Most are embarrassed.. not a good feeling..
After the divorce my mom raised 6 kids by herself and only once did we go stand in line for a government handout - they gave us powder milk, rice, flour, corn flakes and canned stew that looked and tasted like dog food. She never stood in line for their crap again, instead worked the breakfast shift at one restaurant and a cocktail shift at night and I babysat my siblings. You can make it on your own if you really want to. If you give up, you take government cr@p.