Six years after the Great Recession ended, more children now live in poverty than during the recession says the Annie E. Casey Foundation, a group that strives to develop "a brighter future for millions of children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes."
In 2013, approximately 22% of all children living in the United States are in a household below the poverty line, an increase from 2009's figure of 18% of all children living below the poverty line.
The Casey Foundation's associate director for policy reform and advocacy, Laura Speer called the report "disturbing on lots of levels."
Per USA Today, low-income families and households are "defined as those who use more than 30% of their pre-tax income for housing." There were over 18 million children who lived in a low-income residence in 2013.
Nearly three times as many African American and American Indian children who live in poverty than White or non-Hispanic children.
Speer and the Casey Foundation hope that the slow decrease in the unemployment rate since 2013 helps decrease the number of children in poverty, but they are not banking on it.
"It’s a much bigger issue that’s happening relating to residential segregation, the cost of housing and other factors,” Speer said.
H/T USA Today