They are the very young, and the very old. They are people of every race, religion and ethnicity . There are one million hungry people in Illinois. The Act provides funds for rent and utility assistance for people who are in danger of becoming homeless. In Illinois the correlation of race and poverty is evident.
Persons of color are more likely to be poor than their white counterparts.
There is not one single cause of poverty. A family or individual who is poor typically confronts multiple challenges which interact with one another. As problems compound, those in poverty are often forced to seek emergency help meeting their basic survival needs. 8 Low wage jobs are the most significant reason people must seek emergency assistance to meet their families' needs. The benefits of technology-driven economic growth do not reach those with low skills and poor education.