By Margaret Dietrich and Marianne Ofenloch

Recently, a gathering of Pike County residents heard about the state of poverty in our area, when Todd Behr, professor of economics at East Stroudsburg University, spoke at St. Patrick’s Church Hall at the invitation of the Social Justice Committee of the Five Catholic Parishes of Pike County. Behr’s presentation focused especially on a group known today as the working poor.

In 2012, 46.5 million people (15% of the U.S. population) were living in poverty. Nearly one-quarter of those—10.5 million people—were classified as the working poor. These are people often working two or more jobs, and still they cannot make ends meet. They generally work part-time jobs with no benefits. Many make an hourly salary of less than or equal to the minimum wage (currently $7.25 an hour). While the federal poverty level for a family of four was $23,624 a year before taxes in 2013, a full-time job of 40 hours a week at minimum wage equates to only $15,080 a year. Thus, it is obvious why those working even two jobs at minimum wage are struggling with poverty.

Many factors contribute to the plight of the working poor, including reduced purchasing power and an inability to obtain cheap credit or any credit. An inability to service existing credit can lead to the loss of possessions; loss of a car can lead to unemployment; loss of a home leaves families on the street. Those in poverty often have low self-esteem and feel they have no worth in society. This can lead to alcohol and drug use, crime and family violence, which only reinforce the cycle of poverty.

Education is a major factor for gaining employment and improving earnings. The 2013 median weekly income tells the story: those with only a high school diploma earned just $651 a week compared to those with a bachelors degree who earned $1,108 and those with a masters degree at $1,329. But education costs money that those in poverty simply don’t have, and employers have been cutting educational funding for their workers.

Unemployment benefits no longer last 26 weeks, the average time to find another job. While out of work, a worker not only tends to lose skills and cannot learn new job skills, but also cannot stay current in job information. Discouraged workers (those no longer looking for a job) cause the actual unemployment rate to be understated in statistical reports.

As elsewhere across the country, Pike County needs more full-time jobs with benefits, but many businesses have changed to part-time jobs without benefits to cut their costs. Long-time employees have been laid off to hire new staff at a lower salary. In Pike County, many jobs are seasonal (garden work, lawn mowing, snow blowing, winter or water sports), and many employ high school and college students for these jobs. Most jobs in Pike County are service jobs, and many of these jobs are paid by tips. The federally mandated minimum wage for these jobs is $2.82 per hour. Working in a big restaurant or small store can make or break you.

Affordable housing also plays a role in the poverty within Pike County. After 9/11, when a large number of people were leaving big cities, the construction business initially did well here, but it started to decline in 2005. Today, new construction is very limited. Forty-three percent of Pike’s homes are seasonal or part-time recreational housing. Of our permanent housing stock, there is a higher percentage of higher-value homes and rental units, while there are very few affordable houses or rental units. The lack of affordable housing coupled with the lack of jobs has a major impact on the working poor’s ability to live and work in Pike County.

Thankfully, there is help available to the working poor, including from government agencies and community-based organizations. Two key contacts for aid are the Pike County Assistance Office in Milford (570/296-6164) and Pike County Link (570/775-5550). Those calling for aid will be referred to appropriate agencies according to needs. There is help for job assessment, medical care, addiction, legal aid, job training, employment, counseling, financial literacy, food, education, energy conservation and weatherization, utility money saving plans (i.e. PPL) and more.

So, where do we go from here? Our social justice committee plans a “needs assessment” and survey to find out what is available to help the working poor to make good use of available resources. There are budget classes, résumé classes and vocational skills classes for adults. Volunteers have offered their help and expertise.

Poverty affects all of us. Solving the problems within Pike County as they relate to poverty is a work in progress. If you have suggestions or would like to volunteer, call 570/775-1647, or email mcetd@yahoo.com.

[Margaret Dietrich is chairperson of the Social Justice Committee of the Five Parishes of Pike County. Marianne Ofenloch is a member of the same committee, representing the parish of St. Patrick’s Church in Milford, PA.]