Got milk? That is about all I can afford with my Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (SNAP, formally known as food stamps) along with bread and eggs, monthly. Seriously, I am a low income college student and I receive only a minimum amount of snap benefits. SNAP requirements should be changed due to irresponsible and lazy people abusing the system.
Currently it is difficult for deserving people to receive SNAP benefits due to income and employment status. Being a college student and unemployed I was denied help I truly needed. December 2015 I applied for food stamps when I lost my job. I was also enrolled as a full time student at LSUE. They denied me right away because as a college student, I had to be employed and work a minimum of 20 hours a week at a min of $7.25 an hour. The requirement of having to be employed and attending college is ridiculous. I was so angry with the government because in past job experiences, I observed people buying hundreds of dollars of food using food stamps while they drove nice vehicles. When I got a job in February 2016, I reapplied, I was working 24-32 hours a week at $8.50 an hour. They worked on my case for a month, they made me get document after document filled out. I had to have my employer sign and fax paperwork. There was lots of red tape when applying for SNAP. Then, I finally received my letter in the mail. Congratulations, you qualify for $26 a month in food stamps. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the help, but I felt that is was more a slap in the face! Currently, up to $1211 gross household income will get you up to $200 of snap benefits if you are employed, single, and have no children. For every additional family member in the household, you add $430 to the gross household monthly income limit. As for the benefits, you add $150 of snap benefits per household member. As a college student, SNAP requires you to be employed at least 20 hours, making at least minimum wage. People have learned how to manipulate the system for their “benefit” and are taking advantage of SNAP benefits. My first example includes a single mother of two children with a baby on the way, who is unemployed. She receives $530 of SNAP benefits monthly. In addition, she receives a check from the government to pay the electricity and water bills. Additionally, she receives WIC benefits including bread, milk, orange …show more content…
Many people who have a criminal lifestyle are taking advantage of SNAP benefits. People who have children, should also be employed. If you look at today’s society, many people continue to reproduce without a means to support themselves. They look to government programs, such as SNAP to live on instead of looking for a job or going to college. SNAP benefits should resemble WIC benefits, in that, applicants would only be allowed to buy certain healthy foods, which is the original intent of the program. They should receive vouchers allowing only specific foods. Often I have witnessed people using SNAP benefits, to purchase nothing but processed and unhealthy food. College students receiving financial aid should automatically be eligible to receive a minimum of $200 of snap benefits, who meet the household income criteria despite their employment status. Going to college is a full time job. Why can’t that be your employment
Currently it is difficult for deserving people to receive SNAP benefits due to income and employment status. Being a college student and unemployed I was denied help I truly needed. December 2015 I applied for food stamps when I lost my job. I was also enrolled as a full time student at LSUE. They denied me right away because as a college student, I had to be employed and work a minimum of 20 hours a week at a min of $7.25 an hour. The requirement of having to be employed and attending college is ridiculous. I was so angry with the government because in past job experiences, I observed people buying hundreds of dollars of food using food stamps while they drove nice vehicles. When I got a job in February 2016, I reapplied, I was working 24-32 hours a week at $8.50 an hour. They worked on my case for a month, they made me get document after document filled out. I had to have my employer sign and fax paperwork. There was lots of red tape when applying for SNAP. Then, I finally received my letter in the mail. Congratulations, you qualify for $26 a month in food stamps. Don’t get me wrong, I’m grateful for the help, but I felt that is was more a slap in the face! Currently, up to $1211 gross household income will get you up to $200 of snap benefits if you are employed, single, and have no children. For every additional family member in the household, you add $430 to the gross household monthly income limit. As for the benefits, you add $150 of snap benefits per household member. As a college student, SNAP requires you to be employed at least 20 hours, making at least minimum wage. People have learned how to manipulate the system for their “benefit” and are taking advantage of SNAP benefits. My first example includes a single mother of two children with a baby on the way, who is unemployed. She receives $530 of SNAP benefits monthly. In addition, she receives a check from the government to pay the electricity and water bills. Additionally, she receives WIC benefits including bread, milk, orange …show more content…
Many people who have a criminal lifestyle are taking advantage of SNAP benefits. People who have children, should also be employed. If you look at today’s society, many people continue to reproduce without a means to support themselves. They look to government programs, such as SNAP to live on instead of looking for a job or going to college. SNAP benefits should resemble WIC benefits, in that, applicants would only be allowed to buy certain healthy foods, which is the original intent of the program. They should receive vouchers allowing only specific foods. Often I have witnessed people using SNAP benefits, to purchase nothing but processed and unhealthy food. College students receiving financial aid should automatically be eligible to receive a minimum of $200 of snap benefits, who meet the household income criteria despite their employment status. Going to college is a full time job. Why can’t that be your employment