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The economic hardships of millions of American citizens in the Corona crisis are enormous. About 50 million people in the United States are starving and dependent on food tables. And every day there are more.
By Claudia Sarre, ARD Studio Washington
In many places in the United States, long lines form in front of food distribution points. In Metairie, a district of New Orleans, hundreds of cars line up all night, as can be seen in images from the AP news agency. Norman Butler and his girlfriend are sitting in one of the cars.
There are 150, 200 cars that have been waiting here since midnight. If you come at 3 or 4 a.m., the cars are there and waiting until closing, says Norman Butler in the AP interview. Everyone here cares about their next meal.
Revenues are falling in the corona pandemic
Like many Americans, Norman Butler has made use of food donations from so-called Food Banks for the first time in his life. Due to the corona pandemic, he hardly has any customers as an Uber driver. This means that your income is lost. He also has no savings.
More and more American citizens no longer know what to pay for rent, electricity and food. About 35 million Americans were living day by day even before the Corona crisis. According to Feeding America, nearly 50 million Americans now don’t have enough to eat. Especially families with children are affected, says Lisa Scales from a food table in Pittsburgh. In the past nine months, the number of people in need has increased by about 50 percent, it says on NPR.
“Of the people we care for, more than half are here for the first time. We get dozens of calls every day from people who have just been unemployed or have been out of work for months. And now they are reaching the tipping point where They are I have nothing else to eat “.
Again, it particularly affects minorities
As always, African Americans and Latinos are particularly affected and their health is particularly affected by the pandemic. And the situation won’t change anytime soon, says Norman Butler of New Orleans.
“It is really difficult to see a future. Unless there is a government bailout, they are going to rescue us with. “
In fact, the US Senate and House of Representatives have been trying to agree on a new Corona aid package for weeks. It should be adopted before Christmas. At around $ 908 billion, unemployment benefits could continue and at least ease the plight of many families.
