Half of America’s Children Will Get Food Stamps

About half of all American children will receive food stamps by the age of 20. Among black children, the figure is a stunning 90 percent. A new study drew those conclusions from data spanning 1968 to 1997.

The analysis, conducted by sociologists from Washington University and Cornell University, is shocking, but it has long been known that children bear the brunt of poverty.

According to the National Center for Children in Poverty, 39 percent of U.S. children live in low-income families. The group defines low income as twice the official poverty line, or “the amount of income that research suggests is needed on average for families to meet their basic needs.” — PZS

AP via Yahoo:

Overall, about 49 percent of all children were on food stamps at some point by the age of 20, the analysis found. That includes 90 percent of black children and 37 percent of whites. The analysis didn’t include other ethnic groups.

The time span included typical economic ups and downs, including the early 1980s recession. That means similar portions of children now and in the future will live in families receiving food stamps, although ongoing economic turmoil may increase the numbers, Rank said.

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