The United States is a developed nation with a population of about 340 million people. That statistic alone makes it difficult to understand why thousands and thousands of U.S. residents struggle daily to access basic necessities like housing, nutritious meals, quality education, clean drinking water and warm clothing during harsh winter months.
Legal Services of Eastern Missouri, a nonprofit law firm that provides free legal assistance to those in need, is highlighting the harsh realities faced by millions of Americans living in poverty. This campaign took centerstage in January, which annually marks Poverty Awareness Month.
“Poverty is not solely about financial hardship; it’s about systemic inequities that prevent people from achieving stability and security,” said Executive Director of Legal Services Dan Glazier.
Recognizing that legal barriers often compound poverty, Legal Services offers civil legal representation under the scope of its various programs that include helping people retain their housing, obtain access to Medicaid and other public benefits, escaping domestic violence and preserving access to quality education.
In 2023, more than 31,000 people in 21 counties of eastern Missouri received services from five regional offices. The nonprofit has provided free civil legal help for low-income families for 68 years.
According to city of St. Louis data, Black residents are more than three times more likely than white residents to live in areas of concentrated poverty. Another report showed Black adults are more than twice as likely as white adults to live in poverty.
The One STL research stated St. Louis’ eight-county region percentage of poor residents living in a concentrated area of poverty decreased from 13.8% in the baseline period of 2006-2010 to 7.5% in 2017-2021.
The number of poor people living in concentrated areas of poverty decreased from 41,000 in the baseline period to 19,982 in 2017-2021. Over this time, the percentage of the population living in poverty decreased from 12.9% in 2010 to 11% in 2021. The number of census tracts that qualified as high poverty decreased from 34 to 18.
From 2017 through 2021, 6.9 percent of poor residents lived in concentrated areas of poverty, ranking 22nd among the peer regions. The second Where We Stand table shows that among the 50 most populous regions, St. Louis has the 3rd largest racial disparity in concentrated poverty.
Poor Black residents are nearly 12 times more likely than poor white residents to live in these high-poverty areas. Since the 2006-2010 time period, the disparity between Black and white people has increased, however, the concentration of poverty has declined for both white non-Hispanic residents and Black residents. The percentage of poor white residents living in concentrated poverty decreased from 2.6 to 1.3.
The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion Healthy People 2030 Report states residents of impoverished communities are at increased risk for mental illness, chronic disease, higher mortality, and lower life expectancy. Individuals who experience childhood poverty are more likely to experience poverty into adulthood, which contributes to generational cycles of poverty. In addition to the lasting effects of childhood poverty, adults living in poverty are at a higher risk of adverse health effects from obesity, smoking, substance use, and chronic stress.
The report also shows older adults with lower incomes experience higher rates of disability and mortality. One study found that men and women in the top 1% of income were expected to live 14.6 and 10.1 years longer, respectively, than adults in the bottom 1%.
Poverty is a multifaceted issue that will require multi-pronged approaches to address. Strategies that improve the economic mobility of families may reduce the negative effects of poverty. For instance, tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit and Child Tax Credit alleviate financial burdens for families with lower and middle incomes by reducing the amount of taxes owed.
Two of the nation’s largest social assistance programs are Medicaid, which provides health coverage, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance.
“By offering free civil legal support, we aim to empower individuals and families to overcome these challenges and improve their quality of life,” said Glazier
For more information, please visit www.lsem.org.