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Taquisha Block
Ms. Frank
Senior Capstone Period #1
Date: May 2, 2014

Combating Poverty


Did you ever think that you could be living in poverty or become homeless even if you
have a good paying job? Chances of poverty can be minimized by guaranteed shelter, healthcare
and education, can help to but not necessarily prevented. Poverty is common problem that has
troubled the nation for many years, but it has changed over time. In the 1950s the American
poverty rate was 22.4 percent. The numbers declined throughout the 1960s coming to a low rate
of 11.1 percent in 1973. Over the years, poverty fluctuated between 11.1 and 12.6 percent. Then
by 1983 the poor individuals was raised to 35.3 million. In 2000, the rate was 11.3 percent and
from 2000 to 2004 it raised to 12.7 percent worldwide (National Poverty Center). About 1 billion
children live in poverty. 640 million live without shelter, 400 million have no access to safe
water, and 270 million have no access to health services. Even today, there are still people
struggling to find shelter, healthcare, and ways to feed and clothe their families (Global Issues).
No matter the mean income, unemployment or overall prosperity there will always be people
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who are homeless and hungry. Despite being one of the most prosperous countries in the world,
the United States is not immune. This social problem has various impacts on different
institutions and people; however, there are feasible solutions that are available to minimize this
social problem.
Comparing relative poverty levels between different countries does not sufficiently take into
account the differences in standards of living. In reality it is more a measure of inequality. For
example a person who is relatively poor in a rich country usually suffers less material
deprivation than someone who is living in a country with low overall living standards. In these
countries poverty can be more extreme, you are more likely to lack basic necessities and survival
can be more of a struggle, but because the general living standards are lower in these countries,
there may be less relative poverty i.e. less difference between the poor and the living standards
of everybody else. This can lead to misunderstandings about the extent of poverty and run the
risk of underplaying the severity of the poverty suffered by some groups, particularly in some
new Member States. Of course, the worst situation is to be found in those EU countries with both
a low overall standard of living and a high level of relative poverty (The European Poverty).
Why is poverty so hard to combat? Poverty is so hard to combat because some groups of people
dont have educational back- up while growing up. Some groups of people had jobs, maybe good
jobs, and were laid off. Some groups are dying because they cant get the medical care needed to
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survive. Today even with government is giving the homeless people shelter. Sometimes these
shelters are so full they cant accommodate all those in need of a place to lay their heads, so you
may find people sleeping under the freeways or on the streets. Sometimes people are still
homeless and livings in poverty because they dont want to help themselves and they rather live
off of the government money every mouth. Without shelters, jobs and help from many
organization it would be even harder to combat poverty.
Some ways to help those in needs with getting out of poverty are as follows: (1). a good job with
benefits, (2). a good education for all and (3). Provide free classes on tips for saving money so
when they need it the most like a rainy day. I believe this can help allot of people find
themselves again just with a little hand and a little push.
Not to be able to send your child to school when you know that some education is the only
hope of success for that child and for your family. Mother Teresa
First step to alleviating poverty is to promote better school, families and churches a national
conversation about poverty must include these critical institutions, while we may disagree on
economic solutions. Travis Smiley acknowledges this much and encouraged that with voices like
his we can start building consensus around issues crucial to the upward mobility of many poor
and disadvantaged Americans (Reduce poverty by promoting school).
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What Mother Teresa is saying is without education you cant make it in the real world because in
order to get a job or a good job with good benefits you would have to have some kind of a degree
or a G.E.D. from high school to be successful in life.
What Travis Smiley is saying is that by promoting better schools, help from the churches, and his
voice may encourage these people start building consensus around the issues? These people can
improve their education and contribute more than they would have been able to before being
helped. Some rich people think that they should not be responsible for helping people living in
poverty and they should not be forced to help those people in needed. Some rich people believe
since they worked hard for there money and should not have to waste their money on these less
fortunate.
Why help poverty? Many people are still struggling with poverty and living without food and
homes and healthcare. Poverty was and still is hard to combat because of the lack of education
that the people receive when growing up. Another reason is that some of the Americans lost their
jobs or some were laid off and didnt have any money saved up for a rainy day. There are many
ways to help people out of poverty but its up to the people if they want the help to get off the
streets, to go back to school, or to find a job to help them in the future. Also with the help from
the churches and helping the poor shows that people do care about other that are in need.
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Poverty has been a consistent problem throughout history. There are some rich people who are
hurting these lower class people meaning the people with no money. Poverty is a deadly issue
that is killing our population slow and that we as the affected ones need to take actions against it.
Even though there are a lot of people trying to combat poverty, its still impossible to combat it
without the support of the rich countries.
















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Bennett, William J., and The Opinions in This Commentary Are Solely Those of William J. Bennett.
"Reduce Poverty by Promoting Schools, Families." CNN. Cable News Network, 17 Jan. 2013. Web. 16
Apr. 2014
"Causes of Poverty." - Global Issues. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Feb. 2014.

"EAPN." Poverty : What Is It? -. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Apr. 2014.

"Fighting Poverty to Build Peace." America Staging. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014

"Poverty." About. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

"Poverty." Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.

"World Hunger Facts | Freedom from Hunger." World Hunger Facts | Freedom from Hunger. N.p., n.d.
Web. 03 Mar. 2014.

"Ultius Blog." Sample Essay on Poverty. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2014.