One in 10 children in Indiana live an area with a high concentration of poverty, according to new data from the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Eleven percent of the state’s children now live in places where at least one third of residents live below the poverty level. In 2000, only three percent of kids were in that situation.
Indiana Youth Institute President Bill Stanczykiewicz says state agencies, nonprofits and individuals need to work together to provide those in low-income neighborhoods with the information they need to improve their finances.
“If the jobs are in a different part of town, we need public policies to help them get to the other part of town so they can take advantage of the jobs that do exist,” Stanczykiewicz said.
The report shows the total percent of Indiana children in poverty also increased from 17 percent in 2005 to 22 percent in 2012.
You'll find the complete report here.