Food Stamps Crisis: Committeeman Langert Gets Answers From Ocean County Freeholder, Social Services Official

After learning that hundreds of Lakewood families were left without Food Stamp vouchers in the recent weeks and months, TLS reached out to Committeeman Steven Langert for answers.

After brining it to his attention, Committeeman Langert immediately picked up the phone and contacted Ocean County Freeholder Gerry Little – who serves as the liaison to the Ocean County Social Services in Lakewood.

“Little said they are just as frustrated as we are,” Committeeman Langert said. “He was extremely sympathetic to the needs of the community.”

Langert says that in fact Ocean County has attempted to seek additional help in an effort to bring all certifications up to date, but the law did not allow it.

Langert also spoke with an official at the Social Services center in Lakewood, who said that since the State relaxed the eligiability requirements for Food Stamps in September, 2011, offices around the State have been swamped with calls and applications, attempting to service the record number of applicants.

The official in the local office says that their staff has been increased from 8 to 11 personnel, and the County has approved overtime hours for the office to keep up with the demand. As a result, the delay has gone from 4 months, down to 6 weeks, the official said.

Those who have been knocked off the program, says Langert, will be reimbursed retroactively for the months lost out. TLS.

 

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26 COMMENTS

  1. maybe instead of only relying on food stamps people should have a source of income because the unexpected can happen like the above story and then people are stuck.

  2. SK: Even if you have another source of income, or three other sources of income in my case – sometimes it is just not enough. Be thankful that you are making it, and do not look down at those who are not. One day it might be you who is in need.

  3. Food stamps offices are such a mess. Just a preview of how doctors offices will look when the federal govt takes over healthcare when ObamaCare is fully implemented in 2014.

    Its going to be a long bumpy ride for everyone.

  4. to #2 no one is looking down on others its just that many people feel that there are owned something and take andvantage of these programs. i am working 2 jobs myself along with my huband who puts in 60 hours a week. we are tight too but we are very careful to not spend on things that we don’t need versues want.

  5. Thank-you Mr Langert for giving this your attention: i have a large family and have n idea how I will manage this yontif and dont want to rely on Tomchai shabbos

  6. this is going on for almost a year! How can the committe men be so out of touch with what is going on?
    Even TLS first reported this yesterday ,while people are going hungry for months allready.

  7. I’m telling you that this is just terrible that they have limits on the food stamps card. People are going hungry, and they only give $1,000 a month? They should be giving every family at least $5,000 a month in food stamps. ($60,000 per year). And why are they making people recertify? That is racism. It should be a given – you’re an American citizen – you get $100,000 a year in food stamps. But that’s racism against the illegals, so you should get even if you’re not an Americam, I tell ya. These Obama Democrats are so mean, why aren’t they giving more and more? And they should also buy everyone their own house and their own car. FOR FREE!! Seriously, people can’t afford to buy houses anymore, so we need it for free from the government. What? Who’s gonna pay for it, you ask? Who cares? That doesn’t bother me.

  8. ME: I had enough of struggling and earning a living, and paying through my nose in taxes. I’m just going to take an early retirement and have the taxpayer pay all my living expenses through government programs.
    MY FRIEND: You just woke up? Where were you till now? That’s what half the country is doing already. The other half are the losers who are supporting us.
    ME: So what happens when us losers decide to stop working and just taking govt programs and benefits. Who will pay for all our benefits?
    MY FRIEND: Oh, don’t worry. There will always be stupid people in the world. There will always be people working for a living and paying taxes.
    ME: This mentality is destroying our country.
    MY FRIEND: You sound like a Tea Party extremist.
    ME: Good night.

  9. Hey, SK, believe me, there are plenty of people who are not spending on things they want, work long hours and are still in desperate need. Now they don’t have enough to spend on things they really need, not want, i.e. food.

  10. This is what will happen when the if Romney and the consertives gain control of the government. The social programs will no lo longer be in place. But if your pay is over 1Million you will get a tax brake.

  11. Everyone who wants smaller government should stop complaining when the gov’t cannot perform as efficiently as they used to. Mr. Ryan wants to eliminate 700,000 gov’t employees. Expect delays in every gov’t service you are using.

  12. It’s really not nice to poke fun at the less fortunate. Besides, some of them would probably benefit from one of the twenty jobs that you say you have. Share some of that…there aren’t enough jobs to go around these days for everyone to have two or three!

  13. if Ronmey is elected expect less workers and less benefits. People who are not citizens are not eligible for any government benefits. The children who are born here. The Romney plan shrinks the amount available and if you think there are delays, There may not be food stamps, HUD, WIC. ..

    these benefits are not a RIGHT. they are a temporary measure. HOw many families in lakewood move from food stamps, HUD, WIC, to full employment…

  14. to # 16 if people real are interested in working they would take what ever job they could find even if it means lowering their standards. yet people are not willing to do that. someone who had a job making 50k would rather sit at home until they find a job making the same. in todays time you got to take want you can find.

  15. there are people out there that just take and take i am against illegals for one getting gov. asst when i cant even get it and i dont make enough to feed my family this country SUCKS

  16. yid , your living in a pipe dream if you think the govt is going to give you everything for free. these services are meant to help you ouy until you can get a job and take care of your self. they are not entitlement.

    you better hope obama wins otherwise , romney will cut all these free govt programs and you will just have to work for a living instead of fending off of others

    have some pride in yourself

  17. To those out their who are claiming that those who want public services are better of with Obama, you are seriously wrong.

    Obama has been paying for this by borrowing money, This can not go on indefinitely. At some point the money has to be paid back. If not forget about food stamps, there won’t be any money left for Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare.

    The only way to keep any programs running is by expanding the economy, thereby increasing overall collected taxes as per Reagan (20 million jobs in 8 years)

  18. I have no problem with the unfortunate receiving GOVERNMENT HELP, I was one of them. The thing is when you have a family you can’t depend only on government help, you have to play a part. I did, I went out and found me a job and got off it. Some of us can do better but don’t want to because its free money that they don’t ever have to pay back.
    People are always quick to blame the government for something but still don’t want the government involvement in other things, make up your mind. All this food stamps money has to come from somewhere. We working “MIDDLE CLASS” people are feeling the brunt of it while others splurge. Things have got to change.
    Just my opinion, hope this gets posted.

Comments are closed.