Government & Charity Assistance

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:50:20 GMT

Dear Tracy,OK, it's certainly your call re nto appealing!

I am sorry but I don't have a recipe for bars of my chocolate chips cookies, but you are such a good baker that I think that if you just add a couple of eggs &/or sooooem fat to the recipe, it will spread & you can bake bars out of it. I can't try it for you as I've had my sstove disconnected,which I am very thankful for, as it was a fire hazard for me.

I willl always pray for you. Love in Hiim, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

latenightleader — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 20:59:29 GMT

I think living and Racine and hopefully getting a chance to enjoy their kringle qualifies you as a Scandanavian pastry foodie, if possible. I know I make a cookie at Christmas, a thin dough, roll it out and fry it, and it has cardamon, it is Fattigmand. Easy to make.

I made 22 quarts of pickles yesterday. I found a recipe, and will use one of Brian's chef recipes for the last of the the cucumbers. I made a run to the grocery today and bought lots of food for this week, as I'll be working full-time. I think I spent about $107. I saved about $18, bought lots of food to be brought places and some easy to prepare food for my daughters to prepare. Bought milk, bread, cheese, chips, cola, lots of bananas, cheese popcorn, yogurt, lifesavers, chocolate and yogurt covered peanuts and raisins, tator tots, etc.

Yesterday I spent $40 at the Farmer's Market that takes food stamps, $18 on a half bushel of pickling cukes, $4 for garlic, tomatoes, carrots, cheese curds, and bread.

At the store yesterday, bought another gallon of vinegar, peppercorns, and pickling salt.

In the past five days, since I have gotten my card loaded, I have shopped about 5 times and spent $$230. I still have about $524 on the card, and will be re-upped on the 13th. I know that seems like a lot, but the house was getting pretty low, and everyone is eating a lot! Including me, we are all enjoying more leisurely meals in the summer.

I am not going to appeal, Deb, I don't really know our income anymore, and it continues to be the income of everyone in the house. It would be hard for me to do this now. I am going to use some cheaper shopping and make better use of the SNAP amount by shopping more loss leaders, etc. This week I won't, but next week I will, and I'll stock the house a little for the beginning of school. I will buy some lunch box food for everyone, until we know the lunch situation at new schools, tow of them, I don';t know how vegetarians eat in public schools, we have been very lucky to have cooks and the caterer for the charter school who do special trays for our kids, of delicious food. I also think I'll try to pack snacks for after school, if I am late picking up. I would love to make some homemade Clif type bars. I like your helathy choc chip cookie recipe, do you have a bar recipe? Thanks for your continued prayers.

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 13:14:00 GMT

Dear Tracy, You seemt o imply that you don't want to appeal the low amounts, well, it is your decision after all!

I'm in awe of how well you can cook up a myriad of extra, left-over produce!

I love cardamon, too, & I'm not even Norwegian! I did live in Racine, WI (went to high school there), though, & it's a "little Norway," at least back in teh laate Sixties when I was there.

I pray for you every morning fro you to be able to maintain your part-tiime work! (That's only part of my rayers for you!)

Love in Hiim, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

latenightleader — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 02:40:41 GMT

Deb,

I got my notices for July- the $562, and for August, which will fill on the 13th, for $551. I am going to have to be a careful shopper to use that and try to save 25%. Yesterday went and bought $35 worth, saved $19. I am startiung to just buy the loss leaders and basics the last month or so, and the occasional Hershey bar or donut splurge.

Today really used up some produce, oldest dd took it all out of the fridge- made a dish of scalloped fennel, onion, and cauliflower, cooked a few beets, and made a rhubarb cobbler for dessert. The cobbler called for a biscuit made with self rising flour, which I made, and yogurt, with a little sugar, roll it out, and put in brown sugar and ginger, roll up and slice and put on top of stewed rhubarb. I was out of ginger, so as I am part Norwegian, I used cardamon instead. I thought it was good.

Tomorrow will need milk and bread.

LM-N, I agree, $19 will be pretty sparse. How is your food storage?

Babs- I am a teacher for the day care, which I have done off and on, for the past 12 years. I wasn't able to do it when I was on the school board as you can't get paid and be on the board. The Lutheran school closed this year. This week and next, just subbing for the director, who is on vacation. I am hoping with one aide going back to school, there will be hours there this fall. There is also the possibility of working at another church daycare, I am keeping my fingers crossed that something works out.

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 13:47:02 GMT

Dear Brenl, Thanks for coontributing to Tracy's & our joy re her getting (sooem) SNAP/Food Stamps back!

Dear LM Nichols, I do hope & pray that you can strech $19 for a week. How big is your family? What do you need o buy for the week?

Yours in Him, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

lmnichols — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:35:55 GMT

I have been praying for you Tracy that G-D would provide. What great news to hear that HE did! Hopefully you will see another deposit on the forst of the month. We, too just received a letter stating our Food Stamps were to be dropped to $34.00 a month. I went down to the local office and showed them our paystubs for July. I don't think that it will be a problem for us. I have $49.00 left until the 6th. Funny how long the days are at the end of the month.

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

brenl — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 17:28:58 GMT

Good Tracy that you got your food stamps. I am happy for you. It is scary when you thought you was going to lose them. At least you will be able to get on your feet a little more as you start work.

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 13:28:22 GMT

Good news, Tracy, but I think (? - am I wrong?) that $562 is only about half of yournormal allocation of $900-plus. What's the hold-up on that?

Bananas are teh very cheapest, & freezing 3 in a bag is just perfect for banana bread .... Obviooosly, tht's not the only item of produce you'll want to get!

Good luck wit he your produce search & yur regular shopping. Love in Hiim, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

babs — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 10:53:10 GMT

Tracy good news for you. You said you had work for a few days, what kind of work? Is there hope for more a long the way? Babs

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

latenightleader — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 03:43:27 GMT

Good news! Got a deposit today, was waiting for a phone call to say no, but instead got $562 deposited today. Will be trying to find produce for cheap to can and freeze, and do some normal shopping.

Thank you for helping me wait it out-

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 22:37:29 GMT

Dear Tracy, You'lllll probably hear orally a couple of weeks before you receive the Notice of Action. Love in Him, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

latenightleader — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 19:36:10 GMT

I'll have to wait for that in the mailbox and see what it says, I am glad to have a pretty stocked pantry. The expenses will be the persishables, milk, bread, cheese, eggs, bananas, etc.

Thanks for your concern.

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:17:56 GMT

Oh! No! Tracy, What an awful thing to have happened!

I'm almsot certaint hat it's a Nationwide thing to have issued a Notice of Action when they deny you or change yoru benefits. On the reverse of the form is space to Appeal. Appeal immediately! There is a space (at the upper left-hand corner on CA forms) to state that you DON'T want benefits to continue in the interim. Write there that yuo DO want benefits to continue. DO NOT CHECK the box; it says that you DO want benefits to stop! They do it in this very confusing manner to try to get out of paaying folks; I'm sure. It's true that you WILL have to repay if you lose the hearing, but in your case I am certain that you will win. As you say, you are below the poverty line, & SNAP/Food Stamps are given even to sooome folks ABOVE the poverty line. (PS Thre are several levels of appeals, & you should keep trying if they aer stubborn at the initial review.)

I am so sorry taht the Food Bank can't be a better source of dairy & other groceries for your familly. I think that you are wise in concentrating on produce, so necessary to the nutrition of your growing famillly, especially your darling littlesst girl who has had trouble thriving.

Love in Him, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

Deborahmichelle — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 14:01:31 GMT

Dear Re-tired, Did you see my regular email to you yesterday praying about yoru eye procedure tomorrow Weds?

Customer Service, it seems, is TOO good to cusstomers in many instances, for those of us who are honest Joes & Jills!

Love in Hiim, Deb

Re: July, 2009 SNAP/Food Stamps

latenightleader — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:34:37 GMT

They are going to call today with a decision on food stamps, I called yesterday and he said we had too much income- but than he said that my daughter got paid 5 times in May, she actually got 3 checks, and they continue to count unemployment, although that is suspended. We are well below the poverty rate, in my decision letter in Feb it said there would be no change unless we went over a certain amount, we are about $1800 below that, according to my calculations.

Anyway, I think we wouldn't get food stamps anymore, for a few months maybe, I'll have to be extremely frugal if that is the case. I am glad I purchased the CSA, and think a good use of my remaining stamps might be to use them at the farmer's market for some inenpensive produce to store for the winter, and milk. Deb, the food shelves here have milk, but each family gets one visit a month, it's supposed to be 3-5 days of food, for our family we pick 60 items for a household of 9. Then you can take a half gallon of milk, bread, and what produce they have, which is usually expired salad, which is usually pretty bad. I usually pick several cans of veggies and fruit. In addition, I get 5-6 boxes of mac and cheese, enough for a few meals, some cereal, and I try to find baking supplies. There is never cheese or eggs or many fresh items, it is more stocking the cupboards. Other items I look for when I went before we got food stamps included canned beans, peanut butter, applesauce, spaghettios for the little girls for lunch when the big kids were at school, tea bags, juice, pancake mix. One nice thing the food shelf also has is household items, for our size family it was pick 4, there is a shelf with assorted items, tp packed in a baggie with two rolls, shampoo, toothpaste, bar soap, and there is usually bags with hotel toiletries, about 10 in each bag. I sometimes get one of those, and use it for Christmas stocking for the girls, they love little soaps and shampoos.

Anyway, he is going to call today, I spent $9 at the store yesterday, the remainder on my card is $194. I bought flour, a can of evaporated milk for crockpot mac and cheese, crackers, and a can of cherry pie filling to make a dessert.