(AP) — In this March 18, 1932, file photo workman sort individual 25-pound packages of unperishable food for needy families in New York City, where the The Emergency Unemployment Relief Committee established the central depot and share-a-meal drive to provide food during the Great Depression.
Food stamps look ripe for the picking, politically speaking. Through five years and counting of economic distress, the food aid program has swollen up like a summer tomato. It grew to $78 billion last year, more than double its size when the recession began in late 2007. That makes it a juicy target for conservative Republicans seeking to trim spending and pare back government. But to many Democrats, food stamps are a major element of the country’s commitment to help citizens struggling to meet basic needs. (AP Photo, File)