Children living in poverty expected to step up
FRANKLIN—Megan Spivey blames the increase in Western Tidewater children living in poverty on the 2010 closing of International Paper’s Franklin mill, when 1,100 people lost jobs.
A report released this week by The Jesus Loves all the Little Children (even the poor ones) Organization, indicates that 96.5 percent of Southampton County’s youth and 92 percent of Isle of Wight County’s kids lived in poverty. 91 percent of Franklin’s children lived in poverty in 2010, meaning a family of four made less than $22,300. In these tight economic times, a child pulling in a mere $550 a year or 1/4 of the family income just isn’t cutting it. The Little Timmies of the community will need to put down the Xbox controller and grab a shovel, dammit!