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Why Do Families Become Poor

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Recommended: Poverty in american society

Living in the United States, trying to raise a family is hard to do by itself. Trying to accomplish this while living in poverty is unimaginable. Living in poverty is very difficult and this is something that affects over 14 million Americans. Unfortunately, many children across America are also affected by poverty.

People who are living in poverty must live “paycheck to paycheck”. This means that the provider makes just enough money in their paychecks to pay their bills and then keep moving on to the next month. This lifestyle results in these families not always having enough money for things such as food, gas, clothing, etc. These people have to go through many hardships because of this type of lifestyle. For example, many people who live paycheck to paycheck suffer from depression and high levels of stress. In the PBS Documentary, the mother of the Hegwood family tells us that she has to take …show more content…

In the PBS Documentary, we learn that the Davis Family has not always been poor. Jonny Davis says that his family used to live a comfortable life until his father lost his jobs. Unfortunately, losing jobs can be unexpected which can make it hard to continue their normal standard of living. Now the Davis Family is forced to live in a homeless shelter because they lost their house and everything they had. Another reason why families are poor is because there is only one parent or guardian providing for that family. According to the PBS Documentary, almost half of the families with single mothers are living in poverty. This is the case with the Hegwood family. One parent working is simply not enough income to pay the bills while living comfortably. Another cause of poverty could be an unexpected event such as a natural disaster occuring. If a family is hit by a natural disaster and is unprepared or doesn 't have the necessary insurance, this can result in this family becoming homeless or living in

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