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Stocks Soar on Improved Demand for Kitten Chow
wilmington journal ^ | Hazel Trice Edney

Posted on 01/05/2004 7:01:41 AM PST by Joseph Stix

Despite recent reports of an improved economy, hunger and homelessness are on the rise, according to a study of 25 major cities by the U. S. Conference of Mayors.

“This survey underscores the impact the economy has had on everyday Americans,” says conference president, Mayor James E. Garner of Hempstead, N.Y. “The face of homelessness has changed and now reflects who we least suspect.”

For example, 61 percent of people requesting emergency food assistance in the cities surveyed held jobs.

The annual “Hunger and Homelessness Survey,” released in late December, reports that requests for emergency food assistance increased by an average of 17 percent over the previous year, and requests for emergency shelter assistance increased by an average of 13 percent.

“It is disheartening and disturbing to learn that so many of our fellow Americans are in desperate need of shelter, food, clothing and the other basic necessities of life,” says Richard Macedonia, chief operating officer for Sodexho U.S.A., a leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States. “In nearly every major U. S. city, the problem of hunger and homelessness is steadily growing.”

The survey was released only days before the U. S. Department of Commerce released its third and final estimate of the nation’s economic performance for the third quarter of 2003. The agency estimated that the gross domestic product (output of goods and services) grew by 8.2 percent in the three-month period that ended Sept. 30, more than doubling the growth rate of the previous three months. The unemployment rate also held steady in November at 5.9 percent with a 1.3 percent drop in the Black rate from 11.5 to 10.2 percent.

Yet, there was little to cheer for during the holiday season.

Among the most glaring trends was an 11 percent leap in families with children requesting food, from 48 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in 2003; a record 56 percent of cities having to turn people away without help from food assistance programs, up 24 percent over the previous year and the highest percentage since six years ago when 71 percent was recorded; and a record 84 percent of cities having to turn away people from homeless shelters because of lack of space, up 38 percent over 2002 and the largest percentage in seven years.

The conference is the official organization of U.S. cities with populations of 30,000; there are 1,139 cities in that category.

The 25 cities that participated in the survey were Boston; Burlington, Vt.; Cedar Rapids, Iowa; Charleston, S.C.; Chicago; Cleveland; Denver; Detroit; Kansas City, Mo.; Los Angeles; Louisville Metro, Ky.; Nashville; New Orleans; Norfolk, Va.; Philadelphia; Phoenix; Portland; Providence, R.I.; Salt Lake City; San Antonio, Texas; San Francisco; Santa Monica, Calif.; Seattle; Trenton, N.J.; and Washington, D.C.

The data was collected from the cities between Nov. 1, 2002 to Oct. 31, 2003. Among other findings:

· Twenty cities reported that unemployment and unemployment-related problems were the leading causes of hunger. Overriding causes of hunger in 13 cities were attributed to low-paying jobs and in 11 cities, rising housing costs;

· More than half of the cities – 56 percent – reported that people in need were turned away with no help because of lack of food and resources. More than 14 percent of the requests for emergency food assistance are estimated to have gone unmet over the past year;

· Fifty-nine percent of those requesting emergency food assistance were members of families with children;

· Twenty-three cities said the lack of affordable housing contributed to homelessness. Other major causes included low-paying jobs, lack of needed services, mental illness or substance abuse problems;

· Eighty-four percent of the cities reported that emergency shelters have turned away homeless families because of a lack of resources. More than 14 percent of the requests for emergency food assistance are estimated to have gone unmet. Fifteen percent of the requests from families were not met and

· People remained homeless for an average of five months in the survey cities with 60 percent of the cities reporting that the length of homelessness time increased over the past year. Single men made up 41 percent of the homeless population, families with children made up 40 percent, single women, 14 percent and independent youth, 5 percent.

Robert Forney, president and CEO of America’s Second Harvest, the nation's largest hunger-relief organization, says carrying the load has not been easy.

“We are hopeful that this will spur the president and Congress to renew and strengthen our national fight against child hunger in America,” Forney says.

The mayors’ conference say that even with an improving economy more than 80 percent of the cities expect that requests for emergency food, assistance and shelter will increase in 2004.

“These are not simply statistics,” says Nashville Mayor Bill Purcell, who co-chairs the Conference’s Task Force on Hunger and Homelessness. “These are real people who are hungry and homeless in our cities.”


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: 10acrebutt; albatross; dirtyunderwear; giantgophers; homeless; jaroftrollsouls; kcwashere; kittenchow; lyingliar; poverty; rockpaperzot; smellofzotinmorning; strawman; strikeupthebanned; thisaccountisbanned; trollsinmyshorts; unsureofconcept; vikingkitties; waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa; whatapantload; zot; zotforbrains
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To: snooker
Republicans cause homelessness. Didn't you know that?

But rest assured that with the global warming going on,They wont be as cold on the streets.
61 posted on 01/05/2004 8:46:48 AM PST by al baby (Ice cream does not have bones)
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To: CROSSHIGHWAYMAN
Let's match-up every hungry American with an obese American



Like this?
62 posted on 01/05/2004 8:51:38 AM PST by al baby (Ice cream does not have bones)
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To: al baby
Like this?

Not like that, no!

That was a civil union......hahaha

63 posted on 01/05/2004 9:19:00 AM PST by CROSSHIGHWAYMAN (I don't believe anything a Democrat says. Bill Clinton set the standard!)
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To: al baby; 4mycountry; Joseph Stix

Crazy, man. Crazy.


64 posted on 01/05/2004 9:20:48 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: CROSSHIGHWAYMAN; al baby; 4mycountry; Joseph Stix
That was a civil union......hahaha

Dykes for Dean


65 posted on 01/05/2004 9:22:34 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: mhking
This is basic VK procedure:


66 posted on 01/05/2004 9:23:43 AM PST by 4mycountry (If you're reading this tagline you have way too much time on your hands.)
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To: MeeknMing
See 66. :)
67 posted on 01/05/2004 9:24:52 AM PST by 4mycountry (If you're reading this tagline you have way too much time on your hands.)
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To: Toskrin
2003 - 6 = 1997

Right... the article should have said the numbers were the worst since the Clinton administration.

68 posted on 01/05/2004 9:30:32 AM PST by TN4Liberty (Tag----------------- <==line)
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To: TN4Liberty


"Hey! I've got a job and I still can't get enough to eat!"
69 posted on 01/05/2004 9:40:07 AM PST by johnb838 (Understand the root causes of AMERICAN anger.)
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To: Joseph Stix
Among the most glaring trends was an 11 percent leap in families with children requesting food, from 48 percent in 2002 to 59 percent in 2003

Hmmm, maybe all this free food explains the enormous obesity problem?

70 posted on 01/05/2004 9:42:33 AM PST by NativeSon (Dine' born for)
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To: Sidebar Moderator
Does a ZOT belong in the sidebar?
71 posted on 01/05/2004 10:21:01 AM PST by weegee
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To: Joseph Stix
“It is disheartening and disturbing to learn that so many of our fellow Americans are in desperate need of shelter, food, clothing and the other basic necessities of life,” says Richard Macedonia, chief operating officer for Sodexho U.S.A., a leading provider of food and facilities management in the United States. “In nearly every major U. S. city, the problem of hunger and homelessness is steadily growing.”

Thanks for stopping by Joseph. I bet neither you, the author of this piece, nor the person quoted above have managed to consider for one second what 12 million illegal aliens sending 12 billion non-taxed dollars to Mexico each year have done to these hungry working citizens. Nor would you consider that maybe the crap education provided by our incredibly expensive public education system is a factor in this. Sorry you can't answer, but I suspect that your solution is to increase the tax load on all those "rich" people (which means any family earning more than $75K/year.)

72 posted on 01/05/2004 10:29:27 AM PST by spodefly (This is my tagline. There are many like it, but this one is mine.)
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To: 4mycountry; Joseph Stix
Oh, so ole Joe has joined the dearly departed ? Sorry ya couldn't stix around, Joe !


73 posted on 01/05/2004 11:02:18 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: 4mycountry
Man ! They must have been raising the blade on the guillotine when I was making my first post.

Before I posted that, he was still 'alive' ...


74 posted on 01/05/2004 11:07:15 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: 4mycountry
That is good. Did you make it ??

75 posted on 01/05/2004 11:09:57 AM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: MeeknMing
Believe it or not, no. I found it on a site for air purification. It fit the VKs to a "T"!
76 posted on 01/05/2004 11:46:53 AM PST by 4mycountry (If you're reading this tagline you have way too much time on your hands.)
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To: 4mycountry
Wow. It sure does fit here perfectly.

77 posted on 01/05/2004 12:05:29 PM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: MeeknMing
Great graphic!
78 posted on 01/05/2004 12:31:21 PM PST by Fawnn (Former Fair Funkle Fawnn, wOOhOO Consultant, and CookingWithPam.com person)
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To: Fawnn
I, er, uh ... 'borrowed' that from Glock Rocks.

79 posted on 01/05/2004 12:53:51 PM PST by MeekOneGOP (Howie Dean in the South !!: http://Richard.Meek.home.comcast.net/IowaRatsLastMealNewDeal.JPG)
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To: MeeknMing; glock rocks; Brad's Gramma
I, er, uh ... 'borrowed' that from Glock Rocks.

It's nice to see that you're a part of the compassionate sharing caring crowd known as Free Republic. ;)
80 posted on 01/05/2004 12:57:21 PM PST by Fawnn (Former Fair Funkle Fawnn, wOOhOO Consultant, and CookingWithPam.com person)
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