Illegal Aliens Get Government Food Meant for Honest Senior Citizens...

Illegal Aliens Get Government Food Meant for Honest Senior Citizens


This is criminal. Food meant for honest children and seniors instead is being diverted to be given to illegal aliens.

The real problem is that our government prefers illegal aliens to innocent, good people.

This needs to stop immediately. In order to get benefits, the immigration status needs to be checked. Citizens get the food, those here illegally deported.

This is theft of food by illegal aliens. Shame on us for allowing the government to give benefits to illegal aliens. Now that we know this, will the Feds fix it or allow it to continue?



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VISTA: Charity challenges federal food allocation


Angel's Depot says it was unfairly snubbed


By GIG CONAUGHTON - Staff Writer | Tuesday, May 6, 2008 5:08 PM PDT



VISTA, CALIF. ---- The leader of Angel's Depot, a senior citizens food program in Vista, said this week that a "good old boys network" of religious charities is denying help to North County seniors and giving it to groups that help illegal immigrants.

Angel's Depot founder Susan Hall said that the network ---- the local board of the Federal Emergency Food and Shelter Program ---- had snubbed Angel's Depot's seniors clients, while giving food to dozens of religious charities that served anyone, including people who are in the country illegally.

Scott Suckow, chairman of that board, said the only way the federal program could meet its charge ---- to help any and all needy people ---- was to give food to charities that served everyone, not just specific groups. He said he doesn't know whether the charities that receive food from the program help illegal immigrants, but said it's possible.

Officials from U.S. Rep. Darrell Issa's office said that the congressman believed that Angel's Depot had been discriminated against by the shelter program had asked federal officials to investigate the situation last year.

Issa's chief of staff, Dale Neugebauer, said Monday that the congressman still has concerns, including that many of the charities that benefit from the program are represented on its board.

Neugebauer said Issa has "serious questions about the local (shelter board), in terms of lack of oversight and conflict of interest."

Suckow said this week that the board avoids any conflicts of interest by having board members recuse themselves in votes that directly benefit their agencies.

The federal shelter program was created by Congress in 1983 to help feed and house hungry and homeless people nationwide. It is run by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which has been sharply criticized in recent years for its performance during disasters like Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

The program has a national board in Washington, D.C., but it is run by local boards around the country comprised of representatives from charities ---- many of which also receive the program's benefits.

In San Diego, the board has representatives from the American Red Cross, Catholic Charities, the Salvation Army, the Ecumenical Council of San Diego County, the United Jewish Federation, the United Way and other groups.

Last year, the board distributed roughly $250,000 in food to charitable groups in the region, but denied the application from Angel's Depot. The Vista organization, founded in 2006, delivers boxes filled with month-long supplies of nonperishable food to North County senior centers. The senior centers distribute the boxes to elderly people living on $900 or less a month.

Hall said this week she has applied for food from the federal group again this year and wants the shelter program to make up for last year's rejection by giving Angel's Depot extra food, or cash.

Suckow said Monday that the program, which has not yet announced its 2008 allocations, would again insist that Angel's Depot serve "all" needy people to get any of the program's bounty.

Hall said that sentiment left her angry, then depressed..

"That doesn't surprise me ---- in other words, every illegal alien that walks in here and asks for a food box can get one?" she said. "You can't believe how distressing that is. They know there are 50,000 seniors living in North County and we can't even serve them. This is another blow for seniors in need."

Sharon Bailey, vice president of the national shelter program board, said that local boards have the final say in whom they would help.

In 2007, the local shelter board gave food to 37 charities across the county, ranging from Escondido's Interfaith Community Services, to Vista's Catholic Charities St. Francis Center, and Brother Benno's food kitchen in Oceanside.

Hall said she was upset, not only because some of the groups help illegal immigrants, but because many of the charities that received food are represented on the shelter board. Among them, she said, are the Salvation Army in Escondido, San Diego and Oceanside, Jewish Family Services, and Catholic Charities.

"I think it's the good old boys network of faith-based organizations that have been getting this food forever," Hall said.



http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2008/05/06/news/coasta
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