Expanding Use of EBT?

May be for a good cause. Not implying any abuse of the system here, just noticing the effort to get the word out on EBT.

I grew up in the 60s and 70s. We had gas stations. They would install a new fan belt, check under the hood, do an oil change, give directions or sell you a map, etc. For food, they had a pop machine and a Cold War era vending machine with candy, gum, and little packs of crackers. Maybe two or three of these.

The place smelled like auto transmission fluid and gear oil. Not a bad thing-happy to go back.

Gas stations are mostly gone now. Mini-marts with 24 hour corndogs, nachos and giant cans of beer have taken their place. If you have car trouble, this is probably not the place.

I do not object to public assistance programs.

As the years go by, it seems that a greater part of the population may rely on these programs.

During COVID

March 13, 2020 WHSV

Schools scramble to feed students after coronavirus closures

“Kiyana Esco needs free school lunches and breakfasts to feed her six children. But with schools shutting down over coronavirus concerns, she’s scrambling to pick up the meals, care for her kids and keep her job.”

Thank you WHSV, for acknowledging that we are talking about a federal free and reduced school breakfast and lunch program. The press often calls it a free lunch program. The average person, who has no kids in school may not realize that breakfast is also part of the program.

March 13, 2020 CNN

The coronavirus pandemic is closing schools. How will kids eat?

“But as other schools deliberate shutting their doors to slow the spread of the coronavirus, some parents may be left to wonder: If schools close, how will my child eat?”

Former Lunch Lady here.

Again, I do not object to public assistance programs. The press should make an effort to keep the public informed on how these programs are working.

Did the WWII generation rely heavily on public school districts to feed their kids? If they did, was for the assistance program covering just basic items like potatoes, flour, dried beans, rice, apples if there was crop surplus, etc.

100 years ago, did families rely on school districts to feed their children to such an extent that, if school was shut down, school districts would scramble to fill busses with food and send it out into the neighborhoods?

Tax money-which some people intend to be used to help others via public assistance programs-also goes for bombing Iraq and Afghanistan.

Helping others by donating to churches or private charities, food banks, etc. can avoid these conflicts.

Donors are free to opt out if a charity misbehaves.

People could keep more of their own money to donate to causes of their choosing if the federal government was not taking it to pay for wasteful programs.

A KOAT News video explains how EBT works.

WWLP-22 News: