{"id":13232,"date":"2012-11-21T12:03:53","date_gmt":"2012-11-21T19:03:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/?p=13232"},"modified":"2012-11-28T13:57:09","modified_gmt":"2012-11-28T20:57:09","slug":"pbs-frontline-documentary-poor-kids-highlights-growing-poverty-in-the-u-s-in-idaho-the-story-is-similar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stateimpact.npr.org\/idaho\/2012\/11\/21\/pbs-frontline-documentary-poor-kids-highlights-growing-poverty-in-the-u-s-in-idaho-the-story-is-similar\/","title":{"rendered":"PBS Frontline Documentary ‘Poor Kids’ Highlights Growing Poverty In The U.S., In Idaho The Story Is Similar"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Spencer Platt \/ Getty Images<\/p>

A child waits with a box of food at a food distribution center.<\/p><\/div>\n

As the holiday season gets underway, the PBS show Frontline<\/em> premiered a new documentary<\/a> this week that tells the story of child poverty in America through the eyes of kids.<\/p>\n

It’s called Poor Kids<\/a>, and the hour-long program weaves together the similar stories of three families living in poverty, and trying to work their way out of it.<\/p>\n

For a family of four, an annual income of $23,050 or less is considered in poverty<\/a>.\u00a0 <\/em>Today’s median household income is $50,054.\u00a0 In Idaho, the median income is\u00a0$46,423.\u00a0 Last year, 7 percent of Idahoans had incomes that amounted to less than 50 percent of the poverty line, according to a Census Bureau report<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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U.S. Census Bureau<\/p>

Click the chart to enlarge.<\/p><\/div>\n

As Frontline<\/em> points out, the child poverty rate in the U.S.<\/a> has increased over the last few years, with between 13.4 and 16.5 million kids living in poverty.\u00a0 That means about one in five American children live in poverty.<\/p>\n

Idaho is following a similar path.\u00a0 According to 2010 U.S. Census data 19 percent<\/a>, or more than 80,000 Idaho kids are living at or below the federal poverty level<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The national average in 2010 was 21.6 percent, the highest level of child poverty<\/a> since Census started measuring for it in 2001.<\/p>\n

Here’s a list of ways to donate food, clothing and money to local charitable organizations in Idaho:<\/p>\n