Posted on 08/20/2020 7:32:07 PM PDT by Vendome
As the coronavirus rages on across our state, it has caused yet another crisis – child hunger. Thousands of families with kids right here in California are now dealing with unemployment, rising food prices, eviction and hunger. And yet Congress continues to fail these children by leaving nutrition assistance out of the coronavirus relief package.
Hunger is a problem we can actually fix. Increasing SNAP benefits by 15% would mean an additional $25 per month per person. Just $25 per month for a child would allow families to buy the nutritional foods they need to grow and thrive. And extending Pandemic EBT would further ensure kids get the food they need. This program helps families who rely on school meals get the resources they need even if there are disruptions to the upcoming school year, which some districts are already experiencing despite plans to reopen.
Children need this food, and our state needs healthy, nourished, strong children. I am strongly urging Senators Feinstein and Harris to support SNAP and P-EBT in the final package.
Aren’t all these kids already getting free meals at school? Why would the parents ever need more money when they aren’t paying for the kids’ meals anyways?
The same obese kids?
SNAP benefits are used by illegals
snap benefits are used by a tremendous amount of US citizens. practically everyone in the projects is on them.
Aren’t all these kids already getting free meals at school?
When schools do resume, most will provide free breakfasts and lunches and some will send kids home with afternoon snacks. On weekends there will be ‘backpacks’ provided. None of these will be deducted from the families’ SNAP allotment.
There is no reason for any child to be going hungry. No doubt some are, because their parents are diverting SNAP money for things other than food. That’s not the kids’ fault, of course, but there it is. There are parents quite content to have you feed their children for them.
Virtual free meals?
Alas, you can say that about nearly every government benefit.
IS WIC the same as SNAP?
In my neck of the woods they have been driving the buses on the normal routes but loaded with food - breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Other districts have been offering drive-up service at select schools. Show up with a kid in your car and get a pack of food.
I think they are counting them as enrolled in order to get the per-student tax money from the state.
I am in southern California. The schools are doing online classes now. While online school is in session, the school districts are providing free lunches to any child (between ages 2 through 18) who wants a meal. No qualifying, no proof of income or proof of residence is required.
I thought SNAP was a card/voucher that has to be used for food. It’s not a payment of cash, is it?
Anyway, I used to speak the standard conservative talking points against welfare and food stamps, etc. But then the US launched a 20 year series of wars in the Middle East, involving “nationbuilding “ with endless subsidies for social, medical and infrastructure aid in Iraq, Afghanistan and the regions we occupy in Syria.
No conservatives complained about the price tag, at least that I heard. In fact, no conservatives even raised the issue of cost, and they tended to sneer at people who did as “defeatniks” or some word like that.
So I started rethinking the issue of spending money to help down and out people here at home - and basically my concerns over the cost went away. I figured if we have unlimited money to “liberate” and “rebuild” Iraq and Afghanistan —- two countries where we continue to spend billions a week to this very day — why should I begrudge financial help for poor people , especially kids, right here in our own country?
“No qualifying, no proof of income or proof of residence is required.“
Same with the free food programs we supply in Iraq and Afghanistan - except that most of my conservative friends never question the cost of those ongoing “nationbuilding” programs. For some reason it’s only when money goes for Americans that conservatives’ “fiscal conservatism” starts piping up
And I used to be one of those anti-welfare conservatives! I was cured by George W Bush and his neocon followers who said that we could afford to remake the Middle East. I figured that meant we could also afford to help people here in America
Anericans first. No kid should go hungry.
Citizens perhaps. Illegals no. Period.
Agreed.
Send then $25 worth oh cheese, flour and beans...no discretionary buying.
WIC (Women, Infants and Children) is a feeding/health program for young kids from birth till they are 5.
Food Stamps (fancy name is SNAP - Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) is for everybody in the family.
Based on my experience, both these programs for poor folks are massively abused. Fraud is rampant.
No. Completely different program. WIC is highly restrictive of what you can buy.
You can buy oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat pasta or whole wheat bread on WIC as your grain. Certain cold cereals, not the frosted or flavored. For protein you can get; canned fish, peanut butter or dried beans. For dairy, skim milk, low fat yogurt, cheese and eggs. Juice is 100% juice only.
You are also allowed a certain amount of fresh fruits and vegetables.
No oils, sugar, meat or salt.
SNAP has no restrictions on what foods you can buy and can even be used to buy prepared foods.
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