Why do families in shelters get food stamps?

I have been wondering this myself. I don't understand why the gov't assistance is set up for people who don't try. To receive cash assistance you can't make over $250 for a family of 4. Then you only receive $245. That's not enough money to provide shelter, electric or anything. When the economy was good section 8 was full and waiting lists were full. I completely see why some people give up. When my husband had a blood clot for a couple of weeks and couldn't work we weren't able to get any assistance. He didn't have insurance. The only people the government help are the lifelong bums. What about the people in the middle? We aren't poor enough to qualify for help but we aren't rich enough to provide basic necessities for our families? Luckily we never got to the point of being homeless. My husband is back to work and we are barely making it on $1,000 a month. How do people do it?

First off shelters do not supply the food, each family is individually responsible for their own food. They can put it together as a "family" and shop together for families that may be sharing a same space. The section 8 program is already set up for low income working people I do not know where you get your information from. You can go down and get on the list if you are within the guidlines financially you can be put on. Like everything else it depends on your income. If there is a two parent home that are both working full time chances are you will not qualify for section 8. You also have to remember that a lot of the slots of section 8 are also taken up by people with disabilities as well not just the homeless.

Most shelters that I know of across the country, only provide shelter. But they are located where many places surrounding the building offer food. For example, CASS in Phoenix only lets you sleep there for the night. at a certain time in the morning, they're kicked out to fend for themselves during the day. right across the street is a St. Peter's kitchen that feeds twice a day. their feeding times are about 14 hours apart so, you will see alot of homeless walking to different places that do offer food during the day. There's actually quite a lot if you know where to go. It's amazing because they eat better than we do. lol. I don't know much about my state, but enough to know that it's messed up. We're struggling for food right now. our cupboards are never full and I hardly eat so that the kids can eat. I know it will get better, soon, I just have to make do with what we have. I can't get food stamps because we don't qualify. we have to make a certain amount for a family of 4 and we make more than that. But if they would just look at our bills they would see that we don't make enough to cover them. electricity, water, car payments, insurance, etc. Most would say internet is a luxury, but I'm using it to go to school, so it's a necessity. These are things that we need, and it's a constant struggle to see what bills can we skip this month so we can get groceries. it doesn't matter, we're still in the hole. Oh, and section 8 got so full that applications have been closed for years. So, anyone who's homeless would be better off walking to another state. I understand about what you mean. What about us in the middle, trying our hardest to survive but need a little help. What was it that someone said....we're not poor enough to get help, but we're not rich enough to get by. that is so true. it's maddening..there's help for the homeless, and there's privileges for the rich, but those of use in the middle are S.o.o.L. (S__t out of luck)

"The receiptant has the ability to give the merchant their access card number(without the card) and in return will receive $.70 for every dollar of food stamps sold to the merchant(more cash for what?)" As far as I know, that is BLATENTLY ilegal, are there shelters actually doing that??? If so, than there needs to be a little legal action taken. I remember hearing stories about people in california using hundreds of thousands in food stamps to buy houses, the food stamps were than traded on the black market at a simiar ratio. I guess there is still a black market, despite the switch to an ebt card. I do hope the attorny general in the states this is happening in looks in to this.

I have no idea why someone in a shelter would get food stamps if they give them 3 meals per day. The shelter my friend was in charged her for food and she was allowed to have snack food and whatnot that she labeled with her name. My friend worked even tho she was homeless. it was all based on ability to pay. as for section 8...it is based on your income. I am on it and I work full time.

Most families are only allowed to stay in a shelter for so many weeks. And as far as I'm aware shelters do not necessarily serve three meals a day, they only provide shelter and resources for homeless to find where meals will be served. You'll have to provide actual sources for me to give you any more of a response than that, haha.

As far as the abilitly to receive food stamps while living in a shelter, from the perspective of a computer geek, it's the way the eligibility system is set up. If you're eligible for for cash, medical and food stamp assistance, you get all three. There is nothing in the computer system to account for those living in shelters and, as MYKL pointed out, some shelters require you to provide your own food once you are receiving food stamps. As to the Section 8 program, no there is no limit on the number of times one can apply but I do know from the experience of others that there has always been a serious shortage of certificates as well as public & low cost housing in Maryland so the waiting lists were long...sometimes several years long. You didn't have to be homeless to qualify, you only had to meet the income guidelines.

As far as the Government is concern, They are doing this to prevent malnutrition, But the fact the after they consume these food stubs will not be a good everyday thing for the families receiving it and also for the Government. Why not give these families job or source of living, maybe providing some learning activities that will enable them to create stuffs that will generate income for them. That should be the tasks and responsibilities of the Government in this issue i think