When we
speak of poverty, to what are we referring? It is a condition or a disease?
Is it treatable with government programs and community attention? Who is
poor?
Poverty is usually defined in terms of economic disadvantage. We can attach
a government driven dollar figure that labels who lives in poverty. But is
it that simple? Implementing more poverty reduction programs and generating
more jobs should fix the problem, right? Not really. Trickle down economics
doesn’t always work in tandem with a largely service-based local economy.
Although the creation of jobs for the masses is a priority, one can easily
enter the realm of the working poor. There are many people working hard and
long hours, yet still can’t get ahead. Usually living from paycheck to
paycheck or surviving on a fixed income, these individuals and families are
often unable to escape the economic pressures that hold them back. Couple
low wages with an increasing cost of living and the pressures grow
exponentially. So poverty isn’t always about just getting a job. Go ahead
and get two or three part time service sector jobs and you still may find
yourself in a tight financial spot. Some families find themselves outside
government programs that help because they are working poor. Many times
unable to afford adequate health insurance, a Russian roulette game is
played between paying high insurance premiums and the possibility of paying
high medical bills. The same scenario can be played out with other issues
such as food, housing, transportation, and obtaining education. This isn’t
something new.In 1964, a War on Poverty began
during President Lyndon Johnson’s State of the Union address. It was in
response to financial conditions that estimated national poverty around 19%.
Lewis County Opportunities was established as result of that national
agenda. This model approach diminished throughout the following decades
through criticism and an overall ideological shift, culminating in the
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 that
former President Bill Clinton claimed “ended welfare as we know it”. But I
can attest there are still people in need of dire assistance because of
poverty that they have been combating for years. The idea of a war on
poverty has fallen off the national agenda, but not from programs struggling
to still provide a hand to those in need.
The nation currently identifies approximately 12% of
people fall below federal poverty standards. These are our friends and
neighbors. They are the working families that live in substandard housing
because rent and utilities are too high despite their income. They are the
soldiers that serve our county but have trouble keeping healthy food on
their table. They are the people that struggle with all those daily economic
problems that keep many awake at night. You yourself may be able to identify
with this lifestyle.
Think for a moment what images appear when contemplating
poverty. Despite the stigma of poverty, it isn’t a disease to eradicate. And
it isn’t just a problem for the government to fix. It is a challenge and
opportunity for everyone to help each other without placing blame. Take a
moment and read through our newsletter and take a look at our agency web
site.
Here at Opportunities, we want to meet the needs of those
in our community and help them grow beyond their current circumstances. Get
to know us and our services. There may be some
services you can refer to a friend or neighbor in need, and maybe even can
benefit you. I thank all those who have donated their time and other
contributions in the past. I thank our funding sources for their continued
support of our programs. Together, we can make a difference.
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Scott Mathys,
Chief Executive Officer
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