Poverty Overview - Understanding Under-Resourced Students: Introduction

Abraham Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs pyramid. The bottom two levels reflect basic needs, the next two reflect psychological needs, and top reflects self-fulfillment needs.

1 - Between 2009-2012 34.5% of the U.S. population had at least one spell of poverty lasting two months or more.

2 - Poverty or insecurity?  Only 57.9% of people polled have set aside enough funds to cover three months of expenses. So - more than 42% of population is living pay-check to pay-check.  Job loss is devastating.

3- Childhood poverty is toxic. Stress, malnutrition, lack of prenatal care, and a multiple of other lacks means poverty leads to cognitive, social, & health deficits. Over 30 % of children (in the U.S.)  live in poverty.

4 - Geography is destiny. Where you are born is important because of distribution of social services.

5 - Race is still a factor.

6 - Caregiving complicates everything. Single mothers must work and pay for child-care.

7 - It is estimated that 2/3 of people suffering from persistent poverty are disabled.

8 - Hard work is not enough: Poverty wages - 32 % of women and 24% of men work in poverty-wage jobs.

9 - Access to healthcare reduces poverty.

10 - Prison leads to poverty, poverty leads to prison.

11 - Climate Change is a Poverty Problem.  Poor hit harder by weather events.

12 - Money reduces poverty: Social Security and other programs reduce poverty by redistributing wealth.

13 - The War on Poverty did not totally Fail, it reduced some poverty.