- Report: 1 in 3 Illinoisans living in, near poverty, Associated Press, January 16, 2013, St. Louis Post-Dispatch: “One-third of Illinois residents are living in or near poverty, more than during the depths of the Great Recession, according to a new report that suggests the trend is not slowing and that state budget cuts have exacerbated the problem. Almost 1.9 million Illinoisans, or 15 percent, live in poverty, up from 12 percent when the recession began in late 2007. An additional 2.2 million, or 18 percent, are close to the poverty level, compared with 16.2 percent in 2007, according to the report issued Wednesday by the Chicago-based Social IMPACT Research Center…”
- 1 in 5 in suburbs in or near poverty, By Jamie Sotonoff, January 16, 2013, Daily Herald: “Carolyn Schutz has a college degree from Marquette University in Milwaukee, plus decades of experience as a teacher and a business manager. She actively searches for full-time work, but the 66-year-old Wheaton woman has been able to land only a part-time administrative job that pays $8.25 an hour. Her monthly take-home pay is around $350, she said. It’s made basic necessities, like the furnished room she rents and gas for her car, almost impossible to afford, despite government assistance and help from suburban charities…”
Tag: Near poor
The Near Poor in the US
America’s near poor: 30 million and struggling, By Tami Luhby, October 24, 2012, CNNMoney: “They aren’t in poverty, but they are just a step away from falling into its clutches. More than 30 million Americans are living just above the poverty line. These near poor, often defined as having incomes of up to 1.5 times the poverty threshold, were supporting a family of four on no more than $34,500 last year. They are more likely to be white than those in poverty, according to a CNNMoney analysis of Census Bureau data. They are more likely to be elderly. They are more than three times as likely to work full-time, year-round. And they are more likely not to receive help from the government…”
Financial Hardship and the Near Poor – New Jersey
Report: More than one-third of New Jersey households either mired in poverty, or close to it, By Mark Spivey, September 3, 2012, MyCentralJersey.com: “Olivia Maxwell pauses, momentarily puzzled and maybe even a little taken aback by the question of whether she considers herself to be part of New Jersey’s middle class. Then it hits her – of the dozens of questions facing her every day, this one ranks pretty much at the bottom of the barrel in terms of importance. How many meals she’ll be able to squeeze out of a carton of eggs and a handful of packages of Ramen noodles – now that’s a question. The same is true of whether the shot brakes and worn tires on her aging Honda Accord are going to hold up for a little longer; if not, there goes a week’s worth of paid vacation, because her next paycheck won’t arrive in time to cover repairs, forcing her to stay home. Then there’s the question of whether she’s going to be able to afford summer camp for her 12-year-old son Quincy next year; she sure hopes so, because things came up just short this year and the look on his face ate her up inside…”