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1 in 5 American Children Relying on Food Stamps for Meals

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Food Stamps Help Bridge Gap For 20 Percent Of Americans Who Struggle With Hunger
A girl pays for her mother's groceries using Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) tokens, more commonly known as Food Stamps, at the GrowNYC Greenmarket in Union Square on September 18, 2013 in New York City.Andrew Burton—Getty Images
By Rishi Iyengar

Twenty percent of children in the U.S. currently need food stamps to eat, according to federal data released Wednesday.

Citing figures compiled by the U.S. Census survey of American families, Reuters reports that 16 million children in the country used food stamps in 2014.

This number represents a significant spike from prerecession levels of 9 million children (or 1 in every 8), indicating that the U.S. economy’s recovery is not benefiting low-income families as much.

[Reuters]

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Write to Rishi Iyengar at rishi.iyengar@timeasia.com