Well first of all. Most states have moved away from the paper food stamps and use a debit card. When you swipe it, it gives the option of "food" or "cash". Now if you just get assistance for food, that is the only button you can choose and you are limited to purchasing food items. The cash button is the equivalent of getting that government check in the mail. It deposits your asssitance balance on the card. You can use it like a debit card and even get cash out of the ATM if you wish.
My sister gets food stamp assistance. She gets the maximum amount of benefit money for being disabled which is the grand sum of less than 700 per month. If she lived on her own, she would not make it financially considering all the doctor visits, medication plus rent, utilities and all the other stuff. Before she got approved, she got a portion of funds from the state in anticipation of getting federal benefits. She got about 130 a month. So once her federal benefits kicked in, they reduced her food stamps from 200 per month to 125. So, I tend to the money matters and have used both the cash and food stamp options assoicated with the card.
The misnomer is that people love to shit bricks and be all "holier than thou" about public assistance. Either we care about people in our society having the means to attempt to care for themselves or we don't. Our welfare programs exist for a reason. Because as a society we agree that it is important to see that people have the option to get food/shelter and whatnot. People love to trot out the so and so "milked the system" but really lived in a mansion and so and so "is just a welfare momma". I despise this outlook. It is hypocritcal and obnoxious. You take the chance that yes, someone will do something wrong. However, a majority of people who get assistance are barely making it happen every month and are doing their best to survive on what they get. THOSE stories are never told though because everyone is too wrapped up in feeling their righteous anger.
My sister gets food stamp assistance. She gets the maximum amount of benefit money for being disabled which is the grand sum of less than 700 per month. If she lived on her own, she would not make it financially considering all the doctor visits, medication plus rent, utilities and all the other stuff. Before she got approved, she got a portion of funds from the state in anticipation of getting federal benefits. She got about 130 a month. So once her federal benefits kicked in, they reduced her food stamps from 200 per month to 125. So, I tend to the money matters and have used both the cash and food stamp options assoicated with the card.
The misnomer is that people love to shit bricks and be all "holier than thou" about public assistance. Either we care about people in our society having the means to attempt to care for themselves or we don't. Our welfare programs exist for a reason. Because as a society we agree that it is important to see that people have the option to get food/shelter and whatnot. People love to trot out the so and so "milked the system" but really lived in a mansion and so and so "is just a welfare momma". I despise this outlook. It is hypocritcal and obnoxious. You take the chance that yes, someone will do something wrong. However, a majority of people who get assistance are barely making it happen every month and are doing their best to survive on what they get. THOSE stories are never told though because everyone is too wrapped up in feeling their righteous anger.
