1 out of 5 in I.F. can't make ends meet

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Story Published: Aug 9, 2007 at 5:17 PM MST

Story Updated: Aug 9, 2007 at 6:33 PM MST

By Abbey Gibb

One out every five people you pass on the streets of Idaho Falls, is below the poverty line. A line that's drawn deep in the sand for those living on less than six dollars an hour.

Beegle: "What we know about poverty typically comes from stereotypes and myths or extremes."

A high school drop out and married by 15, Donna's story has been repeated for generations in her family.

Beegle: "When you're born into poverty, school makes no sense because what you have to do is make money today to eat tonight. Plus you don't know anyone who's benefited from education. Who's used education to get ahead."

But with the help of a low-income organization, things began to change. 10 years later she had her PHD and a desire to work towards the end of generational poverty...she now speaks to thousands around the country on this issue.

The government says if I make 20,000 a year or less I am at the poverty level..but that's based on 1960 economy and doesn't include what it would cost me for day care, transportation or health care. Current economist say I'd have to make at least $10,000 more a year to make ends meet. So who is poor and what does poverty look like?

Beegle: "Poverty in minority populations proportionately is higher, but the majority of people in poverty are white. And what do you call a poor white person? White Trash. If you live in a world where it's ok for people to call you trash, you will eventually believe it that you're deficient, something's wrong with you and there's no hope and that's the main ingredient for people to move out of poverty is hope."

So the real question is, what can you and I do to help? Beegle says it's a matter of changing your mentality about poverty and then eliminating the misconceptions. And she says, we might all be surprised at the community we find.

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