Reuters reports, emphasis FT Alphaville’s:
One in nine Americans are using federal food stamps to help buy groceries as the country’s deep recession forced another 591,000 people onto the federal anti-hunger program at latest count.
Enrollment jumped 2 percent to 33.2 million people in March, the fourth consecutive month that rolls hit a record, said the Agriculture Department. The average monthly benefit was $113.87 per person.
…
“It’s very likely that the numbers will continue to grow in the coming months as a turnaround in unemployment and wage declines typically lags behind the recovery of the broader economy,” he said.
In 20 states, as many as one in eight are on the food stamp program, according to the Food Research Center.
Related links:
Living with less (the human side of the global recession) – NY Times
Americans on food aid – FT Alphaville (2008)