GOOD magazine, in collaboration with Gavin Potenza, takes a look at food assistance over the past several months.
Since November 2008, there’s been an increase in the number of people who receive food assistance every month. Every month there has been more people receiving food assistance than there has ever been in the history of the program.
The graphic reads:
While some economists are declaring the recession over, and although the stock market continues to rise, those on the bottom of the economic ladder are seeing fewer improvements to their day-to-day lives. The number of Americans who receive assistance from the government in the form of food stamps continues to rise—the total number of food stamp recipients is now up to more than 10 percent of the total population. Here is how many people have been using food stamps for the nine months from September, 2008, to last May.
With that in mind, what can we do about it?
Well, here are some ideas: http://www.carrollconews.com/blogs/1250/entry/27663/
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I love the work GOOD does in partnership with designers who are experts of visual communication, but I have to say that I’m the least excited about graphics like this one, which are really just glorified bar charts.
This one, for example, only has 18 points of data in it (month/year and the number of people using food stamps). That’s 18 points of data which could be displayed as beautifully in a fraction of the space, with plenty of space left to spare for other relevant (and probably just as telling) data. I’m just left wanting more.
I agree with Jeremy. While the graphic might be initially aesthetically appealing, the data could be displayed in much more simple manner. A simple bar chart with less color, fewer unnecessary graphics, and consuming less space would be less distracting and much more effective.
Plus I can’t help but think to myself, what would Edward Tufte say?
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This visualization doesn’t reflect a key event. Food Assistance income eligibility restrictions were loosened last fall.
Demand is also going up independently of this.. but not as much.
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