lookin out of the window watchin the asphalt grow. People are creating new communities around urban gardens. I will admit they still are not the usual but they are catching on fast and as I mentioned the peripheral benefits of community and education make all more worth the effort. Where there is a will there is a way and people just have to want it bad enough.

I still think if you had a food stamp card you should get a significant discount on fresh foods. Maybe up to 60%. Perhaps a few free healthy cookbooks a organization can put together.

When living with my family we actually lived on a large piece of land inherited from my grandmother. We had a pretty huge garden that we worked by hand. My dad came from the old-times where they picked cotton by hand and bartered for other things, etc.

My little apartment garden simply helps offset the high cost of tomatoes, tea leaves, lettuce, cucumbers. So I guess it's "cosmetic" more than essential. My finance are trying to buy a house right now so I plan to have a huge veggie garden.

But I have no idea how it is to feed a family. I am the youngest daughter and have no children right now. My grocery bill is less than $200 a month.

I remember growing up since the school bus passed in front of our horrible little house, people would ask me if my family was too poor for us to take baths every day. It was pretty embarrassing. Over time, my mom was tired of living in poverty and left us for a man who made more money. My mom was the breadwinner in the home too.

My dad kept the illusion that we weren't doing any worse. Only after I moved out did I realize how horrible the living conditions were. The floor was constantly caving in, bugs everywhere, water-heater and water softener were completely silted over so the water was almost undrinkable. And we had one working sink and barely one working shower head. Not as bad as being homeless but my cheap apartment these days look a lot better than going back to that.

Hopefully I'll have room for my dad in our new house.

I know my old roommate applied for food stamps since he was a student and made very little. I thought this was horrible also since his family was living him rent money and spending money every month. It shouldn't be for privileged college students.

hypnoticmix,

I volunteer for an urban garden. I'm clueless to the fact that they do exist and they are working to help feed the poor.

It's however absurd to assume that these gardens will prevent the need of food stamps.

angelfromlsu,

I'm being really aggressive and I apologize, but it really gets to me when people demonize poor people, because reading a lot of these post a lot of us have come from that same place. I my self grew up poor. I know all too well what it's like to have to pull your self up with nothing more than the audacity of hope (that's my Obama plug for the day , 10 points!!).

For cost are skyrocketing. Food stamps can't even cover the cost and food banks can barely feed the need these days.

I get that there is a social stigma to rely on government aid, but the reality is that the poor will always be here and thus something must be done to aid them. Pretending they don't exist isn't a solution. Preaching to them and passing moral judgment isn't either.

I'd rather we dole out aid than we end up like Haiti, because people will survive, by hook or by crook, regardless and if any thinks that the poor and hunger are going to just starve themselves to death they are just kidding themselves and asking to be held up at the grocery store.

Well you're right lula29 community gardens will not eliminate the need for food stamps. That would be an absurd suggestion. The fact of the matter is there will always be a need for food stamps. The question is how do we find ways to reduce the need for food stamps. If community gardens became mainstream and a way of life this would contribute significantly to the reduction in need for food stamps.

Community gardens, would still be a form of aid. Private aid, but aid just the same as food stamps. Community gardens work as a system of support among neighbors for the greater good of their fellow neighbors, specifically those who have fallen on hard times, in their community.

The stigma is not in the form of aid, but in the need for aid itself and that's what I'm arguing against. Whether food stamps or a community food bank supplied by a community garden, the stigma of need for such aid is what's being demonized and that disgust me quite frankly, because from the way it seems even from reading this board, many of our own families have come to need such aid at some point, but still we demonize the necessity.

I'm all for creating alternatives to help those in need, whether that is a community garden, privately organized food drives, private donations, whatever else, but I'm also 100% in support of government aid and I'm not ashamed of that.

The only way to reduce the use of food stamps in my opinion, is to boost wages and lower food cost, however, even at that some form of government, as well as, community assistance will still be necessary.