Hunger and Poverty among African-Americans in the last ten years in Texas - Research Paper Example

The term poverty is defined as the lack of some basic needs of living. As such the research work is done to identify and evaluate the multiple dimensions of poverty and hunger associated with the Afro American group of the state. Therefore, the research question is to identify the reasons and impacts of hunger and poverty of the African-Americans in the last ten years in Texas. The Great Financial Crisis (GFC) of 2008 seems to have had many negative effects on the United States including Texas.

One of the main effects of the economic downturn has been the increase in the poverty rates in Texas since the year 2009. Poverty and food insecurity among the Afro American people seem to be closely interlinked. One in four Afro American people live are eligible for an amount of $11, 670 assistance from the government. In case of a single member household the percentage of assistance varies from 100% to 400%. The level of percentage is the same for household size of 1 to 8 but the amount of assistance varies.

For example, the amount of assistance for a 2 member household at the 100% level is $15, 730. The 100% assistance is highest for 8 members household where the assistance amount is $40, 090. Lee and Frongillo (2001) have identified in their work that the rate of poverty among the children in the Afro American group living in Texas is alarmingly high which has put the whole future generation in a risky state (Lee and Frongillo, 2001). The term of poverty line is denoted as the threshold level or the minimum amount of money a person needs to lead a life in a particular country.

Almost 35.7% of the total population of Afro American children belong to the below poverty line group in Texas as compared to only 20% of the American children living below the poverty line specified by the federal government. Despite being a state experiencing high growth and development, the poverty rate in Texas is high. Poverty is Texas seems