What is the Problem?

Currently in American society an individual’s status as a full or part time college student is an almost automatic rejection for any application to receive Food Stamps.

The rule as provided by the USDA is:
"The rules states that individuals enrolled at least half time in institutions of higher education (colleges and universities) are ineligible to receive Food Assistance Program benefits, unless they meet certain exemptions.
These exemptions are:
· being age 50 or older,
· receiving a temporary or permanent disability benefit (such as SSI or SSDI),
· being responsible for care of a dependent child under age six,
· receiving Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA),
· assigned or placed in school through a state or local government employment program, working a minimum of 20 hours per week with pay equal to 20 times the federal minimum wage or self-employed a minimum of 20 hours per week and receiving payment for the work at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 20 hours per week, or participating in a federal or state “work study” program."

It is the goal of this Petition that the USDA and the Federal Government (as well as any participating State offices) not consider college attendance as a disqualification for Food Stamps but that the deciding factor should be the income of the student or the student's family.

Why is this a Problem?

It is commonly understood in our society that college students are generally poor and struggling financially while attending classes. This is an understandable necessity since students are more often than not distracted from work and finances by their studies. To be clear this petition does not suggest that ALL college students should receive Food Stamps simply because they are students.

Instead this petition considers the college students coming from low-income families. Families that may have been on Food Stamps before or would otherwise qualify for Food Stamps and similar assistance from the government if college attendance were not counted. According to the rules currently established by the USDA, college attendance overrides other qualifications for receiving benefits. This means that an individual or family may have multiple conditions that would allow them to receive benefits but because he or she is attending college, even part time, those qualifications are ignored and the benefits application is rejected.

The issue then is that single mothers, children of low-income parents etc. are being punished for attempting to improve their financial stability and potential through a college education. In the United States of America, we should be waging wars on poverty not on poor people (as the saying goes). We should encourage and help those who live in poverty find the means and ability to improve their socioeconomic standing in this country. Never should we be the ones keeping the poor in poverty because they have to choose between food and a college education.

A college student from a wealthy or middle class family may be “poor” due to their status as a student but the situation is not the same. Such students have family who can be called on for help. They have parents or older siblings or even extended family members with stable finances who can help provide food, gift cards, money etc. in times of need. Students coming from low-income families do not have these opportunities. They do not typically receive gifts of money for Christmas, or gift cards from grandparents, and their parents are most likely unable to let their children “borrow” money because they themselves are living from paycheck to paycheck. In short it comes down to a question of what kind of resources does a person have to draw on, college students from low-income families have far fewer resources than individuals from any other economic class.

Some people might question the need for Food Stamps when Financial Aid, such as grants or loans, are often readily available. The answer to that concern comes down to some math and a realization that Financial Aid is meant to be a subsidy to help students get an education and not a full government scholarship covering all tuition or other required expenses. Let’s take the rather well known University of Florida as an example: According the University’s website(1) an in-state college student living at home should expect to pay more than $11,000 a year towards an undergraduate degree (actual costs of course vary). The maximum possible allowance of the FAFSA Pell Grant, per year, is roughly $5,700(2) if you meet the proper criteria. The maximum Federal assistance does not cover even basic in-state tuition at this university (or many others). The rest must be paid via loans or, if luck would have it, some sort of scholarship. To a young student coming from a low-income family or to a single parent with young or relatively young children this seems exceptionally daunting. It should also be noted that the maximum award of the Pell Grant only applies to full-time college attendance, and I know from experience that if a student moves to part-time the amount of Federal aid is dramatically cut (while school expenses drop far less dramatically). Financial Aid is helpful but it is not an answer to all problems regarding school expenses, especially for those who need the help the most.

Going to college is difficult and expensive enough as it is in the country for everyone, we do not need to make the burden even harder for the poor who do not already have financial resources to draw on. This is why this petition exists. This is why we want college students coming from low-income families to not be denied Food Stamps just because they are college students.

Looking at the Exemptions

The rules provided above from the USDA do allow for certain exemptions to the general policy of rejection for college students. To help any who might have doubts about the usefulness of our arguments I would like to take some time and briefly describe these exemptions and how effective they might be for the average student.

1. Be age 50 or older – If you are a Senior Citizen and going to college during what is generally considered retirement age you may receive Food Stamps. Does this apply to you?
2. Receiving a temporary or permanent disability benefit (such as SSI or SSDI) – There are a number of disabilities that might be included in this exemption and I would contend that this is a good exemption. Individuals with various types of disabilities have the cards stacked against them enough as it and do need the help Food Stamps can provide. But what about people who are not disabled?
3. Be responsible for the care of a dependent child under age six – Ok, that’s good thing. But what about a single mother with a nine-year-old? Perhaps she might qualify for Food Stamps due to her income and single parent status but if she attends college her application is denied because her child is a little older than six, though still far too young to be able to help provide for family.
4. Receive Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) – This goes without saying that TCA has its own set of restrictions and may be difficult or even possible to obtain for a college student. The rules for TCA might vary by state but generally it is most applicable to families with children and total assets of less than $10,000 (including vehicles) among other highly variable conditions. A primary stated purpose of this program, according to the State of Florida(3), is: “The program helps families become self-supporting while allowing children to remain in their own homes.” In most cases this would not apply to college students.
5. Assigned or placed in school through a state or local government employment program, working a minimum of 20 hours per week with pay equal to 20 times the federal minimum wage or self-employed a minimum of 20 hours per week and receiving payment for the work at least equal to the federal minimum wage multiplied by 20 hours per week, or participating in a federal or state “work study” program. – There are multiple considerations put into this single exemption and it may be difficult to understand for some. Also it appears to show several loopholes that might best be addressed by a lawyer rather than a college student. I will not say that working while in college is a bad thing, but it may not always be practical and work may easily impact grades (which will also impact Financial Aid). The point of an education is to prepare a student for a “better” job that will provide a far more stable and comfortable standard of living for him or herself as well as his or her family and future family. A student’s primary focus should be on actually learning the required curriculum and less on the stresses of work and bills and even less on the desperation of food and shelter.

Why am I doing this?

I myself am one of these students who comes from a low-income family and who is attempting to go to college. I will be the first in my family to receive a Bachelor’s degree if I can find a way past the financial obstacles that have gotten in the way of family before me and thousands of people like us. I don’t want to stay “poor”, not when there are so many opportunities out there to learn and enjoy. I want to get a good job and not have to worry about every dollar like my parents and other family members do. There is no reason why I couldn’t do that in America. This is the land of opportunity and fresh starts, and I want to see politics actually side with helping the poor, like me, get out of poverty.