New York, NY – Community leaders are pushing wholesale grocery giant Costco to change its no-food-stamps policy, saying needy New Yorkers deserve access to cheap, fresh grub.
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Food stamps aren’t accepted at Costco clubs nationwide – which means that residents within walking distance of a branch have to travel to a retail grocery store if they want to use their government aid.
“In tough economic times, more and more people are relying on food stamps,” said City Councilman Eric Gioia (D-Queens), part of a community group that’s challenging Costco to accept food stamps.
“Costco is leaving a lot of people stranded,” said Gioia, who is urging Costco to start a flagship food-stamp program at its newest branch in East Harlem.
Gioia and Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum are putting the pressure on Costco to join competitors like BJ’s and Sam’s Club, which now accept food stamps as a method of payment.
Because they are clubs, Costco, BJ’s and the like also charge members an annual fee for the privilege of shopping for their wholesale-price goods and services.
“A lot of people in neighborhoods like mine could really use the help,” said Viveca Diaz, an East Harlem resident.
“This could change a lot of people’s lives, if they were able to buy in bulk on food stamps,” Diaz said.
Over 1.2 million New Yorkers use food stamps – including nearly 200,000 who enrolled in the program last year alone. Accepting food stamps as payment for groceries comes at no cost to stores.
Gioia said he was told by Costco that stores wouldn’t accept food stamps because they lacked the “technology” for the program.
And once Costco starts accepting food stamps you can add the following group to the food stamp roll: former local grocery store owners put out of business by Costco.
costco sells in bulk. Food stamps are supposede to be a temporary bridge-ha ha- so don’t accept food stamps.
The Costco model seems to be to charge an annual fee and limit who can join(isn’t it mostly for small business owners and union members?) so that shoplifting levels will be at a minimum. They also seem to be designed to encourage large purchases for greater company efficiency(ie. long checkout lines). If they operate more like a typical food retailer(open to the general public, no membership fee, accepting food stamps), then they are likely to have similar shoplifting rates as ordinary food retailers.
food stamps kill america and new york, what ever happen to honest working pepole, find one person on food stapms that works (or trys) from 8:00-5:00 or at least 8 hours a day, (YES ON THE BOOKS). CUT THE PROGRAM, stop free loading!!
When was the last time a food stamp recipient was given as chance to run for a political JOB ????
Being on food stamps… or WIC… or welfare or the like should never be EASY. People all over the frum community make a living picking up social assistance checks instead of getting a job. Why make it easier for them? GET A JOB and stop expecting every other hard working person to pay for your lazy, ignorant, stupid lifestyle.
over 1.2 million in ny on food stamps!that’s a ridiculous number!stop worrying about costco and start kicking healthy people off the public dole.
i shop at cosco and i cant wait for the minute that they will start accepting food stamps
It all boils down to this.
Costco feels its niche is like Target.
Try to create an upscale feeling where you feel you are shopping with a better class of people.
You feel good you spend more,
Simple as that.
Easiest way to keep out minorities and the underclass?
Don’t accept food stamps.
And guess what?
It works.
Accepting food stamps would only increase prices (due to processing expenses etc.) Costco and other “warehouse” stores operate on very thin margins so guess what would happen (if they go along with this hair brain populist idea) would be to raise prices.
Also, as noted above, these stores sell in bulk. Where will apartment dwellers store the larger quantities that these stores sell??
It all boils down to this.
Costco feels its niche is like Target.
Try to create an upscale feeling where you feel you are shopping with a better class of people.
You feel good you spend more,
Simple as that.
Easiest way to keep out minorities and the underclass?
Don’t accept food stamps.
And guess what?
It works.
when people refer to people on food stamps they are not referring to people like you. the programs were created for people like you to help you until you get back on your feet. unfortunately there are too many people who have discovered that it doesn’t pay to work because uncle sam will support you. these are the people that are being referred to in a derogatory manner.
people with large families need food stamps and their is nothing wrong with that. why is everything such a hate