Why do able bodied, single men get food stamps?

[Dog Walker]

I recently had an interesting conversation with a friend of mine.  He is not highly educated, but is very smart and very good at what he does.  He is an independent tradesman who has made his way in the world by himself.

He told me that he has been buying food stamps at 50% off their face value from some men he knows so that they can buy beer and cigarettes and he and his wife can save on their food purchases.

He said it dawned on him that the men from whom he was buying the food stamps were getting food from shelters or the women they were living with and that they were all able to work, but had found a way to live without doing so.  Having food stamps that they could sell so that they could buy cigarettes and beer let them have their pleasures too.

He realized that he was helping cheat what food stamps were intended for and has become indignant that a single man who was able to work was getting food stamps that evidently weren't needed.

I know nothing about the food stamp program; how people qualify, how long the program goes on, etc. and thought that this fits in with the proposal that anyone on "welfare" get drug tested in order to continue receiving benefits.  My friend now agrees with this last.

Are food stamps welfare?  How do they relate to the WIC (Women, Infants & Children) program.

Can some of you out there add information and opinions concerning this?

[hooplady]

Well, there's all kinds of ways.  Here are the Federal requirements of SNAP (the formal name for "food stamps").  They might not be as able-bodied as they appear, or they might have an elderly or disabled person in their household.  Or they might just plain be lying and haven't been caught yet!

http://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/applicant_recipients/eligibility.htm

[hooplady]

Also, you can purchase any grocery food item with food stamps (SNAP), including any kind of junk food.  Their are only certain foods covered under WIC - it's intended for healthier choices for small children and pregnant mothers.

[finehoe]

You can qualify for food stamps if you are collecting unemployment.  The men may be able bodied and single, but if they aren't being hired they still have to eat.

[uptowngirl]

Not be hired and not working are two different things no?

[finehoe]

Not be hired and not working are two different things no?

They are, and I purposely made the distinction, since if they are receiving unemployment, presumably they have not been able to find a job.  This is different than "not working" which can mean many things, including "too lazy to work".

[sheclown]

Dog Walker, it should have occurred to that friend of yours that he was committing a serious crime when he was buying those food stamps.  It is fraud, plain and simple, on both sides.

Food stamp cards ought to have photo IDs on them.  Only the person whose name appears ought to be able to use them.  There should be stiff penalties for buying or selling food stamp cards, period.  Including being banned from ever getting them again.  

[hooplady]

Food stamp cards ought to have photo IDs on them.  Only the person whose name appears ought to be able to use them.

Good in theory, but for legitimately disabled people it's often a relative or caregiver doing the shopping and therefore using the card.  But I've never seen a cashier bat an eyelash, so clearly the name on the card means nothing.

I agree that abuse should be swiftly and severely punished though.

[uptowngirl]

Unemployment should be revamped, a person should be allowed to work at a lower paying postion and collect unemployment to cover the difference in pay until they can find something in a similar line of work (previously) or until benefits expire (which if should last longer if you are supplementing by working a lower paying job). This just makes sense, as people can have the support longer, and still be encouraged to be actively employed. Some jobs may just go away forever, as the market changes but the current system does not encourage working a lower paying job during your job search. The benefits are not always there long enough to go back to school for retraining. This plan could fix both issues.

[Dog Walker]

Dog Walker, it should have occurred to that friend of yours that he was committing a serious crime when he was buying those food stamps.  It is fraud, plain and simple, on both sides.

Yes, he finally realized what he was doing was wrong, but said it was one of those "everybody-is-doing-it" things that he did not think was very serious.  He knows now.

He knows the situations of the guys he was buying the food stamp cards from and says it is a case of "don't want to work."  He thinks there isn't very much follow-up or checking for eligibility or changes in status.

Neither he or I have enough information about that to be entitled to an opinion.

Trying to find a balance between helping someone and enabling them is tough in person and even tougher for a bureaucracy. 

[Ernest Street]

I know of an unemployed Mother whom adopted her sisters child. she qualified for unemployment but was denied food stamps to feed a 5 year old.
Remember...food stamps might cover food and junk food, but not TP,Toothpaste,brushes,shampoo,soap,paper towels,bleach,dog food,etc..
The people who are abusing this have figured a way to abuse the system through "chumps" who are enabling them.
Why would a contractor enable an able bodied person to "Slum all day with Jerry Springer!!?? Let the son of a bitch work for his BUZZ!
Food stamps can indeed help a poor Able-bodied craftsman get through those low 3 figure weeks. (could YOU live on that?)
Food stamps (EBT), helps ALL THIER PAY to go to JEA for our seasonal change from 90 degrees to low 20's.

 

[Jerry Moran]

Unemployment should be revamped, a person should be allowed to work at a lower paying postion and collect unemployment to cover the difference in pay until they can find something in a similar line of work (previously) or until benefits expire (which if should last longer if you are supplementing by working a lower paying job).

Substitute "Required" for "Allowed". 

[riverside planner]

I have an "able-bodied", single male friend who receives SNAP benefits.  He is a full-time student in a very demanding academic program (nursing school).  He was employed part-time in addition to receiving financial aid, but the time demands of school required that he give up his job.  He is using SNAP/government assistance for its intended purpose IMO - as a temporary stop gap while he takes affirmative steps towards a productive future. 

[Dog Walker]

Don't get me wrong.  I'm certainly not being critical of anyone who gets food stamps.  No way should anyone have to go hungry in this country!  Many, many hardworking people are really struggling financially right now through no fault of their own and as a civilized culture we must help them.

Good for us that we have a system in place to provide some help.  Do you think we could get such a program put in place in the current political climate when we cannot even get unemployment extended?

"There are plenty of jobs out there if they would just get up off their lazy rumps and get to work" is just simplistic, ignorant nonsense.  The jobs are NOT out there right now.

I guess there is going to be a certain amount of abuse of any helping system put into place and the best we can do is keep it to a minimum.  Is the SNAP program doing all it can reasonably do to keep the fraud to a minimum?

[Dog Walker]

Sounds like they've learned to run a tight program over the years.  Good!

As usual, I've learned a lot from MJ that I didn't know before.  Thanks guys!  I'll pass the information on to my friend.