As U.S. Poverty Deepens, World Vision Gift Catalog Helps Shoppers Give Back

SEATTLE, Oct. 31, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- In the U.S., one in every five children lives in poverty. Though the U.S. Census Bureau's Current Population Survey showed that America's poverty rate stabilized this year, 44 percent of America's poor are in "deep poverty" – living below half the poverty line. That number is among the highest ever and includes nearly 10 percent of all children in the United States.[1] There is great need within the U.S., and this holiday season, through "Poverty in America" gifts in this year's World Vision Gift Catalog, shoppers have an opportunity to meet it.

Since 1996, the World Vision Gift Catalog has given individuals the opportunity to better the lives of children, adults and communities in the U.S. and around the world in all different areas of need: clean water, food, education, sexual exploitation, job training and others.

And, small gifts can make a big impact. For just $18 –the cost of a t-shirt – you can feed a whole family in the U.S. for a day. Other gifts with U.S. impact include:

• Family food kits
• Backpacks and school supplies
• Clothing and shoes
• Disaster response supplies

"Many people assume that poverty is a minor problem in the United States," says Cheryl DeBruler, Gift Catalog Specialist. "But there are poverty-stricken men, women and children across the country that we try to reach through the Gift Catalog. There is certainly international need, but there are intra-national needs too."

To order from World Vision's Gift Catalog, visit www.worldvisiongifts.org. To order by phone or to request a print catalog, call toll-free at 855-WV-GIFTS. 

Want to see where your dollars go? See how the Gift Catalog works at the WorldVisionUSA YouTube channel.

Product photos, samples and interviews with World Vision representatives are available upon request. For more information contact Christine Connolly Bell at 323-208-2444, [email protected] or Natalie Bisaro at 708-434-5006, [email protected].

About World Vision
World Vision is a Christian relief, development, and advocacy organization dedicated to working with children, families, and their communities worldwide to reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty and injustice. For more information on their efforts, visit WorldVision.org/press or follow them on Twitter at @WorldVisionNews.

[1] Shah, Neil. "U.S. Poverty Rate Stablizes." The Wall Street Journal. 11 October 2013. http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304500404579127603306039292
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http://economichardship.org/nearly-half-poverty-u-s-live-deep-poverty/

SOURCE World Vision U.S.