The number of US families living in extreme poverty has doubled since 1996. The number will shock you.

The number of US families living in extreme poverty has doubled since 1996. The number will shock you.

The economic crisis in 2008 hit America hard. It may be to blame for the increasing number of US families living in extreme poverty.

This is defined as living on less than $2 per person per day. The number of families fitting this definition has doubled in the last 15 years and now comes to 1.46 million.

Many of these families receive government benefits, such as food stamps. When this is taken into account, the number of families in extreme poverty drops to 800,000. This is still up from 475,000 in 1996.

The government helps these families through a number of different programs. Apart from food stamps, they also provide health care, college grants, energy assistance, among other benefits. In 2011, the government spent $900 billion on 70 such programs.

(Source)

3d wooden brain teasers for you to try via OMG Facts http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/omg-facts/WpAq/~3/3pwOyq-L2Rw/59614

3d wooden brain teasers for you to try from Net Sauce http://netsauce.blogspot.com/2013/12/the-number-of-us-families-living-in.html