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Andrea I have come to the conclusion after reading your posts that you have much resentment for those who you call 'welfare people'.
Although you say you are sympathetic to some, you always finish that with 'but' or 'however there are those who truly milk the system.
You seem to believe that those who are truly needy are in your own words 'unique'.
Your personal experiences have tainted your objectivity on this issue & it is disappointing to hear someone with the intelligence as you obviously have become so bitter because of it.
I hope you can overcome this for your sake.
The family member who did this to you is a dingbat.
This reminds me of the Angel Food program that is run through churches. I believe it's once a month and it's anywhere from $20 to about $40 for a big box of food. There's meat, cheese, powdered milk, boxes of all sorts of stuff like pasta, rice and beans, I believe they have eggs and butter in the boxes also, but boxes vary by month. And they take EBT.
Great Program; Part of the great is the neighbor helping neighbor aspect. I can remember carrying many bags of green beans, squash, tomato, and other garden truck for our church program when I was a kid. The veggies were surplus (they said) from church members gardens. Provided, packed, carried, and delivered by the folks.
Good to see that it's still happening.
I work in an inner-city supermarket. The first two weeks of each month, we see a very heavy number of EBT (electronic benefits transfer) Card purchases. These function essentially as food stamps. A significant amount of product which is purchased on these cards would be defined by most people as being luxury items: lobster, expensive cuts of beef, high-end deli and bakery items, etc. Other frequently purchased items are those sorely lacking in nutritional value. Things such as potato chips, soda, and candy.
This is frustrating for many of us who work in the store because our tax dollars are being used to purchase these items. I have no problem with my taxes being used to provide those who are temporarily down on their luck with the food they need to sustain their families, but many of these folks are eating better than are those who work for their money. Those who are receiving government subsidies should be given a basic choice of foods which are both economical and nutritious.
Why restrict? Why deny their freedom to spend it on whatever they desire? If you're going to give them money, let them spend it how they want, or don't give it to them.
If I give a homeless guy $5, I don't ask him what he's going to spend it on. It isn't any of my business once that money leaves my hand.
Your $5, your choice- but when you take my $5 to give to the guy shouldn't I have some say?
I work in an inner-city supermarket. The first two weeks of each month, we see a very heavy number of EBT (electronic benefits transfer) Card purchases. These function essentially as food stamps. A significant amount of product which is purchased on these cards would be defined by most people as being luxury items: lobster, expensive cuts of beef, high-end deli and bakery items, etc. Other frequently purchased items are those sorely lacking in nutritional value. Things such as potato chips, soda, and candy.
This is frustrating for many of us who work in the store because our tax dollars are being used to purchase these items. I have no problem with my taxes being used to provide those who are temporarily down on their luck with the food they need to sustain their families, but many of these folks are eating better than are those who work for their money. Those who are receiving government subsidies should be given a basic choice of foods which are both economical and nutritious.
Thanks for the actual experience based viewpoint. I'm curious, do you also see those who buy basic stuff like dried, beans, rice, flour and such? Low budget folks trying to get by on their own money?
Thank you for your honest response. Thank you for being a responsible human being and getting yourself out of that hole.
However, there are people who truly just milk the system and I think your experience is probably unique, unfortunately. I've said before that I have a family member who does this and I've seen what's in her pantry and fridge. Trust me when I say there are people who live off the gov't and do not have any guilt in doing so and will continue to do it for as long as we allow it.
Considering my experience as a public health nurse, I'd say his experience is hardly "unique".
After all is said and done, this is a "sister" thing?
Thanks for the actual experience based viewpoint. I'm curious, do you also see those who buy basic stuff like dried, beans, rice, flour and such? Low budget folks trying to get by on their own money?
Many of our employees fit that very description since most of the people working in the store also live in the neighborhood, and retail is one of the lowest-paying sectors of the economy.
I would also point out that many EBT recipients respect the fact that they are receiving public funds, and are responsible in their purchasing habits. I suspect that many others are lacking any proper education concerning nutritional values and financial budgeting. That's why their funds only last them through the first half of the month.
Thanks for the actual experience based viewpoint. I'm curious, do you also see those who buy basic stuff like dried, beans, rice, flour and such? Low budget folks trying to get by on their own money?
There are currently 47 million seniors retired and on fixed income. Many of them(not all) buy staples with food stamps and take the time to prepare meals from scratch. Sometimes the 16oz. bologna is on sale, two for one. We buy it. Some times Stoeffers is on sale at 3 for 5. We buy it. Sometimes we buy a pound cake for 3.50 and keep it in the refrigerator and it last for two weeks. It's good with Cinnamon sprinkled on it with a side of milk. For God's sake, you can't legislate the food people eat from a gov. subsidized program any more than you can regulate people texting and using their cell phone when they drive.
There are currently 47 million seniors retired and on fixed income. Many of them(not all) buy staples with food stamps and take the time to prepare meals from scratch. Sometimes the 16oz. bologna is on sale, two for one. We buy it. Some times Stoeffers is on sale at 3 for 5. We buy it. Sometimes we buy a pound cake for 3.50 and keep it in the refrigerator and it last for two weeks. It's good with Cinnamon sprinkled on it with a side of milk. For God's sake, you can't legislate the food people eat from a gov. subsidized program any more than you can regulate people texting and using their cell phone when they drive.
Actually, you can. There is a government program called WIC (Women, Infants, and Children) which does exactly that. It requires that only certain items can be obtained via a WIC coupon. Real fruit juice, as opposed to fruit drinks, is just one of the many requirements of the program.
There is absolutely no technical reason why subsidized food purchases can't be limited in scope. The computer networks used in modern supermarkets can be easily programmed to do just that. The biggest stumbling-block to doing so is a socio-political one, not a technological one.
When I was a child living in San Diego (mid 1960's) we went to a central location where we received surplus commodities. These included powdered eggs and milk, canned fruits and meats, and surplus staple items such as sugar, flour, rice, and beans. It wasn't exciting food, but it was nutritious and greatly appreciated. It was also economical for the state and provided extra income to the farmers who were paid for the surplus items. It kept us going until my mother was able to work her way off of welfare.
As with any program which uses tax dollars, there is an ethical responsibility on the part of the government to use funds both wisely and for maximum effect. Aside from the unnecessary use of tax dollars, the current program fosters poor nutritional habits among it's recipients. This often leads to the further use of taxes for needed health care which results from poor nutrition.
Eliminate foodstams and open stores that provide for the poeple that were on them.
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) from church members gardens. Provided, packed, carried, and delivered by the folks. 
Thanks for the actual experience based viewpoint. I'm curious, do you also see those who buy basic stuff like dried, beans, rice, flour and such? Low budget folks trying to get by on their own money?
