Food Stamp Use Up On The Suncoast
May 21st, 2008 by Brian Ries in Food and DrinkLast year I lived for a week on just $3 a day for food, the average amount that food stamp clients receive from the USDA to fill the grocery cart. It wasn’t easy, and it couldn’t end quickly enough for my taste. The real story wasn’t my gimmicky experience, though. It’s the large numbers of people who have to eke out three squares a day on the government dole. 26 million people last year. 200,000 people on the Suncoast. And those numbers are going up.
The South Florida Sun-Sentinel reported that Florida food stamp usage jumped 19% in the past year, which is over three times the national increase. How are we doing in our neck of the woods? Check for yourself. (The data indicates number of families, not number of individuals.)
|
County |
Apr 2007 |
Apr 2008 |
Pct Change |
|
Lee |
10,768 |
17,147 |
59% |
|
Charlotte |
2,566 |
4,065 |
58% |
|
Hendry |
1,782 |
2,249 |
26% |
|
Collier |
4,416 |
5,824 |
32% |
|
Glades |
215 |
275 |
28% |
|
Hendry |
1,782 |
2,249 |
26% |
|
DeSoto |
1,248 |
1,581 |
27% |
|
Manatee |
6,356 |
8,755 |
38% |
|
Sarasota |
6,011 |
8,793 |
46% |
|
Pasco |
13,377 |
17,282 |
29% |
|
Pinellas |
30,066 |
35,298 |
17% |
|
Hillsborough |
41,716 |
52,685 |
26% |
|
SunCoast |
120,303 |
156,203 |
23% |
Well Sarasota, all I can say is … wow. Things are looking grim on the Suncoast. When talking to food banks last December, one volunteer told me that he has people coming in for help who were donating items just a year ago. Many of the new struggling families are working poor, with paychecks that aren’t enough for a roof and food.
Want to help? Donate food, cash, or time to a local food bank. Check America’s Second Harvest to find one near you.
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