Americorps and food Stamps -Experience?

[Anonymous]

I was friends with a large number of recent grads in AmeriCorps when I was in my 20s. This was around 2013/2014. Yes, it was as described above - the pay is very, very low, and they were all encouraged to sign up for food stamps and did so. None of the people I knew had family support, though they came from families had a range of social-economic situations, they were all living independently at this time.

As I understood it, this was a feature, not a bug of the program. The idea is that these young adults are living in similarly tight situations as the people they're helping. They're supposed to be part of the community, scrimping by.

But bigger picture: Your kid is an adult. They'll figure it out. Let them be.

[Anonymous]

I would not mind helping my kid out a bit if I thought it would be a great experience. From reading reddit I do not think it is..or that you could count on it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As pp noted, are lots of kids of means supported or supplemented by their parents? I know several who were not, and the parents, who had no extra to give, were concerned. Also heard the amount of EBT funding depended on bank account. So if a recent grad of no means was saving for grad school, they had less ebt money bc they were viewed as not needing it. This is all anecdotal and not easy to get a handle on.

Its need based help and higher need you have (legit due to adversity or just because you and/or parents were irresponsible), more funding you get. Isn't that's how all aid works?

Guess I wasn’t clear.
Example: 20 year old with no family money for college joins Americorps and has to blow their small savings for college before EBT amount increases. Rich kid “learning to live in the community they’re serving” leaves Americorps and can return (possibly wiser) to the family that will pay for higher education, at no cost to them.

Just working my way through this. Not particularly objecting to EBT funding.

We have a lasting legacy of outstanding Civilian Conservation Corps work. Happy to see govt support for positive contributions to the nation, as well as jobs.

[Anonymous]

I was on food stamps in law school. Whatever. There's no shame in relying on government assistance when in the process of bettering yourself or others. That's the purpose of the program.

[Anonymous]

Every full time worker should get paid enough to support themselves without subsidies meant to help underprivileged facing adversity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Every full time worker should get paid enough to support themselves without subsidies meant to help underprivileged facing adversity.

Not all full-time jobs are created equal. Supply & demand.

[Anonymous]

I was on food stamps as an 18 year old college freshman. I lived off campus and waitressed. They were a godsend.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I was on food stamps as an 18 year old college freshman. I lived off campus and waitressed. They were a godsend.

Nobody is saying food stamps are bad but someone with a college degree and a full time job shouldn't be needing it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was on food stamps as an 18 year old college freshman. I lived off campus and waitressed. They were a godsend.

Nobody is saying food stamps are bad but someone with a college degree and a full time job shouldn't be needing it.

???
Yes, and everyone should be making $1million per year. "Should" does not equal reality.

Lots of people with college degrees and full time jobs are on "food stamps", especially if they have children.

[Anonymous]

When I did it, 2 people lived with their parents, 2 with their spouses they made enough to cover them, and 1 had food stamps and roomed with like 5 people. This was in a MCOL area.