Recession Sends Seniors to Food Banks

Older Americans who were raised on stories of the Great Depression and acquired lifelong habits of thrift now find themselves crowding soup kitchens and food pantries in greater numbers for the first time because of the recession.

The government says the number of seniors living alone who sought help from food pantries last year increased 81 percent to 408,000 — up from 225,000 in 2006.

In Phoenix, Sherry Whittemore began going to a food bank after losing her customer relations job at an electronics store. She says she thought she would be able to get another job, but that wasn't realistic. Ronald Shewchuk of Ithaca, N.Y., says he's been able to function because of the food pantries. Otherwise, he would have to sell his house and would not know what to do.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.