鈥淢itt Romney鈥檚 statement that he is 鈥榥ot concerned about the very poor鈥� because the nation has 鈥榓 safety net鈥� misses key points about families struggling in America,鈥� Mattingly said. 鈥淥ur research shows that the number of children living in poverty has increased since the recession started, and rural Americans, in particular, face great challenges escaping poverty. Even with the aid of government programs, many of today鈥檚 working poor still live below the poverty line.鈥�
Mattingly鈥檚 work at the Carsey Institute examines child poverty, how different family policies influence rural, suburban, and urban families, and how families adjust their labor force behavior during times of economic strain. She also examines poverty-related issues, how families cope with economic distress, childhood maltreatment, and foster care across states.
According to the Carsey Institute:
鈥� Between 2009 and 2010, one million more children in America joined the ranks of those living in poverty, bringing the total to an estimated 15.7 million poor children in 2010, an increase of 2.6 million since the recession began in 2007.
鈥� Persistent high poverty is most prevalent among children, with those living in rural America disproportionally impacted.
鈥� Rural Americans face higher poverty rates than their urban neighbors and greater challenges escaping from poverty, even with the aid of government assistance such as the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program.
鈥� The number of Americans turning to the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as food stamps, has substantially increased since the recession began and has continued to climb as many Americans have struggled with the economic hardships of the post-recession, weak economy.
For more information about the Carsey Institute鈥檚 extensive research about poverty, visit .
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