Stigma/Stereotype
“Paul”
Judgment in the Grocery Line —Alamance County, NC, grocery cashier— It’s something that I’ve heard about. And with certain students, I’ll joke about it with them about it or just a particular co-worker, that she’ll come and go like, “This … Continue reading
Erica
Assumption of Dependence —Alamance County, NC, aid provider— A couple of years ago I was sitting in a dentist’s office. The gentleman beside me…we were just, you know, general conversation. And he says, “Oh, what do you do?” So I … Continue reading
“Johnny”
Disabled But Still Expected to Work —Alamance County, NC, resident— Well, I’ve had several experiences with my daddy-in-law. He was unable to work; he was blind in one eye, and he lost use of his left arm. And he went … Continue reading
“Cindy”
Alamance County resident.
Change in Circumstances
So, I didn’t know my daughter’s dad was on welfare until she said something about it. Well, she didn’t know it was welfare; she asked me about a grocery store receipt. I’m like, “What? I mean, how does this man go from driving a Mercedes and living in a fancy house to welfare and food stamps?” Continue reading
Eddie Boswell
Stigma about Food Aid —Alamance County, NC, politician— Like I say, some people just would do anything not to do it [accept government assistance] because it just feels like they’re less than what they should be is pretty much it. … Continue reading
Tim Sutton
Alamance County Commissioner Tim Sutton.
Eligibility
My wife and I had two boys and she had a daughter, my step-daughter. My wife did not work ever until I lost a job, the job at the bank. I wanted her home with the kids and we sacrificed a lot of our material gains, but as a family, we were a better family unit. My mother never worked. I never knew my mother to have a job. And years ago, the wives and the mothers were home. Every mother in my neighborhood when I was a kid in Virginia and Alabama was home. Nobody worked.
My wife and I, we qualified for reduced lunches at our kids’ schools, and I was shocked that I did… Continue reading
Tracy S.
Alamance County, NC, aid provider and former recipient.
The Stigma of Temporary Aid
My ex-husband and I owned a restaurant and the restaurant, it started not going very well. And so he actually started having a drinking problem. So at that point, I decided to move out. So my son, who was three or four at the time, we moved into an apartment… Continue reading
“James”
Cedar Rapids, Iowa, past aid recipient.
Judging Others Until in Need
Those two years on Food Stamps were two years of hell psychologically because I thought only losers were on Food Stamps. The toughest thing was using the Food Stamps at the grocery store. Being on Food Stamps made me more accepting of those on the program Continue reading