One in 7 US households hit by hunger issues in 2009

Reuters ^ | WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) | Source: Reuters

[STONEWALLS]

WASHINGTON, Nov 15 (Reuters) - The number of U.S. households that reported getting emergency food from a food pantry almost doubled between 2007 and 2009, at the height of the recession, a government report said on Monday.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the number of households jumped to 5.6 from 3.9 million.

"Households also accessed additional assistance through USDA's 15 food and nutrition assistance programs," the article in the USDA Economic Research Service (ERS) "Amber Waves" said.

The USDA oversees the government's food stamp program, also known as SNAP or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, for low-income families and other domestic feeding programs like school lunches.

[PGR88]

How do you have 1 in 7 households with “hunger issues” yet yet at the same time have 30+% of Americans being considered Obese?????????????

[Mobties]

It would seem the obesity problem is solving itself ... with some help from the mismanaged economy or the harebrained diversion of foodstocks to ethanol. Maybe it's just that the press releases the government employees hand out to the media are emphasizing hunger now that Republicans are about to launch a series of long needed budget cuts and headcount reductions.

Ah well, plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

[AD from SpringBay]

I am hit by hunger every day. That’s part of the reason I have a job. When I get paid I take the money I earn and go buy food. I take it home and either I or my wife prepare it. It usually happens in the morning and then at night.

[Inspectorette]

We were in Costco yesterday, and a kid, about ten years old, was walking besides his Mom's full-to-the-brim shopping cart, and he was whining, "I'm STARVING! I'm STARVING!"

I had the urge to tell him to grab a few cookies from the cart! Also, don't know why he wasn't in school on a Monday!

[woodbutcher1963]

I just bought 3 turkeys at two different grocery stores.
They had limits of one and two birds per customer.
They were $.49/lb = $5- $7 for a small 10-12 lb turkey.
I put them in the freezer in the basement. We will get 2-4 meals out of each bird.
If you plan ahead and buy items on sale with a coupon you can save a lot of money. Most people are too busy or lazy to do it. How many people do you know that have a garden these days ? I know one.

[NativeNewYorker]

If you drill down into the source document, you’ll find a disproportionate % of the neediest are (cough) hispanic (cough). IOW, we are IMPORTING this particular problem.

[STONEWALLS]

“We will get 2-4 meals out of each bird”

yep....and my wife and I can get 4 meals out of a roasting chicken...the last one is always chicken & rice soup with a salad.

“If you plan ahead and buy items on sale with a coupon you can save a lot of money. Most people are too busy or lazy to do it.”
absolutely!...but a lot of folks won’t make the effort...they’ll just wait for the Dems to give them bigger entitlement allotments.

[goat granny]

LOL my thoughts also. Now all the homeless stories and hunger in the citys will be coming out soon...Rep. are in the house leadership.....Hope they are smart enought to blame in on democrat rule in the house for years...