Americans may picture Third World countries as communities with abandoned homes, starving adults and children who are barefoot. However, more than 23 million Americans live in rural poverty.
1964 was the year President Lyndon Johnson started his War on Poverty in Appalachia. It covers a 1,000-mile stretch from southern New York to northeast Mississippi. Although there have been some improvements in certain communities since the 1960s and 1990s, these conditions did not improve with the economic boom.
Appalachian earnings and unemployment rates still remain below the national average. Some areas are still without water or plumbing systems. Appalachians are often able to afford their homes, but coal companies built them and then sold them at a low price when they moved to new areas. Few people can afford their upkeep.
Americans Helping Americans, a non-profit organization, reports that many homes in Appalachia are without roofs, walls or floors.
Appalachia was home to many people who moved there when the coal mining industry was in its prime. But most coal mines have since moved west. Appalachia’s workforce is now only 2 percent, and many of them face health-related risks. People work in unskilled, low-paid jobs that don’t pay enough to support their living expenses.
Rural poverty is especially difficult for children. Appalachian youth are often raised without proper food, shelter and healthcare. In fact, one fifth of Appalachian children live in poverty. Appalachia is home to very few doctors. Also, not many residents have health insurance and the ability to pay for medical expenses. Many families find it difficult to afford simple toys, such as home repairs and dental visits.
Simple donations can help Appalachian kids feel confident and proud. AHA’s Bare Feet program takes children to shops where they can buy their shoes just like any other child.
AHA also provides food, blankets, utilities, and repairs for Appalachian families in need. Appalachians live in a much lower standard of life than Americans. However, relief work can help families break free from the Third World. Visit www.appalachians.org for more information. www.helpingamericans.org.
