More can get food aid under eased guidelines

[flashl]

ALBANY -- Gov. Eliot Spitzer has relaxed the rules for receiving food stamps so more working families can enroll. Under the new guidelines, the cap is lifted for New Yorkers who have cash savings, stocks or an extra vehicle.

"If we can help hard-working, low-income households achieve a greater degree of economic stability by providing nutritional support and encouraging savings, we will help develop a work force that is more dependable, stable and ready to meet the demands of the new innovation economy," Spitzer said in a statement.

About 1.8 million New Yorkers receive food stamps. The cost of the $210 million program is paid with federal money through the U.S. Department of Agriculture. The Spitzer administration hopes to raise the number of enrollees by 200,000.

The income limit for the food stamp program is still locked at $25,200 for a family of four, but other eligibility requirements have disappeared.

Times Union

Hope more Govs will follow. Seriously, I am unable to comprehend how a family of four lives in NY on $25K.

[cutlassmama]

1. Hmmmm...if they are getting more aid I'm not seeing it here.

EDIT: Didn't realize it was New York state only. That explains it. Good for New York.

[fed-up]

2. I got the "bitch" from hell for my intake worker for food stamps-

I had a bad mental health month at the end of winter (Dec) and didn't get my paperwork turned in on time so I had to restart the whole food stamp application process. I felt guilty and then delayed further going in to reapply. I finally went in at the end of January. (During this time I was also trying to get meds adjusted for bipolar as I was having adverse reactions and was feeling very suicidal).

That meant rewatching the movie and then waiting what should have been only 15-20 minutes for an appointment with a worker.

After an hour and a half had passed and my neck was starting to really spasm/hurt from sitting so long I went to the front desk and on my third request somebody finally went into the back offices to find out why it was taking so long.

When I sat down with the worker she claimed that "she didn't know she had a client waiting"

Then during interview it she stated that she was 62 and had to work fulltime to have medical coverage and that she was paying $500 a month for her prescriptions and that she was not thrilled that so many people were getting aid that didn't deserve it.

She also told me that since I was selling personal belongings (to keep utilities on) at the flea market that I was "self-employed" and considered to be working!

Then she told me that I had to schedule an appointment with EDD and apply for jobs-(I have an SSI application in process)

And she told me I had to get refingerprinted (which would have meant another hour wait)

Then she filled out my form and entered yearly guestimated income as monthly and told me that she would "fix it tomorrow"

That is when I finally broke down and started crying and asked to see a supervisor and told him I thought she was sabotaging my case. He said he would process it and make sure it got corrected.


Fast forward one week to EDD appt. After sitting again for an hour while waiting for a worker I finally got to talk to one. After explaining my situation he said I DID NOT need to sign up with them and he walked over to the Social Services part of the building to talk with my worker. He came back with her initials and showed that she crossed off the "register/look for work" requirement.

I then went back to the Social Services area to wait for a worker to turn in the paperwork. After 30 minutes was finally called in and that worker told me they already had my fingerprints according to the computer. She went to get my file and after 10 minutes came back with my file which had somehow gotten mislabeled by the "bitch" worker. Somehow my middle name was used as first name on label. Just then the "b" stuck her head in our cubicle and said that the clients had gotten mixed up and I was supposed to be seeing her. I said NO WAY, I didn't want her to have anything further to do with my case.

The newer worker said she was confused as to why I had been told to jump through more hoops than necessary.

I will be going in this week to file my complaint in writing.


It is hard enough to ask for aid, but having to deal with people that don't want to help people is the most humiliating experience I have ever had to go through. The experience almost completely pushed me off the cliff.

All that for a measely $162 in food stamps....which I wouldn't need if the county agencies had done their job and red-tagged former meth lab homes so they couldn't get resold to unsuspecting buyers. I had counted on having a roommate to help with bills while my SSI app is processed, but no-one wants to live at a former meth lab property.

[knitter4democracy]

3. Oh my God!! That is horrifying!

She has no business helping people at all. None. I am so glad you're going to file a complaint--she should never work with any clients again after that. Think of those who never asked for the supervisor, who never lucked out and got someone else--I am so glad you spoke up for yourself and defended yourself! You rock!

As for the meth lab thing, I'd heard of that kind of thing happening, but that is just plain awful. :( I'm so sorry all this crap is happening to you. Hug? :hug:

[bobbolink]

4. Good for you for asking for a supervisor!! What she did to you is CRUEL!

I haven't been on food stamps for lots of years, but what I saw when I was, was that they were hiring many people who previously were on aid, and LOVED to throw their weight around, and act like lords of the manor.

I'm glad you are rid of her, and I hope her pipes freeze. :)

You certainly did the right things, and I hope you are now able to eat well.

Best to you! :hi: :pals: :hi:

[raccoon]

5. Glad you are going to file a complaint.

They ought to fire the woman.

[cutlassmama]

6. Well, you still did better than me. It took four months to get my food stamps

because I was supposed to get a "phone interview" because of all my illnesses and the worker didn't know about it. The second time I was to be interviewed the worker called, but didn't send me a letter prior so I didn't know she was calling. I'm bipolar too and was depressed in bed sleeping with the ringer off the phone. The third time they said I HAD to come to come down to give my fingerprints, but there was no way to make it there since I have agoraphobia too (the stupid worker didn't understand that one) so I had to send my son in a cab (with borrowed money). They took his prints, but then the "supervisor" decided it needed to be MY prints. I started crying when the worker called and told me that because we literally had NO food in the house. Both my fridge and freezer were empty...pantry too. I couldn't help it, I cried like a baby. The worker put the supervisor on the phone, but she wouldn't budge. The worker called me back and said she didn't care what her supervisor said she'd personally give my son the card if I could send him back down there. By God's grace, my neighbor took back down there and we got the card. This was FOUR months after I first applied. :mad: