More than 40 million Americans, including 16.7 million children live in constant poverty.
Did you know:
- A family of 4 earning $22,050 or less per year live below the poverty line. This represents 1 in 7 people in the United States.
- 1 in 4 African Americans and Hispanics live below the poverty line.
- Families with children are among the fastest growing segments of impoverishment in the nation.
- 84% of low-income families have at least 1 working family member and 75% of single mothers who are head of households work.
- A person working full-time at minimum wage earns $14,500 per year.
- An average of 23% of the request for emergency shelter by homeless people has gone unmet during the past year.
Poverty has many different faces and most of them do not show the usual signs that we often associate with the impoverished. For example, homelessness displays evidence of extreme poverty, but many people, perhaps your neighbor, co-worker or even a member in your Sunday school can also be impoverished.
Low income, unemployment, losing a job, even divorce can be contributing factors that can impoverish a person or family very quickly. And the signs of their poverty may not be evident for quite some time, but that does not mean they are not in great need.
"This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other." Zechariah 7:8-10