Food Stamps Buy Less, and Families Are Hit Hard

[babylonsister]

Food Stamps Buy Less, and Families Are Hit Hard

By LESLIE KAUFMAN
Published: June 22, 2008


Making ends meet on food stamps has never been easy for Cassandra Johnson, but since food prices began their steep climb earlier this year, she has had to develop new survival strategies.

She hunts for items that are on the shelf beyond their expiration dates because their prices are often reduced, a practice she once avoided.

Ms. Johnson, 44, who works in customer service for a medical firm, knows that buying food this way is not healthy, but she sees no other choice if she wants to feed herself and her 1-year-old niece Ammni Harris and 2-year-old nephew Tramier Harris, who live with her.

“I live paycheck to paycheck,” said Ms. Johnson, as she walked out of a market near her home in Hackensack, N.J., pushing both Ammni and the week’s groceries in a shopping cart. “And we’re not coping.”

The sharp rise in food prices is being felt acutely by poor families on food stamps, the federal food assistance program.

more...

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/22/nyregion/22food.html?_r=1&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss&oref=slogin

[dana_b]

1. omg

“What we are hearing from constituents is that they are having to make tougher and tougher decisions like to water down milk for kids or not purchase medication to keep money for food.”


That makes my heart cry. Imagine having to make those decisions? My family was on food stamps when my mom and dad got divorced. He wasn't paying child support and she made $300 a month in the early to mid seventies.She had a really tough time trying to raise three kids on that. It's worse now because of the huge cuts in health care that were made just after that time period.

[GreenPartyVoter]

3. Yet another reason we need universal coverage single payer health care. No one

should ever have to to make that choice. :cry:

I fear that this coming winter food, fuel, and meds are going to get skimped on by many many families up our way.

[gateley]

4. And last year, we got heating fuel from Venezuela as charity --

our own country didn't even provide it for our citizens.

[uppityperson]

2. I've been shopping marked down dairy then freezing it. (k&r)

It says to not keep, even frozen, past a certain date but what will happen? Will my yogurt go sour? Frozen cheddar crumbles rather than slices but it works fine in hot foods or salads.

[celestia671]

7. Milk should be okay

if you freeze it. Soy milk or organic milk has a longer exp date.

I get food stamps too and it's getting harder to stretch them, plus I just got a job that pays slightly more than waitressing(what I did before) so they'll probably reduce the amount I receive even if I am spending a good portion of my income on gas!:shrug:

[KoKo]

5. Why hasn't Congress upped the Food Stamp alottment to keep up with the REAL Inflation?

This should be addressed immediately.

[trashcanistanista]

6. Two words.

Community gardens. We need to join together and grow our own. Fuck the corporate growers. I'm talking to you Monsanto. This should not be happening in our county. It is a damn disgrace.

[celestia671]

9. And get our own cows too!

Milk prices here are just stupid!

[H2O Man]

8. One of my daughter's

last report for the school year had to do with poverty. She asked me a few questions, and I told her about a "home visit" I did to a person's home in the late 1990s. The person was an elderly woman, who had been a victim of outrageous circumstances throughout her life. Her son, who had been in a state hospital for almost four decades, was being transitioned out into the community. I asked, among other things, if she had enough food/

Pride caused her to say, "Yes," and so I asked if she could tell me what she planned for the next couple of days. I had a good enough relationship with her that she did not resent me asking that type of question. She had two chicken breasts and three cans of corn. That was all. And it was about the third week of the month, as I recall, so she had nothing else coming in.

I went to a local food bank, and got plenty of food. She was pleased, and her son always trusted me after that.

Groceries cost enough to make me depressed. But I can afford food. I keep thinking about people who can't. There are lots of them, including the elderly on fixed incomes. It's a sin that our country still doesn't provide food to people who really are in need.

My family donates and provides hours of volunteer work at local food banks.

[jwirr]

10. I also direct people to SHARE a program that my family uses.

[Leftist Agitator]

11. Angel Food Ministries is an excellent program that can help anyone save...

On their monthly grocery bill.

Here is their July $30 food package:

40 oz.
Marie Callender’s® Family Crock Pot Dinner (Meat Included)
1.5 lb.
Boneless Pork Filet
5 lb.
Breaded Chicken Chunks
1.5 lb.
Meaty Beef Ribs
28 oz.
Meatloaf and Gravy
1 lb.
Beef Fajitas
1 lb.
Fully Cooked Meatballs
1 lb.
All Meat Hot Dogs
1 lb.
Broccoli
1 lb.
Peas and Carrots
28 oz.
Pasta Sauce
1 lb.
Pasta
32 oz.
Borden 2% Reduced Fat Shelf Stable Milk
32 oz.
Hawaiian Punch
12 ct.
Corn Tortillas
7 oz.
Blueberry Muffin Mix

Dozen Eggs

Dessert Item



All told, that's $60 - $100 worth of groceris. There are no income or other restrictions on who can buy this food, and of course, food stamps are accepted.

They also have monthly specials, such as the following for July:

JULY SPECIAL #1
7 lb. Assorted Meat Grill Box - $20.00
(1.5 lb. New York Strip Steaks (2 x 12 oz.)
2.5 lb. Boneless Netted Boston Butt Roast
2 lb. Meaty Beef Ribs
1 lb. Mild Italian Sausage)


JULY SPECIAL #2
4.5 lb. Steak and Chicken Combo Box - $20.00
(1.5 lb. Kansas City Strips (2 x 12 oz.)
1.5 lb. Bone-In Ribeyes (2 x 12 oz.)
1.5 lb. Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Filet (4 x 6 oz.))


JULY SPECIAL #3
10 lb. Breaded Chicken Breast Tenders - $18.00


JULY SPECIAL #4
Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box - $16.00
(6 ears Corn
2 lb. Carrots
2 lb. Yellow Onions
1 Cello-Wrapped Lettuce
1 Pineapple
1 lb. Strawberries
1 Seedless Watermelon
6 Russet Potatoes)



The only catch with the specials is that you have to buy the basic package before you can buy any special packages. But that aside, this is a great way to cut 50% - 75% off of your grocery bill. This program isn't available in every area yet, but they hope to be nationwide within a few years (and with the economy and food prices being what they are, not a moment too soon!)



Here's their website:


http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

[lib2DaBone]

13. This is the same as SHARE food program

Look up the SHARE food program in your area. It is a good deal.

[Leftist Agitator]

12. Duplicate