The U.S. Department of Agriculture is reporting a record number of food stamp recipients in the wake of the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression. The department says the number of Americans receiving food stamps has topped 40 million as more and more families find themselves without a means to buy food.

Still, thousands of jobless Americans - especially those without dependants - are being denied food assistance because they don't meet the income requirements.

Even when applying for food stamps under meager unemployment benefits, many are being told they make too much money. Others have been forced to wait months for their application to be processed.

Congress must act now to address key issues with the U.S. food assistance system, officially known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Lawmakers must expand the income requirements to include the jobless, ensure that the long-term unemployed can readily qualify and increase the maximum benefit amount.

Demand Congress acts now to ensure every unemployed person receives the supplemental nutrition assistance they need to make it through these extremely difficult times.

Follow this link to the IAM Activist Center to Take Action