Food Stamps and classes for Latino immigrants (AND illegial immigrants!)

[Sarah]

This makes me furious!! Especially since it's encouraging the illegials to take advantage of our government funding

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la...ck=1&cset=true

Food-Stamp Program Finally Speaks Their Language
KMEX helps an effort to get Latino immigrants to apply for food stamps. An O.C. group takes it a step further and offers a class on how to do it.
By Jennifer Delson, Times Staff Writer
October 13, 2006


Though it goes against the conventional wisdom of anti-illegal immigration supporters, those who enroll the poor in the federal food stamp program say they've struggled for years to get immigrant Latino families signed up.

Now a Spanish-language news report and television ad campaign have spurred thousands of immigrants in Orange County over the last several weeks to contact a nonprofit organization that offers a Spanish-language class called "Food Stamps in Four Hours."

The stream of immigrants contrasts sharply with what was going on just a few months ago when only a handful of immigrants would attend the free course.

The news report and ads were heard throughout Southern California, but those who responded in Orange County were directed to a nonprofit organization. Most other callers to the toll-free number were directed to county offices.

The Orange County strategy has been lauded throughout the state as a way to reach immigrants who are reluctant to get help from the government.

"They won't come on their own," said Jerry Sanders, food bank manager of the nonprofit Community Action Partnership of Orange County in Garden Grove. "They come from countries where they think the government isn't to be trusted. They figure there's a catch to free food."

Advocates say immigrants, if here illegally, are also worried about being deported if they apply for food stamps. Or they fear jeopardizing a pending application for residency or citizenship. Illegal immigrants can apply on behalf of their minor children here legally.

Other immigrants say they were simply embarrassed.

"The Mexican man is macho. He doesn't want to come to this country and beg," said Alfonso Chavez, the Community Action Partnership's outreach coordinator. "I tell them this is a program that will help the children. The kids are American-born, and they have a right to this program."

A Los Angeles County Department of Social Services task force is looking at ways to find eligible families to enroll. County workers have signed up families at food banks with only minor success.

"We recognize that people in Orange County are ahead of us," said task force member Bruce Rankin, the executive director of the Westside Food Bank in Los Angeles. "The rest of us in the state are looking at Orange County for ideas." Low participation, he said, "is a dilemma in the state."

The federal government estimates 60% of eligible households participate in the food stamp program nationally. In California, the participation rate drops sharply. A study of 2003 participation rates by Mathematica Policy Research, a nonpartisan research group, showed that 34% of California's working poor participated in the program that year, the third lowest percentage among the 50 states.

There are 30,000 households in Orange County that receive food stamps, federal officials said.

Sanders of the Community Action Partnership estimates more than three times that amount could qualify.

Aliso Viejo resident Jim Gilchrist, co-founder of the Minuteman Project, which fights illegal immigration, said the Orange County program encouraged illegal immigration.
These immigrants and their children "should only be given life-saving medical care," Gilchrist said.

"If we encourage illegal alien families to come forward and exploit the … system, aren't we encouraging more illegal immigration? We have to cut these benefits off."

In 2004, Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service and the Mexican Embassy agreed to jointly disseminate brochures and create the public service announcements.

The agreement led Mexican Consul Luis Miguel Ortiz Haro to tout the food stamp program on Univision's KMEX Channel 34 six weeks ago. The newscast included the partnership's phone number. More than 1,200 people called the partnership in the following days, Sanders said.

Then, two weeks ago, the Department of Agriculture began to air a monthlong series of ads on Spanish-language television in Southern California and three other markets in the U.S.

[Caimbrie]

That pisses me off.

[Kristin]

O M G You have got to be kidding me!

[Shep's Wife]

you know this bothers me because my father is homeless and he has told me that he had hard time getting assitance, I didnt believe him, now I wonder he is a US citizen that is in great need of help and he has a hard time with it and then I read they are reaching out to illegal immigrants? I mean I understand feeding the kids, I wouldnt want any child to go hungary, but still, it bugs me.

[harrisonsdream]

wtf?!?!? that's really screwed up. i completely agree that it encourages illegal immigration. why would you stay where you if you can get free aid and free food?!!?

[MontanaSweetie]

I have a feeling that they are doing that because they've had a severe lack of participation, and when that happens then they could lose their funding for the program all together, so now they are broadcasting on a wide scale to bring in more people.

[Ms_Rogerthat]

:

[Veronica]

This is a very touchy subject for me, I dont agree with ILLEGAL immigrants coming to this country and receiving aid, BUT my thoughts change when there are children involved. CA is a VERY liberal state, and most immigrants filter into CA...I feel way more on this subject, but honestly cant express my opinion on this subject by typing...

[Sam*]

[Cher]

Why is it that someone who is here illegally can get assistance like that, but a US Citizen can't? Not to long ago I was really broke and was turned down for government aid. I worked two jobs that made my total income $1,000 per month, I was going to school full time AND I was taking care of my disabled mother. The $1,000 only paid the rent and the only reason we had a little bit of food on our table was because the church down the street gave us food through the Angel Network. Where was the government for me and my mom through all of that? No where.

However, I do have to say that no child should starve because their parent's status of citizenship in this country. I just wonder why these places that are helping them get food stamps aren't helping them with paper work to become legal citizen's so they can work for a living. Seems like the more productive thing to do.