Local Pennsylvania/York County Poverty Statistics

The following statistics was a comparison of 1998 to 1999 data.

Do you think that York County doesn't have people that are hungry?  Think again.  Although the number of people living on welfare dropped from 6,200 to 2,400, the people who dropped from welfare have become the working poor.  

This caused a significant increase in demand on food pantries and soup kitchens.  For example, 70,196 families received emergency food in 1999 up 21% over 1998. There were 194,021 hot meals were served at various soup kitchens up 17% over 1998.  The York County Food Bank distributed 2.6 million pounds of food up 22% over the previous year.  Currently there are 33 food distribution centers (food pantries, shelters, etc.) in York County.  

Poor families have a especially difficult time.  Families earning the minimum wage can’t afford the fair market rent for homes.  According to the government the family needs to earn $12.37 per hour to afford rent.  The York school district ranks #5 in the highest rates of school age children from poor families.

 

There is one positive trend in the numbers:

The number of children living in poverty dropped from 18.9% to 16.9%

- African-American child poverty dropped from 36.7% to 33.1%

- Hispanic child poverty dropped from 25.6% to 22.8%

 

IF YOU NEED HELP ... Call F.I.R.S.T. 755-1000 a 24/7 answering service with trained staff to help those in need.

Poverty USA ... It’s a real issue!

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development has launched a new poverty awareness campaign. Focusing on "Poverty USA" as America’s "second largest state."

One in eleven families and one in six children live below the poverty threshold of $17,184 for a family of four.

Bread For the World ... Offering of Letters Campaign

For 2001, this ecumenical social action group (B.F.W.) is focusing on Africa: Hunger to Harvest. This year we will write letters to our elected officials in Congress to support a U.S. commitment to help reduce hunger in the world’s poorest and hungriest region.

 

Senior Citizens and the poor are left behind!

Millions of elderly are choosing between food and medicine because they don’t have the money to purchase both. Forty-four million Americans have no health insurance at all. The average daycare worker is making $6.61 per hour (less than the local McDonalds.)

Welfare rolls have been cut in half but most former welfare recipients are working in dead-end jobs, at minimum wage, and many with no benefits.

 

Pennsylvanians Seeking Food Assistance Remains Constant

Despite unprecedented prosperity, the number of people receiving charitable food assistance in Pennsylvania is unchanged. 500,000 Pennsylvanians received food assistance during the 4th quarter. Working families often cannot make ends meet and must rely on emergency food assistance...the working poor.