My Reflection on Latest U.S. Poverty Statistics

By Sr. Nathanael Lee

Sr. Nathanael Lee is from South Korea and is a member of the Little Servants of the Holy Family, a congregation based in Korea. She is interning at JPIC's office in Washington, DC.

This week I participated in a webinar on domestic poverty, hosted by the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). I was quite struck to learn of the incidence of poverty in America. I've always thought of America as the richest country in the world. And if this is the case how can so much poverty exist here! Yet a recently released report by the U.S. Census Bureau presents sobering data on income and poverty. Certain groups like children and the elderly are disproportionately affected. For example, in 2013 19.9% or 1 in 5 of all U.S. children lived in poverty. This has to be an issue of great concern for all Americans, most especially people involved with Justice and Peace. 

You can read more about poverty in America by visiting the anti-poverty program website of the U.S. Catholic Bishops: http://www.povertyusa.org