Poverty is like a cancer that breaks every system and sense of normalcy. The many aspects of poverty present problems, including: loss of productivity; crime; drug abuse; health care, teenage pregnancy; academic performance; psychological side effects, and the need for mental health. People need a livable wage to pursue opportunities. In many circumstances, the cycles of poverty perpetuate so that the people are left feeling lost and hopeless. It is not that they do not have the desire to provide a better future for their children, but they are not able to provide even some of the most basic needs or have the tools to break the chains.
According to the World Vision Organization, one out of five people are living in poverty within 740 counties …show more content…
The recession of 2007-2009 presented challenges for all regions, but rural areas have not rebounded as the urban areas have, and employment rates do not share the improvements of urban areas. Between 2010 and 2014 employment in urban areas rose by 5%, placing it above the level before the recession. Rural areas, however, show only a 1% growth in employment during that same period, leaving it below the pre-recession rate by 3% (USDA, 2014).
Hardships become even more certain for poverty-stricken women and minorities in rural environments. One in four people belongs to one of the two largest minorities: Blacks and Latinos. These two groups constitute half of all the poor in our country (Gradin, 2012). With a growing number of single mothers and female heads of household comes a feminization of poverty. From 1996 to 2000, American women were roughly 25 to 30 percent more likely to be poor than men. (Elmelech & Lu, 2002). The graph below illustrates the rates of poverty among races and gender in the United …show more content…
Four-year college completion rates are 14 percent lower in rural areas when compared to urban areas (USDA, 2014). My current situation is proving to me that it is very difficult to concentrate on the finish line while grappling with the cost of living and the accumulation of insurmountable bills. After being laid off from a good paying job, returning to school seemed to be the only option in order to find a new job with comparable pay. However, in the meantime, I am not qualified or have the experience needed to find a means of support for family and myself while I am attending school. The longer a person is in school, the farther in debt one becomes. Because I live in a rural community, I have to commute to another town for classes. Although the drive is not far, it is still an addition to the list of bills I cannot afford. Finding a way to balance time for a family, school, and work can bring about incredible amounts of stress. Knowing that an education will bring on a possibility of a higher paying career is incentive, but how many sacrifices will have to be made to get there? Although it may be worth it in the end, the final ceremonies may be just out of reach. If this is how I am feeling, I can only image the desperation of a single woman or others without a supportive
According to the World Vision Organization, one out of five people are living in poverty within 740 counties …show more content…
The recession of 2007-2009 presented challenges for all regions, but rural areas have not rebounded as the urban areas have, and employment rates do not share the improvements of urban areas. Between 2010 and 2014 employment in urban areas rose by 5%, placing it above the level before the recession. Rural areas, however, show only a 1% growth in employment during that same period, leaving it below the pre-recession rate by 3% (USDA, 2014).
Hardships become even more certain for poverty-stricken women and minorities in rural environments. One in four people belongs to one of the two largest minorities: Blacks and Latinos. These two groups constitute half of all the poor in our country (Gradin, 2012). With a growing number of single mothers and female heads of household comes a feminization of poverty. From 1996 to 2000, American women were roughly 25 to 30 percent more likely to be poor than men. (Elmelech & Lu, 2002). The graph below illustrates the rates of poverty among races and gender in the United …show more content…
Four-year college completion rates are 14 percent lower in rural areas when compared to urban areas (USDA, 2014). My current situation is proving to me that it is very difficult to concentrate on the finish line while grappling with the cost of living and the accumulation of insurmountable bills. After being laid off from a good paying job, returning to school seemed to be the only option in order to find a new job with comparable pay. However, in the meantime, I am not qualified or have the experience needed to find a means of support for family and myself while I am attending school. The longer a person is in school, the farther in debt one becomes. Because I live in a rural community, I have to commute to another town for classes. Although the drive is not far, it is still an addition to the list of bills I cannot afford. Finding a way to balance time for a family, school, and work can bring about incredible amounts of stress. Knowing that an education will bring on a possibility of a higher paying career is incentive, but how many sacrifices will have to be made to get there? Although it may be worth it in the end, the final ceremonies may be just out of reach. If this is how I am feeling, I can only image the desperation of a single woman or others without a supportive