Posts Tagged: food insecurity

2011 Report on Illinois Poverty Finds Poverty Worse in Illinois Today than During the Recession

Poverty, worse in Illinois today than during the recession, grew from pre- to post-recession by 16 percent, according to the 2011 Report on Illinois Poverty released today. In fact, poverty is at its highest point in decades, and 1 in 3 Illinoisans are considered poor or low-income. The Social IMPACT Research Center’s release dovetails with Human Rights Day, and underscores the economic deprivation and threats to dignity and well-being endured by those who live in poverty. In the report, IMPACT documents hardship across a variety of indicators including income, employment, health, housing, and assets. Together these indicators document the conditions faced by struggling families across Illinois. The report includes the following key findings: · At least 1 in 10 people live in poverty in 85 of Illinois’ 102 counties.Median household income has continued the disturbing trend of the past decade. · Currently at $52,972, it has declined 3.4 percent from the recession and 6.9 percent from before the recession. · Illinois must add 528,844 new jobs to fill its job gap (number of jobs lost during the recession and the number of jobs needed for new entrants to the workforce). 2011 Report on Illinois Poverty


Boost to SNAP Benefits Protected Young Children’s Health

From Children’s HealthWatch and Dr. John T. Cook: The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) raised Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits across the board by a minimum of 13.6 percent in April 2009. Recent research by Children’s HealthWatch shows that the increase in SNAP benefits protected the health and well-being of very young, low-income children during a period of great financial hardship for many families in America. In the two years after the benefit increase, children in families receiving SNAP were significantly more likely to be classified as “well children” than young children whose families were eligible for but did not receive SNAP. Read publication .


From good times to bad times

Chicago Tribune, September 24, 2011 Once well off, many families sunk by the economy face once-unthinkable choices, as they join millions of others struggling to get by.” Read article.


DuPage County: Snapshot of Poverty, Income, and Health Insurance Coverage

DuPage County Fact Sheet