Here's What Happens When A Family Runs Out Of Food Stamps

BI - Washington Post ^ | 12-9-2015 | Emily Badger,

[blam]

Emily Badger
Deember 9, 2015

Toward the end of every month, hospitals in California see a curious uptick in admissions for hypoglycemia, the kind of low blood sugar that can affect diabetics.

The pattern, detected in a recent study by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, is almost entirely driven by low-income patients.

The non-poor don't show much change in admissions at all.

The researchers suspect this trend may point to an underlying challenge for the poor: Food stamps, given out in a lump sum at the start of each month, run out for many families before they reach the end of it.

Where grocery stores in poor neighborhoods often report a rise in business when food stamps are electronically debited, hospitals may see the result when they run out.

That paper, led by Hilary Seligman, is one of several relatively new studies suggesting that the level of food assistance we currently give families — the average family of three gets $374 a month — isn't enough for a month's worth of meals.

A new report from the White House Council of Economic Advisors corralling this research shows that the short-term effects show up in some surprising ways. Amid the well-documented long-term effects of food stamps in alleviating hunger and easing poverty, week to week it looks as if the food stamp cycle may also influence hospital admissions, student test scores and even childhood behavior.

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[BlueLancer]

"Don't hand out food stamps, hand out rations enough for each family member to have a months worth of meals. Powdered mild, butter, bread, peanut butter, beans, rice, bagged oranges and such."

I've never had powdered mild butter. All of my powdered butter is extra-spicy ...

[Trailerpark Badass]

Of course, giving 40 million people money to buy food raises the cost of food for all of us, so we sucker lose both ways.

[Mastador1]

Ah, maybe budget out that free food instead of binging on goodies at the beginning of the cycle? I know I have seen overloaded shopping carts at the start of the month so you know there is no planning or thinking ahead. If they were capable of that they would maybe be able to hold down a job or keep their knees together so they don’t drop ten or twelve babies, and yes I’m including the ones that are supposed to have not just balls but brains.

[hal ogen]

It isn’t enough if you buy prepared foods and junk foods. Try 50 lb. bags of rice, beans and some whole chickens. Try cooking. Oh, yeah...try getting into this thing called “work”. Stop smoking, drinking, gambling and drugging. Oh, yeah...drop the cable TV.

[DoodleDawg]

Apparently they rules are gone or no longer enforced.

Some states are more strict than others on what you can buy with food stamps.

As for enforcement, the stores are the ones who could be doing that. When I go grocery shopping my store can ring up the items and determine which get me a gasoline rebate and which don't. You can't tell me that same system can't be programmed to flag which foods are eligible for food stamps and which are not.

[HamiltonJay]

$374 isn’t enough for a months worth of meals?

Sorry, I agree you can’t eat steak every night for a month on that, but I can feed a family of 4 for under $90 a week if I had to. I know food prices vary in areas of the country but it can be done.

[riri]

I knew a guy once who was a caseworker in the inner city in upstate NY. He said he often would go cherry picking in the summer up in the Catskill area and then bring some cherries to the kids at the homes he visited.

He said it was very common that they had never even tried a cherry. Never had fruit in the house or much food. The food stamps were typically used at the fried chicken places that were all around the area.

He also said it was rare that they even had cooking supplies (pots, pans, utensils), etc.

[caww]

...." suggesting that the level of food assistance we currently give families isn't enough for a month's worth of meals.".......

At 350 pounds this food stamp recepiant blames government for her being fat ....

....She says she can’t go to the gym because she doesn’t have the money and the government won’t pay for gym membership.......saying....“I tried swimming but it cost $36 a month and it meant I had to cut back on my favorite pizza and Chinese takeout.”

“There’s no way I could get a job..... I don’t feel bad about the taxpayer funding my life and my child’s medical problems, because I don’t treat myself or buy anything excessive.... I just get enough money to live on – the taxpayers should help fund my diet.”

She receives $32,189.20 in benefits a year, and lives in public housing with her two children by different fathers; she pays NOTHING for home expenses. Including housing, healthcare, and miscellaneous reimbursements, Briggs receives more than $62,000 a year in total government assistance.

[William Tell]

You and your husband are raising one child? He was 57? And you had nothing set aside? How is this possible?

[HamiltonJay]

I don’t envy the plight of the working poor, time is limited when you are a single parent working a job, but believe me you can feed your family on less than $90 a week. I know, because I have done it. You almost have to rely heavily on frozen/prepared foods to pull off most meals if you are in this category which sadly are either very expensive (relatively speaking to feed) or they are insanely bad for you health wise.

That said however, it can be done, and there is no excuse for not having at least a few pots and pans... you can buy them literally for for a few quarters at nearly any salvation army/goodwill store etc. Family Dollar sells cheap sets for $10 for an entire set.. yes they won’t last forever, but they will get the job done.

Now the folks who don’t work at all and are able bodied and minded, and just refuse to work, they are just flat out lazy, pure and simple.

I don’t group the two together, they are completely different groups. I have no issues helping those working hard to better and provide given difficult circumstances, even if those circumstances may have been self induced, I have very little compassion for those who are flat out unwilling to take any responsibility for themselves at all and expect others to carry them.

[wagglebee]

Milk, eggs, cheese, bread peanut butter... no cookies or lobsters or steaks - hamburgers and hot dogs only

Exactly.

They need food that's high in protein, but not expensive. They really don't need anything that would be considered "snack food" like cookies, chips, etc.

[HamiltonJay]

Its a lot easier than you think, I can’t tell you how many folks I have met who are in similar places at that age.

[hal ogen]

Why doesn’t this fat degenerate slob try “walking” for exercise? It doesn’t cost anything. What a waste of humanity.

[HamiltonJay]

I am truly sorry to hear about your loss. I am certain it has been a very hard adjustment for you and your daughter, but I am also certain that with your attitude you will be okay in the end.

[caww]

She needs to unstuff her cupboards with all that junk food she shoves in her mouth.......nobody’s making her choose the junks she’s eating.

As she said it was too much to ask of her to forfeit her Chinese take out and Pizza’s......

Interesting she has just two children....and gets $62,000 in benefits! There’s plenty of people working that don’t get that!

[Travis T. OJustice]

Why can’t we make them come mow my lawn and clean my pool while I’m at work paying for their food and cell phones and apartments and cable TV?

[rhoda_penmark]

“I see them purchase store-roasted chicken, when they could roast a Purdue chick at home in about an hour...for .89/lb.”

You assume that they have electricity or gas.

[Travis T. OJustice]

Just another day down on th DEmocrat Vote Slave Plantation.

[William Tell]

griswold3 said: "Central Planners would love this idea- Food Stamps should only buy foods linked to a healthy diet."

Unfortunately, there is some evidence that "central planners" won't know what foods are linked to a healthy diet. The obesity epidemic in the U.S. may be at least partly the fault of the government in creating the so-called "food pyramid", which encourages consumption of carbohydrates over fats and protein.

My wife and I are on a crude version of a "paleo" diet and have each lost about 15 pounds. I do miss the snack foods which were predominantly sugars and starches.

[Vigilanteman]

Good question, but seriously, you wouldn’t want them doing that. They would most likely $#*+ in your pool and rob your house.