[Vision2020] Reality of Poverty in Idaho

[keely emerinemix]

This is tragic, but I'm not at all surprised.  Moscow has its pockets of 
poverty, but I don't know that people particularly care to think of it.  
It's easier to think that we're not only an enlightened  blue patch in the 
reddest state of the union, but somehow immune to problems that only "other" 
areas have.  I know a handful of people here who are "food insecure" -- 
they're not sure they'll have enough to eat in a given time.   I think it 
will only get worse.  And the church -- where is the church?

I shudder to think.

keely
From: Tom Trail <ttrail at moscow.com>
To: vision2020 at mail-gw.fsr.net
Subject: [Vision2020] Reality of Poverty in Idaho
Date: Wed, 22 Nov 2006 19:07:21 -0800

Visionaires:    During this holiday of Thanksgiving, we should also reflect
on the current reality of poverty in Idaho.

Economic Poverty

   . 19 out of every 100 children live in poverty.

   . Idaho has the highest percentage (29%) of young adults, ages 18-24,
     living in  poverty of any state in the U.S.

   . A Tufts University Center on Hunger and Poverty report ranks Idaho's
     welfare laws 51st (compared to all other states and the District of
     Columbia) when ranied on the likelihood to support families' efforts
     to become self-sufficient.

   . 63% of Idaho 3 & 4 year olds do not attend a preschool program due to
     availability and affordability, leaving them unprepared to enter
     kindergarten.

   . Low-income parents make up almost half of Idaho's working population.
     The parents in these families work for low wages, often without the
     ability to afford health insurance, quality child care and early 
education-
     three key elements that young children need to succeed in school and
     become productive, contributing citizens.

   . In Idaho, a living wage for a family of 4 (2 parents and 2 children-one
     program working) is $20.98 per hour.  Only 17% of current jobs in Idaho 
pay
     this wage.

   . Of local interest, approximately 20% of University of Idaho staff, are
     at or below the poverty level for the area.

Poverty of Relationship and Meaning

. Drug arrests are up 144%

. The suicide rate is 22 people per 100,000, compared to the national
    suicide rate of 11 people per 100,---.

. Idaho's elders face isolaton due to lack of mobility, relationships and
    adequate resources.

. By 2025, 20% of Idaho's population will be over age 65 and Idaho will
    have the greatest number of people over age 85 per capita than any
    other state.

(statistics are from the U.S. Census 2000, the Annie E. Casey Idaho Kids 
Count
   Report 2005 and the 2006 Idaho Job Gap Report from the Northwest 
Federation
   of Community Organizations)

Rep. Tom Trail
--
Dr. Tom Trail
International Trails
1375 Mt. View Rd.
Moscow, Id. 83843
Tel:  (208) 882-6077
Fax:  (208) 882-0896
e mail ttrail at moscow.com

=======================================================
  List services made available by First Step Internet,
  serving the communities of the Palouse since 1994.
                http://www.fsr.net
           mailto:Vision2020 at moscow.com
=======================================================

_________________________________________________________________
Get free, personalized commercial-free online radio with MSN Radio powered 
by Pandora http://radio.msn.com/?icid=T002MSN03A07001