Despite growing estimates of poverty and declines in income, the Michigan Department of Human Services and its community partners continue to provide a safety net for families in economic crisis.

The U.S. Census Bureau today released data on income, earnings and poverty for all states and communities from the 2007 American Community Survey. For Michigan, the data revealed:

• Michigan's poverty rate is 14 percent, up from 13.5 percent in 2006.
• Ingham County poverty rate is 18.3 percent.
• The state's median income is $47,950, down $596 or 1.2 percent from the 2006 median income of $48,546

"Families don't have to go hungry, become homeless or live without heat or electricity," said Randy Rauch, acting Ingham County DHS director. "We can help them with the many assistance programs we offer. If they don't qualify for some reason, we have a number of community partners who can provide temporary help that gets families through an economic crisis."

More than 18 percent of Michigan's population receives some form of assistance from DHS programs. While the Family Independence Program, general cash assistance, continues to decline, food, emergency energy and medical assistance programs continue to grow steadily. The Food Assistance Program, for example, has increased 136 percent since December 2000.

"DHS provides some kind of assistance for nearly one in five people," said Sheryl Thompson, acting director of DHS outstate operations. "It takes a strong personal commitment, like the individuals speaking here today, to become self sufficient."

Jamie Burgess had three children aged 1, 3 and 6, when she filed for divorce from her husband. Now, she's a registered nurse working for Ingham Regional Medical Center and her children are 11, 13 and 16 years old. She was honored in 2004 as the Capital Area Michigan Works! Agency Alumna of the Year. While attending college, DHS provided child day care, medical and emergency energy assistance to Burgess.

"I wouldn't be a nurse today if not for all the community programs that helped me out during those early years," Burgess said. "Each program provided just the support I needed at the time I needed it so I could keep going."

For more information, please consult the DHS Web site at www.michigan.gov/dhs or www.michigan.gov/poverty