SCHENECTADY : Food stamp sales due to other needs Some recipients used cash to pay for rent, power and toilet paper BY KATHLEEN MOORE Gazette Reporter Hundreds of people may have exchanged their food stamps for cash at the Cheese Bakery & Grocery, but they weren’t all spending the money on drugs and alcohol. In fact, it appears very few of them were drug addicts. While a “handful” of them are addicted to cocaine and heroin, according to the police chief, the rest had other reasons for illegally getting cash. Twenty-one food stamp recipients were charged last week, and prosecutors said the total number of people who exchanged their food stamps for cash at Cheese Bakery & Grocery could reach into the hundreds. In the days following those arrests, The Gazette interviewed dozens of city residents who admitted to exchanging their food stamps for cash. Each was asked what they spent their cash on. A few fueled their addictions, from cigarettes to drugs. But many paid overdue National Grid bills just before their lights were to be turned off. Some gave their cash to their landlord for rent. And a few confessed that they risked losing their food stamp benefits by illegally exchanging stamps for cash so they could buy toilet paper. Toilet paper cannot be purchased with food stamps, which are restricted to food and drink only. No alcohol or hot food can be purchased either. But it’s toilet paper that’s the real dilemma. At the Schenectady Inner City Ministry food pantry, toilet paper is the No. 1 need — and it’s rarely available, because people usually donate food instead. The pantry had to start locking the toilet paper in the bathroom because so many people stole it. “We can’t keep enough in there. That’s top on their priority list,” said Director Gail Van Valkenburgh. “I try to get SICM churches to donate more personal hygiene products: laundry detergent, dish detergent, deodorant, toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste. Those are the things I buy at the Regional Food Pantry. And every day we run out.” District Attorney Robert Carney said his office took into account the desperation of the deeply impoverished when they decided who to charge with the crime of misusing their benefits card. “It is also a crime, but we’re aware of what’s going on. We wanted the people who had a pattern,” he said. The office charged those who had allegedly exchanged at least $100 of their food stamps for cash three times at Cheese Bakery & Grocery. But every person who was believed to have exchanged their stamps for cash was reported to the Schenectady County Department of Social Services. They may lose their benefits. Carney said he understood that some people might need money for non-food reasons. “But the problem is, they’re engaging in a black market that defrauds the government,” he said. CHOICES NOT MADE LIGHTLY It’s not a decision that many residents made lightly. City resident Jason, who agreed to speak on the condition that his last name not be used so that he would not lose his benefits, said he recently exchanged $100 of food stamps for $50 cash to pay National Grid. “I had a bill. I was late. You know, they turn off the lights if you’re late,” he said. The late bill was $100. But Jason subsists on the cash he makes from working odd jobs, and he only had $50. “I was just short,” he said. He and many others interviewed for this story work as day laborers through Labor Ready, and found themselves floundering when there were few days of work in June. The heavy rain postponed many of the construction jobs where they get occasional work. Because his income is so low, Jason gets $200 in food stamps every month — the maximum allowed per person. After selling half of his stamps for $50 in cash, he paid the National Grid bill. That resolved his immediate crisis — but now he had no money and an entire month in which he needed to eat. He decided to live on ramen noodles. “I took the other $100, I bought mad [lots of] soups. I took ramen and mixed it with tuna and mayonnaise,” he said. He had just enough money left over to buy a bag of Doritos. He made it through the month, he reported proudly. “I did it!” he said. “Mad soups. I tell everybody, buy mad soups.” MAKING THE RENT Another city resident, Andrew, said he occasionally sold his food stamps to make up the difference between the amount of cash he had and the rent he had to pay. “When you just need that extra little more,” he said. He, too, eked out the month on whatever he had left in food stamps. “When I’ve had to do that, I didn’t sell them all,” he said. But sometimes, he’s needed cash for more than just rent. “Toilet paper. Just the other day,” he said. “I had more than enough food stamps but I couldn’t buy toilet paper.” Many residents said they turned to the food pantry and to free meals at churches and nonprofits to get through the months in which they had to sell their food stamps. Unlike Jason, others said it was not possible to buy a month’s worth of food for $200, much less doing it with half that amount. “That’s $7 a day,” said Richard, an older man who has $200 in food stamps. He buys groceries at the small corner stores near him. It’s much more expensive there, but he can’t afford to spend his precious cash on bus fare. “I can’t go to Wal-Mart or Price Chopper. Who has $4?” he said. “If the poor just had a way to get around, I could go to the grocery store instead of those corner stores that rip you off.” Instead, he buys at the corner stores and conserves his cash for essentials. “Laundry. Hair cuts. Toiletries. Not every food pantry has those. You gotta get toilet paper somewhere,” he said. How does he make ends meet? “I don’t. I suffer,” he said. DRUG ABUSERS DECRIED He and many others complained that the few people who buy drugs have encouraged the federal government to become more restrictive in how it doles out assistance. They questioned why there was no legal way to exchange the food stamps for cash in genuine emergencies. “Not everybody’s a criminal,” Richard said. “There’s daily supplies you need.” Many residents also said it was simple to sell food stamps. They claim they could go to corner stores and swipe their card for cash, always with the understanding that the store would keep 50 percent. Van Valkenburgh said residents waiting in line at the food pantry have told her the same thing. “It’s just a way of life,” she said. Price Chopper has programmed its cash registers to make it impossible for cashiers to hand out cash for food stamps. The computer will only accept a food stamp card after eligible purchases have been rung up, spokeswoman Mona Golub said. CIRCUMVENTING THE RULES Some customers tried to outsmart that system by trying to return expensive items for cash at the customer service desk. So Price Chopper requires a receipt for a cash return, and will refund the food stamp card if the receipt shows that the item was purchased with food stamps. If the customer shows up without a receipt, a manager is called to discuss the matter, Golub said. Some food stamp recipients are also trying to circumvent the system by offering to buy other customers’ groceries for them, in exchange for cash. That one is harder to catch, Golub said, but it requires a customer to agree to it and to have the cash needed for the exchange. At Cheese Bakery & Grocery, Elvin Singh said he could not comment on the allegations that he, his father and most of the store’s employees would commonly swipe food stamp cards for cash. But he defended his store’s reputation. “We try to help the community,” he said. “We’re good people.”
What they don't mention is why some of these people had overdue utility bills, rent, etc. Yes, some people sell their food stamps to pay for necessities,but it's because they spent all their other money on non-necessities. I know this is true. I know people who do it. I'm sick of people in the media who try to condone, excuse, and explain away irresponsible behavior by adults. This cheese place was running a criminal enterprise. Selling your food benefits to buy stuff other than food is a crime. just because somebody SAYS they spent the money on toilet paper, doesn't make it so. Another thing I've noticed - sometimes I go in PriceRite, the cheapo version of ShopRite. There are often a lot of people shopping in there who appear not to have a lot of money, and your money goes much further in that store. I don't see as many people shopping with the benefit cards in there, but this is purely an observation, not scientific, and I don't go in there that often. I go in Eastern Parkway Price Chopper more frequently, and I see way more people using benefit cards for groceries. That store does not have low prices, but it has way more name brand convenience foods. I also note that I see people who clearly spent their money on a lot of things I do without. I can tell custom gold jewelry and name brand, new sneakers from the cheap stuff. Also nails and hair, I know what is professionally done and what it costs. Phones, gadgets for the kids, I am not saying all people who get benefits don't need them, but there is a lot of fraud. A LOT. Nobody is supposed to say it because it isn't PC, rich people steal too, etc. People who really need helpcould be taken better care of if we stopped the stealing.
Here's why I question it - I see senior citizens in danger of losing their homes because they cannot afford their atrocious taxes, and then somebody elseforgets to buy toilet paper so they are justified in spending money meant to prevent hunger and malnutrition on something they should've thought of before they bought another video game? I'm tired of some people being "protected class" ooh, it wasn't my fault, Nobody gave me any toilet paper! BS. Just why am I more "fortunate" ? No, toilet paper should not be paid for with food stamps. Food stamps are for FOOD. I donate food to pantries, BTW.
Food stamps are for food. You can't eat toilet paper.
People need shampoo, dish soap, laundry soap, diapers, deoderant, tampons in the same way then need toilet paper.
However, people DO get cash, from a job (though lower paying or fewer hours), from SSI, from their cash welfare, and child support.
Optimists close their eyes and pretend problems are non existent. Better to have open eyes, see the truths, acknowledge the negatives, and speak up for the people rather than the politicos and their rich cronies.
Toilet paper is a necessity? I don't think you would have made it in the old times Patches, toilet paper was considered a luxury for people at one time, most used newspapers and believe it or not corn cobs, they still tell people not to shake hands with their left hand in the middle east, guess why
"In the beginning of a change, the Patriot is a scarce man, brave, hated and scorned. When his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot."
so what are they to use....newspaper....or nothing at all.....my gosh.....commercial with Bear sitting on a toilet with Charmin' so if an animal has access
to be able to wipe ......why not a human.....isn;t that much??
food stamps should include some paper products....you know in some mideastern countries......they do not use toilet paper...or bathe??
Americans should be held in a higher regard...you need toilet paper.....and a lot of Sect 8's are good people.....don't want to say what should be
so what are they to use....newspaper....or nothing at all.....my gosh.....commercial with Bear sitting on a toilet with Charmin' so if an animal has access
to be able to wipe ......why not a human.....isn;t that much??
food stamps should include some paper products....you know in some mideastern countries......they do not use toilet paper...or bathe??
Americans should be held in a higher regard...you need toilet paper.....and a lot of Sect 8's are good people.....don't want to say what should be
said......
just sayin'
Stop supplying Obama phones and supply Obama shitter paper. Oh yeah, cell phones and texting is an "American standard".
The NSA can't track the poor's location or 'meta data' with shitter paper.
I have been approached in the Hannaford parking lot by people trying to sell a trunk loaded with steaks they just bought in the store for half price.
They will always find a method to get cash.
The problem is there are so many people living on SSI, social security and welfare. What they give you is not even close to enough to live a normal life without doing anything they can to make ends meet. SSI pays what, around $600 a month. Who could pay rent and utilities and be able to do anything else but walk to the food pantry and the soup kitchen.
Every night bottle scavengers are out searching the city for nickels.
They are in your trash containers regularly as you sleep.
Over 35% of the city is on food stamps.
Keep raising taxes and make sure Galesi and Golub are taken care of.
Downtown is all that matters.
Arresting people costs the taxpayers another $50,000/year to keep them in jail.
Taking their benefits changes their status from poverty level benefits receivers to desperate poverty level criminals, with nothing left to lose.
It will not save the taxpayers one cent by arresting incarcerating and denying benefits to any of these people.
People need a helping hand, not a hand out.
Most of these people can't perform adequately for an employer to make profit equaling minimum wage.
There should be exemptions from minimum wage where under skilled people can work for less money.
Oh wait, we have that already. They work in prison factories for a dollar a day or sometimes less, for corporate profiteers that take advantage of the taxpayers paying for the room and board of the prisoners.
Raise taxes more, build more jails and prisons.
It allows the prison industry workers to live well.
There should be exemptions from minimum wage where under skilled people can work for less money.
Oh wait, we have that already. They work in prison factories for a dollar a day or sometimes less, for corporate profiteers that take advantage of the taxpayers paying for the room and board of the prisoners.
Raise taxes more, build more jails and prisons.
It allows the prison industry workers to live well.
It's the triple whammy! First, the minimum wage law encourages employers to increase productivity and discourages hiring, so the poor have less of an opportunity to find work. Second, the minimum wage cost is built into the cost of the product or service they are providing, pricing the poor out of the market for those goods and services. Third, the poor, not working and unable to pay for goods and services, turns to crime and goes to jail. And they now have an opportunity to work, at a wage well below the minimum wage that prevented them from working in the first place.
It's the triple whammy! First, the minimum wage law encourages employers to increase productivity and discourages hiring, so the poor have less of an opportunity to find work. Second, the minimum wage cost is built into the cost of the product or service they are providing, pricing the poor out of the market for those goods and services. Third, the poor, not working and unable to pay for goods and services, turns to crime and goes to jail. And they now have an opportunity to work, at a wage well below the minimum wage that prevented them from working in the first place.
Absolutely correct.
It used to be called the war on poverty.
I'll bet the guy who walk 10 miles each night pushing his shopping cart with 2 trailers behind it would gladly work for 10 dollars a day doing something simple.
I'll bet the guy who walk 10 miles each night pushing his shopping cart with 2 trailers behind it would gladly work for 10 dollars a day doing something simple.
He could push carts in a retail parking lot for $5 per hour or $40 a day. But that's cruel, Americans would rather he push a cart around the streets making $10 a day. Much more civilized.
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