1. Poverty in the United States 2011

2. Orientation & Poverty in the U.S. Catholic Social Teaching & Poverty Building Justice in the Cities Immersion: Urban Plunge Reflection & Analysis: Faculty http://www.nd.edu/~uplunge

3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UsZOHb1pJY&fea ture=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UsZOHb1pJY&fea ture=related

4. Aimee Shelide: Institute for Church Life & St. Peter Catholic Worker Charles Perkins: St. Peter Catholic Worker Peter Lombardo: Center for the Homeless Laura Covington: Center for the Homeless

5. Current federal poverty line: $10,890 for a single person; for a family of four it is $22,350 In 2010, 46.2 million people (15.1%) Largest state in the Union 1 in 5 children (22 %): $500 billion annual cost to the U.S. economy from childhood poverty South is the poorest region (16.9%) Employment among young adults ages 16-29 stood at 55.3%, lowest since the end of WWII # of households receiving food stamps swelled to 13.6 million, meaning that nearly 1 in 8 receives gov’t aid

6. What are some of the causes of poverty that you heard? Of the people you will meet?

7. Behaviors of the individual Addiction, mental illness Lack of human & social resources Few jobs, lack of childcare Exploitation Pay Day loans, predatory mortgages, sweatshops Political/Economic Structures Deindustrialization, taxation patterns

8. Method established in 60’s to address the “War on Poverty” based on food: historical artifact Official measure no longer corresponds to reality Does not get either side of the equation right: how much the poor have or how much they need A limited view of income by counting cash alone Ignores expenses like taxes & medical costs Outmoded way by relying on emergency food costs Only been adjusted for inflation since ‘63

9. Started this year by the federal government Counts more in income (food stamps, WIC, tax credits, housing aid) & more expenses (medical) Shows poverty rising more slowly in the recession than official data suggests Gov’t help is keeping people out of poverty: EITC, food stamps Sharp rise in “deep poverty”: living on less than half the $ needed to no longer be poor New measures show many more people in “near poverty”: incomes btwn 100-150% of poverty line Working poor

10. Extreme poverty = areas where at least 40% of the population lives below the poverty line = Urban Plunge # of people living in neighborhoods of extreme poverty grew by 1/3 over the past decade More than 10% of America’s poor Residents more likely to experience joblessness, poor schools, broken families & high crime Highest in the metropolitan Midwest Neighborhoods of extreme poverty grew in ¾ of the nation’s largest metropolitan regions

11. How Catholic social tradition can be integrated on a practical level Poverty: more than just insufficient income Benefits of asset-based approach to poverty reduction

12. How are sites you visit addressing the issue? 2 Feet: Charity & Justice Direct Service Education Advocacy Empowerment

13. Community Organizing Education Reform & Opportunities Expanding employment opportunities & fair wages Improving support services for women & children Redefining the “poverty line” Creation of affordable housing Worker cooperatives Individual Development Accounts

14. www.opportunitynation.org www.catholiccharitiesusa.org www.povertyusa.org

15. Sun., Nov. 20 th @ 6:30 pm Catholic Social Teaching & Poverty Read Justice in the World link on webpage Remember to register for the course when you are darting in Right now go meet in your city groups with your site leaders: rooms posted outside.