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Council members suggest improvements for assisting SNAP fraud victims
1:13:31
·
122 sec
Council Members Diana Ayala and Chris Banks suggest practical improvements to assist individuals affected by SNAP benefit fraud, focusing on providing information about local food resources.
- Ayala suggests that caseworkers should inform individuals affected by skimming about local pantries and food sources
- First Deputy Commissioner Jill Berry agrees to ensure that skimming denial forms and websites include information about accessing food pantries and community kitchens
- The council members emphasize that many cases of fraud are not preventable, as they occur at familiar local supermarkets
- Ayala highlights the emergency nature of these situations, where individuals suddenly find themselves without food
Diana Ayala
1:13:31
I I wanna just piggyback off of that a second because so there in terms of like providing, you know, extra additional funds that is, you know, that's that's complicated.
1:13:46
I get we get that.
1:13:48
However, nothing prevents the in the the caseworkers assigned to specific cases where skimming has occurred to inform and provide those individuals with information to local pantries and places where they can get food.
1:14:10
And I think that that is something that is pretty practical and doable, but it doesn't happen.
Jill Berry
1:14:21
Yeah.
1:14:21
And I I do think that that is reasonable and things that I can take back and make sure that if we're not already doing it, to make sure that our skimming website and any any skimming denial forms include information about how to access food pantries and community kitchens.
Diana Ayala
1:14:42
Yeah.
1:14:42
Mean Again,
Jill Berry
1:14:43
if we may that information may already be there, but if it's
Diana Ayala
1:14:46
not Yeah.
Jill Berry
1:14:46
We can make sure that it is.
Diana Ayala
1:14:47
I mean, it's in most cases it's not preventable because people are going to the same supermarket that they've always gone to and having their benefits stolen.
1:14:55
You know, I mean when I go when I use my debit card at an ATM, I you know I like move it yeah.
1:15:02
I move it all over.
1:15:02
Like you know I'm making sure that there's nothing in there because you know I've learned that through my priest and council meetings.
1:15:08
But these are individuals that are actually going to their local supermarket, the same supermarket they go to every month to buy the same food.
1:15:16
And then they're, you know, they look and they have absolutely nothing and, you know, they're running very low on food if they have any, and it's an emergency.
1:15:26
And I I get that's I'll I'll ask a follow-up question on the state part, but I would like to recognize councilman Brown.