Children are among the poorest of Maine's residents. Nearly 1 in 5 children under the age of 18, 19.3%, lived in families below the federal poverty line in the early 1990s. Most of these poor children lived in working families. The working poor are often missing from policy debates, but their numbers are likely to increase with welfare reform…

A practicum strategy was designed and implemented that focused on reducing the negative impact of adverse environmental conditions in one particular neighborhood in a town in Alberta (Canada) with a population of 8,500. Children in this neighborhood were served by one elementary school (enrollment 383), from which the strategy was implemented. The…

This annual report of the Southern Rural Development Center (SRDC) describes the agency's extension and research activities from October 1, 1995, to October 1, 1996. SRDC is one of four regional centers coordinating rural development research and extension education programs cooperatively with the land-grant institutions. SRDC cooperates with 29…

This paper focuses on sociological and demographic characteristics of Hispanics, particularly Mexican Americans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans living in the United States. Sections are organized around data tables and figures (based primarily on 1990 census data), with explanatory text, and cover minority populations in the United States, Latino…

Efforts to shift women from welfare into the labor market will not necessarily move women out of poverty because the wages they are likely to earn are so low. According to research tracking Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients over a 2-year period, 43% of AFDC recipients combine welfare with a substantial amount of paid…

More and more frequently, poor families are described in pathological terms. The emphasis is on the deficits that interfere with the education of poor children, rather than the strengths that they can bring to schooling. A focus on the devastating effects of poverty may lead to the belief that poor children are so disadvantaged that nothing can be…

When compared to other industrialized countries, America ranks first in many areas, including military technology and Gross Domestic Product. However, in areas related to child welfare, America does not rate so high. American youngsters are frequently placed in physical danger and many begin school ill-prepared to learn. In March 1997, the…

The situation for "street children" has degenerated over the past two decades following the economic and political transitions in much of Latin America. Drawing on scholarly materials, interviews with child rights advocates, and the words of the children themselves, this book explores the abuse, limited choices, despair, loyalty, and…

This newsletter issue focuses on programming undertaken to address the health and educational needs of rural families in developing and developed nations. After examining the nature of rural families and rural poverty, the newsletter discusses: (1) the Mon Women's Organization in Thailand; (2) The "Contact With Kids" parent education…

This paper addresses the role of Rural Systemic Initiatives (RSIs) in linking tribally controlled colleges to systemic reform efforts in rural communities. RSI is a program implemented in 1994 by the National Science Foundation to improve science and mathematics education in rural areas. RSIs were established in regions with low population density…

This book is the outcome of a regional study on using literacy as a tool for empowering the poor, carried out by the UNESCO Asia and Pacific Programme of Education for All (APPEAL) with collaborative support of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). The book sketches a program for empowerment of the poor through basic education on the…

While Latinos make up approximately 9 percent of the total population of the United States, they comprise over 25 percent of California's population. Although over half of Latino American women have entered the workforce, a severe family and child poverty rate persists. Since 1990, through a project called "El Comienzo" ("The…

Interviews with 107 rural divorced, single mothers in 6 Pennsylvania counties examined their use of and attitudes toward community assistance programs, workfare, and educational programs. Many respondents had used welfare and nutrition programs and felt the programs were needed. However, they felt that child feeding programs were more accessible…

This paper addresses the role community colleges can play in moving the working poor toward economic independence. Since Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) was enacted in 1996, there have been many new job openings in the country. But, employment and earnings prospects for job seekers leaving the welfare system are dismal. TANF clients…

Noting that children in every corner of the planet are affected by war or the threat of war, this booklet for parents and early childhood educators provides an introduction to children's fears concerning armed conflict and terrorist attacks and offers strategies for helping children work through their fears. The chapters are as follows: (1)…