CREATIVE RETIREMENT
GREAT DECISIONS II
TOPIC -- Theme of Personal Interest Club
Friday Round Table Discussion Group
n . Poverty in Marshall County -- 20 November '09
Moderator's Background Material.
Jim's Pre-Meeting notes.
Demographics from a few minutes browsing on the Internet.
- Marshalltown summary Census, 2008
- Marshalltown Summary - 2000 census
- Poverty and Food
Needs, Marshall County, 2008. www.extension.iastate.edu/hunger/counties/profiles/marshall.pdf
Note the numbers are obsolete already. Qualification for free lunch has been raised to 200% of poverty.
That means that a family with four children and an annual income of $54,600 qualifies for food assistance breakfast, and transportation.
- 1998 Child and Family Health
Profile of Marshall County. www.extension.iastate.edu/communities/health/marshall.pdf
Compare with a prior decade.
- Federal Education Budget Projection -- see State-Level Demographics Menu.
Then a few minutes with a state statistician. [ I make a few comments.]
- Factfinder.Census.Gov
- Dept. of Human Services of Iowa
- National Poverty Guidelines / Iowa Median Income -- Excel
Iowa multiples the Fed provided numbers by 100%, 130%, 185%, or even 300% depending on the program, allowing those well-off to qualify.
- Free Lunch, Marshallton and Iowa, 2000-2009 About 200% -- Excel
- Parents Letter -- Free/Reduced meal rules, including annual income levels up to $68,469 . [2-pages, print]
- Apply online for food assistance.
Food Assistance Benefits Have Increased !
The federal economic recovery package means additional help to many of the lowest-income families in Iowa. Food Assistance benefits have increased nationwide by 13.6 percent, the average monthly household benefit increased about $32. More information on these increased benefits is available in English and Spanish.
Fiscal Year 2008, the total participation in the Iowa Food Assistance Program was 255,747 participants per month
The Food Assistance Program provides Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards [ No more embarrassing food stamps, but a credit card just like real people.] that can be used to buy groceries at supermarkets, grocery stores and some Farmers Markets.
Qualifications:
- Meet income guidelines.
- Be a citizen or legal immigrant . [ Everybody welcome; gift from the taxpayers.]
- All children who are born in the United States can apply even if their parents are not citizens.
To apply: Call your local DHS office to get an application or apply online at: http://www.yesfood.iowa.gov/
How much do I get ? "If there are 3 people in our household, then you get $313 per month."
- Menu of Monthly reports provided by the State Statisticians.
- Family Assistance by County
- Medicaid -- Marshall Co $2,922,000 on 7,097 people. Iowa $242,535,600 on 364,731 people.
- Hawk-i. Child medical insurance. 300% of poverty qualifies. [ Companies will cancel family plans.]
- WIC (Women, Infants, & Children) Guidelines
- Medicare by County, menu
- hawk-i - $29 million spent 2008
- Mental Health
- Public Assistance (Cash) -- $95,000, Marshall County, 295 cases
- Family Development - 1,379 families, Iowa
- Child Abuse
- Adult Abuse
- Child Care
- Mental Health
- Child Support
- Health Care Regardless of Your Ability to Pay. -- Federal mandate
PRIMARY HEALTH CARE - Marshalltown ; Plus 12 Des Moines and 2 Waterloo.
412 E. Church St., Marshalltown, IA 50158-2947
[ An international criminal arrives in Marshalltown with a list in hand of how and where
to get free food, free clothing, and free health care. ]
One or more persons within a household may qualify for multiple welfare programs - medical, food, jobs, etc.
$300 from one program, $300 from another, and $300 from a third, it adds up to "Thank you, Iowa."
- Marshalltown provides free and reduced cost breakfast and lunches for 64% of the school population.
Statewide average is 10%. The new three R's -- reading, write'n and rations.
- 2006 county ranking for Free Lunch
- [ Get food stamp numbers. ]
- 2003 ranking for Teen Birth Rate
- IA Dept Of Educ FAQ .
IS transportation free to families who qualify for fee waivers?
Yes. If a family qualifies for free or reduced hot lunch, transportation is also to be provided free or at a reduced rate to the family. 281 I.A.C. 18.2, 18.3.
WE have a home schooled student that is eligible for free meals. Can the child come to school only for lunch?
No, home schooled students qualifying for free or reduced-price meals must be in class at school one period before or after meal service to receive benefits.
- Summer Food Service Program : feeding sites
Open sites operate in low-income areas where half or more of the children are from households with income at or below 185% of the Federal poverty guidelines. Meals are provided at no charge to any child at the open site.
* Marshall County ; Marshalltown Community School District
- T-R Assoc Press notes : Uninsured 50 million made up of 20.5 MM whites, 14.8 MM Hispanics, and 7.4 MM blacks and 9.7 MM non-US citizens. These numbers don't add up so here are the full numbers specially prepared for this class as State and Marshall Country by a state statistician.
- DHS Service Statistics for last ten years -- PowerPoint presentation, 34 pages
About this page : Homework for a planned discussion on Poverty in Marshalltown.
Last updated -- 30June2008 8:am
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URL : http://www.manorweb.com/creative/2009/topic/poverty.html