That nearly one in four children in our state is living in poverty should be a source of shame for all North Carolinians. It also should be a source of grave concern. Poverty is more than a matter of being able to afford material goods. Lack of money can place severe hardships on families to the point where keeping a roof over the head and food on the table is a constant struggle.
When families fall into poverty, household stability can suffer, as pointed out by an assistant director in the New Hanover County Department of Social Services. The department is seeing more cases of child neglect and abuse, and Wanda Marino, who oversees social work services for the agency, says much of that increase is due to families that are unable financially to provide adequate shelter, food and clothing.
The number of children living in poverty – defined by the Census Bureau as income of $22,113 or less for a family of four in 2010 – increased in New Hanover County by 43.7 percent in just five years from 2005 to 2010.
That is astounding.
Not only that, but the total percentage of children considered impoverished rose from 17.2 percent to 23.2 percent in that same period. Brunswick and Pender counties saw the numbers rise by more than 20 percent each.
Much of the increase, though certainly not all, is a direct result of the recession.
Formerly middle-class heads of household have lost jobs and either have been unable to find new work or were forced to take jobs that pay far less than what they used to make. They may have already lost their homes, and some have turned to food stamps or community food banks. Or, they are just barely hanging on.
Disturbingly, Marino says the department is seeing more families living in their vehicles.
This comes at a time when government services to the poor are coming under attack not only from critics who see them as coddling people who won’t work, but also from sheer economics. Government budgets have been hit hard both through revenue drops and reluctance to raise taxes; with that forced austerity have come cuts in safety net programs. And with more people hurting, both government agencies and community-based charities are having difficulty meeting the increased requests for help.
Debates over who “deserves” government help are irrelevant when it comes to the welfare of children. They are not responsible for their economic situation, but they are the ones who often suffer the most from the effects of poverty. No matter how they got there, children are the most vulnerable members of our society. Even short-term poverty can be a barrier to opportunities available to middle- and upper-class peers. The most obvious permanent solution is more and better jobs, as well as training to teach unemployed and underemployed parents the skills they need to compete for available jobs that go unfilled.
But we also need to remember that no matter how much some like to blame poor or unemployed adults for their predicament, their children deserve our help, and our protection. Their future will play a major role in determining the future of our nation.
It is in our best interest to help ensure that their future is a good one.