When times are tough,  aluminum cans are collected even in Ohio where there is no deposit, no return on beverage cans.  Just a little bell weather signal.   Check the vital signs: Adult white male. middle of week day, personally culling dumpsters in major US city (Ohio City, Ohio).  Not panhandling.  How much a pound for aluminum cans?

Canary in coal mine? 

Where is OnDemandWorkCorps?