''Demand for 'survival services' rises in US cities''

''Many cities across the United States are still scrambling to help their residents overcome the economic recession that officially ended more than two years ago, according to a survey released on Friday by the National League of Cities.
The league, which represents hundreds of civic officials, found that demand for "survival services," such as food banks and housing shelters, had increased in 31 percent of cities over the last six months. It had fallen in only 8 percent of cities over that time.''

from reuters...