Posted on 04/24/2013 11:18:14 AM PDT by Hojczyk
In fact, it is Nerios’s job to enroll at least 150 seniors for food stamps each month, a quota she usually exceeds. Alleviate hunger, lessen poverty: These are the primary goals of her work. But the job also has a second and more controversial purpose for cash-strapped Florida, where increasing food-stamp enrollment has become a means of economic growth, bringing almost $6 billion each year into the state.
Rhode Island hosts SNAP-themed bingo games for the elderly. Alabama hands out fliers that read: “Be a patriot. Bring your food stamp money home.” Three states in the Midwest throw food-stamp parties where new recipients sign up en masse.
On the Treasure Coast of Florida, the official outreach plan is mostly just Nerios, who works for a local food bank that is funded in part by the state. She roams four counties of sandbars and barrier islands in her Ford Escape, with an audio Bible in the CD player and a windshield sticker that reads “Faith, Hope and Love.” She distributes hundreds of fliers each week, giving out her personal cellphone number and helping seniors submit SNAP applications on her laptop.
A Korean War veteran on oxygen who mostly wanted to talk, so Nerios listened: 32 years in the military, a sergeant major, Germany, Iron Curtain, medals and awards. “A hell of a life,” the veteran said. “So if I signed up, what would I tell my wife?”
“Tell her you’re an American and this is your benefit,” Nerios said, pulling him away from the crowd, so he could write the 26th name of the day on her SNAP sign-up sheet.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
“Be a patriot. Bring your food stamp money home.”
It’s over, we’ve lost the soul of this nation.
This is so wrong.
This is one of the many things for which you can thank the Federal Reserve.
I’d rather have the elderly get it than a bunch of freeloading people who refuse to work.
Yeah, I said that.
There should be NO such thing as a recruiter for government benefits.
If a person is in need, their family needs to provide help or actively contact someone to provide the help from a program, if necessary.
AGREED! There should be people who actively DISCOURGE people from getting government benefits.
This is even more wrong.
I knew a woman who spent many years on welfare. She was upset that her 18 year old son had to go down to sign up for “benefits”. Her complaint was that when he turned 18 he should have been automatically enrolled.
I almost fell off my chair.
By the general name of "clergymen".
TRUE. That $6b is coming out of someone else's pocket, and not voluntarily.
"The only reason that some people are still alive is that it is against the law to kill them." Mark Twain
You’ll be shocked to hear that we ended up supporting the guy with 3 hots and a cot for much of the last 30+ years.
Furloughs for air traffic controllers, Soldiers, and geologists.
Fully funded EBT cards for an increasing number of shiftless bums.
FUBO.
Why am I not surprised.
Is this really true? Is there such a thing as a food stamp recruiter? With quotas? If she consistently exceeds her quota, I wonder if she gets a bonus. Or maybe commissions? We now live in a looney bin.
My former neighbor, who had a bunch of kids and whose husband was killed in a robbery when they were all small. Made it to her senior years with virtually no money. I was okay with her being on food stamps. Not many others.
There's nothing wrong with helping people get back on their feet although I think the Church probably does a better job with far less overhead.
They'd probably save money if they taught these people a trade or something.
A Korean War veteran on oxygen who mostly wanted to talk, so Nerios listened: 32 years in the military, a sergeant major, Germany, Iron Curtain, medals and awards. “A hell of a life,” the veteran said. “So if I signed up, what would I tell my wife?”
How is this possible? Thirty five years in the military he should have retirement benefits (he retired as a SGT Major) as well as healthcare. It's not a ton of money but he should be able to live on it and social security.
You can see why they do it, though. Get that entitlement hook set firm and deep, so it's less likely that we'll ever change this nation's course.
Sadly, they're maximizing the number of people who will be hurt when this house of cards finally collapses.
I agree and I am sympathetic to the couple profiled in this article. However, if these were my parents, I would insist they live with me and my family and I’d move to a cheaper town if that’s what we had to do to get more room. Children love their grandparents and grandparents even contribute economically to a family by babysitting and freeing up both parents to work longer hours (if need be).
No way in hell would I let my parents be profiled in this type of article.
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