By Katie Farrell
NEWBURYPORT — Mayor John Moak and the Pennies for Poverty program will host a Poverty Summit this spring designed to draw all city departments and local service agencies together to discuss and evaluate the impact of the growing number of people living in poverty in the city.
"Poverty in Newburyport is increasing," Pennies for Poverty co-founder Cathie Gould said yesterday. According to information provided by the group, 711 households in the city are classified as being in "severe poverty" (under $15,000).
Service agencies in Newburyport, like elsewhere, are struggling, Gould said, as aid has been cut, donations are down, and grants are fewer and harder to get. Meanwhile, the number of people using those agencies is going up.
"We need to be able to take care of these people," Gould said.
Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change is a volunteer organization founded to raise funds, promote volunteerism and raise awareness about poverty in Newburyport. The pennies program is a campaign to encourage everyone in the city to donate two cents a day to the 2 Cents 4 Change Campaign. Two cents a day is $7.30 per year, which, if everyone in Newburyport participated, would amount to $125,000, according to the program.
At the summit, participants will gather to evaluate the citywide implications of poverty and to determine the ability of the city and local agencies to handle such an increase.
Moak said the poverty program approached his office last fall in hopes of organizing such a summit, providing statistics on the amount of poverty in the city. Those statistics show how many in the city are close to hitting the poverty line, Moak said.
"There are a lot of people in this area that are on that verge of losing their home, poverty, things of that nature," Moak said. "So many people are close to the edge of poverty."
Gould said the program has sent a survey to all department heads and service organizations asking opinions on poverty in town and how it is perceived. That information will be compiled into a report. The survey is also available on the organization's Web site for any individual who wishes to fill it out. The deadline for the survey is Feb. 10.
Pennies for Poverty: 2 Cents 4 Change has also partnered with the First Parish Church of Newbury and formed a new Common "Cents" Garden program. Participants will grow vegetables for local food pantries. Under the program, the group will work with individuals and farms to encourage them to plant a row of vegetables to donate to food pantries and soup kitchens.
The program is also forming a Common "Cents" Resource Bank, or database of individuals who offer special skills and are willing to donate their time to help others, such as drafting a budget for one's household or aiding with nutrition education, even helping with taxes or writing a resume, Gould said.
For more information on any of these programs, visit the Pennies for Poverty program Web site at www.2cents4change.povertyprogram.com. The e-mail address is 2cents4change@gmail.com.
*Poverty levels in Newburyport
Severe poverty (under $15,000): 711 households
Moderate poverty (under $35,000): 1,424 households
Risk of poverty (between $35,000-$50,000): 1,345 households
Total of all three categories: 3,480 households times 3.09 (average family size in Newburyport) equals up to 10,753 individuals in or at risk of poverty or 44 percent of the population in Newburyport
7.5 percent of school-age children receive free or reduced lunchf
There are two food pantries, six soup kitchens in Newburyport
*These numbers are not based on 2008 earnings but on 2006 information.
Source: Pennies for Poverty Web site
