How in America can people work and still struggle to make ends meet? It seems impossible—and yet it’s true, especially in this economy.
Newspapers across the country are telling us that more and more people are facing poverty and unemployment–and ultimately seeking assistance from charities or the government to make ends meet. The Financial Times reports that 40 percent of the families now receiving SNAP (formerly Food Stamps) benefits have earned income—an increase of 25 percent from two years ago.
This increase in the number of working poor is largely due to forced reduced work hours: the average work week is currently 33 hours, the lowest on record, and the number of people forced into part-time work because they cannot find full-time work has risen more than 50 percent in the last year.
No matter the reason, an increase in the number of working poor is a sad reminder that even “playing by the rules,” or earning an income, may not be enough to sustain a family.
