What it means to be poor - Survey Results

To the left is a Quick Survey. These survey questions are meant to give you something to think about. From time to time I will change the survey question and post the final results of the previous survey.

"Poverty" is one of those words we really don't want to think about or talk about too much. If we don't know about it, we can ignore that it exists, or complain about people on "welfare". Over the last few years we have learned far more than we ever thought we would want to know about poverty.

Survey Results for "What income level is considered Poverty Level for a family of 4? "
40% chose $21,200 (Correct answer)
40% chose $29,400
20% chose $31,700

$21,200 would be a job that pays $10 per hour/40 hrs per week, which means a full time job can leave you living at poverty level. It most likely does not provide health insurance, or if it does, it is going to take more of your check than you can afford. Many people would feel very lucky indeed to find a $10/hr job!

Now consider that many people have far less to live on. How would you support your 4 kids if your total income was $9,600 per year, and the government said you cannot have a job, and no one in your household can have a job. Rules such as this do not allow people to escape their plight.

Think about it carefully - could you support your family on this income? Or do you say to yourself, "There for for the grace of God go I"?

Is my success due to my own hard work, or is it a combination of my good fortune to have middle class parents who were smart and well educated, who encouraged and guided me, gave me a secure home with nutritious food and the benefit of good schools and solid values so that I could use my brains to pull it all together? What if I had none of these things? Where would I be?

Did you know:

• 12.5% or 37.3 million people, were living in poverty in 2007
• 58.5% of Americans will spend at least one year below the poverty line at some point between ages 25 and 75

The Poverty Threshold is determined by the census bureau results as a guide to states in determining the eligibility of certain benefits such as food stamps or Medicaid.

I ran across a blog that has a very poignant list of what it means to be poor. I encourage you to read it! http://whatever.scalzi.com/2005/09/03/being-poor/ Judging from the 450 comments left on this blog, I think it certainly hit a chord with many people.

There are some things on this list that remind us of what "our kids" can identify with, and other things that we don't necessarily think of, such as being humiliated to say "I get free lunch" in front of all your classmates.

Thanks to Mr. Thornton and to so many of you, "our kids" have been able to benefit from good, wholesome food, security of a home and bed to sleep in, plenty of clothes and even some fun, "cool" toys. Being able to go to school in clean, well-fitting clothes and shoes gives them a boost before they even walk out the door each morning.

I have a new Survey question - be sure to vote!

Until next time ~
Stephanie