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"By the time teachers and students return to class each January, many Greene County schools have started running low on critical classroom supplies. Crosslines, an agency of the Council of Churches of the Ozarks -- which delivers school supplies to high-poverty schools annually in August -- was alerted to the midyear need."

"And resources for seniors are only getting thinner, as federal, state and city funding for seniors is cut, even as the U.S. government is expanding its definition of poverty, Area Agency on Aging Direct Services Supervisor Anne Payne said. The new federal calculation method shifts millions of seniors below the poverty line by incorporating out-of-pocket medical costs in their expenses"

"Tempes said the achievement gap between low-income and high-income students really begins to show itself during summer vacation, when higher-income students may have educational experiences with their parents or receive tutoring."

"The curriculum helps those who engage it shake off poverty's web. 'We've seen real-life impacts take place,' said Carroll Clark, one of two coordinators at the Family Self Sufficiency Office, which oversees the Bridges Initiative to eliminate poverty for the Housing and Community Development Department. 'You can give somebody a million dollars and it really would not get them out of poverty, it would only give them money.'"

"Unless Congress defuses a legislative time bomb, January 2013 will bring cuts in federal aid to schools, law enforcement, child care, federal housing programs and a long list of other domestic programs."

"Gross said people often think of achievement gaps as being between white students and minorities, but these guidelines are for closing all achievement gaps, including those living in poverty, students with disabilities and English language learners."

"Cincinnati, Covington and Newport are some of this region's most challenged school districts. Their students have high rates of poverty and family instability that can be obstacles to their success."

"Maryland is reporting a 66 percent rise in the number of homeless public school students over the last four years. The state Department of Education says about 14,000 Maryland students enrolled in a federally funded homeless education program this year, compared with about 8,500 in 2007."

"The Federal Pell Grant Program provides need-based grants to low-income undergraduate and certain post-baccalaureate students to promote access to postsecondary education. Unlike a loan, a Federal Pell Grant, does not have to be repaid."

"Like many middle-class American baby boomers, Linda Carmona-Sanchez is anxious about slipping into poverty and says whatever dreams she once had about retirement in her "golden years" have turned into nightmares."

""I was about to make grilled cheese for everybody with them, but it got kind of crazy," said a stunned Yonto, pointing to his small George Forman grill, not nearly big enough to handle the 100 grad students who came to help him make sandwiches for the homeless. He was expecting 30 at the most."

"On a national level, the poverty rate for the elderly (65 and older) is 9 percent using the traditional measure, and 16 percent using a supplemental measure (developed by the Census Bureau). If we were to apply the supplemental measure to poverty levels in Chicago, the rate would be above 20 percent."