Recent national numbers regarding unemployment and poverty have been promising. For the first time since the Great Recession, Americans across the country have looked to be “better off” financially and economically. However, in one area of Southern California, those numbers have proven to not ring entirely true. In San Diego County (33% Latino population), the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate fell from 8.8% in 2014 to 4.3% in 2016. Despite these circumstances, the Census Bureau released data showing that despite there being more jobs, more people are falling into poverty. Analyzing the numbers between 2006-2010 and 2011-2015, the countywide poverty rate grew from 12.3% to 14.5%. “The thing that people really don’t realize regarding poverty and ...
A new report from the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), using national data, found that the Latino high school graduation rate rose to 78% in 2013 compared to 2007. Toward A More Equitable Future: The Trends and Challenges Facing America’s Latino Children is a new report released by the NCLR which utilized nationally gathered data to shed light on the true state, good and bad, of Latino children in the United States. “When people don’t want to do something, they hide behind data,” said Lori Kaplan, head of the Latin American Youth Center in Washington, D.C. at a recent news event announcing the report. “They say ‘show me the data.’ But smaller operations usually don’t have the resources to gather data to prove that what they know to be true through ...
Despite the number of American living in poverty having fallen by over 3.5 million in 2015, there are still more than 43 million struggling to overcome financial hardships. The metro area in which poverty rate is the highest is heavily Latino populated Brownsville-Harlingen, Texas (89.9% Latino population). Nearly 33% of the area’s 245,000 live below the poverty line, 24/7 Wall St. reports. South Texas accounted for the top three cities on the list. Reviewing data from the U.S. Census Bureau to determine which cities had the highest poverty rates, a list of 56 was created. The cities were chosen based on the basis of their being more than one in five residents living in poverty. In order to reduce health disparities, it is critical to address inequities in programs, ...
Since 2001, due to larger socioeconomic forces, there has been a dramatic increase in the number of children benefiting indirectly from Social Security. Economic inequality, income stagnation, immigration, and the recession have all contributed to the rise of extended, multi-generation families with shared living arrangements. In 2014, 3.2 million children under the age of 18 received Social Security. Certain families receive benefits through the survivor insurance program that provides income to the dependents of covered workers how have passed away. Children under the age of 18 also qualify for benefits if they are dependents of a parent or guardian who is disabled or retired. According to the Social Security Administration, with longer life expectancies, elderly Latinos will live ...
According to a new report, the United States ranks ninth among the world’s 19 wealthiest nations in terms of overall child well-being. According to the Save the Children report, the U.S. has this dubious ranking despite having “the world’s largest economy.” The Child Prosperity Index looks at indicators in eight areas that affect children throughout the world; these indicators include: health, education, income, safety, employment, and gender equality. The index doesn’t directly report on child poverty data, but it does emphasize the prevalence of the issue in many high-income countries. According to research, 22% of American children live below the poverty line. “The U.S. really needs to make sure every child benefits from the economic growth of the country,” said ...
A recent study from the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, low-income families pay more for everyday items due to an inability to buy these products in bulk. As reported by CNN, researchers analyzed among the purchases of over 100,000 household items over the course of seven years. It was determined that low-income families were less able to afford the higher upfront cost of buying items in bulk rather than households with higher incomes. Two-thirds of U.S. Latino children live in low-income households and about one-third live in poverty. One of the key products studied was the purchase of toilet paper. In studying this trend, it was observed that 36 rolls of two-ply toilet paper might cost $15, but a roll of one-ply cost only $1. Researchers found that low-income ...
The child poverty rate in Colorado declined in 2014, marking the first consecutive decline in over a decade as was determined by the annual KIDS COUNT in Colorado! report. However, disparities still exist and improvements are not reaching all children. Colorado’s overall child poverty rate is 15%, which is still five points higher than it was in 2000. Poverty is defined as an annual income of less than $23,850 for a family of four. Disparities also remain significant for many children of ethnic and racial minorities. “We’re encouraged by the improvements in well-being for Colorado kids,” said Chris Watney, President and CEO of the Colorado Children’s Campaign. “These trends are buoyed by economic progress, as well as key policy changes supported by research. Breakthroughs ...
A study performed by the University of Wisconsin’s Population Health Institute determined the least healthy counties in Texas. The study took into account numerous data sources regarding the health factors of populations, the ratio of dental and mental health care providers to people in the counties, socio-economic data, and unemployment data. Also taken into consideration were the typical length of life and quality of life. Based on the information, Brooks County (91% Latino population), located in the Rio Grande Valley, was deemed the least healthy county in the state. The report determined that 40% of all adults in Brooks County were of “poor health” and the obesity rate among adults was nearly 30%. The county also has an uninsured rate of 25% and 46% of the children in the ...
What happens when Latinos get "priced out" of the homes they've lived in for decades? People like Luis Granados step up. Granados, Christopher Gil, and other leaders of the nonprofit Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) didn't stand by when a tech boom in San Francisco’s Mission District (30% Latino)—a hub for the city’s immigrant population—brought in higher-priced homes and threatened to push out lower-income families. They embarked on a mission to create 100% affordable housing in the area.
The rising housing costs in San Francisco
Since 1973, the Mission Economic Development Agency (MEDA) offers free financial services to lower-income families in San Francisco’s Mission District, a traditionally Latino neighborhood where most rent their homes, said ...
