SNAP, THE SUPPLEMENTAL
NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM,
FORMERLY KNOWN AS FOOD STAMPS,
IS AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED
ADULTS.
BUT HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOU ARE
ELIGIBLE AND HOW MUCH TROUBLE IS
IT TO FILL OUT AND SUBMIT AN
APPLICATION?
MARYANN KETTLYE JOINS US FROM
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICES OF
TIDEWATER, WHICH OFFERS A
TIME-LIMITED SERVICE TO HELP
TAKE THE STRESS OUT OF THE
APPLICATION PROCESS.
FOR CERTAIN AGE GROUP OF PEOPLE.
MARYANN, THANK YOU FOR SHARING
THIS INFORMATION, FOOD STAMPS OR
SNAP AS IT IS NOW KNOWN, MANY
PEOPLE MAY KNOW ABOUT IT, BUT
THEY FIGURE, OH, WHY BOTHER, I
WON'T GET BUT SO MUCH MONEY
ANYWAY.
BUT THERE'S REALLY FAULTY
THINKING IN THAT BECAUSE EVERY
LITTLE BIT CAN COUNT.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY, AND
THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT
THE ORGANIZATION THAT IS FUNDING
THIS PROJECT FOR US HAS ALLOWED
THE ORGANIZATION TO BE INCLUSIVE
OF PEOPLE WHO ARE 50 AND OLDER.
>> Jan: OKAY.
>> Maryann: SO UNLIKE THE SENIOR
POPULATION WHO'S DEFINED AS 60,
THE MATURE 50 TO 59-YEAR-OLDS
ARE GOING TO BE INCLUDED, AND WE
HAVE SOME BARRIER BREAKING TO
DO.
AND IT'S BEEN, YOU KNOW, A LONG
TIME.
THIS ISN'T A NEW THING, BUT IT'S
VERY DIFFICULT FOR PEOPLE OF A
CERTAIN AGE TO ACCEPT SOME HELP,
AND THERE ARE CHALLENGES WITH
MOBILITY AND TECHNOLOGY AND
TRANSPORTATION.
>> Jan: AND PRIDE.
>> Maryann: AND PRIDE,
ABSOLUTELY.
PRIDE IS HUGE.
AND SO THOSE ARE THE TYPES OF
THINGS THAT WE'RE GOING TO BE
WORKING WITH.
WE'RE DOING OUTREACH AND ONE OF
THE EXCITING THINGS TO ME ABOUT
THIS PROGRAM IS THAT WE CAN GO
OUT TO SOMEBODY'S HOME AND HELP
THEM FILL THE APPLICATION OUT.
WE'VE PURCHASED A COUPLE OF
LAPTOP TYPE COMPUTERS AND WE
HAVE SOME MODEMS AND WE CAN JUST
POWER RIGHT UP IN THEIR HOME AND
WE CAN HELP FILL THE APPLICATION
OUT, SO WE'RE NOT -- WE'RE NOT
ELIGIBILITY WORKERS IN ANY SENSE
OF THE WORD.
BUT WE ARE COACHES.
SO WE'RE HELPING PEOPLE, WE'RE
COACHING THEM THROUGH THE
APPLICATION, WE'RE HELPING THEM
TO FEEL COMFORTABLE, WE'RE
HELPING THEM TO FIGURE OUT WHAT
KIND OF PAPERWORK THEY'RE GOING
TO NEED TO GATHER SO THAT WHEN
THEY DO HAVE THEIR INTERVIEW
WITH SOCIAL SERVICES, THEY'LL BE
PREPARED.
WE'RE HELPING THEM TO UPLOAD ANY
INFORMATION THAT NEEDS TO BE
UPLOADED BECAUSE, YOU KNOW,
YOU'RE 70 YEARS OLD, 75 YEARS
OLD, YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO
THAT STUFF.
>> Jan: IT DOESN'T COME EASILY.
>> Maryann: THAT'S RIGHT.
IF YOU'RE 55 YEARS OLD, MANY
TIMES YOU DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO
THAT, AND THE APPLICATION CAN BE
A LITTLE FORMIDABLE, ESPECIALLY,
YOU KNOW, THERE'S A PAPER
APPLICATION THAT PEOPLE CAN
SUBMIT AND THAT TENDS TO BE A
VERY LONG APPLICATION.
AND AS SOON AS SOMEBODY SEES IT,
THEN SOMETIMES IT CAN BE
COMPLETELY OVER RIGHT AT THAT
MOMENT.
>> Jan: BECAUSE IT'S
OVERWHELMING TO THINK, DO I -- I
WOULDN'T EVEN KNOW WHERE TO
BEGIN, RIGHT.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: AND YOU SHOW THEM HOW TO
BEGIN.
>> Maryann: WE DO.
THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT WE DO.
WE SHOW THEM HOW TO BEGIN.
WE HELP THEM TO BE COMFORTABLE.
WE LET THEM KNOW THAT THEY'RE
NOT ALONE, THAT THIS IS
SOMETHING THAT A LOT OF PEOPLE
NEED AND, YOU KNOW, THREE OUT OF
FIVE PEOPLE WHO QUALIFY FOR THIS
PROGRAM NEVER EVEN SEEK
ASSISTANCE BECAUSE OF SOME OF
THE BARRIERS THAT THEY'RE
FACING.
>> Jan: WOW.
>> Maryann: AND THE NUMBERS ARE
HUGE.
I THINK IT'S 5.4 MILLION PEOPLE
WHO ARE SENIORS ARE IN NEED OF
SOME SORT OF FOOD ASSISTANCE.
YOU KNOW, THEY ARE FOOD
INSECURE, AND NOW THE FIGURES
ARE JUST STAGGERING.
THERE ARE 10,000 BABY BOOMERS
EACH DAY THAT WILL TURN 65 BY
2029, SO MORE AND MORE WE'RE
GOING TO BE SEEING THE NUMBERS
RISE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THOSE
AGE GROUPS, WHO NEED HELP
BECAUSE ONE IN SEVEN SENIORS ARE
IN POVERTY AND, YOU KNOW, THERE
IS NOT A LOT OF HELP OUT THERE.
SO WE'RE EXCITED.
WE'RE REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THIS
PROGRAM AND THAT WE CAN, YOU
KNOW, HAVE PEOPLE COME INTO OUR
OFFICE AND FILL THE APPLICATIONS
OUT AND IF THERE ARE SOME
MOBILITY CHALLENGES, WE CAN GET
OUT TO WHERE THEY ARE.
WE'RE WORKING TO LET PEOPLE KNOW
ABOUT THE PROGRAM.
WE'RE PARTNERING WITH AGENCIES,
WE'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH THE
SENIOR SERVICES AND WITH ALL OF
THE COMMUNITY SERVICES BOARDS
AND WITH THE FOOD BANKS, AND SO
WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO GET THE
WORD OUT.
>> Jan: I THINK THAT KNOWING
THAT PEOPLE DON'T NECESSARILY
HAVE TO COME TO YOU, IF THERE IS
A CHALLENGE IN GETTING TO A
LOCATION, THAT YOU CAN COME TO
THEM IS HUGE AND THAT IS A
BARRIER FOR MANY PEOPLE.
THEY REACH A POINT WHERE THEY
REALLY DON'T -- AND THEY MAY NOT
BE IN A FRAME OF MIND WHERE THEY
FEEL LIKE TRYING THAT HARD
EITHER, SO IT'S ONE MORE REASON
NOT TO DO IT.
CERTAINLY APPLYING FOR FOOD
ASSISTANCE REQUIRES SOME
ORGANIZATION AND A LITTLE BIT OF
FOCUS AND WORK.
IT MEANS SHARING INFORMATION
ABOUT YOURSELF THAT YOU MAY OR
MAY NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE
SHARING, BUT --
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: -- IF IT HELPS YOU GET A
LITTLE EXTRA MONEY A MONTH, AND
IN SOME CASES, IT'S NOT A HUGE
AMOUNT, THERE ARE LIMITS TO HOW
MUCH MONEY ONE CAN RECEIVE
ANYWAY, BUT I WOULD NOT THINK OF
THAT AS A DETER WREN BECAUSE IT
ALL ADDS UP.
EVEN $16 A MONTH, WHICH MAY NOT
SEEM LIKE MUCH TO SOMEONE WHO
MAY QUALIFY FOR THAT AMOUNT, CAN
MAKE A DIFFERENCE.
>> Maryann: RIGHT.
AND $16 A MONTH SOMETIMES IS A
BARRIER FOR PEOPLE BECAUSE THEY
HEAR THAT SOMEBODY IS ONLY
GETTING $16 A MONTH, AND THEY
THINK WHY SHOULD I BOTHER TO
APPLY FOR THAT, THAT'S NOTHING.
BUT IN FACT, $16 A MONTH CAN BUY
TWO POUNDS OF CHICKEN LEGS, A
BAG OF POTATOES, A POUND OF
CARROTS, A GALLON OF MILK, A
DOZEN EGGS, THREE BANANAS, TWO
ORANGES, SO WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT
THAT WAY, IT REALLY SHEDS A
LITTLE BIT OF A DIFFERENT LIGHT.
AND IF I SAID TO YOU, YOU KNOW,
JAN, HERE'S A $15 COUPON TO TAKE
TO WALMART TO SPEND ON FOOD, I
BET YOU WOULDN'T TURN IT DOWN.
AND IF I GAVE IT TO YOU EVERY
MONTH, IT CERTAINLY WOULD HELP
YOU.
>> Jan: THAT'S A REALLY GOOD WAY
OF LOOKING AT IT.
THAT CERTAINLY SORT OF
ELIMINATES THAT WHOLE RESISTANCE
TO THINKING, YOU KNOW, I'M
ACCEPTING SOMETHING THAT, YOU
KNOW, I SHOULDN'T TALK TO
ANYBODY ABOUT.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: MONEY IS MONEY.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
AND THE WAY IT'S DONE NOW IS SO
DIFFERENT.
IT GOES ON THE CARDINALS CARD
AND IT'S AN EBT CARD, SO THE
MONEY GETS TRANSFERRED INTO THE
PERSON'S ACCOUNT ON A CERTAIN
DAY OF THE MONTH.
THEY GO SHOPPING WHENEVER THEY
WANT TO GO SHOPPING.
THEY CAN LOOK AT THOSE SALES AND
CUT THE COUPONS TO MAKE THEIR
MONEY GO FURTHER, AND THEN, YOU
KNOW, WHEN THEY GO SHOPPING,
THEY SWIPE THEIR CARD JUST LIKE
I DO OR YOU DO WHEN WE GO TO THE
GROCERY STORE.
THEY LOAD UP THEIR GROCERIES AND
GO.
SO I THINK SOME OF THE STIGMA IS
CERTAINLY A HUGE PROBLEM STILL,
BUT IT'S BEING WHITTLED AWAY BY
THINGS LIKE PUTTING THE FUNDS ON
THE EBT CARD, AND I THINK THAT
IF WE CAN ALL WORK TO MINIMIZE,
YOU KNOW, HOW PEOPLE FEEL ABOUT
THIS, BECAUSE WE NEVER KNOW WHEN
WE'RE GOING TO BE IN THAT
POSITION.
I TALKED WITH A WOMAN THE OTHER
DAY AND SHE AND HER HUSBAND HAD
MOVED TO FLORIDA, THEY WERE
GOING TO -- THEY THOUGHT -- LIVE
OUT THEIR RETIREMENT YEARS IN
THIS WONDERFUL COMMUNITY IN
NAPLES, AND THEY GOT SICK AND
THEY WEREN'T ABLE TO CONTINUE TO
PAY FOR THEIR HOUSE, SO THEIR
HOUSE WAS FORECLOSED ON AND NOW
THEY'RE BACK IN THIS AREA AND
THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING.
AND THEY'RE VERY PROUD AND THEY
DON'T WANT TO TAKE ANY KIND OF
HELP, AND, YOU KNOW, I'M HOPEFUL
THAT AFTER WE CONTINUE TO TALK,
THAT THEY WILL BE WILLING TO SIT
DOWN WITH ME AND DO AN
APPLICATION, BUT THAT'S THE TYPE
OF PEOPLE THAT WE WANT TO REACH.
YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO REACH THE
PEOPLE WHO ARE STRUGGLING, WHO
ARE FOOD INSECURE, AND WHO
QUALIFY FOR THIS PROGRAM AND ARE
ENTITLED TO BE PART OF THIS
PROGRAM.
THIS IS NOT A WELFARE PROGRAM.
>> Jan: WELL, IF THEY'RE
ENTITLED TO BEING TREATED LIKE
EVERYBODY ELSE, AND THIS IS ONE
WAY TO KEEP NUTRITIOUS FOOD ON
THE TABLE FOR PEOPLE WHO ARE
STRUGGLING, AND IT DOESN'T
MATTER WHO YOU ARE OR WERE.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: IT DOESN'T CHANGE WHO
YOU ARE, IT JUST HELPS YOU
REMIND STABLE.
>> Maryann: AND PHYSICALLY, AS
WE AGE, WE HAVE DIFFERENT
NUTRITIONAL NEEDS FOR OUR BODIES
AND I THINK THE STATISTIC IS
THAT 40% OF PEOPLE WHO ARE
ELDERLY HAVE CONGESTIVE HEART
FAILURE, AND THAT'S DIRECTLY
CORRELATED TO THEIR NUTRITION.
SO THE BETTER NUTRITION, THE
BETTER THEIR HEALTH.
>> Jan: OKAY.
WELL, MAKES PERFECT SENSE.
AND THE AGE GROUP OF 50 TO 59,
WHICH IS AN INTERESTING AGE
GROUP, BUT THAT'S ALSO A TIME
WHEN PEOPLE START TO REALLY
EXPERIENCE HEALTH ISSUES AND
STRUGGLE WITH SOME OF THE
FINANCIAL ISSUES THAT ARE A
RESULT OF THAT, LIKE YOU
MENTIONED.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
WHEN I LEARNED THAT THE PROGRAM
WAS GOING TO BE EXTENDED TO THAT
AGE GROUP, I THOUGHT, OH, I'M IN
THAT AGE GROUP!
>> Jan: OH MY.
>> Maryann: MY HUSBAND IS IN
THAT AGE GROUP, OH NO.
BUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
COMPUTERS ARE NOT WHAT WE GREW
UP WITH.
>> Jan: YOU'RE STILL PART OF A
GENERATION THAT WAS NEW TO.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: SO THERE ARE GOING TO BE
PEOPLE WHO NEVER DID CATCH ON.
>> Maryann: THAT'S RIGHT.
AND THAT TECHNOLOGY IS A REALLY
BARRIER FOR A LOT OF PEOPLE, SO
FOR THOSE PEOPLE TOO, WE'RE
THERE, WE'RE HELPING, AND WE
WANT THE INFORMATION TO GET OUT
AND TO -- THE PROGRAM IS
AVAILABLE TO EVERYBODY.
IT'S COMPLETELY FREE OF CHARGE.
>> Jan: AND IT'S CONFIDENTIAL.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: SO THAT'S PART OF WHAT I
THINK COULD BE GOOD ABOUT I.
SO YOU HAVE A NUMBER THAT YOU
CAN CALL, AND MARYANN, OF
COURSE, IS WORKING WITH THIS
PROGRAM NOW AND TALK TO ONE OF
THE FOLKS THERE WHO WILL HOOK
YOU UP WITH A SNAP COACH.
>> Maryann: ABSOLUTELY.
>> Jan: SNAPPY NAME, BUT FOR A
VERY GOOD THING, SO DON'T
DISCOUNT THAT, YEAH, YOU DON'T
WANT TO BE BOTHERED, OR NO, I
WOULDN'T QUALIFY.
GIVE IT A TRY.
I KNOW THEY'D BE GLAD TO HEAR
FROM YOU.
THAT'S WHY THEY'RE THERE AND WHY
MARYANN IS HERE TODAY, TOO, TO
THEIR A REALLY, REALLY GOOD
PROGRAM AND GREAT OUTREACH.
>> Maryann: WELL, THANK YOU
VERY, VERY MUCH FOR HELPING US
GET THE WORD OUT.
>> Jan: AND THANK YOU FOR JEWISH
FAMILY SERVICES OF TIDEWATER WHO
GIVING US THIS OPPORTUNITY.
AND THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.
WE'LL SEE YOU AGAIN NEXT TIME.
BYE.
