Child Poverty, Hunger Remain Major Problems In North Carolina

A new report shows child poverty and hunger remain major problems for children in the Triad, and researchers are worried about the impact these struggles are having on child development and future outcomes.

The study, released by the group NC Child, zooms in on a variety of metrics on how kids are doing across the state.

For example, 53 percent of Forsyth County children still live in poor or near-poor homes.

Guilford County also saw similar numbers for child poverty and hunger according to the report.

Whitney Tucker with NC Child says many children are living on the very edge of economic stability.

“[We're talking about] homes that are less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level – about [$40,000] for a family of four,” she says. “Forty-eight percent of kids in the state are living at that level.”

Tucker adds that although both Forsyth and Guilford Counties saw improvements in some areas, she hopes the report will spark conversation with lawmakers to help create policies to address the issues soon.