December 25, 2010
By Nanci Bompey
[Article Excerpt]
Renae Brame may be hoping for a miracle.
The director of Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries is praying that the number of people needing help putting food on their dinner tables will decline in the new year, but all signs point to those prayers going unanswered.
The organization gave away a record number of food boxes to families in need in November, and December is shaping up to be just as high.
“Let's say we are hopeful (the numbers decline), but we are certainly not seeing it right now,” Brame said.
As another year nears its end and tough economic conditions drag on, more people in Buncombe County are struggling to feed their families than ever before, and experts say it could be years before the numbers start to drop.
Along with record numbers of people coming in to agencies like Swannanoa Valley Christian Ministries, the number of people relying on food stamps has reached an all-time high.
Nearly 18,000 households, or almost 35,000 people, receive food assistance in Buncombe County. That's a 25 percent increase from the beginning of the year.
The county currently gives out $4.6 million in federal food assistance benefits each month, up from $4 million a month in January.
The average household of 2.7 people receives an average of $257.64 a month in food assistance in Buncombe County.