Just the Facts

One child defined poverty as, “Lying to your teacher that you forgot your lunch at home.” For families living in poverty, having access to a secure source of food can be one of the greatest challenges. United Way supports programs that provide food for families and education about smart shopping and nutritious meal preparation.

Only half of teens feel safe at school. Two-thirds of females and nearly half of all males report being verbally harassed in the past year. United Way supports after-school and mentoring programs for children and youth, providing a safe place with positive role models.

New immigrant families face challenges beyond simple language barriers, including isolation and poverty to name a few. United Way supports programs focused on helping immigrant families find the help they need, when they need it.

Paths to poverty can include: unemployment, illness or injury, family breakdown or violence, immigration, discrimination or lack of income security in retirement. United Way supports food security programs and support services that help individuals help themselves.

Each of us is likely to be touched by a disability over the course of our lifetime either personally, or as a caregiver to a family member, or through experiences of friends or co-workers. United Way supports early intervention and support services for individuals and their families struggling to cope with a disability.

Women head four out of five single parent families, and families headed by a single mom are four times more likely to live in poverty than a two-parent family. United Way supports programs that help provide the basics for families living in poverty, like food.

**It’s important to remember that many single parent families are not living in poverty.