An elderly Houston woman says she’s being pushed back into the job market at nearly 85 years old after Texas notified her she must repay almost $9,000 in SNAP benefits – money the state now admits she should never have received in the first place.
The case was reported by ABC13’s 13 Investigates, with reporter Mycah Hatfield walking viewers through the paperwork trail, the state’s admission of error, and the harsh reality behind it: even when the government messes up, federal rules can still require the recipient to pay the money back.
“Hopefully They’ll Be Hiring Old Ladies”
Hatfield’s report centers on Jerralee King, who says she never would have accepted food assistance if she had known it could later turn into a debt.
King is nearing her 85th birthday, but instead of planning a celebration, she told the station she’s now thinking about updating her resume and trying to find work. Her line cuts right through the absurdity of the situation: “Hopefully they’ll be hiring old ladies at that point.”…