Amanda Heredia Professor Cook English 1201 Online March 30, 2014 Supporting and Educating Our Community

Poverty is present all over the world. However its much closer than most people know or are willing to admit. Thousands of families struggle day in and day out right here in Montgomery County, Ohio. With a positive spirit and an educational attitude, we could see a sharp decline in poverty in Montgomery County. The stigma of living in poverty makes many families hide it and often times people turn their heads from the fact that so many are in need. We can change this by getting to know people in our communities, educating ourselves, and spreading that education to those who desperately need it. October 10, 1996 former president Bill Clinton gave a speech in Dayton, Ohio for Dayton Peace Accord Appreciation Day. At this stage of life Dayton Ohio was accelerating in many ways. Taxes were cut for 15 million working families, deficit was cut by 60%, welfare was down by 1.9 million, and the life expectancy of people living with aids had doubled, the highest homeownership in 15 years, incomes on the rise for the first time in 10 years, the typical household's income up $1,600, in 1995 Dayton had seen the biggest drop in poverty it had seen in 20 years. In slightly over a decade we have seen the scales tip dramatically to the other side. In October 2011 Dayton Daily News Staff writer Randy Tucker wrote an article on Dayton area poverty statistics such as, More than 87,000 Dayton suburbanites lived below the poverty line in 2010, an increase of 87 percent from 2000, according to a recent analysis of Census data by the Brookings Institution. Mr. Tucker interviewed several people serving the community. In an interview from Candy Gauldin, director of the Northmont FISH pantry in Englewood reads with quotes like, Weve seen a lot of people doubling up and having to move in with other family members because they lost their jobs, Gauldin said. Some of the families that we were serving who used to have four in a family now have eight. The rise in suburban poor in the Dayton metropolitan area ranked in the top five nationally. Nationwide, more than 15 million suburban residents lived in poverty last year. Which puts the incline of poverty for the area up 11.5 percent from the year before. Headlines on Dayton Daily Newspaper for October 28,2013 read, Ohio Income Drops; 1 in 6 live in Poverty . Almost 97,000 Montgomery County residents were living in poverty that year thats around two out of every 11 people. In Montgomery County alone the

poverty rate increased by 3.9 percentage points from 14.8 percent in 2007 to 18.7 percent in 2012. Greene, Clark, and Montgomery counties all saw double-digit percent decreases in median household income during the six-year period. Montgomery County Job & Family Services to meet work requirements and teach job skills for families receiving cash welfare assistance. In an ominous sign, that program has served 900 people so far in 2013 a 25 percent increase over this time last year. In 2007, the St. Vincents shelter on Apple Street was averaging 221 men, women and children a night. In 2012, that average was 361 63 percent higher. In January 2010 Ken McCall of the Dayton Daily News did an article on Poverty and income statistics for different demographics in Ohio. The biggest thing every demographic had in common was a sharp decline in income and necessities. The statistics read numbers that are in
dramatic need of change. Poverty by demographic: children 24%, Senior Citizens 10%,

Women 15.9%, Single parent homes 38%. Participation in federal programs: Adults and Children receiving welfare (TANF) 144,691 , Children receiving food stamps (SNAP) 734,000 , Households receiving rental assistance 224,564. Family: Teen birth per 1,000 is 34.1, Single parent homes 36%, Children in Foster care 11,949, Number of Grandparents raising children 182,990. Its time to get involved in our communities and make a difference for these families. Its widely assumed that crime and laziness are what has landed these people in the welfare system. Thats far from the truth for so many of these families. Under education, layoffs, businesses going out of business, people not being able to get jobs out of college, death, physical illness, and mental illness all play a factor into how many people have ended up in poverty whether or not they are receiving any form of assistance. There are many sources of help. However many people dont know where to turn or who to ask to even get started. This is where we as humans step up, get educated, and step in. There are programs for many needs and many types of people whether youre a single parent or an ex-offender trying to get housing, work, and food, even clothes and toiletries. The website, http://www.adamhs.co.montgomery.oh.us/ , is a website set up by Montgomery County Ohio. This ADAMHS is an acronym for Alcohol, Drug Addiction, and Mental Health Services. ADAMHS provides information on where to get services for these issues individually or for a client who may struggle with multiple issues. The links on the main page offer information on services for crisis intervention, Hiv testing, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Community events/support groups, and Suicide Risk Management. There is an abundance of services offered as you delve into the sites categories. Montgomery County Job and Family Services offers many services. A newer service is the Ex-offender reentry program. You can call for information or go in to get a pamphlet or set up an appointment to speak with someone. A copy of this pamphlet can be obtained at 1133 S Edwin C Moses Blvd Suite 104 Dayton, Ohio or the information can be found on, www.mcohio.org . The reentry program states their vision is, Reducing recidivism by 50% in Montgomery County by 2015. Their Mission Statement is, Serving the citizens of

Montgomery County with programs and services that minimize barriers to effective reentry and promote a reduction in recidivism. Motto: Action, Alliance, & Accountability. The information is very detailed. They break down their program in three steps in their pamphlet. Step one: go to the office of Ex-Offender reentry. The days, hours of operation , and address are printed. As well as a help line and walk-in intake dates. Step two: Take control of your responsibilities. Meaning Get an appropriate I.D. card, birth certificate, job, food, and housing information, and if children are involved; child support services. All dates, addresses, costs, people to contact, and times are posted for each need. Step three: Where to start. Full detailed information for The Job Center, The Job Bank, Ohio Benefits Bank, and Ohio Means Jobs are given in step three to help ex-offenders get what they need to stay off the streets and in housing and working. Circle of Vision Keepers/Two trees,Inc. is an organization in Montgomery County that works with Montgomery County courts, Adult probation Department, Adult Parole Authority, Goodwill Industries Re-entry Program, and the Diversion Program. Their Mission Statement is : To provide Supportive services to enhance Unity by empowering Individuals.~This enhances the Family Unit and Promotes Community well-being. The location is 3401 Woodman Dr. Kettering, Ohio 45429 Suites 10-12 and they can be reached via email at circleofvisionkeepers@yahoo.com or phone by 937-396-1077/937-732-4549. They have emergency services for toiletries, clothes, and bus tokens for job interviews. They also provide recovery and support groups. They are a non-profit organization. Fatherlessness is a huge issue with poverty. In Montgomery County this problem is an epidemic. There are new programs in play to reach out to these men and children though.In the last year Montgomery County has started a program called the Fatherhood Initiative: An educational approach. This is lead by Mike Newsome and can be resourced at Montgomery County Job and Family Services. Children in fatherless homes are five times more likely to end up in poverty, three times more likely to commit suicide, two times more likely to develop emotional and behavioral problems, and twice as likely to abuse drugs. The goal of the fatherhood initiative is to get fathers involved and on the right track. They connect fathers with local agencies to get linked to legal assistance, employment, and visitation and custody information. Best of all they teach men how to communicate well and be better fathers.

Poverty is in fact tied to drugs, criminal activities, laziness, and other unsavory activities. However, poverty isnt just about drugs. Its tied in to everything from lack of emotional, physical and financial support to layoffs .Lets stop focusing on negative causes as a community and start focusing on the impact we can have on our great natured, hard working families who just cant catch a break. Lets focus as a community on our childrens futures. Our kids need to be fed nutritious meals, sheltered clothed, and educated. Whatever choices their adult families members make shouldnt take their shot of a good life away.

For the undereducated, families working several minimum wage jobs to get by; the college students who left college with debt, a degree, and the need to move back home because they cant get a job ; and for the children and many seniors who have no control over their lives; lets help them up and out of poverty.

Works Cited

"About ADAMHS." ADAMHS Board for Montgomery County. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.

Ali, Khadijah, Reed, Karen, Greenwood, Ted. Dayton: Two trees Inc.. 2014. Print.

Circle of Vision Keepers/Two Trees,Inc..

Clinton, William J. "Remarks in Dayton, Ohio." Remarks in Dayton, Ohio. Bill Clinton, 10 Oct. 1996. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.

Gee, Jamie. Montgomery County Office of Ex-Offender Reentry. Dayton:Job and family services, 2013. Print. Ken, McCall. "Sinclair Remote Database Authentication Page." Sinclair Remote Database Authentication Page. Dayton Daily News, 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.

Ken, McCall. "Sinclair Remote Database Authentication Page." Editorial. Dayton Daiy News 23 Jan. 2010: A1. Sinclair Remote Database Authentication Page. Dayton Daily News, 23 Jan. 2010. Web. 15 Mar. 2014. Mendoza, Mari. "Seeking." Flickr. Yahoo!, 9 Apr. 2013. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. Newsom, Mike. Montgomery County Fatherhood Initiative: An Educational Approach.Dayton: MCJFS. 2014. Print.

Tomson, Eileen. "Eileentomson." Eileentomson. N.p., 2 Nov. 2013. Web. 03 Apr. 2014

Tucker, Randy. "Poverty Rises Sharply in Region's Suburbs." Dayton, Ohio, News and Information. Dayton Daily News, 11 Oct. 2011. Web. 15 Mar. 2014.