“Think of the time of hunger in the time of plenty, poverty and need in the day of wealth.”—Sirach 18:25

The key to solving a problem? Understanding it. Learn the facts about poverty in the United States, understand the root causes, and—just as important—how people are helping themselves and others out of Poverty USA.

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Maps & Data

Access tens of thousands of data points to create maps, reports and analyses designed to provide you with a deeper understanding of your changing community.

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Poverty Facts

Get the facts about Poverty USA! Did you know: In 2018, 38.1 million people lived in Poverty USA; 16.2% of all children (11.9 million kids) lived in Poverty USA—that’s about 1 in every 6 children; 2.5 million children experience homelessness in a year. Luckily, there are programs that help.

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Poverty Quiz

How much do you know about poverty in the United States? Take Poverty USA’s interactive quiz to find out. Featuring both multiple choice and true-false questions, this quiz will help you to learn more about poverty and its impact on people across the country.

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Policies That Help

Working to address poverty in America demands confronting the root causes of economic injustice — and promoting policies that help. Learn more about some major legislative policies that help people get back on their feet. Your voice will make the difference!

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Catholic Teaching & Tradition

The domestic anti-poverty program of the US. Catholic Bishops, the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) is an instrument of the Catholic Church working to break the cycle of poverty. CCHD aims to carry out the mission of Jesus Christ, “… to bring good news to the poor … release to captives … sight to the blind, and let the oppressed go free” (Luke 4:18).

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Education Center

After exploring the facts around Poverty, the following resources will help classroom teachers, community, church and service group leaders, home schoolers and other educators initiate meaningful discussions about poverty in America today. Resources are designed to help individuals and groups not only begin to understand the size and scope of the problem but also start thinking about the ways in which they can take action to help create awareness about poverty in their communities.