More Americans Will Use Food Stamps For Thanksgiving This Year Than Ever Before

[jeffrey]

More Americans will use food stamps to buy their Thanksgiving dinner this year than ever before, according to a new report from the nonprofit government watchdog group The Sunlight Foundation.

The Food Stamp Challenge, which challenges higher-income families to live as if they are on food stamps, estimates that a person on food stamps has a budget of about $1.25 per meal. In other words, a family on food stamps must buy an entire meal per person for less than the cost of an average cup of coffee....

More Americans Will Use Food Stamps For Thanksgiving This Year Than Ever Before - Washington Whispers (usnews.com)

[bjl584]

This isn't surprising at all. Unemployment is at, and has been, at 8% for several years now, and food stamp usage is up something like 46% during the same period.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

A tidbit I'm fond of pointing out about foodstamp use is that not everyone who receives them receives the maximum amount for their family size. Foodstamps are given not only according to number of people in the family, but income. Therefore one family might get say $160/month, while another might get $60 per month. They are meant to be supplemental, rather than to provide all sustenance.

From the point of view of the USDA rules then, some people are considered to be just a little bit in need of help, others moreso.

[elessar78]

I'm on both sides of this issue. I live in an area where abuse of gov't assistance in all it's forms is rampant.

I'm glad people are using their food stamps to buy Thanksgiving dinners. All too often I'm stuck behind someone with a cart full of junk food who is using their "Access" card (food stamps) to make the purchase. There needs to be restrictions as to what can be purchased with food stamps—potato chips, ice cream, snack cakes . . . gov't should not be on the hook for these things.

[disneysteve]

There needs to be restrictions as to what can be purchased with food stamps—potato chips, ice cream, snack cakes . . . gov't should not be on the hook for these things.

They really do need to do this. Some will say it is Big Brother telling people what they can and can't eat, but it really isn't. It is just telling them what the government will and won't pay for. You can eat whatever you want, just not on the taxpayer's dime. I belive the WIC program restricts what food items they will pay for. Food stamps should do the same.

[elessar78]

I couldn't make this up if I tried, 3 years ago behind this woman with a shopping cart full of junk food. The very last thing out of the cart: a bottle of laxative. Not a fruit, grain, or vegetable in sight in this hundred plus dollar purchase and you're buying a laxative??

Having lived in a few other countries, and I admit this is a value judgment, but only in America do we have overweight poor people.

[disneysteve]

only in America do we have overweight poor people.

This is true and there are various reasons for it. I work in a poor area where obesity is out of control and there are several groups working to address this. One problem is what is called a "food desert." That is an area where healthy and affordable food isn't readily available. Many people have limited transportation options so they shop where they can walk to. That is often the corner store that only carries packaged convenience items and junk food. Not a fresh fruit or vegetable in site. The closest you get, maybe, is something canned. There are also educational issues. Many people don't know how to cook or bake in a healthy way. I once was speaking to an obese patient with high cholesterol and telling her that she shouldn't fry her food and she very seriously told me, "That's the only way I know how to cook." So it isn't as simple as saying, "Just eat better."

[GrimJack]

I'm on both sides of this issue. I live in an area where abuse of gov't assistance in all it's forms is rampant.

How do you know that abuse is rampant? If you have proof that there is abuse going on, report it (see something, say something). If you know this from t.v. reports, then, possibly the abuse is not rampant so much as someone is doing a good job of ferreting it out.