The facts sometimes paint a different picture. Successful programs are built on facts. From county to county or community to community the poverty picture can look very different. Your County University Outreach and Extension office can assist with gathering data about the poor in your area. The facts below are based on national or Missouri data.
Employment is the largest single source of income for American families with poor children.
Sixty-one percent of welfare recipients have work experience. In general, poverty rates are slightly higher in rural than in metropolitan areas. Those in rural areas experience longer spells of poverty on average than those in metropolitan areas. Since the early 1970s, the income gap between the wealthy and other Americans has widened. The majority of poor families with children work.