Who are the Poor ?

The federal poverty threshold set by the U.S. Census Bureau for a family of four in 2009 was $21,954 a year. Deduct from that $650 a month for rent and utilities, $20 a day for food and $138 a month for two 30-day bus passes to get to work, and you end up with the princely sum of $14.72 a day to cover everything else — child care, household and personal care products, clothing, haircuts, school supplies, home furnishings and health care.

New calculations now take account of “near cash” benefits such as housing subsidies, food stamps, free and reduced-price school lunches and supplemental nutrition for women, infants and children but also taking in consideration taxes, work expenses, child care, out-of-pocket medical costs and child support payments should be deducted.

People end up poor, it seems, even when they are trying their hardest not to. They can be pushed into poverty by paying to get to and from work, finding child care, keeping up with child support obligations, medical expenses and caring for children who are not their own.

Who’s poor? More often than you’d think, it's people just like you.

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