Rotisserie Chicken’s

12-20-21

This week I was at the grocery store and I decided to buy a rotisserie chicken. 

No big deal right, have you ever bought one? 

Kroger Grocery in my hometown of Ohio, usually has them right by the registers and they smell yummy.

Well it became an issue, you see this is my first time on SNAP/food-Stamp card. I found out I had to pay for a Rotisserie Chicken, why? Who decided that a person of poverty can’t buy this food item ?

I immediately was flooded with emotion, I shockingly paid for it, instead of removing it; however the stories of my former urban public school students, some who lived in cars, hotels or talked about only having a microwave to cook, immediately set me off into anger. 

I remembered a Cincinnati FCCLA teacher who was recognized for having fundraiser drives for crockpots.  She taught crockpot cooking due to the number of her students whose only cooking source was a microwave. She had partnered with getting free produce & teaching them how to cook that in crockpots too. 

All of a sudden her efforts & the necessity of her purpose became more vivid to my mind! 

Some families are not able to buy a rotisserie chicken from the grocery ?  or Cooked foods from a deli that have less additives than precooked frozen meat? 

 

The rotisserie chicken that is convenient for busy parents and promoted in a lot of store fronts ? 

Seriously? 

Rotisserie Chicken is for the privileged ?  

Congress ? I mean who comes up with this stuff? 

The SNAP card can buy processed pre packaged junk food, jerky & soda but not a rotisserie chicken? 

Is it assumed that on SNAP that the person is just sitting at  home, not working & that they have resources for major kitchen appliances?

This is not the reality of many people in poverty. 

I know many families on SNAP who are working 2 or 3 part time underpaying jobs & taking care of children who can’t afford an oven or appliances to cook a raw whole chicken. 

It takes money to buy an appliance and electric to operate such an appliance. 

Can one cook a whole chicken in the microwave? 

How about the prepackaged individually wrapped foods given to school children. 

That’s a whole other issue. 

Any questions regarding SNAP policy should be directed to: SM.FN.RPMDHQWEB@usda.gov.

Shelly Pierce

Acting Director

Retailer Policy and Management Division

Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program

I’m contacting her & members of Congress.

Also, this week I called Ohio Medicaid back because I still have not seen anything in the mail. They told me 7 to 10 days for instructions to provide them of my income change for eligibility, since it is so different from last year's taxes. They have to mail it. It’s not on their website and can’t be sent electronically? 7 to days should of been December 8th, but I was told they are showing mailed out 12-12-21, which is a Sunday.

This is after I waited 8 weeks for a response & when I called back they said I was denied due to lack of information, so they reprocessed my application over the phone. I started in July before my health insurance ended. 

The process to apply for assistance is more ridiculous than I could ever imagine. 

I’ve given numbers to families and referred them to help in the past, not realizing how difficult this process actually is. 

My faith is what guides me, I need to try to change this and make others aware.

I have spent 2-4 hours a week on the phone or online trying to complete assistance paperwork, since my income has drastically changed.

I’m literate and have technology sources. 

I know this is not true for many people.

Thus, who is helping them figure this mess out ? 

God I’m woke and I’m listening. 

I’m not liking what I’m seeing. 

I’m seeing too much hopelessness & darkness. 

I’m walking everyday being a light & staying positive. 

How are you? 

Let me know what injustice you see.