National poll: 25 percent of Springfield (MA) households with children report food hardship

The Republican ^ | Peter Goonan

[matt04]

A national poll has found that approximately 25 percent of Springfield households with children report a hardship in affording food.

The report by the Food Research and Action Center, based in Washington, D.C., ranks the Springfield metropolitan area as having the 37th highest “food hardship” rate among the 100 largest metropolitan statistical areas in the country.

The rankings are based on data gathered in 2009 and 2010 as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index project, the center reported.

“The food hardship rates in Springfield for households with or without children are unconscionable,” said Andrew Morehouse, executive director of The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, in a statement. “These new data reaffirm what we’ve been seeing in our communities – that more than 108,000 people in Western Mass. continue to struggle with hunger in these economic times, and that approximately one in three of all people served by the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts are children.”

The poll showed that 25.4 percent of households with children in the Springfield metropolitan area report food hardships, and 19.1 percent of the households without children report hardships, according to the center.

The specific question asked was: “Have there been times in the past 12 months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?”

Morehouse said the data gathered “reinforce the fact that this is not the time to make our safety net weaker.”

Morehouse said Congress and its recently established deficit reduction congressional committee, should protect programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), free and reduced price school meals, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Nutrition Program, and federal emergency food assistance.

[Marty62]

Ao a Diabetic that requires a special diet should check with you to make sure what they buy is politically correct.

a local grocery had Rib eyes on sale recently. You could buy 4 packs of Rib Eyes for $10. Does that make me some rich person or a smart shopper?

But maybe we should demand that FS only buy bread and water.

[Marty62]

That is one issue that really makes me mad. The Gov tries to make people think they are crazy, when they are paying much more for food and energy as well as increasing Medical Care prices. The Gov seems to be saying, believe what I tell you not your lying eyes.
I would like to see a Law that goes the other way. Government agencies (people) that knowingly lie to the American Public are liable for fine and imprisonment.

[jimt]

But maybe we should demand that FS only buy bread and water.

Your use of the reductio ad absurdum deflates your arguments.

People here are complaining about food stamp users buying and having luxuries. So people who actually FUND those eating for free are just supposed to shut up and smile ?

All over Texas they're advertising for "free" meals during the summer - in ADDITION to food stamps. During the school year kids get "free" breakfast and lunch, as the kids' parents drive them to school in high dollar vehicles. At the elementary across the street from my house, I watched while Mommy, driving a Mercedes CL65 AMG dropped off her daughter for "free" breakfast.

With the vast amounts of tax money being showered on the "poor", I'm highly suspicious of these "food hardship" stories.

[Marty62]

So what YOU consider a luxury should decide what people purchase.

Here is an example of a Diet for Lukemia Patients. Since it requires high protein, in your world they would not be allowed to eat steak.

Your dietitian may use the following nutrition interventions to combat side effects throughout your leukemia treatment:

•Weight loss: Your dietitian will monitor you closely to ensure you are maintaining a healthy weight, since weight loss can delay or interrupt your leukemia treatment.
•Fatigue: Your dietitian may recommend small, frequent meals and nutrient-dense foods to give you more energy.
•Nausea: Your dietitian may recommend a low-fat, bland diet of cold foods, ginger products, peppermint, or sea bands to combat nausea. An hour before treatment, he/she may suggest you eat a high-protein, bland meal.
•Anemia: Your dietitian may recommend iron and folic acid supplements to boost your red blood cell count.
•Low blood counts: Your dietitian may recommend a well-balanced, protein-rich diet to help your blood counts return to a safe level.
•Constipation: Your dietitian may recommend you increase your fiber intake and stay hydrated to relieve constipation.

“NEVER CRITICIZE A MAN UNTIL YOU’VE WALKED A MILE IN HIS MOCASSINS”

[denydenydeny]

You keep making this personal, so I’ll give you personal. I am self employed and don’t make a lot of money and I resent the hell out of people I see at the supermarket paying with food stamp cards and then getting into cars that I can’t afford. How dare they, and how you defend this obscene theft.

[Kickass Conservative]

The Unibomber didn't have a Refrigerator, but he did have a copy of Al Gore's book, Earth in the Balance.

Priorities my FRiend, priorities...

[Kickass Conservative]

The Safety Net has become a Hammock.

Instead of Food Stamps, the Government should have food distribution centers. Michelle Obama should run them.

If people are truly food poor, they would go there and pickup their weekly ration of food for each family member.
That way you cut down on fraud.

John Stossel once said, if you tell people that the food in the market is free, they'll head straight for the Filet Mignon. When it's your own hard earned money, you clip coupons and buy store brands.

[Marty62]

No it’s not personal, it’s reality for millions of unemployed.
Why should the millions of victims of this administration be penalized because voters fell for a charlatan politician.
My point is that there but for the grace of God go you or I.

I don’t believe starving millions of people due to the policies of the Dum administration is a smart move. Eventually those people will start to riot. Feeding the goals of this Fascist Admin.
Remember Van Jones plan, squeeze from the top and squeeze from the bottom. Top- Gov regs etc. Bottom- unemployment, starvation, homeless. It’s not that hard to figure out what is the goal of these commie/fascist pigs. The total destruction of our society.