Hello---well, with so much wealth between Oprah and the Gates??? Why r they going over seas to rescue students???schools???from debris???and lack of education...or how about some local organisations??? to work like habitat for humanity???its no surprise that this is happening across our nation......its not that the people don't care....students don't care either.....in the south, kids won't even go into excellant pools, because 'they don't swim'.....we do not 'choose' this dispair.....its goes with territory that systems hustle to make the school 'passible'......Parents have to have 'expectation.s'....I do not think the comments about 'expectations' is fair....Parents need to be educated....and r not....they r drop outs...it is not racial.....it is not inner city....it just is.......People who r making the discoveries about this lack of education process should step up to the plate--give up 'other' things to work on this great project--IN AMERICA-NOT IN AFRICA!....jujst reporting on subjects and revealing the problem is not enough....if u r that interested in exposing these issue, then ur staff should help u in doing something about the problem.....i do that in my small world....just today I overheard a woman say, while shopping, that she couldn't afford something...I stopped, listened to her...and explained how she could afford or rather find free dental care so she would not have to purchase gum pads and denture adhesive...in my small way, without money, I help others...daily! so get busy Oprah and Gates.....warm regards, diane reese, jacksonville, florida

I watched your show with Anderson Cooper on poor in America. You talked about how response might have been better if the people most affected were rich and white and about how a lot of the people in the shelters were white soccer moms and how people were left dead in many areas for a long time. This seems to be typical of our current society and what our government teaching many people. To always to look to someone else to handle your responsibilities. What ever happened to owning your own responsibilities. "GIVE a man a fish and he eats for a day, TEACH a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime" and then becomes dependent on that handout, much the way our welfare system works. I agree that there will always be poor, that is just the way some people want to live and some of your shows have also dealt with this issue. Many are poor because they have been TAUGHT to be poor or TAUGHT to believe that there is no other way. We see many people working their way out of "Poor" by believing that they can, leaning how to do it and by NOT GIVING UP. Just like the way that many rich people got thay way, both Black and white. If people could learn or be forced to learn how to take care of themselves rather than learn how to completely depend on the system to always bail them out. I believe that the reason so many white soccer moms were in the shelters was because they TOOK THE INITIATIVE to get themselves there instead of sitting back and crying because nobody came and took them to the shelters. I will certainly admit that there were major problems in New Orleans as well as in many other areas, but many areas also struck by disaster (Tornados, Floods, fires, hurricane, etc) have manager to pull themselves together and as a team rebuild and go about their lives and I bet that they are much better off for it and now would say that the disaster may have been one of the better things that had happened to them. They learned how to take care of themselves AND their neighbors rather that blame the system for all of their problems. These towns became more close knit and learned how to better prepare and take care of themselves even better.

Lets put more into education and betterment programs than into welfare and handouts. What about workfare and vocational education at the same time. something like the WPA or Civilian Conservation Corps. But people would have to work - there is no free ride for anyone, it will eventually catch up to you. You always have to improve. Most people love a challange, the right challange just has to be found. Too many people today, tackle a challange that is illegal, dangerous. They put their heart and soul into it, now if we could just redirect these bad challanges into something good.

Bob Huffine

Orlando, Florida

welcome to my world !!! you want to talk about invisible ????? my son and his wife and two children live in Ohio. My son cannot find a job and they are on food stamps..... My daughter-in-law has a 10th grade education !!! she can't get work either ! they live in my fathers house and take care of it for him while I take care of him because he has dementia. I work as much as possible but only can do so much b/c I'm disabled to !!! I have COPD and can't work outside my home. I send them as much money as possible.... Welfare and medical help is for immigrants or people of color not the poor white people who have children to feed !!!! We are the new minority That is for sure

I had to turn off the show today ..... I'm gagging.

1) The three women I saw being interviewed prior to my turning the TV off all had at least 5 kids. What????? Hello????? NO WONDER YOU'RE ALL POOR!!!!!!!!!!!! Control your reproductive systems, and stop having so many children that you can't feed, etc.

2) Have any of these families contacted the Extreme Home Makeover crews?

3) Have any of these families considered moving into a govt.-subsidized housing development, which would be NOT miles from civilization, but rather close to jobs, training sites, etc.?

4) Why aren't you women getting free government training for a job (besides just being a baby-making machine)?

Sorry, Oprah, but you're just not breaking MY heart today with this sob story........I had to control my OWN child-bearing and limited myself to the number of kids I could provide for. These women should, too.

You know, Bob, normally I would agree with you, but at least with the people that were featured on today's show, they are trying. It's hard when the kids are in the picture and if you have no family to lean on for childcare at least. I believe in leaning on the system to get you out of your tight spot, but no, they should not become reliant on it. They need to just use it to get beyond where they are at. And the system needs a serious revamping. The welfare to work system? What happened to that? Another failed democratic attempt. They have bright ideas and don't follow up on them. You can't put a system in place and then not monitor how it is working.

Valerie

White Oak, PA

As I sit here watching the show on "the working poor", I am saddened to see how once again, there is one segment of society that is left out. We all know about the single moms, and even the single dads...does anyone ever consider the fathers or mothers that for whatever reason, are forced by the courts to pay high rates of child support? With no chance to recover should something (god forbid) happen to effect their employment? some states are somewhat understanding and will make some adjustments( within reason, obviously).but for some, they end up in jail if they fall behind, causing them to lose the job they had...they come out...wello, how do you explain the last few months to a potential employer that has his option of hiring a well qualified candidate with a clean, documented background, vs a similar candidate that spent the last 3 months in jail for a contempt of court charge(usually what the charge is when you fall behind and can't catch up on their terms). Want to talk about living hand to mouth? This is the epitome of it. I work in the employment industry and have lost a staggering number of employees due to this, yet the people going to jail seem to bethe ones that try....those that skip on everything seem to be those that never see the inside of a jail....

How can I send money to these women?

We all make mistakes and big ones at times. I feel I can do something !!! I want to !! I will !!

Never say never, and if you can help someone less fortunate, then do so !!

Dot

My son and husband just came back from Pearlington MS helping with the rebuilding after Katrina. Yes, you heard it correctly, there are people who are still living in their trailers in the driveway 3 years later. They get up every morning, go to work (if they are lucky enough to have work), come 'home' and then work on their houses.

As I watched today's show (I've got pink eye so I had to stay home) it blew me away that the showed was taped in 2005! And my son came back 2 weeks ago! Maybe you should send some folks back down there to get them back in the news to get these folks some help?

I've done mission trips and habitat so I am familiar with this type of work. I was so proud of my son and husband for what they did. I only hope there are more people out there to help.

Thank you for your show,

Leslie

While channel surfing during Olympic commercials, I came across the Oprah show. I stopped briefly to watch the show titled "Inside the Lives of America's Poor". My initial feeling while watching this show is that I do feel very sorry for these people. Some I truly believe do not want to live this way, but the majority who have no education and/or family support continue to CHOOSE to get pregnant knowing full well they are not equipped to provide for them. My mother always taught us that every choice we make has consequences, whether good or bad, and choosing to sleep around and get pregnant without the ability to provide for the child is a consequence they bring on themselves. But my question is this. Why is Oprah,the Billionaire, asking us what WE can do? This is the same person who CHOSE to go over to Africa to open schools, and in the meantime sits on her show asking Americans what WE can do for the poor in this country?? I'm confused Oprah. This is just one more reason I don't waste my time watching her show anymore!! Well, I have to go watch the AMERICANS win some more Gold in the Olympics!

1. I understand your sentiment, but honestly, you shouldn't tell people not to have kids just because they are poor, especially if you're THAT poor you probably can't afford birth control.

2. "Extreme Home Makeover" involves a selection process and nomination from other people, the way I understand the terms. Also, they also usually only do houses for areas that are "TV worthy".

3. They don't move to "government subsidized housing" because, as was said on the show, they own the land they live on now from generations past. Would you give up your land that had been in your family for generations? They still owe property taxes no matter if they live there or not as well. The man who could get a good job in law enforcement if he moved can't move without leaving his sick mother behind. Do you think he should abandon her? I don't think you could be that harsh.

4. Where and how would they access this "free government job training", which I doubt really exists as an opportunity for most people now, when they live in the middle of nowhere without a way to travel?

I'm glad you are so put together, but you seem out of touch with how people really live because you appear to be the "If I do it, you should automatically as well and you should know how from scratch". That's not reality. That's not "being responsible". That's an unrealistic expectation for these people, if you ask me. Until they get help from an outside source, they are literally stuck without just abandoning their lives and the people they love. No one should be asked to do that.

At birth an age through growth a phase

Embracing life and hating living

Seeking anything, finding nothing

.....No one heard me screaming

Hoping, praying, trying... to convey

An open door, a chance to sing

Embrace a possibility to chance

....No one heard me screaming

The times are hard, the doors are closed

The "Haves" remain in balance, smiles open

Doors closed, and ears are deaf to pleas of pain

......No one heard me screaming

My mother's old and tired arms

Embrace me as I scream, there's hope somewhere

She whispers in her gentle soothing voice

Alas my screams seem amplified as Mom is screaming too

.....No one heard our screaming

No where to turn, Mom's pension small

"hold on" she says there is a light

The light she sees I do not see, I'm tired and want to sleep

.....No one hears me screaming

I try so hard but hope is lost, and though the system is not my choice

The door is closed when I approach, too black, too young, too educated

When children you have are starving too, come back and knock again

......No one hears me screaming

So tired I am, ashamed that I will leave a painful legacy

One child I birthed, a grandma now, their future I won't see

Two christmas' past, I asked a "Have" to fill my grandchild's tree

.....But Oprah did not hear me screaming

So tired I am of burden woes, I pray my childhood prayer

"Now I lay me down to sleep....."

Though I will miss my family so, I pray to sleep in peace

......No one hears me screaming

I've screamed so long, I have no sound emitting from my mouth

My whispered scream, my final breath, a stabbing pain within my chest

First loud, then soft the mellow flow my heart beats in my ear

I close my eyes and wonder IF anyone will.......

......Hear me screaming.

Sooo many people have soooo many needs. All you have to do is watch Oprahs other shows or read the paper and watch the news. Poverty is not the only problem. Each perceived wealthy person has a project to help. They cannot help EVERYBODY, with EVERY problem. I understand how you feel because this is something close to you. Millions of people have needs that a wealthy person can help them with. We all have the freedom to chose who we will help with our own resources for our own reasons. Oprah has that right also. She has said time and time again she believes that education will assist in keeping poverty from recurring to the degree that it is now. Even Jesus said the poor will always be with you. That leads me to believe it cannot be completely alleviated. It appears that Oprah sees the bigger picture. Teaching children to fish so the next generation will lift themselves out. She displayed the eagerness of the African children's desire to have a good education on previous shows. A desire so great they are willing to risk rape and death to get to school. Grandmothers making great life threatening sacrifices to get their children to school. This kind of motivation to go to school is here in America but the level of commitment and the risks involved here does not seem to compare to those in Africa. Large percentages of the whole country appear to be at risk. There are programs here for students, shelters for the poor, organizations to help families that are challenged. These programs do not exist in the impoverished areas of Africa. No media reports their stories, No homeless shelters are provided for them. No major outrage is displayed by local organizations. So many more major problems exist that education is on the back burner. Genocide, Aids, etc. This does not take away from the problems in America but hopefully your perception of what we as a human race do to help other human beings will be better understood. Pick your fight with tall of the information you can obtain and a broader point of view.

Is it really necessary to have four or five children and then complain that your family has been on welfare for generations!!! At some point you have to learn from the mistakes of the past. Do not have children until you can stand on your own two feet! Why bring innocent children into this world and then have nothing to offer them, and then further burden society. I do not feel sorry for people who keep on perpetuating the welfare problem. Get off welfare and government handouts, get an education or a job, and then start a family. These people need to clue in!

Everyone needs and deserves a chance. I don't know the full circumstances of the families featured but I was at one time two pay checks from poverty. My heart went out to the families. So much so, that if anyone can give me the name of a deserving family or families, I will give them 2/3 of my clothes. I do need to keep some for myself. There are organizations out there to help these ladies with jobs, and if clothes is a hinderance, let me help there.

I think most of these people don't really understand how difficult it is, if not next to impossible to get out of poverty. I live in middle america...and even though my kids are too young to play soccer you can say that I fit the stereo type. However, I have lived on both sides of the fence. I have never been homeless. I have lived with other people but had jobs and was able to get out on my own. I tried college and it didn't fit me really well. I did get a job as a receptionist at an insurance agency, then decided to go to school for my license, and that is what really got me out of the low income level. I did get pregnant during my super low income level and made the tough decision not to keep the baby. If I had done this I know that I would have never made it in life and my children would have suffered for it. I am now married to a wonderful man that puts us in middle america. With out him I would not have had the motivation to really think at life differently. All along I was going by what I had been taught and all that I knew. Now I know anything is possible. When you are poor or even low income and you struggle just for the basics of life. Electric, water, gas, and food. It's hard to even think about anything else! Anderson Cooper and Oprah were speaking about what people need is the emtional/movitvation type of support (in a round about way). I totally agree! People need to be encouraged, taught how to look at life differently and see all the possibilities. Change a little at a time. I have heard of so many stories of how life was good, then some one lost their job, or a husband/wife died, houses destroyed by acts of nature. Devastation takes a tole on people and unless you have been in their shoes you should never judge them. I am currently trying to do my part in helping a single mom get out poverty. It has to be the hardest and most frustrating thing I have ever done! She is a high school drop out (just like most of the women on the show),. 23 with a 5 yr old and 20 month old. She was living with her alcoholic mother but she lost her job and their place to live. She did not have a car at the time I met her so she could not go to work or take her children to child care. You would not believe what I had to go thru to get my mom's car donated to her. (my mother was a single mom of 4 so my siblings and I donated instead of selling it). I went with her to places that said they are there to help homeless or almost homeless families. NOT!!! It is not as easy as most of the post would think. Find someone that is trying to get out of it and go with them and you will see, the goverment isn't really helping them! You can't make more than $2,000 if you want food stamps. You can't Cordianted Child care (helps pay for child care so you can work, but not the full amount) unless you are working, Once you start work they stop food stamps! HELLO!!! She has been around and around! I have been watching her 20month old for over 6 months now (for free) as I could not stand to watch her be pushed around a crappy daycare system. I pay for her diapers while she is here and feed her my food. The 5 year old starts school this year, but still there are the costs of after care. Now lets talk jobs! There are none!!! I saw a local news report this week where over 1,000 people applied for a few job openings at Kohl's department store. How sad is that? This woman that I am helping has gotten her GED thanks to a christian organization that provided classes to her. However, she can't go to the graduation as she can't walk with out a cap and gown and can't afford one! She finally accomplishes something and she gets shot down yet again! She has been working jobs in a temp agency so jobs are hit and miss and only temp. She worked at my husband's office when she first met us and he said she does great work. However, there are no jobs out there. So what is she suppose to do? She finally got her own place and got approved for section 8 (housing assistance, which she was told is a 2 yr wait) somehow she got luck and was pushed ahead. However she has to be working. She has been out of work for two weeks now and no work in sight. So every time she moves forward, she is pushed back again. She went to work net a public progam to help people get jobs. They took out all the computers for them to look for jobs! She has not computer. She is fighting for child support, but her ex-husband lives in Michigan and she lives in Fl. Michigan doesn't have them in the system yet and said it usually takes up to a year! What is up with that? She signed up for college and is getting a small grant and approved for a student loan. However, we are back to child care issues. Work in the day, school at night. Get home at 11pm, who watches the kids? So you see around every corner is an obstacle. You can say well they should do this or that, but if you have not had the experience you just don't know how it feels to be constantly beaten down and having to get back up again. With me being where I am at in my life, I have to say it's hard not to judge her at times. I am not sure why, but I naturally do sometimes and I have to check myself. I get real frustrated and just want to throw my hands up in the air and say "I give up". As one lady stated on the show, she put herself where she is at by making bad choices, so did this girl, but should she really be punished for the rest of her life. Here she is 23 and wants a better life, wants to change things for her and her kids, but she has to be led in the right direction by people who know what is possible. Otherwise she will repeat the cycle of her family which is not good.

By the way she is white not black. I have many friends that are black and are middle America. They struggled, went to college, got educated and changed their life. They are judged for being black and living in a white world. This frustrates me as it just seems like if you make it and your black it's wrong, and if you are poor and black it's wrong. THAT IS JUST PLAIN RIGHT OUT WRONG!!!

People are so incredibly ignorant and all consumed with their lives. They really need to get out of their bubble and see what is REALLY going on around them.

YES our system needs to change!! They need to help educate more than anything else. Just like one person posted, teach them to fish. Help them get confidence in their selves. Good self esteem is an amazing thing!!!