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Athens-Clarke County Poverty Rates Should Spark Student Involvement

by Ryan Roddenberry
11/20/2007

Most students who attend the University of Georgia are completely oblivious to the high poverty rates in surrounding Athens-Clarke County (A-CC), some of the highest poverty rates in the state.

The current population of the county is 104,439 residents, according to the 2005 census estimate. The median income in A-CC is $29,634, compared with $42,421 statewide.

Approximately 36,000 A-CC residents live below the poverty level, which is 81 percent higher than the state poverty rate.

Compared with the average dropout rate of 153 students per average Georgia county, ACC had 291 dropouts, almost twice the amount.

Child abuse cases are also on the rise in the county, with 718 reported cases in 2005, compared with nearly 300 fewer cases per average Georgia county.

A-CC Department of Juvenile Justice intern Amanda Stevens, who works with children and families of poverty daily, is appalled by the conditions in which many residents live.

“Many children are missing parents, many families live in homes that are basically ready to be condemned, and children are running the streets at very young ages,” Stevens said.

Stevens also suggested that more UGA students should become members of organizations such as Big Brothers and Big Sisters because “it gives parentless children a positive influence in their lives.”

University students and community members should heed these facts and figures which will hopefully cause more people to become involved in organizations that will have a positive influence on the many children and families of poverty in A-CC.