<p>Is it really coming to this? In America?</p>
<p>[Hard</a> times and long lines for Southern Californians - Los Angeles Times](<a href=“http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-foodbank23-2008nov23,0,6313298.story]Hard”>Hard times and long lines)</p>
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<p>It’s not just in California. Try Colorado, where a couple on a small farm opened up their property to the public for some gleaning (picking the remains of the crops after the heavy harvesting is over). 40,000 people showed up to collect leeks, carrots and potatoes. </p>
<p>40,000</p>
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<p>[The</a> Associated Press: Thousands pick up free vegetables on Colo. farm](<a href=“http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ga6jASqIij1LwE1HgjPFfiHpq-KwD94KR89O0]The”>http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5ga6jASqIij1LwE1HgjPFfiHpq-KwD94KR89O0)</p>
<p>yes, things are bad, but it might be time to rethink who can afford to be helped. </p>
<p><<new to=“” food=“” lines=“” are=“” middle-class=“” families=“” --=“” including=“” some=“” that=“” until=“” recently=“” earned=“” $70,000=“” a=“” year.=“”>>
You can afford a mortgage of about $800 a month on that income.</new></p>
<p><<those who=“” qualify=“” can=“” have=“” their=“” loan=“” interest=“” rate=“” lowered=“” or=“” the=“” terms=“” of=“” changed=“” to=“” stretch=“” payments=“” out=“” 40=“” years=“” instead=“” 30=“”>>
since so much is interest at the beginning, you would barely pay down the principal at all for a good many years. </those></p>
<p><<sharp, a=“” 48-year-old=“” carpenter,=“” owes=“” $620,000=“” on=“” the=“” home=“” couple=“” bought=“” four=“” years=“” ago=“” for=“” $565,000.=“” monthly=“” mortgage=“” of=“” $4,000=“” will=“” jump=“” in=“” two=“” when=“” an=“” adjustable=“” rate=“” kicks=“”>>
What kind of money do you have to make to pay a 4K mortgage? I don’t think this guy could afford the house when he bought it and he owes 10% more than he borrowed 4 years ago. This is inexcusable.</sharp,></p>
<p>Wow, there was 600,000 lbs of food left on the fields after a harvest. Is that typical??</p>
<p>sueinphilly, </p>
<p>I don’t feel sorry for the carpenter either. Who in their right mind would ever sign up for a $565,000 mortgage and then take equity out of the house so that they now owe $620,000? that’s insane. </p>
<p>I do feel for the families that were “middle class” and are now standing in line for free groceries. </p>
<p>As for the gleaning, I’m not sure about whether the poundage left over is typical; however, it’s common for the local farms around here to open their fields for a day or two to food pantry volunteers who come in and get the leftover produce to give away. </p>
<p>I’m a little worried that if anything were to happen to our food production/distribution system for even a day or two, there would be panic, riots and violence.</p>
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<p>while I have never had to stand in line for groceries, I have collected WIC and food stamps. In fact, I was working full time and still qualified for a few years. </p>
<p>I made my donation to Philabundance.org, the local charity and the boyscouts just collected can goods and I’m taking a bag in for the collection at work tomorrow. </p>
<p>I know how short the distance is from making it, to barely hanging in. Been there, done that.</p>