fisherkimberly+FollowI Followed the Rules — the System Punished MeI work full-time as a grocery cashier. When my hourly wage increased to $17, my SNAP benefits were cut immediately. The system doesn’t care about rent hikes or car payments—only income lines. Meanwhile, coworkers cut hours to stay eligible. They’re less stressed and eat better than I do. At some point, you stop asking who’s wrong and start questioning what the system actually rewards. #SNAPLife #IncomeCliff #WorkingPoor #Fairness00Share
Heidi Craig+FollowI’m Not Rich — I Was Just Told I’m Not Poor EnoughI work morning shifts at a logistics warehouse. Stable income, nothing extra. After my father had a stroke, I became his sole caregiver. I applied for SNAP hoping for some relief. The system denied me—income over the limit by $120. I tried explaining medical bills, transportation, lost hours. None of it mattered. Later, I reduced my work hours and reapplied. This time, I was approved. Some call this “gaming the system.” But without doing it, I couldn’t afford groceries. When the system rewards becoming poorer, what does fairness even mean? #SNAPPolicy #CaregiverLife #IncomeCliff #Fairness40Share
Melissa Day+FollowWe Didn’t Commit SNAP Fraud, But We Were Treated Like SuspectsMy sister-in-law applied for SNAP with two kids after her husband was laid off. They relied on gig work to get by. Every recertification felt like proving they weren’t lying—bank statements, lease agreements, birth certificates. Once, a system delay pushed benefits back two weeks. The fridge emptied. She avoided buying meat, afraid the balance wouldn’t last. She said the hardest part wasn’t the lack of money—it was being constantly suspected. The policy says “fraud prevention.” The scrutiny always lands on those without a safety net. #SNAPBenefits #FoodSecurity #WelfareDebate #Fairness30Share
Sydney Payne+FollowI Ride the Cramped Bus to Work, They Get Luxury Coach BusesI wake up at 5 AM to take the overcrowded public bus to my shift. Last week, I saw a luxury coach pull up downtown, dropping off recently arrived migrants. The city is chartering expensive buses for them. We pay twice—once for our ride, and again for the first-class service given to those who just walked across the border. #PublicTransit #MigrantBenefits #GovernmentSpending #Fairness00Share
