Critics Note Weaknesses of Food Stamps as Hunger Spreads

Justine Bubar
08/30/06
Current Event- Soc 202

The process in which to receive food stamps, hard to believe, is even harder than it has been in past years. Many Americans rely on the government for food and assistance but the amount of people who truly need it- aren?t receiving it. The challenges people have to face to obtain food stamps is hard and even unquestionable for some people.
As of right now the federal poverty line in the United States is 20,000 a year for a family of four. Considering the low wages and high taxes in America with food stamps included, there aren?t many things one can do besides work on this amount of money. Many people certainly can?t sit in a waiting room for half a day waiting to go through processes, only to be told to sit back down and wait some more. The limited hours and tough screening processes for food stamps are eliminating people who really need them.
The Urban Justice Center of New York City made efforts to provide mail applications to speed up the application process especially for elders. However, Michael Hayes of New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance says office visits are necessary to prevent fraud.
From a first hand experience I can honestly say that the food stamp process is a very discouraging and tedious one. Because of the people that abuse "the system," others in need are scapegoats and often walk away silently suffering.



"Critics Note Weaknesses of Food Stamps as Hunger Spreads"by Shreema Mehta
The NewStandard (website)