America Gets Hungry Too

By: Christina Tun

For a person from a third world country such as Senegal or Angola, it would be hard to believe that America, being a  First World country, would have such an alarming poverty rate. According to the U.S. Census Bureau,  43.6 million people (14.3 percent) were in poverty in 2009. In 2010,  15.1 percent of all people were in poverty- that being the highest poverty rate since 1993. With poverty, nonetheless leads to hunger. There are many promoted organizations in America specializing in helping feed starving countries, but what about ours? Why is  it that we are able to feed other nations when some of the people right under us in our own homeland struggling to get a meal? 1 out of 6 Americans are silently suffering from hunger and more of us need to be aware.

 Many people would agree to the starving as being the homeless on the streets. Hunger is faced by folks all around us. It is such a big misconception that hungry people are the ones without jobs and are unwilling to work but rather feed off of others (etg, welfare.) It isn’t just the non-workers who are facing hunger, but the hard working class too. It is the single mother of three who can’t seem to make ends meet. It’s the man of the house that recently gotten laid off and doesn't no where else to go to support his family. It is the hungry child whose parents are never home or addicted to drugs. These stories aren't just things you hear about or see in the movies, but are real life struggles.

According to a survey on hunger and homelessness conducted by the United States Conference of Mayors, 88.5% of cities participating in the survey cited unemployment as one of three major causes of hunger in their city. With that being said, no work equals no funds to buy food.  Another major problem to hunger is medicare. High costs of medicare and little help  from insurance leaves lower class to have to choose between buying a meal or paying for their health. It's unfortunate for people who live in such a highly esteemed country to have to choose between the two.

So whom exactly suffers from hunger? Most may assume that people from urban areas do. That is true but not entirely, for suburban and rural areas suffer too. For example, in rural areas, affordable childcare and public transportation is hard to come. Unemployment rates are great and the jobs that there is to offer are those of minimum wage. The saddest part is that these folks have to turn to food banks at the same place food is distributed.

America may be a First World country and not have higher poverty rates as other places, but that percentage still counts. Poverty occurs everywhere, resulting in many hungry people. There is no reason for America to try and save face (as being a rich, giving country- or whatever their objective is) by trying to feed other nations when our people in the shadows behind those tall shiny buildings are silently starving. 

Turning A Blind Eye

Submitted by: Tyniasha Womack

Poverty has always been a touchy subject for me, because as I sit at this computer and type this blog, I still have neighbors and relatives who have no idea where their next meal will come from.  I still have neighbors and friends who won't turn in their homework tomorrow. Not because they're lazy, but because electricity is a luxury they can't afford right now and free libraries in our neighborhoods have either closed down or cut back hours drastically. In this blog, I will define poverty and explain why welfare is an inadequate solution to the problem.  I will give statistics on poverty in my hometown of Philadelphia.  I will attempt to challenge assumptions about why poverty still exists in what many consider to be the greatest country in the world.  Last but definitely not least, I will post a video where Marian Wright Edelman will elaborate on what poverty means for the large amount of people struggling for America's attention and how if we show a little humanity, it can be eradicated.

Businessdictionary.com defines poverty as a condition where people's basic need for food, clothing, and shelter are not being met.  It is mind boggling to me that this country can find the time, energy, money, and resources to put a man on the moon, but can't find the time, energy, money, and resources to house and feed its own citizens.  We can focus on which is more difficult, but we SHOULD focus on which is more important.  According to an article by Alfred Lubrano, "The Portrait of Hunger", many choose not to apply for government subsidies (public housing, food stamps) because they are either treated like criminals or attacked for taking advantage of the government's help. Many others are simply uninformed about the programs.  Furthermore, welfare guidelines are strict and unfair, leaving many employed Americans who can afford a place to live in this recession in dire need of other things, like food and clothing.

 Poverty in Philadelphia: 1 out of 4 Philadelphians lived below the poverty line in 2009,  according to the U.S. Census Bureau, a rate far higher than the national average of 1 in 7.  Even more upsetting, 1 in 3 children in Philadelphia are poor, compared to 1 in 5 children nationally.  That's 44,000 children under the age of 6, which is enough to fill Citizen's Bank Park to capacity. 

I've heard them all and I know you have too; the common misconceptions and generalizations that the poor and poverty ridden are lazy.  What amazes me is that the same groups of people who are considered to be lazy are the same group of people with the highest rate of incarceration.  Are the police knocking down the doors of people who never get out of bed?? Or are these people out there trying to make a living to support themselves and their families and are given a hard time about it??  Just recently on my way home from school, I witnessed a man selling waters by the side of the road being harassed by a police officer.  The officer wanted to see his peddlers license, but the man didn't have one.  The only real crime the man committed was making money and not giving the government a cut.  When the police officer left, the man packed up his belongings and headed to the opposite corner, in hopes of avoiding harassment, and having a supplemental income to make ends meet as legally as possible.  People in these situations have the same intestinal fortitude as the millionaire, but we don't judge people by how much heart they have, only by how heavy their pockets are.

"I never saw a wild thing sorry for itself" -D.H. Lawrence. 

Children In Poverty

      Posted by: Tina W.

       The children in the video below aren't skin and bones, but that doesn't mean they aren't suffering.

True, they don't live in shelters or in boxes on the street, but many of them sleep on a neighbors floor at night.

Every one of them admits to sometimes having to study by candlelight when the electric company shuts the

lights off. Sometimes, they say, they cant sleep because there empty stomach is growling in pain. One little

girl recalls the embarrassment she feels when she has to ask friends for leftovers.   

                

      Of the 35.5 million Americans that go struggle with hunger everyday, 12.5 million are

children. While America  is not by any means the most hungry country in the world, it is the only country

where the hunger rates are getting worse instead of improving. I myself work in a grocery store where I see

the amount of food stamps being used steadily increase. No doubt that it is the tough economy and loss of

jobs that is pushing these previously cash buyers below the poverty level. I find that the people i know as

regulars are normally embarrassed, often offering up explanations as to why they are now on welfare. Top

reasons are typical (jobs, economy, sickness) and i wasn't surprised to recently learn that Philadelphia is the

second most hungry of the major cities.

       While every member of a family in poverty suffers, its hard to argue that a child suffers the worse. A

child cannot sleep at night when there stomach hurts, or pay attention the next day in school when they are

hungry and sleep deprived. Poor nutrition now will effect there health for the rest of there lives.Childhood

hunger causes emotional and behavioral problems, and limits social development. Children who live in homes

where finances cause a stressful environment will exhibit poor concentration, which will limit success in

school. Limited success in school, as we all know, usualy means limited success in life.

             

         The video below is admitiidley a little long, but its a great chronicling of what nations hungry children

deal with every day and watching it will give you a greater understanding of what its like. Although,

statiscicly,  you probably already do.