Michigan Kids Living In Poverty On The Rise

[Purveyor]

Source: Lansing State Journal

Michigan's economic skid is hurting some of its most vulnerable citizens: young children.

From 2000 to 2007, the proportion of Michigan kids living in poverty rose from just under 14 percent to 19 percent, according to the 2008 Kids Count in Michigan data book. Released today, it tracks the well-being of children statewide.

Among its other findings: An increase in confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect jumped almost 14 percent between 2000 and 2007, the most recent data analyzed. It doesn't take into account the further worsening of the economy in late 2008.

"We are clearly seeing a lot of difficulty for kids and their families because of the economic downturn," said Jane Zehnder-Merrell, a senior research associate with the Michigan League for Human Services and director of Kids Count in Michigan.

"The other reason why we should have a lot of concern about this is that in previous downturns, we had a much stronger safety net."

For example, cash assistance programs that helped people who faced hard times in the 1980s are no longer in place, she said.



Read more: http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/article/20090113/NEWS01/901130332/1001/NEWS

[bluestateguy]

1. The number is probably double that in Detroit

John Engler left an awful mess for Granholm to clean up.

[benny05]

2. Bailout Money needs to go to States

For this purpose and to fund SCHIP too.

Overall, I think we need a poverty czar, and we all know who would be right for the job.

[waiting for hope]

3. And for this as well:

Ohio unemployment fund runs out

http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/01/ohio_unemployment_fund_runs_ou.html

This is going to hit all the states at one point or another.

[KamaAina]

5. Indeed we do

but the RW noise machine would become All Rielle All The Time. :eyes:

[1776Forever]

4. Children, the Elderly, Pets, Horses - the most vulnerable are getting hit the worst.

I posted yesterday about reading the foreclosures in our local Ohio paper and seeing something more and more that I had not seen before. It was notices for adult members of families to come to hearings for the children who had been abandoned like the homes in the foreclosure listings. Terrible but what can some of these families do but give up their children and try to get a fresh start? Remain homeless I guess, but who is helping these families? I cannot say that some of these people could have "tried harder" because there is nothing for them to try harder with!

This along with the elderly and pets and even horses that are being abandoned! Terrible news!

:scared:

[roguevalley]

6. poor angels. we are going to reap a terrible whirlwind some day

if this lasts.