With Thanksgiving approaching, I began thinking of the big meal and fun day we were planning with friends. How much we have to be thankful for!
I recently had the opportunity to listen to two ladies discuss their opinions on poverty. One lady worked for Family Services for years and understood the challenges and issues of people living in poverty. The other lady was quite judgmental and had some very disparaging remarks. It was an enlightening experience.
Over the past few years we have learned more than we ever thought we would need to know about "welfare". We had a lot of misconceptions.
One of the biggest lessons we have learned is that we must be able to put ourselves in someone else's shoes in order to help them. This is not an easy thing to do.
When Mr. Thornton agreed to take on the responsbility of his wife's 4 children, we knew he needed help with expenses. Our system is sometimes very unfair. Mr. Thornton receives a small Social Security check and also Social Security Disability due to a very serious injury. His disability check is $125 a month, certainly not something he can live on. And, it denies him the right to have a job. He is not a lazy person, and he would much rather be working if he could.
Since he had never applied for any kind of assistance, we took him to the "Welfare" office to apply for food stamps. What a humbling experience that was (and continues to be). Finding where to go was our first challenge, then we filled out pages and pages of forms in triplicate, then we waited - and waited - and waited. When we ask how much longer we need to wait, the girl behind the desk looks over her glasses and gives us a curt reply. This trip takes most of a day, and then we must wait up to 30 days for an approval letter.
In Texas the maximum amount alloted on food stamps is about $125 per person. Could you feed your family on that? Would you be able to purchase the most nutritious food? Thankfully Mr. Thornton knows how to cook beans, rice, and other nutrious foods that go a long way. Many people do not know how to do this.
Food stamps are for food items only. You cannot purchase other necessities. There is no monthly cash payment. If you apply for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), this federally funded program allows a one time cash payment of $1,000 (or it can be spread over 6 monthly payments).
If a family's total income is low enough (we have not been able to asertain the exact amount, but it is somewhere around $5,000 yearly income), the family can receive Medicaid. This is a state run health insurance program.
Applications for food stamps and Medicaid must be completed every six months for on-going assistance.
According to the San Antonio Food Bank many people who qualify for food stamps do not apply. I encourage you to take their Hunger 101 exercise and get just a tiny taste of what it takes to get assistance. This is not for the meek and mild!
As I was working on this blog last night, PBS had a special on Hunger in America. One of their guests was the director of the San Antonio Food Bank. They have seen a marked increase in applications for assistance due to the economy. They have also experienced a drop in donations, as they rely mostly on private food drives. He stated that previous donors are now asking for assistance. Hunger is at an all time high in America.
The last time you had the opportunity to participate in a food drive did you contribute? Did you dig to the back of your pantry for the oldest can of food or the box that was a year out of date?
Many of those who qualify for Medicaid do not use it. This is a result of generational lifestyles. If you had never gone to the doctor or dentist as a child, would you understand the importance of taking your own children? It is a very cumbersome system, and one which Mr. Thornton would not be able to navigate on his own.
We are extremely thankful that "our kids" qualify for Medicaid. We make sure they get their yearly checkups and dentist appointments. They are learning what they will need to do for their own children someday, and in the process breaking the cycle of poor health. Medicaid covers mental health issues, and we would be in big trouble without the counselors and doctors who treat the Post Traumatic Stress, issues of abuse and neglect, and ADHD symptoms.
Are there some who abuse the system? Of course. There are those who will find a way. But the next time we are tempted to be critical of those who receive "welfare", we need to be sure that we really understand the issues. And we need to ask ourselves, what are we personally doing to make the situation better for future generations?
Until next time. . .
Stephanie
Well said sis!
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