Thursday, July 26, 2007

N.Y. Kids in Terrible Poverty

from The New York Post

By JENNIFER FERMINO

uly 26, 2007 -- One in 10 kids in the state live in extreme poverty, slightly higher than the national rate of 8 percent, according to a study released yesterday.

"The child-poverty rate didn't improve even though the economy supposedly got better," said Laura Beavers, one of the authors of the 2007 Kids Count study.

"It's the most widely unequal as it's ever been. People are working, but they're not making a lot of money."

One bright spot for New York was a decline in high-school dropout rates since 2000, the last year the survey was conducted.

The number of kids quitting the books dropped by 33 percent.

The state ranked 18th in the nation in the survey, which measures indicators like family income, high- school dropout numbers and low birth rates.

The study was conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a Baltimore nonprofit group.

1 comment:

Criterion Ventures said...

So what should we do? I think it's a natural reaction most people have to poverty statistics. Often I also get the sense that while people are happy to donate to a good organization, they'd be just as happy to get their hands dirty (or at least some folks would be). People want ways to get creative, have fun, and use the skills and gifts they have.

One idea I wanted to share is actually a new book called Our Day to End Poverty, that is specifically designed to help everyday people find ways to take action to end poverty.

Our Day was written by a collaborative team that worked together to draw ties between common daily activities and the lives of people in poverty around the world. Written with a positive tone, Our Day provides a wide array of actions people can take every day to make a difference. This practical guidebook is also peppered with inspirational stories, resources and information designed to promote creative thinking about what each reader can accomplish.

There is a variety of information about the book, the book team, and how people are using the book available at www.ourdaytoendpoverty.com. The book is also available for purchase from the publisher, BK Currents, or through sites like Powells and Amazon. We have gotten a positive response from readers of various kinds who find the book to be a great gift for loved ones or friends, a great conversation starter for a book club or youth group, a great thank you for a nonprofit to give gift to sponsors of an event, or generally just a straightforward read that is uplifting, and encouraging.

I encourage folks concerned about poverty to check it out, and if it makes you feel any better about embracing this shameless plug, all net author royalties from the book are being donated to 5 (one for each book team member) poverty-fighting nonprofit organizations.