Name:   phil - Subject:   It's only about student backpacks Date:   9/10/2024 11:51:39 AM (updated 9/10/2024 11:58:19 AM)

Sadly it is the state of the economy regardless of where you want to put blame.  The dollar is not going as far as it has in the past between inflation and rising costs.  Families are having to struggle harder and harder and the middle class is shrinking. 

I am having to make some assumptions in the increase of children that qualify for the assistance, I did link to a few pages at the bottom where I looked into various statistics in / around Lake Martin and Alabama.

Economy/inflation is crap regardless of what any news media / talking head / politician says:

Either more people are in dire straits and their children fall under the program due to loss in wages, increases in costs, loss of jobs, loss of family wage earner.

Population:

I have been hearing for sometime now that people are not having children at the rates in the past due to whatever reasons.  The only county that Lake Martin touches that seems to be growing in size is Elmore up 12 % vs losses of almost 14% in Coosa(data is a few years old).  If childbirth in the areas are possibly down, is the increase in children needing more due to other factors?  Migration from outside the US being one possibility.  When people come to a location without a family support structure and a lack of  job opportunities,  putting a higher strain on local limited jobs and resources. 

I know near Lake Martin that Russell employees probably the largest number by percentage of the area - but can only hire so many people.  Areas near where I live that used to be large employees of textile all shutdown back under the Clinton NAFTA agreement - those towns in the area dried up financially and families were hard hit.  Alabama has been receiving some unaccompanied minors in the past - I do not know if that is still happening or if that could be a part of the answer to your question.

I know Sylacauga is in the news currently due to some Haitain migrants.  Accurate or not there was also a report I believe from Ohio that migrants may have been eating pets or birds from local ponds/parks - people with jobs and funds usually do not resort to such measures to feed themselves or their families.  I say accurate or not because the news media is doing its best to say its not happening, but we have seen plenty of times over the past 5-10 years that if we give it a few years the debunk gets debunked when the truth finally comes to light.

This also assumes that those who are responsible for the program are giving it to just the students who are truly in need, or to make sure no one is singled out or made to feel bad by getting assistance are they giving to more then they need to?  Kids can be mean for lots of reasons and often do not need much to have a reason to pick on someone.  If the administration / choosing is part of the issue - it could be for better reasons like bullying vs something more devious.

Not sure what part of Lake Martin your church services, so still making some guesses - 

https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/alabama/county/coosa-county/

https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/alabama/county/tallapoosa-county/?endDate=2022-01-01&startDate=2010-01-01

https://usafacts.org/data/topics/people-society/population-and-demographics/our-changing-population/state/alabama/county/elmore-county/?endDate=2022-01-01&startDate=2010-01-01

Alabama unaccompanied minors  - 2200 sent to Alabama  between October 2021/August 2022

https://aldailynews.com/more-immigrant-minors-placed-in-alabama-in-2022/

https://www.newsweek.com/america-middle-class-shrinking-1913772#:~:text=A%20study%20based%20on%20government,to%2051%20percent%20in%202023.

A study based on government data released by the Washington-based nonpartisan fact tank in late May found that the share of Americans living in middle-class households dropped from 61 percent in 1971 to 51 percent in 2023. During the same time, the share of Americans living in lower income households rose from 27 percent to 30 percent, while that of individuals living in upper income households rose from 11 percent to 19 percent.