Posted on 01/27/2010 1:45:25 PM PST by Cheap_Hessian
WASHINGTON — Nearly one in five Americans said they lacked the money to buy the food they needed at some point in the last year, according to a survey co-sponsored by the Gallup organization and released Tuesday by an anti-hunger group.
The numbers soared at the start of the recession, but dipped in 2009 despite the continuing rise in unemployment. The anti-hunger group, the Food Research and Action Center, attributed that trend to falling food prices, an increasing use of food stamps and a rise in the amount of the food stamps benefit.
More than 38 million Americans — one in eight — now receive food stamps, a record high.
The unusually large survey, which covered more than a half-million people, offers the most recent snapshot of hunger-related problems. And it is the first survey big enough to provide data on each of the nation’s 435 Congressional districts and Washington, D.C.
Indeed, its most interesting finding may be just how broad a problem food affordability has become. In 45 states and 311 Congressional districts, 15 percent or more of those surveyed said they had recently lacked money to buy enough food.
“While there is certainly more hardship in some areas than in others, the data also show that this is a nearly universal problem,” said James D. Weill, the hunger group’s president.
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
But they had no trouble paying their cell phone bills, cable TV, and getting their hair and nails done, many of them.
Food’s cheaper in Mexico.
Not to worry, it still tastes the same.
Struggling In Ohio As The Economy Tightens
The rising cost of food means their money gets them about a third fewer bags of groceries — $100 used to buy about 12 bags of groceries, but now it's more like seven or eight. So they cut back on expensive items like meat, and they don't buy extras like ice cream anymore.
You forgot to add:
Tattoos, cigarettes, Ipods, Starbucks, People magazine, tanning parlor and UGG boots.
So, I guess most people in this country are losing weight these days? Give me a break. When you’re out of work, you’re depressed; when you’re depressed, you overeat; when you overeat, you gain weight. Many people are having a hard time right now, but we all find a way to buy food.
Brain trusts that write propaganda like this NEVER understand or explain that these surveys count ‘I couldn’t make it to the ATM so I missed getting that Whopper on my break’ the same as ‘didn’t have enough money to afford food at least once in the past year.’
Hmm, looks like someone needs to start saving for a bra.
I lost my job yesterday, but we will not starve as long as I can buy cheap meats and vegetables. I know how to cook and use every last bit of a protein or vegetable. We also will be gardening again this year and summer in the South will be here early.
Planting an Obama garden and making my own bread(line).
This crap about prohibitively expensive food and people goind hungry in this country is as bad as the global warming hoax. Go park outside the exit of any WalMart or Dollar General for an hour, note all of the thin and starving folks you see, and get back to me about all of the people that are going hungry in this country.
Balderdash...... he who can’t afford food is spending too much in smokes
We’ve all heard the term “ugly American.” It’s stuff like this that really does deserve that title. My GAWD... so many people in this world actually count themselves lucky to get a bowl of rice or clean water every day, and we bemoan our “hunger problems”. It’s so SICK.
Complete BS.
There are few if any people in this country that cannot afford basic food stuffs.
Cable TV. These slackers and fat a*ses can all afford cable.
I see lots of obesity walking around with cell phones and long nails and lots of tatoo’s....
I know very few people on food stamps and I know a lot of people who are struggling right now, including the ability to buy groceries. Most are self-employed small business owners who have closed their doors or have almost no business but are hanging on by a thread. I put a large garden in last year for exactly this reason last year. The obese freeloaders who eat like pigs and still have the luxury items and big screen TV aren’t in my world. Most people I see are eliminating any excess expenses and just trying to hang on until the economy recovers, if it ever does.
Thery probably squander too much money on things that they don’t really need.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.