Four years after the recession officially ended, many Americans are still struggling to recover financially with lower incomes and, in some cases, going hungry, according to two recent surveys that underscored the unevenness of the U.S. economic recovery. According to a recent Gallup poll, 20% of U.S. adults said that at times in the past year they did not have enough money to buy food for themselves or their families. That’s nearly as many hungry Americans as in 2008, when the nation was submerged in its deepest economic slump since the Great Depression nearly 80 years earlier.
“These findings suggest that the economic recovery may be disproportionately benefiting upper-income Americans rather than those who are struggling to fulfill their basic needs,” the national polling firm said. With the future of the nation’s food-stamp program in doubt and continuing stagnant wages for U.S. workers, “It is possible that even more Americans may struggle to afford food in the immediate future,” Gallup added. At latest count, nearly 48 million Americans (15% of the population) received food stamp assistance, according to USDA.
Gallup also found that Americans’ overall access to basic necessities such as food, housing and healthcare in August continued at the near-record lows that emerged during the recent recession and many still struggle to find their financial footing. A separate poll by the Pew Research Center found more than half of U.S. adults (54%) said they feel their household incomes have “hardly recovered at all” from the downturn. The survey also revealed that 63% of Americans said the U.S. economic system was no more secure now than before the recession. For many, the nation’s job situation was their top concern, it added.
The government’s annual “Food Security” report found that 14.5% of American households (17.6 million families) “had difficulty at some time” in getting enough to eat during 2012, meaning they ran out of food, didn’t have money to buy enough food, skipped meals or lost weight for lack of food. Gallup said it was likely that a variety of factors, including depressed wages, were to blame for hunger. But it added, “increasing wages alone, however, is not enough to significantly increase the percentage of Americans who have the ability to afford food.”
Average hourly earnings bounced back in August after weak readings in July, according to recent U.S. data that suggested the economy was struggling to regain momentum. Many workers are also still struggling with reduced hours, which also affects their overall take-home pay.
