Research Paper on Poverty in Ontario, California

Poverty in Ontario City California State seems to be soaring up through the years. The statistics provided in the graph below show a steady increase of people living below the poverty line from 2012 and the subsequent years. When a comparative poverty study is carried between California and Alameda state, the total population of Ontario City is 163924 as per the 2010 census. California State compared to Alameda indicates worse cases of poverty.

Percentage of people below poverty line for California and Alameda

[Source: United States Census bureau]

The statistics conducted by the American community survey are of great significance as they help the government and other concerned authorities to mount the most appropriate poverty intervention strategies due to the problems associated with poverty such family breakdown, crime, prostitution diseases among others. California has somehow outpaced other states in economic growth and creation of jobs in the most recent years, but ironically this has not managed to solve the worst challenge California is facing; poverty.

The Center for American Progress each year surveys to produce a report dubbed state of the states which assesses progress towards fighting poverty. The findings of this report help planners and policy makers to better understand the states improving and areas which needs to be adjusted to promote the well-being of families (State of state reports 2015). This essay will look at the multiplicity and cause/effect of poverty in California and also take a critical study on the idiosyncratic nature of American States and why the glaring poverty levels in one of the states of the most developed nations in the world. Consequently, the study will identify strategies that can be applied to combat the high poverty levels.

Since poverty is a multi-dimensional concept before strategies are laid down, it's prudent to identify the indicators of the poverty in a given area. Poverty in California is characterized by the following; unemployment, income inequality, hunger and food insecurity, child poverty, gender wage gap, homelessness, disconnected youth, lack quality education, high teen birth rate.

There is an array of plans for a change of the poverty situation in Ontario. These are;

Ensure income security and employment for the most vulnerable groups such as women, youths, minorities, single parents, indigenous people and disabled

End homelessness.

Draft a five-year poverty reduction strategy specifically for Ontario children.

To establish the evidence base to help better inform and guide poverty reduction programs.

Numerous changes enshrined in the Ontario poverty reduction strategy report of 2015 proposed comprehensive and holistic measures based on evidence gathered from projects done, to tackle poverty. One of such measures was to establish and support sustainable and innovative community-driven projects such youth training in community lab. This measure connects the most-at-risk youths to business opportunities mentorship and training. Helping young entrepreneurs to establish and connect to reliable sources of livelihood keeps the youths out poverty in addition to providing for families. The Ontario local poverty reduction fund has gone a long way in creating employment opportunities and enhancing financial stability for small entrepreneurs. On homelessness, authorities should launch a housing strategy that provides homes to people and the freedom and flexibility to choose where to live and not be confined to one place (porter n.d). Child/youth poverty plan should be initiated to tackle poverty problems such as child benefit programs in which every child is provided with the basic needs and the benefit provided should be commensurate with the cost of living. This is because children are most affected in a poor society. (State of states report 2015)

Provision of health to children is an essential and great moral obligation to end poverty. Support of health development programs and learning of children such as the provision of feeding programs not only gives children the nutrition required to keep them healthy but also a way of retaining them in school. Efforts of fighting poverty in Ontario have been complicated by racialization of poverty. This is a situation in which the blacks are discriminated in getting better and quality opportunities such better income employment social services like health and education. Residential segregation based on race is evident in California State, and it contributes to the marginalization of a certain section of society. This scenario has resulted in a stratified system that relegates the blacks to the periphery and thus keeps them trapped in poverty. Changing the system may seem to be difficult due to status quo, but civil groups are supposed to formulate policies that would ensure equal treatment for everyone.

Children Poverty Action Group is a child agency focused on creating public awareness, lobbying organizations and proposing solutions for children welfare. The children agency aims to bring together social agencies, community leaders, and citizens to initiate research into child poverty. The agency provides social assistance to children by enabling the formation of universal children welfare that seeks to help children meet their basic needs without discrimination. Many community and non-profit organizations have been involved in formulating social assistance program. Ontario coalition for social justice, interfaith Social Assistance Reform Coalition (ISARC) and Low-income families together (LIFT). These organizations all work towards the eradication of poverty. This multi-sectorial approach to poverty ensures that the conspicuously escalating levels of poverty in Ontario California are dealt with comprehensively.

In conclusion, poverty levels in Antonio are shockingly high but the above intervention strategies if implemented fully and in good time can arrest the situation. When the population lives below the poverty line, it affects the functioning of the society due to the failure of people meeting the very basic needs of life such as food, clothing shelter, health, etc.

References

Porter, B. (N.d). Designing and Implementing Rights-Based Strategies to Address Poverty and Homelessness in Ontario. SSRN Electronic Journal. http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2467563

Rachel, W., & Jackie, O. (2016). State Report 2015. Retrieved from, www.americanprogress.org.Unitedstatescencusbureaue.