Poverty in Rural America - The Other Side of Green Acres
by Pam Simpson
The Kudzu Vine
Back at the beginning of 2009, I wrote a blog post about how much I liked living in the rural countryside (Green Acres is the Place to Be). I love living where I do, but there is another side of rural life that is often overlooked or just swept under the rug.
Poverty is nothing new to rural Mississippi. Even though the communites that I serve in Northwest MS (Desoto and Tate counties) have seen an influx of working professionals seeking a place to raise 
families, we still have large pockets of poverty and hunger. The face of poverty in rural America is your child's best friend at school, the Sunday school teacher at your church, your next door neighbor.
One of the main differences between urban and rural poverty is the availability of resources. Urban areas generally have more public and private resources to draw upon. Also, there is usually access to public transportation which makes it possible for those without cars to get to places that offer assistance and aid. Rural residents who find themselves in need of assistance have fewer options and sometimes no means (other than walking miles and miles) to access the aid.
In Tate County MS, we have one organization that is equipped to offer assistance - HOPE Ministries. HOPE has a social worker that comes by one day a week and a food pantry that is available for emergencies.
I work with a local Senatobia MS church that also helps with food, gas, light bills, rent, etc. We have seen a tremendous increase in the number of families seeking assistance this year. So much so that the funds the church uses for assistance dried up in August. HOPE has even had to close down a few times this year due to lack of available funds and empty food pantry.
If you are a REALTOR, Mortgage Professional, Appraiser, Home Inspector, etc. in a rural or small town area, speak with your local Realtor Association about fund raisers for local food banks. Maybe have a friendly competition between brokerage offices to see who can collect the most food items.
I wish this story had a "happily ever after" ending, but we all know that it doesn't. The battle with poverty and hunger in both urban and rural areas continues. I woulld love to hear from others who have ideas on how to help.
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About the author: Pam Simpson is an Assoc. Broker with Bob Leigh & Associates, LLC in Northwest MS. Copyright© 2009 by Pam Simpson. All rights reserved...***Poverty in Rural America - The Other Side of Green Acres***
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