Maybe there should be a mandatory class for people using food stamps to show them how to shop smarter and how to read labels to make sure they are buying the most nutritious food possible within their budget.

When it comes down to this, we don't need to have an "us" vs "them" mentality. Not everyone with a low income is a bad person/mother. We should not be so quick to judge people before we even know their story.

I see both sides here. It is sad to see people who are already feeling desperate affected by rising food prices; the example of the Mom trying to feed her family of 4 on $135/month is dispicable. That needs to change.
However, Happymom is right about the maximum payout of $500+ dollars. If you are being a wise shopper, you can feed a family of 4 on that. Maybe your produce isn't always fresh, but frozen is just as good for you and there is nothing wrong with eating clearance meat. This is how many of us normally eat.
For example, the Mom who was going without, so her daughter could eat....I don't understand. They state that she is getting $280/month in food stamps and $65/month from another program that I am assuming is something like WIC. That is enough money to feed one adult and one child, even with diapers and formula (and I say this living in one of the most expensive areas of the country). I just don't get those numbers.....

If I read correctly, the mom of 4 with $135/month has 4 GROWN children!! Also, I am not trying to be rude, but we are a family of 5 with way less grocery money! And, the mom I am talking about that takes food stamps and volunteers at a soup kitchen - Can't she get a JOB instead of volunteering?? It sure would make sense seeing that she can work; she just chooses to work for no money and get free grocery money from the government.

Okay there are a lot of things you need to know about most people on food stamps. Maybe not all of them do these things but a lot do.
My dh has worked in grocery most of our married life and the stories he tells!!!

First off they eat much better than we do. They don't think twice about buying shrimp, steak, etc.... I don't know about you, but we don't eat those things very often because they cost lots of money. My dh has seen it all. He checked some people out one time that even had a lobster!!! I have never had lobster!

Second, they know how to get around it. Before the link card they use to send their children in with a dollar food stamp each and have them buy the cheapest candy they could find, get the change and keep having them go back until they had enough cash to buy their alcohol or cigarettes.

They have figured out the link card to. Say the link card holder will find person A who will give them a grocery list. Link card holder goes in buys what is on the grocery list, then person A will give the link card holder cash for the grocerys. But not dollar for dollar mind you. They will get a discount of what ever they have worked out. Then they are all happy. Person A gets cheap groceries and the link card holder gets cash to buy all those things that they can't purchase with a link card.

There are lots of other ways they get around the system. But it is really hard to feel sorry for people who take advantage of the system. And the sad thing is, is their children are the ones that suffer and their children learn from how their parents are.

I have a family of 4 and my husband just began working again after being laid off for four months. We were receiving unemployment, but after paying all our bills (no splurges-rent, utilities, car notes, etc.) we were left with just over $100/month for groceries, household items, AND gas. We got by, you just have to learn to live within your means.

I truly believe that there are people who need the assistance and do not take advantage of the system. But I still am in favor of LOWERING the benefits and putting the extra money towards mandatory classes to teach these families how to stretch things further. Classes teaching people how to cook from scratch or to shop smarter would be a better investment b/c its something that is more likely to help them get off food stamps and keep them off. I'm not saying everyone who gets aid is wasteful, but I do think that many are naive as to how to grocery shop and cook in a more economical way. And its just human nature to not be as frugal with money you didn't have to work for.