Walter Thomas & Food Stamps
December 31st, 2009
What\’s one need to do to qualify for food stamps? When\’s the last time you had someone ask ou that question? With the national economy in meltdown, more Americans than ever are relying on the federal aid program to keep from going hungry. In October, more than one in 10 people (31 million) were using the food stamp program to get by, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
After being laid off in July from what seemed like a steady job in sales at a furniture store, Walter Thomas swallowed his pride and applied for the monthly food aid. He\’s just one of tens of thousands doing so these days.
The 52-year-old from Washington, D.C., started skipping meals in early January when his savings account was running dry and his kitchen cabinets were almost empty. Thomas at first didn\’t want to turn to the United States\’ food safety net, the food stamp program, for help, But hunger is hunger!
Stereotypes associated with food stamps abound, and recipients are often seen as prone to taking handouts, sometimes when they may not be needed. But the profile of hunger in America is multifaceted, as diverse as the nation itself, especially in these times of economic hardship. To get a better idea of what it\’s like to live on a food stamp budget, CNN correspondent Sean Callebs has decided to eat for a month on $176 and blog about the experience on CNN. The press now has the food stamp program in view.
Thomas, who said he had been working steadily since he was 13 years old, now receives $175 per month for food. That\’s about $5.83 per day: less than $2 per meal. Not that Thomas is complaining. After getting his first payment, which is added to an inconspicuous debit card to reduce the stigma associated with the program, Thomas went straight to the grocery store. He was hungry and grateful. Imagin such a thing. Tens of millions of people in America needing food stamps.
\”It\’s definitely been a blessing to me,\” he said of the food stamp program, which, since October, has gone by the name Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP.
Advocates for the poor, as well as those on federal assistance, hope President Obama\’s economic stimulus plan will increase food stamp payments. The average family on food stamps would receive $79 more per month if the stimulus bill passes in the U.S. Senate this week, according to The New York Times.
