It was a hot summer day in 2008. She had just finished paying more than $150 for a bill of groceries at Kroger, and my friend Bonnie was frustrated and indignant. While waiting in line at the checkout register she had watched a woman at the front of the line fill a shopping cart with a large bill of groceries, then pay for it all with an EBT card—food stamps.
“I’ve worked hard all my life, ever since I was seventeen. I believe in American values—paying my own bills and taking care of my own family. I’d rather starve than take a handout from the government. I think it’s unfair to take money away from me, money I work hard for and money my family could use, and give it to these people who won’t work and get free money and food from welfare and food stamps.”
Bonnie’s words were unfortunate. They were also untrue. Today, two years after I heard Bonnie speak those words, she received her EBT card. Today Bonnie joined 43 million other Americans who are depending upon the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to feed their families. That’s 43 million Americans receiving “food stamps”—twice as many as two years ago.
Over the past few days I have been a party to several discussions regarding food stamps and food stamp recipients. Most of those participating in these discussions have been friends who are fortunate enough to have a job and to earn a living wage in this economy. Most of them have also been as arrogant and unkind as was Bonnie in 2008.
I don’t wish them ill. I don’t want anyone to experience times so tough that they must turn to public assistance programs for their supper. Americans are proud people, and receiving public assistance is a humbling experience. When hunger confronts pride, hunger usually wins.
One in every six Americans is receiving some form of public assistance tonight. 43 million participate in the food stamp program. I wonder how many swore, like Bonnie, they’d rather starve than take a handout from the government.
NOTE: –> The current food stamp program was born more than 30 years ago through the truly bipartisan efforts of Sen. Robert Dole and Sen. Eugene McCarthy. It has been a phenomenally efficient and effective program. Please take a few minutes to watch the video that appears in the media box to the right of this article. Watch the video and, for a moment, be proud of your country.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for posting this documentary. I remember as a child being hungry and wishing that Mama wasn’t too proud to accept help – she never did. But I understand the problem and know that it is not always the person’s fault that they are hungry. I’m thankful for this program and hope that I will never have to partake. Compassion is a needed attribute in the world we live in today.
Judge not lest you find yourself in the exact same boat.