NEW YORK (AP) — Millions of Americans have been jobless since the viral pandemic ripped through the U.S. economy in March, triggering a deep recession and causing widespread unemployment.

Now, many months later, they face a holiday season they hardly could have foreseen a year ago: Too little money to buy gifts, cook large festive meals or pay all their bills. Nearly 8 million people have sunk into poverty since June after having spent the $1,200 checks the government gave most

Americans this spring and a $600-a-week supplemental jobless benefit that expired in July, according to research by Bruce Meyer at the University of Chicago and two other colleagues.