Don’t underestimate the importance of furniture
As you’ve probably heard, Philadelphia has a 26% poverty rate — one of the highest in the nation; in fact, we have the distinction of being the poorest big city in America.
Of that 26%, nearly half (12.2%) are living in deep poverty, with incomes below 50% of the federal poverty limit. That’s less than $13,000 per year for a family of four. Many of these people are children caught in the loop of generational poverty.
Some of those living in poverty will experience homelessness, and will need help to find housing.
But housing is more than just four walls — without a bed to sleep in, a dresser for belongings, or a table where you can share a meal, an empty apartment provides almost no comfort. Families spend an average of three months longer in emergency shelters simply because they have no beds for their children or furniture for their new apartments.
