The head of the Chicago Food Bank, Kate Maer, calls the Supplemental Food Assistance Program “the most powerful tool in the fight against hunger.”
“Do not use it when we have so many people who need it so heartbreakingly. This is not a war that charity can win, ”she emphasizes.
Food stamps still remained one of the key mechanisms of the US security system, the newspaper notes. They were much more effective than financial assistance, reaching 38 million people, although they cost $ 60 billion. Donald Trump has achieved a reduction of this program by 30%. He himself considered this an achievement.
“Under the last administration more than 10 million people were added to food stamp lists,” the president said. “Under my administration, 7 million Americans were taken off food stamps.”
Earlier, News Front had already reported that the Feeding America charity faced a 70% increase in workload. About 120 thousand people turn to food cans a week for a free set of food, and a total of 17 million Americans can go hungry.
In parallel, American farmers were forced to dispose of tons of products that were unclaimed due to strict quarantine. Only in mid-April, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the launch of a $ 19 billion program. 3 billion should be allocated for the purchase of farm products. At the same time, federal authorities warned that preparations would take more than a month.
About this writes the publication The New York Times.
Citing a case study from the Brookings Institution, the media found that almost 23% of families were short of food. Among families with children, this indicator was 35%. At the same time, the proportion of mothers with children under 12 years old who are not able to provide enough food for their children was about 17.5%. All this is not only a gloomy reminder of the dire consequences of the pandemic, but also of the incompetence of the administration.
So, the publication drew attention to the fact that trillions of dollars are spent on various programs to combat the effects of the crown crisis, but the authorities deliberately refuse to expand the food stamp program. US President Donald Trump and his congressional supporters agreed only on a short-term increase in food stamps that does not take into account the poorest recipients, including five million children.
The lines near US food banks have reached such proportions that benefactors were forced to turn to the National Guard for help.