Walgreens actually has good food deals. Better than many would expect. Since you aevans have internet access I would check out
Hot Coupon World and see how many people are rolling in the dough at walgreens.
She eats only 60 meals for $280/month. Lay off the potato chips and fast foods. Rice and beans will last a month for that much.
And at least at stop and shop they have delivery. Also for people who are elderly and disabled, I know social services shop and delivery WIC for them. My grandmother volunteers at the elderly social services which does so. It also picks them up in a transport van and allows them to shop at such stores. She schedules their pick-ups!
I've lived in CA where a lot of illegals I saw on the bus all the time lugging groceries and their babies. I am guessing they didn't qualify for food stamps so shopping with a baby and transporting them was a NECESSARY and there were little luxuries.
I am also guessing in LA, many illegals couldn't afford to live in nice areas and they shopped at bodegas and still made do on less. And they made an effort to save money and send it home to Mexico.
At least from friends who were in school with me and their parents had come over the border told me so. So explain how these people manage on little money? And lived/worked in not so nice neighborhoods and without food stamps?