The number of families with children going hungry is on the rise
According to an alarming article in today’s USA Today, “the rate of children living in poverty this year will climb to nearly 22%, the highest rate in two decades, according to an analysis by the non-profit Foundation for Child Development. Nearly 17% of children were living in poverty in 2006, before the recession began.”
The report tracked 28 key statistics relating to children such as health insurance coverage, infant mortality, and preschool.
The worry, of course, is that the so-called ‘Great Recession’ could wipe out many of the gains that families with children had made over the previous two decades. The rise of poverty amongst this population can have far-reaching consequences since being poor sometimes yields even more poverty. For instance, children suffering food insecurity may show up hungry to their classes, which could inhibit their concentration causing them to fall behind in their academic work.
Though this report certainly doesn’t tell the whole story about poverty, it raises a lot of interesting concerns for us here as well. Though the specific numbers cited in this article are national, the reality is quite similar in the Bay Area. According to our recent report on the issue, more than 440,000 households are struggling to make ends meet. And having a job is not enough. Most of these families – 86% in fact – have at least one wage earner but still can’t pay for their household’s basic needs.
Read the full article here.
To learn more about the problems facing Bay Area families take a look at United Way’s report, Struggling To Make Ends Meet.
