Poverty in America

To comment on Alyssa Devers blog post on poverty, I have found that in the late 1950s, the poverty rate for all Americans was 22.4 percent, or 39.5 million individuals. These numbers declined steadily throughout the 1960s, reaching a low of 11.1 percent, or 22.9 million individuals, in 1973. Over the next decade, the poverty rate fluctuated between 11.1 and 12.6 percent, but it began to rise steadily again in 1980. By 1983, the number of poor individuals had risen to 35.3 million individuals, or 15.2 percent.
For the next ten years, the poverty rate remained above 12.8 percent, increasing to 15.1 percent, or 39.3 million individuals, by 1993. The rate declined for the remainder of the decade, to 11.3 percent by 2000. From 2000 to 2004 it rose each year to 12.7 in 2004.
Since the late 1960s, the poverty rate for people over 65 has fallen dramatically. The poverty rate for children has historically been somewhat higher than the overall poverty rate. The poverty rate for people in households headed by single women is significantly higher than the overall poverty rate.
http://www.npc.umich.edu/poverty/

I agree with Alyssa that their are many areas in our country that are unwealthy that we may have not realized, and many things that we can do to help. Some people don't realize the effects that poverty can have on people. Some people only make a few dollars a day, and aren't able to give their family the necessities that they need to survive. Things such as food, clothing or a place to live. This can leave children and adults malnourished, hungry and with a lack of health. The wealthy are enjoying themselves, while the poor are suffering. The question is, what can you do to help?