College
of Western Idaho
Poverty and
Hunger in Idaho
A Look at the Issue of Eradicating
Poverty and Hunger
Alicia Birch
0087486
English 102
Professor Leslie Jewkes
March 12, 2013
Abstract
Poverty
and hunger is a continuously mounting and growing issue facing many individuals
in Idaho. While the poverty rate is at a record high in Idaho and continues to
climb each year, there are many who would say that poverty and hunger is one’s
own fault and that nothing can be done to eradicate the issue. This essay
focuses on the numbers and statistics of those living in poverty in Idaho, what
causes poverty, the differing viewpoints on the problem, and what can be done
to eradicate the imperative issue of poverty and hunger in Idaho.
Alicia
Birch
English
102
Local
Issue Essay
February
25, 2013
Poverty and Hunger in Idaho
Sorrow, despair, helplessness, and a
complete loss of hope for the future are some of the many feelings experienced
by those struggling and living in poverty and hunger each and every day. Julia
Dinsmore, a wise woman who once wrote an emotional and heart wrenching novel
entitled, “My Name is Child of God…Not “Those People,”’ once wrote,
My
name is not "Those People". I am a loving woman, a mother in pain,
Giving birth to the future, where my babies have the same chance to thrive as
anyone. . . . My name is not "Ignorant, Dumb or Uneducated". I got my
PhD from the University of Life, school of hard everything, I live with an
income of $621 with $169 in food stamps for three kids. Rent is $585...That
leaves $36 a month to live on. . . .My name is not "Lay Down and Die
Quietly". My love is powerful, and the urge to keep my children alive will
never stop. All children need homes and people who love them. All children need
safety and the chance to be the people they were born to be… Take another look.
Don't go away. For I am not the problem, but the solution. And...my name is not
"Those People.” (Williams)
Julia
Dinsmore is a perfect model of an ordinary person who unexpectedly experienced
the sorrow and hardship that come along with poverty and homelessness. When her
husband left her, she was forced to raise her 3 children alone, with no support
from anyone. Julia experienced firsthand the pain, struggle, and anguish that
come along with living in poverty (Williams). Ramon Blanco, a scholar who
focuses much of his attention on the issue of poverty, defined poverty as “the
total absence of opportunities, accompanied by high levels of undernourishment,
hunger, illiteracy, lack of education, physical and mental ailments, emotional
and social instability, unhappiness, and sorrow and hopelessness for the future”
(Blanco 28). Like Julia, there are thousands
of people experiencing the sorrow and hopelessness associated with poverty and
hunger, even locally in Idaho. While the statistics are shocking, there are
many who would say that poverty is not an issue. According to some, poverty is
a result of one’s own laziness, and nothing can be done to improve the
issue. While many would argue that there
is no problem with poverty and hunger, poverty and hunger is indeed an
ever-growing issue that with the support of many, can be improved and
eradicated, making Idaho a better place for all to live.
According
to the 2011 United States Census Bureau, the poverty rate in Idaho is currently
at a record high of 16.5 percent (“Idaho”). Out of Idaho’s approximate
population of 1,583,744, about 261,317 Idahoans are hungry and living in
poverty (“State and County Quickfacts”). This number has increased drastically
in recent years, and continues to make its upward climb. According to the graph
below entitled “Idaho’s Poverty Rate,” poverty levels in Idaho have
consistently increased each year since 2007. These numbers continue to grow
each year (Messick).
In
a recent Idaho Statesman Newspaper article, the issue of poverty and hunger
facing children in local Idaho schools was analyzed. Anna Webb wrote,
More than 175,000, or nearly half, of Idaho's
approximately 400,000 children live in low-income families. As bad as that
sounds, Idaho actually ranks near the middle among U.S. states when it comes to
child poverty. But recently, some school districts have seen homelessness among
students increase between 30 and 230 percent in the last two years, according
to state and local school officials. That may be outpacing national numbers.
(Webb)
Webb also reported that the numbers at a local homeless
children’s shelter nearly tripled within just a year of its opening (Webb).
Just as Webb reported, the amount of people living in poverty and hunger in
Idaho is increasing each year and continues to grow each day, causing more
hardships and struggles for each person in the Idaho community.
While there are many causes of the increasing issue
of poverty and hunger, the most significant roots include a lack of resources,
harmful economic systems, and conflict. Ironically, one of the main causes of
hunger includes poverty itself. Likewise, one of the main causes of poverty
includes the issue of hunger (“2012 World Hunger”). Hunger and poverty have a
direct correlation to each other. Without money and materials, one becomes very
hungry. If one is hungry, they do not have the strength and the ability necessary
to work and earn a living to remain out of poverty (“2012 World Hunger”).
Barrett A. Lee and Meredith J. Greif, authors of the “Journal of Health and
Social Behavior,” stated that homeless people are especially vulnerable to
hunger because of their lack of money, making them less likely to find food.
They also stated that due to a poor person’s circumstances, they generally do
not have access to facilities to prepare meals and are less educated on health
matters which may cause them even more economical and health problems. (Lee and
Greif 3). Just as Lee and Greif reported, hunger and poverty have a direct tie
and go hand in hand with one another. Because of their correlation, it is
important to address both issues to ensure that both are resolved.
While the
numbers of individuals in Idaho living in poverty are high due to the countless
causes and hard economic times facing society, there are many who would argue
that poverty and hunger are merely consequences for one’s laziness and that the
issues cannot be resolved. Axelson and Dail, authors of the scholarly journal,
“Family Relations,” stated views on poverty from a famous writer, Max Weber. Like
many individuals today, Weber believed that idleness was a sin and that the key
to one’s economic status was through commitment, hard work, and dedication. He
believed that “the lack of resources by individuals and families was
interpreted as laziness and a lack of faith in the American system” (464). Many
support Weber’s theories and agree that one’s economic status is based upon
their own work. They believe that despite unpredicted life circumstances,
homelessness and poverty is a preventable issue as long as one works hard and
is dedicated and committed to hard work. Just like poverty, there are also many
individuals who feel there is no issue dealing with hunger in Idaho. Robert
Rector, a Senior Research Fellow for the Heritage Foundation, stated his views
on the issue of hunger. He said,
According to
the government's own data, there isn't a hunger problem. U.S. Department of
Health and Human Services surveys show, for example, that 96 percent of
American families report that they have “enough food to eat.” About 3 percent
say they “sometimes” don't have enough food. Only one-half of 1 percent say
they “often” don't have enough food. Ironically, nearly half of the people who
claim they don't have “enough food” are actually overweight. Obesity is most
common among the tiny group claiming they “often” lack food. (Koch)
Just as Rector believes
hunger is not an important issue, many individuals support his theories and
believe the same about Idaho. They believe that there is not a substantial
problem of hunger in Idaho and that those who are hungry are only hungry
because of their own laziness and immature spending habits. Kathy Koch, an assistant managing
editor who focuses her attention on education and social-policy issues, also
examined the views of poverty and hunger as being one’s own fault due to poor
spending habits. Koch wrote of a recent gathering at a church where volunteers
spent their time packaging and handing out food baskets for the needy. While
the volunteers were kind and compassionate people, many of them had negative
thoughts and preconceptions about the people whom they were serving. Many of the volunteers felt that the hungry
people they were serving were in poverty and without food because of their
shopping habits and their choices of shopping in convenience stores. While this
myth has been proven wrong, the misunderstandings of the reasons behind hunger
and poverty still remain (Koch). Many people today continue to believe that
poverty and hunger are consequences for poor spending habits and laziness,
despite this fact being proven otherwise.
While some cases
do involve ones laziness and spending habits, most cases of poverty and hunger
occur through unintentional and unpredicted causes such as death, loss of job,
divorce, or sickness. These cases need to be considered and given effort and
time to improve and eradicate the issue, in order for Idaho to become a better
place for individuals and families to reside. One local organization whose mission is to
help relieve the issue of poverty and hunger in Idaho and who devotes their
time and effort into assisting individuals and families affected by this issue
is the Idaho Foodbank, or IFB. According to statistics from the IFB, the
non-profit organization provides emergency food more than 119,000 times each
month. In 2010 alone, 8.9 million pounds of food was donated to those in need.
That equates to a total of 6.95 million meals. As well as providing emergency
food to individuals in need, the organization also offers several programs such
as “The Backpack Program,” “Mobile Pantry,” “The Grocery Alliance Program,” and
the “Idaho Community Gardens Program.” These programs are specifically designed
to provide food to school children who live in poverty and are hungry and
without food each weekend. They also are directed towards those living in rural
areas that do not have access to emergency food, and to communities that do not
have appropriate resources for children and families (“Hunger in Idaho”).
Because of the many programs offered, this organization proves to be one of the
most prominent and influential supporters contributing to the issue of poverty
and hunger being resolved and eradicated in the state of Idaho.
I recently
conducted an interview with David Proctor, the Director for Media and Social Relations
for the Idaho Foodbank about the issues of hunger and poverty in Idaho. When asked if he believed that just one person
has the power and ability to make a difference, he replied “Yes, one person can
make a difference. Every volunteer hour, every can in a food drive, every
dollar donated makes a difference. . . . We can provide three meals for every
dollar, and every can of soup or jar of peanut butter will end up in someone’s
kitchen. Yes, it all makes a difference” (Proctor). He went on to share some
personal stories, from members of our own community. He shared the story of Dawn,
a single mother trying to raise her children alone and without support or
assistance. She did everything in her power to raise her children to the best
of her ability. She had a full time job, worked hard, and was trying to make
the best life for her kids. However, she received no child assistance, was
struggling to make ends meet, and every day had to worry about where to come up
with the next meal for her children. The Idaho Foodbank changed her life and
helped her to get back on her feet during challenging times. In a quote from
Dawn, written to the Idaho Foodbank, she said “My name is Dawn. I may be the
face of hunger in Idaho, but thanks to you and The Idaho Foodbank, parents and
families, like me, do not need to face hard times or hunger alone nor do we
need to feel ashamed. Your generous donations really do make a difference…a
difference to real people, like me” (Proctor). While some cases of poverty and
hunger in Idaho do occur from ones unhealthy spending habits and lack of
motivation to find a job, the issue is very real and Dawn’s story is an example
of what most people living in poverty and hunger experience on a daily basis.
Although
the Idaho Foodbank is a large contributor to eradicating the issue of poverty
and hunger in Idaho, there is still much more that can and needs to be done in
order to improve this issue. In order to improve this issue in Idaho, there are
many things that members of the Idaho community can do each and every day to
help relieve and improve the issue for those struggling with poverty and
homelessness. The first step to take in order to reduce this problem would be
to speak out about the importance of the issue. For most Idahoans, they are
unaware of how serious and real this issue is in their own society. It is an issue
that is not talked about often, and perhaps if it were, would allow for more
change to take place. Another step that would be beneficial in eradicating
poverty and hunger would be to encourage higher education and offer support to
those receiving an education that will allow them to have the ability to find
work and make a living of their own. Education is a vital key in that it
provides individuals a better chance and ability to receive a job that will
support their lifestyle and provide them with the means to remain out of
poverty. The final step that can be
taken to help reduce this issue would be to organize more support organizations
and groups whose focus is on reducing the issue of poverty and hunger in Idaho.
Just as David Proctor stated, even one person has the power to make a
difference. In order to eradicate this issue, support and charity from those
who are not struggling with poverty and hunger is needed. Support organizations
could develop fundraising efforts, provide requisitions for more charities and
shelters, and encourage involvement and support from citizens in Idaho. This
support and involvement would slowly improve the issue by bringing awareness to
the issue and placing a strong focus on its improvement.
If these small
steps are taken by citizens of Idaho to eradicate hunger and poverty, then the
issue will be very much improved in twenty years. While the improvement would
happen gradually and take time to notice much progression, by bringing
awareness to the issue, supporting higher education, and creating more
supportive organizations, Idaho would possess the power needed to bring to pass
the steps necessary to eradicate the issue of poverty and hunger. By doing this, Idaho would become a more
successful and comfortable place for all to live.
Works
Cited
“2012 World Hunger and Poverty
Facts and Statistics.” Hunger Notes. World
Hunger Education Service, 04 Dec. 2011. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
Axelson,
Leland J. and Paula W. Dail. “The Changing Character of Homelessness in the
United States.” Family Relations 37.4
(1988): 463-469. JSTOR. Web. 13 Feb.
2013.
Blanco,
Ramon Osiris. "How We Define Poverty." UN Chronicle 39.4
(2002): 28. Military & Government Collection. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
“Hunger
in Idaho.” The Idaho Foodbank. Idaho
Foodbank Warehouse LLC, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
“Idaho.”
Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity: The
Source for News, Ideas, and Action. Spotlight on Poverty, n.d. Web. 14 Feb.
2013.
Koch,
Kathy. "Hunger in America." CQ Researcher 22 Dec. 2000:
1033-56. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Lee,
Barrett A. and Meridith J. Greif. “Homelessness and Hunger.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 49.1
(2008): 3-19. JSTOR.Web. 15 Feb.
2013.
Messick,
Molly. “Idaho’s Poverty Rate Continues its Rise.” State Impact. N.p., 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2013.
Proctor,
David. Personal Interview. 27 Feb. 2013.
“State
and County Quickfacts: Idaho.” United
States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 04
Feb. 2013.
Williams,
Marti. “My Name is Not “Those People” by Julia Dinsmore.”Into the Neighborhood. N.p., 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.
Webb,
Anna. “After Robert Manwill: How Strong is Idaho’s Safety Net for Children?” Idaho Statesman. Idaho Statesman, 27
Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Bibliography
“2012 World Hunger and Poverty
Facts and Statistics.” Hunger Notes. World
Hunger Education Service, 04 Dec. 2011. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
Axelson,
Leland J. and Paula W. Dail. “The Changing Character of Homelessness in the
United States.” Family Relations 37.4
(1988): 463-469. JSTOR. Web. 13 Feb.
2013.
Blanco,
Ramon Osiris. "How We Define Poverty." UN Chronicle 39.4
(2002): 28. Military & Government Collection. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Hansen,
Brian. “Children in Crisis: Are Rich Nations Doing Enough to Help?” CQ Researcher 11.29 (2001): 159-70. Web.
10 Feb. 2013.
“Hunger
in Idaho.” The Idaho Foodbank. Idaho
Foodbank Warehouse LLC, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
“Idaho.”
Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity: The
Source for News, Ideas, and Action. Spotlight on Poverty, n.d. Web. 14 Feb.
2013.
Koch,
Kathy. "Hunger in America." CQ Researcher 22 Dec. 2000:
1033-56. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Lee,
Barrett A. and Meridith J. Greif. “Homelessness and Hunger.” Journal of Health and Social Behavior 49.1
(2008): 3-19. JSTOR.Web. 15 Feb.
2013.
Lewit,
Eugene M. and Nancy Kerrebrock. “Childhood Hunger.” The Future of Children 7.1 (1997): 128-37. Web. 15 Feb. 2013.
Messick,
Molly. “Idaho’s Poverty Rate Continues its Rise.” State Impact. N.p., 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2013.
Proctor,
David. Personal Interview. 27 Feb. 2013.
Shah,
Anup. “World Hunger and Poverty.” Global
Issues. N.p., 22 Aug. 2010. Web. 16 Feb. 2013.
“State
and County Quickfacts: Idaho.” United
States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 04
Feb. 2013.
Williams,
Marti. “My Name is Not “Those People” by Julia Dinsmore.”Into the Neighborhood. N.p., 13 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Feb. 2013.
Webb,
Anna. “After Robert Manwill: How Strong is Idaho’s Safety Net for Children?” Idaho Statesman. Idaho Statesman, 27
Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
Annotated Bibliography
“2012 World Hunger and Poverty
Facts and Statistics.” Hunger Notes. World
Hunger Education Service, 04 Dec. 2011. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
This source is an excellent
tool for giving explanations and definitions as to what hunger is. It gives
statistics of the parts of the world struggling the most with hunger, and also
the main causes of hunger. One piece of information from this source I plan to
include in my essay is: “Poverty is the principal cause of hunger. The causes of
poverty include poor people's lack of resources, an extremely unequal income
distribution in the world and within specific countries, conflict, and hunger
itself.” I think this quote will add support to my paper because I like how the
quote correlates poverty as being the main cause of hunger. This quote ties the
two issues of poverty and hunger together which will be beneficial information
in my introduction when I am introducing the topic, before I begin focusing on
Idaho statistics of poverty and hunger.
Axelson,
Leland J. and Paula W. Dail. “The Changing Character of Homelessness in the
United States.” Family Relations 37.4
(1988): 463-469. JSTOR. Web. 13 Feb.
2013.
This
source is an overview from a scholarly journal about the changing views on
homelessness and poverty in the United States. I plan to use information from a
famous writer, Max Weber, and focus on his thoughts and views on hunger and
poverty as being one’s own fault and something that can be prevented. I am
going to use the information from Weber of, “the lack of resources by
individuals and families was interpreted as laziness and a lack of faith in the
American system.” I will incorporate this information into the portion of my
essay that focuses on the opposing viewpoints to the issue of poverty and
hunger. This information will be beneficial to my essay because it gives
differing opinions and offers helpful information as to why some individuals
have opposing viewpoints on the subject.
Blanco,
Ramon Osiris. "How We Define Poverty." UN Chronicle 39.4
(2002): 28. Military & Government Collection. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
This source is an
overview from a scholarly journal that defines poverty. I plan to use the quote
“My colleagues and Dominican acquaintances, through their own experiences,
agree on the definition of poverty as the total absence of opportunities,
accompanied by high levels of undernourishment, hunger, illiteracy, lack of
education, physical and mental ailments, emotional and social instability,
unhappiness, and sorrow and hopelessness for the future.” This quote will add
support to my paper by providing a definition and details of poverty from a scholarly
journal. I have plenty of information on hunger definitions, so I like the
detailed explanation of poverty and think it will be beneficial to my
introduction of my local issue essay.
“Hunger
in Idaho.” The Idaho Foodbank. Idaho
Foodbank Warehouse LLC, n.d. Web. 05 Feb. 2013.
This
source is an overview of the Idaho Foodbank program, and gives information
about what the organization is doing to combat and help relieve the problem of
hunger in Idaho. I plan to use information from this source on the number of
people they are helping, and the programs set up to aid in combatting hunger in
Idaho. I plan to use the facts and statistics from the website, and plan to
incorporate this fact into my essay as well: “IFB provides emergency food more
than 119,000 times a month.”
This information will be beneficial to my essay in the section where I talk
about what is being done to help relieve this local problem.
Messick,
Molly. “Idaho’s Poverty Rate Continues its Rise.” State Impact. N.p., 24 Sept. 2012. Web. 1 Mar. 2013.
This
source gives valuable information on the rising number of those living in
poverty in Idaho. I plan to use the graph entitled, “Idaho’s Poverty Rate” and
incorporate it into the section of my essay that focuses on the ever growing
issue of poverty in Idaho. This graph will be beneficial to my essay because it
shows the increasing numbers of those living in poverty in Idaho from the year
2007 until the year 2011. This graph is clear and easy for the reader to
understand which will be helpful and add support to my essay in a visual
manner.
“State
and County Quickfacts: Idaho.” United
States Census Bureau. United States Census Bureau, 10 Jan. 2013. Web. 04
Feb. 2013.
This
source is the most recent and accurate statistics on hunger and poverty levels
in Idaho that will be beneficial to my essay.
One piece of information I plan to use from this source is the
percentage of people below poverty level in Idaho as compared to the percentage
of people below poverty level in the entire United States. According to this
source, they are both at 14.3 percent. I
also plan to use the information regarding the population of Idaho, which is
1,595,728 and compare that to the number of people living in poverty. This
information will add support to my paper because it will provide the accurate
information that is the basis for my entire essay.
Webb,
Anna. “After Robert Manwill: How Strong is Idaho’s Safety Net for Children?” Idaho Statesman. Idaho Statesman, 27
Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Feb. 2013.
This
source is an article covering excellent information about childhood hunger in
Idaho, as well as the issue of a lack of food and shelter for many
Idahoans. One piece of information from
this article I plan to use is: “More
than 175,000, or nearly half, of Idaho's approximately 400,000 children live in
low-income families. As bad as that sounds, Idaho actually ranks near the
middle among U.S. states when it comes to child poverty. But recently, some
school districts have seen homelessness among students increase between 30 and
230 percent in the last two years, according to state and local school
officials. That may be outpacing national numbers.” This article also talks
about a homeless shelter and how the number of children living there has nearly
tripled in just a year. This information will be beneficial to my essay because
it gives current information of true stories that are happening around us
today.
