Experts are saying that the current recession is the nation’s worst since the Depression. Seven million people have lost their jobs since the start of the recession, effectively canceling out job growth for the past nine years. One telltale sign that this is a time unlike any our country has ever seen is that more people than ever are turning to assistance—whether public or private.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as Food Stamps, is a program that provides individuals and families with assistance in the form of a “debit” card that allows them to purchase food products. Last week, the USDA, which administers the SNAP Program, reported that 35 million people are currently receiving SNAP benefits—that’s a 6 million person increase in one year and a 700,000 person increase in just a month. It also represents more participants than ever in the program’s history.
While it is a tragedy that so many millions of people need help feeding their families, it is good to know that food assistance resources are available, including SNAP and Feed The Children food and personal care boxes. Together, Feed The Children and government programs like SNAP can and will make a significant difference in hungry Americans’ lives.
