Poverty...in Your Backyard?

The faces of the poor aren’t as hidden as they used to be, especially during a time of recession.

A recent article from the Associated Press reports that nearly half of all U.S. children and 90 percent of black youngsters will be on food stamps at some point during childhood, according to researchers.

Here is an excerpt from the article:

The estimate comes from an analysis of 30 years of national data, and it bolsters other recent evidence on the pervasiveness of youngsters at economic risk. It suggests that almost everyone knows a family who has received food stamps, or will in the future, said lead author Mark Rank, a sociologist at Washington University in St. Louis.

“Your neighbor may be using some of these programs but it's not the kind of thing people want to talk about,” Rank said.

The analysis is in the November issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine. The authors say it's a medical issue pediatricians need to be aware of because children on food stamps are at risk for malnutrition and other ills linked with poverty.

“This is a real danger sign that we as a society need to do a lot more to protect children,” Rank said.

Recession Woes

And the recession is only making it harder for low-income families with children to make ends meet:

According to a USDA report released last month, 28.4 million Americans received food stamps in an average month in 2008, and about half were younger than age 18. The average monthly benefit per household totaled $222.

Children: The Faces of Poverty

Dependence on food stamps is not a new phenomenon. The study also illustrates the dependence on government programs over the years:

Rank and Cornell University sociologist Thomas Hirschl studied data from a nationally representative survey of 4,800 American households interviewed annually from 1968 through 1997 by the University of Michigan. About 18,000 adults and children were involved.

Overall, about 49 percent of all children were on food stamps at some point by the age of 20, the analysis found. That includes 90 percent of black children and 37 percent of whites. The analysis didn't include other ethnic groups.

Other analysis suggests that more than 40 percent of U.S. children will live in poverty or near-poverty by age 17; and that half will live at some point in a single-parent family. Other researchers have estimated that more than half of adults will use food stamps at some point by age 65.

How You Can Help

In this case, simply being aware about the presence of poverty in your own neighborhood is a way to affect change. Some people are too shy or proud to ask for help, so you might need to step up and offer.

The single mom next door might need help with child care, or the teenager across the street might need a good mentor. If you’re not sure what you can do, simply ask.