letter to the editor

Poverty is an illness we all share

Tue, 07/11/2017 - 11:00am

Dear Editor:

The below list of poverty causes is likely not complete. Comparing that list with a list of diseases or disease causes, you begin to recognize that like disease, poverty is always temporarily in the air.

Poverty causes include addictions, health issues, job loss, childhood in poverty, single parenthood, divorce, economy, unemployment rates, transportation, fear, lack of affordable housing, anger, hatred, discrimination, inadequate food supply, etc. We share a part in these causes and many of us have experienced poverty or the edge of poverty.

How do we treat victims of poverty illnesses? It seems common for many to express anger at those in poverty receiving aid. One personal example was watching a good friend, Donna, who voluntarily took in a young woman with stage four brain cancer. A kind gesture and yet Donna was angry every time the woman received funds for rent and food. "Would you want to trade places with her?” Donna realized that she had no cause for anger.

These angry thoughts come under discrimination. When we do this to families, it makes it more difficult for many to lift themselves out of poverty.

Solving poverty doesn't mean it won't exist. Like illnesses there are good odds that people will fall ill or fall into poverty time and time again. There are some causes we might be able eradicate, but not all. While a hiring manager at UCLA I was able to work with the state's attempt to reduce the generation “poverty gene" that seemed to lead members of a family into longer lived poverty.

The state focused on helping family fathers achieve better and longer term employment so that they would have pride in supporting the family and their children would see a happier result. My first hire was a Hispanic father who had some education in lab work. He did great for two professors and completed college at night. The second hire was a divorced single mother, whose ex-husband forbade her to work. After six months both employees were able to support their families. Poverty is an illness we all share.

Jarryl Larson

Edgecomb