Food stamp benefits going down before the holidays

[n2doc]

Source: CNBC

Millions of American families could face a sparse holiday table when food stamps benefits get reduced in November, and that could be just the start of deeper cuts to the program to feed poor families.

The modern-day food stamp plan, now called the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is scheduled to scale back benefits for all recipients on Nov. 1 because a recession-era boost in benefits is expiring.

The cut comes as lawmakers also are considering billions of dollars of reductions to the overall SNAP program, which has grown substantially in recent years amid the weak economy and high unemployment.

The program is now serving more than 23 million households, or nearly 48 million people, according to the most recent government data through June. The USDA says the average monthly benefit is about $275 per household.


Read more: http://www.nbcnews.com/business/food-stamp-benefits-going-down-holidays-8C11418632

[former9thward]

1. I talked to a friend on SNAP.

He said he had received a letter saying his benefits were going down by a little over 5% starting Nov. 1 because the stimulus had ended.

[William769]

2. They changed the formula in Florida in September

And many received their last benefits this month.

[L0oniX]

3. Kick em when they're down.

[madamesilverspurs]

4. Mine were cut

$25 per month. The benefit that used to cover almost three weeks will now cover significantly less. I'll be speaking with my senators about this, there's absolutely no point in discussing it with my alleged rep in Congress.

[OnlinePoker]

5. This is the problem with short-term increases to programs like this...

...especially when they extend out more than a year or more. People become accustomed to a certain level of support and adjust their buying habits to that level. When the cuts come, it is difficult for some to make the adjustment back to the lower levels given the expectations of their family. A 5% cut as indicated in another reply is about $14 a month on the $275 per household average. That's a couple of dozen eggs or a few loaves of bread gone. Not enough to starve by, but enough to make you aware of their absence.

[grasswire]

6. it would be useful to know how much grocery prices went up...

.....in the time period that the short-term increase was in effect.

5 percent? Probably.

[RebelOne]

23. I wonder of any of the dumbbells who cut the food stamp

program have been grocery shopping. Every time I go shopping, which is weekly, I see the prices go up on items I usually buy. I am now only buying store brands, which are much cheaper than the name brands. For instance, I buy the store brand Kroger toilet paper 4-roll packs for 88 cents. I buy two of them, which equal about a dollar less than a 4-roll double pack of a name brand.

[Igel]

26. So for a family of 4 on Nov. 1 it'll decrease $36.

There's a cost-of-living adjustment for the last year's inflation that takes effect 10/1.

No idea how it averages out, 10/1 permanent increase versus the sunsetting of a temporary measure.

Keep in mind when we say how wonderful it is that the budget projections show a decreased deficit that Obama should be proud of, that's part of the decrease.

[grasswire]

27. COL adjustment for November?

Are you sure you aren't thinking of the COL for social security for Jan 1?

[Puzzledtraveller]

7. I'm a SNAP caseworker

We actually forgot about the temporary increase in the office. It had been in place almost as long as I have been working here and I completely forgot about it.

[OnlinePoker]

9. So if the people working for the system can't remember it, how can they expect the recipients to?n/t

[Puzzledtraveller]

11. We don't

that's why notices went out to all our clients in Kentucky.

[CrispyQ]

8. American citizens without enough to eat already & we're going to slash it even more.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

10. Merry Christmas from the Grinch

[DustyJoe]

12. cheapppp

It's because the cost of living is going down, there's no inflation. As we all know life's essentials like groceries, fuel, utilities etc. are all going down steadily in price. There cannot be any other rationale for the reduction other than those factors. /sarc/

[Dustlawyer]

13. This is the only "War on Christmas" that I see!

[Auntie Bush]

28. Go talk to Sara...she'll find many more.

[awoke_in_2003]

14. People must go hungry...

so rich fuckers don't have to face a tax increase. Or, god forbid, we cut defense spending.

[kestrel91316]

18. .......the "defense" spending that sure smells like "offense" spending to me these days.......

[Scuba]

15. Another attempt by the Republicans to a) appease their base by punishing the weak, and ....

.... b) undermine the economic recovery.

[tecelote]

31. Food Stamps, Welfare, and similar benefits, are Wrong!

Working people should not receive Food Stamps or Welfare.

They should be paid a livable wage!

This is really welfare for companies that pay below a livable wage. The money they do not pay in wages goes straight to the net profit column. Businesses profit from paying low wages and having their employees subsidized through our taxes.

If they paid a livable wage, their profits would go down and our taxes would too. Because... our taxes would not have to support the poor people that work for these companies.

[DirkGently]

16. Got to keep gut-punching the economy, lest it improve, apparently.

[Brigid]

22. Can't let that happen while the black guy is in office.

[Berlum]

17. The Republicon War on Christmas (and the poor)

...and of course the Republicon War on Women, War on Honesty, War on Integrity and War on Honor.

For a pack of chickenhawks, the RepubliBaggers sure do gin up a lot of darkside, soul-scrunge, plug-ugly WARS on the things that make America wonderful.

[beerandjesus]

19. Way to go Republicans!

No doubt Jesus is smiling on you right now!

[jwirr]

20. I have lost $11 and the family I live with to help make ends meet lost $50. We were already having

problems at the end of the month. I hope they can make some good use of that $61. We sure could have. This is plain crazy. I am 72 years old and they are a family of 5. Both parents work full time low pay jobs and I babysit and keep house for them while they are gone. We are not the stereo type that the rethugs like to describe.

[olddad56]

21. and we can leave billions of dollars of miltary hardware in Iraq and Afghanistan.

[eShirl]

24. God bless us every one!

[davidthegnome]

25. Okay... so who's suggesting the reverse?

In other words... is any political figure telling the truth? The truth that, we actually need to increase these benefits rather than decrease them? People are hungry - and this isn't just the very poor we're talking about anymore either. In these economic times, even middle class families that earn a pretty decent income are so overwhelmed with debt that they can barely afford to buy groceries themselves.

Imagine then, if a family making 60 grand a year is struggling, how hellish it might be for a family making 30 or less. Assume an average figure of 50 dollars per week per person, when it comes to food. This is if you want to be able to eat a healthy, balanced diet, as opposed to highly processed junk food, soda, extremely high sodium foods, candy, etc.

For a family of four to survive (especially if the children are teenagers or nearly teenagers) it's going to cost roughly 800 bucks a month in grocery bills. You could get by with spending less, but you would have to sacrifice both quality and health. Not surprisingly, food prices are going up as well, so these scale backs are going to hurt even more.

Is anyone speaking out? Does anyone have a clue here? Hungry people tend to start rebellions.

[gopiscrap]

29. that is such bullshit we have money for

weapons but not food?

[bitchkitty]

30. One more straw.

I am so tired.

[bobGandolf]

32. So sad.....where are our countries

priorities?