Suburban Food Stamp Use Rises

A recent report has shown a significant increase in the percentage of suburban Cleveland households receiving food stamps. Food stamp use has largely been seen, and pretty much confined to, American inner cities, but this report shows how increasing poverty has now passed the road sign saying, "Now Entering Suburbia." Between 2002 and 2007, the overall number of Cuyahoga County residents receiving food stamps increased 40%, so that now 14% of all county residents received federal food stamps. The biggest increase came not in Cleveland proper, but in suburban Cleveland, where the number of people receiving stamps doubled in that time period. At the same time, the percentage of people in Cleveland proper receiving food stamps increased from 21% to 26%. I would have to believe that Cleveland is not alone in this disturbing trend, but that many American urban areas are seeing a similar rise in poverty, especially those areas where manufacturing jobs have been disappearing faster than chocolate-walnut brownies at a picnic. All the while, federal statistics show the wealthiest Americans receiving an increasing share of overall national income.