This is what poverty looks like in the US right now
Julie Jacobson/AP
Nearly 40 million people are living in poverty in America.
Individuals and families living in poverty face a wide variety of issues that push them to rely on government programs and local resources, though resources like shelters and public housing aren't always reliable solutions.
Those who are living on the street and in shelters face especially brutal conditions in winter months as food-insecure households face stretched-thin local resources.
Though poverty has slightly declined in recent years, the US Census Bureau found last year that nearly 40 million people are living in poverty in America.
Poverty affects almost every area of life for Americans in every state and city across genders, ages, employment, and education.
See the different ways poverty affects Americans across the nation.
Though those living on the street are the most noticeable, homelessness is just one issue Americans in poverty face.
Julie Jacobson/AP
People in a variety of circumstances rely on government programs and local resources to aid in their struggle to support themselves and their families, working long hours on small incomes.
Rogelio V. Solis/AP
As costs of living rise across the country, some are forced to take up residence anywhere they can.
Elaine Thompson/AP
Source: Business Insider
Those who are homeless in cities resort to public spaces instead of shelters because of strict rules and eligibility requirements.
Mark Lennihan/AP
Source: Business Insider
Those who live on the streets are at the mercy of weather conditions, law enforcement officials, and finding small available spaces.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Source: Business Insider
Some cities create additional shelters for colder months. When a homeless woman was found with a stillborn infant at a Portland bus stop last year, the city set up beds on a shelter's spare floor space.
Don Ryan/AP
Source: The Guardian
There's been controversy in cities with overwhelmingly large homeless populations, as local officials have ramped up the physical removal or prevention of homeless settlements. Though officials in Seattle are supposed to offer a move to a shelter and 72 hours notice, that only happened around 60% of the time as of August 2018.
Ted S. Warren/AP
Source: The Seattle Times
To manage the number of people who need shelter and immediate services, massive temporary shelters provide a stable place while authorities can prepare more permanent arrangements.
Gregory Bull/AP
Source: The Alpha Project
In 2014, childhood homelessness hit a record-high of 2.5 million, or one in every 30 American children each year.
Jae C. Hong/AP
Source: National Center on Family Homelessness
Though public housing may be seen as a more permanent solution to provide for those who have been homeless, issues of decay and mismanagement run rampant among housing agencies.
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New York City was ordered in June 2018 to pay $2 billion to settle claims of corruption and mismanagement in the city's Housing Authority, the largest public housing agency in the US, after investigators found unaddressed leaks, crumbling walls, lead paint, mold, broken elevators, and rats.
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Source: Associated Press
Some in cities find small supplemental incomes collecting cans out of recycling bins and turning them into profit. Though this could offer some relief, the collecting takes time and there is high competition.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Source: PBS
Those who work but do not earn specified income rates miss out on federal healthcare benefits. In recent years, clinics by mobile medical groups have been on the rise to provide free dental, vision, and medical care to isolated and poverty-stricken communities.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
Source: The Guardian
A March 2018 study from the American Public Health Association found that medical expenses pushed more than 7 million Americans below the federal poverty line.
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Source: American Public Health Association
More than 37 million Americans who struggle with hunger, including more than 12 million children.
John Moore/Getty Images
Source: Feeding America
Many local nonprofit organizations provide community access to free or discounted food in food banks and pantries.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Source: Feeding America
Some shelters provide temporary relief for the homeless with occasional sit-down dinners.
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Organizations work to alleviate other major expenses by offering free or discounted groceries and household supplies. Food banks, like the one below, are a resource in areas known as "food deserts," where residents live without easy access to fresh, healthy food, including fruits and vegetables.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Sources: Charleston Gazette-Mail, USDA
Around the holidays, local relief organizations offer ways for homeless and low-income people to find groceries.
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The approaching winter months pose brutal conditions to those who are living on the street, and the greatest need for donated supplies to shelters.
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Those looking to help should consider contributing to local resource centers
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For those who live in a city or other area with a homeless population, some shelters advise to carry snacks, gift and transit cards, and information on nearby shelters to hand out as more sustainable solutions than just cash.
Food and clothing banks are often overwhelmed in the winter and around the holiday seasons, so donating items like non-perishable food and extra clothing can ease the strain on the community. National organizations like The Salvation Army and Feeding America have a finder to locate centers in need of donations.
