1. High Cost of Food Weighing Heavily On Consumers’ Minds
(MarketWatch, May 6, 2008)

A recent BIGResearch poll found that close to half of those surveyed said the price of groceries are influencing their budgets “very much,” and 36 percent said their budgets are affected “somewhat.” Even with a slowdown in prices forecast, it’s projected that cereal and baked goods will rise another 7.5 to 8.5 percent, and food prices overall will continue to rise another 4 to 5 percent this year. Diverting a significant portion of the U.S. corn crop into ethanol has resulted in higher food prices, according to USDA chief economist Joseph Glauber. Testifying at the Joint Economic Committee hearing, he said that high gas and diesel prices have also contributed to raising food prices, as well as increasing demand for food around the world. While Glauber promised “We will see food price inflation decline, and we should start to see it happening over the next year or so,” Americans are still facing sky-high prices. Last year, food prices rose 4.2 percent, egg prices rose 29 percent, and dairy products were up 7 percent. A gallon of milk now costs the same as a gallon of gas in some cities.

2. Food Stamps Not Keeping Up With Rising Prices
(WSET, May 8, 2008)

Roanoke, Virginia residents are going through their food stamp allotments quickly these days. Rising food prices make it impossible for food stamp recipients to purchase enough food to last to the end of each month, especially those recipients receiving the $10 minimum allotment. In Roanoke, the county’s social services office has seen a 25 percent increase in food stamp recipients over the past year. Recipient Michelle Nance is feeding her children “a lot of rice and macaroni these days,” in order to make their monthly food budget last. “Since the food has went up, it's awful! You can take $100 and it's gone with what, five or six items now-a-days.", says Nance. Nance’s grandmother receives the $10 minimum food stamp benefit. “She can’t even buy a loaf of bread, that’s almost $10 now!” Nance commented.

3. Food Crisis Dire in City of Brotherly Love
(Philadelphia Inquirer, May 9, 2008)

Wages haven’t stagnated in the Philadelphia metro area – they’ve gone down four percent since 2002 – while food prices in the Northeastern area have gone up 14 percent, according to labor economist Mark Price of the Harrisburg-based Keystone Research Center. “The economy is not producing as many jobs, while periods of unemployment for workers are lasting longer,” he said. Outreach efforts to get more people signed up for the benefit have been successful, but many receiving food stamps have sought out the help on their own to cope with the struggling economy. Pennsylvania counties have seen their food stamp numbers more than double. According to the Pennsylvania Hunger Action Center, the number of households receiving food stamps has increased:

• in Delaware County – 49 percent;
• Bucks County – 54 percent;
• Chester County – 75 percent;
• Montgomery County – 82 percent.

Food stamp recipients have described their “end of the rope” situations, as they cut expenses to the bone, with hunger becoming their basic worry. “I’m at rock bottom,” said Edwina Swinton. Her recent job layoff has forced her to apply for food stamps. “When there was no food, at least I used to be able to give my grandson cereal for dinner. But look at the price of milk. It’s terrible.” Susan Smith said “I need some food. Meals are scarce. I’m 5-foot-10 and weigh 130. I should weigh 150.” Area food cupboards are straining to supply the needy, and find they either have to give less in their food boxes or turn others away entirely. Sydelle Zove, interim food-stamp campaign manager for the Greater Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger, states the problem simply: “We have a crisis.”

4. Organizations and Agencies Partner in Food Stamp Outreach
(Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, April 29, 2008)

Cheryl Cook, the Pennsylvania Deputy Secretary of Agriculture, joined the Urban League, Penn State Cooperative Extension, and the Westmoreland County Food Bank recently for a “food stamp sign-up.” Potential recipients were screened, and the first twenty households to register received a $15 Wal-Mart gift voucher. Food bank CEO Marlene Kozak commented “More than ever, with the rising cost of food, now is time to find out if you are eligible. Help is out there.”

5. Privatized Welfare System Failing Food Stamp Recipients
(Star-Press May 14, 2008)

Food stamp recipients who have lost their benefits under Indiana’s newly-privatized welfare system voiced their frustrations at a recent town hall meeting. They comprised a crowd of 500 also experiencing problems with Medicaid or just unable to navigate the new system. Approximately 60 speakers told of constant busy signals when phoning the call center, and social service workers losing benefit applications. In a separate interview, Mitch Roob, the state’s Family and Social Services Administration secretary, said that the new system is providing services at a faster rate than before, and that most aid recipients were getting their checks and benefits on time. However, State Rep. Dennis Tyler (D-Muncie) agreed with the crowd, and has not supported the new system. Under the new system system, individual welfare offices were combined into one call-center operated by IBM Corp. and Affiliated Computer services. Speakers felt that things were better when they had their own caseworkers.

6. Students Challenged to Experience a Day as a Food Stamp Recipient
(Carleton College News, May 13, 2008)

Student organization Food Truth invited Carleton College students to live on $3.15 for a day ($1.05 a meal) as part of their Food Stamp Challenge, part of a week-long Food Truth forum designed to raise food awareness. The Campus Center offered a packaged lunch at $1.05, and the Food Truth organization sponsored a beans and rice dinner, with Northfield Community Action Center executive director Jim Blaha on hand to lead a discussion on the challenge and other food issues. Food Truth organized student participation in the events to reveal the scope of the nation’s hunger problem as well as hunger issues faced by Americans every day.

7. Food Stamps Still Not Reaching All Eligible Recipients
(South Florida Sun-Sentinel, May 14, 2008)

Florida’s Palm Beach County has 26 percent more food stamp recipients now than last year, and Broward County’s numbers rose more than 19 percent, contributing to the state’s overall 19 percent jump in food stamp participation since February 2007. This is the country’s largest statewide gain, and is three times the national average according to USDA figures released last week. State officials are using the gain to conduct outreach and let people know about the help that’s available to them. Reasons that many haven’t applied include: many aren’t aware of the benefit; the application process can be daunting; and others believe there is a stigma attached to food stamps. According to Perry Borman, Palm Beach County’s Department of Children and Families administrator, “We’re in the midst of an economic tsunami,” and he cited“…all these issues: the cost of gas, the cost of food, and the lack of affordable housing” for the increasing numbers of food stamp recipients.

8. Food Stamps and Food Banks Serving More in Tennessee
(News Channel 5 Nashville, April 15, 2008)

Tennesseans spent $10 million more in food stamps in February of this year – a total of $90 million in food – than in February 2007. Overall, the Tennessee Department of Human Services reported a 5 percent increase in the number of families receiving food stamps in 2008 than the year before. Many recipients have a home, but are having tough economic times. Michael Johnston of Second Harvest Food Bank said “People will wait all day in the rain if they need to just to feed their family because they’re having a tough time either with not making enough at their job or they’ve lost their job.” Second Harvest’s Middle Tennessee food bank is seeing their highest numbers in 10 years.

9. Report Shows More Mothers on Federal Assistance in 1996 than in Later Years
(PR Newswire, May 14, 2008)

A newly-released Census Bureau report titled “Participation of Mothers in Governmental Assistance Programs, 2004” reveals that more mothers (who gave birth in the previous year) were on federal assistance programs in 1996 than in 2004. The study followed participation rates in two food nutrition programs – food stamps and WIC – as well as TANF, Medicaid and housing assistance. In 1996, 42 percent of recent-year birth mothers (1.6 million) participated in at least one of these programs; the number dropped to 29 percent (1.2 million) in 2001, then climbed to 34 percent (1.4 million) in 2004. The report also found:

• 52 percent of participant mothers – or one of two – held down jobs while on assistance;
• 78 percent of participant mothers who received two forms of assistance received both food stamps and Medicaid.

Subscribe to FRAC's News Digest | News Digest Archives | www.frac.org