Longview organization works to explain poverty’s impact on community
he number of children living in poverty in America has increased just one month after the expanded child tax credits ended. Columbia University’s Center on Poverty and Social Policy found that the monthly child poverty rate increased from about 12 percent in December to 17 percent in January.
Longview’s Partners in Prevention organization led the community in a discussion and simulation to better understand how poverty impacts their community. Rachel Miller, who is a social work student at Stephen F. Austin State University and a student intern at Partners and Prevention, said she learned a lot.
“Poverty isn’t really something that is a one-time thing. There are different kinds of poverty. There’s situational, generational, so it all depends,” Miller said. “You have to get to know the person, understand what they’re going through and how you can help it.”
Holly Fuller, the program manager, said today they wanted to offer a glimpse into what it might be like to live in the world of poverty.