photo #8736696

A woman on SNAP food stamps says:“Having these resources has allowed me to be independent.”Read that again.The government paying all her bills has made her feel independent.Interviewer: Having those resources, what does it mean to you and for your life?Woman: Everything. It means everything to me. I don't know what I would do except have to rely on my family and I don't want to do that right now. There'll be a time when I'll probably have to live with one of my sons, but for now, I want to be independent, I want to be on my own.Interviewer: Having these resources has allowed you to be independent.Woman: Yes. It's allowing me to be independent.Interviewer: When you're looking at Congress right now and the idea that they can't figure out an agreement at this point to fund the government, and therefore fund programs like SNAP benefits, how does that make you feel?Woman: Well, disappointed. Very disappointed. You know, they're adults. They all have families, they all have children. Can they not try to feel being in somebody else's shoes and knowing what it's like? I mean, political people make a lot of money, you know, and sometimes I think that they lose touch with the rest of their constituents in their states. We're just people that just need to eat and have some security in our lives. That's what it's about. I'm not sure what we're going to do. I probably have enough food in my freezer for three weeks.Interviewer: For three weeks?Woman: If that. Yeah.Interviewer: But afterwards—Woman: And that's not eating breakfast or lunch.Interviewer: So you're thinking about rationing.Woman: Rationing, of course.Interviewer: At this point. Is this ever a situation that you thought you would find yourself in?Woman: Oh, never. Never. Never.Interviewer: Come November 1st, if you're not able to access your full benefits, what exactly do you think you're going to need to do?Woman: I'll have to ask my children to help me.Interviewer: And what does that feel like?Woman: That's an awful feeling.Interviewer: How so?Woman: I'm sorry.Interviewer: No, I can—Woman: Because you want to help your children. It shouldn't be this way. Your children shouldn't be helping you. You should be helping them or being there for them for advice or whatever they may need. But for them to have to help me… It's a little tough to think about sometimes.