Today is blog action day, and is an effort to end poverty worldwide, through the power of blogging.

When most people think of poverty, they think of third world countries, and all those ads you see on TV of the children starving. The message is usually "For less than the price of a cup of coffee, you can help this child" or something similar. While I do agree that we need to do something if we can, this blog has always focused on the needs of kids in this country, from domestic adoption through foster care, to supporting your local Boys and Girls club.

Most of us don't realize the extent of poverty in this country and how it affects the children here, as well as the parents trying to take care of them. Here are some sobering statistics from last year:

• The official poverty rate in 2007 was 12.5 percent, not statistically different from 2006.


• In 2007, 37.3 million people were in poverty, up from 36.5 million in 2006.


• Poverty rates in 2007 were statistically unchanged for non-Hispanic Whites (8.2 percent), Blacks (24.5 percent), and Asians (10.2 percent) from 2006. The poverty rate increased for Hispanics (21.5 percent in 2007, up from 20.6 percent in 2006).


• The poverty rate in 2007 was lower than in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available, while statistically higher than the most recent trough in 2000 (11.3 percent).


• The poverty rate increased for children under 18 years old (18.0 percent in 2007, up from 17.4 percent in 2006), while it remained statistically unchanged for people 18 to 64 years old (10.9 percent) and people 65 and over (9.7 percent).

Source

Poverty is determined from money income before taxes, and doesn't include capital gains or noncash benefits, like public housing and food stamps. If the family's income (including all related members' income) is less than their threshold, then they are considered to be in poverty. Basically, if your total income, before taxes, is less than a certain amount (the threshold), you are considered in poverty. You can view a table that represents these levels according to size of the family, at the US Census website.

According to the statistics above, there were 37 million people in poverty in this country as of 2007. That increased by almost one million from 2006. I can only guess that it has increased again this year, due to the high unemployment rate, jobs being shipped overseas, and other related factors.

So what does that do to people, and the children that they are caring for? It adds tremendous stress to people's lives, and would certainly account for some (maybe all) of the neglect and abuse that children are suffering, and would explain why we have so many children in foster care in this country.

So, Bill, what can I do to help? I'm glad you asked. If you are like me, you hate it when someone tells you there is a problem and you feel that you can't do anything about it. In this case, there are some simple things that you can do to help.

If you are in the position to contribute cash, do that. It certainly helps. If, on the other hand, you really want to make a difference and a lasting impression on a child, become a volunteer. The court appointed special advocate program is always in need of volunteers to work directly with children in foster care, and advocate for them in the courts.

Donate or help out with your local Boys and Girls club. These clubs are there to help support children in your area, but always seem to be underfunded.

Find a foster parent in your area, or contact the local department of health and human services and let them know about your desire to help. If you know a foster parent personally, ask them what they could use as far as support from you. Be aware that you will need to be fingerprinted and background checked before you will be allowed to work directly with the children in their care.

If you know someone who just lost their job, offer to babysit their kid(s) while they are out looking for another job. Or help them get their resume updated. How about helping with meal preparations if you are good at cooking, or help clean the house? Anything that helps relieve the stress will probably be appreciated.
By helping each other out in times of need, we can make a real difference in people's lives, and put an end to poverty. It is possible, here and worldwide, if we can all work together.

What I would like to know is how you, personally, have helped put an end to poverty, or how you plan to help? Do you think it is something that is worthwhile (ending poverty)? Do you know of someone who could use a helping hand? Are you that someone? Let me know.