US: 2nd stimulus hopes crushed, causing anger and disbelief

[Resurgence]

After months of waiting it turns out that the United States will not pass a second fiscal stimulus package until after the election.

In late March, the United States federal government passed the CARES emergency fiscal aid package - back then almost nobody would have guessed that it would be the only direct economic stimulus to households until after November’s elections, or possibly ever.

Months of negotiations have proven fruitless - Congress just adjourned for next week’s elections, crushing hopes for the widely-expected and long-awaited but desperately-need second stimulus package.

New polls showed that Republicans and Democrats are being blamed in almost equal measure, reflecting how the elite of both parties seemingly intervened negatively whenever a second stimulus package appeared close.


The poverty rate has increased in the US nearly 20% since May.

Almost a million unemployment claims are still being filed every single week.

Around 14 million American children now regularly go hungry. That number is five times greater than it was before COVID.



There is no end in sight to unprecedented demand at food banks.



Boston, Massachusetts: 'The Need Is Tremendous' -  Lynn Salvation Army creates drive-through food pantry

Before the pandemic, the Lynn Salvation Army served about 60 families a week. Now they serve 600 a day.

Reported October 20.






Chicago, Illinois: Food banks go into 'disaster mode' to deal with the need during COVID-19

Reported October 20.






East Texas: Food banks are helping more people as the holiday season approaches

Reported October 28.






Birmingham, Alabama: Community Food Bank of Central Alabama seeing significant increase of food insecurity during COVID-19

Reported September 30.






Houston, Texas: Food bank first-timers drive up demand

Reported October 25.






Chattanooga, Tennessee: Chattanooga Area Food Bank continues to see an increase in need for food

Reported October 23.






New Jersey: Food banks begin stockpiling ahead of possible second wave

Reported October 15.






Northern Kentucky: Food pantry extends services

Reported October 5.






Denver, Colorado: Food Bank of The Rockies sees greater levels of food insecurity 

Reported October 8.






Las Vegas, Nevada: Cars line up for miles waiting for food assistance at Southern Highlands Food Bank

Reported October 4.






Columbia, South Carolina: Harvest Hope sees continued increase for assistance

Reported October 20.






Central Florida (Orange Country): High demand for drive-through food pantries continues

Reported October 6.






Southern Arizona:  Community Food Bank says demand remains high

Reported October 23.






https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2020/10/2...on-economy-

[Resurgence]

Related News:


Reported November 14.



Around 8,500 families arrived at North Texas Food Bank



Vehicles that turned out at Fair Park were divided into four lines.




Thousands of families — including some who waited nearly 12 hours — turned out Saturday at the usually empty grounds of Fair Park for the North Texas Food Bank’s fifth and largest mega-distribution of food during the coronavirus pandemic.

Since the pandemic’s start in March, the NTFB has held several such events at Fair Park and helped put on many smaller events to alleviate the hunger and financial stress many families have faced.

During Saturday’s Thanksgiving-themed distribution, organized with help from such food bank partners as Fair Park First, Spectra and other groups, the agency handed out food to some 8,500 families. Before the pandemic, holiday giveaways would typically serve about 500 families.



Volunteers loaded up turkeys, fresh produce, bread and non-perishables into families' vehicles




Saturday’s clients received a frozen turkey, 20 pounds of nonperishables, 15 pounds of fresh produce and bags of wheat bread.

Some 200 volunteers worked during the dawn hours to get the event ready and loaded food into U-Haul trucks to be delivered to local church groups. The food bank provides food to more than 250 nonprofits in 13 counties.

Vehicles that turned out at Fair Park were divided into four lines. The event was scheduled to start at 9 a.m. but got underway early. By about 8:50, Armando Castillo of Seagoville drove away with his food after a wait of over 10 hours.

Castillo, 28, and his stepsons camped overnight in his car and were at the front of one of the lines — a far cry from one of the food bank’s summer distributions at Fair Park, when Castillo came and was greeted by long lines.

The Belize native said he got to Fair Park’s Gate 2 about 9 p.m. Friday and decided that they would wait it out.

“My phone is broken, so I told my wife, ‘If I don’t show up, don’t think the worst. It’s probably because I’m in line,’” Castillo said.

Castillo has had to jump from job to job to help support his six-person household. He was an electrical subcontractor before the pandemic hit, then took jobs with Amazon and the carpet and flooring company Empire Today before landing a job building sheds.

“We’re really appreciative of food drives because if this didn’t happen, I guess we’d be back home farming for ourselves,” he said.

“They also get food from their school — that’s why we have been able to make it lately,” he said of the family’s children.

Anna Kurian, a spokeswoman for the food bank, said many of the agency’s clients are unemployed or working reduced hours. They also haven’t seen a specific ethnic group asking for help.

The mega-distributions ease families' food expenses, allowing them to steer their money toward other critical needs such as medicine, Kurian said.

Leel Hampton, 80, is one of those people. The Dallas resident, who arrived at Saturday’s event by 5:30 a.m. and also landed a spot at the front of a line, said that although his three-member family would be able to survive without help from the food bank, money would be tight.

Hampton said that he gets by with his fixed income from Social Security and that thanks to items from the distribution, he doesn’t have to worry about buying food.

This was Hampton’s second time attending a large-scale distribution at Fair Park.

“We’d probably run short on some food before the check comes in” if it weren’t for the food bank, the Forney native said.

North Texas Food Bank president and CEO Trisha Cunningham said the pandemic has exposed previously hidden food insecurity in North Texas. According to data from Feeding America, hunger increased at a rapid clip with the arrival of the coronavirus.

“We know that people need food or they wouldn’t be in line,” Cunningham said while looking at all the vehicles in the Fair Park parking lot.

“We want to make sure anyone that needs food has access to it."

Since mid-March, the food bank has given out about 70.8 million pounds of food, according to the agency’s data. Food stocks come from individual donations and from grocers, farmers, the U.S. Department of Agriculture and more.

Every dollar contributed provides three meals, Cunningham said. She encourages those who don’t have to worry about where their next meal will come from to donate.

“We know that there are greater needs that are continuing in our community, so we want to make sure we have the ability to sustain our efforts to continue to serve,” she said.

Cunningham’s message to those who need food: “So many people need it right now, and there is no stigma attached if you’re coming though this line. You will be served with dignity and respect.”

https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-h...-pandemic/