Food Stamps in the United States

Food Stamps in America

Food Stamp money is now distributed with a Benefit Security Card

Often we pay too much attention to the macro developments of our recovering economy, but for millions of Americans the past few years have been a struggle and continue to be. One program that is often criticized by pundits is the Food Stamp program. Despite the criticism, the fact remains that millions of Americans depend on food stamps in order to survive and feed their children.  

In the past decade, the number of people who have applied for and now receive food stamps has surged. Under President Bush, the number grew by 15 million persons, and in the past four years of Obama, an additional 14 million people have been added to the program. With this surge, the total amount of people receiving food stamps has risen to 46 million people. 

Within these 46 million people, approximately a third are white, a fourth black, and a sixth hispanic, the rest are unknown. In order to qualify for food stamps, a single person must earn less than $14,000 in income and for a family of four, less than $29,000. The exact amounts of benefits depend on what income level an applicant is at, and in some states their cash assets. 

Many experts attribute this dramatic rise in the demand for food stamps to the increasing level of Americans below the federal poverty line. According to U.S. Census Bureau data, 85% of households receiving food stamps are below the poverty line. 

Additionally, the number of persons employed receiving food stamps has also risen to 40%. Some of these people are employed, but unable to receive forty hour work weeks, and earn their state's minimum wage or slightly above. Today, employed households outnumber families who are unemployed on food stamps. Much of this rise is attributable to the rising costs of utilities, food, health care, and other living costs. 

Living in this situation is very stressful for families, and their ability to feed their children nutritious food has been diminish with their inability to purchase the more expensive healthier options, even while under the program. This is building a cost and burden not only in the current, but in the long run. 

Critics of the program claim that these families need to work harder and also claim that fraud is a major cause of the lack of funding. This is, however, against what the Government Accountability Office estimates as a plunge in fraud to a rate of below 1%. 

In the richest nation on Earth, it is inexcusable that these rates have grown and have not been diminished. These are our own citizens and their children are our future. Children who are malnourished lowers their ability to develop, and potential for the future. Not only should our nation focus more on our own people, but we should increase our attention of those in the poverty range. A strong America does not mean that a few are strong, it means that all Americans be strong, no matter if one earns a million dollar salary or just above the poverty line. 

I encourage you contact your local representatives and encourage them to not only highlight the macro improvements of our economy, but the remaining micro situations that every day Americans live in. 

For a touching video about Food Stamps in America, visit this PBS video: http://video.pbs.org/video/2198222432

Additionally, you can learn more about the facts of food stamps at the Social Security Administration website: