COMMUNITY MATTERS
		Focusing on Poverty in Utah

For most of us, the anticipation of spending time with friends and family, exchanging gifts, and celebrating during the holiday season brings an inner warmth that defies the bleak weather and comforts the soul. There are, however, many people who cannot find such comfort in the holidays, as they face the reality of not being able to provide for their families’ basic needs, let alone fulfilling the hopes of their children for that special gift.

More than 232,000 Utahns are living in “official” poverty – on incomes below $19,000 for a family of four, according to the Federal Poverty Level. Perhaps even more striking is the fact that another 500,000 Utahns are struggling in what many call “working poverty,” with incomes that are below $38,000/year for a family of four. Together the number of Utahns struggling with insufficient income is roughly three times the entire population of Davis County.  (Read the full article...)
 
 Deborah S. Bayle
 President and CEO