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MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- February 13-16, 2011 - Catholic Social Ministry Gathering, Omni Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert St., NW, Washington, DC 20008
www.catholicsocialministrygathering.org
- April 6-9, 2011 - SVDP Midyear Meeting, St. Louis, MO
- Aug. 30- Sept. 3, 2011 - SVDP National Meeting, Dallas, TX
2010
SVDP Regional Meeting Schedule (Please check with your Regional VP for schedule
details.)
|
2011 Dates |
Region and Location |
|
Aug.
30-Sept. 3, 2011 |
South Central Regional (Dallas, TX) |
|
May 20-23, 2011 |
Southeast Regional (Naples, FL) |
|
June 2-4, 2011 |
North Central Regional (Peoria, ILI) |
|
July 28-31, 2011 |
Eastern Regional (Gettysburgh, PA) |
|
June 10-12, 2011 |
Northeast Regional (Worcester, MA)) |
|
June 24-26, 2011 |
Mideast Regional (Dayton, OH) |
|
June 2-4, 2011 |
Midwest Regional (Peoria IL) |
|
May 11-15, 2011 |
Western Regional (Phoenix, AZ) |
- April 18-21, 2012 - SVDP Midyear Meeting, St. Louis, MO
- Aug. 29-Sept. 1, 2012 - SVDP National Meeting, Seattle, WA
Poverty
News
(Back) "News" page
Home "Front" page
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/thomas.html
Library of
Congress Roll Call Votes
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/rollcallvotes.html#SENATE
US House of
Representatives 110th Congress
Roll Call
Votes:
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2008/index.asp
http://clerk.house.gov/evs/2007/index.asp
US Senate 110th
Congress
Roll Call
Votes:
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_110_2.htm
http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_110_1.htm
http://www.senate.gov/pagelayout/legislative/a_three_sections_with_teasers/votes.htm
Congressional
Directory, President of the
http://capwiz.com/catholiccharitiesusa/dbq/officials/
Poverty in the
US
Census Bureau
http://www.census.gov/hhes/www/poverty/poverty.html
Federal Regulations
Find, view and comment on regulations for all Federal
agencies.
Select “all documents open for comment” button for complete
listing.
http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/component/main
Campaign to Reduce
Poverty in America by 2020 http://povertyinamerica.typepad.com/campaign/about_the_campaign.html
Poverty in America A Threat to the Common Good, Catholic Charities 2006 Policy Paper, http://povertyinamerica.typepad.com/2006_poverty_paper.pdf
Poverty and Racism: Overlapping Threats to the Common Good, Catholic Charities 2007 Policy Paper,
http://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?pid=874&srcid=193
Catholic Charities Legislative
Action Center http://capwiz.com/catholiccharitiesusa/home/
This webpage links to
the daily House and Senate schedule along with other helpful links.
CLASP: "State
Governments and the New Commitment to Reduce Poverty in America" http://www.clasp.org/process_search.php?skip=0
This report (4/08)
from the Center for Law and Social Policy provides state-by-state narratives
and Charts of state intiatives.
By the Numbers
The
Catholic Church in the United States (statistics) http://www.usccb.org/comm/statisti.shtml
Catholic
Campaign for Human Development Poverty Pulse Survey (Poverty
Facts http://www.usccb.org/cchd/povertyusa/povfacts.shtml)
2007: http://www.usccb.org/cchd/PovertyPulseVII.pdf finds that Americans think more US poverty would threaten national security (media release http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2007/07-027.shtml)
2006: http://www.usccb.org/cchd/PovertyPulse_06.pdf finds that Americans fear poverty will get worse and want it decreased or eliminated (media release http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2006/06-011.shtml )
Food Assistance
November 2009. Household Food Security in
the United States, 2008. USDA -ERS http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/err83/
49 million lacked adequate food in the USA in 2008. The inability to
provide adequate food to all family members is the definition of food
insecurity.
April 2009 - USDA Economic Research
Service, The
Food Assistance Landscape, FY 2008 Annual Report
September 8, 2008 - The US Conference of
Catholic Bishops (Dept. of Justice, Peace and Human Development) released an information sheet on
commonly asked questions about the Global Food Crisis.
Farm Bill (March 11, 2008 release) http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/national/action_alert_farm_bill_conferees03-10-08final.pdf
Farm Bill 2007 updates and information http://www.agriculture.senate.gov/
Food
Stamp Access In America: A City-By-City Snapshot. Food Research and
Action Center. October 2007.
Study looked at Food Stamps in 24 of America's largest urban areas. According to the findings, "urban Americans are more likely to be poor, to suffer from hunger and food insecurity than other Americans, and to have to pay more for food." In addition: "In most of the urban areas, at least one child in four lived below the poverty line in 2005, and in combination the 24 were home to more than two and a quarter million poor children."
State of the
States: 2007, A Profile of Food & Nutrition Programs across the Nation.
Food Research and Action Center. June 2007. http://www.frac.org
The 2006 Annual Report by the USDA's Economic Research Service on
Nutrition Assistance Programs is found at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/eib6-4/
(Economic Information Bulletin No. (EIB-6-4) 6pp,
February 2007) Per the report, "Over 60 percent of USDA's annual budget
supports 15 domestic food and nutrition assistance programs."
Effect of State Food Stamp and TANF Policies on
Food Stamp Program Participation
This study was conducted by The Urban Institute under research agreement number 43-3AEM-3-80085 with the Economic Research Service to look at program participation. "The effectiveness of the Food Stamp Program (FSP) depends on the extent to which it reaches those who are entitled to benefits. In the mid- to late 1990s, participation fell sharply. In recent years, it rebounded somewhat, reaching 65.1 percent in 2005. Changes in participation patterns can be attributed partly to economic fluctuations, but they were also shaped by the rapidly changing State policy environment. This study combines data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, 1996-2003, with data on State-level food stamp, welfare, minimum wage, and Earned Income Tax Credit policy to investigate the effects of policy on food stamp participation. The findings show strong evidence that some Food Stamp Program policy reforms made after 1999 (such as more lenient vehicle-exemption policies, longer recertification periods, and expanded categorical eligibility) increased food stamp participation. The use of biometric technology, such as fingerprinting, however, lowered participation. The study shows less consistent evidence that more lenient immigrant eligibility rules, simplified reporting, Electronic Benefit Transfers, or outreach spending raised food stamp participation." Released Tuesday, January 8, 2008. http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/CCR36/
Housing and Homelessness
Ten Year Plan to End
Homelessness, National Alliance to End Homelessness.
http://naeh.org/section/tools/tenyearplan
Local and State 10
year plans to end homelessness are found at http://naeh.org/section/tools/communityplans
What Will it Take to
End Homelessness, by Martha Burt, The Urban Institute, Washington, DC, Sept.
2001.
http://www.urban.org/UploadedPDF/end_homelessness.pdf
Homeless prevention
emphasis.
Homeless in America: A
Review of the Literature by Heidi Sommer,
Urban Homelessness and
Public Policy Solutions Conference, Jan. 22, 2001
http://www.igs.berkeley.edu/events/homeless/NewHomelessnessBook1.pdf
The Mortgage Crisis:
Economic and Fiscal Implications for Metro Areas: http://usmayors.org/uscm/news/press_releases/documents/mortgagereport_112707.pdf
This report from the
US Council of Mayors and the Council for the New American City was prepared by
Global Insight, Nov. 26, 2007.
National Data on
Homelessness is available at: http://www.endhomelessness.org/section/data
According to the
report recent proposals to expand the US Department of Housing and Urban
Development's definition of homeless to include households that are doubled up
for economic reasons would increase the current homeless population (744,313 on
any given night) by 3.8 million" if the definition were expanded. http://www.endhomelessness.org/content/general/detail/1779
"Affordable
Housing Needs Report" prepared in May 2007 for Congress
http://www.huduser.org/intercept.asp?loc=/Publications/pdf/AffHsgNeeds.pdf
http://www.huduser.org/Publications/pdf/AffHsgNeeds.pdf
According to the
report the percent of Americans identified as
experiencing "worst case needs," increased to 5.99 million in
2005, a 16 percent increase since 2003. Approximately 77 percent of those
households were considered extremely low income (earning 30 percent of area
median income). "Worst case needs" are defined as unassisted renters
with low incomes who either pay over 50 percent of their income to rent or live
in substandard housing.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC)
·
Table compares three US Census
surveys (American Community, American Housing, Current Population) and provides
links to each http://www.nlihc.org/doc/092906comparison.pdf
·
NLIHC Housing Crisis Fact Sheet
(Fall 2006) http://www.nlihc.org/detail/article.cfm?article_id=3424&id=21
and http://www.nlihc.org/detail/article.cfm?article_id=3730&id=21
·
NLIHC Congressional District
Profiles on Housing (Jan. 26, 2007) http://www.nlihc.org/detail/article.cfm?article_id=3810&id=21
The
·
Key data on homelessness in
·
2006 Voter Rights Registration
Packet co sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National
Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. It contains a state-by-state
chart of homeless peoples’ voting rights as well as steps to take in
registering the homeless to vote. http://www.nlchp.org/FA_CIVILRIGHTS/2006%20Voter%20Rights%20Manual.pdf
Income and Assistance
Federal Reserve Board. Survey of Consumer
Finances (SCF).
http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/oss/oss2/scfindex.html
This is a triennial survey of the balance sheet, pension, income, and other
demographic characteristics of US families.
Living Wage Calculator and US Department of
Labor, State-by-State Minimum
Wage
Internal Revenue Service, Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)
Food Stamp Challenge,
Can you live on $3.00 per person per day for a
week? Take the challenge! Can you come up with nutritious meals
that fit the budget?
Poverty in the
2009 Income, Poverty
and Health Insurance in the
According to government
data released August 28, 2007, while the
Reference:
1. DeNavas-Wilt,
C, Proctor, BD, Smith, J. Income, Poverty, and
Health Insurance Coverage in the United States: 2006. US Department
of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau.
August 2007.
2. Webster, BH and Bishaw,
A. Income, Earnings, and
Poverty Data From the 2006 American Community Survey. US Department of Commerce
Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census Bureau. August 2007.
3. More information
is available on the US Census Bureau website: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/news_conferences/010500.html
State
Fact Sheets
Economic Research
Service State Fact Sheets contain frequently requested data for each state and
for the total United States including: current data on population, per-capita
income, earnings per job, poverty rates, employment, unemployment, farm and
farm-related jobs, farm characteristics, farm financial characteristics, top
agricultural commodities, top export commodities, and the top counties in
agricultural sales. (
(2007 data on
population is available. Released Friday, March 21, 2008) Information
is based on 2005 poverty data. http://www.ers.usdagov/StateFacts/
---------------
Irons, John. "Typical Family Sees Income and Earnings
Decline." Sept. 5, 2007. This income and earnings snapshot is
available on the Economics Policy Institute website at http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_snapshots_20070905
----------------
According to US Census data (released August 2006) poverty remains
steady; the poor are poorer. There are
37 million poor in the
References:
1. DeNavas-Walt, C,
Proctor, BD,
2. Webster, BH and Bishaw,
A. Income,
Earnings, and Poverty Data From the 2005 American
Community Survey. US
Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census
Bureau. August 2006.
See also http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2006/income_poverty_differences.html
for a description of both reports above.
Working Families in
the
Economic Policy Institute reports that poverty remains unchanged and inequality rose in 2005. http://www.epi.org/content.cfm/webfeatures_econindicators_income20060829
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities uses government data
about poverty, wages and salaries, and the number of uninsured as evidence that
many middle- and lower-income Americans are not sharing in the gains of the
economic recovery. http://www.cbpp.org/policy-points9-1-06.pdf
Child Care Assistance
Challenges
Many low-income
families are unable to receive the child care help they need. Among the challenges are meeting income
eligibility criteria, long waiting lists and rising co-payments. The National Women’s
·
Center-based care for one child
can cost between $3,000 and $13,000 per year depending on geographical location
and the age of the child.
·
States continue under funding
programs that help low-income families pay for child care according to the
report.
·
States are significantly behind
where they were in both 2005 and 2001 in the area of reimbursement rates for
child care providers, and only nine states have adequate reimbursement rates
for providers serving low-income clients.
·
Two-thirds of states increased
income eligibility to adjust it to, or surpass inflation between 2005 and
2006.
The 2006 report,
“State Child Care Assistance Policies 2006: Gaps Remain, With New Challenges
Ahead” by the National Women’s Law Center (NWLC) covers 50 states. http://www.nwlc.org/pdf/StateChildCareAssistancePoliciesReport2006.pdf
Government Food
Assistance: FY 2006 Midyear Report
USDA expenditures
increased 7 percent (over the first half of FY2005) for 15 food assistance
programs totaling $27.7 billion during the first half of fiscal 2006 (October
2005-March 2006). Five programs account
for 96 percent of USDA’s total food assistance expenditures. The five include: the Food Stamp Program; the National School
Lunch Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants,
and Children (WIC); the School Breakfast Program; and the Child and Adult Care
Food Program. The FY 2006 Midyear report uses preliminary data from USDA’s Food
and Nutrition Service to examine trends in the programs at the midpoint of
fiscal 2006, and summarizes a number of Economic Research Service research
reports on the Food Stamp Program released in recent years that may help inform
discussions of the 2007 reauthorization of the farm bill. See http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/EIB6-3/
Report on Concentrated
Poverty Across
Berube,
Alan and Katz, Bruce. "Katrina's
Window: Confronting Concentrated Poverty Across
http://www.brookings.edu/metro/pubs/20051012_concentratedpoverty.htm
Immigration
Statement
of Most Reverend Thomas Wenski, Bishop of Orlando, Florida before the
Subcommittee on Human Rights and Law, Senate Judiciary Committee, September 19,
2007.
Health Care
11/6/09 Media Release from USCCB is at http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2009/09-228.shtml
US Conference of Catholic Bishops
healthcare position is found at www.usccb.org/healthcare
SCHIP
Protecting
America's Future: A State-by-State Look at SCHIP & Uninsured Kids.
Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. August 8, 2007.
Public Perceptions of SCHIP. Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
http://covertheuninsured.org/research/survey0807/
Uninsured in the
The Census Bureau reports
that the numbers of uninsured (without health insurance) grew in 2005 by 1.3 million
people to 46.6 million. One in six
people have no health insurance. The
proportion and number of uninsured children increased between 2004 and 2005,
from 10.8 percent to 11.2 percent reaching a total of 8.3 million, uninsured.
References:
1. DeNavas-Walt, C,
Proctor, BD,
2. Webster, BH and Bishaw,
A. Income, Earnings,
and Poverty Data From the 2005 American Community
Survey. US
Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, US Census
Bureau. August 2006.
See also http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2006/income_poverty_differences.html
for a description of both reports above.
Uninsured Children in
the
One out of every nine children in the
References:
1. Families
State Children's
Health Insurance Program (SCHIP)
SCHIP needs to be
reauthorized and funding agreed to by the U.S. Congress and the White House
before September 30,2007. This is the expiration date for SCHIP.
Without SCHIP coverage, healthcare for vulnerable children nationwide will be
in jeopardy.
Reference:
SCHIP report,
"Protecting America's Future: A State-By-State Look at SCHIP &
Uninsured Kids," (August 2007) by the Robert Woods Johnson Foundation may
be downloaded from http://covertheuninsured.org/
Restorative Justice
US Census American Community Survey
This is the US Census Bureau's first in-depth look at people in prisons
since the 1980 Census. Press release (Sept. 27, 2007) is found at: http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/american_community_survey_acs/010709.html
Criminal Justice System in the
The number of persons in the criminal justice system in
The SVDP-USA annual report for 2005 (2) shows that members of the
Society from every region in the
References:
1. Glaze, LE and Palia,
S. Probation
and Parole in the United States, 2004. Bureau of Justice
Statistics Bulletin. Nov. 2005.
2. Society of St. Vincent de Paul. National Council of the
3. http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/tost_6.html#6_a
Key
Tool in the Alleviation of Poverty: Education
Education at a Glance 2005 released by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (www.oecd.org) provides comparable indicators on the performance of educational
systems in countries around the world including the
Surviving
a Disaster: www.72hours.org
--Website created by
FEMA
Guide to Citizen Preparedness, Are You Ready?
(English)
http://www.fema.gov/pdf/areyouready/areyouready_full.pdf
(Spanish)
http://www.fema.gov/spanish/areyouready/index_spa.shtm
The
following information on legislation and positions from the
i.
MEDICAID:
URGENT ACTION ALERT (10/25/05) - A joint USCCB -CHA -CCUSA alert and letter (from July) to
urge House Energy and Commerce
Committee to preserve health care for the poor by:
1) Opposing cuts in Medicaid funding which could have a negative impact on the poor and vulnerable
2) Opposing changes to Medicaid co-payment or premium requirements which could result in people who rely on Medicaid losing access to or being denied needed health care because of inability to pay.
3) Maintaining a federal standard of core benefits, necessary for the maintenance of good health, to which all Medicaid beneficiaries are entitled.
-- Oppose cuts in Medicaid
funding which could have a negative impact on the poor and vulnerable
-- Oppose changes to Medicaid co-payment or premium requirements which
could result in people who rely on Medicaid losing access to or being denied
needed health care because of inability to pay.
-- Maintain a federal standard of core benefits, necessary for the
maintenance of good health, to which all Medicaid beneficiaries are
entitled.
-- Congress' first priority should be to make sure the health care needs
of Katrina survivors are met. Lawmakers should postpone decisions about cuts in
Medicaid until we know the full scope of those health care needs and what
resources will be needed in the future to meet those needs.
State of the States 2006
report (a profile of food and nutrition programs across the nation) by Food
Research Action Center (FRAC) http://www.frac.org/Press_Release/03.15.06.html
. The report is found at http://www.frac.org/State_Of_States/2006/2006_SOS_Report.pdf
In a
USDA report released Oct. 27, 2005: "USDA expenditures for its 15
food assistance programs totaled $25.9 billion during the first half of fiscal
2005 (October 2004-March 2005), an 11-percent increase over the first half of
fiscal 2004. Five programs—the Food Stamp Program, the National School Lunch
Program, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and
Children (WIC), the School Breakfast Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food
Program—accounted for 95 percent of USDA's total expenditures for food
assistance. Spending on each of these five programs grew during the first
half of fiscal 2005 relative to the first half of fiscal year 2004, but most of
the increase was due to the Food Stamp Program." http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/eib6-1/
iii.
"The prevalence of food
insecurity in the
October 19, 2005 Washington
Post, "Senate Plan to Cut Food Stamps Dies" -- Per the
article "After protests from Agriculture Committee members Rick Santorum
(R-Pa.) and James M. Talent (R-Mo.), panel Chairman Saxby Chambliss (R-Ga.) dropped more than $500 million in food stamp cuts from
a farm and food subsidy measure coming to a committee vote today. The cuts
could have meant a loss of benefits for 300,000 working families benefiting
from more generous eligibility rules in some states."
FOOD STAMP ACTION ALERT
(10/11/05) - From USCCB on urgent action needed.
USCCB ACTION ALERT (8-3-05) -
Protecting Food Stamp Funding and related to this from USCCB is Agriculture 2006 Budget
Reconciliation: a Challenge and an Opportunity
FOOD STAMP UPDATE (9/15/05) from USCCB:
Congressional committees have been working on plans to cut $10 billion from Medicaid and $3 billion from several other programs including the Food Stamp Program. The original schedule required the relevant committees to finalize their proposals by September 16. However, because of the need to focus on disaster relief response in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Congress has extended that deadline to October 19. It is possible that date could slip again. In the meantime, please continue to contact your Senators and Representatives with the following messages:
--The Food Stamp program is key to making sure over 23 million people - low-income families, children, the elderly and people with disabilities - avoid hunger.
-- Ask
them to oppose budget cuts in the Food Stamp program, which would result in
lowering or cutting assistance people who receive, and rely on, food stamps.
-- Many Katrina survivors, left with no resources, will need the help of
Food Stamps to feed their families - cutting Food Stamp funding at a time when
more people will rely on it does not make sense.
USCCB
ACTION ALERT- 9-20-05 to advocate for adequate funds for critical domestic and international
programs
iv.
HOUSING: Affordable Housing
Letter and Affordable
Housing Fund in Jeopardy (10/21/05) HR 1461 -The compromise would prohibit non-profit
organizations--including religious organizations--that do voter registration
from applying for and receiving grants from the Affordable Housing Fund to
build or preserve affordable housing.
Affordable
Housing Fund (8-3-05) Members of Congress are trying to create an
Affordable Housing Fund to provide money to build and restore housing for
extremely low and very low income families
v.
IMMIGRATION: USCCB Urges Comprehensive Immigration
Reform
USCCB
email from Dan Misleh 10/18/05:
Please contact your Senators to Support
Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Oppose Enforcement-Only Proposals The
Senate Judiciary Committee is holding hearings today (October 18th) on
immigration reform and could consider comprehensive immigration reform before
the end of the year.
The U.S. Catholic Bishop's Justice for Immigrants
Campaign is actively engaging in this debate and needs your help. Please
contact your Senators to Support Comprehensive Immigration Reform and Oppose
Enforcement-Only Proposals.
The U.S. bishops are supporting comprehensive
immigration reform as embodied in the Secure America and Orderly Immigration
Act of 2005 [S-1033, introduced by Senator John McCain (R-AZ) and Senator
Edward Kennedy (D-MA), and H.R. 2330, introduced by Representatives Jim Kolbe
(R-AZ), Jeff Flake (R-AZ), and Luis Gutierrez (D-IL)]
HR4437
seeks to criminalize those who are
undocumented and living in the
More specifically, the
application of criminal penalties to individuals, including
It is found in its entirety at: http://www.usccb.org/mrs/hr4437.shtml
Disappointingly, HR4437 passed the House. It is found at http://thomas.loc.gov/ Since passage in the House, HR4437 was received by the Senate 12/17/05.
vi.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE: The
Second Chance Act (8-3-05) HR 1704 aims to reduce recidivism rates and the Streamlined Procedures Act
(8-3-05) S 1088 would change habeas corpus procedures so those convicted of
murder would not be able to (unreasonably) delay their executions. Action Alert (9/7/05) Habeas Corpus.
vii.
DEBT RELIEF: USCCB ACTION ALERT (8-19-05) -- Urge
US Senators to honor the
Our thoughts and prayers are with the people
affected by Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath.
USCCB
Statement on Hurricane
Katrina
Register
for Federal Assistance: Go to www.fema.gov
or contact FEMA at 1/800-621-FEMA or 1/800-621-3362; TTY –
1/800-462-7585. Federal Emergency Management Agency, disaster aid
information online: http://fema.gov/about/process/
American Red Cross: www.redcross.org/services/disaster
Locating Loved Ones: www.katrinalist.net
-- The Katrina People Finder is a worldwide effort organized by information
technology specialists and volunteers to combine information from several on
line databases (including the American Red Cross) into a single searchable
database to help people find one another. The
database contains more than 80,000 names and also provides a means for people
to share information by adding to the list.
Katrina
Information Map: www.scipionus.com --
The map is "intended for the use of people affected by Hurricane Katrina
who have or are trying to find information about the status of specific
locations affected by the storm and its aftermath. "
Maps
of Hurricane Damage: www.kathryncramer.com/photos/new_orleans_flooding/index.html
-- Site created to provide "a visual understanding of what was happening
to
More
Poverty News...
Millenium Development Goals: The 8-31-05 issue of The
Economist magazine (www.economist.com) published the story, "Crunch
Time for UN Reform," which provides an update on the status of the
Millennium Development Goals. 175 world leaders are
scheduled to meet in mid September, and the gathering "was originally to
be a five-year review of the 2000 Millennium Summit, the most notable product
of which was the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
These include worthy aims such as halving abject poverty and
achieving universal primary education by 2015," according to The
Economist. "As desirable as these goals are, there
seems little hope of achieving the panoply of policy objectives embedded in the
MDGs; the UN itself is already complaining about the
lack of progress," reports The Economist.
The
US Census report, "Income, Poverty and Health Insurance Coverage in the
In the
The number in poverty totaled 37.0 million in 2004 (a
The poverty rate for children in 2004
remained unchanged at 17.8%
In 2004, 9.8 % of seniors (65+ years of
age) lived in poverty with 11.3% of people 18 to 64 in poverty.
While the number of people with health
insurance coverage rose by 2.0 million between 2003 and 2004, the number of
people without health insurance coverage also increased (800,000). the number of people without health insurance
coverage: 45.8 million. 15.7% of people have no health insurance
coverage.
For a family of four, the average poverty
threshold income in 2004 was $19,307. It was $15,067 for a family of three,
$12,334 for a family of two and $9,645 for individuals. (p 45)
Neault N, Cook JT, Morris V, Frank DA.
"The Real Cost of a Healthy Diet: Healthful Foods Are Out of Reach for
Low-Income Families in
A
GAO report on welfare reform to the Chairman, Subcommittee on Human Resources,
Committee on Ways and Means, House of Representatives has been published (August
2005). The 47 page report is titled, "HHS Should Exercise Oversight
to Help Ensure TANF Work Participation is Measured Consistently across
States." The report may be downloaded from
http://www.gao.gov/cgi-bin/getrpt?GAO-05-821
The report describes inconsistencies in how states define the 12 categories of
work that count toward meeting TANF work participation requirements.
2005
USCCB Labor Day Statement English
35.40 KB (36,253 bytes)
Spanish 36.10
KB (36,964 bytes)
1) Ending Use
of the Death Penalty
Two other efforts also
supported by USCCB include Justice
for Immigrants and the Campaign Urging U.S.
Senators Not to Adopt a Pro-Roe v. Wade Litmus Test for Judicial
Nominees. For more on these and other domestic and international
issues go to http://www.usccb.org/sdwp/issuemailing/im605.htm
Debt
Relief in the News - After months of negotiations, the Group of 8 (US,
> Savings of an expected $1.5 billion in annual debt repayment by neediest countries. As part of the agreement, money saved is to be used for health, education, or the relief of poverty.
> All countries must take anticorruption measures
> A process for grants in the future is being discussed so countries do not re-accumulate unsustainable debts.
> Advocacy groups and charities are calling for better
development assistance, trade reform, increasing international aid to
> The G-8 agreed to compensate the World Bank and the African Development Bank for forfeiting interest payments on poor countries’ debt so they have the income to make new loans to other countries.
Source:
The June 12, 2005 cover of Parade Magazine features, "A New Way To
Treat The World," the story of a US Navy ship named Mercy working in
conjunction with Project HOPE to help victims of the horrific tsunamis in
>>
>>
A study at the
According to a study released May 3, 2005 by the Economic Research
Service (USDA), in 2004 just over 1 billion people in 70 low-income countries
were food insecure, consuming less than the recommended nutritional
requirements. This was an increase over 2003, which counted more than 830
million in the category. While food security is projected to improve most
significantly in Asia, followed by Latin America and the Caribbean in the next
decade, the situation is expected to deteriorate in Sub-Saharan Africa where
"deep poverty, political unrest, and the effects of HIV/AIDS" hinder
prospects for improvement according to the 60 page report which is found at http://www.ers.usda.gov/Publications/GFA16/
Cover the Uninsured Week is May 1-8, 2005 and more than 1,200 events are
planned from coast to coast to encourage Americans to learn about this problem
and to speak up on the need to make health care coverage a top priority for all
Americans. A copy of "Characteristics of the Uninsured: A View
from the States," is found online at
Some interesting facts: "10 million children in the
P
Five summaries on the Nutrition and Health Characteristics of Low-Income
Populations (USDA-ERS) highlight key findings of the multi-volume Nutrition and
Health Outcomes Study. Summaries examine the nutritional and health status of:
Food Stamp Program (FSP) participants; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) participants; school-age children; and
older Americans. (Released Feb. 16, 2005) Found at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/AIB796/
Also released Feb. 16, 2005 by USDA-ERS: "Expenditures for
USDA's 15 food assistance programs totaled $46 billion in fiscal 2004 (October
1, 2003, to September 30, 2004), marking the second consecutive year in which
spending exceeded the previous record high. The fiscal 2004 spending level
represented a 10-percent increase from the previous fiscal year, the fourth
consecutive year in which total food assistance expenditures increased. Five
programs—the Food Stamp Program, the National School Lunch Program, the Special
Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), the
School Breakfast Program, and the Child and Adult Care Food Program—accounted
for 94 percent of USDA's total expenditures for food assistance. While each of
these major programs expanded during fiscal 2004, most of the increase in total
food assistance expenditures between fiscal 2003 and fiscal 2004 was due to the
increase in Food Stamp Program expenditures." http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/fanrr28-6/
Jan. 2005 - January is Poverty in America Awareness Month. For information and details from the Catholic Campaign for Human
Development
Dec. 2004 - Just out is "Food Assistance and
Nutrition Research Report No. (FANRR19-4) 174 pp, December 2004.
According to a news release issued Dec. 30, "The outcome measures reviewed
include food expenditures, household nutrient availability, dietary intake,
other measures of nutrition status, food security, birth outcomes,
breastfeeding behaviors, immunization rates, use and cost of health care
services, and selected nonhealth outcomes, such as
academic achievement and school performance (children) and social isolation
(elderly). The report is one of four volumes produced by a larger study that
includes Volume 1, Research Design; Volume 2, Data Sources; Volume 3, Literature
Review; and Volume 4, Executive Summary of the Literature Review. The review
examines the research on 15 USDA food assistance and nutrition programs but
tends to focus on the largest ones for which more research is available: food
stamps, school feeding programs, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program
for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Over half of USDA's budget—$41.6
billion in fiscal year 2003—was devoted to food assistance and nutrition
programs that provide low-income families and children with access to a healthy
diet." For more information go to the Economic Research Service USDA
website at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/fanrr19%2D4/
Nov, 2004 - It is estimated that 11.2% of US Households were food
insecure in 2003 (i.e., they did not have access, at all times, to enough food
for an active, healthy life for all household members). For details
download the report, "Household Food Security in the
Oct. 2004 - The USDA-ERS publication, Rural
Poverty at a Glance, may be downloaded from the website at http://www.ers.usda.gov/publications/rdrr100/
The publication provides information on poverty trends and demographic
characteristics of the rural poor. (Ref: Rural Development Research
Report No. (RDRR100) 6 pp, July 2004)
Sept. 30, 2004 - The Townsville
Bulletin reported on SVDP
Sept. 24, 2004 - Good news from USCCB, "WE WON!: CHILD TAX CREDIT UPDATE." In an email from Dan Misleh, Director of Diocesan Relationships, USCCB: "A few days ago, we asked you to weigh in with your Senators and members of Congress to urge them to retain language that would expand the refundability of the Child Tax Credit from up to 10% of a taxpayers income above $10,750 to 15% of their income above $10,750, providing a larger child tax credit to many of these families for 2004. That provision was retained and extended through 2010, and passed by both the House and the Senate yesterday. Thank you for weighing in and contributing to this victory for poor working families. We will continue to try to increase the amount of tax relief."
Sept. 20, 2004 - ACTION ALERT - Child Tax Credit from the
USCCB - Dan Misleh, Director of Diocesan Relations, USCCB, says, "
August 26, 2004 - Income, Poverty and
Health Insurance in the United States: 2003 
, This US Census
Bureau report shows the official US poverty rate at 12.5 percent, with the
"number in poverty" at 35.9 million (page 9). According to the
2003 figures, an estimated 45 million people are without health insurance
coverage (page 17).
August 26, 2004 - A story in the Cornell Chronicle (vol. 36, no.
2), "CU
researcher: Half of all Americans will use food stamps during adulthood,"
describes research conducted by Cornell sociologist, Thomas A. Hirschl, and Mark R. Rank, professor of social work at the
George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University. The
team studied food stamp use and found "that Americans have a substantial
need and use of food stamps, and they suggest a significant risk of food
insecurity across the life course" with race and education having dramatic
links to food stamp use. Research was supported by a USDA grant and will
be published in the December 2004 issue of Journal of Nutrition Education
and Behavior.
July 23, 2004 - The San Francisco Chronicle reports on a new
study on the working poor just out called "Coming Up Short: A Comparison
of Wages and Work Supports in 10 American Communities," conducted by the
Washington, DC based organization, Wider Opportunities for Women (WOW).
The report can be downloaded from the WOW website at http://www.wowonline.org The study
looked at 10 communities across the country and found that in New Orleans, the
lowest-cost location studied, a family would need an income of $27,660 annually
($13.10 hourly) to survive while in Boston, the highest-cost location, the same
family would need to make $59,544 annually ($28.19 hourly). Note:
More studies related to this subject and covering other areas of the US can be
downloaded from the National Economic Development and Law Center website at http://www.nedlc.org/publications.htm
For example in the San Francisco Bay area, a single parent with two children
would need to work at least three minimum wage jobs to care for the basic needs
of that family reports the San Francisco Chronicle (7/23/04, section
B3).
July 2004 - A message
from Pope John Paul II to the Vincentian General Assembly is found at http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=57225
The message was addressed to Father Gregory Gay, who
was recently elected Superior General of the Congregation of the
July 16, 2004 - In a report from the Federal
Interagency Forum on Child and Family Statistics the news is that child poverty
has risen for the first time in a decade in the
July
13, 2004 - The State
of America's Children 2004 report was released by the Children's Defense
Fund. An article on the release by Common Dreams notes the following:
->One in six
children in the
->One in eight (9.3
million) children have no health insurance.
->Three out of five
children under six are cared for by someone other than their parents on a
regular basis.
->Only 31 percent
of fourth graders read at or above grade level.
->An estimated
three million children were reported as suspected victims of child abuse and
neglect.
->Almost one in ten
teens ages 16 to 19 is a school dropout.
->Eight children
and teens die from gunfire in the
June 2004 - The US Conference
of Catholic Bishops released a statement titled, Catholics in
Political Life, which says, "The separation of church and state does
not require division between belief and public action, between moral principles
and political choices, but protects the right of believers and religious groups
to practice their faith and act on their values in public life." A
May 28, 2004 - Ireland
On Line reports, "People
on lower incomes suffer from poorer physical and mental health, according to a
report published today by the Society of St Vincent de Paul." It
further states, "The Society of St Vincent de Paul has called on the
Government to recognise that food poverty is a
problem and to ensure that nutritious food is more accessible to the socially
disadvantaged." Another report is found on the Irish
Politics Website.
March 30, 2004 - New Income Eligibility Guidelines for free and
reduced-price meals and free milk programs have been released by USDA and
are effective July 1, 2004 to June 30, 2005. The annually revised
income levels apply to the
The
Following are the 2004 Poverty Guidelines
for the 48
Size of family
unit
Poverty guideline
1.......................................................
$9,310
2.......................................................
12,490
3.......................................................
15,670
4.......................................................
18,850
5.......................................................
22,030
6.......................................................
25,210
7.......................................................
28,390
8.......................................................
31,570
For family units with more than 8 members, add
$3,180 for each additional member. (The same increment applies to smaller
family sizes also, as can be seen in the figures above.)
For further information:
2. Poverty
guidelines
Internet site at <http://aspe.hhs.gov/poverty
A 21 page report titled, "America's Neighbors: The Affordable
Housing Crisis and the People it Affects," by the National Low Income
Housing Coalition, Feb. 2004 can be accessed at http://www.nlihc.org/research/neighbors.pdf
This NLIHC study quantifies the number of low-income Americans who face serious
problems of housing affordability or of inadequate quality housing.
In a report released
Dec. 18, 2003 by the US Conference of Mayors 25 large US cities have shown
increases in hunger and homelessness. The 121
page survey can be downloaded and summary information is available on the US
Conference of Mayors website, http://usmayors.org/uscm/home.asp
.
POPE says hunger and
poverty cause war
Reuters AlertNet,
and
that ... <http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L0557044.htm>
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