Nobody in the U.S. can afford to ignore poverty- by Michael Ford, executive director of Catholic Community Services of Northern Nevada

By Michael Ford

It's easy to ignore poverty when we think of it as something that just happens to "poor people."

As hard-working Americans, we believe that the poor need only get a job in order to turn their lives around.

The fact is, nearly two out of three families with incomes below the poverty level include at least one person who does have a job. A low-paying job, that is.

About a quarter of the full-time jobs in the United States pay less than two-thirds of national median earnings. Low-income earners may work longer hours or more than one job but still struggle to put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads or maintain health insurance. And the more hours worked, the less likely they are to acquire the training and skills necessary to move into higher paying jobs and out of poverty. Continue Reading