Food Stamp Story

Mazen Hassan

Introduction to Journalism

Food Stamp/Welfare Collaboration Project

4/11/2011

Working Poor…Or Hardly Working?

“’Working poor?’ That sounds like name calling, and it is very insulting to me, to be honest. It is basically saying that no matter how hard I work to get myself out of my current situation, I will always be looked at as ‘one of them’ – those poor, pathetic, helpless bums. I am anything but, and that is not how I choose to identify myself. I may not be wealthy…but I am rich in spirit– and no one can take that from me.”

Ariashley Pichardo has been on the welfare, food stamp, and public assistance program for over three years now, and is one of hundreds of thousands of people in New York City whose very lives depend on the diminutive amount of money they receive each month to survive.

When asked if she felt whether food stamps actually did help her out or not, she stated that “it’s a really hard tossup. I had to go through so much red tape and an overwhelming amount of paper work just to be able to receive the minimal amount of money I collect.”

Many get confused as to the process of obtaining food stamps, as not every person is eligible regardless of how desperate their situation may be. On the Social Security government website (ssa.gov), it does state that anyone can apply for food stamps, but you must meet very specific criteria to actually obtain aid. It is a combined factor of various different components - residency, age/birth date, refugee/parolee standing, any allegations of domestic abuse on women/children, immigration status, and financial amount of positions/resources within the home. That is only the first issue with food stamps, as many individuals in need do not know how to go about obtaining help, and it seems that going to the food stamp counselors doesn’t always quell those concerns.

“All of the counselors and people I deal with are incredibly rude, and not very helpful, it’s almost as if they don’t care at all,” Pichardo said. “It’s already an embarrassing enough situation for me to be in, and when they make you jump through so many obstacles and treat you essentially like dirt, it makes you just want to give up because it is so mentally draining. I feel like I am constantly being judged and looked down upon just to go get groceries to feed myself, a basic human necessity…it’s really sad.”

Though Pichardo did admit that regardless of how emotionally taxing the process may be, “I would be lying if I said that the measly $180 I receive every month did not help me out, as its $180 I didn’t have before. It also allows me to budget myself better to get by for the month. I just wonder how many more years this is going to continue on for…I’m scared every day.”

According to the New York City Center for Economic Opportunity, cases for food stamps have been rapidly growing over the past few years. In 2008 it was estimated that 773,634 people were on food stamps; in 2009 the number ballooned to 875,458. The New York Times also stated that “The food stamp caseload grew by 13.2 percent, or more than 100,000 cases, from 2008 to 2009 (and by nearly 29 percent among two-parent families.)” Though that is a sad measure as to how many people are in need of help, it must also mean that the program must be doing something right, right? According to Christine D’Onofrio, Senior Researcher at The Center for Economic Opportunity, who helped write the report – yes.

“Food stamps serve two purposes from all perspectives,” D’Onofrio said. “The first, very obviously, is combating hunger. The other is that if there are people who are near the poverty line, something like food stamps can make the difference between them not being considered poor because they do have that extra asset in their household.”

That raises a lot of questions and concerns, as who can really deem a person poor or not, and who is to say exactly how much food, shelter, clothing etc. a person needs to survive? D’onofrio detailed what requirements one must meet in order to be deemed “poor.”” The official poverty measure put forth by the Federal Government basically says ‘let’s look at the cost of the most basic meal plan we can define (that provides minimum nutritional support) and we will assume that the cost of that plan is a third of the income needed to survive.’ That basic basket of food is what you would need. If you have less than that you are ‘poor,’ if you have more than that you’re ‘not poor.’” Though she admits the system is faulty, and most definitely out of date as to what the current lifestyle and median necessity to live in New York City is.
“The problem is that that measure was developed in the 1960 when most of people’s income would go towards food. Now that’s nowhere near the truth. Now only 8-10% of your income goes to food. So to say that you’re “not poor” just because you have three times what you need for food is not a very useful measure [in 2011].”

She goes onto say that although food is obviously a primary concern when it comes to the poor, there are various other factors of living and expenses in general that people often fail to recall. “In fact, the biggest piece of some body's household need is for housing itself, as it could be up to half your monthly amount of money to get by on.So we need to take into account what people would need to pay for housing, food, utilities, clothing, and things like that. We’re making a difference between what people need and what they have to spend money on. Our ‘what people need’ is a very different poverty line than what the official poverty measure is.”

She goes on to tie in the actual meaning of the “working poor”, saying that “that term actually has a very specific meaning...It implies the fact that a person is working, earning a wage that could even be full time. But the amount of money that the person earns does not put him or her above the poverty line. You might work more than one job at minimum wage and you will still be below the official poverty line. So the working poor are people who are working for a living but statistically are classified as “poor”.

Chantall Ellison, program coordianter at America Works, (a non-for-profit organization that helps to aid people struck by poverty with job positions, food/clothing drives and shelters, etc.) disagrees. “To me, the term ‘working poor’ is essentially trying to create a caste system within poverty lines, which is the opposite of what we strive to do here atAmerica Works. We believe that the best way to actually aid somebody out of poverty is to educate them, to facilitate positive programs and safe environments for them to come to, and to get them real actual “private sector” jobs.”

And she’s 100% right about the effectiveness of that approach and of the company’s mission. The New York State Department of Labor concluded in a study that 88% of people placed in job positions by America Works have remained off of welfare 3 years later. That’s an astonishingly positive number, and should really open people’s minds up to other possible avenues to help people in need, aside from just food stamps.

Ellison herself has seen firsthand what a difference the program makes with her clientele. “I have seen my clients come in here with nothing – no money, clothes, shelter, family/friends, no goals/dreams, no desire, no promise, not even a drive or willingness to change because they have just been beat down so many times.”

Though after a few months within the program, not only receiving food stamps and metro cards, but intensive seminars on building your resume, proper etiquette in a work place, and fundamental counseling, Ellison says “I have seen them change 360 degrees – landing good paying jobs, finding decent apartments – but more than anything I have seen the growth within themselves. They come back confident, radiant, and brimming with hope and a new found sense of self. I do feel there is always room for improvement for any public assistance programs, of course. For example, we only take certain types of clients (I.E. court-mandated, children who get turned away from foster care, people released from prison, etc.,), so I think it would be amazing to open up more, larger facilities to accommodate everyone and anyone who needs help.”

That seemed to be a general consensus among everyone interviewed when asked what possible ways they feel the food stamp and public assistance programs could improve to benefit more people, and what could be done to help eradicate poverty in New York City in general. Passion, dedication, and persistence will go a long way to help end the current state of poverty in New York City.

Steve Vanto, Volunteer Coordinator at Holy Apostle Church Soup Kitchen, serves over 1,200+ meals every weekday, at what has become one of the largest on-site feeding programs in the country. He says that they have not missed a single day of service since the opening of the church on October 22^nd, 1982. He says that when looking to hire volunteers he wants to “make sure that they aren’t judgmental at all. If they make the people that come in here feel uncomfortable or guilty, then they’re out. We’re not looking to have that type of patronizing environment. It’s not about how much you make or don’t make but about the content of your character.”

Jose Torres, a sous chef at Holy Angels Soup Kitchen, also says that it is sheer dedication to helping people that gets him through witnessing poverty every day. “I am constantly reminded why I do this. It’s a very fine line between me having a job and being on the other side of the service station. I’m glad to be where I am... and not over there.”

So we now know food stamps do help people, but the system is defective and needs vast and drastic changes and improvements to better serve the public. So what should be changed?

Pichardo believes that more options (i.e. different organizations, requirements, , etc.) is a part of it, and also that hiring more dedicated, kind and understanding staff will help ease the transition of being on welfare, and help to take away the shame and guilt associated with being on food stamps. “Hiring better, more professional, and kinder staff is important, as it is obviously a very emotionally charged and sad situation, it would help to work with someone who understands what I’m going through and someone who actually wants to help people in need.”

Also people neglect the fact that resources are so limited, many food stamp participants are relegated to very unhealthy, limited food options. “Making varied and healthier options for food are very important points. I’m not saying I need to be greedy and eat lobster, filet mignon, and caviar every night – but it’d be nice to not have to eat Spam, old/rotting fruits, and expired canned goods (which they always try to assure you are “still good,” and that it’s “just a date.”) all the time. Even the “working poor” hungry people have taste buds, and sensitive stomachs. They feel like they could feed us scraps and will be alright – but were still people you know.”

Ellison believes more variety of programs and better accessibility is the key. “I feel implementing more programs likeAmerica Works to not only give people food stamps, but teach them to be self-sufficient, find jobs and create their own destiny will change lives. Also opening up more safe soup kitchens, food banks, and shelters/living accommodations would help a lot.” Safety is a huge concern, as many clients choose to not participate because of that very fact.

Though it is people like Ellison that will make all the difference. “One must keep in mind that the shelters and options we do currently have are in very bad condition, and not really safe for most people. I have had several clients tell me they feel safer sleeping on the streets because they have been harassed, stolen from, and almost physically/sexually assaulted at shelters.

She tears up when speaking about her clients, “these are people – human beings. They have nothing to eat, nowhere to live, and no one to turn to. What if that was you? Or your mother, sister, uncle, best friend in that position – wouldn’t you want someone to reach out and help them? It takes such a small effort (and it doesn’t have to be financial) on one person’s behalf that could entirely change another person’s entire life. Do the right thing.”

It is that very dedication and loyalty that could change the face and reality of poverty in New York City in the years to come.