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As the federal government sees it, mountain pride is a problem. you see, the government tries to track how many people in an area are eligible for food stamps and how many have signed up for benefits. when a place like ash county stands out with an unexpectedly high number of residents refusing food stamps, a network of social service types from local, state, and federal government and nonprofits too springs into action. >> this money is out there. if you are not taking it, there is something wrong with you. >> that's correct. >> jeff sessions, republican senator from alabama is angry that the...

Needy folks, poor folks getting their share of government cheese? >> nothing wrong with poor people who need help getting help. >> always help those that need help. it's been through the churches, it's been through organizations. if it all falls through the cracks and ythese people cannot get food and they need it to feed their children i think the government should help them. >> you just give them money and if it's just a question of money and benefits then you can diminish and dull the incentive to work and achieve and to rise above difficult circumstances. so i think there's a real moral qu...

But as the federal government sees it mountain pride is a problem. the government tries to track how many people in the area are eligible for food stamps and how many signed up for benefits. when a place like ash county stands out with an unexpectantly high number of people refusing food stamps a network of social service types from local state and federal government and nonprofits, too, springs into action. >> this money is out there if you are not savie taking it there's something wrong with you. >> jeff sessions republican from alabama is angry the government wants to coax people on to the ...

>> what kind of folks did this land produce? >> they were fiercely independent and strong in self reliance. >> he is a retired engineer. >> they made do or do without. >> for countless generation, the people made do by growing tobacco. raising cattle on small family ranches and producing lumber from the vast forests that still surround them. >> what do they do when hard times came? >> my daddy got a job logging. >> doug lewis is a retired saw miller. >> he got the boards and he could be giving up, but he didn't do that. the mountain pride took over. >> we heard a lot about the thing called mou...

>> a local social services worker funded by usda grant while folks value self reliance too much to accept government money for groceries they would accept it to buy seeds they could plant in their garden. that proves to be the opening everyone was looking for. >> food stamp participation jumps 10 percent in nash county. folks here became more open to other forms of government aid as well. social worker grand de leg's ingenuity earned her a trip to the annual american association of snap director's convention in columbus, ohio where she received the gold champion's award from the usda. >> the c...