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The Working Poor

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    • Social Services
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    The working poor: the largest growing group of people in America today

    by Dr. Salima Hunafa

    There are a group of people growing in numbers in America that are being referred to as the “working poor” because they do work but live either below or right on the poverty line. Many times they do not know where the next meal is coming from; they cannot pay their bills at times and need to ask for assistance from government agencies, social service agencies or religious groups.

    In the year 2012, the official poverty rate was 15.0%. There were 46.5 million people living in poverty. Between 2011 and 2012, the number of people in poverty did increase for people aged 65 and older, people living in the South and people living outside metropolitan areas. Some studies show that for those who are 55 or older, the average duration of unemployment  is now up to 53.6 weeks compared with 39.4 weeks for workers younger than 55. If some of these people do work, they usually earn minimum wage which for Georgians if $7.25 per hour. They are “the working poor”. Can you imagine living on $7.25 per hour in 2014?

    With many Baby Boomers now approaching retirement, those born between 1946 and 1964, there is a tremendous increase in families needing assistance with bills, food, furniture, and clothes. This particular group, adults aged 50 and older, account for half of the families we now serve thru our mobile food pantry. Many live on very limited social security incomes, work minimum wage jobs or live with family members who are trying to take care of them. Many of these adults do not have transportation so are often not visible to others in the community. Many require salt free and sugar free foods because of diabetic conditions, high blood pressure, and other health related conditions. Anyone who would like to donate sugar free or salt free foods please contact us at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. as we rarely get these types of food for donation and yet they are much in demand. 

    Jazak Allah Khairan.