Children First for Oregon

More than one-quarter of people younger than 18 struggle to get by

More than one-quarter of people younger than 18 struggle to get by
Friday, September 23, 2011
Saerom Yoo, The Statesman Journal

Salem, OR - Poverty has been a painful reality for many more people since the recession, but according to the 2010 American Community Survey results released Thursday, children are among its greatest victims.

In Marion County, 27 percent of children under age 18 live below the poverty level. In Polk County, 29.3 percent of children live in poverty.

Families of children younger than 5 headed by single mothers are struggling the most, according to the survey, with more than half of such families in Marion County living in poverty.

For all Marion County families with children younger than 5, the poverty rate rose from 15.5 percent in 2009 to 27.4 percent in 2010. For married couple families with children younger than 5, the poverty rate rose from 3.3 percent to 15.2 percent.

Regan Gray, policy director for Children First for Oregon, said growing up in stressful situations will have lasting impact on children.

“We know that children that live in poverty usually suffer from circumstances that brings,” she said. “They’ll have lower educational attainment, school achievement, behavioral and emotional well-being and physical health issues.”

Read the original article here.