New York Times:
“‘How Do You Say ‘Economic Security?’” A compelling op-ed piece addresses the rhetorical shift in lawmakers’ dialogue about government’s role in issues of poverty. Looking back to FDR during the Great Depression, the authors point out his use of “morally resonant language” that engaged a shared sense of social concern, addressing the real implications of poverty and hardship for people and families. This is contrasted with today’s rhetorical focus on fiscal and budgetary concerns in which “language of sociology and common culture has been replaced by the language of economics and individualism.”
“It Takes a Village” Charles Blow discusses the positive outcomes for children in Dorothy Day Apartments, which are run by Broadway Housing Committees. This unique complex includes a Head Start center, mentoring and literacy programs, a book club for young people, a computer lab, and a generally positive and uplifting environment. The results of this supportive community have had a clear impact on young residents, who have all avoided arrests or unwanted pregnancies, and gone on to graduate from high school.
“One in Five New York City Residents Living in Poverty” Following the release of nation-wide poverty data, numbers show that the rise in poverty was even greater in New York City. Today, 1.6 million New Yorkers live in poverty, a 1 .4% percentage point increase from last year which is the highest jump in two decades. The city is also home to the greatest level of income inequality in the nation, in addition to America’s poorest urban district in the South Bronx.
City Limits:
“City Hall Reacts to Jump in Poverty Numbers” City officials express concern over the rise of poverty in New York City. Some officials commented that the increase was statistically comparable to the nationwide increase following the recession, asserting that it “could have been worse.” This article also looks at the impact of the poverty increase on social services, pointing to the surprising lack of increased enrollment in cash assistance programs despite the obvious growth of the eligible population.
Huffington Post:
“The Aging Out Dilemma Plaguing the Foster Care System” The Executive Director of New York Foundling addresses the crisis facing many young people aging out of foster care. Nationally, one in four youth are incarcerated within two years after leaving foster care, one in five are homeless, and only half graduate from high school. This article points to the necessity of supports like job training, education, and housing assistance to help ease the transition for this vulnerable population.
