Record 1.1 million Ohioans on Food Stamps
 

http://www.daytondailynews.com/search/content/gen/ap/OH_Food_Stamps.html

Economy, unemployment blamed for record food stamp use in Ohio

COLUMBUS, Ohio — Amid a sluggish economy, a record 1.1 million Ohioans are getting food stamps, the state's welfare agency said. That's about 10 percent of the state's population.


Caseloads have almost doubled since 2001, when an estimated 628,000 people were in the program, according to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Low wages, unemployment and more expensive groceries, gasoline and other necessities have contributed to financial hardships facing many families. Ohio's jobless rate is 5.3 percent, up from 4.4 percent in 2001.
Caseloads have been increasing for the past seven years, said Brian Harter, spokesman for the Job and Family Services Department, which oversees the food stamp program.
"The economy and loss of manufacturing jobs are at the root of what's going on. But lately (it's) the rising cost of transportation and food — people who were barely getting by, are not getting by," said Jack Frech, director of the Athens County Department of Job and Family Services in southeast Ohio. "It has pressed folks to the edge to have to rely on food stamps."
Another 500,000 Ohioans are eligible for the program but not enrolled, experts who study poverty say.
Those in households that make up to 130 percent of the federal poverty level — $22,880 for a family of three — and with assets no greater than $2,000, in most cases, are eligible for food stamps.
The federal government gives eligible families $100 a month in food stamps while the state covers administrative costs.
Recipients, however, are buying less with the money, advocates say.
"Food stamps provide only about $1 per person, per meal. Who in the world is buying groceries with that?" asked Lisa Hamler-Fugitt, executive director of the Ohio Association of Second Harvest Food Bank in Columbus.
On average, food stamps are now providing less than two weeks of groceries.
"There's the presumption that folks have the cash to make up the rest. Well, they don't," Frech said.
Food pantries and soup kitchens across the state have been facing record demands, but like families, are having trouble keeping up.
In central Ohio, demand at the Mid-Ohio Food Bank in January was up 14 percent over the same period a year ago, with 120,000 requests for food.
The increased demand coupled with rising food costs and fewer donations have forced the food bank to reduce the five-day supply of food it had been giving out to a three-day supply.
"Milk is up 25 percent," said Mid-Ohio president Matt Habash. "Applesauce, a big staple at food banks, has gone from $9 to $15 a case."
In other areas of the state, pantries with their supplies depleted have been forced to temporarily close.
"The shortages are a double whammy for people who have been relying on food stamps and pantries," Hamler-Fugitt said.
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Information from: The Columbus Dispatch, http://www.dispatch.com
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The current economic climate in America is worrisome. It seems like things are all moving in the wrong directions, almost the opposite the way they were back in the "boom times" a few years ago.

I know it's just another part of the economic cycle, but it's still no fun to go through.

Where's another dot com boom when we need it?;)

Yeah, what HE said . . . .!

I bet if they really screened they would find that a lot of people using the food stamps would not need them.....

…if they’d quit dumping their income into beer and cigarettes.

...and women with $200 hair makeovers carrying designer purses with three ratty-looking kids in tow...

And lottery tickets. I constantly see people in grocery store lines use their welfare, then immediately go to the lottery line and dump $50 in cash. Totally rediculous. I work 60-70 hours a week, and watch these 20 year olds, toting 3-5 kids around with them, standing in line. I live up to a pretty high standard, but no one wants to work, or accept any responsibility for their actions. I think that welfare need reformed. Heavily. If you need food stamps, you need to be on birth control. Flame suit - on.

half of my customers that use welfare and WIC are people that should not have it..

Brand new cars
High quality clothes
expensive cell phones
designer everything


and then they berate me for not giving them a free 46 oz juice with the wic order because its bogo that week

Ma'am I cannot do that.. You... as a WIC user... are entitiled.. to what the check says ... nothing more.. nothing less... therefore.. you get only.. TWO bottles of Juicy Juice even though its on sale this week.

I cant stand tose types of customers.. sometimes.. I just want to stab them with my pen or something blunt

I thought that the government had put fairly strict time limitations on the duration of food stamp assistance. Aren't the recepients now required to be actively job-hunting, taking vocational classes, etc. in order to continue past a certain point?

I was thinking this was one of the Republicans' first big initiatives after sweeping into office a while back.

I vaguely remember something to that effect but I could be wrong. Besides, the Repubs have abandoned just about everything they've traditionally stood for. It wouldn't surprise me if that was on the table that it got $hit-canned.

Yeah you know your work at a grocery store you see them. They can't afford food but they can afford to smoke 2 packs a day.:rolleyes:

The store I worked for stopped taking food stamps because the people abused them to no end and they were a PITA to deal with. They simply don't understand why they can't buy beer and cigarettes with them.:rolleyes:

When I had my shop in Kenosha WI I passed by the "Job Center",,, AKA food stamp mart every day. The parking lot was always packed, open till closed, with 95% BRAND NEW CARS/SUV's! 200-300 of them! :mad: I just don't get it. I've never collected from the gov and I never will.

Exactly! I was at Food Lion the other day and I was behind a bunch (looked like mothers and kids from a couple families) and they were buying about $200 worth of groceries. When they were done "paying" for the groceries, they pooled what little cash they had between them and bought a couple cartons of cigs... :rolleyes:

Oh yeah, they went out and got into a late model (no more than 5 years old) SUV...

A little humility is what is needed. Why fork over cash/food stamps to people with no strings attached? Stop with the checks and the pre-paid VISA cards.

Open up WELFARE centers easily accessible by public transportation. You'll receive food rations for two weeks each visit and free medical care....shoot, move all the public housing to the military bases slated to close and require them to be self-sustaining! They could have "market day" once a week and sell discounted clothing or other goods made on site.

No MORE Air Jordans. No MORE Dolce and Gabbana eyeglasses....