Community Corner
Lotto Millionaire Receives Food Stamps: 'I Have Bills To Pay'
The internet is going ballistic in reaction to a story about a million-dollar lotto winner who still receives monthly food assistance.
"Sickening." "Shameful and selfish." "Are you kidding me?!"
Those are some of the online reactions to a story about a Michigan woman who unapologetically continues to collect monthly food assistance despite hitting the lottery for $1 million last year.
"I feel that it's okay because I mean, I have no income and I have bills to pay," 24-year-old Amanda Clayton said. "I have two houses."
Find out what's happening in Port Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
After receiving a tip from an angry taxpayer, Detroit's Local 4 filmed Clayton swiping a state food assistance card during a grocery trip.
When a TV reporter asked Clayton about collecting state aid despite her $1 million windfall, the Michigan woman quickly downplayed her winnings.
Find out what's happening in Port Chesterwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
"No, I won the million, but after I took the lump sum it dropped down to $700,000, and after taxes it was just a little bit over half [a million]."
Clayton's story follows a similar report in December about a Seattle woman who was receiving welfare payments, despite living in a palatial 2,500 square-foot home with "gardens and a boat dock" valued at more than $1.2 million.
Follow Port Chester Patch!
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PortChesterPatch
Twitter: http://twitter.com/PChesterPatch
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.