Poverty

“Poverty is not an inevitable misfortune: it has causes that must be recognized and removed, in order to honor the dignity of many brothers and sisters, after the example of the Saints.” — Pope Francis

The list below compiles various materials about the Catholic Church’s teaching on poverty and information from other sources about poverty in the United States and North Carolina. We hope you find this archive helpful in your research or advocacy efforts.

SECTION 1: CATHOLIC CHARITIES USA RESOURCES

Issue Brief on Poverty and Racism 2020: Poverty and racism continue to undermine our nation’s most basic promise of liberty and justice for all. Catholic Charities maintains the conviction that both are scandalous affronts to the Christian conscience and endanger the social peace and future prosperity of this nation.
Issue Brief on Poverty and Racism: Overlapping Threats to the Common Good

SECTION 2: U.S. CONFERENCE OF CATHOLIC BISHOPS (USCCB) RESOURCES

The USCCB Resource Library offers documents on Catholic Social Teaching, practice, and history, including these on poverty:

SECTION 3: POPE FRANCIS ON POVERTY

Words of Pope Francis on Poverty
Encyclical: Fratelli Tutti – On Fraternity and Social Friendship: Fratelli Tutti is Pope Francis’s third encyclical, promulgated on October 3, 2020. In it, the Holy Father uses the parable of the Good Samaritan to reflect on Christ’s teaching about our neighbor. Read it in English or Spanish.
Encyclical: Fratelli Tutti: Vatican News article
Statement: The Link Between Prayer and Charity

SECTION 4: POVERTY AWARENESS CAMPAIGNS

January—Poverty Awareness Month: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) promotes January as Poverty Awareness Month. Educational resources are available from the USCCB, PovertyUSA, and the United States Census Bureau.
September—Labor Day Statement: The USCCB issues a statement each year to mark Labor Day, the U.S. federal holiday to honor and celebrate workers.
November—World Day of the Poor: Each year, Pope Francis issues a statement on the World Day of the Poor, which His Holiness established in 2016.

SECTION 5: POVERTYUSA RESOURCES

SECTION 6: INFORMATION ABOUT POVERTY IN THE USA

The United States Census Bureau provides information on poverty, using the American Community Survey to analyze poverty rates for the nation, states, and metropolitan areas.

In 2022, the U.S. poverty rate was 11.5%, with 37.9 million people in poverty. Social Security and tax credits played crucial roles in poverty reduction, though some counties have faced persistent poverty rates of 20 percent or more for the past 30 years.

The Washington Post published a news article in February 2024 that explored “How Americans define a middle-class lifestyle — and why they can’t reach it.”

SECTION 7: INFORMATION ABOUT POVERTY IN NORTH CAROLINA

In 2022, the N.C. poverty rate was 12.9% (higher than the national average), with 12.1% of households facing food insecurity.

In 2022, poverty estimates include:

- Families: 252,021
- Single mother families with children: 117,127
- Children under 6: 140,442
- Children under 18: 406,895
- Persons aged 65 and over: 166,525

Poverty in North Carolina Resources

Poverty in North Carolina – 2018-2022 (N.C. Office of State Management and Budget
Statistics and Maps (UNC School of Law)
Economic Well-Being County Distress Rankings (N.C. Department of Commerce)

SECTION 8: TAKE ACTION

Visit the USCCB Action Center to view current poverty-related legislation, get action alerts, and sign up for future alerts. Then, you can contact your elected representatives to express your concerns and opinions on upcoming legislation.