Posted on Jun 27 2008 at 08:38 am by Sha Boogie (see my profile)
With the price of food still rising (5% in the last 3 months) (CNN.com), and even
upper middle class families feeling the pinch, I wondered how the poorest Americans (those receiving food stamps) are affected by this crisis.
Here are a few facts on the America’s Food Stamp program:
• There are almost 28 million Americans receiving food stamps, with several states reporting increases of over 10% in recipients. (NY Times)
• There are 1.5 Million more people on Food Stamps in March 2008 than in March 2007 (FRAC.org)
• 
• The average monthly benefit for an individual is 100 dollars. (USDA)
• The average benefit for a family of four is 542 dollars a month (CNN.com)
• The government uses a Thrifty Food Plan, which is the cheapest, most economical way to buy all required food products to meet daily caloric and vitamin intake guidelines (also set forth by the government), to calculate the benefit amount for recipients, the problem is following that plan will leave a family almost $30 in the hole.
Even with government assistance many low income and working poor families (who spend more than half of their income on rent) are not meeting their nutritional needs. The increase in the price of even basic grocery staples, have caused food stamp recipients to find more creative ways to stretch their benefits and dollars.
NPR had an interesting news- feed about the plight of food stamp recipients and the ways many stretch their benefits.
So this is my question: When will this crisis become a national crisis? When even those receiving help from the government can not survive or when those who are better off decide that they too are feeling the pinch and that something needs to be done? What do you spend on the most basic grocery needs such as bread, milk, eggs, and cheese?
Tags: food crisis government food stamps rising cost
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