Meaning Of Poverty

There are many words in today’s society that we misuse or just simply don’t understand the meaning of. It is difficult for people to grasp the “true” meaning of these words because of many varying factors that play a part in defining these words. For example, our interpretations of these words can change when we look at them from a cultural or personal point of view. It is important to be aware of the differing meanings and perspectives that these words hold because that can cause many problems if they are misused. Take the word “poverty”, for example. This word is surrounded by contrasting definitions and most people have various meanings of the word. President Obama has been a lifelong advocate for the poor and he along with his administration …show more content…
The act fights hunger, provides for homeless prevention funds, increases job training, income support, and tax breaks. The United States government works to find out more about poverty in two different ways and therefore is a way to educate the American people on the continuing poverty issues. The Census Bureau issues poverty thresholds, which are generally used for statistical purposes. This version estimates the number of people impoverished nationwide each year. The Census Bureau classifies those in poverty by type of residence, race, and other social, economic, and demographic characteristics. Another form of measuring poverty that the government conducts is The Department of …show more content…
This was the first time I thought I was truly exposed for the first time to an extent of poverty. I was there for a whole week helping restore a home of a family with three children. I remember arriving to there small, run-down, trailer like home and realizing how blessed I was. But, it wasn’t until I went on my first foreign mission trip to Guatemala when I saw what the true definition of poverty. The two weeks I spent there completely changed my views on poverty and what it was like to experience a third world country. We spent a lot of time in the community’s or slums of Guatemala spending time with children as well as adults. The best of their homes were made out of mud and tin roofing. Some families consisted of eight people all living in one very small “home”. Most of them were very thin had showed signs of malnutrition. Seeing and spending time with the Guatemalans was a huge culture shock for me. I had lived in a very well off area in Charlotte, North Carolina and never experienced true impoverishment like I did in those two weeks. According to CNN out of the 308 American citizens, only 30 percent obtain passports. I think this statistic speaks very loudly to the issue of our education about poverty. Most Americans are comfortable in their own environment and don’t wish to see other areas of the world. I think it would be very difficult to understand or even grasp