Surviving On Peanut Butter & Crackers: Starving In West Virginia

AJ+ traveled to West Virginia, a state where 1 in 7 adults and 1 in 5 children are hungry. What happens when a state like this gets hit by a pandemic? What would you do if all you had to eat for a week was peanut butter and crackers? If $20 was all you had to feed you and your five kids? This is the reality of many people across the state of West Virginia. Here are some of their stories.
Correction: The graphic at 2.56" should read $600 dollars a month for food, which comes to $1.64 per meal, per person in 2020.
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[@ajplus]

Watch Next: Dying From Debt In NYC kzbin.info/www/bejne/kKK1eXuLoN5jgsU

[@MikeBarbarossa]

Democrats- attack coal and insist on coal shut down Democrats - insist on economic pandemic to go with the viral pandemic AJ+ - blames Trump for the resulting WV poverty

[@banzy5387]

This is one of the poorest states, but their Governor that they keep re-electing is one of the wealthiest. Help me understand...SMDH!!!

[@Trund27]

Hear, hear!!!!!

[@ParadoxRoyal]

ideology, propaganda, voter suppression, etc.

[@AnonYmous-xt2xr]

The alt-right: it’s these leftist run states/counties riddled with hunger, crime, and poverty Al Jazeera:

[@ParadoxRoyal]

@@AnonYmous-xt2xr That's incorrect. All states are, including Arkansas where I'm from. It has barely anything to do with Dems vs Reps. Look at the bigger picture and think outside the box.

[@Ndada1]

What makes you think he wins fairly?

[@brandonmills7544]

"Fun" fact about West Virginia, the only billionaire in the state is the governor.

[@drakkar7860]

Deamm

[@ashleyashley8062]

Omg

[@AgentSmith911]

I'm sure he's struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@marshmellow1912]

Doesnt surprise me.

[@jeremys6631]

Governor Jim Justice only been since 2017 of West Virginia. his Political career started in 2016. HE IS A BUSINESS MAN! That he how got rich.

[@tyronec2358]

this is so sad im crying :( "nobody does anything wrong enough to be so hungry they want to die."

[@jamesdeciancio9768]

The lady saying that was severely overweight, saying she’s so hungry she wants to die shows how undisciplined she is when it comes to simply being mildly uncomfortable.

[@chunshine]

@@jamesdeciancio9768 please stop hiding behind your fatphobia and an internet username. If you knew anything about nutrition, you'd know that cheaper foods, which people in poorer areas come to rely on, are nutritionally inadequate, leading to weight gain. It can also be stated that staying on the Internet all day and having a pathetic life causes people to become extremely stupid and judgmental e.g. YOU.

[@jerrynadler2883]

lol I laughed so hard when she said that " like big mama you aint NEVER been hungry"

[@jerrynadler2883]

@@chunshine Have you ever been to a grocery store? they're literally throwing the vegetables at you. This whole myth has been disproven, vegetables are cheaper than the dollar menu. Stop making excuses for her, there's a pyramid, and some people have to be on the bottom, and you EXACTLY why. "From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs" that's from your rockstar hero Karl Marx.

[@chunshine]

@@jerrynadler2883 I actually work at Whole Foods and experience this on a regular basis. I can buy a box of macaroni and cheese for $0.69. Do you know how much a head of broccoli costs? $2. Don't try to lecture to me about what costs what when I am very well aware of what has and hasn't been disproven, ESPECIALLY when I am well-versed in the prices at a grocery store. The fact that both of you are fixated on this one overweight person instead of the other, thin people who are standing in line waiting for food that they desperately need proves that you don't really care about health, just that you hate fat people, ESPECIALLY when the issue at hand is the fact that people are starving in America. Pull your head out of your a** and smell the 21st century. Maybe read a book while you're at it, Jerry :)

[@jmb6000]

That happened to me. I have a college education and a child. I made $13.13 at the time and got a 3% raise. My raise put me in a new bracket and I was denied Medicaid and food stamps. My job offered insurance but for $400 a month. I pray for these people to get out of this. So sad.

[@lauragrace4388]

A crying shame because there's rich people in government who never have been hungry.

[@MrMstrika]

No,theres been plenty of people that chose to get out of poverty,education is always there for the taking,jobs were everywhere for 4 yrs.there are options.

[@emuriddle9364]

@@MrMstrika How about working, school, and taking care of a family? All in one. Because "I don't owe you anything." A lot of people in this country have had employment too. They're forced to chose between Work and their Health.

[@marissaceasar1609]

They not hungry yet watch the trap you set for others you will fall in it. 😂

[@tatertott2390]

Do any of those people complaining about being hungry look like they've gone without a meal sometime in the last 6 months?

[@lorettaparish1352]

It's high time for every single one of them and their families/lobe ones to be put in that situation for the exact same length of time as the everyday individuals are going through

[@odnalro40]

Same as Kentucky; one of the poorest states in the country, and their Senator is Moscow mitch who is one of the richest senators and he's been a Senator for over 30 years. Shameful

[@hopeforte508]

why mitch give them some money from asian wife he has

[@karenhargis9824]

We need term limits!!!

[@pamelamcfadden337]

Actually Kentucky is full of millionaires, We are far from the " poorest state" we have wonderful towns and cities and our taxes are far lower than most. We also have a Democratic Governor that stole his ELECTION by Cheating.

[@odnalro40]

@@pamelamcfadden337 Puerto Rico ($32,190) Mississippi ($60,640) West Virginia ($61,225) Arkansas ($64,272) New Mexico ($66,565) Kentucky ($67,110) Alabama ($67,243) Louisiana

[@odnalro40]

Kentucky is number 6th poorest state in the United States

[@Kgeorgia22]

I love how she smiled as she fed her kids I pray they get the help they need.

[@burnedtoastfloats5795]

@blake philbrook when you cant afford to eat how can you afford to move?

[@Ablequerq]

Prayers won't do shit.

[@simp2234]

Much had 3 kid middle age bruh

[@Ablequerq]

@Russ Wheeler you're very wrathful and revengeful for a religious person.

[@Kgeorgia22]

@@sidebite2533 whooaaaa how about you go there and help her. Like your doing the same thing I’m doing I just sent a prayer.

[@wobu5361]

I’m glad to see the young mother of 3 cooking healthy meals instead of just spending the food stamp funds on junk food. Her children look happy and healthy. I just hope she can get some more money to go towards her food budget.

[@42ayla]

Don't be too harsh on the ones that rely on junk food. Sometimes it's not knowing, sometimes it's what you can access, sometimes it's what can be kept safely and sadly, sometimes it's cheaper. There's so many reasons we do things. It's just sad how many people have to live this way. Keep on rockin' in the free world.

[@franceskronenwett3539]

I was glad to observe that as well. Far too many better off people tend to think that the poor no nothing about nutrition and live off fast food.

[@miera1029]

Great to see. Sadly all those others you see waiting in line are obese

[@marycox2109]

@@franceskronenwett3539 the poor can't afford to eat fastfood everyday, people who think this are not to intelligent.

[@anandchundi6805]

@@marycox2109 yeah but they do anyways

[@chadwaller8192]

I used to manage a Dollar General in a very rural town and many of my employees would actually ask me not to give them a raise because they would lose benefits. What I could do for them instead, thanks to some creative accounting, was to increase their employee discount, and make all the numbers look the same to my regional manager who was none the wiser. I just lumped wages and loss due to employee discount on the same balance sheet line and he never caught on.

[@gra-emed3617]

Very clever book keeping and extremely kind hearted :) I hope someone else reads this who is in a position to do the same for their staff. Thank you for sharing 👌

[@eyemmeohigho]

So admit to a crime?

[@chadwaller8192]

@@eyemmeohigho No crime was committed. As store manager the amount of employee discount was at my discretion. I just got a little creative with the bookkeeping so it wasn't as obvious.

[@yolandaray6862]

It was a very caring thing to do.

[@terrimichaels3018]

Chad I would enjoy having you as my manager. Thank you for being so kind.

[@boddah92108]

I love the irony of getting a Hello Fresh ad at the end of a clip on people without enough food. It really made this experience for me.

[@marquisdehoto1638]

Yt has really strange timing with ads some times😅

[@enlightenedbygrace4U]

Omg 😳

[@asdkotable]

Their algorithms are really wack. I got an ad for almond milk.

[@ikik1648]

Damn I just got a Wendy’s Baconator ad 😭

[@jaimedelgado7529]

or the irony the 70% of the ppl are overweight

[@jillgott6567]

I am from The State of Maine. We too have food insecurity . But also a problem with folks having transportation to foodbanks. When I was without a working car, and lived in a city I walked to a local foodbank. They offered 2 weeks worth of food which I had to decline. Since the bus route home would mean walking to the bus station which was aways away then being dropped off blocks from my home and having to walk - I told them I had to limit what I could take. They asked one of the female workers if ahe could drop me off and she agreed.. God bless them because they then piled on the food. I am in a different circumstance now and donate whenever I can as a thank you to those who helped me. Prayers for all

[@chunshine]

I kind of hate that they end this on a light note. People are starving and can't feed their kids, so why are we trying to brush off the fact that a first-world country has so many people who can't make ends meet while also housing the greatest number of billionaires?

[@vitalyaloves]

@T V why is that better? genuinely wondering your opinion

[@vitalyaloves]

@T V i agree the sense of community they bring is important. when they can be used to bring both equity and community it's very powerful. it's a shame that some communities don't have enough resources in total to support each other because everyone is impoverished. poverty is such a frustrating issue. i also agree that when government money is spent improperly it can even make the situation worse. hopefully we can rally to change the legislation and systems that result in that. in the mean time we can donate to the food pantries in the neighborhoods that need it the most, and always help our neighbors.

[@juddpalmer5445]

This shit shouldn’t be happening anywhere especially America.

[@rightsdontcomewithpermits7073]

Actually it has to happen in America. We are the most indebted country on the earth.

[@testaccount1055]

The unfortunate truth is once you venture out of the major tourist cities, the majority of America is poor rural areas where income and assets per family are strikingly low. Idk the exact figures but definitely under $500k in assets.

[@bevcrusher4177]

Sure. So why do people keep making the choices which keep them poor?

[@juddpalmer5445]

@@bevcrusher4177 They don’t choose to be poor.

[@adambussert3383]

@@testaccount1055 do you have a half million in assets? Most people don’t but still live good lives. That’s a high threshold

[@isaacannanjr2371]

This is sad. No kid should go hungry. Especially when you're a parent trying to make ends meet. Politics aside no American nah scratch that no HUMAN being deserves to go hungry. 💯

[@sunny-uz6jn]

And yet we support many foreign countries and millions of illegals who work for cash and manage to get everything free too.

[@jamikadale1409]

True

[@gbecks3672]

I agree. This is so hard to watch.

[@christinalove6344]

Minimum wage is $7.50 that barely covers anything these days

[@atriasmith1899]

Amen young man

[@rhondalane6749]

I have lived in West Virginia all of my life This is very well done It is accurate, informative and provokes an emotional response Kudos to the person or persons who made this Excellent work!

[@lucysmith4242]

As someone not from West Virginia, I don't understand why you wouldn't simply move if the living conditions and quality of life are the way they are

[@lucysmith4242]

@@ls-l1518 wow. So not West Virginia now means California. If you have nothing then you have nothing to lose

[@lucysmith4242]

@@ls-l1518 That's fine I guess. But people in poorer countries wish they had the mobility and opportunity that the people of west Virginia have. I grew up around immigrants and came from an immigrant family. Often heard stories from my friend's mothers traveling through south America with children across the boarder to be here illegally without citizenship. It's certainly not easy but if West Virginia is that terrible they could move somewhere else. Rent in neighboring states (Kentucky, Ohio, Michigan) are all lower than 1,000$ a month, and there is a lot of industry (Amazon, Toyota, Honda, GM, etc) that are always looking to pay unskilled laborers upwards of 23$ an hour. I honestly just don't understand I asked my initial question looking for a legitimate response. I did not mean to offend anyone

[@NYC-Gardener]

@@lucysmith4242 I don't think you realize how difficult and EXPENSIVE it is to "just move". If you have your own vehicle there is the fuel for the driving to the new location, very likely the cost of renting a moving truck, first & last month rent plus security deposit for new place, deposits for any other services that may require them, then there is trying to figure out how much money you need to have saved to survive until paychecks start coming in at that new job. Even on a move as short as 100 miles this can easily add up to THOUSANDS of dollars. So I ask you, are you going to save thousands of dollars and literally starve while doing it or are you going to feed your damn family? And to the person that suggested people should just grow a garden, the vast majority of West Virginians do that every year. It is also why we hunt...to put food on the table that does not have to be purchased.

[@simp2234]

Enjoy America freedom

[@auntemmyd1604]

I’m in Baltimore Maryland and I’m struggling too, I never imagined growing up that I would need the canned goods and food pantries that we donated to as kids! I am honestly terrified for the future at this point! And with an AA degree I still can’t make more that $13per hour it’s bs

[@metin318]

I dont get it, so how much money do you need per day for food ?

[@auntemmyd1604]

@@metin318 Food, Mortgage, Truck Payment, Insurance, utilities, Life!!! SMH!

[@FixNewsPlease]

America: Not As Advertised.

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

A state with less than 1% of the nations population isn't an accurate representation of it you dolt

[@FixNewsPlease]

@@hubertcumberdale2651 It's only the 4th poorest. Stupid.

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

@@FixNewsPlease want some lemon to go with that red herring? Wow, we got a real polemicist here! lol

[@FixNewsPlease]

@@hubertcumberdale2651 " *We* got a real polemicist here?" It's just you. Stupid.

[@FixNewsPlease]

@BP You're a propaganda poster.

[@nicolewoods4283]

Poverty is a circumstance, not a character defect... Really well said!

[@thesun-N-moon8885]

I don’t know for some I would disagree. If you’re out there laying around making baby after baby with multiple men that one cannot afford, character? 🤔

[@moonwolfdancer1103]

@@thesun-N-moon8885 often like mother, like daughter. Both character; behavior learned from the mother or influence from female relatives; and circumstances, the environment one grows up in. Both can be unlearned. Willingness to do so, the ability and intelligence to recognize it are needed.

[@jacquelinemcgrathcurtis2787]

It is a circumstance but not for everyone and for how long? Circumstance if it’s generational as well as character.

[@mlpresley1989]

@@thesun-N-moon8885 I think that is an oversimplification of people who struggle with mental health issues, abuse, and neglect and not truly representative of our population. It's easy to be a piece of shit when society and posts on youtube constantly remind you you are a piece of shit. And it's that type of toxic mentality towards others that has created the systems of oppression they are forced to live with.

[@negralopez5025]

@@thesun-N-moon8885 them white girls are something else

[@Downbad1k]

This is one of the reasons we need to encourage birth control at the same time as giving folks food

[@xwrtk]

WV lacks proper education. Some kids don’t even know a thing about puberty and have to google.

[@Alero228]

Bless them. I hope they’re all doing better.

[@giannirocky747]

They got money for war but can’t feed the poor”

[@life5161]

RIP 🙏 PAC

[@jamesmurphy2828]

Ask Rand Paul

[@DIVISIONINCISION]

Tupac was rich. Kind of refutes your point.

[@kayhumph9109]

@@DIVISIONINCISION I tend to think like he talked a good game on interviews but no interviews of him trying to make it better

[@annieahmed4946]

@@DIVISIONINCISION it doesn’t. Just because someone is/was wealthy doesn’t mean their view (if they have it) that governments should prioritize people over war is automatically invalid.

[@andregolden5902]

This is the result of people believing that poor is “moral” failing and pinning it on black people...

[@whatta1501]

And other minorities

[@Alex-qo7ke]

@BP And why shouldn't he? This is century old problem, that was not an issue when the majority of caucasians were in the middle class. At that point a welfare queen on food stamps was the portrayal of a poor black woman, and everything wrong with America (subsidizing people). Now that the wage gap has increased, and caucasians are slipping from the middle class this is the result. Years attempting to neglect black people has created this problem for all people. Same thing as the opioid crisis, vilifying and spreading crack in the ghetto and not focusing on rehabilitation has created an atmosphere where everyone's children are dying. And it all goes back to attempting to put down black people. Nothing wrong with talking about race, or cause and effect. Just be honest about it.

[@delneus]

@BP You don't have arguments

[@yadoo8164]

@BP You literally did not refute a single one of his points lol.

[@MrWhatDoYouBelieve]

@@Alex-qo7ke well said.

[@barryharrissz4748]

West Virginia still has some sense of normal life, and common sense, just remember no farm no food , stay strong WEST VIRGINIA 🇺🇸

[@barryharrissz4748]

I am just saying that my experience has been in Wva people still have compassion towards one another and friendliness unlike other places i have been. So folk don't have a lot but they are willing to share the little they do have in the time of need and sorrow. Had a neighbor I didn't really know in wva bring me food when my father passed away and I was staying in wva and another guy who knew I wasn't working at that time reach in his pocket and gave money to take of my kids during that time didn't know him well either. But back in MD nothing even close like that happened

[@BostonGrl79]

God bless the people! My heart hurts after watching this. I wish I could help the people. No one should have to struggle for food or roof over there head. I had to be on snap for a while and when I started working shit hours but it was something they cut my kids and my food down. I wasn’t even barely able to pay my apartment payment and they said I made to much so they shut it down. But you know what I got up and push don’t stop pushing . Only the Strong Survives I always say! And keep a smile 😊 on my face because I have god and he has done wonders for me and my kids that are teenagers now. God bless to all!!

[@livelifetothefullest.4561]

A common misbelief in America is that Black Americans are the only people who strongly depend on government assistance as far as welfare, food stamps, etc, but videos like these show us otherwise. Thanks for opening our eyes and showing us that all Americans struggle.

[@jeaniemarczniec7755]

It is funny that the white folks thought it could not happen to them and it is and they are falling apart. They were all brought up to think they are all that, yep the tune has changed. Unfortunately, people were struggling back then as they are now, but the news media intensifies it along with the internet. Panic sets in and then there is a rush and no one else has none. Back then people had gardens or container gardens and survived, it seems everyone is waiting for the free food. Granted not everyone can do this, this is where the unity of people get together and help others out. Community gardens that people go to and food grow and it is given to others to survive. West Virginians were poor even working in the mines, but trump took the jobs away but shutting the mines down. Last year he did this with some of the farmers. It may get worse and that is scary.

[@Lisa-my5sy]

@@jeaniemarczniec7755 ignorant idiot - that’s you

[@IvarDaigon]

poverty knows no colour

[@Zulu-Lemon]

They put that welfare stereotype on black Americans so the rest of the country could hate welfare. And it works..

[@livelifetothefullest.4561]

@@IvarDaigon Though “poverty knows no color” it’s tied to certain ethnic communities & it has a negative connotation in the black community. Period.

[@jayn9559]

I think it is nuts and sad that a news story comes from a non-national media, this is the stories we need in this country. Waking up America is hard work. Keep up lifting journalism and good luck

[@jayn9559]

@BP what makes it a propaganda channel

[@meakahyatt4571]

Am sure this is what a shi#$t hole looks like. Fox &CNN need to visit with these real people so that the whole America can see . Real people struggling.

[@juliecastagnaro2868]

West Virginia has been in the same circumstances for decades and decades. All past administrations have failed to help them. Maybe they should stay in school long enough to learn where babies come from.

[@sourwes0001]

This story is a load of BS. Most of the people in this state, yes I live here, look like they got in line to eat twice rather than missed a meal. Don’t believe everything you see in the media with a gimmicky title.

[@eldermillennial2000]

Right, we need more stories Al Jazeera 🤨 AJ+ (Al Jazeera plus) is an online news and current events channel run by Al Jazeera Media Network (AJMN).

[@andrelangston4307]

I feel for that lady in purple, but she doesn't seem to understand its supplemental aid. Its not meant nor should it be fully supporting you. It also looks to me like they really need to learn about condoms too. So many families in this have so many children.

[@godhatesglobalists4677]

I've thought that for a long time brother. Why are you having so many kids if you're struggling to put food on the table. Mind blowing stuff

[@lyndonlives638]

Andre, you sound like a smug, high & mighty, judgemental shit!

[@godhatesglobalists4677]

@@lyndonlives638 I don't think he is being smug at all. Sometimes truth comes off mean to people who don't want to hear it.

[@bippitybopitybooty4208]

Because it's a common phenomena that poorer people have more children. Third world countries have many more children than developed countries because of the lack of access to education and prevention methods. Plus, there's also a potential evolutionary proponent to this: if you have more offspring, there's a higher chance for more income, and also caretaking when you're elderly. It's probably true that these people did not have an ideal upbringing themselves.

[@andrelangston4307]

@@bippitybopitybooty4208 First, there is no such thing as an ideal up brining. Secondly, I'm pretty sure I just said they needed to learn all the thing you just said. So...

[@lisamccue1730]

My family and I left WV sadly, with great reluctance, back in 2006 for the very reasons stated above. We have been homesick ever since, but we know we can't go back.

[@MzTwEeT1989]

This is truly sad. The US can help other countries, but can't seem to help it's own 🤦🏾‍♀️

[@Crazy-qx3yl]

Unfortunately anytime someone like a Bernie Sanders or Andrew Yang comes forth with ideas and solutions to help every community at every level, people immediately call it socialism and refuse to consider their ideas as viable for themselves or others. We are our own worst enemies

[@kim_fd8938]

@@Crazy-qx3yl yep

[@23ahndra]

@@Crazy-qx3yl what you said! 👏🏾👏🏾

[@crimsonhawk4912]

@@Crazy-qx3yl thats cuz their ideas are socialist

[@FeuerblutRM]

Who has ever asked for America's help? Mind your own business!

[@Johnyrocket70]

This is exactly why you don't vote against your own interests.

[@asswaterstudios]

Voting is fake anyway, won’t get anything done when corporations will just buy the politicians, justice systems, and public media.

[@hannahbingham2197]

I’m sorry, how do you know who the people in the video voted for?

[@TouchedbyCastiel]

@@hannahbingham2197 According to the numbers, 68.62% of West Virginia voted for Trump in 2020, Have a seat. Have several seats.

[@hannahbingham2197]

@@TouchedbyCastiel That’s cute. Except that’s only of the people who voted, and WV had far lower voter turnout that year than normal. So not only did 30+% of voters not vote for Trump, but about half of eligible voters in the state didn’t vote at all. So I ask again, how do you know who these people in the video voted for? Maybe learn something about West Virginia before you tell me to “take a seat.” Thanks.

[@angelawilliams479]

EXACTLY! JB

[@marcoordonez5498]

taste of their own medicine. Being obese tells me food is the least of their problems

[@cokemango]

I sort of agree, sadly though unhealthy food is the cheapest, but they are stuck in a loop of needing more food to survive as a direct result of gaining weight.

[@marcoordonez5498]

@@cokemango good point your absolutely right. unhealthy food is very cheap. make sense of the weight gain.

[@miknmas1301]

God Bless you, Kaylynne and your beautiful family.

[@jessicah3450]

"I've pulled myself up by my bootstraps so many times I've ripped them off". I cheered when I originally heard that woman say that on the news. I already forgot about her until just now, but I still feel the same. We were in trouble before the pandemic, now I just don't know what we're going to do. It already wasn't sustainable.

[@edwarddiaz8136]

It's why you dont vote a Republican tv overlord for president.. he never cared for you..now you'll have to wait for a democratic president to Fix the problems of a Republican loser president.

[@edwarddiaz8136]

It's happened before... in 1933 and 2008... Republicans are the worst kind of elects, while Democrats fixed it.. history has showed us this, prove me wrong.

[@delano6572]

pull myself up by the bootstrap means to help each other do the impossible cause its impossible to pull yourself up while holding on your own feet

[@noble_norse7786]

Someone doesn't know history and it's glaringly obvious!

[@edwarddiaz8136]

@@noble_norse7786 you... obviously. Who else but a Democrat fixed a Republican presidents mess.. it's always a Republicans fault all the time.

[@cdh3671]

It’s sad that nobody in America cares about anything unless it happens to them.

[@charkay192]

Too right

[@justing2836]

That’s what we are taught here. Pick yourself up by the bootstraps...

[@cdh3671]

@@justing2836 yea that worked when communities had actual bonds which to a degree provided a safety net. For example, if your neighbor needed monetary help a community would come together to help them if possible. Now it’s every man for themselves.

[@elfulano5884]

40+ years of Reaganomic Neoliberalism and the myths it spun are root causes of this problem.

[@lorettaparish1352]

That's true with some individuals...Not everybody

[@loismimi1856]

God Bless each and everything 🙏❤ There needs to be a change!🙏🙏🙏

[@xxextensioncord2615]

crazy that I came across this video… I remember surviving off this exactly this- peanut butter or commodity cheese with plain crackers. So glad to be out of poverty as an adult. I will change things for my community some day soon

[@intuitknit]

Community gardens, cooking classes, preserving classes should be where money is invested. Convenience food is killing the people and it is a bottomless pit that supports corporations.

[@robinsmith8252]

Those are great ideas. However, transportation might be an issue for some participants. Back when schools had an actual kitchen and yard spaces would be perfect for classes and gardens.

[@edblindauer627]

Some people are just to lazy to grow a garden and have chickens

[@intuitknit]

@@edblindauer627 I don't think of them as lazy. Depleted, uninformed, exploited maybe.

[@edblindauer627]

@@intuitknit probly got money for drugs

[@steffyrae222]

@@edblindauer627 you're a huge part of the problem.

[@Andrea-hp4or]

“I have a bachelors degree, and i struggle to make ends meet” this is a very scary statement....i pray for you and your family🙁

[@loafandjug321]

She's an obese cigarette smoking idiot.

[@Andrea-hp4or]

@@loafandjug321 yeah and rich people don’t snort coke and pop pills like candy everyday😂 but sure judge her for not being skinny enough, and smoking cigarettes 🤡 she worked hard for a degree and doesn’t get payed what she deserves. Were told to pay for college only to not get a competitive wage when were out of college ? Yeah that makes sense👌🏼

[@5000MikeMaster]

@@loafandjug321 “I’m so hungry I want do die” she’s like 300lb tho wtf

[@loafandjug321]

@@5000MikeMaster She's one Little Debbie snack cake away from cardiac arrest.

[@gowdsake7103]

Depends on the degree

[@jordenstock7629]

litteraly makes me cry. im from pa and im 17 years old and the pandemic made my family unable to pay their bills.. and there for, had to leave me and my 18 year old brother behind to better life for my 3 little siblings somewhere where poverty isn’t so bad. things need to change. it kills me that other kids have to pretty much go through what i did:(

[@seablomkvist]

so sorry to hear that! why did they leave you both? are you able to manage?

[@jefferyepstein9210]

Join the military if possible. There are great opportunities for people who are in your situation. The best branch would be the Air Force. It will set you up for life.

[@onarose013]

@@jefferyepstein9210 because we should listen to the ghost of Jeffery Epstein....

[@jefferyepstein9210]

@@onarose013 It’s solid advice

[@onarose013]

@@jefferyepstein9210 according to who?

[@jessicah3450]

A lot of abled bodied adults by the government's standards, are still chronically ill. Often with an invisible illness. One flare up or hospitalization could make us unable to work completely. It's very difficult to get benefits or help, they tell you just find a desk job. So many of us would be working a desk job if we could qualify for one.

[@Jenna_Joseph]

To add on top of this, because of the lack of access to grocery stores and healthy options (which are always more expensive), families usually resort to the cheapest food so they can get as much as they can for their money, often resulting in obesity and ill health ...which causes medical expenses. They can’t win.

[@marthas.4456]

Cheap food also can be healthy. You just don't snack on sugary treats, instead of them cook home made meals from simple ingredients. Also important key is the 'quantity'.

[@Twoplywatson]

bean and rice with a bit of veg is plenty cheap. just no sugar rush.

[@joan-lisa-smith]

@@Twoplywatson White rice is a cheap unhealthy carb (like white bread) and coverts to sugar in the body raising insulin and obesity, whole grain is expensive. This is part of the issue, people have no clue and think poor people can just eat "heathy" rice and beans, they can't afford the healthy rice.

[@Twoplywatson]

@@joan-lisa-smith calorie in calorie out. isnt about health, its about not starving. everything converts to sugar. whole grain just has more vitamins.

[@joan-lisa-smith]

@@Twoplywatson They need healthy food, it's not about just not starving. They get enough calories hence why so many living in poverty are obese...they have enough calories to not starve but those calories are from the wrong foods. They need healthy foods and white rice is cheap but not as healthy was my point. When your body doesn't have what it needs nutritionally from food you get hungry more often so then they fill up on more empty calories and aren't satisfied because there's little in it so they get hungry again....it's a cycle of bad eating that more nutrient dense calories would solve. People need more than to just not starve, they need to be healthy to work, not end up with medical bills etc.

[@wocookie2277]

Well said! Poverty is a lack of cash, not character 😔

[@ihatemyjob9502]

Life

[@johndanielson3777]

One of the biggest lies that America told itself is that the poverty that poor people face is somehow their fault. That they are to blame for their own poverty because “they’re too lazy”

[@kalesmonroe2556]

Truth. But character comes in when you choose to stay.

[@shenetheawardlow1033]

@@kalesmonroe2556 many people don't know their impoverished. If it's what they know, what they see, where they are and they are in their eyes "making it". Education is the key. Building neighborhoods, building centers and putting individuals in better areas can profoundly change ones thoughts and visions.

[@jamesthefisherman1060]

@@johndanielson3777 People with urban privilege or political privilege probably came up with that

[@susandianasmith7150]

“Once you get your food stamps, by the time you feed your kids it’s not even enough for yourself. You have to still save cash and make sure you have money on the side too to get more food.” SNAP stands for SUPPLEMENTAL Food ASSISTANCE Program. It is not intended to cover your entire food budget. It’s supposed to ASSIST and SUPPLEMENT your own food budget!!

[@MrKongatthegates]

Places need to understand when they go into longterm decline, you have to move on. Education and bootstraps wont do a damn thing if theres no money and no industry and no jobs in the area. Move. Other places need employees badly and pay enough to live or more

[@jeremybeavers1931]

That was a great line, "pulled myself up by my bootstraps so many time I ripped them off." it is pathetic we let this happen to our own people.

[@iamthefuss934]

Dog eat dog world. It’s ruff

[@MrMstrika]

I did not let this happen,stupidity and depending on the system let this happen

[@americangal9292]

And yet Joe Biden wants to give illegal immigrant families 450 thousand dollars for breaking the law. Why not take that money and help the poor here in the United States.

[@roxy6240]

Relies on welfare and yet continues to vote Republican.. the hypocrisy and idiocy

[@kaymack6383]

It’s crazy lmao

[@kwikky22]

Kentucky is one of the poorest states and one of the worst places to live, yet they continue to elect Mitch McConnell. Mind boggling

[@juliecastagnaro2868]

Their problems have been going on for decades through many Democrat politicians in the Presidency.

[@Wolf-wn6nk]

They feel they have to because every democrat candidate says they are going to bury the coal industry. How are you people not seeing that. West Virginians are trapped between coal jobs and financial assistance.

[@davidk4278]

Vote Democrat so we can start the bread line already.

[@drmoreno98]

If this is what "hunger" looks like, I think we're doing alright

[@soioioioioioio34]

Lol yess

[@witchywamen9536]

I'll never forget the day I was struggling to buy groceries and went to the checkout with my 3 items, and noticed the obese woman in front of me on a motor scooter purchase 6 cases of Cola, 4 cases of MT Dew, 3 cases of diet Cola and all frozen/boxed food with her EBT card. Maxed out the last $300 on it and then proceeded to use cash to cover the rest. I grew up on EBT and never once did we waste the money like that, it was always either rice and chicken or chicken and rice, and water or milk were my only options.

[@MomoKunDaYo]

Glad you said it lol

[@hemlockricky8393]

You'll do anything to hide from your pathetic reality in your shitty country.

[@kosys5338]

A wise man once told me if you don't have anything good to say then it's better to say nothing. So I will keep my mouth shut.

[@AvangionQ]

Egberto Willies often says "the scariest thing for the plutocracy is the uniting of the ghettos, the barrios, and Appalachia."

[@crazycatlady183]

💖✌🏼

[@utichnice]

💚🖕

[@utichnice]

Those on political and economical power very well know that, and keep you divided by the racism and "boogey-man socialism".

[@the_rivers_fam250]

What is America? We're underpaid, underpriveledged, poor, hungry, homeless, jobless & killing each other. While we pay taxes to fund their income and we're left to face it all. It's survival of the "whoever has more money."

[@charkay192]

So sad, but so true for America! Same here in my country.. money talks. The poor are made out to be the "bain of existence" . The poorer we get, the richer just get more rich"

[@armyvetgrl2731]

Yes , it’s about the “haves & have nots”! 🤷🏾‍♀️

[@samoday2992]

It’s pure greed and no matter what party you vote for none care about you .

[@tymom9313]

😅 you could move to Mexico?

[@royharper2003]

@The>Rivers love it or leave it

[@jhogan1960]

I love how nobody has any culpability for their own condition. Single mother with a flock of kids, no initiative to grow your own food when your house is sitting on a plot of land, drug use. And a government who saps incentive.

[@janetaleman8592]

How can so many of those women who are 100 lbs overweight cry about not having enough food? I was a single mother with 4 kids and no child support. I worked and got no food stamps. I did it all myself and my kids had everything they needed and more.

[@xwrtk]

Amy Jo has skipped meals for real due to money. It’s not ideal as it increases your metabolism and making you more hungry later. Amy Jo exercises daily through all of her marches but it didn’t really help much at the time.

[@yolandaponkers1581]

I live in the very bottom of West Virginia, and it breaks my heart watching west Virginians voting against their own interests election after election.

[@samoday2992]

Have you ever seen the Democrats truly help the poor ? I live in a democrat run state (for the last 50 years) and we still have lots of poor and homeless . No matter what party you vote for they are not interested in helping the poor .

[@WellseeTheend]

The Dems hate coal

[@gidget8717]

Haven't lived in west virginia long? It was a democratic run state for decades. Literally from the 40s to the year 2000. You haven't seen too many elections have you?

[@renatalovinglife6734]

🙌🏾🙌🏾🙌🏾 Exactly

[@Chee235]

@@gidget8717 lol they’ve been poor since 2000, how is that relevant. Tell them to eat 21 years ago then.

[@Militant_Twinky_X]

That's why they call it the American Dream, because you have to be asleep to believe it. *~ George Carlin ~*

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

99% of the U.S. population doesn't live in this state

[@HWalla23]

@@hubertcumberdale2651 yes they do

[@truthbetold6011]

Right

[@mikelargioll8728]

CORRECT! He was spitting LOTS of TRUTH' in "Comedy" 4 which I (BELIEVE) Cost him his Life! Our Entire Judicial system is Corrupt beyond Belief' & LT vs' RT PERIDIME is just an "ILLUSION" All THEATER....

[@arricammarques1955]

Plutocracy, laws made for and by the rich.

[@annamariecooper1798]

I spent my four high school spring breaks going on mission trips to west Virginia, the poorer parts to help with what was needed. One year I helped build a ramp etc. There were places still that did not have running indoor plumbing.

[@jdhooo]

I have the utmost respect for the people of West Virginia. The government has been trying to destroy these people for decades. Drive down us 60 and all you see is poverty. Really heart breaking.

[@john6291]

remember.. our military budget is 750,000,000,000 a year... go team! we have the ability to make changes but we refuse to..

[@furzekake1]

the usa is a hollow shell. the government tries so hard to show the world that they are the number one and spent their enormous budget on weapons and killing people on the other side of the planet, while their own people struggle to make ends meet. just shows the priorites of a government.

[@4T3hM4kr0n]

except we have an image to uphold with how the world views us as a superpower with our military.

[@furzekake1]

@@4T3hM4kr0n do you really believe that the world doesnt know? how can you be seen as a super power if your own citizens are starving and need pantries and food stamps? working more than the average european and still cant go by. this is terrible. you guys have no laws and rights that protect you. you have no proper health care, unions and simple human rights. land of the free? more like land of the robbed. the only way the usa is good is if you are filthy rich. and if you are filthy rich every country can be paradise. as i said it is a hollow shell. it tries to look mighty and shiny but it crumbles within and it starts to show from the outside as well.

[@hubertcumberdale2651]

Guys it's nigh on impossible for a country as large and populated as the USA to not have pockets of high poverty. We're not friggin Denmark

[@furzekake1]

@@hubertcumberdale2651 its not about the population. the usa has a big enough budget but distributes it in to war instead of taking care of its people.

[@simple22travel11]

Great to see that mother of 3 cooking healthy for her children.

[@wendyrferrell1589]

600+ per month in food stamps when seniors have to survive without?

[@loudcoyote4791]

@@wendyrferrell1589 yeahh God forbid her children eat. Elderly should be better taken care of but children are always a priority.

[@w1d3r75]

@@loudcoyote4791 hard decision. It's heartbreaking on kids specially

[@senerose2908]

@@wendyrferrell1589 It shouldn’t be either/or. Damn, stop fighting over scraps.

[@jaredvillhelm2002]

@@wendyrferrell1589 Get angry and vote republicans out don’t lose it on people with kids. EVERYONE deserves to EAT!

[@whitneya.6930]

What kind of math is that? $500/30 days comes out to just under $17 a day. And that's ignoring the fact that the paper actually says $646 per month. If you know how to budget and cook homemade meals, you can eat like kings on that amount. My family of 7 spends around $500 a month (that includes inedible things like toiletries and cleaning supplies) and we eat very well.

[@lisaterry2387]

No one, in the wealthiest country on earth, should ever go hungry. Ever.

[@office4smstande541]

This brings tears to my eyes. So sad.. I live in South Africa its not good here. Please stay safe everyone and Remember keep your family and friends safe.

[@Shay-nu7id]

Thank you for caring about us in America even though your suffering in your beautiful Country . You have a lot of Grace. America is an illusion. I'm glad you saw through it. Your very smart my friend very smart. Love from a broke American 💕❤️

[@drinkwatereatmelons7048]

Covid has been designed to keep us all down and on poverty level. I have NEVER look down on someone that is less fortunate, ppl need ppl. I may need my neighbor 1 day to get me through 1 week and in turn I'll help their family. Blessings to everyone to get the help their families need.

[@office4smstande541]

@@drinkwatereatmelons7048 I Agree never ever kick someone who is down. We are all Human Beings doent matter which part of the World you are from. 💞❤️Doesn't matter your Gender, Your Race,, Your Religion. We are All the same

[@office4smstande541]

@@Shay-nu7id Please stay safe and look after your loved ones. You are not alone. We are all in this terrible, Scary pandemic together. Doesnt matter which Country you live in. This pandemic has changed our lives for ever. Time for people to look after each other. 🌸. I am very scared and worried for all Human kind. Maybe this Virus dissappears Quickly

[@johnnylogan5927]

Dont worry the politicians arent going without. They eat well, have savings and multiple houses, nannies, armed security, jets, horses, lots of cool things!

[@marquisdehoto1638]

I don't think it's always their fault. Form the previous videos I understood that people wanted their coal mines to re open and voted for trump bc he promised to reopen them. I believe he has opened some for a limited time. But the truth is coal mining belongs to a bygone area... it will not come back. And building an alternative takes time. It would be much more suitable in the long run... but not short term. And people want fast solutions not sustainable ones.

[@susanbrown2909]

The rust belt were duped...conservative always promise,but never come up with the goods,cos they’re liars that’s why .

[@marquisdehoto1638]

@@susanbrown2909 It's much easier to promise things than to deliver them. But it's so tempting to believe the beautiful things will happen and not the bad once.

[@xaviervalentine1150]

Idk much about politics since I’m underage to vote but I highly doubt they make that much money just being a politician to own multiple house’s

[@timtaylor4018]

Then learn from them and educate yourselves and make a better life for you and your family. I know some are born into money and some have ways that make it easier if not around possible to live well but come on some are just lazy.

[@leylag1466]

Since I can remember West Virginia has been dealing with homelessness and poverty. The amount needed to feed everyone adequately is much more than the state can generate. Furthermore poverty and relying on the government is pretty much a generational problem in West Virginia. It’s rather easy to find third generations having made no improvements. Rural, poverty stricken counties. Schools are worse than state prisons. Basically no funding, no extras. Kids from poor economical backgrounds need more help with their schooling, their health is always worse than your normal middle class kid, no counseling, no case workers. It’s tough really tough for people in West Virginia. I don’t really see much of a change possible.

[@Chris-fg1ud]

Like I feel for these people and it's terrible but it's really had to feel bad for someone who says they are starving but also 200 pounds over weight.

[@barbrice721]

West Virginian here. You are right.

[@lindseyb15]

My experience moving to West Virginia for one year was very eye opening. Probably one of the most beautiful places to live, yet being stripped of all of its land and resources leaving the residents in the wasteland. I was certain these folks weren't trying hard enough and were "lazy". After all I had my MBA and 15 years of work experience..After applying for 39 jobs in 5 months I ended up a shift manager at a fast good chicken restaurant making $8 75 per hour and had to drive 35 miles each way to get there. To get groceries at just a Dollar General many folks woukd travel an hour or more. And my co workers considered me wealthy because I paid cash for my $20,000 house. There's so much pride and heritage tied to the mining industry that many people just can't let go and when they hear any threat to the industry it is a threat to their livelihood, even though the industry pillaged their people long ago. Many people have never even traveled out of their home County let alone out of the state so what some may see as ignorance I see as their reality based on their experience. I lasted a year and moved which unfortunately is not an option for many of these people. Go stay in a holler for a winter and watch folks drive to the river every day to pump water into cisterns in their truck to haul up the mountain home and you'll definitely be humbled.

[@gidget8717]

I find most of these people who make horrible comments evidently never look around in their own cities. They are plenty of destitute people everywhere. What do they think would happen if a flood of poor unemployed rural people just moved to urban or suburban areas. Same thing that happened to you. The well educated would be taking low income jobs. There are not enough jobs because we as a country don't produce anything. We've become a service oriented country. Nobody asked what would happen if nobody could afford the services?

[@victorrosales7565]

Sad and I own a winter home here

[@johnallenbailey1103]

I lived in St. Albans near Charleston for a year. It was depressing how the citizens are treated by their government. Forgotten people.

[@ellevee1480]

What an articulate and compassionate assessment of the situation. Thank you for sharing your experience.

[@lorimav]

Are the prices at Dollar General comparable to the prices for groceries at Dollar General in other states? Being so rural and remote it would definitely be helpful if students in West Virginia were taught gardening, animal husbandry and carpentry skills. Dollar General is not known for its produce. When Kaylyn was talking about not being able to feed herself a small adult and 3 small sized female children on $5/person'/day plus the pantry food, school lunches and perhaps school breakfasts and snacks, I took into account somewhat higher prices but since my budget is $6/person/day for 3 large adults without school lunches. I felt that it could easily be done. We eat extremely well although we don't order take out except an occasional pizza. I know many Latinos that can feed their families on half of what she is getting. If you are definetly going to remain that remote supplementing with gardens etc. would be necessary.

[@aonaga8657]

America is a failed state. This shouldn't be happening in the richest country in the world. Poverty in the midst of such oppulance is failure of governance. Trump is just a mild symptom. Worse is round the corner if this is not addressed soon.

[@Nanny6999]

this is happening because all the rich have to do is start throwing around the words socialism or communism and these fools willingly except their shit living circumstances so they're not called these names.

[@RaySmith79]

@Dumisani Nkosi people need to start paying their share. Rich love to stand on our shoulders even when we already 6 feet under.

[@urmom1015]

America is a country

[@angelsandoval9346]

@Dumisani Nkosi but there are, that's corporate Socialism. Yet they use scare tactics to get Republicans in office that continue to bailout billionaires!!!

[@mikeddh2018]

Dumisani's account was created about 4 months ago. It's obviously a troll account. Don't waste your time trying to have a reasonable conversation with this individual.

[@SarethZhukov314]

A lot of people here thinking overweight = fed/nutritious. It doesn't. When you're poor you can only afford cheap, low quality foods.

[@havenzhai5187]

She is obviously getting more than enough calories though, as are many in the video.

[@dorothylamb3831]

I speak from experience. I have family members who sell their food stamps for drugs. Every recipient of food stamps should have to be tested monthly for drug use. Children suffer and I don't know what the answer is. Elderly are having their food stamp card stolen by family members and then sold for drugs.

[@KaylaSweet]

Thank you for doing this story! I can relate to this. I grew up poor on food stamps and I remember getting food from churches and food pantries. My heart goes out to these people. I donate to food pantries every chance I get.❤️

[@artworksphotography4682]

It's absolutely GREAT, that you remember where you came from! You will be blessed for it! 😌

[@solidstate9451]

And yet, it would be better if these people wouldn't have to rely on the mercy of strangers but be cared for properly.

[@lorimav]

@@solidstate9451 If they were to be "cared for properly" I think you mean the government. Where does the government get it's money to care for people properly? It gets it from the taxpayers. They are still strangers. The money doesn't fall from the sky. Strangers go to work, put many hours of labor in, maybe even get an education, in order to do that work, and then they faithfully pay their taxes, a part of which goes to pay for government programs that help strangers. I think it is really virtuous of someone to donate above and beyond their taxes.

[@Pipsquacky]

@@lorimav but you overlooked an important word, “mercy.” The government should be a more universal/evenly applied assistance to “strangers.” With all of the bigotry and prejudice that has come to the surface in our country lately, I don’t believe that relying on strangers to be kind to people of all walks of life, religion, gender, or sexual orientation is realistic.

[@lorimav]

@@Pipsquacky This video was mostly about food. If you listen carefully Kaylyn says she cannot feed 1 adult and 3 children on $5/person/day plus the food she gets from the food pantry. Her children no doubt receive free school lunches, and perhaps other school meals such as free breakfasts and snacks. The school my SIL works at receives all of those and she tells me most of the snacks probably 2/3 of the snack food is actually thrown right in the garbage. She is in the classroom so she doesn't know about waste for the breakfasts or the lunches. She also was part of the force that delivered the meals to the kids, the entire weeks worth of food with the buses a couple of times a week when the school was running remotely. Perhaps it is not that way in WV but it is in VA. Still it doesn't matter you can easily feed a person, especially a child, with $5/day. We eat very well on $6/person/day and we are all full size adults. With respect to food the government is doing a more than adequate job. She complains that now that she is working she receives less money for food. Okay, but isn't it her responsibility to feed her own children and the father's responsibility to feed them. Does she want to stop working and have the government pick up the complete responsibility. Now the government is assisting but she is partially at least fullfilling her responsibilities. There are needy people that absolutely cannot do that and could use those resources that otherwise would have gone to her. This takes place in WV and is mostly concerning an impoverished white population there. I am not quite sure what you mean about walks of life, religion, gender, sexual orientation. Are there people not eligible for SNAP, food pantries, school lunch programs, etc. because of any of those? My SIL is latina and her students include many latinos and they are treated the same as the white children. Please explain.

[@tonychocolony7938]

And Walmart is throwing daily more food in the bin than its needed to feed all of them. What a crazy world is that?

[@debbiemartinez8989]

When I worked at elderly small cafe, any left over food I had to throw out. The seniors asked for the leftovers. If I gave it to them and they got sick, the cafe could be sued. Or if they found out I was giving left overs out. I could lose my job. I did it once, and one older person said she didn’t feel good from the leftovers. I never gave left overs after that to the seniors to take home.

[@tonychocolony7938]

@@debbiemartinez8989 true it can be dangerous for some dishes

[@jessn.3851]

I worked at a grocery store and they often donated baked goods. It's not healthy but it's better than throwing it away.

[@minidiscgolfguy3551]

Eat at own risk. I'm healthy and I survived on dumpster foid. Never got sick once.

[@theurbanthirdhomestead]

What's crazy is that we all still support them. 🤔 We know they're an extremely irresponsible company when it comes to our health and the health of the environment, yet we continue to spend our money there. 💔

[@trishad4640]

Buy green onions, put them (the "onion" side down) into a pot of soil. In a few weeks when they have "rooted" , you can snip off the greens about 1" above the soil. They will regrow continually. Make sure to water and put in sunlight or under an indoor light. The same green onions I have planted have given me greens for over 2 years and still continue to regrow. This won't solve hunger but it will give you some nice minerals and vitamins.

[@hamishr2367]

This was a huge Trump state..they really got hosed

[@atriasmith1899]

No matter what race or what you have done in your life, NOBODY deserves to go hungry 😞

[@Chichilovee]

Amen

[@randytompkins7378]

Exactly! More than enough food to go around for everyone.

[@serlawrenceharlem3838]

What if your just lazy? Does lazy deserve to be fed. How many people do you feed?

[@autumnequinox7777]

@Gee Ling You can work and still go hungry. Jobs are also very hard or impossible to get in some parts of W.V

[@Chee235]

Some of these people take their problems out on people like you lol. I wonder what they’d say if the shoe was on the other foot.

[@spatscannon]

West Virginia voted for Trump in 2016 by a margin of 68.7%.

[@lorrie2878]

Oops!

[@discipleofsakura]

And they likely will again. All so those "uppity black folks" won't get a leg up. 😒🙄😔

[@mechellehoward7655]

spatscannon I will never understand that

[@theallseeingeye9388]

The rioters and looters have alot of things in common with the folks shown here. Both are disenfrenchised, not part of the economic boom, have a very bleak outlook on their immediate future and have no representation. The only difference is one is lashing out at their immediate surroundings and the other is hell bent on not voting any career politician.

[@delneus]

@@theallseeingeye9388 Being unjustly killed by law enforcement is a pretty big difference

[@countrifried]

It’s getting better. Spent my summers in those hollers of McDowell county. It’s cleaned up A LOT….I mean, it’s night n day from when I was a kid. Less and less suffer every year. These hard working, proud people really are starting to come up and rebuild the culture there and it’s refreshing to see. Lots are still suffering but it really is getting better.

[@ouigisboredroom]

Hungry and starving are two totally different things. Nobody that weighs in at 450 is starving.

[@Imold498]

Nobody cared nearly this much about poverty, hunger and the effect of drugs on a community when the faces were black and brown.

[@chickennugget6233]

Felt the same thing when I saw this

[@mechellehoward7655]

Agree. And this dispels the myth that all blacks are on welfare

[@angelsandoval9346]

@@mechellehoward7655 statistics say Whites are the majority on welfare. As minorities educate our children on finances, credit cards, and get involved in their learning.

[@sandylynn1912]

That is just not true...

[@kaythegardener]

@@sandylynn1912 What specifically is NOT TRUE?? Lost the thread of your reply...

[@helterskelter4every1]

“Poverty is a circumstance, not a character defect”. Dang! That’s so poignant and spot on. If only more people could be so enlightened.

[@badcassandra2915]

I think that's pretty clear to most people...perhaps not in the US

[@fredericbeigbeder9119]

her obesity are surley also the circumstances and not her eating habits

[@amrita3000]

@2:11 but really, if she gets past 5 to 7 days of hunger, basically fasts, it will do her health a lot of good. She has enough body fat to burn. ( I Am fat myself, though less than her).

[@vicconstruction9126]

Yeah, only but it's not true. It is a character defect (in most cases). The first lady in the doc, received $646.00 per month for food. Divided by 31 days is (just under) $21 per day. Food is cheap in the US. Super Cheap. You can get a 44lbs bag of rice for that price. These people have enough money to live like kings! The rest of the world would give anything to live at these standards. When I was a university student, we had to live on $80 per month for food. Everything is relative I guess.

[@fredericbeigbeder9119]

@noname what you want instead?

[@MYInteriorArchitect]

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ عِلْماً نَافِعاً ، وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ عِلْمٍ لا يَنْفَعُ

[@AroundIndiana]

Ironically, the people struggling keep voting for the party that despises them

[@ReVerseMe100]

As a born and raised West Virginian, this breaks my heart because it’s so accurate. My brother and his disabled wife live on $800 a month. I am not exaggerating. I pay a few of his bills just so they can eat.

[@michaelcoles7588]

Wow I have just watched this and was moved by the grit and determination of this community, I hope things get better for your brother and his wife.

[@charleschapman2569]

You were raised right

[@karlozlopez8535]

Why you're brother doesn't work?

[@ninadiamant8937]

@@karlozlopez8535 Who’s going to take care of the wife?

[@karlozlopez8535]

@@ninadiamant8937 ur mother

[@shinyam75]

That mother has it together. Despite being poor, she's working, and her kids look happy and healthy. Her cooking looks nutritious and yummy too.

[@thomaslucas6079]

My grandma was that way she could make a delicious meal out of almost nothing.

[@mrleafbeef634]

Time to create our own gardens. Or place more corporation goods Edit: joking we all know people hate us corporates

[@spitfire3984]

My “southern belle” Granny raised 9 kids and my Papaw worked hard his entire life and retired only 4 years before dying, at age 78. My Granny would take crackers, an apple, and a piece of bread and make a feast!

[@emusaurus]

I bet she’s on drugs. She looks and sounds like she’s on drugs and maybe a pack a day smoker.

[@jack_evoniuk]

She's a single mother with three kids. She does not have it together.

[@countrylivers]

The confusion sets in when they keep saying they are so starving that they want to die…..but the vast majority are truly morbidly obese. No, NOT a judgement call because I am obese, but confused on how the two facts are combined and accurate.

[@Quantum-Bullet]

cheap unhealthly food

[@loganmott2015]

Fast food is cheap and cooking their own food must be “too difficult”.

[@WayneTwitch]

They are Biden lovers does this shit even make sense ?

[@tedandress2741]

raise your hand if you think Joe Manchin is not doing enough for these people.

[@crobinson2624]

No one wants to be poor. But if getting out of poverty were simple, poverty wouldn’t exist.

[@crobinson2624]

@Melinda Santa Cruz your going to get slapped.

[@crobinson2624]

@Asha X and that’s okay, to point out and insult a woman who cares about her community and want to help bring change? Poverty in America is a very real and terrible tragedy and all you can do is point out, “wow it seems like she isn’t having any problem finding food.”. Just shameful.

[@crobinson2624]

@Asha X you got millions of people lining up outside food pantries during this pandemic because they can’t afford 3 meals a day for themselves and their families and all you and Melinda can do is say well they don’t look like their starving so they must be okay.

[@crobinson2624]

@Asha X what’s your point? That obese people aren’t poor or that she’s poor because she’s obese? What are you getting at?

[@onetwocue]

So the average caloric intake for a female is 1500 calories and for 2000 a male. So if she previously had an eating habit of consuming 4000 calories a day and her body is used to this consumption, to go from 4000 to 1500 calories I can see how she is starving. There's nothing wrong to eat peanut butter and crackers as long as you get your daily caloric intake based on your living habits. They're just hungry for chips and fast food, that's all.

[@SarumChoirmaster]

My dad was from that area. He told me many times to learn how to grow crops and orchards, chickens, rabbits, etc. Be self sufficient and never rely on governments. My family was very poor but we never went hungry.

[@NormaJean951]

This is honestly so stupid. I just can’t believe it. You think this is feasible for the vast majority of Americans who weren’t born in some dirty holler like your daddy?

[@carlkpsplucky5554]

@@NormaJean951 Did he say he thought this was “feasible” for the vast majority or did he simply share his experience growing up poor? Yeah, calm down.

[@Repentance79]

Ikr, and whats wrong with getting your hands dirty growing your own potatoes, veggies, etc. If you can't hunt or fish then get your meat from the store with whatever left from your bills!

[@Krylon103112]

People can buy gardening seeds with food stamps. They can be bought on Amazon and shipped to there door. Will it supply all there food probably not but it is a good gap filler. This only works if you put some time and work into it. And yes you are going to get your hands dirty.

[@NiecieSavo]

This only works if you have land.

[@roozief9349]

I can't imagine how bad it is now under so much inflation

[@Maranda_MT]

Not to mention, WV practically has the highest power rates than any other state, despite being a huge coal resource. It is ridiculous.

[@grmpEqweer]

Just an FYI: the bottom 50% of Americans have 1% of the country's wealth.

[@fbaallied]

And a stark number are blk!

[@BjayawesomeBlackDude]

Just for your info what's stopping Trump from being re-elected through Electoral College Vote again? 😬 ❎ Trump is cheating thru tooth and nail like nobody business. 😬 😷

[@BjayawesomeBlackDude]

@@fbaallied here's the funniest part half of black grand parents own lands, had their very own homes, had decent income of living. The government back then had decided either to confiscated or burn it down. It was a mechanism used to slow down resistance of black people voting 😬

[@grmpEqweer]

@@BjayawesomeBlackDude Huh. Interesting article: modernfarmer.com/2019/08/how-did-african-american-farmers-lose-90-percent-of-their-land/

[@Eric-ye5yz]

And getting worse ???

[@bandido7994]

Thumbs up for Kayle, she cooks for her children and is teaching her daughter too.

[@denisesatx]

I wonder how these people are doing now. Everything has increased in price, now we are all feeling it.

[@xwrtk]

Folks are still getting more in snap money. Select pantries have more items than before. More donations towards non-profit to help the poverty situation. The folks who only want to buy name brand items are hit hard with the increase. Some fish have gotten cheaper which helps grocery bills.

[@linebrunelle1004]

In early 2000's, I worked for the Salvation Army as a counselor. I found out that staff were paid on a merit scale based on gender, marital status and need. We all got together and pretty much changed that to a more across the board pay grade according to position and seniority.

[@tristx7832]

Their greatest tragedy is not that they are poor, but their unquestionable faith in electing the people that perpetuate their unfortunate circumstances.

[@xwrtk]

Amy Jo hates Trump but other than that she can blame the ~68% of residents who voted for trump. She hates him for many reasons but one reason is because he tried to cut snap.

[@marquisdehoto1638]

and believing that short term changes are better than long term ones. I guess people always want to go back to what they where used to and work decades ago...but coal mining is a thing of the past not the future 🙄

[@BradleyUK58]

Yes the Clintons Obama and Bidens have kept America poor for decades and funded the CCP and its murderous regime at the expense of the American people.

[@marquisdehoto1638]

@@BradleyUK58 No.. the people kept themselves poor🙄

[@BradleyUK58]

@@marquisdehoto1638 No the Democrats created Americas poverty that is now historical fact. The Americans love of the Dollar above care for their poorer citizens also contributed a great deal to your country’s poor. Greed plays a big part in your culture and your slavish belief in your corrupt politicians. Slavish belief in our politics is a problem here in the U.K. also.

[@OceanLily]

This makes me feel really guilty for letting food expire and throwing out so much food because I forgot I bought it.

[@XSemperIdem5]

It might help to plan meals ahead of time and only buy what you need for those meals. Plus some snacks you know you'll eat.

[@pebbleinyoshoe532]

Na you earned it, never feel guilty for others decisions

[@luckylambdin8269]

OceanLily It SHOULD make you feel guilty! Stop it.

[@pebbleinyoshoe532]

@@luckylambdin8269 nah don’t ever feel guilty throw whatever you want out you paid for it you worked for it, ain’t your problem they made their choices

[@luckylambdin8269]

@@pebbleinyoshoe532 There's no excuse for buying too much food without thought and then having to throw it out. It is a sin to waste food.

[@Mossfaerie]

Travel to Canada next. We have the same problems here, especially in Ontario+BC. I can relate to a lot of these people.

[@frankihatch]

There's no food stamps in Canada

[@debbieriddle9429]

I would like to know how Kailyn and her children are doing today. My heart goes out to these people.

[@cutthechicken194]

For decades West Virginians drive 40 to 60 miles one way into northern Virginia or DC to earn a middle class income. West Virginians are stuck in the 70s while the world around them are 21at century.

[@ceciliaanamaria6340]

& that happens in America? ...the richest country in the world? ...that's unbelievable!

[@ceciliaanamaria6340]

@BP which channel isn't a propaganda one...personally I don't believe anymore any of them. ..

[@decoloniz_afro]

West u must collapse .......says Africa 💪🏿

[@inthevault9603]

Richest for some

[@kayhumph9109]

Sad to say err since 3rd grade I’ve been hearing America has no money 12th grade economics you all’s generation won’t have ssi or retirement smh

[@twizz420]

"greatest country in the world" and people are still dying of starvation...

[@jamesdeciancio9768]

no one is dying of starvation in america. Unhealthy people are complaining that their bad eating habits are unsustainable