2012 conventions 2012 election 2013 session 2013 special election arts arts and culture author ballot measures basketball bomb books boy scouts budget bullying business charlie hales children clackamas climate change coal college courts crime culture culture club democrats drugs economy education environment family film fluoride food gay rights guns handguns health health care health insurance high school history housing immigration international internet kitzhaber law legislature lgbt literary arts living marijuana marriage media medicine mental health military minor parties mohamed mohamud movies music native americans news newspaper obama olympics oregon our town parenting pers photography police politcs politics port portland portland business journal president prevention public safety religion republicans rnc romney rural salem sam adams sandy hook schools science shooting sports suicide supreme court taxes technology television terrorism theater third parties transportation union university of oregon washington wildfire women

Back during the recession with George Bush Sr, my husband was out of work for almost a year due to the shipyards having no work.  We had 3 children under 6 and ran out of unemployment.  My husband took any work he could, but it wasn’t enough, so I went to see if we would qualify for food stamps.  The first thing I was asked was if my husband was in the home.  When I replied yes, they said he needed to leave immediately so they could give me food stamps that day.  I replied, the he too was hungry but since he was a “man” he wasn’t important and needed to go. They would rather he abandon us so they could go after him for support than to help to keep the family together.   I was also told that they would be putting a lien on our home so they can be sure they will be repaid, but if we moved into an apartment we would never have to repay the food stamps. I walked out in tears, feeling dirty because of the way I was treated, like a lazy, worthless person.  I truly hope that the people that run the food stamp program now are more thoughtful, considerate, and realize that many men are doing all they can to support their families and are not worthless people that should not be helped.

 

 

posted 4 years, 1 month ago
view in context