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| A sampling of the records in my SNAP folder |
As many of you know, while
serving with AmeriCorps, one receives a poverty-level stipend relative to the
area served. This entitles us to apply for the same social service programs
other low-income individuals may choose to receive. In fact, both projects with
whom I have served encourage members to apply for if for no other reason than
the experience of doing so. And an experience it is.
I have retrained from
writing about this in the last year because I did not want to recall the
frustrating events that transpired (nor write a novel-length post). But I feel
as though I owe it to myself and everyone else who receives SNAP (Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program aka Food Stamps) in South Carolina to share. You can read the
first installments of my saga with SNAP here, here, and here.
So, I moved to Charleston in August and
was receiving $99 a month in benefits. I was advised that there was no need to
share my change in address with Dept. of Social Services (DSS) until it was
time for my 6-month re-certification in December. Since my last re-certification
all SC SNAP cases were taken from local DSS offices and outsourced to a company
in the Upstate. I noticed when I went to buy groceries in November that I did
not have as much on my EBT card as I thought I should and checked online. I
found that my account had not received benefits for November. I emailed the
lady who was previously my caseworker and did not hear anything. I talked with
a contact at the Benefit Bank who let me know that cases were statewide and that
someone from Chas DSS should be able to help me. I emailed a generic email for
the local office and heard back within a few days. She was able to tell me that
my address in Sptbg had received notice in October of my re-certification and
because I had not done so, my case was closed in November. So much for a
“6-month” re-certification What occurred next was a series of emails and calls
between me, the Chas DSS lady, and a contact at Sptbg DSS. I am extremely
grateful that they were so diligent and helpful in getting my situation
resolved. The re-certification form was sent to my new address here and I
returned it as instructed.
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| Sample EBT Card from fitnews.com |
On Dec. 17th, I received
notice that my case was once again being closed. I shared this frustration with
my supervisor, and because our office works often with the Director of DSS,
they gave the number of a lady who could help. This particular contact has been
instrumental in not only assisting me but our members and I know that many of
us would still be confused if we had not contacted her. So, while our office
was on a conference call with her regarding a member issue, they encouraged me
to share my dilemma. She discovered that they had received my re-certification form, but there were other forms that were still needed, which she sent me. I
returned the Household Circumstances form and included pay stubs. Becoming a
Leader here in Chas increased my pay by roughly $200 a pay period, which I
thought would break even since my rent/utilities are roughly $200 more than I
was paying in Sptbg. I received a notice for an interview. I was to call a
hotline within 4 days, so I did so on 12/31/12.
Part of SNAP cases being
outsourced meant that you no longer talked to your caseworker at your local
DSS. Instead, the hotline directed you to one of several “call centers” around
the state. After being on hold for one hour and twenty minutes, I spoke with a
woman who was in Myrtle Beach.
Being curious about these call centers, I was able to talk with her as
she scanned the script and informed me that “Interviewing people gets boring.”
Her call center was clearly in her home as I heard her receiving text messages and background noise. At one point, she started talking to a gentleman “Brian”
who had just entered her residence. Apparently, someone had called her home
looking for him and she inquired as to whether he wanted to go out that
evening. In total, I was on hold for one hour and twenty minutes for a 29
minute interview.
With that behind me, I
received notice two weeks later that my benefits would be decreased to
$37/month and that I would receive supplemental benefits for December. Fast
forward to my next re-certification in May. I faxed the same information as I had in
December and my pay stubs reflected the same amount. I was expecting to receive
the same $37 but was surprised when my benefits were increased far beyond the
$99 I had been receiving in Sptbg. The problem—several of our members had the
same thing happen and then months later they received a notice that “due to a
clerical error” they had been given too much and were responsible for paying it
back. I can’t think of another instance where one would be responsible for
paying back almost $500 to someone that had made the error. So, I am careful to
save in case that too should occur to me .
You might be wondering:
Why the huge increase? The only thing I can figure is that, like many social
service providers, there is no continuity. Someone different most likely looked
at my re-certification the second time and did not have access to my previous
amount. Who knows. What I do know is that I have seen numerous instances where
our members, who make the same amount and pay similar expenses, will receive
vastly differing benefit amounts.
So why should you care?
The above and additional installments are my experience. I am college-educated
(in Social Services, no less). I am
employed. I have numerous contacts both at DSS and other social service
providers. I am blessed to work for an organization that understands this
struggle and lets me be on the phone for one hour and fifty minutes for my
interview. The federal government pays my pay check. I am a single white female
and have no children to support.
What if someone didn't have this? Can you imagine if you were a working-parent trying to fit in this
“thirty minute” interview in during a lunch hour? Can you imagine if you didn't have the networks, support, or even the understanding to navigate this system
like most utilizing it?
I could go all
sociological and say that perhaps this system is intentionally difficult in the
hopes that people will give up, saving the system money, but I will refrain.
At the end of my term, I
am excited about the possibility of no longer living on the poverty-level. Not
because of the social stigma of being on food stamps, but because if being
poor weren't difficult enough, navigating these programs is unduly rough. Unfortunately
how many people utilizing these services can think of getting out like me?
With my upper-middle class back ground, I could easily be one of the people
judging the purchases of those on food stamps (and making comments about my tax
dollars paying for the name-brand soda, which isn't even healthy). Instead, I
am the person swiping my EBT card with pride as it symbolizes my decision to
live on nothing for a year and serve others. So judge away.
I am so thankful to have
had this experience and feel more equipped to understand the plights of working
poor. And hope now you are too.
Feel free to post your
comments and questions below.
***The above is my
recollection of my experience. My understanding is limited to the State of South Carolina and could
vary. The above is not admissible testimony and can not be cited without my
written consent. All rights reserved. ***
