Survey Shows Poverty Spikes For Ohio Families

A children's advocacy group says poverty stalks more Ohio youngsters. Between 2000 and 2009,  the Annie E.Casey foundation reports a 38 percent rise in the number of children whose families have incomes at or below the federal poverty line.  The Salvation Army's housing coordinator, Renna Abdullah says the spike in demand for family emergency housing is even more dramatic this year. "It always seems like a dramatic rise every year but this is quite something different." Abdullah says two housing programs operated by her office served 260 families in the past year. She adds, the agency is more dependent than ever on landlords willing to rent to recently homeless families. "We're constantly trying to recruit new landlords just because we're wanting to be prepared for this huge need that we're just seeing a huge rise this year. " Abdullah says late summer is a peak time in trying to place recently homeless families so their children can get enrolled in school.