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Children and Poverty in the United States

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RUNNING HEAD: Children & Poverty in the United States

Children & Poverty in the United States
Kylon D. Shipp
SOC120
University of Phoenix

In the United States, there are millions of families with children who live at or below the poverty guidelines set by the federal government. The federal poverty income level is around $22,050 a year for a family of four, and it takes about twice that amount to cover the basic needs and expenses of a family of this size (National Center for Children in Poverty, August, 2010). Although most parents are employed, the low pay wages these days tend to leave these families in a constant struggle to provide for their children. Most states have programs that help families that have a lower income take care of their children’s basic needs such as food, shelter, and medical expenses. However, children who grow up in poverty may still be affected by poor health and mental health issues. Poverty has also been known to affect a child’s ability to learn and leaves them at a greater risk for emotional, social, or behavioral problems. Research shows that poverty is the highest threat to a child’s well-being (National Center for Children in Poverty, August, 2010). Since 1964 when the war on domestic poverty was declared, the United States has spent hundreds of billions of dollars helping large and small towns across the country. They have repaired old homes, helped people find jobs, and also provided free food for those who are living in poverty. Despite the large amount of aid that America has provided, there is still a continuous problem with poverty. In the year 1996 there were millions more Americans that were living in poverty than there were in 1964. At one point it seemed as though we were making progress in reducing the percentages of families who were living below the poverty level. However, over the last twenty years

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