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Introduction
Food stamps, food shelves, free K-12 education, college financial aid, unemployment services, Headstart, disability services, free / reduced school lunches, and more. The United States offers so many services and runs so many different programs for those in need. Citizens probably only know a fraction of the number of programs their own country offers.
While too many U.S. citizens still live in poverty, imagine what the U.S. would be like if it weren't for the various programs the U.S. runs. Things could and would be a lot worse. Today I'd rather not focus on the bad side of things. The bad news should be discussed more openly but there's also a lot of good news to be shared.
Food Stamps
Food stamps are one of the most well-known and popular social programs (as it should be because we spend about $70 billion on it each year). Forty one million Americans, which account for 14% of the population, use food stamps. The states with the highest participation rates (roughly 20%) are Mississippi, Tennessee, Oregon, New Mexico, and Michigan. The states with the lowest participation rates (from 9-6%) include Colorado, North Dakota, New Jersey, New Hampshire, and Wyoming. Food stamp participation rate by state can be viewed here. The history of the program dates back several decades but (as with every program) its still changing. The list of foods people are able to buy and where you are able to use them are still being changed and altered to this day. The program continues to strengthen each year and will provide families with the services they need for a long time to come. This kind of program could save a lot of people from starvation in other countries but there are many issues as to why it could be very difficult to do. 1). The government doesn't have the money to do it. 2). The government may very well be too corrupt. 3). The government could be too unorganized. 4). There is simply not enough food readily available in those countries. This is definitely something that makes America stand apart.
Free and Reduced School Lunches
Free and reduced cost school lunches are also heavily used. Nineteen million students receive free or reduced cost lunches each year. It is reported that 47% of students qualify for one or the other. The place with the highest percentage of students receiving free or reduced lunches is Washington D.C. at 72%. This kind of program isn't even available in many countries because free education isn't available in many countries.
Food Shelves
Food banks and food shelves are also widely used. It is said that 46 million people (1 in 7) rely on food banks. Since food stamp benefits have been cut there's been an increase in food shelf usage. Even with food stamps. food banks are still used.
Hunger: America vs. the Rest of the World
Overall, the amount of hunger in the United States is startlingly low compared to the rest of the world. Only eleven percent of households are at risk for hunger while 98% of those in developing countries do not have enough to eat and one third of the entire world is considered starving. When we compare the situation in the U.S. to that of the rest of world we realize that there is so much worse out there. While the U.S. still has people going hungry there are two main reasons the situations are much better here than in the rest of the world. For one, there is much more food available here in general. Second, there are programs put into place here like free and reduced lunches, food shelves, and food stamps which all help contribute to making the poor of the U.S. fed.
Free Clinics
In America, there are free clinics available to people who do not have the money to pay for their own medical care. They offer care for free or at greatly reduced prices. Most clinics provide treatment for illnesses, injuries, and long-term conditions. Some provide more services. They began to pop up in the 1960s and 1970s. Today there are over 1000 free clinics. Annually those clinics have given care to nearly 2 million people in need. With so many in need and the great cost of medical care, free clinics greatly help those who don't have the money to pay for their own medical care.
K-12 Education
K-12 education is available to every American child - no matter the child's income or gender. This kind of opportunity is very limited throughout the world. Over the years developing countries have built more and more schools and children have become more and more educated. Still, the United States has more education opportunity than most countries and has for a long time.
Hunger: America vs. the Rest of the World
Overall, the amount of hunger in the United States is startlingly low compared to the rest of the world. Only eleven percent of households are at risk for hunger while 98% of those in developing countries do not have enough to eat and one third of the entire world is considered starving. When we compare the situation in the U.S. to that of the rest of world we realize that there is so much worse out there. While the U.S. still has people going hungry there are two main reasons the situations are much better here than in the rest of the world. For one, there is much more food available here in general. Second, there are programs put into place here like free and reduced lunches, food shelves, and food stamps which all help contribute to making the poor of the U.S. fed.
Free Clinics
In America, there are free clinics available to people who do not have the money to pay for their own medical care. They offer care for free or at greatly reduced prices. Most clinics provide treatment for illnesses, injuries, and long-term conditions. Some provide more services. They began to pop up in the 1960s and 1970s. Today there are over 1000 free clinics. Annually those clinics have given care to nearly 2 million people in need. With so many in need and the great cost of medical care, free clinics greatly help those who don't have the money to pay for their own medical care.
K-12 Education
K-12 education is available to every American child - no matter the child's income or gender. This kind of opportunity is very limited throughout the world. Over the years developing countries have built more and more schools and children have become more and more educated. Still, the United States has more education opportunity than most countries and has for a long time.
College Education
Although American colleges and universities are far from free, a majority of students receive some amount of funding from the government. In 2011-2012 alone, the government gave out $21,800,000,000 to students.
Conclusion
Although there is still a lot of people in America in need of help, the conditions here are much better than in most of the world. Food banks, free / reduced school lunches, food stamps, free clinics, free K-12 education, and college grants are all opportunities that are quite special. Maybe America isn't the land of absolute perfection but it certainly is a land of opportunity and potential.
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