Purpose
Despite its relative affluence, Maryland has a large population of low-income families who work in jobs with inadequate wages, benefits and prospects for advancement. In 2012, one in 10 Marylanders (approximately 572,400 people) lived in poverty including 13.3 percent of children, despite the fact that the median income is $71,707. These families have an impact on the economy of Maryland, their neighborhoods, and the country. They often live in concentrated areas, creating low- income neighborhoods with few resources to address social problems. These families have little to no disposable income, making it difficult for their communities to support viable businesses. These workers are often parents unable to provide financial security to their families or meet the demands of increasing fees for simple family essentials.
TABLE 1
Working Families in Poverty in Maryland- 2012 Number Percent
Working Families in Poverty 1,438,269 16.9%
Working Poor Families with at Least One Minority Parent (percent of minority families) 917,120 19.8%
Working Poor Families with Non-Minority Parents (percent of non-minority families) 398,642 8.6
Working Poor Families with at Least One Parent Aged 25-54 1,195,028 25.8
Working Families Below 200% of Poverty 117,339 39.4%
(Wright, …show more content…
According to a national report released in 2015 from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), “Baltimore, Maryland is the second Most Dangerous City in the United States, moving from #6 last year to # 2.” (Federal Bureau of Investigation ) Police Commissioner Anthony Batts told CBS Baltimore, “Our homicide number is unacceptable. Period. No excuses.” Baltimore is second only to Detroit in its number of total murders and soon to exceed that, as the city experienced 411 homicides so far this year along with a consistent violent crime rates for the last few