Annapolis, MD (March 25, 2019) – Today, County Executive Steuart Pittman joined the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County to present the 6th Edition of Poverty Amidst Plenty VI: On the Road to Progress For All. The report provides an overview of the issues in Anne Arundel County that impact the economy and quality of life. The report recognizes the geography and color of poverty within the county and helps community agencies and partners generate funds for vulnerable residents and their families.
The community issues identified in the report include economic opportunity, the environment, health, homelessness, the income gap, mental health, population growth, poverty, social media, and substance abuse. The report also highlighted affordable housing, childcare, quality health care, jobs that pay a living wage, and the availability of transportation as needs that remain constant year after year.
“This report is alarming,” said County Executive Steuart Pittman. “We have been building houses that working people cannot afford, creating jobs that do not pay a livable wage and taking pride in tax cuts that strangle our schools and public services.”
Anne Arundel County has the third largest economy in the state but a considerable income gap between those with wealth and those in poverty. As income levels decrease, families spend an increased proportion on housing needs. There are an estimated 1,260 homeless children that were identified in our schools, and there are approximately 47,000 children under the age of 18 below the federal poverty level.
“Unfortunately, although we are an affluent county, I’m not certain we are yet ‘On the road to progress for all,’” said Pittman. “But the Poverty Amidst Plenty shows how important it is for us to get there. The report hopes to ‘spark powerful conversations and meaningful progress toward achieving a healthy and strong community’ for all residents. Now we need the political will to get moving and make some changes that will help county residents in need.”
County agencies and community partners who collaborated and funded the project include: the Community Foundation of Anne Arundel County, Anne Arundel Medical Center, the Anne Arundel County Partnership for Children, Youth and Families, the Anne Arundel County Mental Health Agency, the University of Maryland Baltimore Washington Medical Center, the Anne Arundel County Department of Health, and the YWCA of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County.
The report may be viewed http://www.cfaac.org/.