By RYAN GORMAN
The number of Americans struggling to buy food is on the rise, and the ranks of the starving may get considerably worse.
Five years after the start of the Great Recession, one in five Americans struggle to afford food, according to a new Gallup poll. The 20 per cent who struggled to buy food in August come close to numbers seen during the darkest days of the economic downturn. With funding set to be cut from the food stamp program in November, more people may be unable to buy food.
The recession peak of 20.4 per cent was recorded by Gallup in November 2008, the firm said.
The staggering number of Americans unable to buy food is on the rise despite bold proclamations the recession is over amid improving unemployment numbers now below eight percent.
The staggering number of Americans unable to buy food is on the rise despite bold proclamations the recession is over amid improving unemployment numbers now below eight percent.
They can't afford food: Many Americans are lining up at food banks and relying on food stamps to feed themselves
‘These findings suggest that the economic recovery may be disproportionately benefitting upper-income Americans rather than those who are struggling to fulfill their basic needs,’ said Gallup.
The unemployment rate, now at 7.3 per cent, has widely been criticized as an inaccurate picture of the current jobs crisis since it does not count people who have given up trying to find jobs.
A more accurate number, many would argue, is the Labor Force Participation Rate, which is at a shockingly low 63.2 per cent, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the lowest number recorded in the past decade.
The Labor Force Participation Rate is a measure of all people ready, willing and able to work – the Unemployment Rate is simply a measure of people collecting unemployment benefits, which have long-since expired for millions of Americans out of work.
Starving: The percentage of Americans who can't afford food jumped alarmingly last month
Dropping, that's good right?: The unemployment rate is now down to 7.3 per cent, and is on a downward trend, but that doesn't tell the whole story
Where the problem lies: The labor force participation rate, a measure of all people ready, willing and able to work, is at an all-time low 63.2 per cent
Stagnant, and in some cases falling, wages are also contributing to this perfect storm of poverty.
With many Americans not seeing raises in a difficult economic climate, the average hourly pay for non-governmental, non-supervisory workers has dropped from $8.85 in June 2009 to only $8.77 in July 2013, according to a Wall Street Journal report quoted by Gallup.
With many Americans not seeing raises in a difficult economic climate, the average hourly pay for non-governmental, non-supervisory workers has dropped from $8.85 in June 2009 to only $8.77 in July 2013, according to a Wall Street Journal report quoted by Gallup.
‘Depressed wages are likely negatively affecting the economic recovery by reducing consumer spending, but another serious and costly implication may be that fewer Americans are able to consistently afford food,’ Gallup said.
This latest poll comes just over a month after an Associated Press poll showed that four in five Americans experience poverty at some point during their lifetime, with some rural area experiencing almost 99 per cent poverty.
Staggering: One in five Americans can't afford food now, but that number may rise as expanded food stamp benefits will likely expire in November
No jobs, or poor wages: Job fairs all over the country are jammed with people looking for work despite the false optimism provided by a lowering unemployment rate
That 80 per cent of Americans need government assistance at some point in their lives, and a near-record high 20 per cent couldn’t buy enough food last month is alarming.
The number of Americans unable to nourish themselves may rise further, as recent reports suggest the federal government is set to slash funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) aimed at helping poverty-stricken families put food on the table - this despite rising numbers of families joining each month, according to the USDA.
‘Republicans in Congress are proposing substantial cuts and reforms to the program… food stamp benefits are set to be reduced in November after a provision of the 2009 fiscal stimulus program expires,’ Gallup said.
Senate Republicans are standing firm on a proposed $40billion in cuts to the SNAP food stamp program, according to Reuters, a move opposed by Democrats.
Almost 48million Americans rely on SNAP to put food on their table.
Messages left for further comment with both Gallup and the USDA were not immediately returned.
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