How Hidden Poverty Affects Nearly Half of Idaho Households

By Kara Fort
When poverty became real to me, I was 15.
I was with a church group doing a community project in inner-city Los Angeles. A trip to Skid Row was part of the plan — a term sadly I only recognized as an '80s rock band.
As I counted the number of people coming to the soup kitchen, I remember thinking how ingenious it was people struggling with homelessness would come in and eat while looking for jobs. After all, they all had newspapers with them to look at want ads!
It wasn't until our serving shift was over and I walked on the streets of one of the largest homeless populations in the United States that I realized the newspaper everyone brought to dinner was actually just their blanket.

Reality in Idaho

Poverty is as much a gut-punch issue then as it is now — and continues to be one of society's most misunderstood issues, including here in Idaho. United Way data of Idaho's most recent census found that among 701,293 households in 2022, 11% earned below the federal poverty level, 32% were ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed), and together, 43% of households in Idaho were in need.
 
As we recognize National Poverty Awareness Month in January, it's important to debunk some common myths about poverty and reframe the conversation around reality.
 
As we recognize National Poverty Awareness Month in January, it's important to debunk some common myths about poverty and reframe the conversation around reality.

Myth 1: Poverty is about laziness

One of the most harmful misconceptions is that people living in poverty are lazy or unwilling to work. The truth is that many people in poverty work long hours, often in multiple jobs, just to make ends meet.
However, low wages, lack of benefits and limited opportunities for advancement trap families in cycles of financial insecurity.

Myth 2: Poverty is always visible

When people picture poverty, they often think of extreme homelessness or destitution. While these are very real issues, poverty doesn't always look like this.
It can also look like a single parent struggling to keep the lights on, a college student skipping meals or a family living paycheck to paycheck. Poverty hides in plain sight, often disguised by people doing their best to stay afloat.

Myth 3: Poverty is just about poor choices

This view ignores the systemic issues at play — such as generational poverty, discrimination and lack of access to affordable health care or quality education. While personal choices matter, they are shaped by the opportunities (or lack thereof) people are given.
For many, poverty is not a consequence of poor decisions but an unfair starting line.

Myth 4: Poverty is permanent

Some believe that once someone is in poverty, they'll remain there forever — but research on transitions in and out of poverty in the United States finds the exit rate is around 56% after one year.
While poverty can feel like a trap, it's not always permanent. Individuals can escape poverty with access to resources like job training, affordable childcare and mental health support. However, systemic change is essential to make these opportunities more widely available.

Reframing the conversation

When I think back to my 15-year-old self walking the streets of Skid Row, I realize how much that moment shaped my understanding of poverty. It taught me about assumptions we make and how they can cloud our empathy and actions.
Today, here in Idaho, poverty may not look the same as in Los Angeles, but the struggles are just as real, and the solutions are just as complex.
Whether it's through offering resources like FindHelpIdaho.org, referrals to Valley House, Twin Falls Warming Center, or a warm meal at Everybody Eats, if we take the time to challenge stereotypes, each of us can play a role to ensure no one feels forgotten or judged for their circumstances.
The lesson I learned back then still resonates — homelessness is not just about an individual you can't seem to meet eyes with; it's a real person who belongs to our community. And understanding that truth is where change begins.