Man Still Receives Food Stamps After Winning $2 Million Jackpot
I am posting this again because I know many readers have not seen it yet
Wow… I am in shock… I posted this last night on the Budget Savvy Diva Facebook – but I thought I should let all my readers know about it. I love being able to tell y’all what is happening in the couponing and consumer world. I would love your thoughts on the subject – because I am in shock.
A Michigan man who won $2 million from a state lottery is reportedly still eligible to receive food stamps. I know right!
Here is why:
Eligibility for food stamps is based on gross income and follows federal guidelines; lottery winnings are considered liquid assets and don’t count as income. As long as Fick’s gross income stays below the eligibility requirement for food stamps, he can receive them, even if he has a million dollars in the bank.
“If you’re going to try to make me feel bad, you’re not going to do it,” Fick told WNEM-TV in Saginaw on Monday.
Food stamps are paid for through tax dollars and are meant to help support low-income families.
—
Nearly 1.9 million Michigan residents are enrolled in the food assistance program. More than 805,000 are children, according to the Detroit Free Press.
In 2009, the Office of Inspector General investigated more than 2,600 food assistance complaints, finding more than $5 million in fraud.
Though the food stamp program is federal and states must follow U.S. guidelines, states sometimes request waivers of rules. Michigan was granted a waiver recently to stop college students from qualifying for food stamps.
What are YOUR thoughts on the subject??
