New York, Dec. 25 (Xinhua) -- A few days before Christmas, the weather in New York City was overcast and cold. On the morning of the 23rd, residents went to St. Michael's Anglican Church on the west side of North Manhattan** Park.
They do not worship, but gather outside the back door of the church with bags or carts, waiting to pick up or pick up free food and warm gloves, shoes, clothes, etc. taken from the church. Whenever the staff took out some items, the people present rushed to get them to themselves, and the staff had to shout "learn to share".
On the east side of the park, there is no arrangement for the "New York Public Food Pantry", a non-** organization, to distribute free food that day, but there are still "regulars" who come from time to time. After hearing the disappointing news, some people left in a daze, while others continued to ring the doorbell in anticipation of a response.
On the afternoon of the 23rd, José Aristeo, who was about sixty years old, arrived with an empty shopping cart. He told reporters that he had already been here once in the morning.
Came twice, I was tired and I also had asthma. Alisteo showed the reporter the medicine he was carrying, and he kept holding a certificate in his hand that he could receive vegetables from this non-** organization. On the same day, Alisteo was told that no vegetables would be distributed on this day.
Jose Gonzalez, a staff member at New York's Public Food Pantry, told reporters that the number of people coming to pick up free food has increased dramatically this year, and a new shelter has opened nearby. Stephen Grimaldi, the organization's executive director, previously said that before the pandemic, the "New York Public Food Pantry" provided about 6.3 million meals a year, and this year's ** volume is expected to exceed 11 million.
According to a report released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in October, the U.S. 128% of households experienced food shortages in 2022, up from 10 in 20212%。
In addition, the 2023 annual report released by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development this month shows that the number of homeless people in the United States is now more than 650,000, a year-on-year increase of 12%, a new high since the statistics began in 2007. According to experts, homelessness is increasing day by day due to multiple reasons, such as rising rents and poverty.
In New York, many homeless people occupy subway cars for the winter. In warmer western cities, homeless people often pitch tents on the side of the road or simply sleep on the streets. A non-profit organization concerned about homelessness in San Francisco, USA, recently said that hundreds of children are still living on the streets of the city as Christmas approaches.
Dolores Street Community Services, a non-governmental organization based in downtown San Francisco, said the number of homeless families in San Francisco has surged in recent months, while the city's largest emergency family shelter is full. Due to a shortage of beds and food, shelter staff said they had to turn away many families who came to seek asylum.
At the same time, for the middle class, who do not have to worry about food and shelter, the main problems they face during the holiday season are loans and credit card repayments. Nicole Garza, 41, who works as a mental health counselor in San Antonio, Texas, is struggling to control her Christmas shopping spending. "Everything has gone up in price in the last two years. Garza said.
Statistics show that the balance of credit card arrears in the United States exceeded $1 trillion for the first time in the third quarter of this year, and the proportion of overdue credit card repayments increased from 6 in the first quarter of this year5% rose to 8% in the third quarter, the highest level in more than a decade. (Participating reporters: Yang Shilong, Xu Jing, Wu Xiaoling).