Show me the $ (seriously...where is the $?)

People often wonder (and ask) how much foster parents get paid.  You hear about these people that foster as a "living" and take on more and more kids to make more and more money.  Let me be the first to tell you:  these people suck.  these people are poor (morally and financially).
South Carolina is amazing - we won't ever leave...BUT we are one of the lowest funded in terms or reimbursing foster parents.  So the monthly board payment varies based on the age of the child and medical circumstances.  The child (note: not really us) will get roughly $330 a month....this is to pay for food, clothing, any supplies (diapers, formula, etc.).  The "Minimum Adequate Rates" is 73% higher.  The child is also considered a "family of 1" by the state - making them eligible (based on having NO income) for fun stuff like Medicaid, WIC (food stamps...**note:  learned pretty quickly not to judge the people in line that seem like they have $ but are still using food stamps....you just never know why they have them**), and the ABC (daycare) program.  We will end up paying a little out of pocket for daycare because the amount doesn't fully cover the providers in our area.  Overall, we will probably break even or be shelling out a little money to cover everything....that said, we are hoping our pay off will be in other forms - like seeing a child that doesn't know "normal" thrive with us, seeing parents of these kiddos get their lives together and do the right thing by their children, and like knowing the will of God and taking care of the least of them.
Nothing new from DSS yet.