NY Times: A Surprise Bounty From a Food Stamp Lawsuit

[marmar]

A Surprise Bounty From a Food Stamp Lawsuit

By LESLIE KAUFMAN
Published: November 26, 2008


Class-action lawsuits, especially the type that drag on for years, are rarely synonymous with sudden joy, serendipitous generosity, or an unexpected Thanksgiving turkey.

But this month Harris v. Eggleston, a lawsuit with its roots in 1990s welfare reform under Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani, is the unlikely vehicle for spreading holiday cheer to thousands of the poorest households in the city.

The lawsuit, which charged that thousands of people were illegally denied food stamps after they moved to receive Social Security disability payments instead of welfare benefits, was settled at the end of 2006. Yet only now are the roughly $12 million in awards being distributed to nearly 9,500 households in the five boroughs in the form of credits to electronic benefit cards.

The payback does not quite amount to winning the lottery — the 18 largest reimbursements top $5,000, and most average far less. And all of the credits can be used only for food.

Still, to many who had given up on or forgotten what they were owed, the money in their accounts, some of which arrived before any notice from the government to explain it, has been a rare moment of bounty at an otherwise dismal economic moment. .......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/nyregion/27stamps.html?_r=1

[elleng]

1. VERY GOOD NEWS!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. What a great story... more from the article:

She began crying a bit when she described finally receiving the first half of the $444 she was owed from 1999. “I just went out and got a ham,” she said, “and cooked it with cloves, apple juice and raisins. It was very sweet.”

Others who received the money in the last several weeks said they delayed gratification a bit to make the holidays more festive in a year that has otherwise been very tough.

Luis Rosario, 52, who lives in the Bronx with his mother, received $2,333, because he was cut off in 1999 and was just put back in the program.

He said he would use the money to make a Thanksgiving meal of roast pork and turkey for his sister, daughters and grandchildren.

And, he said, he would also take care of Christmas, too. “We usually go to my sister in New Jersey, but she was laid off,” Mr. Rosario said, “so this year we are going to take care of everyone.”

It is a sentiment that would sit well with Abdelkader Louali, who also lives in the Bronx and got a payout of $550. With that money Mr. Louali, who lives alone, purchased some shrimp as a treat, and he also bought $64 in food for neighbors who were in need.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

3. My hero for today:

Mr. Louali, who proves that the capacity of the human heart is boundless.

[BrklynLiberal]

4. Sometimes it seems that those with the least are the most generous...

[tblue37]

6. In general, people of limited means give far more of what they

have to charity than the affluent.

[gratuitous]

5. "Welfare reform under Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani"

Remind me again what a swell mayor this guy was? Sorry, but a few hours of leadership doesn't offset all the years of abusive governance. Maybe it would be better to have Giuliani & Associates fund this settlement.

[tblue37]

7. What leadership? He was in NY, and he simply showed up. In other words,

the only reason people thought he was being such a leader is that the actual president was running all over the country in fear of getting his own ass blown up. Giuliani did not do anything special that day.