In the world’s richest nation, “working poor” should be a contradiction in terms. But tens of millions of Americans fall into that category -- affecting a growing population of children -- with problems exacerbated by the recession.
Despite their toil, many of the working poor are broke. If a child gets sick, if they lose their job, if a spouse leaves, it can swiftly spell a financial emergency. They sometimes choose between food and rent or between medicine and heat. What’s it like for people in low-paying full-time jobs, with no savings, falling behind on their bills, sometimes lining up at food pantries, even shelters? And how does this affect the rest of society?
