A new report indicates most Missouri workers at or just above the federal poverty level need to make much more than those wages to be self-sufficient. The study done by the University of Washington for the Missouri Women’s Council was funded by a grant from the Ford Foundation. Researchers did not give a statewide average for what people have to earn because they say it would detract from the fact each county and large city has different factors affecting different family sizes. Maureen Golga with the national group Wider Opportunities for Women says everyone has to play a role in moving people out of poverty towards self-sufficiency. Golga says the government also needs to do its part by providing access to training opportunities for workers to move up, as well as assistance such as food stamps and child care subsidies. She adds individuals need to take advantage of the opportunity to move up and get the assistance needed.
