The Labor Department reports 743,000 U.S. workers filed for new unemployment claims last week — a rise of about 30,000 from the previous week — as coronavirus infections hit record highs from coast to coast. This comes as a new study by the Century Foundation found that unless Republican senators follow House Democrats by passing a COVID relief bill, 12 million U.S. workers will lose federal unemployment benefits by December 26.

Here in New York, food banks report they’ve had to turn away some needy families amid unprecedented demand. On Monday, a Harlem food bank handed out 500 turkeys to residents, including Ruth Crawford.

Ruth Crawford: “You have to try to relax and think of the better things, because it wasn’t always like this. But this is getting to people, and it’s just sad. I mean, you work all the time, and then you can’t go to work, or you can’t work from home. So it’s not easy.”

The hunger relief group Feeding America warns some 54 million U.S. residents currently face food insecurity.