Build your own chicken coop!
http://www.ssrsi.org/sr1/Farm/coops.htm
While I do not want for much, I still buy emergency foods and supplies having long shelf lives such as canned hams and beef (5 years), sacks of rice and beans, Tang, powdered milk, and other canned foods in bulk when on sale, etc. Every year I rotate my supplies by donating that which approaches shelf life expiration to local charities. In the process my children are given life lessons in survival and giving while I receive peace of mind.
Thank you for the link.
I have also noticed for years that a lot of these food stamp folks are obese.