I have found numerous areas of overlap that are costing the
taxpayers billions of dollars annually. In this correspondence I will address
only one such area that is costing us 13 billion dollars a year as of 2009.
Yes, that is $13,000,000,000.00 a year. This according to the last year of
current info (2009) available on the USDA website. The program I am
referring to is the school free/reduced breakfast and lunch program.
I know that I am touching on a volatile subject because of the children
involved. But, hear me out. Once again, according to the USDA website, the
SNAP program (commonly known as food stamps) cost about 50.4 billion
dollars in 2009. What does the SNAP have to do with the school free meals
program? A lot in my humble opinion,. They overlap in benefits. The school
system is supplying free food twice a day to someone who was already
figured in as part of a disbursement of food stamps, as food stamps are
figured for each individual person in the household that is eligible.
When applying for free lunches at schools, one of the first questions the applicant
is asked is if the child is on the food stamps program. If so, they automatically qualify for the breakfast/lunch program.
Let’s stop and look at the situation. You can automatically qualify for free
breakfast/lunch program ($13,000,000,000.00 a year cost) if you are
already receiving food stamps (cost of $50.4 billion a year).
Food stamps are figured to provide food 7 days, 3 meals a day per individual. Does the food stamp benefits increase during the summer when
school is out? There is no increase or decrease of benefits tied to school
scheduling. None. So if the children receive food stamps, then why are they
also receiving free breakfast and lunch?
There seems to be a huge overlap that the taxpayers are supporting. Let’s
look at two possible options. The child should bring their food to school as
packed lunches. Wholesome, bring from home, food. For those people that
will scream that the kids need a hot meal, I also have an option. Pay for the
breakfast and lunches from the food stamps they receive. After all, that is
what they receive it for. To feed them. Even if they use the food stamp
allotment to pay at the reduced rate and get rid of the free program for
those on food stamps, it can save billions of dollars.
By implementing such a plan, we could theoretically or possibly realistically, save up to the $13billion a year we are now dumping into the school program. Even if we cut half of the cost ($6.5 billion) isn’t that a great savings?
With the deficit out of control and growing every day, we owe it to our kids
to do everything possible to keep this country strong and stable in all areas.
Not just to spend money recklessly in the name of ‘our kids’ but to secure
them and this country a solid, secure long term future. Giving them a full
stomach with overlapping programs is not the answer to long term survival.
