"If you really need this honey, you'll find a way to get it."

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP!), which I have been referring to as "Food Stamps" (I'm so retro) is a federal program administered by the USDA. However, at risk of turning ourselves into socialists, we have taken the federal money and allowed the individual states to distribute the cash. Whew, that was a close one.

A friend of mine in a similar position in Washington State told me that she was able to file her application online and then request a phone interview. Another friend in Ohio received his ebt card in the mail while I was visiting about a month ago.

In D.C., you have to go to the office and get there early so you aren't turned away. Today I stood in line with about 50 people outside before the doors even opened. I sat in the waiting room for 3 hours and watched more and more people file in until there was only standing room. My application was processed, and just before I felt a sense of relief, I was told that I couldn't get my ebt card there and no, they don't mail it to you. After allowing 24 hours for processing, you have to go to another office on the other side of town and wait in another line, in another office. And their only open during regular business hours, of course.

I know it sounds like I'm complaining, but I'm not. I'm lucky enough to have a position that is flexible and work with people who are considerate and will let me work my schedule so that I can do these things. I am really, really lucky that I'm the only mouth I have to feed. I am lucky to have had a little bit of money saved up so that I could have some groceries to keep me going until I get that card. I just think that it's really interesting to think about how these things work. It's the same money being given in each state, but the ways in which it is distributed seems to be very different.