Food Stamps

Food Stamps

Thankfully, there is one area in which the government seems to have covered better, and that's in the area of food. Food stamps are easier to get and available to a wider range of people than other forms of welfare (income limits are about twice as high as those for CalWorks), and in Los Angeles County they actually meet most of people's need for food. (Note that Food Stamp funding varies widely from one area to another and those in other states may not be as lucky as us). Persons who qualify can recieve the following maximum amounts of food stamp aid (# of people - monthly aid):

• 1 - $149
• 2 - $274
• 3 - $393
• 4 - $499

  and so on

Like CalWorks, you are ineligible if you have committed a drug-related felony or if you have tried to sell large amounts of food stamps in the past. Recepients who can work must comply with a "Food Stamp workfare" program, unless they are in a different Welfare-to-Work program or already have a job.

There are several ways to supplement your food stamps. The government has special additional programs for pregnant women, the mothers of children under 5, low-income children, seniors, and those who can't leave home. There are also many food pantries, food banks, and other nonprofit organizations that are happy to provide additional food aid.

So is this enough? Or are we misguided to concentrate so much on supplementing food? Should the availability of food stamps affect how we give? And why is there a special concentration on food, when the person receiving the stamps might not even have a place to live? Let me know your thoughts.