More Americans hungry, homeless in 2006- mayors

[nam78_two]

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N14462540.htm


More Americans hungry, homeless in 2006- mayors
14 Dec 2006 22:01:31 GMT
By Lisa Lambert

WASHINGTON, Dec 14 (Reuters) - More Americans went homeless and hungry in 2006 than the year before and children made up almost a quarter of those in emergency shelters, said a report released on Thursday by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

"The face of hunger and homelessness right now ... is young children, young families," said the conference's president, Douglas Palmer, the mayor of Trenton, New Jersey.

The survey of 23 cities found civic and government groups received, on average, 7 percent more requests for food aid in 2006 than in 2005, following a 12 percent jump in 2005.

Requests for shelter rose by an average of 9 percent in 2006, with requests from families with children rising by 5 percent. More than half the cities said family members often had to split up to stay in different shelters.

As the numbers who could not buy their own food grew, more than half the cities, including Los Angeles and Boston, said groups spread resources farther by giving less food to individuals or cutting the number of times people could receive help. The group estimated 23 percent of requests for emergency food assistance simply went unmet.

Franklin Cownie, the mayor of Des Moines, Iowa, who worked on the study, said he was troubled that more than a third of the adults asking for food aid were employed.

"If you look at the data, you'll find folks that have jobs that don't have enough money to feed themselves," he told reporters.

People remained homeless for an average of eight months in 2006, the report said. Trenton had the longest span, with those in poverty spending an average of 22 months in cars and shelters or on the street.

The survey relied on census statistics along with data that city officials collected from local agencies.

Calling the report "not so much science as perception," the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness, which includes state and federal agencies, said in a statement nearly 30 cities were reporting reduced homelessness due to a federal program run in partnership with the Conference of Mayors.

It said the Bush administration was also working to help connect homeless people to government agencies and private aid groups.

In the mayors' report, Cleveland was one of the cities that saw demand for food assistance drop in 2006. Officials said it was still much higher than in 2000, before the city experienced an economic downturn. From 2000 to 2005, the number of people using food stamps, or federal subsidies to cover groceries, increased there by 29 percent.

Food stamps and other public nutrition programs account for 60 percent of the U.S. Agriculture Department's spending. The USDA said almost 11.2 million U.S. households received food stamps in 2005.

Congress is expected to consider changes to the food stamp program as part of broad-ranging agriculture legislation in 2007. (Additional reporting by Charles Abbott)

[Donkeykick]

1. Yeah.

What do you say we give those oil companies another needed tax break. :sarcasm: :sarcasm: :banghead: :banghead: :eyes: :eyes:

[AndyA]

2. George Bush and the Republicans should be so ashamed of themselves

for what they've done. They should hang their head in shame in public. They should apologize to the American people for what they've done, and resign. Every last one of the MoFos!

They aren't looking after anyone's interests but their own. That is not America.

[ninkasi]

3. They won't, though

They are incapable of feeling shame, because they really, truly, don't give a shit about the homeless, or the hungry. After all, those groups are committing the grave sin of not having enough income to funnel to the right people, Bush and Cheney's cronies. As much as the Republic party tries to paint themselves as the "pro-life" party, their efforts to address any social issue except for being anti right to choice, and and anti gays being given equal rights.

In this country of enormous wealth, we are letting the neediest members of our country to fend for themselves. This should be cause for great shame, AndyA, but they can't feel it. I hope we're able to turn back some of these completely immoral situations that have happened under Republic leadership. If we stopped slaughtering people in Iraq, we might have the money to take care of these truly appalling conditions here.

[undergroundpanther]

5. They don't feel shame

They have no consience ,they are SOCIOPATHIC.

[SpiralHawk]

6. "Let me put some food on your family. Heh, heh, smirk, smirk" - Commander AWOL

Nothing like a plastic turkey when it comes to catapulting propaganda

[undergroundpanther]

4. Time to eat the rich

Time to take the means of production and wealth in this country away from the greedy, and end the idea of "profit".Time to pull the fattest pigs OUT of the state trough forcefully and have a big ham dinner for all who suffer in the streets even while they work so the rich don't ever have to feel the slightest pinch on their pampered asses..It's time to pinch the penny pincher's who have it all,and make it smart.
I hate rich people who don't care . I say this because if more rich pigs gave away some of their excess this would not be happening. So I say fuck the rich, they hate the poor maybe not directly but they hate us with their tightly hoarded money. They do not deserve what they take from society if they think it's ok to let others suffer this way and give nothing back..
If they won't share willingly it's time we took back it out of their hands by sheer anger and unwillingness to heed their demands for more work and profits. These pigs never stop stuffing themselves they are addicted to more for me..Time for an intervention mr. wall street piggy.

[Lipton64]

7. As long as Mr. Cheney is enjoying his nice warm sofa by his tax-payer supported fireplace.....

then it won't be a priority of the federal government to fix the problem.

[undergroundpanther]

8. How long until

We crash his party? How much do we gotta suffer before we risk facing these pathetic piggy boy bullies and leading them to pasture?

[porphyrian]

9. I'll kick that. - n/t

[Obamarama]

10. They aren't hungry. We don't have hunger in our country. Didn't you get the memo????

They have "low food security."

[ftr23532]

11. K&R!