The food stamps budget

Every year the cost of housing and food continues to rise, causing countless Americans to have to depend on food stamps to feed their families. Hard-working parents who sometimes have more than one job have a hard time paying for their bills, with prices continuing to climb as their wage stays the same. According to sources, 12.4 percent of Americans receive SNAP benefits. Areas of food deserts have among the largest populations to be on those benefits. As defined, food deserts are

"...regions where people have limited access to healthful and affordable food. This may be due to having a low income or having to travel farther to find healthy food options."

It has been increasingly hard for Americans due to Covid-19. As countless lose jobs due to the virus, the need for food stamps increase. People become afraid of the lack of necessities and therefore begin to hoard, leaving a few items for the rest. It is safe to say the year 2020 has been for the vast majority, but understanding that it is not easy for families to rely on government assistance to meet their basic needs when the cost of living continues to grow more expensive. Fortunately, some landlords have allowed families to skip their months of rent due to Covid-19. However, this is a small solution for a bigger problem that is apparent in America.

With these alarming issues, families are still trying to find the cheapest ways to make use of their income to feed their families. Bringing awareness to these issues happening here in America will allow for more discussions to happen amongst communities. It is safe to say that there is not a simple resolution to the problems that many have. Recognizing and admitting there is a problem with the cost of living to wage earned ratio is a step to working towards financial growth. If the wages earned does not change, the cost of essentials does not need to continue to grow. Demand causes there to be inflation. However, food is a human need that should not be unnecessarily hard to obtain.

Written by Tasundra Stephens