The number of children living in poor neighborhoods has increased dramatically during the last decade in Florida and elsewhere, according to a new report, set for release today, by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. This report comes on the heels of the IN cover story on huge racial disparities in Escambia County.
In Florida, 341,000 children reside in neighborhoods where at least 30 percent of the residents are impoverished. That’s based on federal poverty guidelines of an income not exceeding $22,000 for a family of four. The median household income for black families in Escambia County is $26,492. The percentage of blacks living below the poverty level is 32.7 percent
Escambia County has one out of every four children living in poverty–17,470 children, 28.1 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Here is the snapshot of Florida. Compare Escambia County’s stats to the State and National levels and you will see that we are in a crisis situation. All the ponies and balloons in the world can’t cover it up.