Poverty Economic Problems in America By Saydi Orange

Poverty & Economic Problems in America By: Saydi Orange

What is the issue? Who is involved? The Issue: Millions of Americans are living in poverty because of things they cannot control, such as illness, unemployment and generations before them. (2) Poverty leaves the affected people without basic needs, such as food, water, shelter, clothing, or emotional/physical health. (6) Who Is Involved: In general, anyone who is “lower class” or receives lower than average income are living in poverty. Currently, a record 47 million people live below the poverty line. (4) According to www. operationwarm. org, “In the U. S. , it is our children who are most affected by poverty. ”

Where is it happening? (According to www. usatoday. com, in 2013) Poverty is happening everywhere, but the top three places where poverty occurs the most includes… Mississippi: • 695, 252 people (24% of the population) are living in poverty • Second-highest food stamp use-percentage in the U. S. New Mexico: • 448, 461 people (21. 9% of the population) are living in poverty • Third-highest food stamp use-percentage in the U. S. Louisiana: • 888, 019 people (19. 8% of the population) are living in poverty • Seventh-highest food stamp use-percentage in the U. S.

How is homelessness happening? How Is It Happening? Abc-clio. com states, “…many poor families cannot afford to pay market -priced rent, let alone purchase a home. Several government assistance programs have been enacted to prevent families from being without a place to live, as well as to regulate the standards of available housing. ” This shows that a key issue to poverty and homelessness is the price of rent and housing. For example, it costs $1, 978 a month to rent an apartment in Seattle. (3) But, according to woman. thenest. com, the average minimum wage worker only makes $1, 160 a month.

Why is this an issue? The U. S. poverty rate in 2014 was 14. 8%, which was 2. 3 percentage points higher than in 2007. Also, according to abc-clio. com, “In terms of ethnicity and race, the 2014 poverty rates were as follows: whites 10. 1%, Asians 12. 0%, Hispanics 23. 6%, and African Americans 26. 2%. ” “In addition to experiencing a lack of adequate food, clothing and shelter, a typical child living below the poverty line: Experiences developmental delays that put him two to four years below grade level Suffers from obesity and nutritional deficiency Is often ill with chronic conditions May have elevated blood lead levels, which are associated with serious behavior and learning problems Misses a high percentage of school days and is likely to drop out of school before graduating high school Is likely to remain poor and uneducated as an adult. ” (5)

How is culture involved? Culture is involved with poverty because the environment and government policies in the U. S. have affected the people who experience poverty. It has caused us to focus on people’s financial status rather than peoples personalities and contributions.

Bibliography 1. Henderson, William. “The Average Salary a Low Income Person Makes Per Year. ” Woman, woman. thenest. com/average-salary -low-income-person-per-year-19282. html. 2. “Issues of Poverty. ” Teaching Tolerance, 26 July 2017, www. tolerance. org/classroom-resources/tolerance-lessons/issues-of -poverty. 3. Jungle, Rent. “Rent Trend Data in Seattle, Washington. ” Rent Jungle: Apartment Search , www. rentjungle. com/average-rent-inseattle-rent-trends/. 4. Kaufmann, Greg. “US Poverty: Past, Present and Future. ” The Nation, 29 June 2015, www. thenation. com/article/us-povertypast-present-and-future/. 5. Rawes, Erika. “ 6 States and D. C. with the Most People in Poverty. ” USA Today, Gannett Satellite Information Network, 16 Feb. 2015, www. usatoday. com/story/money/2015/02/15/cheat-sheet-states-poverty/23325629/. 6. Smuskiewicz, A. J. "Poverty. " Issues: Understanding Controversy and Society , ABC-CLIO, 2017, issues. abcclio. com/Topics/Display/1689498? cid=41. Accessed 9 Oct. 2017. 7. “Who Are Most Affected by Poverty in the U. S. ? Our Children. ” Operation Warm, 7 June 2017, www. operationwarm. org/blog/who-are-most-affected-by-poverty-in-the-u-s-our-children/.