North American Poverty
This 3-D mural in Detroit was created by artist Carlos Alberto as part of a series of six murals around the United States, created to raise awareness of food insecurity. The project is called "Zero Hunger."
"For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink.” Matthew 25:35
Food insecurity exists in large part due to poverty. It is a commonly misheld belief that those living in poverty in North America, especially in the United States and Canada, “must not have it so bad.” And the perception is that, comparatively, the form of poverty is not as extreme and degrading as in other countries.
However, when we compare the countries in North America (United States, Canada, and Mexico) to other high-economy countries such as Japan, Australia, and those in the European Union, we can clearly see the disparities between these myths and the harsh realities of poverty within our borders.
The Matthew 25 Initiative represents all of the ACNA's three countries: Canada, Mexico, and the U.S. We will first highlight the U.S. statistics as they might be of the most surprising. While experts will dispute small ranges of accuracy over percentages and numbers, the overwhelming agreement by all is that the data is sobering.
POVERTY IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
The USDA estimated that 11.1% of US households were food insecure in 2018. This means that approximately 14.3 million households had difficulty providing enough food for all their members due to a lack of resources. Rates of food insecurity were substantially higher than the national average for households with incomes near or below the Federal poverty line.
Between the ages of 20 and 75, 75% of all Americans will spend at least one year in or near poverty.
According the U.S. Census Bureau, two thirds of the poor classify themselves as White Americans.
Today, the U.S. holds the highest poverty rate, 17,8%, among the world’s 26 most developed countries. That’s 42.3 million people. 20.9% of them are children living in poverty.
The U.S. poverty gap is at a stunning 39.8%, the highest on this 26-country list. The term “poverty gap” is used to indicate the percentage distance from the poverty line to the average income of those in poverty.
The poverty-stricken can be found down nearly any street, within any demographic or racial group, and across the entire political and ideological spectrum.
Childhood poverty has an impact upon future economic productivity, health care, and criminal justice costs, as well as increased outlays as a result of child homelessness and maltreatment, all of which leads to an annual economic cost that impacts all of society.
This is an issue of "us" not "them," if we are Americans. All citizens are impacted in one way or another by these numbers that are in-fact about people, each is a person crafted by God's love. In this context, food and nourishment becomes scarce and compromised, and God both yells and whispers his heart in scripture.
If you live in Mexico, underemployment is a constant reality, and poverty is not a new problem. The situation continues to worsen as national economic hardship increases, reaching 16.6% of its overall population and 19.8% of its children. Mexico also ranks in the top 10 Latin American countries with the highest income inequality: 78% of national wealth belongs to the richest 10%.
Canada grapples with the same challenges as 12.4% of its population live in poverty, 14.2% of those being children. The Canadian poverty gap is 30.4%. Skyrocketing housing costs have impacted low-income families, making it nearly impossible to find housing that matches both their needs and their pockets.
Indigenous Canadians are one of the demographics of people who are impacted the most; they experience many setbacks that circulate systems of poverty, such as limited job opportunities, pervasive discrimination, and educational disparities in the school systems. Indigenous leaders continue to call for efforts to aid indigenous poverty to improve overall health, societal dynamics, and reconciliation.4
There is good news. Prevention, interruption, agitation, restructuring, and community developing can change these statistics above. As we prayerfully fast this Lenten season, we are called to see the plight of those living below, or right at, the poverty line.
May our hunger for the things we have given up remind us of our neighbors who have no choice but to live in want of basic necessities such as food, or food nutritious enough to sustain cognitive function and support physical health. May we open our hands to give to the poor, those near and dear to the heart of Christ.
And remember that Jesus links feeding the hungry to ministering to himself. Caring for vulnerable, hungry persons is not only following Jesus' lead, it is equivalent to caring for Jesus.
A widow came and gave two mites, Which then was all her living; She did the most of all the host – How can I keep from giving?
Robert Franklin Skillings