Role- Homeless Shelter Volunteer
Audience- The U.S. Population
Format- Website
Topic- Families Facing Poverty
Audience- The U.S. Population
Format- Website
Topic- Families Facing Poverty
Families Facing Poverty
By Luke Knowles
Have you ever looked into a child’s eyes and had to tell them there is not enough money for dinner? Over 46 million people in the U.S. are under the poverty line. More than 16.4 million children are in poverty. It affects all races and is present in many families. Poverty in the U.S. is the highest it has been since 1993 at 15.1%. We as a country need to recognize why this is such a large issue, who it is hurting, and how we can stop these growing levels.
Poverty is the state or condition of little or no money, goods, or means of support. Once a family is in poverty, it is almost impossible to get out. Poverty can lead you into crime, drugs, and gangs. So many children are born into poverty and are stuck there for the rest of their lives. We need to give them a fighting chance.
According to the article “Poverty and ‘Place’: Does locality make a difference?” by Carol-Ann Hooper, poverty is often present in low-income neighborhoods and apartments. These places are swept under the rug so there are no repairs made to the houses and the police are unresponsive to these areas. Children often skip school and do not have any supervision because their parents are working full time jobs just to make rent. Unfortunately, these children are drawn into unsafe lifestyles and never receive a good education.
An article titled “Poverty, Family Stress, and Parenting” written by Zahid Shahad Ahmed, low-paying jobs are a large contributor to poverty. Parents will work all day and night but still will not be able to make ends meet. These parents, or in most cases there is just one parent, are working for minimum wage or close to it. No person can live on an income of that size. Sometimes, the only source of income a family has, is being taken and spent on drugs and alcohol. Parents could be addicted and are not getting the help they need because people do not care about them, resulting in irresponsible acts.
A family or person is officially in poverty when their pretax money is below the threshold created by the government. The National Poverty Center stated that any single person under the age of 65 and is making less than $11,344, is in poverty. Also anyone 65 years and up, single, and is living on $10,458 or lower is in poverty. If you are single with one child, the poverty level is $15,030 and if you are single with two children than the poverty level is $17,568. Two adults have a poverty level of $14,607. Two adults with one child have a poverty level of $17,552. Two adults supporting two children have a poverty level of $22,113. Finally, two adults supporting three children have a poverty level of $26,023.
Poverty has occurred ever since there was trading and money; it just had a different name. In recent years, such as the late 1950s the poverty rate was 22.4%, according to the National Poverty Center. In the late 1960s the poverty rate reached a low of 11.1%. Through 1993 to 2000 the poverty rate declined at a steady rate and in 2000 the rate was 11.3%. Now, in 2010 the poverty rate has reached a high of 15.1%.
The article “Who is Poor?” written by the Urban Institute, poverty impacts over 46 million Americans alone, not counting the many other countries in this world. All different races and cultures are affected by poverty. It mostly impacts the low-income working families described earlier, many children (over 16.4 million), large families who live together, refugees, and single parents.
The problem with all of this is that our poverty rate is consistently growing and is at a high of 15.1%. Over 16.4 million of our children are entrapped in poverty as well. These children end up in gangs, crime, drugs, and violence and they cannot receive a good education.
The solution to our ever-growing problem of poverty is found in the article “Poverty and Opportunity: What Difference Can a Task Force Make?” This article is on Clasp.org and is by Jodie Levin-Epstein. The solution is to institute more task forces. Task forces are specially formed groups, by the government, to focus directly on helping families out of poverty. Task forces can come to your city or town and give recommendations for things such as budget cuts. Sometimes these task forces are temporary but most of them are long term. They can be a real help to parents who need a little guidance but do not know where to look.
Poverty in the United States of America is the highest it has been since 1993 at 15.1% and it is not impossible to stop and turn it around. We can give the parents the help they need, give the kids a chance to get an education, so they can live the life they want to. We know the facts about poverty and we know it’s there. Now it is time to do something about it and give everyone a chance.
Poverty is the state or condition of little or no money, goods, or means of support. Once a family is in poverty, it is almost impossible to get out. Poverty can lead you into crime, drugs, and gangs. So many children are born into poverty and are stuck there for the rest of their lives. We need to give them a fighting chance.
According to the article “Poverty and ‘Place’: Does locality make a difference?” by Carol-Ann Hooper, poverty is often present in low-income neighborhoods and apartments. These places are swept under the rug so there are no repairs made to the houses and the police are unresponsive to these areas. Children often skip school and do not have any supervision because their parents are working full time jobs just to make rent. Unfortunately, these children are drawn into unsafe lifestyles and never receive a good education.
An article titled “Poverty, Family Stress, and Parenting” written by Zahid Shahad Ahmed, low-paying jobs are a large contributor to poverty. Parents will work all day and night but still will not be able to make ends meet. These parents, or in most cases there is just one parent, are working for minimum wage or close to it. No person can live on an income of that size. Sometimes, the only source of income a family has, is being taken and spent on drugs and alcohol. Parents could be addicted and are not getting the help they need because people do not care about them, resulting in irresponsible acts.
A family or person is officially in poverty when their pretax money is below the threshold created by the government. The National Poverty Center stated that any single person under the age of 65 and is making less than $11,344, is in poverty. Also anyone 65 years and up, single, and is living on $10,458 or lower is in poverty. If you are single with one child, the poverty level is $15,030 and if you are single with two children than the poverty level is $17,568. Two adults have a poverty level of $14,607. Two adults with one child have a poverty level of $17,552. Two adults supporting two children have a poverty level of $22,113. Finally, two adults supporting three children have a poverty level of $26,023.
Poverty has occurred ever since there was trading and money; it just had a different name. In recent years, such as the late 1950s the poverty rate was 22.4%, according to the National Poverty Center. In the late 1960s the poverty rate reached a low of 11.1%. Through 1993 to 2000 the poverty rate declined at a steady rate and in 2000 the rate was 11.3%. Now, in 2010 the poverty rate has reached a high of 15.1%.
The article “Who is Poor?” written by the Urban Institute, poverty impacts over 46 million Americans alone, not counting the many other countries in this world. All different races and cultures are affected by poverty. It mostly impacts the low-income working families described earlier, many children (over 16.4 million), large families who live together, refugees, and single parents.
The problem with all of this is that our poverty rate is consistently growing and is at a high of 15.1%. Over 16.4 million of our children are entrapped in poverty as well. These children end up in gangs, crime, drugs, and violence and they cannot receive a good education.
The solution to our ever-growing problem of poverty is found in the article “Poverty and Opportunity: What Difference Can a Task Force Make?” This article is on Clasp.org and is by Jodie Levin-Epstein. The solution is to institute more task forces. Task forces are specially formed groups, by the government, to focus directly on helping families out of poverty. Task forces can come to your city or town and give recommendations for things such as budget cuts. Sometimes these task forces are temporary but most of them are long term. They can be a real help to parents who need a little guidance but do not know where to look.
Poverty in the United States of America is the highest it has been since 1993 at 15.1% and it is not impossible to stop and turn it around. We can give the parents the help they need, give the kids a chance to get an education, so they can live the life they want to. We know the facts about poverty and we know it’s there. Now it is time to do something about it and give everyone a chance.