Food stamps & other aide...

Thats why its good to have sites like these to help pay people that need just a little bit of help and i wish you the best of luck for the future :).

Dont feel bad. I got them. And it really helps. Most the time food will go up and down so much you never know when a little extra "cash" could come in handy. But the bad thing is there are people out there who will blame anyone who has them for being lazy and moochy. People really should respect other peoples lives instead of judging cause you dont know that person and what is really wrong.

that is what it is there for. you have paid into it, so i wouldnt worry about it. there was a time when i had to go to food banks and whatnot and that is what was there for, so didn't feel that bad.

Don't feel bad. Everyone comes on hard times. What matters is that you are doing what you can to make it through. I know 1 person who just leaves the bills unpaid, then goes to family (her uncle in particular) for help or a bail out. She would do well to follow your example.

I read your discussion and you applied, I hope and pray that you are approved. It is hard here for a person who has worked and paid taxes, to get food stamps it is easier for those that never have worked to get this assistance. I am not going to go into details about my belief I will just leave my situation in the hands of the Lord. I am now 59 years old have been working every since I was 19 years old and the system fails me I have been jobless now since December 2008. .the social worker told me not to feel ashamed of myself cuz this is why we pay taxes...we help others that need it & now it is my turn to be helped...I never thought about it that way before. Now I am working on refinancing & trying to figure out how to get these bills paid off!! Would be nice to get ahead here for a little while... I can truly say that I wished the system felt the same way your social worker feels. I also want to tell you not to be ashamed of accepting and applying for foodstamps. It is good to hear that someone that has worked and now need assistance can get it.

I live in northern part of KY. My husband had got laid off in Mar. A month or 6 weeks later I needed to go to the Food Stamp Office and sign up. I had to do this pre-app at the front window. They immediatly told me that his unempoyment income was over the limit. I was heart broken. We have only enough to pay the bills with a very little left over to buy grocerys. The office here will not take into consideration that you have other bills. I'm glad to hear that you can get what you need.

The good thing is that theres food stamp that you can use when things like this happens. ITs not available here in the Philippines, less furtunate people would really be happy when theres things like that here. Its would really be a big help.

hello ckhair13, Don't ever feel bad about it. That is your previlidge and benefit as well. Nothing to be ashamed of at all. You feelthat way, if you did something wrong for your family like stole money, jewelry and the likes. Good for you for you are living in a city or country that giving such kind of assistance. Wish that there is also like that here in our country so the one in need will benefit from it. Don't worry, you can overcome those problems of yours. Anywaw, they say that the economy worldwide is improving. Enjoy life.

Just remember, there's no shame in getting assistance when you need it, especially since you've worked and paid into the system, so you're entitled to it. Whatever it takes to take care of you and your family. That's how I look at it. I can only work part time, which doesn't pay all the bills, so I'm also on foodstamps and medicaid. That will probably be my situation for many years to come, to be honest. But if it keeps my son fed and makes sure he has the medical care he needs, I find no shame in it. Neither should you. Just make sure you let them know when you're in a position where you don't need them anymore. Otherwise, if you ever need assistance again, you might not be able to get it.

Congratulations for taking the steps needed to get your family ahead. I was where you are just 1 1/2 months ago. I was a stay at home mom for the last 4 years and just decided to separate from my husband for a while. In doing this, I am left with my two children, no job and staying with my mom. So I had no choice but to apply for assistance. I felt like you did (ashamed that I was unable to take care for my family on my own). I had to change my thought process. This is exactly what this program was made for; those people who need temporary help. Trust me, once I get on my feet, I will let go of the assistance. But for now, I am doing what is best for my family. Good luck and I'm proud of you for making this decision!

Did you pay taxes when you were working? How about sales tax? Well then - this is it! You're basically just getting what you've already paid for! And good for you! You need it, then take it. As long as you're not abusing the system - it's ok, it's good! Once you're on your feet again, you're going to pay taxes again. To pass on the benefit to those who will go through what you're going through now. I have nothing against people with food stamps, aide, Medi-Cal, etc. I have something against those who abuse the system! That's just not right and fair for those of us who are working as butts off!! Good luck to you - hope you will get those stupid bills paid off. =)

I do not think it is bad to apply for food stamps. With some people, it is a shame to do that; but to me, it is nothing to be shame about. Do not feel bad about that, dear ckhair13.

Don't be ashamed! It's really our taxes. Use the things where our taxes went like libraries. If you don't use them, your wasting your taxes. Are you in the real estate business?

I know how you feel. Last year my husband lost his job, due to lack of work. We moved back to his home town hoping that things would look up for us. Us moving, meant me leaving my job, our only income. Once we moved, I had to look for financial help also. I was embarrased and it took me a while to go ask for help, but I did. The case workers were very nice and helpful. They gave me information about other programs that would be needed during this ordeal. I have a family to feed and the economy is not looking better here were I live now either. As a new user I am not sure how things really work here, I can not say that you will make enough money to pay even one bill, but I can say that I have been having fun just commenting and I think that is the point.

I've tried to apply for food stamps and Medicaid a few times, but except for once, we've been denied because we made too much money...even with my husband's unemployment. What's sad, the one time we were approved for Medicaid, I was pregnant. You have a bigger amount of money you can make when you're pregnant, go figure. However, when you're not pregnant, you have to be practically broke to make it work. I've joked with my husband that we could pull my birth control, get myself pregnant, than we can get Medicaid and stuff, at least until my husband gets back to work. But I'm not going to get pregnant, just to get insurance, that wouldn't be far to us or the baby I would be carrying. We don't have Medicaid anymore since I miscarried not to long after we got approved. It was sad, but since I was barely pregnant long enough, it wasn't too bad. I don't know if that makes sense, but it makes some sense to me. lol

ckhair13, if there is something like that here, i would do the same thing. we dont have food stamps here. but when i was younger i remember me and my mom would fall in line whenever it was close to Christmas because some politician would give away chrismas goodies, like a bucket of rice, some noodles, and sardines. if we really need help i think there is nothing to be ashamed of doing such things, because we have too and we just have to humble ourselves and do it. so dont feel bad at all, you have given your share for your government and now its time you take the help that they give even if its not that big. i hope everything will be okay with you soon. what is wrong and most shameful is if we do something bad to other people like steal because we need money to buy food...

Well I am proud of you. You are a worker, pay your taxes, and are using the system for what its for. This is what it was made for. To help people out in a tight spot and getting back on their feet. But some people abuse this and suck off the system all their lives because their lazy. So good work and keep it up!

I know it's tough on anyone's ego to have to apply for any type of public assistance. Been there; done that. However, as my in-laws told me when my children were little and we needed help - they've been putting into the system for years and it was time to get a little back. With the recession deepening, and spreading, and unemployment rising, there will be many more people, I'm sure, having to apply for public assistance that would never have thought they'd ever find themselves in that position. Unfortunately, here in California, it seems that the budget is being passed on the backs of the poor. While CalWorks wasn't totally cut off [although it was on the chopping block], it still lost a large amount of funding, resulting in less for the needy clients [which was never enough to begin with]. Also losing out were agencies that help the poor. I expect that it will get tougher on the poor, and that more will find themselves in such a position that they never imagined. All the more reason that family, including church and synagogue family, need to take care of each other. Hopefully, you'll be able to refinance and get on your feet again. :)