You guys do realize there have always been homeless populations in America, right?  

And there are people who live in Chicago in the winter in tents, under bridges, in parks, etc etc.   And it's not new.  

Also, check this out:

The National Hunger Study: Chicago Profile
The Greater Chicago Food Depository conducted extensive research in early 2005 in conjunction with America's Second Harvest, the nation's largest domestic hunger relief organization with a network of more than 200 food banks and food rescue organizations. Nationwide, the study found that an estimated 25 million people rely on food and grocery assistance provided by network food banks and food rescue organizations. More than 52,000 clients and 30,000 agencies were surveyed nationwide. For the Cook County study, 438 clients and 324 agency heads were interviewed.

Increasing need in Cook County

Close to 500,000 people each year rely on emergency and supplemental food provided by the Food Depository and its member network of almost 600 food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters. That figure represents a significant increase over previous studies conducted by the Food Depository and reflects census trends of poverty in Cook County. Growing numbers of Cook County residents are relying on agencies for stop-gap food assistance.

The face of hunger

Working poor families, parents of young children and elderly are among those who need Food Depository assistance to help make ends meet.

Thirty-nine percent of the households who receive food from the Food Depository include at least one employed adult
About 33 percent of the people the Food Depository serves are children under 18
10 percent of study respondents were 65 and older
25 percent of households served have at least one family member in poor health
22 percent of clients surveyed live in the suburbs
10 percent own the place where they live
9 percent of clients are homeless

Assistance helps make ends meet, hard choices lead to hunger

41 percent of clients said they had to choose between paying for food and utilities or heating fuel
31 percent reported choosing between paying for food and rent or mortgage
26 percent of clients said they had to choose between food and paying for medicine or healthcare
32 percent of clients with children said their children skipped meals during the previous year
26 percent of adult clients said they didn't eat for an entire day at least once during the last year
81 percent of households reported a situation during the last year where the food they bought "just didn't last and they didn't have money to get more"

Demographic breakdown

54 percent female
46 percent male
70 percent non-Hispanic Black
14 percent Latino or Hispanic
13 percent non-Hispanic White
4 percent American Indian or Alaskan Native

Emphasis mine, and these stats come from the time before the housing bubble burst and economy tanked.  


"Pretending that you already know the answer when you don't is not actually very helpful." ~Migeru.

you are the media you consume.