A LITTLE MORE ON POVERTY IN TUCSON

This is a follow-up to the previous article Innes wrote.

Pima pay, poverty, uninsured data subpar
New Census figures don't offer much good news locally
By Stephanie Innes
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona Published: 08.29.2007

"Many of our organizations serve people living above what the federal government defines as the poverty level. People still can't make it. For a living wage you need $39,000-plus for a family of four," said Community Food Bank President and Chief Executive Officer William D. Carnegie.

"We're up 39 percent in distribution over a year ago," he said of the food bank. "There's just more people seeking assistance. We're helping 170,000 people in any given month."

"Just looking at Primavera, the number of people who are working full time and homeless is just outrageous," said Peggy Hutchison, executive director of the Primavera Foundation, which works with homeless and near-homeless populations.

"Other people are living in homes that are unsafe and unsanitary. Seniors are skimping on food so that they can pay rent. Families do not have adequate health care. I can confidently tell you that the poverty rate is higher than 15 percent in Pima County. It is extremely disturbing, unhealthy and expensive for our community," Hutchinson said.