We applied for food stamps last week. The online application took four hours to complete. It was about 50 pages of questions covering everything from medical history to work and financial situations. Each page took about a minute to submit and load the next page for some reason (is their server really that taxed, or do they have it on a bank of modems?).
Over the weekend, we got a letter from DSHS telling us that we needed to come in for an interview. They had scheduled us an apointment for February 9th at 3pm. Unfortunately, Annie’s working at that time, and I don’t have a way to get there on my own.
So I called to reschedule. After taking my information the woman on the phone says “Okay, we’re sending you a new letter.”
What?
After going back and forth with this woman a few times, I learn that they DON’T HAVE any way to schedule an appointment. They can only send letters with a random appointment time on them, and if that one doesn’t work either, you have to call to reschedule again. Plus, if you don’t get your interview within 30 days of submitting your application, you have to start over and re-apply.
I explain to this woman why we can’t make the first appointment and she grudgingly concedes that she will try to get us an appointment sometime before noon on a weekday, but that she can’t promise anything.
This is the most idiotic thing I’ve ever heard. Even Qwest didn’t have anything this dumb. So we’re waiting for the next letter with our next random appointment time to see if we can make it.
If Annie had a normal job, we could just ask for a day off, but Nanny jobs don’t really work that way.
Sorry to hear about the runaround you are receiving on setting up your interview. Sometimes you just have to wonder what they were thinking when they put that plan into action!!! Hoping that the next letter will be a time that will works out perfectly for you both, Happy Groundhog Day, love mom
Man.. I was just browsing the net for a blog or message board to get some info on how to use the food stamps I just got in Oregon. Sheesh.. In Oregon, I walked in DHS… filled out an easy two page application… immediately went in to talk to a social worker… and walked out with food stamps. Easy as it comes. I can’t believe what you have had o go through. You posted this in Feb…. so I hope you got the relief you need by now! It’s not easy being poor in America….
What website you go to, to for the application? Please help me out!!!!
I was just wondering if you have ever heard of WIC ? It’s a program that’s kind of like food stamps, but a little more limited. You get cheese, milk, cereal, eggs, and peanut butter… you know, the basics. It’s for pregnant or nursing/not nursing mommies with children under 5. Might be a help. I found your page because we are contemplating naming our third baby if it’s a girl Zoe Lynn. Your daughter is really beautiful.
@Tashara
We were living in Washington at the time, and they had an online application. It looks like Oregon doesn’t have an online app, though. By going to google and searching for “Oregon food stamps” I found this page with the PDF that you can print out to apply. If you’re not in Oregon, just google for your state’s name and “food stamps” or “food benefits.”
@Slynndam
Thanks, yeah, we qualified for WIC, but Annie doesn’t do dairy, so it ended up not being a lot of help for us. In the meantime, however, we moved back to Portland where my family lives, and haven’t needed to get back on welfare. *fingers crossed*