The theory that the poor should work harder to get out of poverty is incorrect. Most families in poverty consist of one or two adults in the family working full or part-time. Most of the working poor would remain poor even if they worked 40 hours a week, 52 weeks a year. In addition, of those who could climb out of poverty if they worked such hours, two out of five are disabled, elderly, or unable to find full-time or full-year employment. Thus, it appears that most of the working poor are doing all they can to support themselves (Kim, 1998:97). Today about 4 million worker make the minimum wage. Nevertheless, a full-time minimum wage worker earns only 82 percent of the poverty level for a family of three (Eitzen-Zinn, 190).
             Most adults in poor families hold dead-end jobs with no benefits and pay low wages. Low wages are a source of the problem with families in poverty. Minimum wage in the United States is $5.15 an hour. This only adds up to $10712 for a full-time worker in a year. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs found that groceries cost close to 9 percent more in poor neighborhoods than in middle-class areas (Eitzen-Zinn, 193). Causing many of the poor families cut back on food, jeopardizing the health and development of their children, or by living in substandard and sometimes dangerous housing. Some do without heat, electricity, telephone service, or plumbing for months or years. Many do without health insurance, health care, safe childcare or reliable transportation to take them to or from work (Children's Defense Fund, 1992:10).
             Facts show that minimum wage at $5.15 an hour for a full-time worker is not enough to support a family of three. Take into consideration, making minimum wage supporting a family of four is not enough money. On average for a family of four, it takes $8.20 an hour for a full-time worker to earn the poverty level for a family of four (Eitzen-Zinn, 188). With a this family of fou...