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“Social determinants of health are stressors that relate to physical health.” So says Dr. Meredith Shockley-Smith, Executive Director of Cradle Cincinnati, Field Service Assistant Professor at UC Medical Center, and Founder of Queens Village. “And chronic, prolonged stress just magnifies [health] problems.” Consistent access to nutritious food, affordable and suitable housing, and transportation are just…
Poverty profoundly affects those in its grips. Experiencing poverty means lack of access to basic needs (food, shelter, transportation, health care, education). It increases toxic stress. It erodes mental and physical health. It intrudes on each and every aspect of life. It keeps people from reaching their potential. But poverty also affects those who are…
Many people are aware that a disproportionate number of Cincinnati citizens are living in poverty. Many people understand that the current poverty rate is a legacy of a system steeped in racism. Many people get involved in their communities to help those living in poverty by volunteering or donating. But many of those same people…
An Adverse Childhood Experience (ACE) can take many forms, ranging from “abuse or neglect” to “significant surgery,” according to Victoria Ackman, LISW-S, Service Area Vice President for Lighthouse Youth & Family Services. These ACEs add up and “play a huge part into how your brain processes experiences, impacting everything you do and how you see…
It’s common to see articles, reports, news segments all about children living in poverty. How do we help children experiencing homelessness? Food insecurity? Lack of adequate health care? It’s a very important issue to address. These children need help immediately—and they need help for their future so they can break the cycle of poverty. However,…
Cora* grew up in Forest Park as part of a nuclear family. Never did she imagine that her life would take the twists and turns it did. In her words “I grew up in Forest Park, the youngest with two older brothers. When I finished high school, I became pregnant with my [now adult] son….
The phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” currently means being able to do something by yourself. No matter your circumstances, this phrase implies, you should be able to achieve wealth and success. Often, the phrase is wielded at people who live in poverty. The blame game The phrase “pull yourself up by your bootstraps”…
More than 8,000 children in Cincinnati experience homelessness each year. The average person—person, not just child—experiencing homelessness is nine years old. UpSpring, a local nonprofit aiming to break the cycle of poverty, fights these challenges. Lack of stability and consistency affects education Children experiencing homelessness suffer from lack of stability. “They may switch schools two…
Every parent wants their child to have a better life than they did. They want them to be more successful, wealthier, healthier, and happier. But that doesn’t always happen. If you have experienced poverty as a child, you are “much more likely to be poor in early and middle adulthood than are those who were…
When people discuss the environment, they tend to concentrate on global implications. But environmental issues impact every human on a local—and even personal—level. For example, “heat islands” (areas that contain little green space) can harm the people who live there. Because buildings, roads, and other human-made structures hold and reflect heat, the temperature in these…