A recent study on the percentage of children receiving food stamps, published in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, showed that across periods of economic upswing and recession in the United States about 49 percent of children under 20 received food stamps at some point during their childhood years, including 90 percent of African American children. The study examined 30 years of data over 4,800 households.
More recently, in 2008, nearly 30 million Americans received food stamps in an average month; half were under 18 years old.
The authors speculate that the numbers of children relying on food stamps now is even higher because of the current crisis. Children who receive food stamps have been found to be at higher risk for malnutrition and other health problems associated with poverty.
A family of four receiving food stamps makes less than $22,000 per year. Under capitalism, workers will always struggle for the basic necessities of life.
