Who knows about applying for food stamps?

muttmeister

Well-Known Member
difficult child 2 and wife (with 3 kids) have been getting food stamps for some time. Their combined income (for 5 people) is somewhere between $800 and $1500 per month (varies) so I know they qualify. When difficult child's wife was in the hospital in April she didn't get some of the required paperwork in so they lost their food stamps and their medical coverage. As soon as she got out of the hospital, she reapplied. They still don't have anything. She reapplies every month and she gets the run-around with more paperwork. Just when she gets everything turned in, they ask for something else.

If it were just the two adults I wouldn't care if they starved but there are 3 little kids involved. I am the Grandma and am trying to keep them from starving but I am retired and live on my pension and social security and I can't afford to feed 5 extra people. Is there anybody I can complain to about this situation? I am not directly involved, legally, but this quite frankly svcks bigtime. Do we have any place to go to get action?
 

klmno

Active Member
The social worker or whatever the processor is called should be sending her a list of required paperwork. Are you sure they are getting everything on that list turned in? If they are, they can call a supervisor over there and bombard him/her with VM messages until someone responds. There should also be some sort of emergency financial help available that is called different thinggs in different jurisdictions. They can go there and even if they don't qualify for it, it should wake someone up that they should have been getting food stamps for months but the people there are going in circles. If that doesn't work, I'd call the state authority over them (google to find it) and call to "explain" (ie- complain) and ask what they recommend and see if that gets somebody rolling on it.
 

hearts and roses

Mind Reader
I agree, if they are truly getting the 'run around', it is time to speak with a supervisor and make them aware of the situation. She should have at least gotten 'emergency' food stamps while the paperwork was processing...that is usually what happens in situations like this. I find it difficult to believe that she's been getting the run around since April.

Also, are they hitting up the local food banks and church pantries? They may be slim pickings and not much in fresh foods, but it's something. And there used to be a federal program, which is different from the food stamps, called FAN. I can't remember what the letters stand for or if they even exist anymore, but that can be very helpful in regards to putting juices, canned meats and dry goods on the table along with things like peanut butter, cheeses, and cereals. It's worth it to look up and see if there's one nearby. And lastly, would they qualify for WIC at all? They used to cover pregnant, nursing mothers and their children up to age 5. They should look into that and see if they qualify.

I hope this gets resolved soon.
 

KTMom91

Well-Known Member
There should be a state ombudsman (at least, CA has one) that helps with things like this. I've used CA's program to get Family Support's fanny in gear...most efficient.
 

Hound dog

Nana's are Beautiful
Supervisor..........she needs to start going over heads. Worked for Nichole.

Oh and you might want to pm Janet.......she worked in the system as is very knowledgeable about how it works.

Best thing for applying for food stamps. Have birth certificates and social security cards for every person. Have 3 months worth of pay stubs for anyone working. I've even went so far as to bring in stubs from monthly utilities and rent receipts. If possible fill out all paperwork there and turn it right back in to the person it is supposed to go to.

Nichole has used food stamps and the insurance since at least she was 18.......and takes no nonsense. As 2 of her caseworkers have already found out. She goes in person and demands to see the supervisor
 

DammitJanet

Well-Known Member
Food stamps have a 30 or 45 day time limit on the application. They have to give her x amount of time to get her info in to them. Say she goes in and does the application on 10/1/10. That application must be either approved or denied by either the 30 or 45 day limit. She has 60 days to appeal that decision.

Now because they have income coming in, she wont be eligible for emergency food stamps within 5 days. That sux but that is the rule. If you go in with all your paperwork, you are more likely to get your application approved quickly. You need ID's and BC's for everyone, you need income verification for all adults, you need school verification for kids (I believe), you need proof of residence and rent, bank statement, utilities, any medical bills you pay, any property in your name, name and number of landlord, and there may be something else they want in your state.

If it goes past the 45 days, call and complain to a supervisor because the county can get fined by the state for cases that go over time limits. I had medicaid case go 90 days for no reason even though I walked in with every single piece of information they needed on day 1. Ended up my worker ended up fired for not getting cases worked up correctly and my case was lost in space. Even though I was calling once a month asking about the case, I was being ignored. I finally went to the top and threatened to file a complaint with the state on out of compliance with state standards and low and behold my case was approved in 2 days! I offered to come in and key it in myself for them if they were too busy...lol.

There is a supervisor over the caseworker, then a program manager and then the director of the county. If that doesnt work, there is something called a Careline or something similar that gets you to the main DHS in your state capitol.
 
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