Imagine a line of people standing shoulder to shoulder stretching 7.4 miles. That’s the actual number of people in poverty in Calhoun County today according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Over the last 10 years, poverty in our area surged from 10.9% in 2000 to 17.0% in 2011. That means today at least 23,144 people in Calhoun County are living in grinding poverty today. Here at Charitable Union, we see the reality of poverty every day. Our total client volume has nearly doubled from 2004 to 2012. And the demand continues to grow today. (Why It Matters)

Who are these clients? Most of them are single mothers and their children. In fact, nearly one in four local children lives in poverty today. Seniors are the next most common group, making up about 12% of the total. There's no escaping the fact that poverty is a huge problem in our area. In the calendar year 2010, we served more than 11,340 individuals, including:

So how poor is poor? Here’s the official poverty threshold level by household income for an entire year:

Ask yourself this question: Could you live on $10,890 per year? Could you raise a child and pay for your own needs on less than $15,000 per year?

For most of us, the answer would be “no.” In fact, most of us have no idea what it’s like to live in desperate poverty month after month, year after year. That's why we need your help today.

Please consider supporting Charitable Union with a much-needed, tax-deductible financial gift today. To make a donation with a major credit card, use the button at left. Or click here for our mail-in donation form.

If you you need assistance for yourself, your children or your family, please click here now to learn how Charitable Union can help. Please also read the following note about qualifying for our services.