SNAP benefits — formerly known as food stamps — have been tied to employment for two decades. Unless they are caring for children or unable to work, adults need to have a job to receive more than three months of benefits.
But after the recession began, that three-month cap was waived in many areas, as state and federal governments acknowledged that jobs were hard to come by.
Now, as the economy is improving, the time limits are being reimposed — by federal policy in some areas, by state legislators in others.
When we received food stamps, Sean was working and I think I was exempt because of the littles. So this wouldn’t have affected us. But the people who this will get are what I think of as “straddlers,” people who are always in danger of falling through the cracks. People without adequate transportation to look for a job, much less get to one regularly. People who don’t quite qualify as disabled, but are never picked by employers. People at high risk for being coerced into sex work. That kind of thing.
Donate to a food pantry in your area, folks.