Blue Collar, Bare Cupboards

[babylonsister]

Blue Collar, Bare Cupboards
By Sasha Abramsky
In These Times

Wednesday 26 March 2008

Ten miles outside Eugene in west central Oregon, little wooden houses and mobile homes make up the town of Alvadore. The homes are too far apart to give the town-population 1,358-the appearance of a city, yet too close together for it to come off as true countryside. Old, domestically manufactured cars line the streets, as well as a few rundown mom-and-pop convenience stores.

Small farmers, mill workers and construction people live here. And they work hard-or at least they do when they can get employment. There's a dry nuts and prunes plant just outside town, as well as a Country Coach facility that manufactures motor homes. Many of the residents hold down several jobs to make ends meet. Yet for an increasing number of people in Alvadore, getting a paycheck-or even several paychecks-is not the same as earning enough to put food on the table.

Schools throughout the counties of central Oregon, the state's hunger belt, report that kids come to classes hungry on Mondays-and endure the long summer vacation months when no free school lunches exist.

Alvadore, like many dilapidated towns in modern-day America, is at the wrong end of an array of economic changes-from globalization to higher energy costs-and many of its citizens are falling through the social safety net. The result: increased hunger.

You know there's lots more, AND THIS IS HAPPENING IN EVERY STATE.

http://www.truthout.org/docs_2006/032608C.shtml

[Breeze54]

1. Yes it is happening in every state...more and more each day.

I hope all these people can hang on until we get a Democratic majority in the Senate (A must this year!)
and a Democrat in the White house.... Hang on America and get out there and bring everyone to vote!!
Your lives and your children's lives depend on it! Don't let us down this time! Vote your wallet!

:kick: & Recommended

[pansypoo53219]

2. but we are not in a depression,

so stop saying that.