Posted on 12/07/2010 7:48:12 PM PST by Wisconsinlady
Food Stamps Welcomed At Restaurants
NOV. 23, 2010
By KATY GRIMES
We’ve known for some time that there are abuses of electronic welfare benefit (EBT) cards in California. The EBTs are accepted nearly anywhere that sells food — grocery markets, convenience stores and even restaurants. Costco does not accept food stamps or EBT cards, but Trader Joe’s does. The cards also have a cash component; they come loaded with cash allowances in addition to the electronic benefits.
What most people don’t know is that the government doesn’t keep a record of what is purchased with the cards. In the “Frequently Asked Questions” section of the Office of Systems Integration, the state agency that oversees the EBT welfare card system, one question asks, “Does the government know what I bought with my EBT card?” The answer may surprise many, especially after the recent exposure of the rampant fraud using the benefit cards:
“No,” states the FAQ. “The EBT system does not keep a record of what you buy.”
In theory, the EBT cards can only be used for “Any food for human consumption except hot food.” According to the EBT debit card agency, EBT cards and food stamps are accepted at many different food venues:
Farmers’ markets – 96 farmers’ markets in 16 counties currently accept food stamps in California.
Flea markets – California is the first state in the nation to allow the use of food stamps at flea markets. Few flea markets currently participate, though the program will likely expand to those with significant food sales.
Special Programs – Drug addict and alcoholic treatment and rehabilitation programs, group living arrangements, shelters for battered women and children, and public or private nonprofit homeless meal providers — if authorized by USDA — can purchase food on behalf of their residents; and in some cases these residential programs can redeem food stamps directly.
EBT cards can also now be used to buy seeds and plants to grow food for personal consumption.
However, pet food, alcohol and “any hot food meant for immediate consumption” (fast food), as well as non-food items such as soap, toothpaste, toilet paper, cigarettes, vitamins and medicines are not allowed for EBT purchase.
There are still some food stamps in use, but the majority of welfare recipients are issued EBT cards.
Concerned with the dignity of the “client,” In 1996, the federal government passed the Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996, which mandated the replacement of coupon style food stamps with the electronic fund transfer program debit cards. In 1997, the California Electronic Benefits Transfer Act was passed as part of the CalWORKs welfare reform legislative package. But it wasn’t until 2005 that the EBT program was fully implemented in California.
California touts the EBT program as a success, and claims that fraud has been greatly reduced. “There is a certain ethos in government where we don’t dwell on our successes; there are so many mandates from politicians and citizens that by the time we catch up to standards on one program, it is time to jump to the next,” reads a report from the California Department of Social Services.
The restaurant meals program was launched to allow homeless, disabled and elderly households to purchase hot food. It is currently operating in Los Angeles, Sacramento, San Francisco, Tuolumne and Santa Clara Counties.
In what would seem a contradiction to established EBT policies, the EBT Restaurant Meals Program allows “eligible EBT cardholders receiving federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to purchase hot prepared foods at participating restaurants or retail stores, using their EBT cards.”
California apparently didn’t like the name SNAP, so the state changed the program name to “CalFresh.”
Delores Gant with the Los Angeles County Public Social Services explained that the restaurant meals program is a food stamp program allowing clients to use the EBT card to purchase prepared meals from participating restaurants. This program is available to the card holder, or anyone in the food stamp household who is homeless, elderly or disabled. Authorized representatives can use the EBT card as well.
The restaurants participating in the program in the five California counties are encouraged by the state to “Increase your business earnings while serving your community.” The reason for the restaurant program, according to Gant, is that “Los Angeles County [like the other counties] has a large population of homeless, disabled and elderly food stamp households that are unable to prepare their own meals or store food.”
In order to participate, Gant said that restaurants need to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Los Angeles County and become certified by the USDA Food and Nutrition Service.
Approximately one-half of the restaurants in the program are chains or franchises, with the others being mom and pop establishments, said Gant. “We do not want just franchises so we choose mom and pop restaurants also,” she added.
The EBT restaurant program seems to be a success. There are 15 pages of participating restaurants in L.A. County. And even though fast food outlets are supposed to be disallowed in the food stamp program, numerous locations for Jack in the Box, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Subway, Domino’s, Pizza Hut and Popeye’s are included in the listing of participating EBT restaurants.
Lucinda Serynek, Communications Director with Sacramento County’s Human Services division, said that the Los Angeles County program has “good participation” and is one of the best. But “it is up to the county whether or not to participate in the restaurant program,” she said. With budget cuts, Serynek said that many counties have opted not to participate.
The EBT card has two types of benefits: electronic-only funds as well as cash. Gant said that clients can use either the EBT card at participating restaurants, or use the cash.
CalFresh spending reports can be found on this website, broken down by month. The site includes a five-page application for CalFresh benefits and a “pre-screening tool.”
*ping* (You’ll LOVE this article!)
For the record, EBT customer and the store employees involved were all white, so it wasn’t a race thing.
That’s because they think it just refills all the time. They believe it is owed them is why there is no embarrassment. Most likely she went back to the same store the next day with a similar result.
They will just keep doing it till it actually refills and she gets groceries. I remember back when my wife and I were starting out and going to the grocery store with $35 to spend because we had just paid rent and electricity bill and that was all we had to spend. And then watch someone get $200 of groceries and just whip out food stamps while we worked and had to scrimp.
They give out cell phones and free minutes on them too. In Massachusetts they give cars, gasoline, insurance and - are you ready - AAA membership!
Supposedly the recipients can’t look for a job without phones and cars.
Heck, why work? Life is better on the dole.
Then, to top it off, they drive away in cars I can't afford either. Something is wrong with this picture!
A lot of people figured out, a long time ago, that it is actually more lucrative as well as easier to live off others.
Many years ago I worked with a hard-working lady who got just livid when the subject of welfare came up. Almost every day when she left for work her neighbor would be sitting back on her porch, relaxing, and laughing at "Mrs. Jones" for going to work. "You're a fool for going out there and working like that," she was told. "Just sit a home and draw a check!"
It just outraged her. She was brought up to work for what she had, and that was the way she lived her life. It outraged her that others did not do the same, but chose instead to live off her labors!
Now, if I tried to run a bill thru Congress called the Taco Bell Subsidy Act, no one would vote for it. But if I call it the ‘Help The Poor People Eat ‘ bill, I guess that will work.
72 degrees today in Southern California...
Unlimited visibility, mild Pacific breeze, sunny, clear, not a cloud in the sky, snow on the mountains, and orange trees are full!
Actually got in some golf today....Life is good.
Just perfect fall weather...
Oh, if we could only say what we'd like to say---and get away with it! You're way nicer than I am. Something along the lines of "Hope you choke on it" comes to my mind.
Why is there a cash component? I’m in CA for business and saw a sign in a cash advance place’s window saying “EBT users get your cash here.” I couldn’t figure how that would work until I saw they have cash on the card too. That is NUTS ~ they could cash that out and buy drugs!
Good question. With a restricted card, you can only buy food and that’s it. The cash program is too easily abused.
Thanks for the link, Wisconsinlady. I was sure I’d read it but didn’t remember it only happening a few months ago. Pretty soon they’ll be able to use their cards at garage sales. Or do they already?
I’d like to offer a possible solution to the exsanguination process known as welfare.I’d like to get some feedback on it,just wanna see how you all feel about it.
Were it up to me,this is how I would enact welfare reform:
The program in its present form would be completely scrapped and replaced with the following-
1) The program would be no more than 18 months long. No more welfare queens (and kings!!) living on the public dole for years and years at a time.This alone would save millions.
2) Every single person coming into the program (intake),
regardless of situation,would have to do two things.First,they must-MUST-prove they are US citizens through two pieces of verifiable ID.No ID,too bad. Go to a shlter or go back home,whatever.Secondly,each applicant,once verified as legal,and after meeting the criteria of needing assistance,would have to sign a contract,explained fully by the intake worker and provided to the applicant in a language they are familiar with.The contract would lay out the following:
a) This contract is for a one-time application of assistance;it is not open to extension of benefits,or amendment of any part thereof. The applicant would be made to understand that once you sign it,you are bound by the language in the contract and must comply with it in full,no exceptions.Any breach of it constitutes default and you are immediately released from the program and will not receive any more assistance,in any way,shape or form.
b)The applicant must submit to random drug testing for illegal drugs...one failure means you must be re-tested (labs occasionally make mistakes!). Fail the second test,you’ve breached it,you’re done,no more assistance.
Same thing if you become pregnant and/or marry at any time during the contract period...if that happens,you’ve breached it,that’s it,you’re done.
c)You are required to attend vocational schooling. If you are illiterate,you will be placed in a literacy class and upon completion,you will be sent to a vo-tech center to learn a trade.public transportation voucher and child care for children under the age of 12 will be provided for you during the hours and days of the week you attend school.Documentation from the school will be forwarded to the welfare agency so they know your school schedule.You must complete the course and pass with a score of 85 or better.If you miss more than 3 classes you will be dropped from assistance and no more will be given.Once you complete the course and graduate,you will be given job placement assistance, a public transporation voucher and child care good for 3 months after completion.Once you have made the transition to being employed,you will be terminated from the program and no further assistance will be given-ever.Your records will remain with the agency and if you attempt to get assistance again you will be denied.One shot.One helping hand up.No more handouts.
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