Families receiving monthly snap benefits have had millions of dollars stolen from them, and for a long, many of those families were unable to get their money back.
According to Detria Adams, “people rely on this because it’s a service that helps them with whatever it is throughout the month.”
Detria Adams was successful in getting her snap benefits repaid, and she expresses her happiness at the news that more people will also receive money back.
The initial benefits replacement programme was expanded by the Maryland Department of Human Services.
Part of the memo distributed to staff on Tuesday states:
Cash and SNAP benefits that were taken after October 1, 2022 and were not covered by the federal programme will be restored by the department.
There will be no federal programme limitations on the improved state programme regarding the number of claims that can be filed, the time frame for reporting theft, or the total amount of benefits that can be replaced if stolen.
This implies that more people who had their benefits stolen ought to receive their money back, and those whose first claims were turned down may now have their requests granted.
Vanessa Fleeton discovered she had been defrauded of over $2,500 and ultimately had to go to court to fight for her money.
Vanessa Fleeton says, “I was hoping to get reimbursed for everything that was taken, but when they rejected it, they sent me some paperwork saying no, the law only allows you to get up to two months, and your two months were only $46.”
According to both women, this relief programme expansion is only the beginning of the solution to the snap benefits issue.
“They acknowledged it, and I’m really glad they did because it means we can still do better and acknowledge our mistakes. Vanessa adds, “I’m glad that this will have an impact on others because it shows me that it wasn’t just about me.”
Adams claims that even though she received her money back, she worries every month that it may be taken again.
I have to risk my life and go up at 12 o’clock in the morning—well, actually, before 12—and go to any ATM. Then, in order to get the money out of there and beat the burglars, I have to have my son with me to watch my back while I’m out there alone,” Detria Adams adds.
The women state that the federal government working to permanently halt the thefts is the next action they hope to see.
Thus, Vanessa Fleeton argues, “let’s go after these people and figure out how to make it difficult for them to get the money and for there to be consequences.”
