After sleeping a few hours, I woke up and watched Don’t Get Sick After June. Wow. I could see the parallels in my life as a poor and disabled person with the lives of Native Americans on reservations. What really struck a cord was the part about government commodities killing people thanks to diabetes and heart disease. I did a lot better when I could grow my own organic fruits and vegetables. I feel like Meals on Wheels and the government commodity boxes from the food bank are killing me. This documentary reinforced that. The government disability and food assistance I get keeps me desperate, so that I am willing to eat whatever they give me. Instead of wasting all the money on MoW and commodities that aren’t good for me…imagine if I had the money equivalent to the true costs of those programs? I could live a healthier and better life. But that’s not the point of those food programs, is it?
I wrote the above in the middle of the night. Today I was answering an email about the same sort of thing. I am going to copy and paste what I said.
underground house food walls and kitchen table
I never went hungry as a kid, but I did in my 20’s. That’s why food storage has always been important to me. I really loved my underground house 🙂 Walls of food and books, a root cellar, 2 freezers. The only time I have ever eaten organic food is when I grew it myself. I cannot afford it.
That MoW food isn’t benign…it’s toxic. It’s full of chemicals. Nobody should be eating that crap. What makes me so angry is how much the government claims to be spending on it. And it’s going to feed the sickest, most frail and vulnerable people. I have been watching the paper thin man die before my eyes. The VA sends him MoW and Ensure. He doesn’t like either, so he just doesn’t eat very much. He would be better off going to McDonald’s every day for less money than the government is wasting on what they want him to eat. Are they trying to kill him?
I am frugal. I have been eating cheap but somewhat decent food on my allotment. After eating these Meals on Wheels lunches, I discovered I would rather go hungry! I am in no danger of that because I have a closet of beans, rice and wheat berries. What I want to eat and what’s good for me are fresh fruits and vegetables, some meat, some dairy, some goodies. I don’t understand why the government tries so hard to give us the bare minimum for SNAP, but then spends way out of proportion for MoW and government commodities. Just give us the flipping money to eat with! As Kathleen has discovered in Texas…her MoW program serves real food. The corruption and poor use of funds in Utah is disgusting. I am railing against the injustice and stupidity.
There’s just no excuse for feeding seniors who are sick with such crap. I am mad. I am not very good at seeing and experiencing injustice without pointing it out. The people who get MoW in my building are afraid to speak up. Instead, they just throw the worst of the food out. People are afraid of repercussions. The just shut up and be grateful mindset is pervasive. I am grateful that there IS a MoW, but I am really, really pissed off about how it is implemented. Someone is siphoning off the money so that seniors get fed crap.
What needs to change is how much money disabled people get. It’s not enough. If we had enough, we would not have to spend our lives begging. The solution is for the American public to demand better treatment for the disabled and seniors…..and all people. I think it’s pretty sick that this country can spend so much on wars, foreign countries and corporate subsidies, but have so little money or respect for vulnerable citizens.
food wall close-up in underground house
I don’t know what’s going on upstairs. Is someone doing renovations? Today I started sneezing. Then my throat swelled almost shut and my whole neck/jaw swelled up. Then the strong chemical smell hit me. It’s 27 degrees and snowing, but again I have my window open and fan on. I decided to go ask what’s happening, but the office was closed. I could hear the MoW lady down the other hall. I went back and sat near my door in my wheelchair. I asked her to put my food on the counter. Then I realized it was Thursday and I was supposed to get Saturday’s lunch today. I asked. She said there was an extra Saturday meal in her satchel, but she didn’t know why. Even when I told her why, she was going to put it in the community room fridge. I explained the caseworker said I would get the extra meal today. She finally decided to just go ahead and give it to me. Seems weird I would argue for a MoW lunch, but it came with a peanut butter cookie and milk 🙂
See how much better it looks with seasoning and butter? The meat seriously looked liked turds plopped into the tray. The menu says: turkey loaf with gravy, whipped potatoes, capri blend vegetables and apple crisp. I ate it. I was hungry because I had not had breakfast. The textures and flavors were strange, but edible. I definitely prefer my own cooking!
I totally forgot that my shrink was coming here today. My phone rang and it was in the wheelchair pocket, instead of next to me. I just barely answered it in time and buzzed him in. Then I did the quickest change from night gown to clothes ever. I answered my door totally SOB. Wow! Two weeks sure went by fast. I never did shut the window while he was here. He kept his coat on 🙂 We always talk about the same stuff….social justice, evil republicanism, our faith and general politics. I told him what I said to the manager yesterday. I was afraid he was going to choke to death :-p He didn’t think I talked like that. I told him not to get on my bad side 🙂
I wish I felt better. I am still feeling a kind of sick that I can’t put my finger on yet. About a week or so ago, the quivering, buzzing, zapping came back. It makes me weak and jittery. The air is getting worse again. That doesn’t help. I just don’t know what’s causing it all….but I’m miserable 😦
And wouldn’t you know it? I have a whole mouth full of bad teeth….but in the middle of the night, a new tooth started hurting. It hurts when my top teeth go over it. Feels like when biting on tinfoil…but there are no metal fiilngs on those top or bottom teeth. Sigh….no dental care for 4 years now. I miss having dental benefits! I need the magic tooth fairy to come use her wand on my mouth.
Wendy The Wanderer 
Not surprisingly–MOW is not the same in every state, or maybe not in every county. I went to the senior meal here today in TX (which is the same that is taken out by MOW) and it was oven fried fish–big piece–beautiful and so tasty–real fish not preformed–they dipped it in coating themselves.I go early and watch them cook. Fresh baked sweet potato, whole wheat roll fresh from the oven, green beans, and the most delicious carrot cake with cream cheese frosting and real carrots and nuts in it. In my opinion, the area where you are is running a scam–that’s outrageous. There is no excuse for what they are serving you all. They would be better off buying you a TV dinner and giving it to you–I have seen more appetizing TV dinners than what you are posting. If they can make good healthy meals here, for even less price then they can make them there, then they can make it there for you. We need to make some calls or write some letters or something. I can vouch that it is NOT necessary to feed people what they are feeding you. I’m moving to steamboat springs, co this year–look at their menu, how much healthier it is than what you are getting also. http://www.rccoaging.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Steamboat-February-Menu-Council-on-Aging-2016.pdf You could show your “powers that be” that menu.
I politely asked the MoW caseworker why the food was so different between where you went and what I get. She made it sound like it was all on the food service company’s shoulders. We know it’s a lot more complicated than that. Someone in Utah made the decision that highly processed meats were OK…..and it was long before this company came along. Steamboat Springs sounds better, but you can never really tell quality by what you read. I am still bummed out about the “rotisserie” chicken that was really just formed pieces of mushy franken chicken 😦
That’s true. your menu said Rotisserie and that is not what you received. I will see what Steamboat is when I get there later this year. The only thing that I can testify to is that here, in Cotulla, TX, they have fresh made wholesome meals. I was actually just laid off my job so today will be the last meal i get there. I will be heading up just to Austin area. I will let you know how it is there.
Are you still watching gates? Sounds like the fracking business is about to go bust.
You are right–it went bust big time. I was laid off in December from one job. And I was just laid off from another this past week. They let me stay in the yard free with free hookups. But my gate guard company that had 74 gates open three years ago, has 8 open now. Adios! I hooked up my trailer and left there yesterday. I headed north to austin. I spent last night in walmart parking lot. And I’m at mcdonalds now using internet. Time to reinvent myself. My son has a garage at his apt complex that he rents. I’m going to take my trailer by there and empty it in there. Then clean it pristine and put it up for sale. I’m going back to being a vandweller—bought a Toyota Sienna last November. I get unemployment $395 a week for 3 months. That will give me time to find some other kind of work. I’m looking into more mobile employment.
Wow! Decent unemployment! But short 😦 The forest service FB page put up this link https://www.usajobs.gov/
and this one http://www.kob.com/article/stories/s4037600.shtml#.VrYcUlUrLnD
Thank you! I need a job where I can get more exercise. I gained 50 pounds in the last 3 years with this sedentary job of gate guarding. I can never diet. I have to be active. This last week, not working, I walked to town every day to go to the senior dinner and I lost 10 pounds!
I miss being a farmer and walking!
I bet. There is nothing like walking around your own property. My parents used to leave me at my grandparent’s farm for a month every summer. It was wonderful. Once I sell this trailer, keep me in mind to help you move if you decide and/or are able to go/move to colorado or austin or san diego area. I might be able to help. I have things i need to do in those three areas. My third son is disabled and he got a five year voucher for free housing in San Diego– he can get a place up to $950 a month. I need to go out there and help him find a place. He’s unable to do it by himself.
Food service company…… I think that is the problem right there.
We do not have a MOW in our area probably because we are too rural. We have what is know as an “Elderly Feeding Center”. It is basically a church that went thru the state regulations to be a MOW. At first, they went thru all the regulations and kitchen requirements to qualify for MOW but soon left the program and stopped taking the state money because of foolish requirements. Since they serve under a certain number, they can operate legally. They still meet all the health requirements but are solely operated on donations.
I have required all of my homeschooled kids to do a community service project. My 14 yo son cooks and works at the feeding center every Monday. They deliver 18-20 meals and serve about that many at the site. I wash all the dishes 🙂
The difference is that THEY ACTUALLY PLAN AND COOK each meal. My son could probably easily become a caterer……
I feel that when things like this get turned over to a “Food Service Company”, it stops being a service and becomes a business….. a very profitable business. I am sure that with a city the size that you are in, it is much more efficient to do things this way…..
My experience is that Republican states love to privatize government functions…health care, jails, schools, Meals on Wheels, etc. That adds another layer of profit so the product has to be cheapened to maximize those profits.
Ligh tbulb just went off for me. There is no food service company here either making the meals. It is a small town. It is three older Mexican ladies who are fabulous cooks.
I miss having dental insurance. Trouble was that either they wanted to charge prices as high as the moon or their offices were so dirty that it scared me to see them,
It is very cold this morning. Did the MOW people not have a fresh fruits and vegetable program? I don’t think I could eat a lot of what they serve.
We went to buy a mattress and box springs yesterday. We literally bought the cheapest set they have and it was delivered this morning. So will know tonight if it is OK for James back.
NY and VT had dental benefits for adults on Medicaid. I sure miss it. In VT, I just went to a regular old dentist and he treated me like a normal person. In the Adirondacks, I went to a dental clinic in the basement of the Lake Placid hospital. Here….they hate poor and disabled people. We are supposed to be pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. The fresh fruits and veggies is a summer thing, and only for just a few people. But gee….they show oranges in the picture! Maybe they are apricots? http://slco.org/aging-adult-services/mealsplus/ and here’s a TV version http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-wasatch-front-/program-to-bring-fresh-fruits-and-veggies-to-meals-on-wheels-recipients
I hope the new bed feels good 🙂
Have you checked the health care act website? They might have a dental plan for you that is free with your income.
Nope. People on Medicaid aren’t eligible for it….are they? If that were true, seems I would have heard about it somewhere. I will check it out, though.
My brother is a multimillionaire. He insures himself for everything real high because he doesn’t want to lose his money. And he needs coverage that will take him to any state and country. He was paying $1200 a month for the kind of medical, dental and vision he needed. He went to the care act website and got it for $1,000 a month. He didn’t get any tax credits, of course, but he found one less expensive there then he had before with even better coverage than he had before. So I just assumed anyone could find an insurance policy there–rich or poor. It doubles as a place for tax credits and just a central location for anyone shopping for insurance–was my thought. But I could be wrong.
It says: You can’t buy a dental plan from the Marketplace unless you’re enrolling in a Marketplace health plan at the same time.
https://www.healthcare.gov/coverage/dental-coverage/
People on Medicaid have no choices. If the state you live in doesn’t offer dental with Medicaid….tough luck 😦
That is TERRIBLE. I am so sorry. I’m going to do some research on that. Maybe a dental school? I just looked and steamboat springs has free transportation for disabled to denver doctor’s appts. It might still be an option for you. I belong to something called Communicare here in Kyle TX-south of Austin. They have a dental program–I will see if it is free for those on medicaid. I have an appt there on Wed. They have a sliding scale.
http://rosemandental.com/costs-insurance/ It still costs money…which I don’t have.
Non-pregnant adults only have limited emergency dental benefits. http://health.utah.gov/umb/benefits/medicaid/dental.php
I have seen that definition as that the tooth must be infected, you have to be in great pain and all they will do is pull it. There is also some sort of limit.
This was from 2013. They have done nothing. If they won’t expand Medicaid for the people not eligible for the marketplace, they sure as heck aren’t going to give dental. It’s the Republican way. http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865586645/Dental-benefits-still-not-realized-by-Utah-Medicaid-participants.html?pg=all