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Press Release: Nearly 1/3 of Alabama households with children unable to afford enough food during 2009-10

Thursday, August 11th, 2011

Hunger impacts children’s ability to concentrate, learn in school

Nearly one-third, or 32 percent, of households with children in Alabama reported not having enough money to buy food that they or their family needed at some point during the prior twelve months, according to a new report released by the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), Food Hardship in America 2010: Households with and without Children.

This report provides data on food hardship – the inability to afford enough food. During 2009-10:

  • 32 percent of Alabama households with children said they were unable to afford enough food, the second highest among the 50 states.
  • The Birmingham-Hoover Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) households with children had a food hardship rate of 23.4 percent in 2010, the 10th highest rate among the nation’s 100 largest MSAs.
  • In the 7th Congressional District, 45.0 percent of households with children reported food hardship, the highest in the state and the 3rd highest in the nation.
  • In the 1st Congressional District, 34.8 percent of households with children reported food hardship, the 2nd highest in the state and the 19th highest in the nation.
  • In the 2nd Congressional District, 33.1 percent of households with children reported food hardship, 3rd highest in the state and the 32nd highest in the nation.

“When children don’t have enough to eat, they have a harder time concentrating and performing well in school,” said Kristina Scott, Executive Director of the Alabama Poverty Project.  “Research indicates that for young children, even mild undernutrition negatively impacts their behavior, their school performance, and their overall cognitive development.”

The data were gathered as part of the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index. Specific to this analysis, people were asked, “Have there been times in the past twelve months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?” The data gathered by Gallup were analyzed by FRAC.

“Hunger is not always visible, and thus people may be skeptical that it exists in their communities.  This report bears witness to the fact that Alabamians struggle to feed their families,” said Scott.

The full report is available at www.frac.org

Posted in Census Stats on Poverty, community, education, environment, health, Hunger and Food Insecurity, Hunger and Food Security, Making A Difference, Uncategorized | No Comments »

REVISED-HIGH POVERTY AREAS HIT HARD BY TORNADOES: 36 of 42 Counties on disaster list have above-average poverty

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

BIRMINGHAM – 36 of the 42 Alabama counties that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has declared eligible for individual disaster assistance have poverty rates higher than the national average.

“Natural disasters hit high poverty communities the hardest,” says Kristina Scott, Executive Director of the Alabama Poverty Project (APP).  “They are more vulnerable to personal injury and property damage when a storm hits, have fewer financial resources and are more likely to experience severe mental health impacts, including post-traumatic stress disorder.”

According to the US Census Bureau, 14.3 percent of Americans live below the federal poverty threshold.  The poverty threshold is determined by age and number of people in a household and was $21,954 for a two-adult, two-child household in 2009, the most recent year for which poverty data is available.

The Census Bureau also reports that 17.5 percent of Alabamians live in poverty.  Fourteen of the tornado-impacted counties have poverty rates greater than 20 percent, including Chambers (20.7 percent), Choctaw (22.8 percent), Clarke (29.1 percent), DeKalb (21.7 percent), Franklin (21.8 percent), Greene (28.4 percent), Hale (26.6 percent), Marengo (24.9 percent), Marion (21.2 percent), Monroe (23.4 percent), Perry (31 percent), Pickens (28 percent), Sumter (35.1 percent) and Winston Counties (24.9 percent).  A full list of impacted counties with key poverty data is attached.  More information is also available on the APP website at http://alabamapossible.org/datasheet/.

In their 2004 report “Poverty and Disasters in the United States,” Sociologists Alice Fothergill and Lori Peek conclude that while poor individuals are more likely to perceive hazards as risky, they are less likely to prepare for hazards or buy insurance; less likely to respond to warnings; more likely to die, suffer injuries, and have proportionately higher material losses; have more psychological trauma; and face more obstacles during the phases of response, recovery, and reconstruction.

In response to the catastrophic tornadoes, APP is compiling resources for individuals to give, volunteer and advocate for those impacted by the storms.  They are regularly updated and available at http://alabamapossible.org/tornadorelief.

About the Alabama Poverty Project:

Alabama is the sixth poorest state in the nation. The Alabama Poverty Project (APP) mobilizes Alabamians to eliminate poverty through strategic relationships with faith communities, higher education institutions and civic organizations. For information and resources, visit our website, http://alabamapossible.org.

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Poverty Rate
All Persons 1 Children 2 Seniors 2 Female Headed Households 2
United States 14.3% 20.0% 9.7% 37.1%
Alabama 17.5% 24.6% 11.8% 45.1%
Autauga 11.2% 16.2% 7.8% 28.3%
Bibb 18.1% 25.7% 12.8% 49.7%
Blount 14.6% 20.4% 12.1% 39.6%
Calhoun 19.0% 26.7% 10.6% 52.6%
Chambers 20.7% 30.2% 12.1% 44.0%
Cherokee 18.4% 28.1% 7.7% 52.8%
Chilton 18.7% 27.5% 10.0% 38.0%
Choctaw 22.8% 29.8% N/A N/A
Clarke 29.1% 37.9% 19.6% 56.2%
Colbert 16.0% 24.8% 9.2% 48.6%
Coosa 16.7% 25.4% N/A N/A
Cullman 19.3% 25.7% 13.5% 39.4%
DeKalb 21.7% 32.0% 15.5% 41.5%
Elmore 14.2% 19.2% 9.9% 29.6%
Etowah 17.2% 26.6% 12.0% 45.7%
Fayette 19.6% 26.9% N/A N/A
Franklin 21.8% 29.7% 12.6% 50.7%
Greene 28.4% 39.7% N/A N/A
Hale 26.6% 35.4% N/A N/A
Jackson 16.4% 24.3% 15.9% 38.9%
Jefferson 16.5% 22.9% 11.1% 36.2%
Lamar 18.2% 25.8% N/A N/A
Lauderdale 14.5% 21.8% 8.0% 48.9%
Lawrence 16.2% 22.9% 10.9% 44.1%
Limestone 13.5% 19.1% 11.3% 32.4%
Madison 10.3% 14.7% 6.3% 36.4%
Marengo 24.9% 32.3% 15.2% 46.4%
Marion 21.2% 30.9% 14.8% 70.5%
Marshall 19.1% 26.2% 14.2% 54.3%
Monroe 23.4% 33.2% 16.6% 67.8%
Morgan 15.9% 23.2% 12.6% 41.9%
Pickens 28.0% 34.1% N/A N/A
Perry 31.0% 48.9% N/A N/A
Shelby 6.9% 9.9% 4.9% 20.1%
St. Clair 13.8% 19.3% 10.3% 35.0%
Sumter 35.1% 42.3% N/A N/A
Talladega 18.9% 26.5% 15.3% 51.3%
Tallapoosa 17.8% 28.1% 9.2% 48.8%
Tuscaloosa 19.9% 22.6% 10.5% 47.9%
Walker 16.0% 22.9% 13.9% 49.8%
Washington 19.3% 26.5% N/A N/A
Winston 24.9% 36.4% 17.2% 53.8%
1 U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (2009)
2 U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 3-Year Estimates (2007-2009)

 

 

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Posted in Census Stats on Poverty, Economics & Employment, environment, Making A Difference | 4 Comments »

Why are women more likely to be poor?

Tuesday, March 8th, 2011

This International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting our resources and research on women in poverty.

Did you know:

In Alabama, nearly half of female-headed households with children live in poverty – Alabama Poverty Project 2010 Datasheet

Women earn only 75 percent of what men with similar experience and education earn, and the gender pay gap is even larger for women of color – White House Report on Women in America

42 percent of working mothers in Alabama are the primary breadwinners in their household – Center for American Progress

Women are more economically insecure in retirement – Institute for Women’s Policy Reseach

Young and unmarried women face greater economic insecurity than young and unmarried men – Center for American Progress

Check out more of our resources on women in our Resources and Research database.

Posted by Robyn Hyden

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2009 county-level poverty estimates released

Friday, December 10th, 2010

According to the Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) data today released by the US Census Bureau, poverty increased in counties across the state.  Selected 2009 county-level estimates are as follows:

Baldwin County – 13.3 percent, up from 9.9 percent in 2008

Blount County – 14.6 percent, up from 13.1 percent in 2008

Calhoun County – 19 percent, up from 17.6 percent in 2008

Cherokee County – 18.4 percent, up from 17.7 percent in 2008

Colbert County – 16 percent, up from 12.7 percent in 2008

Dale County – 16.2 percent, up from 15 percent in 2008

DeKalb County – 21.7 percent, up from 18.7 percent in 2008

Etowah County – 17.2 percent, up from 16.7 percent in 2008

Franklin County – 21.8 percent, up from 19.5 percent in 2008

Hale County – 26.6 percent, up from 26 percent in 2008

Houston County – 17.7 percent, up from 15.1 percent in 2008

Jefferson County – 16.5 percent, up from 13.8 percent in 2008

Lawrence County – 16.2 percent, up from 15 percent in 2008

Limestone County – 13.5 percent, up from 12.1 percent in 2008

Madison County – 10.3 percent, down from 11.3 percent in 2008

Mobile County – 18.7 percent, up from 18.6 percent in 2008

Morgan County – 15.9 percent, up from 12.5 percent in 2008

Pickens County – 28 percent, up from 25.6 percent in 2008

Shelby County – 6.9 percent, up from 5.8 percent in 2008

St. Clair County –13.8 percent, up from 12.6 percent in 2008

Tuscaloosa County – 19.9 percent, up from 17.3 percent in 2008

Walker County – 16 percent, down from 17.4 percent in 2008

The 2009 poverty line is just $22,050 per year for a family of four.

“We knew that the recession hit Alabama hard and deep.  This new data helps us paint a picture of where poverty has increased the most, and where the needs are the greatest,” said Kristina Scott, executive director of the Alabama Poverty Project.

Alabama is the ninth poorest state in the country, with a statewide poverty rate of 16.6 percent, according to Census Bureau estimates.

It is also the hungriest state in the nation, with 6.8 percent of Alabama households experiencing hunger over the past three years because they couldn’t afford enough food, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

As of September 2010, 849,785, or approximately 18 percent, of Alabamians participate in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (food stamps), according to the Food Research and Action Center and the USDA.

“Alabamians are hurting this holiday season.  In order to eliminate poverty and hunger, we need to deepen our commitment by both helping meet short-term needs and supporting long-term policy solutions to grow and protect the middle class,” said Scott.

View the detailed county-level data.

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The supplemental measure of poverty (webcasts)

Wednesday, September 29th, 2010

In the wake of new poverty data released last week (“More in Alabama in Poverty, Census data shows” – Birmingham News), the Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity posted two webcasts about how the supplemental poverty measure may provide a more accurate picture of poverty across America. Check them out below:

Spotlight Webcast—The Poverty Measure from Spotlight on Vimeo.

“Spotlight” Webcast with Congressman Jim McDermott from Spotlight on Vimeo.

Posted by Robyn Hyden

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Alabama ranked 9th in poverty statistics

Thursday, September 16th, 2010

16.6 percent of Alabamians lived in poverty last year, according to newly released 2009 US Census Data. This puts us ninth in nationwide rankings of poverty rates.

During that same time, 25.8 percent of children in Alabama lived in households below the poverty line.

The poverty threshold measures household income to determine who lives in poverty. In 2009, the poverty line was $22,050/year for a family of 4, or $10, 830 for an individual.

The numbers of people living in poverty have increased due to unemployment and the recession, says Kristina Scott, executive director of the Alabama Poverty Project. The numbers of the working poor have grown, while the middle class is shrinking.

This trend is evident in the statistics of those subsisting just above the poverty line.  23.9 percent of Alabamians live at or below 125 percent of poverty, and 30.6 percent of Alabamians live below 150 percent of poverty. This means that nearly 1 in 3 of our neighbors in 2009 made the equivalent of less than $33,075 for a household of four.

Single mothers have also struggled during the recession. A staggering 51.2 percent of single female-headed households with related children lived below the federal poverty line. 68.8 percent of single-female-headed households with children lived at only 150 percent of the poverty line during the same time.

Food banks and food assistance programs have reported a dramatic increase in first-time visitors and working families who seek aid, while applications for TANF and food stamps have increased dramatically during the recession.

At the same time, Alabama has weathered the recession better than some of our neighbors, and over the past 10 years we have made significant steps to reduce poverty.

What can you do?

Short term:

  • Support economic development efforts. Job loss is the number one factor in increasing poverty rates.
  • Advocate for policies that offer temporary assistance, as well as policies to create more jobs
  • Help struggling friends and neighbors through trying times. Strong relationships are key to rising out of poverty.
  • Donate to support local assistance programs providing immediate relief

Long term:

Posted by Robyn Hyden

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Posted in Census Stats on Poverty, Economics & Employment, education, Fighting Poverty with Faith, Making A Difference | 1 Comment »

Higher poverty rate expected. What to do? Protect the middle class.

Tuesday, September 14th, 2010

The U.S. Census bureau will release 2009 census data this Thursday, including poverty statistics. According to “US poverty on track to post record gain in 2009,” some analysts forecast the largest increase in U.S. poverty in 50 years.

The national poverty rate, which was 13.2 percent in 2008, may jump to over 15 percent when Thursday’s numbers come in.

Below: U.S. poverty, 1959-2006

The article speculates that politicians are more focused on middle-class unemployment than on the plight of those in poverty. This seems to set up an either/or proposition: help the struggling middle class, or reduce poverty.  However, we think that that policymakers can and should be doing both.

America’s middle class – which has always been the basis of our economic strength – has fallen behind.  Even before the Great Recession hit in 2008, we saw that many middle class families were looking off the cliff of economic security as they juggled rising housing and health care costs along with declining assets.  And now many of those folks find themselves unable to find work that pays a decent wage.

As a result, people who wouldn’t normally fall below the poverty line are struggling more than ever.  Homeless shelters are seeing an increase in the number of families, many who once considered themselves middle class, seeking assistance.

What can we do? Now is the time to focus on policy changes that will create economic opportunity and restore a stable middle class. Reducing poverty increases economic security for all of us – and vice-versa.

What are your ideas for creating economic stability? The Alabama Commission to Reduce Poverty wants your feedback. Visit this page for more information.

Posted by Robyn Hyden

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Over 1 in 10 Alabama children live in extreme poverty

Wednesday, June 16th, 2010

The Southern Education Foundation released a report yesterday entitled The Worst of Times: Children in Extreme Poverty in the South and Nation. The report’s findings include:

  • 15.6 percent of children in rural Alabama counties live in extreme poverty
  • 10.8 percent of all Alabama children live in extreme poverty
  • The highest rate of extreme childhood poverty is found in Dallas county, where 28.2 percent of children live in extreme poverty (the lowest, Shelby County, is 3.2 percent)

Any household living at or below 50% of the federal poverty line income is classified as living in extreme poverty. For a family of 4, that would mean living on less than $10,975 a year.


Below – Extreme Child Poverty Rates in Small-Population Counties by State: 2008


The report highlights some troubling nationwide trends in extreme poverty since the recession started. Notably, “the recession has expanded the number of children in extreme poverty by approximately 26 percent — adding almost 1.5 million children in extreme poverty across the nation since 2008,” and “school districts with the largest reported percentages of extremely poor children appear to have the least money to educate these children in the schools.”

Finally, the report notes, “Local, state or federal policies in education fail to specifically address the needs of the nation’s poorest children.”

The Alabama State Commission to Reduce Poverty is examining these issues and is seeking community-based solutions to end the extreme poverty in our state.

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