Florida Department of Children and Families - Food Stamp Program review: Inability to reach the Florida Department of Children and Families 146

I think it a shame that apparently this is common place with an agency that is supposed to be there for Children. I am an African American man and single custodial father of a young child. I reapplied for my food assistance online as I have in the past. I recieve no support from the mother and have not in the 10 years I have been a single father. My situation has not changed since the last time I recertified. I recieved notice of a phone interview. I had to take the day off from work to make the call since I work 8 am to 5 pm. I called on the day I was supposed to at 8 am sharp. I received a recording and was placed on hold where I remained for an hour and 45 mins. I had to leave for a Dr appointment. When I returned I called again and received a message tthat stated that due to call volume my call could not be taken and to call later. I sent 2 letters into the local office asking what I should do and recieved no response at all. I made a personal trip to the local office and was told that I would have to reapply. I am in TOTAL DISBELIEF. iT appears that they make it almost impossible for you to get the assistance that is supposed to be there for the kids.

I agree with the government not wanting to help us. The laws and policies they have are ridiculous. First of all they need to change the cost of living guidelines. Also going by someones gross income instead of the net pay needs to be reevaluated. People who receive unemployment and have children should qualify for full benefits. Really unemployment does not pay the bills. Why should a recipient pay back over paid foodstamps given to them by the fault of DCF not doing their job, especially if the information was faxed to them several times.

I can vouch that the FL system is a JOKE. I work menial jobs after getting laid off a few months ago. I got expedited 5 months after applying. I got it the first month, then they cut me off. I didn't get anything for 5 months. I had to find ways to feed 3 people on 20 or 25 dollars a week. They finally gave it to me again after 5 months, then at the end of the month they tell me I need to re-apply because I've had it for 6 months. Wtf? I sent in all of the paper work again, the day they told me I would need to start getting it together. It's now been another 2 months and I have the STRANGEST feeling I'm going to go through it all again. I tried calling and got a very rude person one time, who talked to me for about 5 seconds before saying all she can do is help reset my online password.. okay I don't need that, can you give me the number to someone who can help me? She gives me the number I had just called.. the number I was talking to her on right that second! When I told her this, she just said "oh well" and hung up on me. I have a can of green beans to split between us 3 until it gets figured out or some extra money pops up somewhere.

I have called numerous times in regards to my case. The 866 number is frustrating. I have been hung-up on my numerous agents, spoken to in a language that I do not understand, nor did I request to speak to someone in a foreign language. The agents did not provide the info that I needed. The 866 line is useless and should be disbanded...Like many people on this comment board I have worked hard and paid my taxes for many years before needing some type of assistance. There are no numbers provided to be able to talk to someone directly in regards to your case and all that we are given is the runaround. I feel like I need to physically go into an office to ensure that the cases are handled properly. A person can starve to death waiting for help. It is ridiculous and frustrating...

Unfortunately, the moochers make it bad for those who really need it. I get so mad when I see a lady, with a couple of kids, in the grocery store and they are all dressed in expensive clothes, all have expensive cell phones and all kinds of jewelry on - only, to see her pay for 2 buggies, filled to the top, with food stamps. Then, she goes out and gets in a nice car. She has never worked, nor does she want too. Why get a job, when she can spit out babies and get all kinds of benefits, while those who work or have worked all of their lives, get turned down or have to jump through a bunch of hoops? Unfortunately, there are thousands and thousands of those moochers, clogging up the system. Until they reform welfare and really make people get jobs, this kind of crap will continue. There's not enough working people, anymore, to pay for all those on Welfare; so, this will only get worse! Call your Legislator and demand they revise the welfare law, to work with those who really need the help, in mind!

my food stamps were cut off cause i was kicked out and couldnt get ahold of anyone in time to report it cause noone ever answers and now im hungry

Please help, I was approved in March for food stamps throughout till the month of August, received the letter in March 2013.. now on the day that my food stamps are to be put on my EBT card I see on the website that my case is closed due to them saying a letter sent to my previous address was not deliverable? thats bull I looked on there site and under my notices they sent me and the last thing they sent me was the notice i got showing i was approved and now they cut my food stamps off 2 days prior to my allotment date? Why does this agency keep screwing up my case I have always received mail from them regarding my case, this is not the first time they have messed up my case and when i called last time and explained to them that I have no food because of their negligence I was threatened by a worker on the phone well maam if you have no food we need to have child protective services come and check on the kids? How dare threaten me a grandmother that is trying to help her grand babies to eat with taking them away from me?

I agree with the complaints I'm 7 months pregnant living on a fixed income I just did my review and was denied foodstamps and denied an insurance card for my unborn I kept explaining to the people that after I pay my bills I habe no money for food I haven't had a decent meal since June 10, 2013 and it seems as if they don't care.I don't know what elsego do I'm due soon and I have no food I live off 1 check a mmonth and I keep getting denied but I have seen people who get way more income than me get assistance and they don't even need it...what am I supposed to do?

This is to mollie wollie i realize you made your snarky comments quite sometime ago, but attitudes like yours needs adjusting at anytime. i applied for assistance because i am disabled, not because i refuse to work, i physically cant work. not only are you tax payer dollars used but so were mine prior to my disability, my husbands taxes are used as well. Furthermore, my children were all but one were grown, out of the home and self sufficent. Now that child is active duty army. you paint all those requesting help from the state with the same broad brush, we are all unique people with diverse backgrounds. Just because u think something like tHis could never happen to you...you are delusional.

To jc its not a matter of not wanting to work. I cannot physically work. I do think there are flaws in the acceptance process of getting disability, too many folKs of all ages are drawing ssDi or ssi. even Children get ssi, Not for once saying there are not children that rise to the disability of qualifying for ssi, but the system is out of control. If a child is mainstreamed in public school imo that hardly qualifies for diSability.

DCF is horrible! These people don't even work in an office, they all sit on their behinds at home! I applied in June after my son was born and they denied my food stamp application in 1 day because they said they didn't receive all of the verifications they needed. They did receive them, so I called and the woman i spoke to told me that she would send an email of some sort for them to review my case again. i called back 3 days letter as i was instructed to do and was told they had not responded so another email would be sent. I believe a total of 4 emails were sent before a supervisor got involved and for that to happen i had to request tht a supervisor contact me, but i would have to wait up to 2 business days to be contacted! After speaking with the supervisor, she told me she would email my case workers supervisor and I would be contacted hopefully the next day, which i was. They then proceded to tell me that i needed to send in more information. Are you kidding me?! So i sent them more info and still have heard nothing omn my case. I have called and left messages for the supervisor, but i have yet to receive a return phone call. MY son will be 3 months on the 22. These people and this system is RIDICULOUS!

I have been trying to talk to a live person for over a year and I can not get through

I was on food stamps for over 6 years, and let them expire because I had to borrow money one month from my sons to pay bills the month before I had to recertify, and they count that as income. When I tried to recertify, they asked first for two month's verification of income, when it has only ever been one they needed before. Then this time they asked for one month. I sent them the information and had my phone interview. Now my account says "Technical verification, " and I have no idea what that means. Maybe they got suspicious because I let my account lapse, but I am sitting here with $3 and no food in my house, and they have received everything they asked for. I want to know what "technical verification" means. I've never seen that before on my account, but I can't get in touch with anyone to find out. I have tried calling the number before 11 a.m. in the morning when they are doing interviews, and no one answers. I've asked for a call back and never get one. I never had any problems before this.

I agree with everyone. okay so where do I begin. I live in St Petersburg Florida in the Food Stamp office stuff here is crazy. I'm on disability due to a car accident. I work in nursing for many years and unfortunately now rely on disability and food stamps and Medicaid and Medicare. I make less than $900 a month on disability. I have a permanent live in home care provider and a service dog. everything about a service dog is claimable on every government program. the Food Stamp has discriminated against my service dog they refused to count her. this is absolutely illegal. I try to put her on for over 2 years like they asking the questions about service dogs. every time I do someone goes back in the system and takes her back out. note you she is a legal service dog with great credentials. has been my service dog for 6 years. I have not spoke to any workers in about 5 years I have requested for them to call me back or speak to me. now they have stopped my Medicaid needy. for what reason I have no idea. they give me $41 a month in food stamps and my bills override my check. so how the heck am I supposed to live on $41. in the couple of times I did get to speak to someone 5 years plus to go they were very very very rude. and of course no lawyer wants to take a case like this. so I myself for Am looking into a way to petition some government that might listen I've also contact of the White House over this and will be starting a petition over service dogs. what gets me the maddest it was a foreigner comes over and our government give them all these perks finances and food stamps and we can get it. and we live here... this is just crazy and absurd

I know young girls receiving all benefits, living in free rent facilities and getting free checks for rent to only sale and trade illegal and legal personal wants but independent people working hard for a living but needing help get the yearly run around with no help at all. I applied for foodstamps and was told so many reasons i can not get them that its a joke. I no longer want or need the minor help but i refuse to not help those that cant survive without them due ro inside sceaming at our local dcf offices. I applied and was approved but only received them 2 months for $90 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 i need to know what do i pay taxes toward. I promise you all i will investigate and strive for help untill the white house is aware of all this goin on in florida with so many uneducated crimminals working behind desks, phones and personal information, and gladly reminding us there is no managers or supervisors to ever contact.

I agree. You can't ever get anyone on the phone. I was to renew my foodstamps that Ive had for 5 months. I did and I did by the date they gave me to keep from getting a gap in my foodstamp deposit on my card. After 2 days it showed my case was closed. Then 2 weeks later I got back on to try and put in another application. Apparently their system was down when I put in my renewal app. So last minute I had to run around and turn everything in. I had 1 day to do so. I have turn everything in and it shows on my account and also shows a pending amount I should be receiving. It says technical verification. Why? Nothing has changed! I check my account everyday! Ugh! I have 4 kids and need to buy food for them!
For those that say we pop out babies to live off welfare! Um how about you don't judge when you don't know why I need it! I was a homemaker because my kids father made enough for me to stay home with my babies! I was with him since I was 16! He has since decided to leave me and our children for another woman! He works under the table and refuses to pay child support! His words "why should I make your life easier?" Im because they are your children too! And if not they do without! I work my butt off to support my kids! I will accept any extra shifts I can! But it's never enough! I barely pay bills! I can't even afford daycare for my children! I don't make enough to cover it if I didnt have any bills! I don't make enough to buy food! I live paycheck to paycheck barely paying my bills! I beg family members to watch my kids so I can work! It's a daily struggle! Meanwhile their father is posting on FB and tagging himself traveling and living the dream life going out to dinner every damn day! He won't see his kids! He says he's now responsible for his fiancés kids! Smfh easy to be responsible for someone else's kids when their father sends $1, 200 a month for two kids! I get $000 big fat nothing from him! So before you judge us get the facts! I sure didn't choose to need help! But guess what? I haven't left my kids like I see most parents giving up and sending their kids away! No they are my life! I will starve and [censored] before I leave my children! Sometimes bad things happen and we need help!

What does this mean
YOU ARE RECEIVING THE SAME TYPE OF ASSISTANCE FROM ANOTHER PROGRAM

I'm still trying to get my application from March approved in mid May. They don't call for your interview and is near impossible to speak to someone. I had to call several times to let them know my verification of income was uploaded almost a month ago. I haven't had any work for three weeks. The minute I reported that they sent me a notice saying I needed to apply for unemployment. What about the past two months income I reported? I'm starving and about to give up. That's exactly why they do this [censored].

We spend $800b/year on military, Jeff Bezos just got a $50b grant and I can't get 200/ month for food assistance.

Help

This is an ongoing issue we have but they allow people who are not born here to get all our benefits and we have to run around in circles like a dog, then they act like we have to beg it's truly sad we are struggling and the government doesn't care.