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Cover Story - Spanish Version

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The Fight Against Poverty

Spanish Translation

By Jeremy Caplan

For John, 11, being poor in New York City means an empty refrigerator at home and never having enough to eat. For Shannon, 9, from rural Mississippi, poverty means squinting at the blackboard because eyeglasses are too costly. For every one of the 12.7 million American children living in poverty, growing up poor means something different.

From 1993 to 2000, the percentage of American children who are poor fell steadily. But since then, it has been on the rise. One out of every six children in the U.S. lives in poverty. For a family of four, that means having an income of $18,850 or less. Such families often don't have enough money to pay for basic needs like food, clothing, medical care and housing.

The War on Poverty
Organizations around the country are working hard to fight child poverty. They have creative plans and ambitious programs. Habitat for Humanity uses volunteers to build houses for families who can't afford to buy one. America's Second Harvest is a network of more than 200 food banks that provide free groceries for children in needy families. Although programs like these help many people, others are left behind.

"We live in the wealthiest country in the world, but we still have a very high child-poverty rate," says William O'Hare, who works for the Annie E. Casey Foundation, in Baltimore, Maryland. The foundation sponsors research to help understand poverty's roots. Why is poverty on the rise now? Says O'Hare: "Too many kids have parents who either don't have enough work or whose work doesn't pay enough."

The problem isn't a new one. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson declared a war on poverty. The federal government created such programs as Medicare and Medicaid, which help people pay for health care.

Despite government efforts, the war on poverty has yet to be won. Children from all ethnic backgrounds feel its sting. Poverty affects all parts of the country, not just big cities. In fact, 48 out of the 50 poorest counties are rural.

A Sense of Family
Kara Coffino teaches fourth grade at Carver Upper Elementary School in Indianola, Mississippi. Many of her students come from low-income families. Mississippi is one of the poorest states in the U.S. Coffino says community bonds help kids through tough times. "There is a rich sense of family unity here," she says. "Cousins and aunts and uncles all live within walking distance. Living in a smaller town provides a safety net."

Silento Thomas, 9, is one of Coffino's students. He says he likes to arrive at school by 7 a.m. and enjoys eating breakfast and lunch at school. For many kids whose families live on limited incomes, free school meals help ensure they get enough to eat.

Making a Difference
But free meals alone won't eliminate poverty. Geoffrey Canada runs the Harlem Children's Zone (HCZ), in New York City. The program provides a network of support and services to strengthen families. HCZ helps more than 8,000 kids with health care, education and nutrition. This year, HCZ opened a new school called Promise Academy.

"We've had a terrific start," says Canada. "We're working to lift kids out of poverty, and we want to help other communities do that too." He points to Hartford, Connecticut, where civic leaders want to establish a program similar to HCZ's. "If kids fall behind early, life gets harder and harder," Canada says. "We want to help them succeed."

Lending a Hand
Many organizations help kids in need. Here are a few that welcome volunteers.

• Youth Volunteer Network Voice an opinion on how to fight poverty in the U.S. or learn how to make a difference at networkforgood.youthnoise.com.


• FamilyCares encourages families to work together to help those in their community. Want a project? familycares.org.


• Action Without Borders This nonprofit group runs a website. It is packed with opportunities for volunteers: idealist.org/kt.


• Habitat for Humanity Learn how families can help build housing at habitat.org.


• Greater Chicago Food Depository supplies food for such programs as Will Feed: chicagosfoodbank.org.

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