What does poor mean today?

We so often hear the term poor people but do we ever stop to think what “poor” means. Growing up, for me, it was the older man standing on the street corner holding out his hat asking for change. Today, it is much different. Without going into the financial part of it, which is somewhere in the $20,000 range for a family of four, a snapshot of today’s poor looks something like this:

• The Homeless- This is a critical part of our population that is primarily dealing with situational poverty. They have no place to live, have no food and have health needs. They are dependant on others to provide these services. In addition, many of these individuals are dealing with unaddressed substance abuse and mental health issues.

• The Elderly- Many of the elderly population living in poverty are on a fixed income and barely get by. They qualify for Medicare and social security but have very limited funds for anything else. A major concern for the elderly is around long-term care and Medicaid eligibility. There are a limited number of beds for long term care for elderly people living in poverty and a good many of these facilities are substandard.

• Children- Many children live in single family homes that are well below the poverty line. A lot of these children may be eligible for Medicaid but have not been registered. Health access is a major concern for children living in poverty. Furthermore, children living in poverty are often left at home after school which can be unsafe and unproductive. There is a growing need for more accredited after school programs that can provide tutoring, mentoring and a safe haven for children that, otherwise, may find themselves home alone.

• The Working Poor- These individuals are working one or two low-wage jobs and are barely making ends meet. They often live in low-rent housing and have minimal discretionary money for spending. Many qualify for subsidies, but struggle to receive these benefits they are entitled to because of a complicated government system.

• Fathers- Low-income fathers struggle to meet their child support obligation and often find themselves incarcerated or unable to deal with financial expectations because of lack of education and job skills. While there is a much progress in supporting these fathers, more can be done. Fathers’ supporting their children is a critical need and we must invest more in developing their skills and abilities so they can meet their responsibilities.

The question becomes “What do we need to do as a society to impact these and other constituencies not mentioned?” I think we have many options, and here are a few:

• Invest in education. Find more ways for young people to get their GED, get training at technical colleges and increase their skill level.
  

• Invest more in early childhood education so children, especially those from poor families, will be better prepared for school and be more successful.

• Improve parenting skills for parents living in low-income situations.
  

• Provide better training and skills around financial management.
  

• Make sure all children have access to health care.
  

• Make sure all individuals who qualify for Medicaid are registered in a quick and responsive manner. Let’s remove barriers.
  

• Strengthen the network of providers of health care for the poor through our free medical clinics, other private health access programs and free medication programs.
  

• Provide more job training for adults.
  

• Provide more adult literacy programs.
  

• Insure those living in poverty have equal access to justice as those who can pay.
  

• Make sure systems of government are “user friendly” and help not deter clients who need services.
  

• Involve the private sector more, including businesses, churches, civic groups, retirees and others, to help continue to address problems that face those living in poverty.
  

• Transportation. This has a major impact on those living in poverty and is a barrier to many services such as medical appointments, employment, social services and grocery shopping. In many areas, public transportation is not available at all and there are no viable alternatives. This needs to be addressed as a system and we need to find better ways to serve the poor and allow them access to transportation to meet their daily needs.

There are many more examples of those living in poverty and of steps we can take to help these individuals and families. When you think about those living in poverty and it seems overwhelming, it is. However, we can make a difference and we should.

Tom Keith is the executive director of the Sisters of Charity Foundation of South Carolina.