Single Mothers Struggle
Most of the United States considers itself to be the wealthiest nation. Yet, a large percentage of its 292,180,226 (est.) population live below the poverty line. In 2001, 9.2% (26,880,580.792) families were below that line.
24.7%, the lowest the poverty rate for families with a female head (mostly single mothers) since 1959 was quoted in November of 2000. However, that number quickly rose to 25.4% when G.W was awarded the presidency in December of 2000. Over 38,000,000 Single mothers and their children are struggling to feed, clothe and house their families.
"The new poverty data released today show no improvement in the poverty rate of people living in female-headed households, with 28.8 percent living below poverty in 2002, compared with 28.6 percent in 2001 .The poverty rate for female-headed families is nearly three times as high as the poverty rate for all families. A striking 38.2 percent of families headed by African American single mothers lived in poverty in 2002, compared to 37.4 percent in 2001. 36.4 percent of people living in families headed by Hispanic single mothers lived in poverty in 2002. Even for families headed by single working mothers, the poverty rate is 21.1 percent. Almost half of children living in female-headed households (48.6 percent) live below the poverty line." -- News Wire