by wildcherry on Friday, April 3rd, 2009 | News, World

If you don’t feel the effect of recession in your daily life, then consider yourself very lucky. The latest data from Reuters shows how dependent Americans on the food stamp program.

“A record 32.2 million people — one in every 10 Americans — received food stamps at the latest count, the government said on Thursday, a reflection of the recession now in its 16th month.

Food stamps, the major U.S. anti-hunger program, help poor people buy groceries. The average benefit was $112.82 per person in January.

Food stamp enrollment rose in 46 of the 50 states during January as the national total rose by 580,000 people, or 1.3 percent, from December, when the previous record was set, said Agriculture Department figures.

Vermont, Alaska and South Dakota had increases of more than 5 percent. Texas had the largest enrollment, 2.984 million, down 65,000, followed by California at 2.545 million, up 43,000, and New York with 2.211 million, up 37,000.

Source:Reuters

Tags: food benefits, food stamps, food stamps data, food stamps program, Global food crisis, inflation, U.S. recession, us food crisis, welfare