By Paul Joseph Watson
The head of the Pennsylvania’s largest food bank has warned that demand for groceries following a $5 billion dollar cut in the food stamp program cannot be met.
Joe Arthur of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank “says the donor network for the food banks is already stretched too thin to quickly expand,” according to an Associated Press report.
From November 1st, $5 billion was wiped off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) as a result of a planned stimulus withdrawal. Almost 50 million Americans who are supported by the program face an average loss of $36 dollars a month, which is a significant amount for those living near the poverty line.
Food pantry organizers will be “unable to plug the hole being left by a reduction in federal funding for food stamps,” which will leave families of four in Pennsylvania facing the prospect of 20 fewer meals per month, according to Arthur.
The Association of Arizona Food Banks sounds a similar warning, noting that the 5 per cent cut, although appearing minor on the surface, equates to about half a week’s budget for someone whose primary source of food is SNAP.
Spokesman Brian Simpson illustrated how the massive surge in demand for food was linked to the struggling economy.
By the way, our average cost for natural gas has gone from about $85/mo. in the winter months Dec/Jan/Feb in 2012/13 to over $110/mo. for the same time period 2013/14. This December’s gas bill was over $124. We keep the heat between 60F and 65F during the day, and turn it down to 58F at night. We rent a mobile home space which costs $685/mo., plus utilities. Usual rent costs up until the beginning of 2014 during the winter months were about $840/mo. Since the start of 2014 rent has been over $900/mo., with Dec. being over $920. Just sayin.
Here in California, the drought that is ongoing is going to start to affect the people in this state, and the rest of the nation, as food supplies are going to drop an estimated 40% in 2014. That’s a big drop! There is talk of creating Food Banks here in CA to try to deal with the coming food shortages. The situation is serious, but its going to get worse. Right now, where I live, food is still available, but its getting more and more expensive. Electricity, water, and natural gas rates have gone up too!