Poverty in New Hampshire

An article published by the Carsey Institute (December 2006) reported,

"New Hampshire boasts the nation's lowest percentage of people living in poverty and maintains strong national rankings in other quality-of-life measures. But 48,000 New Hampshire families struggle to make ends meet."

Additionally the article reveals a shocking and eye-opening statistic on how NH is impacted by poverty.

"Despite the overall well-being of the state, one in seven New Hampshire families lives in poverty. 1 in 7!"

The article notes that this information "brings attention to low-income families in New Hampshire." These families need support. In the article Carsey Institute Director, Cynthia 'Mil' Duncan states, "We know that economic and family stability are so important for children's future, and that stability depends on whether these families can secure sufficient earnings, government assistance, and social support to sustain a basic family budget."

The article also reports on the number of factors and trends affecting including housing costs and ability access higher education and jobs beyond the low-skilled sector. 

Perspective of the persistent fear and proximity of poverty to some families is stated in the following quote:

"The adults and children that comprise New Hampshire's low-income families live in a precarious position. Even small fluctuations in their family, employment,or the economy can push a family into poverty."

The Carsey Institute's findings were not an isolated incident, earlier in the year (June 2006) NH Public radio had a news report on New Hampshire children living in poverty.

The report declares that according to "the 2006 Kids Count national survey, conducted by the Annie E. Casey Foundation, says between 2000 and 2004 the number of poor children in New Hampshire went from 6% to 10%.

That's a 67% jump, the largest growth rate of any state nationwide."

Like the Carsey Institute the news report looks into some of the factors involved and the need of increased concern and reaction to poverty including,

-'Wages not keeping up with costs'-minimum wage

-Increased cost of health insurance

-Cost of housing (rent)

-The fact that most families facing poverty have jobs, even multiple jobs just to get by "parents scrape together whatever is available."

Toward the end of the report Ellen Shemitz of the Children's Alliance says, "the problem is bigger than a lack of affordable housing, or poor paying jobs. She says sate and federal policies make it harder for children to get out of poverty." More attention needs to be brought to issues such as minimum wage, social services, and health insurance.

Sources: 

Direct Link to Carsey Institute article: http://www.unh.edu/news/cj_nr/2006/dec/as20carsey.cfm

Direct link to NHPR news report: http://www.nhpr.org/node/11126

Carsey Institute Homepage: http://www.carseyinstitute.unh.edu

New Hamsphire Public Radio Homepage: http://www.nhpr.org

Poverty is real. Sometimes too real. In a struggling economy fear can thrive and lives can change. I am lucky to be in a caring, supportive family with a decent living. We don't go on extravagant vacations across country or abroad and we infamous clearance rack shoppers. However, I am aware and more so now that based on a number of scenarios my family and I could find ourselves facing poverty. We could become one of the one in seven families that lives in poverty in New Hampshire. 

1 in 7. It really gives perspective. Pick out seven of your neighbors, seven of your friends, seven of your classmates. One in each group could be feeling the impact of poverty first hand. Poverty is hard to see but its there and sometimes closer then we tend to think it is.

-Kristen Mosher

"Baskets of Hope...Still Hopeful" by Maureen Walcek

I thought when starting this project, the reality of getting people to donate so much extra food to the homeless in this time of economic crisis was not possible. Each class we would talk about organizing the project and everyone brought up new and exciting ideas. The problem I found was that we were doing a lot more talking than action. I am the type of person that like to dive in head first and get their hands dirty with a project. But, with this project, I learned that my way wasn't the only way that will work.

We went from class to class updating each other on how many baskets we had. It was frustrating as a member of the Student Organizations group because we had put so much work into Fraternities and Sororities. I had the impression that every Greek organization would donate a few baskets. However, only a few confirmed donations with us so we had to think of another alternative. We tried to email as many student organizations as possible, but it could be quite possible that students don't read their email as much as we wished they would. So, without phone numbers, and without a designated number of baskets, we were suck.

Then came the day of organizing everything at Waysmeet. It was hectic and crowded in the room that we had to put together baskets, but it had to be done. For the most part, everyone from our class showed up for at least two hours, some stayed longer. Our basket making strategy was to organize the food in an assembly line of sorts. By the time we were done with the baskets, we still has a lot of canned goods, breads, and fresh fruits and vegetables. The baskets came out full of food and other supplies for those who requested them. All of the extra food was left for the pantry.

I went into this project thinking we wouldn't get enough baskets period. We ended up with a surplus of food and volunteers to bring a happy Thanksgiving to all that we could

Misperceptions

A month or so after moving to UNH, my Community Leadership Class was beginning to start the Thanksgiving Food Basket Drive and we were instructed to meet one Thursday at the Cornucopia Food Pantry. I was excited to go and see what the pantry looked like, especially since I heard it had just been moved to bigger space and was better and more improved than its previous location in Christensen Hall.
A food pantry. My mind had its own picture of what it would look like. It would be warm and inviting to those who visited. Windows letting in sunlight, carpets on the floor, maybe a table or two. Food was a shoo-in. Of course there would be shelves stocked with food! Everyone donates to the food pantry, so the shelves could never be near bear. The picture in my mind was a close version to my own kitchen pantry at home. Nice and bright from the sun light outside, inviting cabinets stocked with food . . .
The first question that popped into my head after Larry lead us into the room, was where is it? Where is the food pantry? This is someone’s basement! The walls were bare, the ceiling cob-webby. The floor was bare and there were small windows filtering in as much light as they could. There was a door with chain link over it and you could see the studs in the walls. I thought it was a storage space. A spider jumped out at one of the kids in my class.
Entering further through the chain linked door, I finally saw the food pantry. It looked exactly the same as the rest of the basement, except there was food stacked on metal shelves and two refrigerators to hold perishable items. What struck me the most was the food—there was not even close to the amount I had pictured in my head. The items present were separated and stacked upon the shelves according to type. I saw brands of cereal I had never seen or heard of, cans of food I never knew were made. I also saw a surplus of random items like syrup and powdered milk.
“The interesting thing,” Larry explained, “is that food pantries are usually given the cast-off food from people’s homes. People buy the brands that are the cheapest, or that they don’t want to eat. They donate the food they are unwilling to eat, not realizing that those who visit us aren’t going to want to eat them, either. Most of the things on the shelves are unrecognizable to you, and they are unrecognizable to those who come looking for food.”
I suddenly realized how true this is. I didn’t see anywhere on the shelves name-brand items like Campbell’s, Kellogg’s, or Uncle Ben’s.
I also thought of something else: When a person or family decides to donate food to a food pantry, they are giving support to the institution. We are agreeing to try and end hunger. Shouldn’t we donate in such a way as to take pride in the cause we are supporting? I wondered what this pantry would look like, and how many more it could serve, if more in the community were aware of its need. When talking to Durham residents, I learned that most do not even know there is a Cornucopia food pantry, or that there is a problem with hunger in the community.
I left the food pantry that day with a completely different outlook. Gone was my beautiful food pantry picture. Gone was the warm, inviting appearance and fully stocked shelves. The seriousness of the situation had hit me. This was a place in need—who helped those in need. How can change in the community occur if the institutions created to help, cannot? I left with a drive and excitement to begin the food drive and help make a difference in the lives of those who visited the Cornucopia Food Pantry. I know others in my class did as well. I wonder how amazing the difference in the food pantry and in the community would be if more could see what I saw that morning.

If their impressions of a food pantry were set straight.

So I encourage you, go visit it for yourself. Go visit it for others.

Growing Divide at UNH??

Growing Divide at UNH? A brief essay by Kate Hanson

As a long-time faculty member and community activist on campus, I am both impressed and dismayed by this year’s Dialogue on poverty and opportunity. The programs offered and the articles by our UNH colleagues are great--interesting and relevant--and I'm delighted to have these resources to share with my students. However, I think we're ignoring the issue here at home where, I believe, we are experiencing and condoning a growing divide among those of us who work here.
For examples:
A review of salaries at UNH as of December 2007 shows well over 200 administrators and faculty who make more than $100,000 a year in salary AND have access to extensive health and retirement benefits in addition. Almost all of these employees benefit from annual percentage increases--that both help them meet the cost of living and feed into this growing divide (4% of a $100,000 income results in a much greater raise in salary than 4% of a $30,000 salary and this accumulates year after year).
At the other end of the scale are dozens and dozens of "adjunct" faculty or part-time instructional staff who earn as little as $2600 a course in some colleges. These employees receive no regulated cost-of-living increases, no benefits and no job security. In fact, any of them can have a class cancelled the week it is to start.
Outsourcing of our housekeeping and other facilities-related services has saved money for UNH and made money for the providing businesses but it has not been equally beneficial for the workers. At one time, the people who cleaned and cared for our buildings received full UNH benefits. Now, many of them receive limited or no benefits at all.
A look at our current employment listings shows 42 openings, 8 of which are "temporary without benefits." Of these, most are positions in housekeeping, dining services and building services.
Some of the positions advertised pay as little as $8.50 an hour (without benefits) when a living wage in this area is often calculated to be over $15.00 an hour. *
Our parking permits cost $50 per academic year regardless of our incomes.
My students in the TSAS Community Leadership program have worked with Waysmeet, the Office of Community Service and Learning, the Housing Office and dozens of other offices/groups on campus to provide food baskets for those in economic need here at UNH. When we started doing this four years ago, my students organized 30 baskets. Last year, we provided over 125 baskets. While I am proud that we’re able to collaborate to meet this increasing need, I confess to VERY uncomfortable feelings about being part of a system that is structurally unfair and then offers supplemental food.
I often wonder how we reconcile these growing inequities with our often-stated commitment to justice, respect, and equality.
I am not suggesting that I have the answers to this "growing divide" and I know that there are many factors that influence poverty and opportunity here on campus. I would, however, like to see us at least openly acknowledge what's happening and create ways to publicly discuss our reactions to it. After all, this is our community and we do have some power to make decisions about who earns what here.
Kate Hanson, Associate Professor and Program Chairperson, TSAS Community Leadership Program, kate.hanson@unh.edu
*There are many organizations that focus on this issue of living wages. Here are a few:
http://www.democracyfornewhampshire.com/node/view/949; http://www.worldhungeryear.org/why_speaks/ws_load.asp?file=06&style=ws_table http://www.universallivingwage.org/fmrtables_2008/ME_FMR2008.htm