Some families are scouring supermarket shelves for the perfect turkey for Thanksgiving.
Others are worrying about how they’ll afford food through the end of the month.
With rising food prices, stagnant wages and cuts to benefit programs, the number of people who rely on food banks and soup kitchens is on the rise.
This year, the Nov. 1 cuts to the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) coincided with the start of the holiday season. With SNAP, commonly known as the food stamp program, low-income people get a pre-loaded card to use at most grocery stores to buy food. They receive a fixed monthly amount based on their income, living expenses and household size.
More than 1 million Washington residents received SNAP benefits in August, according to the state Department of Social and Health Services.
The cuts are prompting more families and individuals to turn to local food banks to pick up the slack.
Read more here: http://www.thenewstribune.com/2013/11/26/2915281/food-stamp-cuts-put-extra-stress.html