I keep hearing about Charitable organizations that are collecting presents for kids who "otherwise wouldnt have a Christmas" etc. I was wondering in this day and age what family couldnt afford at least a moderate christmas for their children? There are so many resources out there for low income families w/children (food stamps, low income housing, food pantries, childcare assistance, etc) you would think there is nobody so broke thier kids will have no Christmas- at least not in America.
Anyways, i'm not saying they shouldnt give presents out (It hink its a great program- will probably donate) But I was wondering if it is really possible in America to be that poor.
Thoughts?
2007-12-04 06:46:48 · 32 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Holidays ➔ Christmas
It is possible. I've been almost to that point. There is a certain point at which you cannot get additional assistance from the government because you make "too much money." And if your debt is eating up all of your extra funds, it's --extremely-- hard to squeeze out a little extra fundage, especially when your car's broken down, you're a single parent not receiving child support, and you're renting an apartment and paying for everything on your own. Unfortunately people in this situation, who are trying to be self-sufficient and doing everything they can NOT to rely on the government, don't qualify for anything. And for those who have a lot more kids and make even less money, I bet it's even harder. Having to go to the Dollar Tree to buy your kid Christmas presents really makes you feel like a horrible person.
2007-12-04 06:52:22 · answer #1 · answered by gilgamesh 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Seriously? There are so many types of situations that "wouldn't have a Christmas" otherwise. I grew up very poor and usually got socks and panties from Santa and my extended family (uncles and aunts) would send a doll or some type of toy. I never had a bad Christmas though. But what about children that do not have large extended families? What about single mothers that barely make more than the daycare bill and have exhusbands who don't pay child support? What about children whose parents barely make enough to pay the bills? Or children whose parents do make enough money, but spend it all on drugs. My work usually adopts a few families each year, and they usually have a child with special needs. These are families who spend all of their money on medical bills for their child and usually only one can work because one parent has to stay with the child at all times. Last year we bought a little girl a special wheelchair for Christmas because the family didn't have enough money to buy a new wheel chair and the child had outgrown her old one and hadn't been able to "get around" for months.
I really don't like the term "otherwise wouldn't have a Christmas" because I believe that many children could receive very little presents and still enjoy Christmas (like I did when I was a child), but there are serious issues with poverty in America.
2007-12-04 07:19:34 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I can understand why someone would think this, most people in America have enough money to offer at least a little christmas. However, some families just can not afford the luxaury of buying gifts just for fun. We have a few families in our church who we provide food and sometimes utilities for each month. They can simply not afford it. They have several children and work is sometimes hard to come buy. I think that there are so many families like this that go unnoticed. These charities are awesome.
Also, consider this, these families might beable to provide clothes and other nessicities (usually second hand and purchased at a thrift store or free clothing ministry) but they can not give any toys or other things that kids might want. These charities help them get new clothes and new toys.
2007-12-04 06:55:31 · answer #3 · answered by Teakatoo 2 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Are you kidding me? I work in a factory and they put up a toys for tots barrel and its totally empty and from the sound of things will stay that way.You are talking about welfare poor these charities also give to working poor.Most of us only make about 285$ a week .Rent is about 500$ a month without utilities.Add in utilities.Next figure in car insurance ,health insurance and a car payment even on a used car averages 50$ a week.Considering some of my coworkers are single mothers with 3 kids yes they get foodstamps but where is the money for gifts?They are scrambling to buy their children winter coats and boots. Im so glad my son is grown no way could I have afforded much at all at this rate.When he was small my husband helped.Many men pay no child support.You cant make them they just move and refuse to give you their social security number.Without that they wont help single moms.Some familys are huge too.Even with both parents working I know one family that has nine children because they took in a neice and nephew.Really for the working poor in america its bad.We work with so many illegals and although some factorys pay fair our town still has one factory that pays its workers 6.50 an hour and its awful work.Some people would rather work than be on welfare because even poor people have pride.Who wants to sit at home and do nothing?At least if we work we get exercise,make freinds and can have a little pride.Yes these people need your donations .Theres alot of poor whites killing themselves in meatpacking plants along with other races.I have a learning disability.I havent given up yet but for the last 15 years I have repeatly failed my GED and in some cases scored so low in math they refused to let me take it.All those kids you went to school with that got rotten grades well alot of them are factory workers because we all dont have the capability to learn as others do or go to colledge or make good wages.THe working poor need your donations okay?We donate too! WE have bake sales and book sales when someone has an operation or when somebodys Dad dies and they need funeral money,or traveling money. A box of cake mix is cheap and its a way to help.In this world we need to help each other.
2007-12-04 07:15:01 · answer #4 · answered by butterflyspy 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes there are families who are spending their income just to pay the rent, utilities and buy food. While some government programs help, they dont cover the actual costs. The people who are really suffering are the working poor who dont really make enough to get by but make too much to qualify for any government help. Government programs arent as easy to access or as generous as people who would like to believe.
Children who are in state care are provided gifts. Those who are in private residential care are also provided gifts. Those who are in homeless shelters are given gifts. Most parents find a way to get at least some small thing for their children so I would say that the children arent getting nothing for Christmas but they are getting so little that they will wonder why Santa doesnt like them. In the spirit of the season open your heart and make a donation.
2007-12-04 06:59:54 · answer #5 · answered by Diane M 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
I was thinking that too, but I think it's just cuz I've been lucky enough to haven't experience real poverty. It's probably for orphans or homeless children. My kids and I were also receiving low income help and I did sign up for that Christmas Clearing Council one year and it was extraordinary. Our sponsor was a nearby school and my 2 kids got probably 15 presents each. Even though I appreciated it very much, I just thought it was way too over the top. That coulda went to a bunch of other kids. There are different sponsors all the time, it can be families or organizations or businesses so you don't know what to expect. But I've stopped doing that because I feel so bad accepting those gifts when I can afford a few presents for my kids myself and I know there are kids out there that needs it more than mine. I've taken so much from that experience. There are lots of generous people out there, but I will not be one to take advantage of them.
2007-12-04 06:55:15 · answer #6 · answered by jmiller 5 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Yes, as a matter of fact, my family is one of them. My husband was laid off the day after Thanksgiving with no prior warning. It really makes it tough when all those government programs take 30-45 days to process applications for help. Our household income was slashed by 75%. And since there was no notice, we could not prepare for the lost income. We had just gutted our kids bedrooms (all the way down to the framing and siding) and put braces on my son. All of our extra money now goes toward insulating our house before it gets too cold and his teeth. It is very hard to explain to kids, but if you raised them properly, they do understand. My kids are 10,7, & 5, and they planned a great Christmas eve & day filled with movies, hot chocolate, and board games.
2007-12-04 07:38:25 · answer #7 · answered by hbomb95 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is quite possible. It is very expensive to live in America. Many people can barely afford to keep their homes warm and put food on their tables. The cost of heating oil for example is going to increase about $1,000 per household this year. For some families that will really cut into the extras like Christmas presents. There is much wealth here, but there is also much poverty.
2007-12-04 06:51:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 6⤊ 0⤋
I can tell you with all honesty that YES, some Americans are THAT poor. When I was a single parent with 3 boys we had no money left over for Christmas. I paid my rent and other bills and there was nothing left over.
( I was not on any assistance, no food stamps, nothing)
Yes we had a tree and decorations. We had enough food to eat. I didn't say anything to my family about it. But my cousin found out that I had nothing for my boys and somehow got us hooked up with Toys for Tots.
Because of her my kids got some clothes that they really needed and a few toys each. I couldn't have been more grateful!
2007-12-04 07:00:26 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
My husband use to work collect gifts for a women shelter for abuse women and children. A lot of these people only have the cloths on the back when they leave.
My daughter school, college used winter clothes and new toys for the same shelter.
There are family who can not afford food and rent with what they make
Not all families are like these, but the do exist
2007-12-04 06:59:35 · answer #10 · answered by Halo Mom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋