2. The number of Americans on food stamps surpassed 41 million for the first time ever in June. As of June, the number of Americans on food stamps had set a new all-time record for 19 consecutive months.
3. More than 50 million Americans are now on the U.S. government health care programs designed principally to help the poor.
4. The percentage of Americans struggling below the poverty line in 2009 was the highest it has been in 15 years
6. One out of every five children in the United States is now living in poverty.
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8. According to one recent survey, 28% of all U.S. households have at least one member that is looking for a full-time job.
9. The U.S. poverty rate is now the third worst among the developed nations tracked by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development.
10. Texas food banks said they distributed 14 percent more food in the second quarter of 2010 than in the same time period last year.
11. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, on a year-over-year basis, household participation in the food stamp program has increased 20.28%.
12. One out of every seven mortgages in the United States was either delinquent or in foreclosure during the first quarter of 2010.
13. One out of every six Americans is now being served by at least one government anti-poverty program.
14. Nearly 10 million Americans now receive unemployment insurance, which is almost four times as many as were receiving it in 2007. The number of Americans receiving long-term unemployment benefits has risen over 60 percent in just the past year.
15. For a single adult in 2009, the poverty line was $10,830 in pretax cash income; for a family of four, $22,050.
16. The number of United States residents without health insurance climbed to 51 million in 2009, from 46 million in 2008, the Census said.
17. Pictures credited: Google images Facts from: The New York Times Song by: The Rocket Summer “ Do You Feel”