Interesting, as a member myself, I hadn't heard of the immigrant services program.

And I agree, the poverty cycle is of course not inescapable. But boy is it a lot harder than I think those of us who have always been more fortunate think it is.

Just to confirm I am not making things from a standpoint of $ given to us: My grandparents were either both legally blind (one side, very poor and kids stressed out), or rather poor (especially compared to most americans today) farmers in Mexico with 13 children. The "privilege" I have enjoyed (other than skin/benefit of the doubt?--unsure since I probably don't fully understand that from everyone else's perspective: just acknowledging I don't know everything) is encouragement to work hard and that I could do it, during my whole upbringing. My dad was a school teacher (and part-time painter and newspaper deliverer) and my mom a full-time mom (stressful, but it sure helped us as kids to feel secure). Things were hard, but on we go, and I am grateful. Maybe rambling now.

Encouragement to work hard and that you could do it is more than many, many in poverty get. 2 parents and the ability for one to be stay-at-home is also an amazing privilege.

Also, did your parents ever ask you for money? Because that is also a very frequent thing in poverty. Very needy parents that will be asking for, even expecting money the minute you have a little bit.

My dad found me simple employment at a very young age (delivering newspapers), which let me buy my own clothes, school stuff, etc. (edit: No, they didn't ask me for money. But you bet they would get it if they did.) But he also helped me in college a few times when $ was tight. But we had extremely frugal life habits, that came from the farming/broke years. And we prayed a lot, did what we knew we should. Additionally, we paid tithing, which has real promises of specific blessings, and we received those (we always had what we needed). I have learned for myself and now know God lives and answers prayers, which helped us much, and still does. More at lukecall.net .

(Edit: Actually, my parents still live frugally so they can help other people. I don't recall eating in a restaurant until I was a teenager on a date (though it probably happened, just very rarely); we had a garden which supplemented our food budget for a large family, television was not a key part of the lifestyle but chores were (it seemed my dad was always working some helpful task for the family, except on Sundays), we often bought clothes secondhand, and we knew we were loved. The advice I have given above and below in various parts of this discussion is what we did, and I never, ever felt deprived. Food was generally homemade (cold cereal only on Sundays; Mom learned to cook mostly after marriage, but they both learned very well IMO--I salivate as I think about it), we ate a lot of wheat and beans (but not only), some bought in bulk to save. And we were very blessed, again, praying daily as a family and trying to do what we knew we should. There are people who can help with individual situations, and much good advice at the sites I have linked. But the blessings of God are what I credit the most, by far. Again, more (skimmable), at lukecall.net, a simple site with no sales or javascript.)

(We were/are far from perfect, and yes life has big challenges, but we definitely are trying, and we know what direction we should be pointed in. There is peace, direction, and connection with God available to those who want it enough to act and keep trying. My email contact is on that web site for further questions; am happy to try to answer. The more I think of it all the more I am grateful.)