Our local paper does the same thing...and they ALWAYS show a picture of the family. While I can't find the section of the paper that gave the gory details of the family bio, it read something like this:
Their blended family has SEVEN school-age children (ranging in ages from about 5 to about 17) and several have learning disabilitites and health problems. She works as a home health care aid, he is a stay at home dad because the kids (who are in school all day, by the way, but need lots of extra help, according to him.) She only earned $9000 or so last year, and according to the mother, it's really tough to make ends meet, because even though the kids got social security checks, it still doesn't give them enough money. At the end of the article, mention was made about how the kids were big hockey fans, but the family could never afford to attend a game, and it would just be sooooo nice to be able to watch those games on cable.
BTW, there was no mention that Dad had ANY condition that precluded him from working, and NO mention was made that he was even looking or trying to look for employment. There was something written about a second vehicle that needed extensive repairs, so that tells me they still have ONE working car. By the time I finished reading this story, I was so pissed off I couldn't see straight.
Personally, if people are willing to parade their doughy, blank-staring needy and pathetic family onto a public pedestal for others to feel sorry for them and therefore throw money at them, I would like to see their family budget published, with FULL disclosure on exactly how much aid they get they currently receive in earned income (supported with IRS documentation,) Social security, food stamps, Medicaid, heating assistance, and any other freebie giveaway they receive that I am unaware of, as well as any other informal assistance they receive from churches, food pantries and other charities that provide winter coats and boots for needy families, with dollar values of each provided service included, for readers to make an informed decision about whether or not to give.
Something tells me that once working people/potential donors saw the magnitude and market value of everything these people ALREADY receive, things that might make their own lives a bit easier, you'd be able to hear the wallets snapping shut around the newspaper's entire circulation area, as they well should.
Sorry to jack the thread, but this crap really hits a nerve with me.