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MCAA and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center Release Poverty Update at the State House
Last updated 1:39pm, January 26, 2012
Contact: Rick McCarthy, 242-7795 or Ann Acheson, Ph.D, (207) 581-1567
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Poverty in Maine Update, Volume 3, Issue 1 (December 2011) >> NEW <<
AUGUSTA – Today, the Maine Community Action Association (MCAA) and the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center at the University of Maine released the annual Poverty Update Newsletter. They held a Press Conference at the Welcome Center at the State House.
The Newsletter will highlight newly-released county-by-county poverty and household income data from the 2010 US Census. It will also provide new information on the number of students eligible for free and reduced lunch in Maine and the latest data on poverty among seniors.
The County level data clearly demonstrates that poverty in Maine is a statewide challenge, with significant low-income populations in both urban areas and rural counties. In fact, the 3 counties with the highest poverty rates are Washington (19.4%), Somerset (18.6%), and Piscataquis (16.6%). The Federal Poverty Level (FPL) for a family of four is $22,000. State policymakers should consider the unique needs of low-income residents in rural areas. Challenges include transportation to work and services, the availability of support services, and the isolation of seniors.
Children in Maine are living in poverty at distressingly high rates. The statewide child poverty rate is 18.2%, compared to 14.8% for the overall population. In every county, child poverty exceeds the rate for the population as a whole. In 11 counties more than 1 in 5 children lives in poverty, with the highest rate of 30.9% in Washington County.
The Newsletter also makes public the latest figures on enrollment for free and reduced school lunch. Families with incomes up to 185% of FPL qualify for the program. Statewide over 45% of children are eligible, a record high, with the figure close to 60% in several counties. This clearly demonstrates that many more children are living just above the poverty line.
The long-term economic impacts of childhood poverty are significant. The Maine Policy Review published by the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center, focused a recent issue (2009) on early childhood. Several authors reviewed current research and concluded that family economic insecurity has lasting cognitive and health impacts. The research also demonstrates that quality early care and education can mitigate those impacts and offer economic benefits to children and the larger society. Research from Nobel Prize winning economist James Heckman at the University of Chicago indicates the return is $7-9 for each dollar invested.
The Newsletter also concludes that Maine seniors live in poverty at higher rates than the national average. Maine has the oldest median age in the country, which creates major challenges for our residents and policymakers. Many seniors are struggling to pay medical bills, buy prescription drugs, heat their homes, and keep food on the table within a fixed income. Increases in the cost of heating oil and federal cuts to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) mean many seniors will struggle to stay warm this winter.
The Newsletter is provided to policymakers and the public to help them in understanding and addressing the challenges posed by poverty in Maine. Our low-income neighbors deserve help to meet their basic needs now and a hand up to self-sufficiency through education and employment.
The Newsletter and the Maine Policy Review articles are available at the Margaret Chase Smith Policy Center
website- http://mcspolicycenter.umaine.edu/.
Contact: Rick McCarthy, 242-7795 or Ann Acheson, Ph.D, (207) 581-1567
