ReggieCobbins

ProfessorBrown
UWRT1102
12May2016
ReflectiononChildhoodPoverty
Children in America are inevitably the future of the country, but sadly they are
also the most susceptible group of American citizens to poverty. Currently there are 14
million children living in relative poverty, which is a person lacking the minimum income
that is needed to live an average lifestyle. Not only are there children living in relative
poverty there are 6.2 million children live in extreme poverty, which is the severe
deprivation of basic human needs. While I was conducting my research I noticed that this
is an extremely relevant issue in America and I needed to examine it more.
Not only is this issue important to American but also it is extremely important to
me. Growing up I avidly volunteered with homeless children and their families. I saw
firsthand the plight that they were in, and this is one of the reasons it is so close to my
heart. Statistically it is proven that poverty impacts children in a severe way because of
food insecurity, homes are often crowded and children suffer from many emotional
problems. Children in poverty frequently lack adequate health insurance, causing the
children to acquire health complications that could potentially harm them because of their
young age.
PersonallyIfeelasifpovertyisapowertopicbecausepovertyitselfisso
powerless,especiallywhendirectedtowardschildren.Inmyopinionpoweristheability
toevokechangenomatterhowbigorsmalltheproblemmaybe.Childrenareputinto

thepredicamentofpovertybecausetheyaredependentuponothers,andthatisa
disadvantagebecauseachildisnotabletoalterfamilysituations.Achildinthissituation
issopowerlessthatithasbecomeahugetopicinAmerica,whichultimatelyhasgiven
povertypower.Povertyhasleadtothecreationofmanyinitiativesbothprivatelyand
throughthefederalgovernment.The government provides assistance to impoverished
families with various food assistance programs, but independent organizations like The
Childrens Defense Fund aid to fill in the gaps where the government assistance does not
cover.
DuringmyexplorationandresearchofpovertyIwaseagertoknowexactlywhat
povertywasandhowdoesitimpactpeople,inparticularchildren.Isoughttofindoutif
governmentassistancereallydoeshelpthoseinneedofitandfoundoutmanyanswersto
myquestions.Ieffectivelyaccomplishedthisbyreadingscholarlysourcesandmany
articleswrittenbyauthorsthathadvaryingopinions.TheonlyproblemthatIcameacross
wasthatIreadalotofsourcesthatwereverysimilar,soIhadtospendsometimefinding
uniquearticlesandjournalreadings.ThearticlesIreadthathelpedmethemostwhere
myscholarlyjournals,whichwereveryconciseandunbiased.
ThroughoutmyresearchanddiscoveryprocessIrealizedthatmyperceptionon
childpovertyhaschangeddrastically.ThisisbecauseIviewedmanybothsidesofthe
issueandrealizedhowmuchmorecomplexchildpovertyis.InAmericathesolutions
arelimitedbecauseofthedebatingpoliticalparties,howeverprivatecompaniescanalso
helpfillthevoidthatthegovernmentisunabletofillatthetime.Theremayneverbea
completeendtochildpoverty,butthereshouldmostdefinitelybeimprovements.

Overallthisprojecthelpedmeimmenselytostaycriticalandskepticalofmy
sources.Italsohelpedmeviewthingsfromanotherpersonsperspectivewhilestaying
truetomyownbeliefs.Iwasabletoorganizeandmakesenseofallofmysourcesand
pickoutthepointsIfeltwereimportantandwriteaboutthose.Thisisextremely
beneficialformyjobaspirationsbecausegoingintothemedicalfieldIwillmostlikely
beresearchingatsomepointandbeingabletopracticethoseskillsnowisextremely
valuable.