Researchers say nearly one-third of Buffalo-Niagara residents live in or near poverty

Researchers say nearly one-third of Buffalo-Niagara residents live in or near poverty

CRISIS.SINCE LAST JUNE, THEMOBILE SAFETY-NETTEAM AND UNIVERSITYAT BUFFALO'SREGIONAL INSTITUTEHAVE TAKEN A DEEPDIVE IN 12COMMUNITIES IN THEBUFFALO-NIAGARAREGION.THEIR FINDINGS,NEARLY ONE THIRD OFBUFFALO-NIAGARARESIDENTS LIVE IN ORNEAR POVERTY.THAT'S A STATISTICDATING BEFORECOVID-19.S: "EVEN THOUGH THEECONOMY WASGROWING ANDUNEMPLOYMENT WASAT A VERY LOW LEVELBEFORE COVID-19,POVERTY WAS ON THERISE IN MANYCOMMUNITIES."FOR MONTHS,SHARON ANAENTRESSOF U-B-R-I WENT INTODIFFERENTCOMMUNITIESINTERVIEWINGRESIDENTS ANDSERVICE PROVIDERS.HER GOAL, TOCOLLECT PRIMARYSOURCE INFORMATIONABOUT THE POVERTYISSUES IN OUR AREA.S: "YOU CAN ONLY GETSO MUCH FROMNUMBERS.

TO REALLYUNDERSTAND THENUMBERS AND TOUNDERSTAND, LET'SSAY WHY POVERTYHAS BEENINCREASING, YOUREALLY NEED TO BEOUT IN THECOMMUNITIES."SHARON SAID SHECONDUCTED MORETHAN 26 HUNDREDRESIDENT SURVEYSAMONG THE 12COMMUNITIES.

SHEEVEN INTERVIEWEDFOOD SERVICEPROVIDERS LIKERESURRECTION LIFEFOOD PANTRY INCHEEKTOWAGA.K: "WELL SINCE THE2008 REPORTS CAMEOUT, HERE IN THESUBURBS, WE WERESORT OF AT AN EVENKEEL.

BUT SINCE THATTIME, WE'VE SEENMORE THAN A DOUBLEINCREASE.

COVID HAS,I WOULD SAY, IN MYOWN PERSONALOPINION, TAKE IT UPTO THE NEXT NOTCHAND SAY TRIPLE IT."LAWRENCE COOK VPOF THE JOHN OISHEIFOUNDATION SAYSCOVID MAY ONLYINTENSIFY THEFINDINGS IN THENUMBERS IN NEEDREPORTS.L: "SO IF HOUSING WASA CONCERN,TRANSPORTATIONWAS A CONCERN,VARIOUS ACCESS TOHEALTHOPPORTUNITIES WASA CONCERN.

ONLYGONNA GET WORSE."BUT HE'S ALSOHOPING THAT THEDATA COLLECTEDFROM THE REPORTWILL HELPCOMMUNITIESPREPARE FOR WHAT'STO COME.L: 'WE'RE ABLE TO PUTTOGETHER A VERYINTERACTIVE WEBSITEWHICH WE CAN PUTTOGETHER MOREQUICKLY SO THAT DATAIS FRESHER ANDEASIER TO USE."THE WEBSITE ALSOOFFERS STRATEGIESAND SOLUTIONS FOREACH COMMUNITYSTRUGGLING WITHPOVERTY TOCONSIDER.

IN BUFF JJ7EWN.