Food Stamps in PA

Been unemployed since Dec. 2008. Unemployment ran out Nov. 2010.
Since then I have been working part-time, where I work about 15-20 hours per week @$7.55 and make about $400-$500 a month.

Things are tough since I no longer get unemployment. I recently applied for Food Stamps and was DENIED. It seems that because I am also a part-time student (grad student-1 night a week) I am disqualified. Please note that my being a student IN NO WAY would keep me from taking a full-time job (if only I could find one), and I am NOT working part-time BY CHOICE. It is all I could manage to get in over two 'freakin years.

Somehow this makes me ineligible. It seems if I quit school and quit my part-time job, then I guess I could get Food Stamps. Seems very wrong. Anyone else had this problem?

I believe they add the tuition for post-grad classes into your income.

RI offers free tuition to any state college or university if you are receiving, or have received, unemployment benefits. The undergrad classes are not taxable - post grad are.

The same rule applies under Federal law if you work for a company that provides tuition assistance. It doesn't make sense, but that is probably what they are taking into consideration when calculating your income for food stamps.