The following story was featured on Chicago Public Radio on September 29, 2009:

Poverty Levels Are Expected to Rise in 2009

The number of Illinois residents living in poverty grew by about a quarter million from 2000 to 2008. That’s according to new data released by the U.S. Census Bureau, today.

12.2 percent of Illinoisans and almost 15 percent of Cook County residents were living in poverty in 2008. Scott Allard is professor at the University of Chicago’s school of social service administration. He says he doesn’t expect the poverty level to decline for another few years.

ALLARD: There’s a lot of people who aren’t going to be going back to work anytime soon. And that even though some economic indicators are showing that we’re emerging out of recession, many people are not getting called back to work, or their lost earnings aren’t being replaced.

Allard says the current recession and the economic downturn earlier in the decade contribute to higher rates of poverty around the country. He says poverty is hitting more families and people living in suburban areas.

According to 2009 federal guidelines, a household of four with an annual income below $22,050 is considered to be living in poverty.

For an audio version, visit

http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Content.aspx?audioID=37095