President Obama and Congress are slashing food assistance benefits for our poorest citizens.
After Dateline NBC aired a special report on poverty in America recently, many people were waiting to see what the response would be from our country’s leaders.
The national news program showed people standing in lines for food, explained how people at the Friends and Neighbors Community Choice Food Center in Lottridge were sending messages on paper plates to The White House asking for help, and told the stories of several families who, just like families all across America, are struggling to meet their basic needs of food and shelter. The response from Congress and The White House was clear and it was shocking, as they chose to cut food benefits for the poor at a time when it is clear that food stamps are not meeting the needs of our country’s families.
“This is shameless,” said Jack Frech, Athens County Job and Family Services director. “This is how our leaders are answering these pleas for help, by taking food away from poor families who already do not have enough food to make it through the month. If the President and Congress feel there is somehow ‘extra’ money in the food stamp program, they need to expand benefits and eligibility rules so that families do not have to depend on food pantries to feed their children.”
The U.S. Senate has already approved a bill to cut food benefits to the poor, and the U.S House of Representatives will soon be voting on this bill as well. Advocates for the poor all across the country are speaking out against this bill, and Athens County Job and Family Services also strongly opposes it. Below are links to additional articles about the proposed legislation.
http://www.cleveland.com/open/index.ssf/2010/08/food_stamps_or_teachers_congre.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/08/07/opinion/07sat3.html?ref=todayspaper
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0810/40739.html
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2010/08/05/record-number-americans-receiving-food-stamp-benefits/
http://www.dispatch.com/live/content/local_news/stories/2010/08/04/food-stamp-cuts-may-aid-medicaid.html?sid=101
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