What does it mean to be poor in America?

Hi There.

I saw this great article posted by The Pragmatic Progressive Page on facebook, and I thought I'd post it here for you guys.

I hope you enjoy the article, and if you have a facebook page, please go to The Pragmatic Progressive Page and "like" thier page.


Many people don't really understand what it means to be poor in America. Hell, it's even confusing to the poor, sometimes. It's not just people who go to bed hungry or who have no home, poor takes on a whole different meaning now with the minimum wage so low and so many people trying to survive on government and/or unemployment benefits or jobs that just don't pay what they should and the cost of living so high.

It is things like not going to the dentist, when you know something's wrong, and just hoping it will go away. It's about feeding your dog part of what you had for dinner, because dog food is too expensive. It's about pushing your car way past it's oil change date, knowing that even though you can't afford the oil change, the damage to your car might be extensively worse. It's about not being able to afford to get a haircut. It's about the actual worry - and yes, this is a real worry for many - that if you DO get that job, what are you supposed to wear, being that you don't really have any nice clothes, nice shoes or a tie...nor can you afford them right now.

Being poor is about having an old, yet working laptop, but having to sit in your car, outside a McDonald's, to use their free wi-fi. It's about trying to fit as many errands into one trip across town, because that empty-gauge has been on for a few-too-many days. It's about no longer being able to have a car, or fix that car or even put gas in it if it's still running.

It's about making the decision to buy your kids hamburgers and fries, because they have a dollar menu, and that's a lot cheaper than what they have at the store. It's about trying to find that place between not-too-high an electric or gas bill - and freezing to death in your house. It's about knowing that 90% of this world is worse off than you, lives with less than you and would kill for the things you have - so you tell yourself that even during these times of less, you still should be grateful for all you have - but not always feeling very grateful for the way you feel inside from day to day.

Why am I posting this? Because I think the answers can be simple. My friend works at a Veterinarian and says once in a while someone will come in, give them a couple of hundred dollars and say 'this is for someone who may need help with a pet, but can't afford it'. It's called Pay if Forward. Many of our homeless shelters, churches, etc know who needs help in your town. It's not always about giving them used coats or canned goods, sometimes things like a Gift Certificate for a haircut, an oil change, something other than food at the grocery store, some gas...those are the things that seep away from those who are nickle-and-dime-ing their way through life right now.

Poverty, in this country, isn't just about what we don't have on a material level - it's about the little things, every day, that slowly chip away at our self-esteem. Most people on food stamps and on some form of welfare DO work a job, many of them work more than one job, and the American Dream just seems to keep moving further and further away.

I don't know. Maybe it's time we stopped looking for the government or our local officials or churches to make a difference in our society. Maybe it's up to us to really step up and ask, what can I do? Even if it's something small, like buying someone lunch or a ticket to a movie...what good would that do? From someone who has been in that place of want, I can tell you right now...it actually can change the world for the better - even if it's only for that one meal or that one movie, and that can make all the difference. - vince

Once again, that's:

The Pragmatic Progressive Page