Parenting in Poverty Archives - MCDBEC

Poor in Essex County, nj

MCDBEC — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 00:55:14 +0000

What do we mean by “Poverty”?

The experience of poverty in New Jersey encompasses a broad spectrum of individuals and families facing an economic struggle. The spectrum includes people with very low incomes facing dire deprivation and daily sacrifices. It also includes many among the working poor, who are often ignored by official poverty statistics but who nevertheless experience real and harmful economic challenges.

I Understand that, poverty is a complex and systemic problem and there is no one-size-fits-all solution or one organization. At a minimum, our statewide effort to prevent, reduce, and end poverty by increasing opportunities that reduce those challenges and promote more social systems to help them.

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parenting in Poverty

MCDBEC — Wed, 01 Feb 2023 01:29:11 +0000

Facts of life

It doesn’t matter where you began or who you become we were all babies, and we all needed our diapers changed! From Albert Einstein to Mother Teresa to Beyonce we all needed this basic need met. 1 in 3 moms struggle to provide clean diapers for her babies. Do you remember what you did when you ran out of diapers? You might not have because you had a good job or your husband paid for those necessaties but, this is a reality to a lot of families in Essex County.

Being poor and trying to raise children is stressful on a host of levels, but it’s especially tough for people who can’t afford diapers. The Yale University School of Medicine finds that depressed, low-income mothers might need Diapers far more than they need Prozac. The study found that women who lack an adequate supply of diapers for their babies are more likely to report symptoms of depression and anxiety than other low-income mothers. Maternal depression and mental health problems, the researchers say, can have longterm and debilitating effects on children’s well-being and their performance in school

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Longtime Covid Effects

MCDBEC — Sun, 22 Jan 2023 00:02:12 +0000

grewThe COVID–19 pandemic has had a devastating effect on poverty all around the world. The effects of the virus have had a particularly devastating impact on vulnerable communities and those living in poverty, as these communities are more likely to suffer from the social and economic impacts of the pandemic. The economic impact of the pandemic is particularly acute for those living in poverty such as our senior community. Many seniors and those with disablities who living in poverty have experience their caregivers losing their jobs which reduced the household income. They experienced reduced work hours, meaning they have lost vital income to sustain themselves and their families. This has caused many to slip into deeper poverty and depression.

At the same time, the pandemic has caused a rise in the cost of living, as the prices of food and basic goods have risen significantly. This has meant that those living in poverty are struggling to meet their basic needs, as they are unable to afford the necessary items. This has created an even greater strain on already vulnerable populations, as they are unable to access the resources they need to survive.

The health impacts of the pandemic also grew significantly for seniors. The communities they live in often lack access to quality healthcare and, they are more likely to experience severe symptoms and longer recovery times if they get get sick with Covid-19 than any other group.

We could always find time for everything else in life so, find some time to check in on your friends and loved ones or just call them. I’m sure they would appreciate the attention and you would contribute to their mental state as well.

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Single fathers

MCDBEC — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 02:50:22 +0000

Since the pandemic, lots of our residents lost jobs and are now on fixed incomes or had to take a lower-wage job to make ends meet. MCDBEC is here to not only help the low-income resident but the working poor as well.

We all know people who have jobs but still can’t make the rent or other basic needs, we call those people ALICE — Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. ALICE are people who educate our children, keep us healthy, and make our quality of life possible, yet do not earn enough to support their own families. ALICE households are forced to make tough choices, such as deciding between quality child care or paying the rent, which have long-term consequences not only for ALICE, but for Essex County residents.

The amount of men raising their children without a mother has grown over the years. Because they have stepped into that role they are no longer a part of the workforce because raising little ones is a fulltime job on its own. I have a father from East Orange who felt embarrassed to get help from the diaper bank he said ” I didn’t think it would be this hard to be with my child 24/7 after my kids mother died from Covid.

Know your financial status and don’t be afraid to ask for help. Visit the United Way, Alice Project and read all about it.

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Living single

MCDBEC — Mon, 16 Jan 2023 01:12:48 +0000

Being single and raising children can be challenging from paying your bills to keeping a roof over your children’s heads to being there for them mentally. It might sound easy to some people, especially those who do not have children, or come from a 2 income household but let me tell you it’s not, and the older the more money and effort it takes to care for them.

If you are planning to get pregnant or already have a baby from 0-3 think about what you would do if you ran out of diapers and had money? What would you do? Modestly Cover Diaper Bank of Essex County ensures that families living below the poverty level solely to make sure they have an adequate supply of diapers for their infants, toddlers and seniors. If you’re not familiar with the term “Diaper Need” then we need to have a long conversation. That means parents or caregivers cannot afford an adequate supply of disposable diapers to keep their children comfortable, clean and dry.

We have been distributing infant diapers since 2015 focusing on Essex County and spreading the word that diaper need is plaguing our community. I’m a firm believer that advocacy and outreach is the way to get people to look at diaper need and how it affects families in poverty.

Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Remember we keep babies first.

By for now and thanks for stopping by…

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