NY Welfare Recipients are Shipping Groceries to Relatives in Other Countries...

[jjs07]

NY food stamp recipients are shipping welfare-funded groceries to relatives in Jamaica, Dominican Republic and Haiti

By KATE BRIQUELET and ISABEL VINCENT
Last Updated: 11:35 AM, July 21, 2013
Posted: 12:34 AM, July 21, 2013


Food stamps are paying for trans-Atlantic takeout — with New Yorkers using taxpayer-funded benefits to ship food to relatives in Jamaica, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

Welfare recipients are buying groceries with their Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards and packing them in giant barrels for the trip overseas, The Post found.

The practice is so common that hundreds of 45- to 55-gallon cardboard and plastic barrels line the walls of supermarkets in almost every Caribbean corner of the city.

Link


Not sure how I feel about this...and honestly, I'm kinda conflicted. I'm going to go ahead and ASSUME that those receiving food in other countries are in need. So, at least they are getting fed....I hate seeing people starve. However, those shipping the food are obviously abusing the system on tax funded money. It's a pretty smart come-up....but I'm not a fan of this benefit being abused.

 

[rell826]

Guarantee those shipping groceries back to the Caribbean aren't citizens to begin with. A lot of them running around Flatbush who came on a flight and never left. Another example of the broken system.

 

[keko jones]

This being going on for years ....

Like OP said conflicted ...

I know why they are doing it, but why are the taxpayer paying for it?

 

[mondaynightraw]

 

[deek510]

as a tax payer, this is some bs. abuse of all the tax funded government assistance programs stays running rampant and instead of cracking down, they'll just raise taxes.

 

[mondaynightraw]

as a tax payer, this is some bs. abuse of all the tax funded government assistance programs stays running rampant and instead of cracking down, they'll just raise taxes.

It's hard to crack down on things like that.

They don't know what you do with the funds once you get them

 

[jordan23dotcom]

I'm a firm believer of no work no pay

 

[jjs07]

as a tax payer, this is some bs. abuse of all the tax funded government assistance programs stays running rampant and instead of cracking down, they'll just raise taxes.

I mean, how exactly can anything be done about this? How can the system be someone fixed?

 

[keko jones]

I'm a firm believer of no work no pay

I do agree with this ...

I have argued this point in the past ..

If the system is paying, put those to work. Clean streets, parks, etc etc etc.

Those that can't because of their kids - trained them for baby sitters etc and have them take kids in while the others work.

No prolong standing - having work sitting on their as doing some BS job that we pay people to do ...

Something along those lines ..

 

[Chopper]

I mean, how exactly can anything be done about this? How can the system be someone fixed?

 I'm not suggesting this (haven't thought about it enough), but what about only allowing food stamps to be used on perishable foods? Fruits, vegetables, etc? 

 

[fresh out dabox]

wow that sucks. If theyre shipping the food to other countrys. then what the hell are they eating? the govt need to put the clamps on these bad apples or make an example out of them

 

[deek510]

Not even sure, but with all the abuse, seems like they need to have more restrictions on what and how much they can buy. Seems like they have enough food if they're giving food away. I like the idea of majority perishable foods, especially since they seem to care so much about our obesity problem... but they won't figure it out, they will just throw more fake money at it.

*flame suit on*

 

[rell826]

They're shipping non perishables, canned foods/drinks, bags of rice. When it comes to food stamps I'm for limiting what you can buy with them. Some may see it totalitarian but from the stufd I've seen purchased on the taxpayers dime, it needs to happen.

 

[freakydestroyer]

Maybe I am missing something, but how is it worth it to ship food with the cost of shipping?

 

[jjs07]

Maybe I am missing something, but how is it worth it to ship food with the cost of shipping?

They are stockpiling food over time. I think the shipping cost was only $70, but they are sending close to $2000 worth of perishables in the containers. It's crazy.

 

[rell826]

With food stamps, they're not coming out of their pocket unless its to cover the remaining costs. The taxpayer money covered the food and they're using what money they habe to ship. If you're sending hundreds maybe thousands worth of food, shipping is a bargain.

 

[freakydestroyer]

I mean I don't see what the problem is really unless they arent citizens. They're just sharing the food with their families right?

 

[freakydestroyer]

I mean I don't see what the problem is really unless they arent citizens. They're just sharing the food with their families right?

The problem is that's food bought with tax paying citizens money in the US.

The reason it's given to them is apparently they need the food / help.

If they shipping **** to DR, that means they don't need the food, because they have excess.

It's bad enough Tax Payers are paying for them, but now they feeding the world to?

Right... But these are crumbs compared to money that is cheated from taxpayers B. look at the bigger picture.

 

[zapatohead408]

Yea, I'm all for helping others, but my tax dollars need to stay in my country and help my people.

 

[rell826]

As I already said, many of these people aren't citizens. They aren't even here on green cards. Very easy to game the system to get welfare, Medicaid, etc.

 

[freakydestroyer]

As I already said, many of these people aren't citizens. They aren't even here on green cards. Very easy to game the system to get welfare, Medicaid, etc.

How do they do that seriously?

 

[miketysonthekiller]

How do they do that seriously?

I think this was what was happening in France as well. Immigrants would come in and get on that welfare and never get a job. Just live off of the government. I think France smarten'd up though. They put a cap on that **** quick. How you gonna come into the country and live for free, refuse to assimilate and try to advance your own culture and beliefs on the citizens? If islamist extremist do that here, I won't even know what to do with my anger.

 

[htg designs]

they out sourcing welfare now? bumbo!

 

[snaggykicks]

smh

 

[ice city fc]

I'm not even mad. I have family back in Jamaica, if they were in need I'd do the same thing.

Would the government alternatively put this tax payer money to good use? I'm not exactly full of confidence.