Poverty in Indiana a concern

INDIANAPOLIS -- A single parent in Indiana would have to earn more than $13,000 above what the federal government classifies as poor just to scrape by for a year, according to a new advocacy group report.\nThe Indiana Community Action Association released its first report on the state of Indiana's low-income citizens Wednesday. The association is made up of the 24 local assistance agencies across the state.\n"Indiana must have an integrated and effective system of supports in place to make sure the working poor can continue to grow, develop and make the life changes they need to move into jobs that can truly lift them out of poverty," the report says.\nThe report shows that a single parent who worked full-time, year-round in Indiana would have to make a minimum of $13.44 an hour, or $27,947 a year, to meet a bare bones budget that covered only necessities such as housing, food, health care and transportation.\nThis scenario doesn't take into account saving money, emergency expenses or extras for children.\nHowever, the federal government sets the poverty threshold at $14,150, creating a $13,797 "reality gap" between what the U.S. government classifies as "poor" and the basic dollars it takes to barely scrape by in Indiana.\n"What we found was eye opening, troubling and needs immediate attention," Jeanne Robinson, president of the Indiana Community Action Association, said Wednesday in releasing the report. "In today's world, the official definition of poverty should be roughly twice the official guideline."\nUnemployment continues to be a problem in Indiana, while the jobs that are being created don't pay enough to support a family, the report says.\nIn 2000, eight of the 10 largest occupations in Indiana paid less than a single parent with two children needed to survive, the report says.\nThese eight occupations, including retail salespeople, cashiers and food service workers, all had median wages of less than $11 an hour and average annual earnings under $24,000.