today,one in five American children live in poverty
Today,one in five American children live in poverty (贫困),and the number is growing.The recent economic downturn (衰退),along with high oil prices and rising food prices,is crippling many families in the US.
For children,poverty affects (影响) children from health to early learning.The results of poverty are important not only on future achievement (成就) but in the near term.
Black children have the highest child poverty rate (率).Comparing all families,the poverty rate for children in families led by single mothers is 42 percent and single fathers 21 percent,compared to 8 percent of children in married-couple families.Children in married-couple families have lower poverty rates than those in single parent homes.
Child poverty also differs according to geography.Child poverty rates are higher in the countryside than in the city,18 percent compared to 13 percent.When looking across the country,child poverty is the lowest in the North (9 percent) and highest in the South (19 percent).