My wife and I are close to a dear couple (now in their late -70s) who just confided in me that they qualify for food stamps.
They both worked productive careers, but their downhill roll started 12 years ago when their youngest son was diagnosed with terminal cancer. They had moved “up north” a year earlier. In a flash, they sold their home (at a huge loss) and returned to care-take their son in his last months.
I asked: “So why don’t you go down and apply?” Their answer: “We’d sooner drive our car into a canal than suffer the shame of asking for a handout.” I know they’re serious.
This Saturday, my group is volunteering at a giant pre-Thanksgiving “turkey and all the fixin’s” giveaway. Having volunteered after hurricane Andrew, I know who I’ll see there.
I pray to the Lord that some of the stuff actually gets to someone who is needy.
My answer to them: You were productive citizens all of your life, and had bad circumstances forced upon you. You earned the help available to you. Please take it!
“I asked: “So why don’t you go down and apply?” Their answer: “We’d sooner drive our car into a canal than suffer the shame of asking for a handout.””
That’s my mom. She is 70 and takes care of my sister who has a large number of health problems. They live off my moms SS plus what she makes grooming dogs and other odd jobs. They live on about $1000 a month total. I supplement for them by about $500 a month to pay the utility bills and and help make a dent in the house taxes. She is never happy about seeing the extra money in her account every month. She says that I should be keeping my money. She will not take food stamps and my sister even qualifies for SSI but mom wont take it. This year I have to replace the roof on her house. Its leaking so its going to be a lean Christmas, but I don’t care at all.