Before I start, I would just like to clarify this is not a political article. This article is not meant to target or attack a specific political party or one’s ideology. 
    Poverty is a social issue America does not like to address. When the issue does come up, it is often met with hostility, judgmental attitudes, finger-pointing and blaming at those who suffer from it. This wrong on so many levels. 
The United States has the highest child poverty rate in the world. We do not have to go to Africa or other third-world countries to find hungry children or families. There is this myth people who rely on or need public assistance are lazy, unmotivated people, who are probably on drugs and do not want to work. 
Contrary to popular belief, the majority of individuals in poverty who receive government assistance are people who really need it and rely on it to survive: single mothers, the sick, the elderly and the disabled. 
However, I do acknowledge  there are some people, a very small percentage I might add, who take advantage of the system. To those individuals, shame on you. But this statistic is nothing compared to the huge corporations, millionaires and billionaires who receive huge tax cuts at the expense of our generous tax dollars; yet they do not receive nearly as much scrutiny as poverty-stricken individuals. 
Poverty affects everyone and can happen to anyone regardless of race, age, class or gender. It could even happen to you. Suppose you graduate college and land a great job. A few years later, due to tough economic times, you get laid off. You barely have enough savings to last you a few months and you know it will take you longer than a few months to find another job that pays you as good or even close to your previous salary at your last job. Meanwhile, the cost of food, gas, utilities and rent continues to rise. What would you do? 
Take another scenario: you get into an accident that leaves you permanently disabled and unable to work. Obtaining disability or social security benefits without hiring a lawyer to handle your case is very difficult and could take years to settle. What will you do to get by in the meantime? What would you do if your parents lost their jobs and could no longer help you with in college? 
As I said before, poverty can happen to anyone. All I am saying is to think twice about scolding someone who receives aid. The next person in line at the Department of Human Services line could be you.