Poverty 'tyranny of the moment'

By: Gwendolin Schemm
ENGL 336

ALLEGANY COUNTY, MD - It takes about 10 years to see a change. To find color in a gray world.  Just as it takes a whole box of crayons to color a picture, it takes an entire community to make a difference. 

Queen City. The name once resonated as Cumberland sat as the second largest city in Maryland overcome with industry and success. Kelly Tires, Bayliner Boats, Pittsburgh Plate Glass Company among other industries poured financial means into the once booming economy of Queen City.

Photo by Gwendolin Schemm
Downtown Cumberland Decorated for the Holidays

According to the Data USA, 18 percent of the population of Allegany County, Maryland live in poverty. This equates to over 1,800 households. Males and females ages 18 to 24 are most likely to live in poverty.

With a population of 73,549, the poverty rate in Maryland’s sixteenth largest county is nearly double the state's poverty of 10 percent. Cumberland, Cresaptown and Frostburg are the largest places in Allegany County by population.

As reported by the 2010 census, Maryland reigns as America’s richest state with a median income of $69,272. However, the median income in Allegany County is $40,551 – over half of the state’s median income.

“Every day social problems link back to the poverty problem. We continue to fight the individuals in poverty while a small portion is due to their own efforts,” said Dr. Kathy Powell, a social work professor at Frostburg State University. 

Powell continued and said, “We don’t see the resources, or the resilience of those living in poverty. Instead, we blame them.”

The feminization of poverty is an issue that women in Allegany County face. The gender-based wage disparity is yet another inequality that needs to be addressed. According to Data USA, male employees make an average salary of $48,461 while female employees’ salaries are $37,158 - the females only making 77 percent of their male counterparts.

The poor are often working 2 to 3 jobs, but society fails to see the potential of those in poverty and continues to focus the camera in on the negative issues Powell mentioned. 

Photo by Gwendolin Schemm
Railroad Tracks Remaining from the Western
Maryland Scenic Railroad Route
in Frostburg, Maryland

Through various interviews with experts close to the subject of poverty,  several reoccurring themes came to the forefront. The lack of industry contributes to the poverty issue that plagues the area. Allegany County has failed to replace the manufacturing jobs that were lost when the economy shifted.  Poverty has enabled the drug issue to take the forefront again as opioids act as an escape for some and enable others to make an income off of society’s pain. Both increased crime and drug use are also social problems that link back to poverty. Child neglect is a rising issue as well. Parents are more likely to lose their kids because they cannot afford childcare.

The lack of job security led to a “major migration in the 1970-80s,” says Robin Wynder, the director of The Center for Student Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Frostburg State University. This was around the same time the major manufacturing plants closed down or downsized. Coal mining and railroads were once massive industries that defined the area. The current industries in the county are prisons and medical marijuana Wynder said. 

Because of the lack of industry, people tend to move from the area to seek job opportunities. The flight of the youth leaves the area with an elderly population Wynder said. This leads to age discrimination as people around 50 thought they would be nearing retirement, but rather the opposite – they have trouble seeking employment to meet their basic survival needs Powell noted. 

The housing stock in the area is questionable and the rate of environmental issues, such as house fires, is on the rise Powell stated. 

Nancy Forlifer, director of Community Health and Wellness of the Western Maryland Health System which anchors Bridges to Opportunity, a community initiative aimed at combating poverty calls upon community leaders to take “initiative” and “change the process”. 

The current economy in Allegany County cannot support the area poverty. Predatory businesses, such as Pawn Shops or payday lenders, have created a foundation in the area noted Forlifer. There has been an increased amount of reports of violence against the homeless showing that the war on the poor lives on. 

Both situational and generational poverty contribute to the area poverty the county is currently facing. The pattern of poverty is a circular one – kids often grow up in these living conditions and don’t know or can’t see a way out. The family dynamic also plays a part as parents think, “it’s good enough for them, it’s good enough for you” according to Wynder.

The recursive cycle has taken its toll on the population.

Dr. Kimberly James, an assistant professor in the psychology department with a focus in child development at Frostburg State University, notes that poverty places an increased amount of stress which can impact a child’s prenatal development. This leads to issues of physical and cognitive development. Children who grow up in poverty often have difficulty focusing in school due to malnutrition.

Photo by Gwendolin Schemm
Row of Houses on the Canal in
Downtown Cumberland, Maryland

“Is there enough?” asks Forlifer. That is a question on the minds of those living in poverty every waking moment.

Is there enough food? Money? Water? The basic needs are something that begin to get questioned every day.

“When the bottom levels aren’t filled, the top levels sure won’t be which leads to lower self-esteem in children,” James says in reference to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, a psychological theory denoting human motivation. When safety and physiological needs are not fulfilled, psychological and self-fulfillment needs tend to take the fall. Basic survival takes the forefront in poverty situations.

Children who live in poverty are more likely to be bullied by their peers. They are also more subject to constant stress. The family places stress on the child. James explained that the child should know stress, but only at their cognitive level.

This explains why children in poverty are more likely to have increased rates of mental health problems such as anxiety or depression. This stems from the lack of self. Children tend to have no clear sense of identity and this continues into adulthood according to James. 

Poor physical and mental health is both a cause and consequence felt due to the burdens of poverty. Often, those in poverty lack the benefits of healthcare. 

Nationally, ages 6-17 for both males and females are the demographics most likely to have healthcare coverage. However, in Allegany County the average age of those with healthcare coverage rises to 55-64 years as reported by Data USA.  Poor health has links back to poverty. Children in poverty are more likely to suffer from asthma which worsens when it goes untreated. This leads to an increase in absences from school demonstrating the circular pattern once again said Powell.  

Education is a way out of the recursive cycle. However, education in Allegany County has taken a hit due to the area poverty. This is an example in which the entire community gets impacted by the repercussions of poverty. Powell highlighted the role poverty plays in education - and it is currently not a good one. The teachers in the education system get paid less which in return means they have less money to work with. The schools have become under resourced. The 1960s agency of Headstart was warmly welcomed by the people in Allegany County as it prompted school readiness and did just that – gave kids a head start. However, almost 50 years later, the program is now on the chopping block due to funding cuts which Powell says, “is indicative of the feeling of poverty.”

Education and healthcare are just two of the ways poverty has become a pressure of the community as a whole. 

“Poverty is a reminder that not everyone has achieved the American Dream,” Powell says. “It reminds us how far we are from collectively achieving that dream.”

The cultural messages of the country, such as "hard work will equal success", allows society to turn a blind eye to the poverty situation that has become an issue faced locally. The community does not want to admit that the poor are working hard and often rather than helping, turn a blind eye or looks at those living in poverty with disdain Powell notes. This blame enables leaders to push away the problem.

Education can lift individuals out of poverty – but it takes a community.

Juli McCoy, executive director of County United Way, has found great success through educational programs resourcing their community. The agency helps individuals lift themselves out of poverty. They still get help from outside sources, but are helping themselves. Her agency's Poverty to Independence Program has achieved great success in assisting individuals out of poverty.

“To combat the generational poverty, we need to encourage education,” McCoy says. “We are giving them hope for a better future.”

County United Way provides financial programs for parents and educational resources for children starting from birth. One example of a program they have created that has amounted to great success is Imagination Library. The program begins at birth when new mothers are handed cards to register their children to instill the love of reading. The program prompts kindergarten readiness and over $100,000 worth of books have been delivered.

Out of the 3,500 kids eligible, 2,171 kids are involved, and 1,754 kids had graduated the program in the last year, Michele Walker of County United Way said. The program’s success reflects in kindergarten readiness tests as students involved in Imagination Library scored 6% higher than their peers in Allegany County.

“We want to show the kids that if they have a talent, there is a future for them,” McCoy says.

County United Way works with the Western Maryland Food Bank and the Salvation Army. In total, they have 14 programs funded across Allegany County.

Forlifer’s anti-poverty coalition, Bridges to Opportunity, places importance on getting ahead, not just getting by.

“Education is a key resource and a mechanism for establishing relationships and building other resources to combat poverty,” Forlifer emphasizes.

Education at an early age begins to teach children the “hidden rules” of society that those living in poverty often lack due to the focus on basic survival needs. Bridges to Opportunity offers a Getting Ahead course, a 16-week program to create a new future. Social connections, language, soft skills, power, and respect are hidden rules of institutions that society does not think about and are crucial in finding employment says Forlifer. 

Getting ahead rather than simply getting by could be the difference in changing the cycle of poverty Forlifer said.