Poverty+Statistics

**//Wilkes Barre Area Poverty Rates://**  One in five residents in the Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, and Hazleton Areas, live in or below poverty levels. Poverty is an issue that won't go away or become any less than it already is in the future. In two years, in our area, the rate of food stamps went up 16 percent in Wilkes-Barre alone. If tha percent went that high in two years, I couldn't even imagin what the percent will be in ten years. Poverty affects 21.2 percent of the people in Wilkes-Barre. The people of Wilkes-Barre has always had problems maintaining high educated and high paying jobs. Soup kitchens, shelters have helped over 6,000 people, as well as clothing donations, such as, The Salvation Army. Poverty is the one thing that will never go away in Wilkes-Barre.

This article (link below) explains the huge rise in unemployment for the Scranton/Wilkes Barre area. Local unemployment is a large reason why more and more people are falling below poverty levels. The state, according to this article, was at 9% but it has now risen to 9.1%; which doesn't seem like a lot but it just makes the point that more and more jobs are declining. It's also cause for alarm because the national average is 9.7%.

http://www.timesleader.com/news/Unemployment_rate_rising_06-28-2010.html

**//US Poverty Rates://**

 If you thought the poverty rates in Wilkes-Barre were shocking, the national rate is even worse. A survery done shows that half of all Americans will live in poverty before the age of 65. Each year the US determines official poverty rates by the Census Bureau. In the Unites States, a big problem is immigration, as well. There is a big jump in poverty between native-born, and foreign-born. 19 percent of people living in poverty were found to be foreign-born. Compared to 13 percent of native-born. Either way, those are big numbers of people living in poverty. Poverty is studied to be highest within families lead by a single mother, specifically Black or Hispanic. The lowest poverty rate is for those within families with two incomes, a man and a woman. Altough, that's not always the case, most cases it's true. When it comes to children in the US, race differs when it comes to poverty rates, but around 15 million or 20 percent of children live in poor conditions/poverty.

The article below explains how much the US is suffering from poverty. The US has seen a huge spike in poverty rates with 1 in 7 people in America officially being considered as poor. The US Census Bureau report that was released last year shows how badly the recession has affected our nation's way of life. The main findings of the report compared income, poverty rate, and health-care insurance coverage in 2009 with 2008 numbers. These 3 issues below were the main findings.

**1) About 43.6 million people were living in poverty last year. That marks the highest number since 1959 and also 5 years before President Johnson declared War on Poverty. The US national poverty rate was 14.3%, had risen from 13.2% in 2008 and it was also the highest level since 1994. (The US government considers an annual income of $21,756 to be the poverty line for a family of four.)**

**2) A large number of Americans, around 50.7 million, did not have health-care insurance in 2009. While the survey was being taken, Congress passed President Obama’s health-care reform law.**

**3) The median household income was $49,800 last year or about the same as in 2008. This "hold steady" figure for income may reflect the fact that many people were helped by the government safety net, such as unemployment insurance, which Congress repeatedly extended and which kept some 3.3 million people out of poverty, according to the Census data.**

*Note: This article was published in 2010.

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Society/2010/0916/US-adds-3.8-million-more-to-ranks-of-the-poor-as-poverty-rate-jumps

**//World Poverty Rates://**  Poverty on a global status takes the numbers to a whole different level, becoming scary. Obviously,third world countries are poor and most people do live in poverty. But even the richer countires such as the US, China, and others have just as big of numbers. Living in poverty causes neagtives on everyones lives. Mainly with health and education. Worldwide, 2 million children died because of bad health and not having correct or up to date medicines. 15 million children died of HIV/AIDS, in Germany or the United Kingdom alone. Compared to third world countried, the US has 12 percent of poverty. On the other hand the poor coutries such as Hati and Liberia where they have 80 percent poverty. This tells us poverty is growing around the whole world and something needs to change and it needs to start with one-self. People need to help themselvs before anyone can help them. Although poverty rates have dropped in some place, it still is in play and probably will never end.

Almost half the world, which is about 3 billion people, live on less than $2.50 a day. About 80% of humanity lives on less than $10 a day. Yes, that's per day! More than 80% of the world’s population lives in countries where income differentials are widening. The poorest 40% of the world’s population accounts for 5% of global income. The richest 20% accounts for three-quarters of world income. According to UNICEF, 22,000 children die each day due to poverty. And they “die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and the conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes these dying multitudes even more invisible in death.” Malnutrition, poor water sources, and poor food sources are the main causes of their death.

One quarter of children in America live in low income families with a working parent. Low hourly wages explain why these families have poor incomes.

Low income working families receive less benefits than middle income working families. Low income working families face greater food and housing hardships. Child care can be a large expense in low income households. Health problems are more prevalent in low income households.