Local News

Kent poverty rate rises to 24.7 percent

By Anya Zentmeyer Assistant News Editor
2/3/2010

As most Grand Rapids residents huddle around the television, the 24.7 percent of residents in Kent County who fall below the poverty line huddle to stay warm.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, that number has risen from 15.7 percent in 2000, the steepest incline out of the 95 cities involved in the study.

Sandy Enders of Mel Trotter Ministries said many of those in poverty are regular people who have become byproducts of Michigan's struggling economy. Enders noted Mel Trotter has seen a dramatic increase of intact families coming through the Ministry doors, almost 500 percent more than in previous years.

"We now having people coming to us for food boxes, who, in the past, donated food to help others," Enders said. "The number of people seeking nightly shelter has increased significantly since last year, up about 28 percent."

Enders also noted the number of veterans coming to Mel Trotters has also tripled since last year.

David Schroeder of the Kent County Essential Needs Task Force attributed the poverty rate to the current recession, but said he thinks the Grand Rapids area is finally catching up to the rest of the nation.

"The trends here would appear to generally mirror the decline in economic vitality in Michigan as we struggle with our transition from a manufacturing economy to other kinds of productivity," Schroeder said. "The Grand Rapids/Kent County/West Michigan area has always been somewhat less impacted during economic downturns because of the more diverse business structure, but with the current recession, it would appear that we are finally being hit with poverty increases that other areas have been dealing with earlier."

Schroeder has noticed a sharp rise in the demand for the basics of living -- food assistance, help with paying rent and mortgage resolution support, the need for help with keeping heat and lights on and assistance in finding health care.

Public welfare food stamps, emergency payments, welfare and Medicaid caseloads also approach record levels. Grand Rapids is seeing more "new poor," too, Schroeder added.

Although the numbers are high, Schroeder said Grand Rapids city officials and more affluent community members do not sit idle.

"The community is continuing the work together to respond," Schroeder said. "During the last year, local philanthropies joined forces and donated more than $2 million to distribute emergency assistance ... through the Grand Rapids Community Foundation's ENTF Fund."

He said the Kent County ENTF has focused on expanding emergent assistance response and programs such as the Coalition to End Homelessness, which keeps people out of overnight shelters and in permanent housing.

GVSU's own campus is host to a student service and advocacy group called Hunger and Homelessness.

The groups' event coordinator, Laura Mosley, said the group is geared toward making a difference in "their own backyard."

By volunteering with local organizations, the group's main focus is to establish a sense of normalcy for those who feel as though they have lost everything. Mosley encouraged other students to get involved.

"Be a friend to someone who may not have any," Mosley said. "Establish a connection and just lend an ear to a man or a woman who sleeps on a park bench in the summer or stays overnight in one of the missions. Fill out an application to one of the local agencies and volunteer. Not only will you be making a difference in their lives, but they will be making a bigger impact in your life."

Likewise, Schroeder said the biggest thing the affluent can do to help is simply not to ignore the huge and growing need in our community and stay informed. People should work with organizations to respond to the need, and he noted this is something that should be a part of everyday life as federal and state resources continue to dwindle.

"As we move ahead, the poverty rates are not going to drop overnight," Schroeder said. "It will take a long time for joblessness to drop. It will take a lot of continuing work to help those who need it here."

assistantnews@lanthorn.com

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