Thomas Skaff
3/11/17
Mrs. Jones
English 12
Child Poverty
Many people in the U.S. believe poverty is a major issue in other countries but fail to realize that there are high poverty rates at home as well. When looking at poverty there are many age groups that are affected at different levels, and one of the age groups that is dramatically impacted is children under the age of 18. This age group is specifically a sad one due to the fact that they cannot rely on themselves to get out of poverty. This results in many struggles for children and relying on programs and organizations for the help that they need. Although 21.1 percent of kids are ravaged by the struggles of poverty, many organizations are seeking to positively impact this issue through
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donations and programs. When looking at poverty many people believe that the only hardship is not having a lot of money and that is wrong. Kids in poverty struggle through many other hardships other than the fact that they do not have a lot of money. The American Psychological Association states that kids living in poverty have a “higher chance of poor nutrition, obesity, risky behavior, and exposure to violence” (“Effects of”). In other words, children that are living in poverty face many health and safety-related challenges that they cannot avoid with ease. This is more of a problem than not having a sufficient amount of money because these troubles are most likely going to continue and affect the lives of these kids in the future. As kids grow up many of the issues they lived with when they were children follow them and provide many challenges for them to break the cycle of poverty. In recent history, child poverty is much more prevalent in bigger cities than in smaller cities. The National Center for Children in Poverty discovered that “nearly three children in five living in Detroit [Michigan] are poor” (“Child Poverty”). As a result of child poverty being so high in big cities, children in these cities are having a difficult life with little help. With big cities normally being very industrialised many families are being forced to live in these areas that pollution from the city is most high. Because youths are living in some of the most polluted cities in the world, they are sometimes born prematurely, low birth weight, and birth defects (Ritz, Wilhelm). This is difficult to stop because pollution in cities will always happen, and is very hard to control, and will almost always be directed into poor communities rather than rich neighborhoods. Even with the big cities plagued with child poverty does not mean they are the only places experiencing poverty.
Throughout the U.S. approximately “21 percent of kids are living in poverty” (“Child Poverty”). This shows that child poverty impacts both urban and rural populations and is crippling one out of every five children in the U.S. With poverty being so diverse and widespread this puts a lot of pressure on kids to try to escape. Also, with so many of America's kids living in poverty, it leaves a good chunk of America's population at risk for damaging effects. In another study by NCCP, they found that “42 percent of kids born into the bottom fifth of the wage class will stay there” (Frass). This shows that with so many kids in poverty that a lot of them are going to be stuck in poverty. This is an issue because serious health concerns are in place with people in poverty such as poor living conditions and inadequate food supplies. This statistic also affects children due to the fact that there is a greater chance for these kids to have children who are born into poverty, thus perpetuating the …show more content…
cycle. In 2014 NPR published an article about a boy named Jairo Gomez who lives with eight other family members in a tiny New York apartment. One activity that Jairo loves to participate in is skateboarding. This is a problem for Jairo because his mom works most of the day so he has to come home and watch his siblings instead of skateboarding. It also wasn't just skateboarding that was difficult for Jario but it was also hard “to be able to hang out and skate with my friends. So in ninth grade, I started cutting every day.” (“7 Kids”). Jario did eventually start to go to class to graduate but his story still reflects many of other stories about poverty in children. With many kids not being able to do the activities they would want to do because of the fact that they need to work to help support their family or perform household chores all day because their parents are never home to do them. This also discourages kids to play sports and join clubs to help with their physical fitness along with their mental fitness because of their need to their family. Although there are many issues concerning child poverty, there are many organizations fighting back to help boost the lives of many youths in need. One organization that has made a successful dent in helping children in poverty is the Boys and Girls Clubs of America. This organization provides a safe place for children in need and gives them tools they can use to be successful in life. Over their existence, the Boys and Girls Clubs of America have served “nearly 4 billion young people” (AMERICA'S KIDS). Even though many of those children might not be considered as children in poverty, many of these youths are in poverty. The Boys and Girls Club of America is a safe location for children in poverty to go after school. This organization also helps fight obesity and has shown to increase graduation rates in children who are in poverty. In the Boys and Girls Club of America, they provide kids with many opportunities to help boost graduation rates form an eighty percent graduation rate to a ninety percent graduation rate from former members of the Boys and Girls Clubs of America (America's Kids). This isn't the only positive statistic, they also help kids that are seventy percent likely to not be obese turn into a eighty percent chance that they are not obese (America's Kids). The Boys and Girls Club of America has many positive aspects that will help many children in poverty and is a very smart choice for struggling families to place their kids in to receive help. Another great organization that has stepped up to fight poverty in children is the Red Nose Day campaign. This organization has been gaining vast popularity because of the resources they give to youth in poverty, as well as the ridiculous red noses that many celebrities take part in to raise awareness. Over the past twenty-five years, the red nose campaign has raised over one billion dollars to help fight child poverty (OUR IMPACT). This money is then given to other organizations within communities that could range from food banks to the Boys and Girls Clubs of America that will help improve situations for children in poverty. With these organizations, and others, all fighting to end child poverty, there is a positive chance to bring child poverty to a minimum. With poverty being so diverse, there will always be poverty somewhere in the United States but these organizations are helping make poverty diminish and make it more manageable for the people who are living in it. The solutions that these organization are coming up with have a real chance of being successful. One solution is the soup kitchens that provide a consistent flow of food to children who don't always get three meals a day. Another solution is providing children with a safe place to learn and to grow instead of being on the streets unsupervised. The children who participate in these programs have a better chance getting out of poverty and having a healthy, successful lifestyle. Child poverty will continue to affect future generations of Americans until its citizens understand it is a problem and prioritize supporting organizations who are fighting to protect the nation’s children. Works Cited "7 Kids, 1 Apartment: What Poverty Means To This Teen." NPR, NPR, www.npr.org/2014/11/18/364062673/new-york-city-teen-balances-school-and-life-in-poverty.
Accessed 3 Mar. 2017.
"AMERICA'S KIDS IN CRISIS." Boys and Girls Clubs of America, bgca, www.bgca.org/whywecare/Pages/KidsInCrisis.aspx. Accessed 17 Mar. 2017.
"Child Poverty Pervasive in Large American Cities." National Center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University, www.nccp.org/media/releases/release_162.html. Accessed 17 Mar. 2017.
" Effects of Poverty, Hunger and Homelessness on Children and Youth." American Psychological Association ,www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspx. Accessed 2 Mar. 2017.
Frass, Sarah, et al. "Child Poverty and Intergenerational Mobility." National center for Children in Poverty, Columbia University, Dec. 2009, www.nccp.org/publications/pub_911.html. Accessed 17 Mar. 2017.
"OUR IMPACT." Red Nose Day, Red Nose Day, www.rednoseday.org/our-impact/. Accessed 17 Mar. 2017.
Ritz, Beate, and Michelle Wilhelm. "Air Pollution Impacts on Infants and Children." UCLA Institute of the Environmental and Sustainability, UCLA, www.environment.ucla.edu/reportcard/article1700.html. Accessed 17 Mar.
2017.
It is not difficult to document that poor children suffer a disproportionate share of deprivation, hardship, and bad outcomes. More than 16 million children in the United States – 22% of all children – live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level – $23,550 a year for a family of four. (Truman, 2005) Living in poverty rewires children 's brains and reports show that it produces prolonged effects. Also, growing up in a community with dangerous streets, gangs, confused social expectations, discouraging role models, and few connections to outsiders commanding resources becomes a burden for any child. The concern about the number of children living in poverty arises from our knowledge of the problems children face because of poverty.
Whether you're white, African-American, or Hispanic, poverty for today's youth has many recurring themes. A recent article by Duncan and Brooks for The Education Digest points out some very discerning facts that face today's poor youth. "Low Income is linked with a variety of poor outcomes for children, from low birth weight and poor nutrition in infancy to increased chances of academic failure, emotional distress, and unwed childbirth in adolescence." (Duncan& Brooks, pg. 1). They also claim that low-income preschoolers show poorer cognitive and verbal skills because they are exposed to fewer toys, books, and other brain-stimulating items at home than their higher-income classmates.
Child poverty is and has been a big problem in America, and children below the poverty line do not do well in school. David H. Arnold, a scholar and studier on the subject, said in an article, "Child poverty has reached epidemic proportions within the United States. Of the 35.6 million people living in poverty in 1997, 14.1 million were children … One third of American children spend at least one year below the poverty line, and 18% experience extreme poverty … Younger children are more likely to face poverty… and its impact may be strongest during children's earliest years ... Among poverty's effects is a devastating negative influence on academic achievement; the relation between socioeconomic status … and underachievement is most dramatic near and below the poverty line” (Arnold). Child poverty is a very real problem in America and most children with money problems are likely to fall behind in school. In addition, Parents having a bad education will most likely lead to poverty, and it is hard for their children to improve their way of life after they have based under the poverty line. In Arnold’s article, he stated; "Numerous factors contribute to the relation between [economic stance] and educational outcomes … Such factors may, for example, have repercussions on child cognitive functioning or parenting, and in turn, educational
Wight, V. R., Chau, M., & Aratani, Y. (2010, Jan). National Center for Children in Poverty. Retrieved from Who are America’s Poor Children?: http://www.nccp.org/publications/pub_912.html
In America, poverty has been on the rise since the 1970's.(Poverty World Book 723). The family structure has been constantly changing. The presence of a father in the family effects the poverty rate. The presence of a father in the family was higher when the poverty rate was formed. The family is four times more likely not to have a father in it today than it was in the 1950's. (Report Ties 3). Without a father in the family the chance for children to become poor and eventual...
poor”( Papalia et al. 295). Thousands of children around the United States sit on street corners
Poverty is one of the main causes of child hunger. Most people that live in poverty can't afford to buy food. All the money they have goes to housing bills. The effects are Families are homeless, parents don't have an education, health care is too expensive, violence is common, and children don't get a good education. Homelessness an effect on poverty. There is a lack of housing in the United States that people can afford. Even a minimum wage job isn't enough money to supply housing and food for a family with children. "Cuts in federal assistance for housing programs and social services have coincided with the rise in homelessness in the U.S."("Overview of Homelessness") This means that is harder to get housing because there are many budget cuts. Being homeless is hard on kids. It is hard for kids to do well in school because they have to move a lot more than the average kid. School can get interrupted. It can cause them to fall behind even having to repeat a grade. The long-term effect is having learning disabilities. ("Children and Hunger") Kids become homeless because they are being abused. They don't have anything so they start stealing and doin...
This simple statement, made by James Garbarino in his book Raising Children in a Socially Toxic Environment, concisely and appropriately describes the current state of children and youth in America. Garbarino suggests that children today are being brought up in a socially toxic environment where violence, divorce, racism, addiction, educational failure, poor physical health, and adult emotional problems are just a few of the "toxic" social forces converging on children, robbing them of their innocence and dignity. Moreover, he argues, children who are faced with economic distress and poverty are particularly vulnerable. For them the risks are compounded, as they lack the defenses and supports needed to combat the toxicity surrounding them.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2014 African Americans held the highest poverty rate of 26%, with Hispanics holding the second highest rate at 24% (DeNavas-Walt & Proctor, 2015). When comparing this to the poverty rates of Whites at 10% and Asians at 12% in 2014, we see that in America, racial and ethnic minorities are more vulnerable to experiencing poverty (DeNavas-Walt & Proctor, 2015). In addition, discrimination is seen between genders among those living in poverty. Family households of a single adult are more likely to be headed by women and are also at a greater risk for poverty (DeNavas-Walt & Proctor, 2015). In 2014, 30.6% of households headed by a single woman were living below the poverty line compared to 15.7% for households headed by a single male (DeNavas-Walt & Proctor, 2015). Many factors such as poor wages for women, pregnancy associations, and the increase of single-woman parented families have impacted the increase of women in poverty. Children are most harshly affected by poverty because for them the risks are compounded, as they lack the defenses and supports needed to combat the toxicity surrounding them. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 21% of all U.S. children (73.6 million children) under 18 years old lived in poverty in 2014 (DeNavas-Walt & Proctor,
According to the 2012 Census report, poverty affects 46.5 million people in the United States alone. Out of the 46.5 million people, 16 million are children. The National Scientific Council report summarized the conditions associated with poverty "as overcrowding, noise, substandard housing, separation from parent(s), exposure to violence, family turmoil," and other stressful
The United States is divided into three different classes when classifying a group by their income. The classes are the High class, the middle class, and the low class. People who live in the high and middle classes have every day struggles similar to people living in the lower class have; but one thing that fluctuates is the types of struggles people in poorer class have to face proceeding on an everyday basis. For example, not knowing if they will have food on the table for their children, heat for their house in the winter, or have a roof over their head by the end of the month. Unfortunately to every difficulty there is always a gray area over looked. When dealing with poverty, children are often the ones left in that gray area with no
Poverty can have damaging effects on children. Poverty rates amongst children are higher than another other age group according to Dalaker, 2001. Though there have been many improvements made, there are still approximately 1.2 million children still living in poverty. In terms of race and ethnicity, the poverty rate for children under 18 years of age are as followed; 30% African American, 29% Latino and 13% White. This extenuates the statistics ...
In 1990, Schwarz (1990) stated about one in five American families lived beneath the poverty line. According Lein (2013), it is estimated that as of the beginning of 2011, about 1.46 million U.S. households with about 2.8 million children were surviving on $2 or less in income per person per day in a given month. This constitutes almost 20 percent of all non-elderly households with children living in poverty. About 866,000 households appear to live in extreme poverty across a full calendar quarter. The prevalence of extreme poverty rose sharply between 1996 and 2011(Lein, 2013).
Child poverty is a huge problem in Canada. Many people ask how such a thing can exist in such a developed country with a democratic government. Child poverty in BC alone has risen from 15.5% in 2000 to 20.6% in the year 2012. That’s 51,120 more children living in poverty in the past 12 years. Back in 1989 the House of Commons promised to end child poverty by the year 2000.
When analyzing children growing up in poverty a lot of factors come into play such as their physical, psychological and emotional development. To grow up in poverty can have long term effect on a child. What should be emphasized in analyzing the effects of poverty on children is how it has caused many children around the world to suffer from physical disorders, malnutrition, and even diminishes their capacities to function in society. Poverty has played a major role in the functioning of families and the level of social and emotional competency that children are able to reach. Children in poverty stricken families are exposed to greater and emotional risks and stress level factors. They are even capable of understanding and dealing with their own emotions as well as the emotions of others. Some of the implications of poverty include educational setbacks, issues with social behaviors and hindrances in psychological and physical development. Poverty deprives children of the capabilities needed to survive, develop and prosper in society. Studies have shown that the income status of a household and even the neighborhoods in which they reside can affect the amount of readily available resources needed to sustain a healthy child. This essay will examine the psychological and physical effects of poverty on children. The psychological aspect will include a look at behavioral problems in children, depression, chronic stress, and conduct disorders such as ADHD. Poverty is known to decrease the amount of psychological and physical capabilities in children which can have long term adverse effects on their wellbeing.