Living In Poverty In The United States

People tend to think solely of themselves not realizing the trouble others may face a few streets away. Since the 1950s, poverty has overwhelmed at least five percent of the American population. Thereafter they have continued to fluctuate year to year. There are a variety of reasons one may find themselves living in poverty. Individuals or groups desiring to help with the problem may experience frustration as it seems there is no long term solution. This can be demotivating, but there are ways to help short term while still making a considerable difference in our communities. Poverty is defined as a deficiency in one’s financial ability to have their needs met. The United States has a system in place to measure poverty and give assistance to the poor when needed. To determine if an individual or family is living in poverty, the United States Census Bureau issues annual poverty thresholds that are considered
Minors get trapped in poverty for a few reasons. One is that children younger than fourteen years old are unable to work to support themselves. Another is that teenage children may drop out of school prior to graduation. Without a diploma or GED it is increasingly difficult to find a good paying job. Teenage pregnancy is a big contributing factor as teens having children generally are not well prepared financially or emotionally to support themselves or a child. If we want to help reduce poverty in America, we can donate our resources whether it is contributing financially to organized groups for fighting poverty or donating time and possessions. We can spend time serving in a local soup kitchen, we can donate canned goods or other food items. We can participate in food, clothing and toy drives for those less fortunate than ourselves. We can help poverty stricken individuals with recommendations for available jobs and help with interviewing