Food Stamp Use Increased By 70% Since 2007
Nearly 45 million Americans are currently receiving food stamps and according to a new report issued on Friday by the Congressional Budget Office that number is 70% higher than it was in 2007, right before the housing bubble burst and sent millions of Americans to the unemployment line.
According to the CBO report the number of food stamp recipients is expected to continue to rise until 2014 and after that point food stamp numbers “will remain high by historical standards.”
The agency expected 34 million people to regularly be using the program by 2022 and with inflation taking into account the cost of food for those individuals will skyrocket to $73 billion annually, approximately the same price as the $72 billion we are currently spending to feed 45 million Americans.
The report notes that should food stamp spending continue as predicted it will be ”among the highest of all non-health-related federal support programs for low-income households.”
Based on population growth expectancy charts if 34 million Americans are receiving food stamp benefits in 2022 that would mean 1 in 10 Americans will not be able to afford basic living necessities.
To put currently food stamp spending numbers into perspective, prior to the financial meltdown the cost of feeding the nations poor through the program sat at just $30 billion.
The report takes into consideration all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs around the country to paint a definitive picture of the true cost involved in feeding unemployed and low pay employees.
Are you surprised by the tremendous cost associated with national food stamp programs?
Tags : food stamps, Government Program, Government Spending, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programs
Posted: April 20, 2012
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Apr 20, 2012
I am not surprised because of the greedy people in the world who wants to keep the wealth to themselves. Everyone should have a chance to make a decent living including the basic necessities of life. I used to believe that everyone had a fair shot at making their dreams come true. Now I am not so sure anymore. My how times have really changed.
Apr 20, 2012
I am one of those that depend on foodstamps. It is very hard to survive on $200 a month for two people. How many people do you know that can live off $25 a week with the way grocery prices are now? No wonder I can't afford basic necessities. If the government fat cats were made to have a minimum wage job and have to live like the rest of us, you bet your ass things would change!
Apr 20, 2012
Ppl wouldn't have to rely on foodstamps so much if the unemployment rate went up and if ppl could afford to live on very small pay
Apr 20, 2012
This is no surprise to me, I live on just under a thousand dollars a month to feed and support 2 children, We receive $152.17 a month in food stamps which means I starve most of the times because food is so expensive, We need better paying jobs, The Obama care is one thing the people can do with out, Obama care is costing the state more then without it. I know this personally , the state would not pay $800.00 for a special needs sitter for my son to help put his hips back in the sockets now he has to have surgery on both hips and legs , which is going to cost the state $30,000 to $60,000 this is not including the wheelchair, special made bed, intense physical therapy and the medications he will need, So Obama care is not saving us any money it's creating more money problems: Everything is raising in prices and the ppl's pay is going lower and lower. How long can the low income and other people survive…
Apr 20, 2012
The Clarksburg Mission feeds 50 to 100 people a week and I have seen people that is unemployed cause they are turhed down for a job cause of their Education, and Health.
Apr 20, 2012
If the government mandated food costs instead of allowing food companies to grossly inflate the cost of foods, then people with low-paying jobs would not have the need for food assistance! It's the governments problem, so let the government pay!
Apr 20, 2012
Cost of living has nothing to do with the Healthcare Reform Amendment.
Apr 20, 2012
Obama care hasn't even kicked in yet, not untill 2014. Get a clue before spouting BS Faux News propaganda.
Apr 20, 2012
Yianni Genimatas , well what do you think is going to happen when it does kick in, You think it is magical going to start paying his medical bills? Or is it going to make the whole world healthier and richer? My news is the TRUTH not some fiction BS,Survive in my world then you can type shit to me
Apr 20, 2012
Kim LaCapria I was combining two things at once , I was not trying to write book