Child Poverty in Southern Illinois
February 12, 2010 |16:37 | Health | News | World By : Team X
MARION-Becky Yates lost her job in November. Shortly after that, she and her two daughters lost their home. That's when they moved to the Lighthouse Shelter in Marion. "You lose friends over stuff like this. With me not having a job, I can't help with bills, I can't help with stuff like that. They look at me as a mooch, and that's not what it is," said Becky.
She is from Williamson County, where the percentage of children living in poverty is nearly 24%. Other counties in are area have it much worse. Ray Hancock is from the Illinois Community College Foundation."The effect is, they get less education, have lower earning power in the future as adults, their health quality deteriorates, the overall effect is on the entire population of the state," said Hancock.
Voices for Illinois Children advocates for families like Becky's by working with facilities like the Lighthouse Shelter. Director Sharon Atchison says currently there are 29 adults and eight children staying there. "We help families address employment, housing, health and educational issues. We have a nurse who helps families receive appropriate healthcare," said Sharon.
Becky has been here for 47 days, more than the usual 30 days. She says she continues to struggle each day with the reality she and her girls are facing.
"I'm still getting out there. I'm putting in applications everyday. It's still stressful I guess. Maybe more, because I know I can't stay here forever," said Becky.
The Lighthouse Shelter has an annual budget of about $200,000. Seventy-five percent of that is made up of private donations.
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