The recent dire statistics for Arizona - one in five people in the state lives in poverty, and the unemployment rate is the highest in three decades - came as no surprise to those on the front lines of the battle.
The troubling trends are exemplified in the flood of aid requests that come into relief agencies each day, including an outreach event for at-risk people hosted by the United Way on Thursday in Gilbert. And not all of the 100-plus aid seekers that visited Sun Valley Community Church by late morning fit the mold.
"We're seeing many more of the newly-homeless or people on the edge of being homeless," said Brian Spicker, Valley of the Sun United Way senior vice president for community impact.
"The face of poverty is changing, as they say. We're seeing more and more people with four-year (college) degrees. We aren't talking about only people who dropped out of school."
The United Way outreach event is performed once a month at sites around the East Valley. More than 20 providers and 140 volunteers help offer access to such services as employment referrals, wellness exams, shelter, counseling, food, clothing and haircuts.
Vicki Hartman of Gilbert attended in hopes of finding a job and dental care for her two children, one suffering from Down syndrome, the other with autism.
"I get no support from their dad, which really makes it tough," Hartman said. "I can't work a lot, because I have to be Mom and Dad. I'm just trying to see what my options are."
The latest figures from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that 1.4 million Arizonans - or 21.2 percent - live below the federal poverty level, which is $21,954 of annual income for a family of four. That percentage is second-highest in the nation, behind Mississippi.
Add an August state unemployment rate of 9.7 percent, and foreclosure still looming for many, things could get worse before they get better.
"We're seeing more and more people in need every day," said Shawna Fellenz, program manager for Community Services of Arizona, whose Community Action Program provides short-term assistance with housing expenses.
"We are inundated with requests for assistance, up to 200 a week. That's just the people who know about us. There is definitely a need in Gilbert and Chandler. ... We could probably triple our staff and still be busy."
The Maricopa Association of Governments' annual homeless street count, released in March, indicated that 2,729 people were on the streets, a 6-percent decrease from 2009.
But that number does not include those living in a shelter or with friends or relatives.
"It's a new situation for a lot of people in our area, where many people have social capital, so they can borrow from and stay with others and get by for a while in a low- or no-income situation," Fellenz said. "Some people don't considers themselves homeless if they are not on the street, if they are staying with their parents."
Clint Herbert of Mesa stayed with friends after losing his job as a car-wash manager a year ago.
"Technically, yeah, I was homeless," he said. "I was bouncing around for a while."
He is currently staying at the East Valley Men's Center shelter and recently found a job as a maintenance man at an apartment complex. Herbert was at the United Way event to submit paperwork to the Department of Economic Security - he still qualifies for some state aid - and open a bank account.
"I'm just getting back on my feet," Herbert said. "I have a lot of empathy for people who lost their job, house and are trying to feed their kids. I'm grateful for the help I got."
Sitting in an auditorium, where event attendees received a free meal, Spicker pointed to some of the dozens of service booths, manned by volunteers from the local business and faith community. He said their generosity will be vital to helping reverse Arizona's poverty, unemployment and homeless numbers.
"The size of the (poverty-rate) jump was a surprise," Spicker said. "I knew it would increase, but it's one in five people, and it's sobering to see that so many of those individuals are children. A good start in life really creates what we have and are as adults.
"We're trying to get children into services immediately, so we don't see a cycle in poverty. That's most tragic."
wonderweenie posted at 2:00 pm on Sat, Sep 25, 2010.
That describes me. College educated, disabled and dirt poor. I relied on help from a friend who lost her job at ASU. Two days ago the bank took the house. Lots of people are in my situation. And the paper says the recession is over. For whom?
bscriff1 posted at 3:24 pm on Sat, Sep 25, 2010.
[scared]
chan75 posted at 8:51 pm on Sat, Sep 25, 2010.
Earning a college degree is a gamble; there's no guarantee a four year college graduate will earn a promotion, a raise in pay, or be
given a job for the rest of their working days. Workplaces just don't
operate as they did in the past, as many of them today don't respect
or hire older, experienced, and educated workers anymore-Their bottom lines are all that matter, and older workers are viewed as a disposable commodity.
TruthSeeker posted at 9:21 pm on Sat, Sep 25, 2010.
Meanwhile McCain is still pushing for a guest worker program for illegal aliens. The people in the above article obviously want to work. They are by no means deadbeats. I wonder who will be employed first.
az2008 posted at 1:04 am on Sun, Sep 26, 2010.
Regarding a college degree being a gamble, google for "Frontline: College Inc." It's a one-hour documentary about how private education has turned into a diploma mill. Selling worthless education, funded by socially-backed student loans. (I.e., schools like Univ. of Phx have no skin in the game. No risk. If they can cajole people into taking on the debt, they've got their money. The student is then forever on the hook to the government, even having their Social Security benefits garnished. It's debt that can't be discharged in bankruptcy. If the student learns they can't earn what the commission-based recruiter led them to believe, they'll pay the rest of their life. Even losing their Social Security.).
I would be very careful about investing in an education. Especially when so many jobs are offshored in the interest of "free markets." This isn't a society that respects the American Dream any more. Everything is for sale.
I'm not right wing. But, I think this is why Dems will be punished this fall. They're not the party for the underdog. They stand up for the rights of transvestites and other obscure groups. They bail out Wall St. But, have absolute no ideas about how to stand up for the average person. (Rs are no better. They're offshoring our jobs in pursuit of "free markets," like it's free to force you to pay for a standard of living someone in India doesn't. Then "allow" you to compete against that person.).
soricobob posted at 5:13 am on Sun, Sep 26, 2010.
But I thought the Governor said she was, um, heh heh, ahh, doing the best for Arizona.
dman001948 posted at 6:17 am on Sun, Sep 26, 2010.
I recall when some of your hero was and still is Clinton (The man and admin cause 9/11). I recall while working in Huntsville, Al for the government. Going to eat and the waiter asking me if I was a CEO. Of course I was not, I just happen to having lunch with a younger female so I guess he assume. Anyhow, he claim he had a Master Degree as a IT and needed work badly. I first said it looks like you are working. He said I move here from GA hoping to find work as a IT for there was nothing there. Anyhow, the point is anyone can point out a person with any given President who was out of work...Now keep in mind I did not vote for Obama and NEVER will. And as the KID who in the UK said and now ban from entery into the U.S., "Obama is a Pr**k". Now talk about taking ones freedom of speech, you liberals should be all over that, just like you that disfigured the 9/11 momument in Phoenix...and your great ex-gov did nothing and now she sets as head of homeland security (sp). And refuses to help her own state, that is except to attack the Sheriff. How stupid can one get!
I say VOTE THEM OUT!!!!![beam]
ZonaRayZ posted at 12:52 pm on Sun, Sep 26, 2010.
jeez.....Clinton and admin DID NOT cause 9/11------the Republicans were in control the last 2 years of Clinton's term. By the time 9/11 happened they had been running things for 3 years......think about everything that has happened to this country since 1998.......1 President ,no matter who they are, could fix this HUGE mess with 1 or even 2 terms in office........especially with the Party of NO up their a@!!*
AZMomma posted at 4:18 pm on Sun, Sep 26, 2010.
The rants against everyone else goes on.
What made you think your college degree was going to be your Golden Passport to a life of Milk and Honey?
During any of the time did you actually WORK in your field, building contacts that might help you now?
There are only a certain number of jobs out there, but YES, all off-shore work needs to return back to the US until we are 100% employed.
Ain't gonna happen. Suck up, sling burgers for the duration.
oh....please STOP boring us all with your whine. It was YOUR choice to spend a lot of money on an education you cannot use right now. If you are in debt...that's life.
btbeme posted at 11:01 pm on Sun, Sep 26, 2010.
Hope and Change? Sounds more like Hoax and Chains...