The thing about food stamps is, they’re called “food” stamps. Not “smartphone” or “iPod” or “tablet” stamps. You can’t eat those things (please don’t try), as they aren’t what’s known as “food.” As such, the owner of four dollar stores in New Jersey is in hot water after allegedly allowing customers to ring up more than $5 million fraudulent food stamp transactions. [More]
Dollar Store Owner In Trouble Because Food Stamps Shouldn’t Be Used To Buy Electronics
By May 8, 2013
Nonprofit Turns Food Stamps Into Fido’s Dinner Because Pets Also Need To Eat
By April 29, 2013
What does someone do when they can’t feed themselves, much less a beloved pet? There are food stamp programs for the human population, but seeing a need for owners who can’t afford to buy pet food, one nonprofit is trying to keep those dogs and cats in kibble and canned food. [More]
Probation For Lottery Winner Who Continued To Collect Food Stamps
By July 24, 2012
Remember the Michigan woman who was charged with fraud because she continued to collect welfare and food stamps even after she won the lottery? Well, a decision has been reached in the case and she has been sentenced to six months’ probation. [More]
No More Food Stamps For $1 Million Michigan Lottery Winner
By March 8, 2012
Remember that story about the woman in Michigan who won $1 million in the lottery but also managed to keep receiving $200/month in food assistance? Apparently people at the Michigan Dept. of Human Services also read the news, because they’ve now cut off her benefits. [More]
Hard-Up College Students Turning To Food Stamps
By February 3, 2012
Being in college and having an empty wallet tend to go hand-in-hand. A full course load can make it difficult for students to find steady work, and in many college towns the work that’s available isn’t going to pay for very much. But while my fellow students were undergoing (legal) drug trials and donating whatever bodily fluid they could get a few cents for, some in the current generation of cash-strapped collegians are turning to food stamps. [More]
Buy A Frappuccino With Food Stamps At Oregon Starbucks In Grocery Stores
By December 5, 2011
While food stamp programs may vary from state to state, it would seem logical to restrict usage of those stamps to actual food items. Not so in the case of Starbucks located inside grocery stores in Oregon, where you can use stamps to purchase cold beverages like a Frappuccino. [More]
NYC Welfare Worker Admits To Running $7 Million Food Stamp Scam
By August 10, 2011
While the feds recently announced a spike in the number of Americans using food stamps, at least some of those 45.8 million people didn’t exist. A Brooklyn woman who worked for NYC’s Human Resources Administration has entered a guilty plea to charges of creating fake identities to scam the government out of millions in food stamp benefits. [More]
Record-High 45.8 Millions Americans Using Food Stamps
By August 5, 2011
According to the U.S. Dept. of Agriculture’s latest report on its Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (aka food stamps), a record 45.8 million Americans received SNAP benefits during the month of May, up 12% from the same month in 2010 and 34% from two years ago. [More]
Report: $37 Billion In Welfare Will Disappear By Year's End
By July 11, 2011
Unless lawmakers somehow maintain the funding of welfare programs at current levels, the nation’s poor could suffer a devastating loss of income by the end of the year. According to an estimate by Moody’s Analytics, $37 billion in extended benefits are set to expire. [More]
Should Fast Food Restaurants Be Allowed To Accept Food Stamps?
By June 20, 2011
Only three states — Arizona, Michigan, and California — currently allow fast food restaurants to take payments from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (better known as “food stamps”), but Yum! Brands, parent company of KFC and Taco Bell, is currently leading a push in its home state of Kentucky to open that option up to state residents there. [More]
Lottery Winner Continues To Use Food Stamps
By May 18, 2011
A Michigan man isn’t letting something a lottery windfall stop him from using government assistance to buy food. [More]
New York City Tries To Stop People From Using Food Stamps On Soda
By October 7, 2010
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg doesn’t want people getting fat off of government aid, so he’s trying to make soda and other sugary drinks ineligible for Food Stamp purchases. [More]
Go Economy! Americans Broke Food Stamps Record In January
By April 12, 2010
The L.A. Times reports Americans’ love of eating and immense poverty have combined to help our people set a new record for food stamp consumption in a month. [More]
Costco Will Expand Food Stamp Program Nationwide
By October 28, 2009
It turns out more Costco customers use food stamps than CEO James D. Sinegal originally thought, because after a test run earlier this year the company has decided to roll out the program nationwide.
More Stores Accepting Food Stamps Now That 39 Million People Use Them
By July 31, 2009
We’re going to have to start offering tips for shopping with food stamps now that a record number of consumers —and stores— are using them.
Here's An Extra $25 A Week — Whoops, Now You Don't Qualify For Food Stamps
By June 15, 2009
The economic recovery plan includes a nice little $25 a week bump for unemployed folks — but for some it comes with a catch — they no longer qualify for hundreds of dollars a month in food stamp benefits. Whoopsies!
Costco Now Accepting Food Stamps, Sort Of
By May 27, 2009
Finally following the lead of its competitors, Costco will accept food stamp cards. For core food items, not other merchandise. Two New York City stores, in Astoria, Queens, and in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, will serve as test sites because of the high numbers of food stamp recipients nearby. If the program is successful, Costco will expand it to all other New York City stores, but there are no plans to expand the program to other cities or states.
We're Outsourcing Food Stamp Jobs To India
By April 29, 2009
Poverty in America is creating jobs for people overseas, says ABC News. The saga began when a Florida resident’s hours working as a nanny got cut back when her boss’ hours also got cut. She called a toll-free line to inquire about her food stamps and noticed that the call center obviously wasn’t in the US.
