19 percent of Georgians on food stamps; Mississippi at 21.5 percent
Georgia had 1,851,586 people on food stamps in August, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, as noted in The Wall Street Journal.
That’s 19 percent of the population.
Georgia ranks among the highest in the category. Mississippi had the highest percentage of recipients at 21.5 percent.
Wyoming had only 6 percent.
Southeast states generally had the largest percentage of people on food stamps, with Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina all over 18 percent.
Nationwide, nearly 15 percent used food stamps.
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90 comments Add your comment
Jose
November 3rd, 2011
11:56 am
If we are so consumed about people receiving food stamps, where were you in the cycle of trying to lift people up out of poverty? We box people in through zip codes, school districts in education, low paying jobs, unemployment, under employment, unequal but called equal level of education, over price higher education without any levels of learning, inferior goods and services, poor housing, unequal justice under the law, trying to eliminate voting rights, and not equal healthcare services. We suck what little finance that they receive and give them high rates on everything that they consume including FOOD. This pot of stew doesn’t taste good and will never have the right favor of a successful item on any menu. If you need help, get it and stop stepping on people that are getting the assistance that they need. You can’t get rich on food stamps or getting assistance from the government or any other private areas.
If you can speak down about people in need, then you are in a better condition than they are. You need to accept your blessings and try to help bless someone else if you are able. Of course, we are in the Bible State. More negative talk about people in poverty and getting help, the more that I see that you wish you could but ashamed to do so.
Funniest thing of all, you have to ask why we have people on Food Stamps. Sadly, you had a hand in that dictation and yet, you are still stirring that pot of stew.
If I could help any one of them, I will. Standing in the grocery line, if you make a negative comment about one of them pulling out their EBT card, you will be hearing from me. Nobody needs to feel ashamed because they need help getting FOOD for whatever reason and nobody needs to be talk down on the issue either.
You see the need but refuse to help. We have people in some families making six figures and having somebody in their family receiving Food Stamps. What does that say about you? Now, that’s the cycle that needs to be broken.
If you find to need to report something, report the condition that continues to keep people in poverty. Make that change of REALITY for Prosperity.
Reality
November 3rd, 2011
11:57 am
More people unemployed (over 10%)? More people on food stamps (almost 20%)?
But hey – lets give the top 1% wealthy people a tax break! Sounds like we need to tax these poor people using food stamps more!!
This is the republican logic…
Joesnopy
November 3rd, 2011
11:58 am
Now Georgia and the rest of the Red States have major education problem and it is not due to Labor. If labor was the problem them why are the Blue states doing better when it comes to education. Yes, the blue states are better prepared for the Global market. Please do not say high taxes are the problem. Look at the country to the north of us. They have super high taxes and there employment situation is good.
Terri
November 3rd, 2011
12:01 pm
@sunny WELL SAID!
Corey
November 3rd, 2011
12:01 pm
It is way too easy to attack the less fortunate when figures you don’t like stare you in the face. You people have a hidden personality disorder. Taking pride in attacking the less fortunate makes you feel better? Really? Disgusting? None of you even bother notice the stories about food pantrys operated by charities being depleted. What isi it about people who vote Republican take pride in being so plain azz mean?
Joesnopy
November 3rd, 2011
12:03 pm
You know people. Americans love to work. I know so sorry people but most people in America I know who is poor work harder most of you clowns making fun of the poor. The low skilled jobs were shipped to China and are still being shipped to China. You use to be able to work your way from the bottom to the top is you worked you butt off but you can not now because they sent all of the bottom jobs to China so who caused the problem.
Stunned
November 3rd, 2011
12:04 pm
Jose @11:56 a.m.
We box people in through zip codes, school districts in education, low paying jobs, unemployment,
under employment, unequal but called equal level of education, over price higher education without any levels of learning,
_________
if you feel boxed in because of your zip code, gripe about unequal but called equal level of education, then you have a complex about yourself. All other stuff you wrote about you should discuss with Rev. A. Sharpton…..then again, you are entitled to your opinion.
IntheTrenches
November 3rd, 2011
12:13 pm
In 2010, 48.7% of the SNAP households had children in them; 15.5% had at least one elderly person in it; 19.8% had a non-elderly, disabled person in it. I know many people talk about the baby producers, but in the end, are you going to deny their children food? I mean really? As a “punishment” to the parent(s)? Seriously, punish the little ones who had no choice?
sliderule
November 3rd, 2011
12:16 pm
I don’t know about drug tests, but I sure think we should weigh them and no stamps for anyone over
say 200 pounds.
Stunned
November 3rd, 2011
12:17 pm
Okay, here it goes: You have generations of people on welfare and food stamps. The children copy their parents, but low and behold, there is always enough money for all those LUXURY items that the ordinary person would think twice about buying. Hm. So food stamps get a bad rap, a bad stigma is attached to it now because of fraud and because of people that don’t give a damn about anything. So now all hell broke lose in the job market and the average joe has to make ends meet and needs tot ake advantage of the benefit system. SHAME has been brought to what you actually deserve to receive because you have been contributing to society as a wroker and a tax payer!!!! So there, here is your analysis as to why people look down on people who get benefits. The system has been ;hacked; by low lifes that won’t quit trying to get all for free!
19 percent of Georgians on food stamps - City-Data Forum
November 3rd, 2011
12:38 pm
[...] 19 percent of Georgians on food stamps I guess this confirms the times we are living in. I only hope that all who are receiving food stamps truly need it. I would hate to see the elderly in our state not receive the food assistance they need. 19 percent of Georgians on food stamps 19 percent of Georgians on food stamps; Mississippi at 21.5 percent | The Biz Beat [...]
SINGLEMOM
November 3rd, 2011
12:44 pm
I am a single mom (white). I have worked ever since my child was born 15 1/2 years ago. I work full time. I do not qualify because I make to much money (35K). I am paying on a house and a car. I cannot even get my child on reduced lunch at school but if you are on food stamps you automatically qualify. I could use a little help every now and then but that will never happen. Food stamps and free and reduced lunch programs should be based on your net pay not gross pay. I feel that if you are not steadily looking for work then you should not qualify for food stamps. I used to be a cashier and have seen people on food stamps (and living in government assisted living) buying the most expensive cuts of meat and driving expensive cars. If they are driving expensive cars why can they not afford to buy food…these people should be disqualified and should be made to get a job. Those that do not work and are receiving the foodstamps will never get a job they have the attitude the government is taking care of me why work. Single white moms have trouble getting assistance.
Terri
November 3rd, 2011
12:44 pm
@JOSE right on point!
Kev
November 3rd, 2011
12:49 pm
Stunned,
That’s a fallacy (the welfare queen) put forth by Reagan and the Republicans in the 80s that, unfortunately, still persists.
Show me some (non-FOX or Limbaugh) stats to back up your claims.
I can say I fart diamonds. It doesn’t make it true.
America Has Sold it's Soul to the Devil
November 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
Most people that are on food stamps abuse it…. They sell what they don’t need and use the cash for things I can’t even afford. I work very hard to earn the money I have and for my money to go to people getting over on the system is very frustrating for a tax payer! We need to start having people use their finger print when using a food stamp card…. New York does it!
Jose
November 3rd, 2011
12:51 pm
This message is only for Stunned.
Please read what I wrote again. This is one example of what I meant about higher education not providing the level of education that you have paid for. Read, comprehend, and apply your critical thinking to what I wrote and then, maybe we could have a conversation about the causes of poverty in America.
Until then, I will never turn my back on anybody that I see in need. If I can help, I will. If you need for me to stand up for you, I will. If you need for me to speak for you, I will. Most of all, you don’t have to ask because I will anyway when I see the injustice that you are trying apply to people in general.
The oath is to never leave a soldier on the battlefield. Why in the HELL we can’t apply this to our country when it comes to food, housing, education, and health? We send their kids to fight the wars for this country because we fail to educate them to give better choices.
I don’t need to speak to the REV. I am speaking to YOU and the others that think that they are better than the next person.
Todd
November 3rd, 2011
12:52 pm
@sunny, you are absolutely correct. I have been told im over qualified and turned down for the last 14months. Even the Mickey D’s managers’ at two stores told me I wouldnt be hired becasue they know i will quit as soon as I find a better job. convenience stores, entry level IT jobs, all turned away because i have over 16yrs in the IT industry. No one wants to hire someone with alot of experience anymore it seems. I’ve worked my azzz off for all those years to find myself laid off because of manufacturing contracts going to china, metal contracts going else where…Is to the point of almost giving up
Middle Class Latino
November 3rd, 2011
12:53 pm
It’s funny how the repubs complain, but don’t want the morning after pill given to a mother who could have an unplanned pregnancy. We shouldn’t allow stupid religous beliefs to play role in government.
I Like the drug testing to receive benfits concept. The only way you should be able to use drugs is if you have a JOB!!
By the way we should decriminilize certain drugs. That war on drugs doesn’t seem to be working to good for you financially for you religous fanatics.
For Real?
November 3rd, 2011
1:03 pm
people quit be so judgmental…in anything, you going to have people that abuse the system…we hear about it everyday….you never know how a person got in a situation where they need or was granted food stamps…how do you know they didn’t have that smartphone, luxury car or debit card before they lost their job, or their spouse loast their job…or became disabled. It doesn’t matter the race of the person using that card…instead of standing behind them with your mouth poked out…offer assistance. if you know someone hiring…let them know…see if you can make their situation better….we got to get out of this judging habit…have you ever heard of passing it forward? pass it forward…do something nice, do it from your heart.
wally
November 3rd, 2011
1:04 pm
19% ? soon to be over 25%
Change you can believe in.
Embrace Socialism !!!
infoseeker
November 3rd, 2011
1:10 pm
I don’t own a smartphone or cell phone, have no car (repo’d) don’t live in a house. So what if I did anyway. Is that it. You don’t want anyone other than yourselves to have something. These people are not in any way living better than you are, something you seem to think and worry about.
Cristina cruz
November 3rd, 2011
1:11 pm
@ samantha, sorry darling…only 1 out of this factory, been with husband 16 yrs and we waited 7yrs to have our son. Been on my own since 14 and all I wanted to do was do better than what I grew up around. and doo doo happens, that is why we saved, invested and spent wisely. the only debt that i have is my house( no credit cards or other notes) my car is paid for(used 07 caravan). not many people can say that. that is why we are going backwords as a society, we brush everyone with a broad stroke, not knowing someones situation. btw, before i lost my job, i already had eye surgury to suck out all the liquid and then, i was supposed to have neck surgury, now the only advice that i get from any dfcs worker is apply for social security, since my condition is so bad that there are days im paralyzed from one side. since im not blind ( they did tell me when i hit late 40’s might be), disabled, 65 or pregnant (HELL NO), im not eligible for medical assisantance. do you think that at 36yrs old i want to apply for disability? someone commented that many employers say “you are over qualified”, that is very true. dont judge some one else because you dont know their situation and you never know if you will end up in a similar situation. most of my meds are free because i get it from the manufacturer ( u know those commercials). there are times that the depression hits so bad that you just want to disappear from earth, but you realize that you have you husband and child to live for. Being someone who has never asked for anything from anyone (including family), it takes alot of humbleness to ask for help when you are at the end of your rope.
Stunned
November 3rd, 2011
1:12 pm
quit being judgemental…that depends on your personal experience with the issue at hand. I had a family live next door for a good 2 years that abused all the above. The section 8 home has been foreclosed and they had to move. They had the car, food stamps, housing assistance…all that….had the audacity to get drugs delivered to their front door….were loud…..showed off when they came back from the store with all the free food. It was ‘in your face’ everyday. Stole utilities in the end….gas meter messed with….cable hook-up illiegal……..water lock broken…..all in broad daylight for all to see……and they got away with it. I overlooked it then out of fear of retaliation (like car window smashed, or debris in tank), but now that these people from hell have moved on, it is as clear as the day that people like that smear the system like a virus…….and they cheat. They get stuff free that other folks have to work for. And now I can spot them a mile a minute.
justathought
November 3rd, 2011
1:15 pm
Has anyone considered that because of the high unemployment rate, that people are having to use food stamps to feed their families? Just a thought…
MJ
November 3rd, 2011
1:17 pm
Yes, the majority are Republican held states. I don’t know if Mississippi will ever be able to pull itself out of the total despair it has been in over for over a century.
Grandmachick
November 3rd, 2011
1:24 pm
Until you have walked in my shoes do not judge me. I am a white 56 year old woman. I worked at the same job for 21 years. I was an IT manager for a company that decided people in Manila needed money and jobs more than we do. I spend hours every day (for over a year now) looking for a job. No luck. Yes I have a decent car and clothes but they were all paid off before I was laid off. So keep that in mind when you see someone that must now use food stamps as all savings are gone.
Jose
November 3rd, 2011
1:25 pm
I have one more small issue that bites.
We send trillions of dollars overseas in AIDE. Do we ask them to test for DRUGS? Do we ask them if they are welfare recipient? Do we ask them are they receiving any other type of AIDE? Do we ask them where do they live? Do we ask them about their financial assessments? Do we ask them how many people living in their household? Do we ask these countries in how they apply that AIDE to the people in need?
Do we ask them any of these profound questions that we ask our citizens? Do we treat them in the manner that we treat our citizens across the street or across the hallway?
Are you following that AIDE that is given away to different countries around the world down to the end user to see how they are applying it? What bites the most is when you have the audacity to piss on your neighbor while they are in need of assistance.
Georgia supposes to be a Bible Belt State. You are so deceitful when it comes to humanity in this country.
You Moron Rethugs!
November 3rd, 2011
1:29 pm
@ Stunned: I would expect that is the exception and not the norm in today’s jobless environment. I take three prescription drugs but had to go without at times. I had to pay the electricity or skip the high blood pressure/cholesterol meds. So I opted to just take them every other day to make 30 days last 60 days. I had no internet and a car payment on an older SUV I was behind on. My son did NOT qualify for PEACH care nor were we able to get reduced utilities. The ONLY freebie we did receive was free lunch at school. That was a huge help. I did all the right things in life and worked since I was 15 and prior to that, babysat for money. Stop being neanderthal in your thinking and assume everyone in need is on the dole. That is SOOOO yesterday.
IntheTrenches
November 3rd, 2011
1:33 pm
A household of two has to make $1,594 or less (gross, not take-home pay) to be eligible for the program. If you believe you qualify, apply again. You don’t have to go to an office, you can apply online.
infoseeker
November 3rd, 2011
1:35 pm
I had a nice good running car (Chevy), cell phone, home phone, cable TV, food, shelter in a nice apartment community, clothes, privilege to fly anywhere I wanted to, good paying job, abilities to advance, however, I never imagined, dreamed I would find myself in the situation I’m in now. All of this eliminated when I was escorted off the property of my livelihood. (all of it) And please realize at that time, I never looked down on anyone, however, I did encourage others to not do it either. Careful what you say and do, Karma is real. Hard times may not fall on you but someone very close to you, when and if it does be prepared to back them up.
Terri
November 3rd, 2011
1:41 pm
@America Has Sold it’s Soul to the Devil REALLY!
Cristina cruz
November 3rd, 2011
1:55 pm
another laugh….when my husband finally was approved for disability, that big check he recieved from ss as “back pay” all of that had to be given to his long term disability insurance from his former employer, we had to jump through hoops to get medicaid and he wasnt even eligilble for full medicaid because his disability check was too high! come again?!?! well since he worked all his life and paid into social security for 30 yrs, he is in the high tier of benefits. we had to go through 6 months of red tape to get his electric wheelchair approved. for a man that has worked all his life starting with his dad in their familty owed produce store, to where he had to quit school to support his mom and younger brother when his dad died, to working for himself to improve his surroundings, to becoming disabled one day where you cant even walk, the deep depression he went through i would not wish it on anyone.
Nearly 15 Percent of U.S. Receives Food Stamps - ABC News
November 3rd, 2011
1:56 pm
[...] percentages of people on food stamps, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. In Georgia, 1.8 million people received food [...]
What ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 3rd, 2011
2:24 pm
19% and half of this 19% are standing in the stores trying to sell their cards for money and the other half are putting their groceries in their BMW trunks. The more poor the more money the government can steal from the taxpayers, whats left of us that is.
In the words of Pelosi, Reid and the rest of government corruption, Get that taxpayer money because my brother in laws company needs a bailout.
Terri
November 3rd, 2011
2:37 pm
@What ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have you reported this; really? Your comment is dumb they don’t move like that all standing around trying to sell. I say record it and report it… You are that scared mofo looking at “what you think” is going on not really knowing “what” is going on. If it upsets you sooo much record it and report it, be visible that this pisses you off so you and your community can take action and make a change, other than that STFU you’re a bandwagon trick. I’m telling you TV/internet is a beast once a racist, illiterate, sexist, clueless do do bird gets a hold of a few TV/internet stereotypes they run with it.
Blah Blah Blah!!!
November 3rd, 2011
3:06 pm
This article and articles similar to these make me look at the topic crossed eyed, on one hand, I understand the angry (Republican) voters who see people driving BMW’s while on Foodstamps and other Federal Assistance programs, and on the other hand I don’t know anyone’s personal situation so I must ask myself who am I to judge? (As if I’m fit to judge anyone anyway….)
There are some people (especially Single Mothers) who I have known and befriended who do receive Federal Assistance, some ABUSE the system, others do not. Frankly, I agree with the poster(s) who have mentioned that people receiving welfare, foodstamps, etc. should be drug tested every three months in order to stay receiving government benefits. There’s already enough taxes, debt, etc. going around for US (taxpayers) to be paying on some lazy, drug addit, alcoholic… I’ve seen enough of this with my own eyes and am highly disgusted….
Yes, I’m a BLACK MALE (not trying to make this a racial topic, but I bet I know what some of you on this blog are thinking…) Generally, the whole “I’m a Single Baby Momma” thing has really gotten old, with all do respect to all of my beautiful women, if you don’t want to reap the financial burden of a child, simply keep your legs closed, and if that is too hard for you to do, at least sleep with a male that is about a flip!!!!!!
Infographic of the Week: Food Insecurity | Food+Tech Connect
November 4th, 2011
12:40 pm
[...] of this chart shows now that SNAP (food stamp) use is up 8.1% from 2010 – equaling around 20% of the population in many southern states. Food prices are also still rising. SNAP is supported by money from the [...]
sharktube.tv » Nearly 15 Percent of U.S. Receives Food Stamps
November 5th, 2011
10:32 am
[...] percentages of people on food stamps, according to a Atlanta Journal Constitution. In Georgia, 1.8 million people perceived food [...]
Nearly 15 Percent of U.S. Receives Food Stamps | news-infos.com
November 6th, 2011
10:44 am
[...] percentages of people on food stamps, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. In Georgia, 1.8 million people received food [...]
Mississippi’s proposed abortion law: Lives in the balance « drwilda
November 6th, 2011
1:06 pm
[...] Southeast states generally had the largest percentage of people on food stamps, with Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and South Carolina all over 18 percent. Nationwide, nearly 15 percent used food stamps. http://blogs.ajc.com/business-beat/2011/11/03/19-percent-of-georgians-on-food-stamps-mississippi-at-... [...]