Sign Of The Times: Food Stamp Use Soars

CBS Evening News: Nearly One In 11 Americans Uses Government Program To Make Ends Meet

(CBS)  John O'Donnell works the night shift at a Manchester, N.H., hospital. An Air Force veteran and a trained commercial painter, he mops floors to help make ends meet.

This week, for the first time in his life, he applied for food stamps, CBS News correspondent Byron Pitts reports.

"I have, uh, $3 and 3 cents in my pocket. Maybe a handful of pennies on my bureau," he said. "I own a car, and that's it."

He's behind on his rent. And as a diabetic, he spends more on medicine than he does on food. His dinner the day we saw him was a peanut and jelly sandwich and a cup of coffee.

What about savings? Checking account?

"Nothing," he said. "I have absolutely nothing."

Nothing but his pride - and even that's shrinking.

"Initially, it was tough eating the pride. You know, I mean I'm 52; I've never been down this road," he said.

O'Donnell is just one of the record number of Americans now living off food stamps - also known as or SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

In September, more than 31.5 million Americans received food stamps -- up more than 2 million from the month before. That's one out of every 10 U.S. citizens. A family of four must take home less than $1,767 net per month to qualify for food stamps.

"How bad is it now? What do you see?" Pitts asked Michelle McCarty of the New Hampshire Department of Family and Assistance.

"This is probably the worst," she said. "I've been with the state for 16 years."

From New Hampshire to California, the story is the same. More and more families are relying on faith-based groups and the federal government for food.

"People think 'hunger' and they think of other countries, but it is right here in your neighborhood," said Caroline Vazquez, director of development for the non-profit Feeding America San Diego.

"Everybody's lives have changed with the economy going down," said Anna Martinez, a resident.

In Louisiana, ravaged yet again by hurricanes this year, the number of people on food stamps jumped 234 percent in September compared to a year ago.

In other parts of the country, the numbers are better, but still bad. Reliance of food stamps is up 24 percent in Idaho, nearly 24 percent in Florida, and more than 20 percent in Nevada and Texas.

O'Donnell still lives in a working-class neighborhood, and he says he's still holding on to his faith.

"Times will get better. I'm an American. I live in the strongest nation in the world. Things will get better, and I believe in God," he said.

Like so many Americans, that's all he has left.

[countrywunz-2009]

I,m not on food stamps just because i will not ask nothing form the people thats over tax payers money and will not get nothing from me because i don,t work anymore so i don,t give them my money anymore,when i seen half my check being took away from me i QUIT,THANK YOU..

[sunnyone8]

I wanted to get John O''donnell''s adress so I could send him a few dollars. It depends where you live on the food stamps. There are places where there just aren''t any jobs to be had. All the companies that moved to Mexico and China should have to pay for the food stamps. I don''t get food stamps but I lost a good job that I had for 31 years in 2002 because they went to Mexico. It''s not a black/white thing but a rich/poor problem.

[mdalerwill]

HA! CBS censored the word d a r n in my post. That''s going a bit overboard.

[mdalerwill]

Food stamps should be cut off after four weeks! That would be good incentive for people to get off their butts and get back to work! Food stamps were NEVER intendened to be a lifetime supply of FOOD!

A hand UP, yesssss! A hand OUT, noooooooo!

Posted by RowdynTex at 08:47 AM : Dec 24, 2008


Wow, amazingly harsh. I can understand getting upset about people expecting food stamps and other types of assistance for a lifetime or an extended period of time, but it''s pretty *** easy in a difficult economy to be jobless for more than 4 weeks.

I think some people make a big issue of how lazy and dishonest people on any kind of aid are because they don''t want to believe it could happen to the average hard-working person. That would be admitting it could actually happen to them, and that would be too scary and too humiliating.

[backin4yrs]

All WHITES are not on welfare, but WHITES make up 60% of the population yet approximately the 60% of WHITES are on government aid as the balance of the population, about 90 million.

I have heard that some WHITE MORMON CULT Churches have classes that teach their members how to get more aid. Some families have been on aid for 3-4 generations. biomegaly before you call others idiots do some research and you won''''t look like one.


OBAMA FOR REAL CHANGE!

[biomegaly]

10% of Americans are on food stamps. 10% of Americans are African-Americans. Just a pure coincidence.
Posted by AnitaY417 at 12:15 PM : Dec 24, 2008
_______________

You are the problem with this country Anita. You want to place the blame on others. You need to take a long hard look at yourself in the mirror. Like the vast majority of Americans that aren''t able to do this because they''ve got their head shoved so far up their own a$$es they''ll never see the reality of the day. I suppose all black people must be on welfare and receiving food stamps then. You''re an id10T.

[bm6005]

Cowardly ghetto trash like you sitting on your arse all day calling everybody else names....freaking HILARIOUS!

Posted by RowdynTex

And what exactly is it that you do?

[frobinson42]

I was just reading the article about the millions of americans being on govt. assistance. It breaks my heart that by this being one of the richest countries in the world that the powers to be let this happen. I hope that this new administration coming up can find a sound solution to this phenomenal problem.

[ladyephesus1]

I agree with you citizen.....I sat and waited two hours to get food stamps for me and my kids and this lady sat next to me on her cell phone and plotted how she would put on her application that she lived with her mother. People are getting benefits fraudulently and this is when the limitation will set in and everyone will suffer because of it. This woman probably never worked a day in her life!!

[debinok1]

Heres even more good news, 30,000 jobs lost last week alone, with more coming, oh boy this just keeps getting beter and better.

[credibility2]

How many of these recipients are undocumented illegals, taking from resources that should only benefit citizens and those legally documented? And, I don''t care if this involves kids of the illegals. They''re also taking away from the kids of citizens and kids of legally documented individuals. I''m sure many also lie about their finances just so they can take from the system. I know of a number of individuals doing this. Makes me want to report them for their criminal behavior, fraudulently reporting to a federal agency.

[stevex47]

And there are people that voted boosh twice, and then tried to vote for more of the same. Ya, palin was the answer.

Unbelieveable.

Mission Accomplished.

[vcofreason]

Yawn. You must be a little house on the prairie fan. What a hoot.

Posted by FloydZeppd at 08:28 AM

I''d rather be a quiet, boring person with optimism and hope than a bitter, dried-up, nasty old person like you. So many people like you on here: bitter, miserable, unhappy, pessimistic and nasty. Talk about boring?

[generey]

***!!!! Rough day for Rowdy aint it??

[slim1h2o]

Americans will have a rude awakening sooner than they think...keep walking blindly into the night......

Posted by Hackerpc at 10:18 AM : Dec 24, 2008

Yup...alot of people will alot of es-plaining to do.

All the Bush-bots out there think that they''re walking into the "light", when in fact, they''re walking into the "fire"!


America! A once proud country.....

[cariboubarbi]

Yes, it''''''''s classic trickle down economics.

Your money trickles up and losses trickle down.

You think the economy is spiraling because the rich don''''''''t have enough money?

Welcome to the fall out of 8 years of incompetent leadership.













P
osted by CaribouBarbi at 10:06 AM : Dec 24, 2008

Thats right! More people on welfare more Obama! Coincidence?

Posted by hillaryin016 at 10:08 AM : Dec 24, 2008








Bush is still the President. Don''t you think it''s a little early to be blaming Bush''s failures on Obama?

[cariboubarbi]

Yes, it''s classic trickle down economics.

Your money trickles up and losses trickle down.

You think the economy is spiraling because the rich don''t have enough money?

Welcome to the fall out of 8 years of incompetent leadership.

[takebackusa]

Nearly One In 11 Americans Uses Government Program To Make Ends Meet - - - - -



= = = = = = =
funny, that`s the exact same margin that Obama won the election by


Posted by DaVicar3 at 09:51 AM : Dec 24, 2008


And the same margin that still support Bush

[zzy-izzy]

takebackusa just a Republican preacher getting some on the side no wonder she is so down in the mouth all the time.

[quartersaw]

This is the end result of the "Free Market Economy" which was and is nothing but a pyramid scheme for the rich.
Bu$h is nothing but a liar,Herbert Hoover,and a war criminal rolled into one.
Be very careful who you vote for, America.......