Don't let the Food Stamp Problems Make You Snap.
SNAP is the new and seemingly very accurate name for the government program formally known as Food Stamps in America. SNAP is the acronym for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The name has been changed to try and change the public phobia of food stamps. The thought was that there were people who were in desperate need of government food assistance but wouldn't apply for it because food stamps had a bad name in the public eye. The name changed actually worked millions of people who never would think of signing up before flocked to sign up and received SNAP, but everything has two sides and SNAP is no exception. Of the millions of people who flocked to receive help in desperate times, many were turned away. Many of whom were left crying, feeling hopeless, and wondering why they were left to continue their suffering alone. They may not have known it then but I hope they know now that they were and are not alone and that some of them actually came out of the shadows and took to social media outlets to speak out against what happened to them. They turn to social media to try and find the answer to why, when the needed help the most they were turned away and left to starve. They ask questions like, "Who is in charge of deciding who needs help?" "Who decides who is poor?" "How do they know I don't need help" and "Who else has gotten rejected?"
Well out of the 318.9 million people who live in America 45 million of them are said to be living within, on, or under the poverty line. For a lot of people this program can be every helpful, but for a lot of other people, this program can cause a lot of stress. Stress caused by the fact that they were denied the food stamps that they so desperately needed. Of the 45 million people living in poverty 46.2 million are part of the SNAP program. WHAT!? Yes, we all know basic math and these numbers are a little baffling because common math tells us that 46.2 million is 1.2 million more than 45 million. Where did these 1.2 million people come from and how out of a country of 318.9 million are only 45 million within the poverty line, and why are 46.2 million people on food stamps when 45 million are said to be on the poverty line. Are we to assume that all 45 million people who are on the poverty line are on food stamps and if so then why aren't the other 1.2 million extra SNAP members considered in poverty. Who are these people who get denied and why do others get help while others are left crying because they have been denied food stamps? Is the food stamp system broken, or is there an enormous computing error that needs to be fixed, and what can you do if you are denied food stamps and have no money to buy food?
First, let's look at the numbers. The census says that the average American income is 27,519 a year, but according to the Social Security office 40% of people are making less 20,000 a year before taxes. That is 10% away from being half of America's population. After taxes, that amount is 17,459.55 and they didn't include the deduction for health insurance or pensions in the after-tax amount. This means that 191.34 million people in America are living within the government's idea of the poverty level. With these new number, we can see that of the 191.34 million people living within the Americans poverty levels only 46.2 million are receiving SNAP, that leaves 145.14 people who need to be on SNAP without food. Now the SNAP website says that 50% of people who need to be on the SNAP program never try to receive food stamps so let's remove them from our new list of 145.14, 50% minus 145.14 equals 72.57 million. So if the government site is right that means that 72.57 million people who are below the poverty levels have applied for food stamps and we can only assume because of the 46.2 million that are receiving food stamps that these 72.57 million who applied were denied food stamps. The numbers clearly didn't add up but after seeing some clear cut numbers lets see what may have happened to the 72.57 to make them unable to receive food stamps.
Well out of the 318.9 million people who live in America 45 million of them are said to be living within, on, or under the poverty line. For a lot of people this program can be every helpful, but for a lot of other people, this program can cause a lot of stress. Stress caused by the fact that they were denied the food stamps that they so desperately needed. Of the 45 million people living in poverty 46.2 million are part of the SNAP program. WHAT!? Yes, we all know basic math and these numbers are a little baffling because common math tells us that 46.2 million is 1.2 million more than 45 million. Where did these 1.2 million people come from and how out of a country of 318.9 million are only 45 million within the poverty line, and why are 46.2 million people on food stamps when 45 million are said to be on the poverty line. Are we to assume that all 45 million people who are on the poverty line are on food stamps and if so then why aren't the other 1.2 million extra SNAP members considered in poverty. Who are these people who get denied and why do others get help while others are left crying because they have been denied food stamps? Is the food stamp system broken, or is there an enormous computing error that needs to be fixed, and what can you do if you are denied food stamps and have no money to buy food?
First, let's look at the numbers. The census says that the average American income is 27,519 a year, but according to the Social Security office 40% of people are making less 20,000 a year before taxes. That is 10% away from being half of America's population. After taxes, that amount is 17,459.55 and they didn't include the deduction for health insurance or pensions in the after-tax amount. This means that 191.34 million people in America are living within the government's idea of the poverty level. With these new number, we can see that of the 191.34 million people living within the Americans poverty levels only 46.2 million are receiving SNAP, that leaves 145.14 people who need to be on SNAP without food. Now the SNAP website says that 50% of people who need to be on the SNAP program never try to receive food stamps so let's remove them from our new list of 145.14, 50% minus 145.14 equals 72.57 million. So if the government site is right that means that 72.57 million people who are below the poverty levels have applied for food stamps and we can only assume because of the 46.2 million that are receiving food stamps that these 72.57 million who applied were denied food stamps. The numbers clearly didn't add up but after seeing some clear cut numbers lets see what may have happened to the 72.57 to make them unable to receive food stamps.
Food stamp requirements. The chart below serves two purposes it shows what the poverty levels are considered in this country and it also shows the income levels that are excepted to receive food stamps. http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty/14poverty.cfm. Here we can see the different levels of income that are considered for food stamps. Since the government is going to take away 1 million food benefits from single people in 2016 I am going to assume that 1 million of the people denied food stamps are single people with no children making at least 1 dollar more than 11,670. These 1 million people sometimes have time constraints on how long they can receive food stamps for which is mostly only 3 months. Now we are at 71.57, and yes that it right I have read stories about people who have been denied food stamps for making a dollar over, 20 dollars over, and 50 dollars over the cutoff income for their household. This can also happen if the person applying for food stamps is poor and decides to live with a family member so that they don't have to be homeless on the streets. The person they are living with has to be on their food stamp application as well as their income even if they are not applying for food stamps, and their income can keep that person who needs food stamps from getting them, even if they only get paid 20 dollars a month.
At the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, there were budget cuts to the SNAP program that lead to the denial of food stamps to 4 million people and 71.52 minus 4 is 67.52. Let's imagine for a minute a single mother with two children who works long hours, or two or three jobs to keep a roof over her child's head, provide clean water for them to drink, and a babysitter to watch her child when she works. We all know someone like this, it's not an uncommon story. She has to make 19,790 a year to receive food stamps, but there is a problem she makes 20,190 (darn that court order 400 a month child support) because of child support she can't get food stamps. With her apartment rent (heaven help her if she has a house), electric bill, water bill, heating and air bill, child care bill, car note, car insurance, and some apartment make you get renters insurance, gas money, clothing for the children and hopefully herself, doctor bills, life insurance, health insurer, dental insurance and lets stop her because she is already doing better than most single moms now what are missing? Money for food is missing, and with all those bills even child support won't help her pay for food. If there are three people the law says you have to have at least a two bedroom apartment, and after a certain age if one of your children is a boy and the other is a girl you have to have a three bedroom apartment and those are every pricey. Let's not forget single dads who have just now started to be able to apply for food stamps without the help of women. Yes men use to not be able to sign up for food stamps, but don't worry they can sign up now (GO Single dads! Thank you guys for paving the way for other men to help better their lives and if they have them their children's lives as well)
Another factor that can play a big role on if someone can get SNAP or not is assets. Assets seem to play a big role in who gets food stamps and who gets denied the government made new standers for how much a person or family can have in assets to receive food stamps. If someone were to have too many assets they are denied food stamps even if it was just a car they bought before they lost that really nice job they had. Assets caused 31,194 million people to be denied SNAP once again 67.52 minus 31,194 is 35,806.52 . These limits can be anywhere for 1,000 to 25,000 and higher one of the rules on the government site says the person has to have at least three months worth of living expenses in their assets to be denied for SNAP. This varies from state to state so that would explain the 1,000 to 25,000 range. I can't find number for the other reason people get denied food stamps but some of the other reason would be convicted of a violent crime, in some states drug use (but very few), if there is unclaimed unemployment, and having too much money in your bank account this falls with the 3 month living expenses rule.
So what do you do if you are one of the 72.57 million people that have been denied or haven't signed up for SNAP? Hope is not lost, and you are not alone. Help is out there from places like Suncap to Angel Menesery sometimes help can be found in the most unexpected places, and while SNAP is a big name like Target and Walmart there are other smaller companies out there that may even be able to help you more the SNAP, because we all know how the famous saying goes "food stamps don't buy diapers."
At the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014, there were budget cuts to the SNAP program that lead to the denial of food stamps to 4 million people and 71.52 minus 4 is 67.52. Let's imagine for a minute a single mother with two children who works long hours, or two or three jobs to keep a roof over her child's head, provide clean water for them to drink, and a babysitter to watch her child when she works. We all know someone like this, it's not an uncommon story. She has to make 19,790 a year to receive food stamps, but there is a problem she makes 20,190 (darn that court order 400 a month child support) because of child support she can't get food stamps. With her apartment rent (heaven help her if she has a house), electric bill, water bill, heating and air bill, child care bill, car note, car insurance, and some apartment make you get renters insurance, gas money, clothing for the children and hopefully herself, doctor bills, life insurance, health insurer, dental insurance and lets stop her because she is already doing better than most single moms now what are missing? Money for food is missing, and with all those bills even child support won't help her pay for food. If there are three people the law says you have to have at least a two bedroom apartment, and after a certain age if one of your children is a boy and the other is a girl you have to have a three bedroom apartment and those are every pricey. Let's not forget single dads who have just now started to be able to apply for food stamps without the help of women. Yes men use to not be able to sign up for food stamps, but don't worry they can sign up now (GO Single dads! Thank you guys for paving the way for other men to help better their lives and if they have them their children's lives as well)
Another factor that can play a big role on if someone can get SNAP or not is assets. Assets seem to play a big role in who gets food stamps and who gets denied the government made new standers for how much a person or family can have in assets to receive food stamps. If someone were to have too many assets they are denied food stamps even if it was just a car they bought before they lost that really nice job they had. Assets caused 31,194 million people to be denied SNAP once again 67.52 minus 31,194 is 35,806.52 . These limits can be anywhere for 1,000 to 25,000 and higher one of the rules on the government site says the person has to have at least three months worth of living expenses in their assets to be denied for SNAP. This varies from state to state so that would explain the 1,000 to 25,000 range. I can't find number for the other reason people get denied food stamps but some of the other reason would be convicted of a violent crime, in some states drug use (but very few), if there is unclaimed unemployment, and having too much money in your bank account this falls with the 3 month living expenses rule.
So what do you do if you are one of the 72.57 million people that have been denied or haven't signed up for SNAP? Hope is not lost, and you are not alone. Help is out there from places like Suncap to Angel Menesery sometimes help can be found in the most unexpected places, and while SNAP is a big name like Target and Walmart there are other smaller companies out there that may even be able to help you more the SNAP, because we all know how the famous saying goes "food stamps don't buy diapers."
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