Louisiana, the pelican state, known for New Orleans, Mardi Gras, Cajun culture, and the home of the 2010 Superbowl champions, the Saints! But what many in the nation do not know about Louisiana is its long struggle with poverty. During a recent 2008 study administered by the Institute for Southern Studies (ISS) and the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Louisiana ranked in the bottom two states for childhood poverty along with Mississippi. In fact, the city of New Orleans alone ranks 8th in poverty for cities country-wide with a population of 100,000 or more residents. In fact, Louisiana ranks first in residents living in poverty areas and third in both lowest median household income and portion of workforce that is unemployed, when compared to other states.

This table, made by the U.S. census shows how the poverty increases in urban areas, especially the most populous city in the state, New Orleans. Hurricane Katrina had a lot to do with the increase in poverty in New Orleans, and along Louisiana’s gulf coast. More than 1,000 people died and thousands more displaced after the category 4 storm made landfall on the morning of August 29, 2005. This single hurricane flooded 80% of the city and caused thousands to lose their job, homes, and even family members. The image below shows a typical New Orleans street after Hurricane Katrina. Even after so many years, many of the streets in New Orleans still look like this, though the water is long gone. It is easy for us to forget these things, but these were real people, Americans whose lives were lost and destroyed, and who will never be the same. Still now, years later, the city is in ruins, the citizens of this amazing city have gone through enough, but they still make you smile with their food, parties, and unique culture. Lets return the favor, please donate or volunteer, show your fellow Americans that you do care. Imagine if this was your home.

Below is a picture of downtown New Orleans a few hours after the storm left the greater New Orleans area.

As impoverished and in ruin New Orleans is, the rural parishes and towns are far worse and even notorious for the level of poverty experienced in them. According to a LSU (Louisiana State University) study, the national poverty rate is at 12.4%, the poverty rate in urban Louisiana is 18.1% and the poverty rate in rural Louisiana is at 24.2%. That is more than twice the national poverty rate. The poverty in rural Louisiana is mainly attributed to crime, lack of schools and jobs, and lack of industrialization, most of the rural Louisiana countryside is still cotton and or tobacco farms. The African-American rural population is in the most poverty due to the racism that still persists today. Below shows one of thousands of children growing up in the worst conditions possible throughout the state. 45% of Louisiana’s child population live below the national poverty line according to the National Center for Children in Poverty (NCCP).

Bayous are also notorious for the level of poverty experienced in them. Still clinging to old southern life style, the Cajuns living there experience some of the worst poverty in the country. The image below shows a typical bayou home in Louisiana. The poverty here is so bad that many people can’t afford the simplest of comforts like running water or electricity. The bayous are just as bad if not worse than the rural northern part of the state in terms of poverty.

Louisiana is a great state, they boast beautiful French ancestry, lovely bayous, and a Mardi Gras party second to none. This state is in some serious economic trouble and Hurricane Katrina didn’t help it any. The future of the this great state is uncertain, but what is certain is the effect of donations to help the citizens of the second most impoverished state in the nation. Please learn more about this important cause by visiting one of the websites to the left of the screen. Thank you and laissez les bons temps rouler! (Let the good times roll)

To learn more about the interesting Cajun culture, visit the Cajun Crawfish Pie link to the left of your screen.