​Many Angles of Poverty in Rochester

By Tiana Hodge 
 
For many decades, American cities have been home to a disproportionate share of people living in poverty. Poverty has been destroying a lot of communities around the world. This issue has had a very dramatic impact on Rochester residents. Many families are being affected by poverty, especially families with children. People of color and people with disabilities are also affected by poverty. Families do not have enough money to meet basic needs such as food, clothing, and shelter. The extremity of poverty manifests limited local employment, housing, food deserts and the isolation of the residents in the affected neighborhoods. Rochester, New York’s poverty rate is ranked the fifth overall among the United States metropolitan areas. Discriminatory housing has played a big role in the rate of poverty increasing. The overall poverty rate has increased over the past three years. It has increased for every ethnic group. Nearly half of the families in Rochester live in poverty. Poverty is distributed unevenly by race and ethnicity. Many families that are affected by poverty are Black, Latino, and indigenous families. Most women lead households, especially those with children, experience more poverty than other household families with both parents. Most of the Rochester city school district students are economically disadvantaged.
 
The increasing rate of poverty is affecting a lot of people. Especially the states that have the highest rate. Such as Rochester, New York. Poverty includes standard housing, hunger, homelessness, inadequate childcare, unsafe neighborhoods, and under-resourced schools. People who live in poverty experience mental and physical health issues at a higher rate. Researchers have discovered that children who live in poverty can develop differences in brain development. Children living in poverty have a higher chance of attending under-resourced schools. These schools lack educational opportunities, books, supplies, and technology due to funding. This can lead to an increase in high school dropout rates. A lot of people are being affected by poverty. At the rate that poverty is continuing to increase more people are going to be affected by poverty. As more families start to live in poverty, they are more likely to experience the harsh realities of this issue. They will live far away from grocery stores with fresh foods. The lack of transportation in these neighborhoods makes it hard for these families. This also makes it hard for families to get the medical help needed. Many residents in Rochester who live in poverty have a hard time finding hospitals that accept Medicaid. In the United States there are almost thirty-eight million people living in poverty. In Rochester, New York fifty-six thousand six hundred ninety-five citizens are living in poverty. 28.9% of this population are adults, 15.4% are seniors. There are more than twenty-five thousand children living in poverty in Rochester, New York.