Tagged: Education

Charleston, SC- A glimpse of poverty in our community

At first glance of the Charleston community, most see rich history, elegant architecture, a booming restaurant industry and stunning coastlines. What many fail to see is poverty. When asked to consider poverty, many North Americans call to mind images of developing countries without recognizing the poverty in their own backyard.

Poverty is generally defined as the state of lacking the resources necessary to meet minimum standards of living relative to one’s societal context. How does our society identify what is a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or possessions? Each year the federal government uses data from the Census Bureau to calculate what is determined to be the minimum amount of money required to meet basic needs. This poverty threshold is determined by comparing pre-tax cash income against a threshold set at three times the cost of a minimum food diet in 1963. This amount is updated each year for inflation and adjusted for family size, composition and age.  The threshold is then simplified into poverty guidelines that are used to determine financial eligibility for government assistance.  The currently poverty line for a single person is $11,770, for a family of two that amount is $15,930 , and the line for a family of four is $24, 250. The parameters for extreme poverty  in the U.S. is considered to be 50 percent less than the guideline amounts listed previously. Policymakers and researchers often criticize this measure because it does not reflect modern expenses, or account for cost of living variance based on geographic region, nor does this formula adjust for changes in the standard of living. So, why has this calculation not changed?  Simple answer…it’s complicated.

The experiences of poverty amount to more than the financial amount associated with food, clothing and shelter. For some, poverty means not being able to afford the finer things in life. For others, poverty is the absence of healthcare when ill or the lack of access to transportation necessary for gainful employment. When faced with the dilemmas of pay for food or shelter versus medication or childcare, people experiencing poverty have limited options. Poverty is complex – and no one definition fully captures its scope, effects, causes, or solutions. Thus, we must educate ourselves and those around us about these issues facing our communities. In the words of Martin Luther King Junior, “In a real sense all life is inter-related…Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

So, what does poverty this look like in our community? Check out the Infographic below!