My comment was that if you do not give charity you will have a higher tax bill at the end of the year. I do not know anyone who willingly wants to pay more income tax than they have to. Even Clinton when their tax return was revealed deducted used clothing donations on their tax return.
Maybe the reason the school monitor in Lakewood NJ is trying to STRONG ARM the community into increasing real estate taxes by $6.5 million is because of this. I assume the Jews in Lakewood give charity but who knows. I never had to go on a program but I have read that to qualify for these programs your income has to be below 130% of the poverty line based on family size and you are restricted as to what assets you can have.
As far as someone on programs having a new minivan, it may not be theirs or a relative pays the lease for them and that is why they have a new car. Or even if they are paying the lease themselves it may not be counted as an asset for govt. program purposes and may shelter some of their income. Why don’t you give them the benefit of the doubt?