The invisible families of Adams County
Adams County is known for bountiful orchards that are lined on rolling hills with small quaint towns in between. Our small town of Gettysburg is flooded with tourists that see a well-kept, historic town. But behind this beauty, our economy is balancing on the backs of the Invisible Families of Adams County.
We know them as good people and hard workers. They could be your favorite waitress, your church peers, or your child’s coach. They assimilate to fit social norms, hiding their struggle. We rely on them to keep the tourist happy, to cook our food and to deliver it with a smile. They build our homes, mow our lawns, stock our grocery shelves, and sell us clothes. We celebrate their hard work and normalize working long hours and often, two jobs. Their struggle to keep a roof over their children’s heads or to put food on the table becomes invisible. We ignore that their hard work is not rewarded with a wage to cover their basic needs.
Working hard is what Americans do and Adams County residents take pride in being true Americans. Working hard is commendable, but why do we take so much pride in the struggle? Personally, I want the next family to have it easier than I did. I don’t want them to struggle just because I had to.
These families fall into a gap between government assistance and true self-sufficiency. This includes families that makes between 138% and 235% over the Federal Poverty Level. As an example, families of four that make approximately $35,000 and $59,000 a year fall in this gap. This dreadful gap often swallows its victims and cycles them back into poverty. In Gettysburg, about 25% of households fall into that category (Gettysburg City-Data.com). They are normal Adams County families. They are one financial blunder from living in poverty.
I experienced that downhill financial spiral in 2015. While sharing my story at a SCCAP fundraising event, I was asked to elaborate on the journey from homelessness to small business owner with a project called Poverty in Adams County. The goal is to identify the issues and find viable solutions to stop the cycle of poverty. We are concentrating on local solutions. We want to help our neighbors stretch each dollar by creating resources they can use as stepping stones while they strive to increase their income. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs shows people cannot focus on tomorrow if they cannot provide the essentials for today. If we can find ways to help with the basics, they can focus on their tomorrow.
To gain more insight, I posted on social media looking for families that were on government assistance but no longer qualify. I received a variety of responses publicly and privately. After affordable housing, the issue most urgently faced is affordable childcare. Other topics brought up were access to affordable food stores, transportation, and low-paying local jobs.
Some struggles are being addressed, such as, affordable housing and the Gleaning Project, that gives families access to free fruits and vegetables. The problems were identified, an idea was suggestion, and a plan was created to make a difference. We can continue this trend!
Now we need to tackle the demand for affordable daycares for limited income families. Some families find themselves uncomfortably searching social media to find care for their children. With limited time, an unfamiliar face becomes a childcare option. They offer low, per day fees and the parents are desperate to keep their jobs. Without a job, they cannot pay their rent. They need options!
When I moved to Gettysburg, SCCAP employees and a community of volunteers embraced me without judgement. These special community members stay quiet and prefer to be unnamed, but when they are called to action, they use their passion to make a difference. They gave me access to the resources I needed to climb out of poverty. They did not hand me the solutions, it was not easy, but without their support, I could not have pulled my family out of poverty as quickly as I did. I am confident this same community can figure out solutions to help these families move forward and avoid falling back into the cycle of poverty!
I challenge you, Gettysburg and Adams County, to join the discussion! Share your story to help identify problems or share your ideas to help find solutions. Together, we can give value and stability to the Invisible Families of Adams County.
Two ways to take part in the challenge: Join the Facebook page called “Poverty in Adams County: Problems & Solutions” or email your stories, struggles, ideas, comments, and questions to PovertyInGAC@gmail.com
Jenine Weaver is a Gettysburg resident and a member of the SCCAP “Poverty in Adams County” project. She is a member of the Democracy for America Government Accountability task force.