Poverty in the U.S. Today
Poverty and hunger may seem to exist in abundance only in undeveloped countries and that the United States has nearly no one who is hungry or in poverty. However, in 2014, 46.7 million Americans were in poverty and 48.1 million lived in food insecure households; that means 1 in 7 people struggled with hunger, significantly more than the worldwide average of 1 in 9. Nearly 15% of the population of the United States struggles with poverty and hunger. And the two go hand in hand, 72% of those assisted by Feeding America are in poverty. Right away, it is clear something is wrong. The US controls 63.5 trillion dollars in private wealth and yet nearly 15% of the population earns less than 11,880 dollars a year. Poverty and hunger are huge problems in the United States that to most are well hidden, but they are undeniably there and not going away any time soon.
There are thousands of stories of poverty in the United States. So many, in fact, that in 2014 the cable network Al Jazeera America asked for people to share their experiences living at poverty level. Among the many responses was an entry by Jay Gee from Los Lunas, New Mexico. Jay lived in poverty during her 20s and 30s. Even though Jay had a college degree she only made $6,000 a year, and about a third of her income had to go towards paying off college. Jay made do by living with others in places that she could afford. Most of these places she described as having no heat, no air conditioning, bad locks, barely working stoves, and abusive landlords. She ate what was cheap and received help from Feeding America. Jay did not own a car, so she had to go to work by bus. Getting to work took two hours despite being only about ten miles away. As a small female, Jay was faced with the threat of harassment from strangers. She had little in terms of clothes, most from Goodwill or thrift stores. Jay could not afford to see a doctor and relied on her friends to take care of her when she was sick. Around the time Jay turned 35 she managed pulled herself above the poverty line, but she could never forget the struggles she faced living below it.
As Jay Gee’s story obviously shows, living below the poverty line is a constant struggle, a balancing act between food, health, and bills. One of the best organizations helping to alleviate hunger, and making that balancing act easier is Feeding America. Feeding America a nonprofit organization that operates throughout the United States. The organization was founded by retired businessman: John van Hengel. In the 1960s Hengle volunteered at a soup kitchen and solicited food. He eventually obtained more food than the kitchen could handle. Hengle decided to find a better way to hand out food and soon founded the nation's first food bank. In 1979 this bank was incorporated into new non-profit organizations. These non-profits slowly melded together into a single organization that was in 2008 named Feeding America. Feeding America gives food to those who need it in addition to keeping the general public informed about hunger in America and advocating for reformations in the government that would benefit the poor or hungry. The easiest way to get involved in Feeding America is by volunteering, canning food, handing out food, or simply by giving spare or unwanted food to food banks.
While often forgotten in the United States, hunger and poverty are very real problems that harm the lives of thousands of the country's residents. While the stories of people living in poverty and hunger and the hardships they endure are shocking, the number of stories are even more so. However, there are innumerable ways to help; with thousands of food banks, soup kitchens, and organizations fighting poverty and hunger on scales ranging from local to international, finding somewhere to donate money, food, or time is simple. Anyone who helps can make a difference in many people’s lives, even if those helping do not realize it.
References
"Feeding America." Feeding America. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2016. <http://www.feedingamerica.org/>. Much of the site was used, not one single article.
Lim, Dominica. "Stories From the War on Poverty." Al Jazeera America. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.