Poverty in CA In 2016, there were 5,891,057 people experiencing poverty in the state of California, or 15.3% of the states population. The California Supplemental Poverty Measure, a more accurate measurement, is 20.6%. Sadly, 22.8% of a the state's children live in families living below the poverty line (24,250 for a family of 4). In Fresno County the child poverty rate is as 38.9%! California is ranked 51st in the nation for affordable housing. CA Food Insecurity The Food Insecurity rate in California is 12.5%, or 4,885,220 people struggling to maintain a regular source of adequate, nutritious food. 33% of all food bank clients and SSI recipients struggling to put food on the table. Safety Net in California SNAP/CalFresh: Only 70% of all eligible participate in CalFresh: 74% are household with children, 50% are working families, 30% are families with elderly or disable members. The CalFresh program kept 806,000 out of poverty-417,000 of which were children (2009-2012) CalWORKs: CalWORKs families live at 30% of the Federal Poverty Line. Cuts to the CalWORKs program over the last 2 decades has give 1.1 billion dollars annually for the state budget. SSI: In 2017, the maximum SSI federal benefit is $735 per month, or 73% of the federal poverty level. The average SSI benefit is only $435. Women, disproportionately Asian, Black, and Latina, are the majority of SSI/SSP recipients. The state has saved an estimated $10 billion from the cuts to these recipients. California is the only state where SSI/SSP recipients are barred from receiving food stamps. California Landscape: Making Ends Meet Featured Stories Coming Soon! Next Steps... ... Call to Action
