I want to say something in defense of aukxsona. Yes, her friends giving her food they bought with food stamps is probably illegal (tried to look up online, but could not find any rules on donating food stamps items, but I assume the programs purpose is to have the food go only to the family members signed up.) However, to me this is a definite distinction from those who use their surplus food stamps to trade with others either for money or rent or some other service or goods. This even bothers me less than those people that use all their food stamps to buy ice cream, soda, chips and tv dinners. To me this is more what the food stamps program should be encouraging. Which is
1) Aukxsona’s friends are living within the amount allotted on food stamps and even finding ways to be more frugal and 2) they are giving back by sharing with others. Now while #2 is the part that is considered “illegal”, that is the part that I actually like about the situation. Mostly people get food stamps for falling into a certain income bracket but then nothing is expected of them (I believe some or most are required to be working or in school), however they aren’t required in any way to give service or give back for what they are receiving. (Correct me if I am wrong- someone with more experience in this department). Other things I like about the situation are that two families in need are provided for and they are doing it with the amount they would provide for one family.
Now Disney Steve mentioned aukxsona should go through the proper channels to get the help if she qualifies. My issue is that maybe the problem isn’t what aukxsona is doing but what the system is doing. Why is it that the system, set up to help those in need get enough food to eat, is discouraging the truly needy from signing up, and second why is the system not willing to cut back on the amounts they give to those if they asked for it. I have friends in need that get food stamps that feel guilty with how much money they get offered to them. They were told that it is a set amount and you can’t change (I have never heard before about the money leaving the card after three months.) So what do my friends do to help alleviate their guilt that they have more money than they need? They make meals for families that are in a tough situation such as a family member in the hospital. Now this is probably “illegal”, but I think this is more healthy behavior to give and share their bounty than to just learn how to use every penny that is given to them just because it is available. Now if there was a more clear way to give the money back to food stamps so that it could help more families, that definitely would be the best option, but that still doesn’t address the fact that the system is discouraging some who truly need the program from getting them help they need.
One other thing- I just wanted to thank Tabbycat for bringing up the issue of transportation, and how for some people receiving food stamps they may be limited at which stores they shop. It makes me more understanding for those that may have difficulty getting by on their food stamps allotment if this is their situation.
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