In poverty, the daily reality is about the present moment of survival and how a family meets its basic needs.
Could You Survive in Poverty?
Below is a test. The directions are simple. Just put a mental check by each item that you know how to do.
• I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales.
• I know how to get someone out of jail.
• I know how to fight and defend myself physically.
• I know how to get a gun, even if I have a police record.
• I know how to live without a checking account.
• I know how to live without electricity and a phone.
• I know what to do when I don’t have money to pay the bills.
• I know how to move in half a day.
• I know how to get and use food stamps.
• I know where the free medical clinics are.
• I can get by without a car.
Welcome to the culture of poverty. How did you score? This simple exercise, created by Ruby Payne and found in A Framework for Understanding Poverty, gives a glimpse of the plight of the poor.
According to the Let Justice Roll website, the situation among America’s minimum wage workers is particularly dire. A minimum wage employee — making $5.15 an hour, working 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year — earns $10,700 a year, $5,000 below the Federal poverty line for a family of three. The real value of the minimum wage today is nearly $4.00 less than it was in 1968. Indeed, in order for the minimum wage to have the same purchasing power as it did in 1968, the Federal minimum wage would have to be raised to more than $9.00. This situation is unconscionable, as the wealth of our nation continues to be built on the backs of the working poor.
Poverty takes two different forms, generational and situational poverty. Ruby Payne defines generational poverty as being in poverty for two generations or more, whereas situational poverty is shorter and results from some circumstance such as death, illness, divorce, etc. In both instances, the definition of poverty is directly related to the “extent to which an individual does without resources.”
Most often poverty is equated with a lack of financial resources, but it also extends to a lack of resources in areas of mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual health as well as limited support systems, poor role models and coping strategies.
Misconceptions about poverty arise when judgment calls are made without checking out the whole situation. For example, information from the American Housing Survey indicates that 73% of people in poverty own vehicles, and 30% own two or more. This statistic might suggest that poverty isn’t all that bad. This perception is far from true. People who are aware of the culture of poverty will know that those vehicles that the poor drive are usually undependable. They are frequently the cause of lost jobs and missed appointments. The second vehicle is often used only for parts. Another misconception of poverty is that the poor are wastefully using cell phones. Although a cell phone is an easily affordable luxury for the middle class and not a necessity, for many poor people it is a difficult-to-afford necessity as it may be the only way they can be contacted for work or get help in emergencies. What appears as wasteful and careless is often not when seen through the eyes of the poor. With more understanding of the culture of poverty, greater tolerance can be granted to those individuals.
Hidden Rules
Hidden rules are the unspoken cues and habits of a group. Today’s society is patterned on middle-class standards. If you have been living in the culture of poverty, especially generational poverty, you need to learn these hidden rules of the middle class in order to succeed at work and in school. You have to understand that it’s OK to have two sets of behaviors — one for the street and one for formal dealings in the public arena. Proper language, appropriate work and school etiquette are vital in order to succeed and become self-reliant in today’s society. Teaching at-risk families how to negotiate and survive in a middle-class reality can be extremely challenging. With mentors and a good, healthy support system this task becomes easier and more successful.
People usually relate to the hidden rules of the class in which they grow up. For instance, when they begin to achieve financial stability, they will likely continue to make decisions based on past patterns of thought, social interaction, and cognitive strategies that are familiar to them. Despite the improvement in their financial situation, they often fail to make changes in their lifestyle. That is why it is important for social service providers to teach financial literacy when working with families who are trying to break out of poverty. For these families, one of the greatest difficulties is learning how to manage money and make prudent decisions about their finances.
People in poverty rarely hold education in high esteem and usually do not see themselves succeeding at it. The middle class believes that education is crucial for success and financial security. Often, people striving to escape poverty by getting an education are sabotaged by family and friends who do not understand this value.
Maria, 21, and a single mom of two young children, had not completed her GED. She was the primary caregiver for her parents, who were addicted to drugs. Maria was also helping her sister’s kids both financially and emotionally. She went to WIN (Women’s Initiative Network) and worked hard to obtain her GED from a local diploma-completion program. The entire time, her family was not only unsupportive but actively ridiculed her educational goals. They also continued to take advantage of her by putting their needs before hers and her children’s. She finally completed her GED and enrolled in vocational-technical training. She gave up within the first semester of her training because of her family and friends’ lack of support. They asked her frequently why she thought she was “much better than us.” In turn, they made her feel guilty for trying to “rise above her station” in life. Maria tried hard to stand firm and reach for her dreams, but with so little help or support, she quickly grew tired of the incredible effort it took.
What Success Looks Like
Tina is a 27-year-old single mom with three children. She went to Center of Hope two years ago. Tina was open and motivated to change her family’s plight. At that time she was on public assistance and was living in a very crowded one-bedroom apartment. For several months, Tina met with her mentor on a weekly basis, conversing about her family, her concerns and goals she wanted to pursue.
Tina was adamant about wanting to get off of welfare and to find another place to live. In terms of resources, she had some strong family ties but little if any outside support. She had no transportation except the bus. Her finances were limited. Tina had dropped out of school to have her first child, but later completed her GED and received her CNA (Certified Nursing Assistant) certificate.
Tina was facing many obstacles, both socially and financially. Her parents received public assistance, so this way of life was familiar to her. And yet Tina had a deep desire to break free of the system. Tina worked on short-term goals and a long-term plan for her family. Through a trusting relationship with her mentor, Tina started making steps to improve her situation. She secured affordable housing for her family and a job as a private duty CNA for an elderly woman who lived nearby.
After receiving a month of income, Tina’s public cash assistance was discontinued, although her food stamps and the children’s medical benefits continued. Tina received help with budgeting and came to learn the importance of paying for the basic living expenses first and foremost, before spending on non-essentials. Sometimes Tina’s choices were not prudent. For example, when she received her income tax refund she went out and bought a bedroom suite and toys for the children. She did not put any money aside for the unexpected. A month later she received a higher-than-usual gas bill and did not have enough funds to cover it. This was a good learning experience for Tina. She will have setbacks like this again, but overall Tina has made great strides.
Tina changed jobs. She works as a CNA at a nursing home and has received a nice raise in salary. She completed her second semester in college in criminal justice. Her children are being cared for by her extended family while she is at work and school. Prior to Tina’s public assistance being cut she was provided a $500 car and car insurance coverage for three months. Tina’s success is a result of her array of resources and support system. Now, with her educational progress, Tina’s new skills may also take her into new surroundings.
Breaking out of poverty and transitioning into a higher economic class takes a lot of “emotional stamina” for those who are opting for a new lifestyle. Usually the driving force behind the change is one or a combination of four things:
• the current situation is too painful to stay in (as in the case of abuse);
• a compelling goal or vision of the future drives the individual;
• a talent or skill takes the individual into new surroundings;
• a spouse or mentor provides an emotional comfort level.
Turning away from poverty is a courageous process with many steps, not a one-time event. Most families coming from a culture of survival will have many setbacks, and only a very small percentage of these families will actually break out of poverty. However, it is critical to acknowledge the small accomplishments — the mini-successes these families achieve. These achievements can lead to a better quality of life. Growth occurs only when the person is ready. Perhaps there is great progress and then forward movement is stymied or stalled. This is all a part of the process and cannot be rushed. The bottom line is that the journey of small steps is just as important as the destination.
Do you know anyone you could help through prayer and action to take the small steps needed to break out of poverty?
The Adorers of the Blood of Christ is a congregation of religious women established by Maria De Mattias to be a reconciling presence to the poor in our midst. More than 450 Adorers live and minister in the United States. For more information about the Sister Adorers, please visit their website at www.adorers.org.
This article courtesy of the The Adorers of the Blood of Christ.
