In the Los Angeles Times, columnist David Lazarus has a pre-Thanksgiving piece about continuing problems of food insecurity in America.
"At least 4 million Californians are struggling with what's called food insecurity — being unable to consistently put food on the table — according to the latest data from UCLA's Center for Health Policy Research," he writes, noting that "food-stamp benefits for about 47 million people nationwide were reduced this month when a temporary boost to the federal program ended. That cut about $5 billion in annual funding.
"That means a family of four that had been receiving $668 a month in benefits will now get by on $36 less. Such a drop might not sound like much, but the Department of Agriculture estimates this means a loss of roughly 21 individual meals a month."
"There's been no letup since the Great Recession hit," Michael Flood, president of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, tells Lazarus. "We're talking about people who have to decide between buying food and paying the rent, or between food and medicine. It's a very difficult situation."
"At least 4 million Californians are struggling with what's called food insecurity — being unable to consistently put food on the table — according to the latest data from UCLA's Center for Health Policy Research," he writes, noting that "food-stamp benefits for about 47 million people nationwide were reduced this month when a temporary boost to the federal program ended. That cut about $5 billion in annual funding.
"That means a family of four that had been receiving $668 a month in benefits will now get by on $36 less. Such a drop might not sound like much, but the Department of Agriculture estimates this means a loss of roughly 21 individual meals a month."
"There's been no letup since the Great Recession hit," Michael Flood, president of the Los Angeles Regional Food Bank, tells Lazarus. "We're talking about people who have to decide between buying food and paying the rent, or between food and medicine. It's a very difficult situation."
- KC's View:
-
Good things to remember as many of us go off to enjoy robust and plentiful Thanksgiving meals.
