WIC/Food stamps to stockpile food supply

[PistolBob]

When I was on AD USMC, 1977-1981, a married Corporal, with 2 kids, qualified for food stamps ..... Pay, back then was around $900.00 a month .....

My kid was AD USMC Corporal, married with one kid stationed at Cherry Point in 2007-2008 and qualified...they never did the SNAP EBT but did use the WIC vouchers...he was also coaching biddy league basketball for a kids church league in Havelock...so they may have hit the food pantry from time to time. He got promoted to E5 and shipped to Al Anbar Province Iraq for 2009. His next child was born about 5 months after deployment.

Today an E4 with 4 yrs in gets about $530 a week.

Thank you for your service!

 

[jamil]

If the USDA all of a sudden stopped those farm subsidies...who would be screaming the loudest about the cost of food climbing almost over night? Your point is well made and well taken. We're all essentially on the dole. I volunteer from time to time in a food bank that 8 years ago we were serving about 200 families a month with two bags of groceries. We're now serving about 5 times that. They don't come in and get groceries because its "nice to have", they come in because it helps them stretch their food budget and provides them with healthier food choices. The food bank survives on food and cash donations from the parish and buying bulk items from Gleaners. As far as I know there is no direct state or federal subsidy to them.

There are poor people in America and not all of them are poor because they are too lazy to take care of themselves. There is no need for public ridicule of the needy. If someone never has to depend on these kinds of things, they ought to be thanking God every day they have the ability...one day they may not.

Some years back 60 Minutes did a piece on the number of US military non-comms that had to rely on the old Food Stamp program to feed their families. It was pretty sickening to think these young men and women were laying their lives on the line and we as a nation were so ungrateful that we couldn't pay them enough for groceries. It still happens today.

Just a couple of things. I agree that systematically we're all on the dole in some sense. And that should not be a reasonable defense of the system.

Given that we can't subsidize poverty away, I think charity is the medium through which we can best help those in need.

I don't wish to ridicule the needy. I just want everyone to understand that we can't make every individual prosperous. But we can do more to make more people prosperous by encouraging self sufficiency through existential need rather than rewarding people who just don't want to work at a job for their money. If I speak disparigingly of the poor, I'm not directing that at the truly needy poor, but the poor people who could work but choose to be takers instead.

And I've said my peace on military pay. If we're going to ask these soldiers to risk their lives for our security, we should pay them what that's worth. A Corporal with a wife and two kids should have an income beyond the need for food stamps.

 

[SSGSAD]

Just a couple of things. I agree that systematically we're all on the dole in some sense. And that should not be a reasonable defense of the system.

Given that we can't subsidize poverty away, I think charity is the medium through which we can best help those in need.

I don't wish to ridicule the needy. I just want everyone to understand that we can't make every individual prosperous. But we can do more to make more people prosperous by encouraging self sufficiency through existential need rather than rewarding people who just don't want to work at a job for their money. If I speak disparigingly of the poor, I'm not directing that at the truly needy poor, but the poor people who could work but choose to be takers instead.

And I've said my peace on military pay. If we're going to ask these soldiers to risk their lives for our security, we should pay them what that's worth. A Corporal with a wife and two kids should have an income beyond the need for food stamps.

AMEN, to THAT !!!!!

 

[HoughMade]

... Just your personal opinion on what you'd do in your situation. That's it.

I was. When my first child was born, I was a full-time student with a meager income of a couple of hundred dollars a month as a research assistant. My wife made something in the low $20k a year, from which we paid for her health insurance (and everything else). I went without health insurance. We made do without WIC or government benefits of any kind. Cloth diapers cost a fraction of disposable (after the shower diapers ran out). We seldom bought prepared baby food. We made our own buying meet and vegetables on sale wherever was cheaper and cooked and pureed them to baby-approved consistency. My wife went back to work after the baby and I scheduled my classes so that I was home all but 2 afternoons a week. One afternoon, the boy went to class with me, the other a family friend watched him. I was Mr. Mom.

There was never extra anything, but we were happy. Stockpiling on the public dole? I'll just say that the thought never occurred to me...which I'm pretty pleased about.

 

[PistolBob]

I was. When my first child was born, I was a full-time student with a meager income of a couple of hundred dollars a month as a research assistant. My wife made something in the low $20k a year, from which we paid for her health insurance (and everything else). I went without health insurance. We made do without WIC or government benefits of any kind. Cloth diapers cost a fraction of disposable (after the shower diapers ran out). We seldom bought prepared baby food. We made our own buying meet and vegetables on sale wherever was cheaper and cooked and pureed them to baby-approved consistency. My wife went back to work after the baby and I scheduled my classes so that I was home all but 2 afternoons a week. One afternoon, the boy went to class with me, the other a family friend watched him. I was Mr. Mom.

There was never extra anything, but we were happy. Stockpiling on the public dole? I'll just say that the thought never occurred to me...which I'm pretty pleased about.

Thanks to democrats and the Affordable Care Act...you can't go without health insurance unless you want to pay hundreds of dollars in fines. Uncle Sugar will subsidize your health insurance premiums but not your penalties. The next thing in the agenda will probably be 401K confiscation and mandatory life insurance.

 

[HoughMade]

1997 was the "good old days".

 

[17 squirrel]

I was. When my first child was born, I was a full-time student with a meager income of a couple of hundred dollars a month as a research assistant. My wife made something in the low $20k a year, from which we paid for her health insurance (and everything else). I went without health insurance. We made do without WIC or government benefits of any kind. Cloth diapers cost a fraction of disposable (after the shower diapers ran out). We seldom bought prepared baby food. We made our own buying meet and vegetables on sale wherever was cheaper and cooked and pureed them to baby-approved consistency. My wife went back to work after the baby and I scheduled my classes so that I was home all but 2 afternoons a week. One afternoon, the boy went to class with me, the other a family friend watched him. I was Mr. Mom.

There was never extra anything, but we were happy. Stockpiling on the public dole? I'll just say that the thought never occurred to me...which I'm pretty pleased about.

Yep... It's funny to get beatup and talked about for working hard and making some good sound investment choices in life. It makes me feel really good now more than ever that as a High School educated man I get under the skin of someone who has a law doctoret and made his own decisions not to go for the big bucks but live a meager lifestyle and thumb down someone who made different choices.
Also as far as serving our Country, I served, 76-82 I came out a 5 myself and though we didn't have any children ( we didn't seem it responsable at the time but that's just my opinion ) my wife worked, she worked for the Sprinkler Fitters Health and Welfare fund.. Also while attending college.
I never even thought about applying for any type of Government Plantation benefits.
And I recall my father telling one of my sisters who married one of those Navy Academy prop fly boys, while he was doing his Med cruise.
Donna, you didn't cry when it went in, don't cry when it comes out.

It amazes me that someone will accept a job and a salary and have almost yearly improvements in said salary and complain about decisions that they made themselfs. I just don't get it.... If I could have just gotten by as a young man to feed and support my wife, why add children ? And if financially it gets worse after having one child, why would you have another ?? Wtf...
Oh and Bob, please tell your son , Thank You for his Service.

And lets not forget here boys, there's more to a paycheck from the Dept of the Navy than strait pay, there easily could be housing , food, deployment and other add ons. And mommy could also get a PT gig, its not like there's not child care on base..

 

[17 squirrel]

Thanks to democrats and the Affordable Care Act...you can't go without health insurance unless you want to pay hundreds of dollars in fines. Uncle Sugar will subsidize your health insurance premiums but not your penalties. The next thing in the agenda will probably be 401K confiscation and mandatory life insurance.

I didn't know you had penalties if you already had insurance...

It's interesting about government Tricare, my son and I have been spending lots of time with recruiters the last year, if someone does ROTC along with college, lets just say with the Army. If you are married for you to have your wife and children added to your Tricare it costs you about 65 bucks a month.
It just doesn't seem excessive at all to me.
If my son does the Army route and does the college thing, with weekend warriors and hop out of a plane once in awhile he can easily earn 600 to 1000 dollars a month or more.. Decision's Decisions,.,.,.,

 

[bwframe]

...The system is rigged, and we are all a part of it.

If we allow ourselves to justify it. Some of us don't. We pay our own way.

Show me a welfare recipient without a nice car/payment, smartphone, big screen TV, monthly bills for cell and cable, WTB add in the classifieds. Not to mention smoking and drinking habits. Then we have something to talk about.

 

[17 squirrel]

If we allow ourselves to justify it. Some of us don't. We pay our own way.

Show me a welfare recipient without a nice car/payment, smartphone, big screen TV, monthly bills for cell and cable, WTB add in the classifieds. Then we have something to talk about.

That's the reason I don't volunteer anymore time at the church I go to's pantry.
Lots of i phones , and nicer rides than me in the parking lot, folks in Pajamas to lazy to get dressed and have the nerve to complain about getting something free.

And BOB, don't think Gleaners doesn't get Federal Support. Look again at the monthly Government Subsidys pantrys give away. Peanut Butter, Frozen Apples and cherries, bags of sliced ham, frozen hams, canned Pork, canned Meat and on and on..

 

[IndyDave1776]

If we allow ourselves to justify it. Some of us don't. We pay our own way.

Show me a welfare recipient without a nice car/payment, smartphone, big screen TV, monthly bills for cell and cable, WTB add in the classifieds. Not to mention smoking and drinking habits. Then we have something to talk about.

His point is the question of how any of us can be said to be 'paying our own way' when virtually nothing we buy does not have subsidy money artificially reducing its price. No one is advocating it as right and proper, just making the statement of fact that with the system as it is, everyone is on the plantation in one way or another, and there is no way to get around it this side of going Old Order Amish.

 

[PistolBob]

If we allow ourselves to justify it. Some of us don't. We pay our own way.

Show me a welfare recipient without a nice car/payment, smartphone, big screen TV, monthly bills for cell and cable, WTB add in the classifieds. Not to mention smoking and drinking habits. Then we have something to talk about.

Well the democrats and this administration have close to 50 million people on SNAP now....I doubt you'd have to look very far to find one. The stereotype you keep referring to exists only in your mind. Sure there are some cheaters, but they are far out numbered by the working poor.

Installing sarcasm filters now so we'll just leave it at that.

 

[printcraft]

 

[bwframe]

If we allow ourselves to justify it. Some of us don't. We pay our own way.

Show me a welfare recipient without a nice car/payment, smartphone, big screen TV, monthly bills for cell and cable, WTB add in the classifieds. Not to mention smoking and drinking habits. Then we have something to talk about.

Well the democrats and this administration have close to 50 million people on SNAP now....I doubt you'd have to look very far to find one. The stereotype you keep referring to exists only in your mind. Sure there are some cheaters, but they are far out numbered by the working poor...

Or maybe it's the other way around?

 

[17 squirrel]

Well the democrats and this administration have close to 50 million people on SNAP now....I doubt you'd have to look very far to find one. The stereotype you keep referring to exists only in your mind. Sure there are some cheaters, but they are far out numbered by the working poor.

Installing sarcasm filters now so we'll just leave it at that.

The Democrats, now that's funny Bob..

Bob, I would suggest that while you are volunteering at your local give away house you take a walk without your rose colored glasses to the parking lot and look around at what's parked there.
Also take a walk into the waiting room and for a hour or so and see the expensive phones and social media devices that the supposed needy are using. See how many smoke and / or use expensive custom vaping pipes. Then follow a few of them home and I'm willing to bet that 95 % have a dish on the roof or cable hooked up to the flat screen. Don't kid yourself, most of what I have ever seen at the food pantrys, are lazy white middle aged folk that are to lazy to even get dressed, brush and comb their hair much less go and get a job.
They have learned to live on what the Government and State Plantation gives them and what they can aquire localy for free and that's the lifestyle they prefer to live. The needy by and large are just to lazy to even look for a job, we have Red Gold plants 4 miles from town and they have jobs listed every week. Jobs like driving a forklift that pays up to 19 bucks a hour.. Not to bad for just showing up for work and sitting on a forktruck. I guess it's just to tough to change out of those fuzzy Pajamas into a pair of Levis and a decent shirt and go apply for a job. It's not like they don't have internet access to apply online. They have cars and trucks, maybe we need to give them free fuel too. Thats right sometimes the pantrys give out fuel / visa cards to.
Open your eyes and ears, its amazing what you will see and hear..

 

[calcot7]

If you have never used WIC, you get 3 coupons, a month, and it is only good for Milk, bread, Pb, eggs, cereal and a few other things

I can't think of, right now ..... The only things, you can "stock up" on, is Pb, & cereal .....

Food stamps, that is different .....

I thought WIC and food stamps was the same thing?

 

[mom45]

I thought WIC and food stamps was the same thing?

WIC is a program for Women Infants and Children (thus WIC). It is specifically for pregnant women, infants and children and the vouchers specify what items they can use them for. The voucher will state an amount and the item such as 1 gallon of milk, 1 specific size container of peanut butter, cheese, cereal, etc. It is pretty limited as far as what can be purchased with them and they are ONLY good for what is listed on the voucher. Food stamps should be modeled after this program where they can only be used for lower cost, healthier items that can be used to make a good meal for a family...not lunchables and other pre-packaged junk or more expensive cuts of meat like shrimp, crab, steaks, etc. I think the food stamp program should also include mandatory dietary counseling and instruction on preparing healthy meals on a budget...but that is just MHO.

 

[17 squirrel]

WIC is a program for Women Infants and Children (thus WIC). It is specifically for pregnant women, infants and children and the vouchers specify what items they can use them for. The voucher will state an amount and the item such as 1 gallon of milk, 1 specific size container of peanut butter, cheese, cereal, etc. It is pretty limited as far as what can be purchased with them and they are ONLY good for what is listed on the voucher. Food stamps should be modeled after this program where they can only be used for lower cost, healthier items that can be used to make a good meal for a family...not lunchables and other pre-packaged junk or more expensive cuts of meat like shrimp, crab, steaks, etc. I think the food stamp program should also include mandatory dietary counseling and instruction on preparing healthy meals on a budget...but that is just MHO.

Yep, that's the way it should be..

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to mom45 again.

 

[Bill B]

A long time ago (20+ years), on army posts far away (NY and KY) we were eligible for WIC, even as an E-5. The vouchers, as other have said, specified what you could get an how much. Did we use it? Damn straight we did. We got every bit of it every month. And the stuff we didn't use? It went to my soldiers with kids. Did I "pay it back?" I think so, it's called a DD214 and honorable discharge.
Having said that, the OP seems to asking about the morality of using government aid to stock up for SHTF. That answer can only come from within each person.

 

[SSGSAD]

Yep, that's the way it should be..

You must spread some Reputation around before giving it to mom45 again.

Taken care of .....