Living on SNAP (Food Stamps): Conclusion.

Over 40 million people in the United States depend on SNAP in order to feed themselves. A 2009 study found that of the households using SNAP, 47% of recipients were children, 8% elderly, and 64% of adult, nonelderly recipients were women.

The amount of people on SNAP is rapidly increasing, although program funding is constantly at risk of getting cutback. These statistics do not cover the amount of people who are eligible for food assistance, but do not apply. They may not apply because of pride, they are unaware of programs that can help them, or they do not know where to go and how to apply. Because of this, there are many more uncounted Americans who go hungry every single day. Of these groups, the elderly are the least likely to apply for food assistance.

The millions of people utilizing SNAP are men, women, children, and the elderly. They have different upbringings, educational levels, are mixed in age and race. But, an alarming amount of those on food assistance are single, female heads of household and children, and the amount of elderly in need is far more because the elderly are most likely to not apply for aide. Those who use these programs the most are also the most vulnerable members of our communities.

This blog series shared the stories of three Americans who used SNAP and food stamps in order to feed themselves: a 22 year old college graduate who found herself homeless; an emancipated youth faced with harsh reality of attending school fulltime, and trying to feed herself and her fiancé on two part-time jobs; and myself, a college graduate and AmeriCorps worker, who grew up on food assistance. Although all stories are different, we share one commonality: we previously used or currently use SNAP in order to feed ourselves. Hunger takes on many faces, and the stories shared in this series are not the “typical” idea of who utilizes food assistance in order to fulfill their needs, or as Stacy said, “So I can eat more than a sack of potatoes.” When we open our hearts and eyes to trying to understand who seeks assistance, it is a step forward in finding a solution to eradicate poverty in not only those groups, but for everyone.

My story, along with my friends stories are only three of millions. All three of us are educated, young women who found ourselves in need. Now, with our stories still relatively fresh in your minds, I leave you with these questions: Who deserves to go hungry, why do they deserve it, and what is the true face of hunger; is there one? On that note, why are so many people unable to save their money, despite working several jobs?

Written by:

Andriana Bicanin

AmeriCorps*VISTA 

New Century IDA

2010 - 2011

Living on SNAP (Food Stamps): Part Four

From the time I was 4 – 18 years old my dad worked as an apartment manager in one of the wealthiest areas in the United States. As part of my dad’s job we received a free apartment. My dad was on call 24 hours a day, worked 8 AM – 5 PM (always more), and made $1500 a month. My mom worked 2 jobs. I remember staying up late at night with my sister and waiting for her to come home from her graveyard shift. She would bend on her tired knees, my sister and I ran to her, and she tiredly scooped us in her arms, gave us kisses, and then led us to bed. The little money my parents earned, working a combined 200 hours a week, supported my dad, mom, me and my sister, along with utilities and other daily expenses. We were on the lower economic scale, and I had absolutely no clue.

There are those who grew up poor and knew they were, and there are those like myself, who had no idea. Amongst other indicators, one of the things that should have been a clue were the free lunches I received. My parents always made sure we had food in our bellies, and extravagant breakfasts and dinners. School lunch was sometimes embarrassing though. In the 2nd grade my teacher harassed me because my parents didn’t buy me a $20 punch card and I sometimes didn’t have money with me to buy lunch. On those days I had to go to the office and receive a credit. My teacher rolled her eyes and lectured me in front of the class. This was the first time the defining “P” (poor, poverty) was metaphorically embroidered onto my chest. As a child I didn’t understand why my parents didn’t just give me the $20. I begged them to give me $20 so my teacher would stop singling me out. Later, in high school, I received free and reduced lunch. Although surrounded with my peers who wore designer clothes, drove luxury cars, and went to Europe for their vacations, my homeroom teacher assured me that other students received free lunch; I had a hard time believing it. Walking through the lunch line, choosing food items that did not surpass the 5 free dollars, I grew aware of the “P” searing through my clothing and making my skin sweat. As an already self-conscious teenager I felt a spotlight on me as I inched forward the school line, approaching the piece of paper the cashier held with a list of the other poor kids.

Later in life, I chose to apply for AmeriCorps*VISTA, and in turn chose to live in poverty. Unless you have savings, or family support, an AmeriCorps member is going to need to use food assistance in order to feed themselves. The process of acquiring food assistance is sometimes confusing and emotionally draining. When I first chose to apply for food stamps I made very little money and was not allowed a second job, because of the nature of my work. Here is a breakdown of my expenses:

My 2008 – 2009 Budget:

Income:                       $800

Car:                              $150

Rent:                            $525

Fuel:                             $75

Soap, shampoo,

toilet paper etc.:            $50

Total:                          $800

Perfect! Right? Not exactly. I made exactly enough to pay my bills (not even, my sister paid my cell phone bill). On months when fuel costs exceeded my budget I walked the 4 miles to work and the 4 miles from work. Western Washington is known for its rain. The air holds a lingering scent of rain, and when the gray skies don’t release its steady rainfall, it still clings to the streets. Due to this, when I wasn’t walking through rain on these journeys, my feet were soggy 100% of the time I arrived at my destination. Now, take a second look at my budget and see if you can find anything missing. Did you find it? Food is missing (as well as savings). I had absolutely no money to pay for my food expenses, and that is where SNAP and food pantries came into play.

My first year applying for food assistance wasn’t difficult. I had the other occupants of the house I rented from write a note saying that we didn’t share food (which was true), I had a note from my landlord saying how much I paid in rent, and at that time any assets you owned counted against you, so I brought paperwork concerning my car and pathetic bank account. The caseworker was extremely nice, had worked with AmeriCorps members in the past, and I received my food assistance card in the mail within a month.

I only received $60 to start out. Hungry, often, I left work during lunch in order to get nourishment from a local food pantry. This in itself is a humbling experience. A Church ran the food pantry. Each visit I signed in and waited to hear my name. I waited about 30 minutes. My name called, I sat across the worker feeling ashamed. I wanted to tell her that I worked 40+ hours a week, I’m only there because I’m paid so little but work so much and am not allowed a second job; I wanted to let her know that I’m not a drinker nor am I on drugs. I did not say any of those things, though, and silently sat across the smiling worker as she punched keys on a computer and told me to wait in the waiting room for my box of food.

I started my service year weighing roughly 150 pounds. Although the hunger pangs whenever I saw my coworkers lunches were bothersome, I showed no signs of nutrient deficiency or hunger; not for another 4 months at least. Four months into my service term my skin had a scattering of acne, my hair thinned, and I weighed a slender 140ish pounds. By the end of my service-term, in January 2009, I weighed 128 pounds. The last few months of service I received $90 a month in food assistance. No longer embarrassed, I utilized the resources in my community. I needed food and I didn’t care who knew it. At times, I went to a grocery store and received less than friendly looks, and one time the cashier insinuated that I didn’t work and then sneered at me. She literally sneered at me. Of all the nerve! But those are the types of things that sometimes happen when you are a recipient of social welfare. Look at my own mindset when I first went to a food pantry. I sat in embarrassment and wanted to tell the worker that I worked, didn’t drink, and didn’t do drugs. Why would that cross my mind? Why did I feel the need to explain and prove myself? It crossed my mind because there is a social stigma attached to receiving aide. I held some of those beliefs, and as much as I believe in supporting your neighbors, and in social welfare, in the back of my mind I held stereotypes and preconceived notions of the “type of person” who receives aide, (and cue the irony) despite having grown up receiving such aide.

When a person decides to apply for food assistance it’s a decision that’s made after all other resources are drained, and you find that you just cannot buy enough food to live. My first year of AmeriCorps service was an emotionally trying and character building year. When I was unable to adequately feed myself I sought assistance. My food allowance was $60 - $90 a month. I frequented food pantries. I had no savings. I was hungry. I needed help.

I am currently in my second year of AmeriCorps*VISTA, and in using SNAP. In my two years of use, I have encountered dirty looks and snide remarks; this past year it took three months, 10+ phone calls, two denials due to not turning in paperwork I turned in three times, and a supervisor who works for the county in order for me to cut through red tape and receive benefits before I starved. When I complained on Facebook about the run-around I received trying to acquire SNAP, a college friend commented, “That’s unfair! You’re a college graduate and work 40+ a week!” Well, the same goes for millions of other welfare recipients.

My story is slightly different, but also the same as that of the millions of people who use SNAP. Post-college, my story is different because I chose to live in poverty. I was told how much my pay was going to be. I knew that I was not allowed a second job. It’s also  the same as millions of other people because of the way I grew up. When I talk to my parents they sometimes share their regrets over not having money. My mom sometimes cries over it, and my dad still swears he will win the lottery and we’ll live on Easy Street. Our wealth is one of their greatest heartaches. I know that if they were able they would have made enough money to keep us in the middle class, not reliant on other people, with savings in the bank. I’m sure that other tired parents, individually working 80 hours a week, only able to see their families in the dead of night, in between jobs, would choose a life of self-sufficiency over assistance. I’m sure they would choose a life where they did not need to rely on food assistance; a life where their children’s stomachs are not aching, they can concentrate on their work and not the food they long for, and not have their names on a list, wearing their poverty as a badge.

Written by:

Andriana Bicanin

AmeriCorps*VISTA

2010 - 2011

New Century IDA

Living on SNAP (Food Stamps): Part Two

There are various reasons as to why a person applies for food assistance, and the help it provides in an emotionally trying moment in their lives. The next three blog articles will feature a different person and their story as to why they chose to apply for food assistance, and what they experienced as a welfare recipient. No single case or incident represents the whole, but these stories do reflect an overwhelming trend in social welfare.

The following story is about Stephanie, a resident of Illinois who paid for her food expenses through assistance. In this post, Stephanie shares her experiences as a young college graduate who found herself homeless and in need of assistance in order to feed herself.

The average length of time a recipient of food assistance stays on the program is 9 months, and in the year that Stephanie utilized SNAP (food stamps), 1,625,404 people in the state of Illinois also fed themselves through the aide of the SNAP program. Nationwide, 13% of the U.S. population received aide in the form of SNAP, in 2010; here is one of their stories. (For further information on SNAP statistics, click here).

~Andriana Bicanin
AmeriCorps*VISTA
2010 - 2011

Stephanie

I decided to apply for food stamps because I was essentially homeless and unable to find work.

After I graduated from college in December 2009, I lived with my mother and had major difficulties finding work (this is when the recession started hitting pretty hard). My mother kicked me out of her house in April. I spent a few nights out on the street, but finally got a hold of some friends who agreed to let me sleep on their couch until I found work. At the time, I was struggling with major depression and suicidal thoughts. One of my friends got me in to see a counselor. The counselor was really encouraging and gave me lots of information to help get back on my feet, and demanded that I go apply for food stamps.

The process was pretty confusing and difficult. There wasn’t much information online, except for where to go to get the application. I went (to the Department of Social Services) and waited in line for 30 minutes to get the application and then found out that I had to travel 20 minutes away to another town in the county to actually apply for food stamps. The application was quite lengthy and confusing. When I went to the facility to turn in my application, I had to wait for another 30 minutes until my name was called. An older gentleman was my case worker and very kind. He walked me through the process and since I was essentially homeless with no income, he issued me a card right away (which became active at 3 AM the next day – and yes, I stayed up to go grocery shopping as soon as it was active).

Food stamps did improve my standard of living, mainly because before I had them I was going days without a decent meal… but it didn’t mean I was buying tons of groceries and cooking lavish meals. I still had to watch my budget and clip coupons.

After about a month of getting food stamps, I found a part-time retail job and they reduced my food stamp benefits greatly. I was working 20-30 hours per week. Luckily, minimum wage and the food stamp benefits I was receiving were just enough to get by. The other bills I was paying were rent, electricity, and water.

I remained on food stamps for about 6 months total. I’m really grateful that programs like this do exist; otherwise I’m not sure if I would’ve gotten back on my feet. It’s been over 2 years since my mother kicked me out and for the last year I’ve now got a stable/salaried job with benefits.

IDA Success Stories: Ms.T

Ms. T, a mother of three, was already enrolled in the IDA program when disaster struck. One afternoon she received a call that a fire had destroyed her apartment and all her belongings. To her get her family back in order, Ms. T was enrolled in the Self-Sufficiency Program through the Experiment in Self-Reliance. This program could assist with payment of utilities so she could focus on using her earned income for her IDA payment and rent. Ms. T was moved to another apartment and continued to work. Although the Self-Sufficiency Program was there to support her, Ms. T insisted on providing for her family with her own income.

Soon after her move, Ms. T lost her employment. Undaunted, she continued to search for an alternative. She was able to find employment cleaning homes, making just under $200 per month. Despite this hardship, she kept a positive attitude and continued to make her IDA deposit monthly. Ms. T was determined to find better employment, and applied for several jobs. After a number of interviews, she was offered and accepted a position with Bell South. With her increased income she was able to save above the $1,000 required by the IDA program.

After experiencing much heartache, Ms. T was able to achieve her dream on May 8^th, 2001. On that date, Ms T closed on her first house, and is looking forward to making it a home for her and her children.

An Interview with IDA Partner Sylvia Neely

What does the Housing Authority do for this community?

The Housing Authority of Winston-Salem’s (HAWS) mission is to create and maintain sustainable communities through partnership to benefit the residents of Winston-Salem. The vision of  HAWS is to create a self-sustaining affordable housing and real estate development organization.  The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a subsidy assisted housing program that provides adequate, affordable, viable, quality housing, and community supportive services emphasizing self-sufficiency for low and moderate income families. 

What is your role with the organization?

My position at the Housing Authority of Winston-Salem is the Family Self-Sufficiency  (FSS) Coordinator.  My role is to coordinate resources and services for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program families through the public and private sector to enable assisted families to achieve economic self-sufficiency.  The objective of the FSS Program is to reduce the dependency of low income families that are receiving public assistance such as welfare assistance, Section 8, or any other local rent or homeownership program.

The FSS Coordinator will try to provide the resources and services that are listed in the program family’s Individual Training and Service Plans by linking them to resources, services, and economic opportunities that will lead to employment, economic self-sufficiency and homeownership.  A Program Coordinating Committee is formed by the FSS Coordinator to obtain commitments from service providers who will perform the hand-on services to the FSS participating families.  The FSS Coordinator will monitor the progress of the participant’s plan, and establish an escrow account for them once they have obtained an increase in earned income while trying to complete all other goals listed in their Individual Training and Service Plan.   It is the FSS Coordinator’s responsibility to see that the family is paid the balance in the FSS escrow account upon successfully completing their Contract of Participation. 

Why did you become a part of the IDA Program?

Since 75% of the Section 8 FSS participants have a final goal of purchasing a home through the Section 8 HCV program or purchase homes on their own without Section 8 subsidy, HAWS has partnered with the New Century Individual Development Accounts Program to assistant in providing pre-post homeownership training, financial economics, and down payment assistance to our participants.  I highly recommend this program, even though it is optional for them to enroll in the IDA program.

How have you personally seen this program benefit people and the community?

I have personally seen the IDA Program benefit people and the community by providing a match of $3,000 or $2,000 to the client’s $1,000 saved out of pocket. It is required that the IDA clients save at least $1,500 in which it allows them to have some money left in reserve since most lenders require homeownership applicants to have money left in reserve, and they are not using all of their money for down payment.   Also, it benefits the low and moderate income community in purchasing a home, since most of them have a limited amount of income, and wouldn’t qualify on their own to purchase a home since they would have to come up with at least 3% - 5% in down payment assistance. The program also benefits clients in budgeting and credit repair.  The coaches, are beneficial in keeping clients on track of becoming mortgage ready.   If it wasn’t for the IDA program there will be less homeowners in the community.

The Housing Authority of Winston-Salem’s (HAWS) mission is to create and maintain sustainable communities through partnership to benefit the residents of Winston-Salem. The vision of  HAWS is to create a self-sustaining affordable housing and real estate development organization.  The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program is a subsidy assisted housing program that provides adequate, affordable, viable, quality housing, and community supportive services emphasizing self-sufficiency for low and moderate income families. 

Empowerment through Housing and Family Involvement

David Blake Lucas, a Housing Counselor with Kingdom Community Development Corp., and former AmeriCorps*VISTA, shares his favorite story from when he was a housing counselor in Boston, MA.

As a housing counselor with Welfare to Work in Boston MA, Blake supported a single mother in finding housing in Canton, MA, an extremely wealthy, upper middle and upper class area just south of Boston, with a Section 8 voucher. He learned, years later, this was a gateway to continued life success.

The second part to the video is about the benefits (and necessity) of complete family involvement in the home ownership process. He shares stories from his work with Habitat for Humanity, and how they were able to get even the youngest of children involved (through non building ventures).

Andriana Bicanin

AmeriCorps*VISTA

New Century IDA