The Food Stamp Program


Published/Last Modified on Wednesday, July 15, 2009 5:29 AM CDT

I have a few questions to see how other's would feel if this happen to them.

Say you and your family were in hard times and your husband had just started a new job.He didn't get his first check till 2 weeks from the day he started.THen the old job,held the check because the owner felt that because your husband quit and left to better himself,he had the right to not give the check to you till he felt it was right.So you go and apply for foodstamps.You bring all the information that the worker asks for.You get the food stamps for 6 months and then you have to reapply for them.Well when you reapply for it.You get a phone call that the worker made a mistake and put in the computer that your husband got paid bi-weekly.But it was suppose to be WEEKLY.They now tell you because the worker messed up,you have to pay every dime back that you got.You then ask the worker,what can I do to fight this?She then tells you,"You can try but you will lose".You wait 3 months and nothing is sent to you.FInally the 4 month comes and now they want you to pay it back.

My question is How would you feel about it?And do you think it is your fault that this happened?Would you fight it or just give in and let the state win?

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Comments

    Paycheck wrote on Jul 30, 2009 4:49 PM:

    " You said your husband's boss didnt give him his check until the boss was ready to. The law say your husband gets his paycheck on the next pay date, not to exceed 3 weeks. "

    Long Gone wrote on Jul 30, 2009 2:27 PM:

    " If it's not yours, you HAVE to pay it back.............. enough said. "

    well now... wrote on Jul 29, 2009 7:14 PM:

    " You got something you weren't entitled to, and you must pay it back.


    End of story. "

    Working Folks wrote on Jul 28, 2009 9:57 PM:

    " Get shafted all the time by these folks, and they are harder on us who have never used the system but YET has put into the system. We are not the pros of the food stamp plan and SOME workers talk harsher to the working folks who need a lil assistance.. So just like the baby momma get treated with respect surely should the working folks who now need some help get respect and more help fom the case workers. "

    Qualify but waiting still wrote on Jul 27, 2009 8:33 AM:

    " You think the food stamp office is screwed up, try the unemployment office. I was laid off, with only my fiancee' working and two chidren, one who I get no child support for. They screwed up my claim, now I am having to appeal it. Where's the child support warrant for worthless dads? DA's office needs to hit the books, too! Too many dad's owe? And he is walking free. If I get no child support, he is just as good being in jail making no money. "

    I wonder.... wrote on Jul 25, 2009 3:20 PM:

    " Hmmmm... I wonder if all of you who are complaining about the food stamp program, the same ones who wait in the long lines for the food stamps after a hurricane has occurred. The majority of those people LIE just to receive them. I say every application should be reviewed by the fraud department. "

    to concerned and to jenny.... wrote on Jul 25, 2009 3:16 PM:

    " the both of you need to request a copy of state policy on the food stamp program and READ the entire policy before you try to make comments. The two of you really know NOTHING; and just for the record, an attorney will not help. The client should have read the entire notice and realized the income was incorrect; therefore, reporting the error to the case worker. Then, she would not have received more than the household was eligible for. Everyone wants to blame the workers, but the client, in this situation, is just as much to blame. "

    Jenny wrote on Jul 23, 2009 11:12 PM:

    " I don't think it's your fault.They are crooked any ways.They help people who does drugs and gamble. they don't help who try to work. "

    PointGIrl wrote on Jul 23, 2009 7:56 AM:

    " I have never been on Food Stamps, so can someone explain to me how does going without 2 paychecks equate to 6 months or more of free food? I also don't understand how the government can allow families to be on Food Stamps for years! And this is the same government that wants to take over my health care? I don't think so! "

    concerned wrote on Jul 23, 2009 7:53 AM:

    " If i were you i would speak to a lawyer. There should be something that can be done. As specially since times r so hard. Other than that they will just stick it to you. Alot of time they will tell you that you will lose. But that is not always the case. They just try to scare folks by saying that. So if i were you i would call there bluff and speak to a lawyer. I think you have more rights than that. "

    Cajunator wrote on Jul 22, 2009 10:02 PM:

    " By the way, it's not me making Jeanerette look bad, it's the burglaries, car thefts, drive by shootings, etc. that have been happening on a daily basis that are making Jeanerette look bad. But don't take my word for it, read the police report. "

    Cajunator wrote on Jul 22, 2009 9:54 PM:

    " Maybe you should be more aware of your surroundings. Not only do I know what I'm talking about, but I've collected dozens of pictures and short video clips from my cell phone, of people paying with food stamps,then leaving the store in $30,000 vehicles.I'm in the editing phase of a short documentary-like video that I will post on youtube. The videos include several of my friends not only having their groceries paid for by these crackheads, but shows them pulling out numerous LA Purchase cards and asking my friends if they know anyone else that needs groceries. "

    What wrote on Jul 22, 2009 1:58 PM:

    " To cajunator, I am from Jeanerette, and I am very offended of what you said. I have lived here for 23 years of my life and have NEVER seen anyone at the grocery store (Robie's) that will trade food stamps for half of the value. If you don't know what you are talking about, then don't go around spreading lies. Thats what make Jeanerette look so bad...People like you! "

    Cajunator wrote on Jul 20, 2009 9:19 AM:

    " If you can't get food stamps, then just go to the grocery store in Jeanerette, Baldwin, or Franklin.There are always several crackheads standing around offering to pay for your groceries with there Louisiana Purchase cards in exchange for half the value in cash. You'll get your groceries at half price, and they get to buy their crack.Everyone's happy. Only in America! Keep working hard... Someone needs to pay for their crack habit! "

    Goverment is a joke wrote on Jul 19, 2009 9:53 PM:

    " I had a similar incident happen to me. I had a roommate that moved out, I reported that (IN WRITING), and the worker failed to update my case. When I was over-paid, I called the worker again and told her again that my roommate had moved out. When it came time to re-certify, I sat IN HER OFFICE and told her yet AGAIN that my roommate was no longer in my house. She was given notice 3 times before she fixed HER mistake, yet I had to pay it all back. I did my part, yet I took the fall. "

    I cant get food stamp wrote on Jul 17, 2009 1:41 PM:

    " My husband and I can't get food stamp! my husband got hurt at work and collecting workem comp and he sometime get a check every other week , because they are not worried about us! but some of the people that goes for food stamp with a lot of kids and gold teeth and spinner wheels on cars can get food stamp "

    Moi wrote on Jul 17, 2009 8:28 AM:

    " Amen to "Dealing With The Government". You have babies for who knows who, you get a check, you take in your sister's neighbor's friends first cousin....you get a check. The food stamp deal is passed on from generation to generation....they know ALL the tricks. For the people who actually need it, they EXPECT the state to know what the heck they are doing. Let the state JUST TRY to short change a regular check recipient by 25 cents...see if they will fight it.. GIVE IT TO ME CUZ I WANT TO GO TO THE CASINO ANDWALMART! "

    Dealing with the Government wrote on Jul 16, 2009 2:45 PM:

    " The government motto...You screw up, you pay...we screw up, you pay.

    Anyone with half a brain knows that dealing with the government is going to be messy as our government is incapable of doing anything that makes sense. Once you accept food stamps or welfare, you are at their mercy, especially if you're not a welfare professional...meaning those that have never worked or earned an honest living. Doing nothing gets you something...doing something means you owe somebody something. "

    Dont let THEM get away with it. wrote on Jul 16, 2009 2:42 PM:

    " If the error was made by the office personnel then they should eat it and make the correction for upcoming issues. Not being a regular recipient, you wouldn't necessarily know what to look for.

    You can't compare this to a bank because it's two entirely different entities. The staff worker should be reprimanded for inflicting more harm to a bad situation but making a bad situation worse for the recipient is not the answer. I say fight it on those grounds. "

    To D Hertz wrote on Jul 16, 2009 1:53 PM:

    " I bet they can ride up and down their own street and find some help like that. "

    NISH Mom wrote on Jul 16, 2009 1:52 PM:

    " I agree with Former NISH Mom. That was EXACTLY my question after I read this. You claim to only need maybe a month of assistance, but, you get 6 months. Then you are reapplying for MORE. You get too much and you don't want to have to pay it back. GREED/ENTITLEMENT!! Two big reasons this country is going down the toilet. I say they should garnish your wages for it....in one lump sum, by mistake of course. "

    To Avid Reader wrote on Jul 16, 2009 1:20 PM:

    " First of all, one of my family members is a food stamp worker. And I know for a fact that they do not give food stamps to their family members or friends. You need to get your facts straight. "

    A question to you... wrote on Jul 16, 2009 6:49 AM:

    " Suppose this happened with your bank account? Suppose a teller credited your bank deposit into another account;not purposely, but by accident? Wouldn't you want your funds back? Think about it? EVERYONE makes mistakes...that's just life. "

    fed up to D. Hertz wrote on Jul 15, 2009 4:36 PM:

    " I had to laugh when I read your comment because you are so right. "

    me wrote on Jul 15, 2009 2:52 PM:

    " dont pay it back the worker needs to pay attention to what he r she is doing thats not ur fault they screwed up thats how the state works fight it "

    chuck wrote on Jul 15, 2009 2:28 PM:

    " My daughter in law had this happen to her. The food stamp office made a mistake an gave her more than they should have.She had to pay it back. She was paying 10 or 20 dollars a month. After she married my son she continued to pay until she got laid off. she called to let them know that she would continue to pay after she found another job. But before she could start paying it back they garnished their income tax return check . "

    D. Hertz wrote on Jul 15, 2009 11:54 AM:

    " Ride up and down some of our streets and pick up some advice on how to beat this system. There are plenty of people in this city that could help you. "

    avid reader wrote on Jul 15, 2009 10:17 AM:

    " I would fight it because it was not your fault. No one knows your situation and maybe you did still need it after the 6 months period. Trust me, those workers give their families and friends food stamps-I know this for a fact but then they want to give other people a hard time. Fight it!!!! "

    old school wrote on Jul 15, 2009 9:49 AM:

    " First of all, the former employer can not hold the check past the date it would have been issued had your husband not quit (this used to be 72 hours, no longer). Secondly, if you did not qualify, you need to pay it back. "

    the system wrote on Jul 15, 2009 8:21 AM:

    " once again, the system fails those who need it, and those who take advantage of it win. it's sad how our system works. it seems that you were looking for temporary assistance, which is what the system is for and it failed you. I personally think that if I have to take a pee test to get and keep my job, you should have to take a pee test to get gov't assistance! you fail b/c you are on drugs, you dont get the assistance. if you can afford drugs, you can afford food!!!!!!!! "

    You should have known... wrote on Jul 15, 2009 8:10 AM:

    " Once a food stamp case is certified, the worker then sends out a notice to the clients letting them know if they are eligible or not. In that letter, all of the information that the client provided is listed there. Therefore; the client needs to thoroughly read the notice and make sure the income and expenses are listed correctly. You should have noticed the difference and brought this to the attention of the worker. The worker made a mistake and it seems like you did so also. Most clients do not take the time to read the entire notices. "

    Former NISH Mom wrote on Jul 15, 2009 7:39 AM:

    " Why would someone collect for 6 months and then reapply when they probably only needed them for a few weeks until a paycheck was received? Seems likes someone was milking the system and yes the money should be repaid. "

    A N.I. Mom wrote on Jul 15, 2009 7:32 AM:

    " If the food stamps were issued due to a clerical error, and you would not have received them if the correct data was entered, then you were not supposed to receive them. Just as if a bank made an error and added money into your bank account by mistake, it is not rightlfully yours. However, you spent the FS money not knowing it was credited incorrectly, so they should allow you to repay it at an amount that is fair, such as $5 or $10 per week. "

    Say What wrote on Jul 15, 2009 7:28 AM:

    " Let the state win? You were apparently collecting twice as much food stamps as you should have. Pay it back. "

    Kim wrote on Jul 15, 2009 6:44 AM:

    " Sheesh! That is a horrible situation. I think the fair thing to do is maybe pay half back considering it was the workers mistake in the beginning. "

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