Progress Illinois

As the state's unemployment rate grows, so too do the food stamp rolls. About 16.5 percent more households used the federally-funded program in August than the same period in 2008, translating to aid for about 100,000 additional families. "It's a new record every month," Department of Human Services spokesperson Tom Green told the Pantagraph's Mike Riopell.

A few things to note here. While it's unfortunate that so many people are struggling right now, it's great that more and more are using the benefits provided to them; many eligible people simply don't apply, which is unfortunate for their families and the economy at large. It's also important to remember that without the stimulus bill this year, which dedicated an additional $890 million in funding to the program, the benefits would be smaller, the state would bear a larger administrative burden, and the federal food stamp fund would be drained of considerable resources.

Most importantly, the new data illustrates just how deep this recession is. If this many people in Illinois now qualify as desperately poor, even more aren't earning enough to be financially independent. And it's a problem we will be dealing with for years.