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| Poverty in America Awareness Month. To bring attention to this forgotten state, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has designated January as Poverty in America Awareness Month. During this special month of observance, CCHD will devote its efforts to heightening the nation's understanding of the breadth and depth of the problems of poverty. In spite of the seemingly limitless prosperity that many Americans enjoy, millions of others are going hungry, doing without winter coats and gloves, foregoing medical care and struggling to break free from poverty. With nearly 36 million residents, Poverty, USA, is the largest state in America. Today, 12.9 million children -- 1 in 6 -- live in poverty. Yet a recent Gallup poll found that only 5% of Americans believe poverty and homelessness are important problems for the country. Has Poverty Changed over Time? In the late 1950s, the overall poverty rate for individuals in the United States was 22 percent, representing 39.5 million poor persons. Between 1959 and 1969, the poverty rate declined dramatically and steadily to 12.1 percent. As a result of a sluggish economy, the rate increased slightly to 12.5 percent by 1971. In 1972 and 1973, however, it began to decrease again. In 1973, the poverty rate was 11.1 percent. At that time roughly 23 million people were poor. In 1975 the poverty rate increased to 12.3 percent. It then oscillated around 11.5 percent for the next few years. After 1978, however, the rate rose steadily, reaching 15.2 percent in 1983. Thereafter it remained mostly higher than 13 percent. In 1993 it reached a new high of 15.1 percent, and then began to fall slowly. In 2000, 31 million people were poor (11.3 percent of the population). In 2001 the number of poor and the poverty rate both rose as economic difficulties moved into recession, and the rate has continued to rise; in 2003, 35.8 million people (12.5 percent of the population) were poor by the official measure of poverty. ( Institute for Research on Poverty) Community Action of Minneapolis encourages you to join the crusade in helping promote Poverty in America Awareness Month. To bring attention to this forgotten state, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) has designated January as Poverty in America Awareness Month. During this special month of observance, CCHD will devote its efforts to heightening the nation's understanding of the breadth and depth of the problems of poverty. |
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