An increasing trend:From middle class to food stamps

[Tinoire]

An increasing trend:From middle class to food stamps
ST. LOUIS (KRT) -- Growing up in Atlanta, Lisa Gray didn't know a thing about food stamps. From time to time, the family did visit a food pantry, but to make a contribution, certainly not to pick up food for themselves.

She, her mother, father and brother did just fine on her dad's salary as an aerospace engineer.

These days, however, Gray, a working mother of three, has joined a rapidly growing number of Americans who over the past four years have come to depend on both food stamps and food pantries.

Since 2000, Gray and more than 6 million other Americans have joined the ranks of the millions of American families who find it increasingly difficult to perform a most basic function -- to put food on their tables.

Following a seven-year decline, the number of Americans on food stamps has shot up 39 percent since 2000, according to federal statistics. Every state, except Hawaii, has felt the impact. In Arizona, food stamp rolls have increased 104 percent, in Nevada, 97 percent; Oregon, 79 percent; South Carolina, 68 percent; Missouri, 65 percent.

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http://www.dominionpost.com/a/news/2004/12/27/caaa/

[readmylips]

1. Arizona and Nevada fastest growing states....

Many people have moved to AZ looking for an affordable home, better weather, and life. While it's true that a home that's worth 1Mil in California may cost 3 or 4 thousand in AZ, and if you want a nice family home for 100 to 200 thousand, AZ has plenty of homes. Even some nice older homes that cost less than 100 thousand. The problem is, there are no jobs. Many people get stuck with a nice home but no way to pay. AZ is a low paying wage state. I can see the food stamp increase in AZ. Nevada is the same way, cheap homes, no high paying jobs.