Protest Staged Over Impending Cuts in Welfare Benefits

Protesting imminent welfare cuts, about 30 people gathered Wednesday in front of the county Department of Public Social Services building in Watts.

They urged county officials to put pressure on Gov. Pete Wilson and the U.S. Department of Agriculture to waive the scheduled termination of food stamps for childless able-bodied adults and legal immigrants.

Members of the Watts Assn. of Community Organizations for Reform Now passed out symbolic empty plates to bystanders.

“You see my plate?” shouted one young man. “This is what I’m eating: nothing.”

ACORN members tried to enter the building to give a letter to Department of Social Services Director Lynn Bayer requesting that she push for a food stamp waiver, but officials blocked their way. Instead, they faxed the letter to Bayer.

Watts resident Jade Beasle, 49, asked organizers of the demonstration: “What’s the point of protesting against them taking away our food stamps if it’s already a law?”

“They can ask for a waiver because of high unemployment in Watts,” answered ACORN member John Madrid.

Althea Brinson, chairwoman of the local chapter of ACORN, a national advocacy organization for low-income communities, argued that the 18% unemployment rate in Watts should convince the government to keep all food stamp programs in place.

According to ACORN, 300,000 legal immigrants and 63,000 able-bodied single adults between the ages of 18 and 50 who are not working 20 hours a week or in a training or workfare program could lose their food stamps next year. Los Angeles County officials agree on the estimate of able-bodied adults but say only 150,000 legal immigrants will be affected.

In a telephone interview after the protest, John Clemons, county social services government relations chief, said his office may still consider filing a waiver request “if a waiver is necessary in order to provide needed services to this population.”

Ramona Henry, 37, of Watts was at the protest Wednesday morning to try to protect her $109 a month in food stamps. Henry said that without food stamps and with only $190 in general relief, she will have to find some other way to put dinner on the table.

“They tell us to get a job--but they don’t tell us where to get a job,” said Henry, who said she pays $150 a month for rent and then has to pay utility bills.

“I don’t know how I’m going to do it. It’s hard now, and it’s going to be even harder.”