Poverty Line Prices: The cost of Thanksgiving
In today’s issue of the San Francisco Chronicle, keep an eye out for some grocery store coupons that may look a bit unusual. The full page insert promotes Tipping Point’s recent Poverty Line Prices campaign, showing how expensive basic needs cost when living below the poverty line.
In 11 years of Tipping Point, never have we called attention to our work in such a public way. While nearly 1,500 supporters came together to impact the lives of 168,000 people in need last year alone, we are humbled by how much work still needs to be done in the fight against poverty in the Bay Area.
Over the weekend, as families and friends gather to celebrate Thanksgiving, 7,500 people will be sleeping on the streets of our city. And 1.3 million people across the Bay Area will be forced to make the impossible choice between paying rent and putting food on the table.
Our Poverty Line Prices campaign examines the idea that for the 1 in 10 Bay Area families living on the poverty line — which equates to fives times less than the average San Francisco salary — even everyday necessities feel five times harder to afford. According to the math, for these families, a Thanksgiving turkey feels as though it costs $111.50.
This holiday season, we hope this campaign prompts people to pause, think, and spread the word. The challenge of inequality is complex, but one thing is clear: we need community, now more than ever, to ensure that every family in the Bay Area has the opportunity to thrive.
Since 2005, Tipping Point Community has raised more than $120 million to educate,employ, house and support those in need in the Bay Area, impacting the lives of over 137,000 people last year alone. Tipping Point screens non-profits rigorously to find, fund and partner with the most promising groups helping low-income people achieve self-sufficiency. 100% of every dollar donated fights poverty.
