The heavy toll of the US shutdown on low-income families in California • FRANCE 24 English
At this Los Angeles food bank, families are trying to stretch every dollar they have left. First, you get anxious because you don’t know. You try to rebudget your already modest income. The ongoing government shutdown means some 42 million Americans are going without a critical lifeline, their monthly food stamp benefits. This food bank offers customers a cart full of food for just $50. Very vital today. cuz let’s say someone gave me $50 to help with groceries. I wouldn’t be able to get as much meat or things the way things are, you know, priced now. Right now, we have eggplant, we get a squash, different kinds, we got tomatoes. Volunteers like Maria sort through donations and hand out produce. And for 4 hours of work, she also receives some food aid. The time is really hard right now. So, I come and help because I like to help too. Plus, they give me the basket of of the food. So, this a lot of help for me and for my family. This food bank says demand has doubled since food stamp payments ended at the start of November. For the manager, the mission is a personal one just to provide food for these families. And I I feel for them because I was in this situation, you know, I was on food stamps for like a year and a half, two years, maybe more. The Trump administration says it will be making partial food stamp payments following a ruling by a federal judge, but many families may have to wait up to two more weeks before seeing that money.
The US government shutdown is set to become the longest in history and its effects are starting to hit home for millions of Americans. One of the hardest-hit groups are low-income families who rely on food stamps. With funding frozen, many are left without aid and food banks are seeing a surge in demand. FRANCE 24’s Wassim Cornet reports from Los Angeles.
#UnitedStates #inflation #poverty
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15 comments
There's jobs everywhere, if you dont wanna work, shall not eat
It’s not called food stamps anymore. It’s called SNAP and has been for many years. GET WITH IT!
Trump 2028: Why Stop at Two?
Mean illegals
Tbf, its california
Literally everyone makes fun of it for its mismanaged finances and services
COL in cali is far above the national average
😢😢
Results of empowering a man of iniquity and making a political identity your fake saviour!
So?
Even when you have a decent job while getting food stamps it’s just not enough anymore. Everybody has 2 jobs now with a side hustle.
Handouts is never sustainable. Yes there r those who really suffer but many became complacent. Trump is on the right track generally. Stop giving freebies, create more jobs, get rid of illegals n make Americans work for their bread. Do it b4 it is too late. The one biggest fault he has is not taxing the rich enough to generate economic growth faster. Tariff on imported goods is not the long term answer.
YOU MIGHT WONDER, WHY THEY STILL KEEP THEIR CARS ???
THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE LONG DISTANCE IN USA…. TO GO TO WORK OR PICK UP THEIR KIDS IN SCHOOL….
BUT VERY VERY SOON, THEY CANNOT AFFORD TO HAVE SO MANY CARS IN USA….
BECAUSE OF THE HIGH FOOD PRICE ! AND VERY HIGH RENTING COST FOR APARTMENT ! AND JOBLESS PROBLEM ETC….
NEWSOM RUIN CALIFORNIA!
I can't even imagine how single moms are doing it right now. I was going to school, working and raising a child on my own. Working out what foods I could buy or what bills I could pay was incredibly stressful. No person should have to endure that. The memory of that for years has never left me. I know exactly how that fear and worry feels. Or maybe not. There was no inflation at that time. People are literally paying almost double what they used to. But their salaries are the same. This is insanity. Meanwhile billionaires…
There are a lot more regions poorer than California. California has problems becoz they spend money they don't have.
Trump spending $$$ to build ballrooms for his rich pals ….. While he cut SNAP food benefits so millions of American children go hungry. What a great president huh????
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