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Last year at our volunteer tax center for low income and older people we had a lady who was distraught about her situation. She had worked all her life in minimum wage jobs, store clerk, waitress etc. no benefits like a pension, 401K offered and because it was minimum wage so no large SS check was going to come her way when she applied. Like many women of her generation divorce left her in a difficult financial condition as she struggled to care for her family.
We told her we could probably get her forgiveness with some of the programs the IRS has for the penalty portion of her tax debt but she had little hope of paying the principal as she was very ill and had lingering medical bills. We started to tell her of some programs available to her but she started to cry as she said I can't take welfare I've worked all my life but no one will hire me like this.
The worse thing is seeing people brought down, broken emotionally, through no fault of their own. These are our working poor, counted in our times have never been better low unemployment rate.
Not everyone is a welfare cheat as our politicians like to claim because it panders to the worst impulses in our society. Like a victim of sexual assault. There is a tendency for people to ask why was she in that part of town or why was she out at night, wearing that suit etc. Blame the victim is a defense mechanism so we don't have to believe it could ever happen to us or someone we care about.
I live in an area considered very well to do and when I started this work I was shocked at the extent of poverty so close to home. People at risk for decent food and shelter because they just don't qualify or because they found some minimum wage work it pushed them just over the income threshold.
Every time I heard a person at the tax center make a blithe "people are lazy and won't work if offered" comment, it is invariably a person with a good job with benefits or a retiree with a good pension and savings. These people with good jobs came in for a free tax return as the policy is we turn no one away. Will there always be cheats in a system? Do we all know a cheat? Absolutely but the % is very low. Volunteer at a family homeless shelter or food bank. You will go home better educated.
I did the taxes for a young mother with two young kids, one with a chronic illness. Father was a dead beat. I don't care what happens in a personal relationship your not a man if you have the ability and intentionally do not provide for your children. She worked two jobs, neither of which provided benefits or full time work ( I did her taxes and saw the W2's)
She had medical coverage via the state for the kids and we got her an exemption from required AFC insurance for herself that year as she could not even afford even the heavily subsidized premium. She was just hanging on and was embarrassed about her situation. She wanted to move to nicer area for her kids but was concerned because she heard the medical program she depended on for her children might be cut so was trying to save what little cash she could.
A quote made in one form or another by famous people in every part of the world, Ghandi, Truman, Pope JOhn Paul etc. . Guess it proves we learn nothing from one generation to the next.
"If one considers the observation that the worth and dignity of a civilization is judged by the way it the treats its weakest members, we cannot help but look back in shame at our past."
I moonlight as a caregiver, and I see food insecurity with my elderly clients every day. Some may not have the physical capability to cook for themselves; anything beyond nuking a potato or heating up a can of soup was physically taxing, and then there's cleanup.
Some may not have the cognitive ability. I had one client with mild dementia who could take care of herself in every way - except meal prep. She simply could not remember how to make a meal, how to shop for groceries, or how to store food. With cues, she was able to chop vegetables safely, mix ingredients, etc., but she needed someone with her for guidance.
My clients live in their own homes or apartments; not all of them are wealthy and certainly not all of them can afford assisted living or even to move out of their homes into an apartment when taxes and upkeep are cheaper than rent.
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Originally Posted by augiedogie
Sorry, but I dont buy the food insecurity schtick.
You don't have to. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Quote:
If these people are shut ins (cant get out of their house on their own) family needs to take them in or be put in nursing home or some assisted living arrangement. Maybe the local govt could take over and then bill the family. I've seen situations where the children of the elderly completely shirk their duty.
LMAO. First, not everyone has family. Second, "nursing home or some assisted living arrangement" is not inexpensive. Third, "local govt" doesn't have the capacity.
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Originally Posted by augiedogie
I'm all for the food banks, but they apparently didn't qualify the recipients.
Food pantries don't have to qualify recipients if they don't want to. Isn't living in a free society great?
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Don't tell me that people with plenty of money will not try to get free food. I have relatives that were millionaires and got meals on wheels.
Meals on Wheels, in many areas, is not income limited. In my area, for instance, there is a sliding scale based on income.
Wanna try again?
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Originally Posted by GeoffD
If you have a range and a refrigerator, $10/day isn’t a problem.
See above. Not everyone - even those with a range and refrigerator - have the physical or cognitive capacity to cook from scratch.
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Originally Posted by cebuan
I think a very large share of the "food insecure" have always been nutrition deprived, even when they had plenty. People who lived their whole life on Cheerios, Spaghetti-Os, french fries, Big Macs and Little Debbies.
That's a pretty big leap. Hope you don't get hurt on the way down.
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Originally Posted by augiedogie
Sounds like some of these people could benefit from low income subsidized housing for elderly singles.
Sure they could. If the waiting lists weren't years long ...
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Originally Posted by Dustyroad70
All I have got to say is "there, but for the grace of God, go I".
Amen to that! I would not willingly change places with anyone in these situations, and hope I never will be.
The ones i help with are all volunteer. You fill out a short form with general questions, but no - there are no hoops to jump through.
There is one progam only for seniors and those with disablities. They hand out boxes of commodities. This is the USDA.
What should be done with all the leftover food items produced in this country.
It is amazing how much we have.
Even the school here in my small town has free breakfast and lunch for the students.
A NYC charity I support regularly is City Harvest.
This wouldn't work as well in rural areas, but I think it's one of the best ideas out there. City Harvest "rescues" food from restaurants and grocery stores and distributes to the needy throughout the city. The donations go to paying for the trucks and drivers, which also provides work for people. Some of the chains throughout the city, like Pret A Manger, donate all their unused food at the end of the day (Pret sells upscalish sandwiches, salads, soups, etc., and is popular with the working crowds.)
Sorry, but I dont buy the food insecurity schtick. First, there is social security and welfare food stamps meals on wheels and various free food offers from others. Many cities also have food pantries with free food. We had one in Lubbock Tx. They had so much money they were paying kids in summer to come and be paid and taught how to grow food.
If these people are shut ins (cant get out of their house on their own) family needs to take them in or be put in nursing home or some assisted living arrangement. Maybe the local govt could take over and then bill the family. I've seen situations where the children of the elderly completely shirk their duty.
I agree, there are numerous programs to feed people. I recently visited Meals on Wheels fixed locations and found comprehensive menus and large number of donated groceries for anyone to take. And they will deliver. Hunger is only for those that chose it.
It seems to me that there are two separate things here that are masquerading as one.
. There are people who are unable to travel to the store for food and/or are unable to prepare it.
. There are people who can't be trusted to simply be given money to buy their own food.
The first sounds like a genuine problem and could stand having non-profits dedicated to it, the second not so much and could simply be tied into some other welfare program.
I moonlight as a caregiver, and I see food insecurity with my elderly clients every day. Some may not have the physical capability to cook for themselves; anything beyond nuking a potato or heating up a can of soup was physically taxing, and then there's cleanup.
Some may not have the cognitive ability. I had one client with mild dementia who could take care of herself in every way - except meal prep. She simply could not remember how to make a meal, how to shop for groceries, or how to store food. With cues, she was able to chop vegetables safely, mix ingredients, etc., but she needed someone with her for guidance.
My clients live in their own homes or apartments; not all of them are wealthy and certainly not all of them can afford assisted living or even to move out of their homes into an apartment when taxes and upkeep are cheaper than rent.
You don't have to. But that doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
LMAO. First, not everyone has family. Second, "nursing home or some assisted living arrangement" is not inexpensive. Third, "local govt" doesn't have the capacity.
Food pantries don't have to qualify recipients if they don't want to. Isn't living in a free society great?
Meals on Wheels, in many areas, is not income limited. In my area, for instance, there is a sliding scale based on income.
Wanna try again?
See above. Not everyone - even those with a range and refrigerator - have the physical or cognitive capacity to cook from scratch.
That's a pretty big leap. Hope you don't get hurt on the way down.
Sure they could. If the waiting lists weren't years long ...
Amen to that! I would not willingly change places with anyone in these situations, and hope I never will be.
Most of those who gallantly post their absurd notions of "how I'd do it," are simply not in the space where they will ever need to heed their own advice. I'd think that a little more honesty here would go a long way toward trying to understand the nuances of compassion, instead, some seem to have a desire to demonstrate their superior urban survival skills while preaching the gospel of self reliance.
I'm all for the food banks, but they apparently didn't qualify the recipients. Ie millionaires could come and get the free food. Don't tell me that people with plenty of money will not try to get free food. I have relatives that were millionaires and got meals on wheels.
Meals on wheels is income based. I know many well off that get them and they pay accordingly. Without them the program couldn't survive.
Last edited by thinkalot; 08-30-2019 at 09:57 AM..
Meals on wheels is income based. I know many well of that get them and they pay accordingly. Without them the program couldn't survive.
And who cares if someone is getting over on the program? I doubt that most "millionaires" do such a thing, although I'm sure there are the odds ones who do. So what. The fact that some people take what they don't need is not a reason to shut down a food program.
We are a country that has more than enough food for everyone. It is shameful to us if anyone is going hungry.
If I were REALLY the Mighty Queen, everyone would eat, no questions asked. Crippled, criminal, crazy, or just plain poor. We are dirtbags as people if we withhold food from ANYONE.
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