Posted on 11/16/2009 3:55:22 PM PST by Libloather
Report: More Americans going hungry
By Amy Goldstein
Washington Post Staff Writer
Monday, November 16, 2009; 3:14 PM
The number of Americans who lack dependable access to adequate food shot up last year to 49 million, the largest number since the government has been keeping track, according to a federal report released Monday that shows particularly steep increases in food scarcity among families with children.
In 2008, the report found, nearly 17 million children -- more than one in five across the United States -- were living in households in which food at times ran short, up from slightly more than 12 million youngsters the year before. And the number of children who sometimes were outright hungry rose from nearly 700,000 to almost 1.1 million.
Among people of all ages, nearly 15 percent last year did not consistently have adequate food, compared with about 11 percent in 2007, the greatest deterioration in access to food during a single year in the history of the report.
Taken together, the findings provide the latest glimpse into the toll that the weak economy has taken on the well-being of the nation's residents. The findings are from a snapshot of food in America that the U.S. Agriculture Department has issued every year since 1995, based on Census Bureau surveys. It documents both Americans who are scrounging for adequate food -- people living with some amount of "food insecurity" in the lexicon of experts -- and those whose food shortages are so severe that they are hungry.
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Here are the questions used to determine whether respondents are food secure or food insecure. Make up your own mind as to whether these answers translate into the crisis implied.
1. “We worried whether our food would run out before we got money to buy more.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for you in the last 12 months?
2. “The food that we bought just didn’t last and we didn’t have money to get more.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for you in the last 12 months?
3. “We couldn’t afford to eat balanced meals.” Was that often, sometimes, or never true for you in the last 12 months?
4. In the last 12 months, did you or other adults in the household ever cut the size of your meals or skip meals because there wasn’t enough money for food? (Yes/No)
5. (If yes to question 4) How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?
6. In the last 12 months, did you ever eat less than you felt you should because there wasn’t enough money for food? (Yes/No)
7. In the last 12 months, were you ever hungry, but didn’t eat, because there wasn’t enough money for food? (Yes/No)
8. In the last 12 months, did you lose weight because there wasn’t enough money for food? (Yes/No)
9. In the last 12 months did you or other adults in your household ever not eat for a whole day because there wasn’t enough money for food? (Yes/No)
10. (If yes to question 9) How often did this happen—almost every month, some months but not every month, or in only 1 or 2 months?
I drive by Woodfield mall once in awhile. The parking lot is still pretty full, and Christmas shopping hasn't started.
I know a couple, no kids, who get $400 a month in food stamps. My budget for 2 people is about half of that.
The author is a LIAR!!!
What bugs me is when I see a tattooed drug addicted teenage mom wearing pajamas go into a quickimart gas station and buy groceries there with a foodstamp card.
It costs twice as much there.
HEY! Don't insult my GRITS! (Just think of them as liquid popcorn.)
... liquid popcorn ...
Mmmm ...
There’s been times when we had a lot of month left at the end of the money, but we have always had some canned goods on the shelf and stuff in the freezer.
That said, many moms aren’t home to teach the kids how to cook cheap stuff, or they don’t have a clue. And schools have cut home ec programs. Our middle school has a fabulous kitchen that goes unused.
If yes to any of the above questions, answer the questions below. During the months that you had difficulty paying for food...
11. Did you spend money on cigarettes or other tobacco products?
12. Did you spend money on alcoholic beverages?
13. Did you spend money on crack?
14. Did you spend money on lotto tickets?
15. Did you spend money on cable TV?
16. Did you spend money on mobile phone(s)?
17. Did you spend money on professional sex workers?
18. Was any member of your household obese?
If you answered yes to question 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17 or 18, please reorganize your priorities.
Excellent follow-up questions!
If they are fed Yankee grits, you would be right.
Howsomever, if they are fed Southren grits, you would be wrong, particularly if they are Southren cheese grits!
We must all remember that the questions and expected (allowed) responses are phrased such that they reinforce the notion that the bureaucracy funding the program can demonstrate a compelling and continuing need for more funding.
After all, the bureaucrats need the jobs and the GS promotions!
E.g., increasing numbers of hungry folks (particularly children) inevitably creates more “programs” and more food welfare warriors must be hired and promoted.
The bureaucrats really don’t give a sh!t about the people receiving whatever government alms are being passed out.
Cynical Bastards!
Excellent! Although it hardly surprises me that FReepers are smarter than USDA bureaucrats.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.