Poverty

Why is it so hard to break the cycle of poverty?

"Imagine that you’ve been unemployed for months. Government benefit programs have helped you cover your expenses, but you’re barely getting by. Finally, you receive a paycheck— but there’s a catch. Your new job pays enough to disqualify you from benefit programs, but not enough to cover your costs. So how do we design benefit programs that don’t penalize you for working?"

Ann-Helén Bay

Who is considered to be living below or at the poverty level:

Individual Income: $14,097
Family of 2: $18,145
Family of 3: $21,196
Family of 4: $27,949

According to the Census Bureau (2021), the percentage of the US population living in poverty by race or ethnicity:

Native American: 25.4%
Black: 20.8%
Hispanic: 17.6 %
White: 10.1 %

Asian: 10.1 %

There are many sources of poverty, but some notable ones are...

Climate Change

Climate change is having a disproportionate impact on those living in poverty as they are often in areas prone to natural disasters.

Food Insecurity

56 % of people live in food-insecure households

Inflation

Inflation is outpacing the level of government support for people living in poverty. As inflation rises, the higher the likelihood that more folks can move into deep poverty which is living 50% below the poverty level

Poverty in Johnson County

Some basic facts:

5.4% of the population lives at or below the federal poverty level
An additional 49,200 county residents live at or below 200% of the poverty level, earning just enough that they avoid the technical definition of poverty. In the 2019 estimates, the lines are $24,980 for an individual and $42,660 for a family of three.

Sources: Census Bureau & Shawnee Mission Post

Poverty Link with Disability Benefits in Kansas

Another source of poverty is being unable to work due to a disability. Because of this, there are programs that assist families financially.

But is this assistance enough?

Common disability assistance programs are Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

Average Monthly SSI in Kansas: $504.32

Average Monthly SSDI in Kansas: $1,070.02

But only 32% of disability cases are actually approved for financial assistance

Meanwhile, in 2019, the average cost of monthly rent was $1,226 in Johnson County and this has been rising since.

Other costs of living are utilities, food, transportation (assistance), insurance, and much more.

Because of the difference among the amount of financial assistance and cost of living, many people are faced with difficult decisions, such as:

Should I fix my car or pay my rent?

Can I afford to feed my family today?

Will going to my doctor (or to a hospital) put me behind in my bills?

Try to take some time to consider what you would do if you were in the same position.

Sources: Department of Numbers & Disability Care Center

Reflection Questions:

In what ways do you think policies and the systems in place allow the cycle of poverty to continue?
In what ways do you think the system needs to change?
In what ways can you help break poverty cycles?