Suburban Middle-Class Filling Food Banks

Dot-com Denver saw a 40% increase in demand for handouts as high-tech workers feel the pinch of high unemployment and high housing costs.

1 minute read

July 20, 2004, 12:00 PM PDT

By Jeffrey Goodman


Across the nation, charitable food banks are seeing an increasing number of first-time users, as well as seemingly well-off suburbanites, looking for aid. Despite the stigma, many people simply have no other choice. The leading factor, experts say, is rent; many families, even 'working poor,' spend two-thirds of their income on rent alone. For the middle-class, as the tech industry narrows, former employees become forced into low-paying jobs but still must pay suburban mortgages. The operators of many food banks, as well as the Urban Institute, want to see the government both expand food stamps and subsidize housing.

Thanks to Jeffrey Goodman

Monday, July 19, 2004 in Boston Herald

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

June 11, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Rendering of Shirley Chisholm Village four-story housing development with person biking in front.

San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning

SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.

June 8, 2025 - Fast Company

Yellow single-seat Japanese electric vehicle drivign down road.

The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs

The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.

June 6, 2025 - PC Magazine

Large tower under construction with crane with American and Texas flags in downtown Austin, Texas against sunset sky.

Texas Legislature’s Surprising Pro-Housing Swing

Smaller homes on smaller lots, office to apartment conversions, and 40% less say for NIMBYs, vote state lawmakers.

5 seconds ago - The Texas Tribune

Red brick five-story multifamily housing building in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Even Edmonton Wants Single Staircase Buildings

Canada's second most affordable major city joins those angling to nix the requirement for two staircases in multi-family buildings.

1 hour ago - Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC)

Group protesting during May Day 2017 holding sign that reads "Sanctuary for all" in San Francisco, California.

Duffy Threatens to Cut DOT Funds to “Sanctuary Cities”

“Follow the law or forfeit the funding” says US Secretary of Transportation.

2 hours ago - New York Post