CENTER TWP — Helping impoverished families without hurting them was a key concept discussed at the United Way of Butler County's annual Poverty Summit Nov. 21.

More than 100 school administrators, along with nonprofit and county organization leaders attended the daylong event at Crossfire.

“I think there's an opportunity to look at poverty statistically and look at it humanistically,” said Leslie Osche, executive director of the United Way. “Is there a better way of implementing this?”

She added the purpose of the summit was not to recommend specific solutions to poverty in the region, but rather to work with others in the community to find a common solution.

Lisa Gill of First United Methodist Church referred to two books, “Toxic Charity” and “When Helping Hurts: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help, and How to Reverse It,” when trying to help others.

Instead of giving “handouts” to people, groups should provide long-term solutions, she said.

“It's helping them to see the consequences of poverty ... And finding lasting solutions,” Gill said.

By not always helping through giving materials, nonprofits could help in a more effective way, such as the biblical proverb of giving a fish to someone versus teaching someone to fish.

“Don't give out handouts if they're not destitute,” she said.

Others spoke about other activities that can help and provide empowerment while teaching families more ways to be independent.

“Community gardens are great. They can take away barriers,” said Karen Dreyer of the Southwestern Pennsylvania Food Security Partnership. “Everybody has something to contribute. Everybody can play a part. And there isn't so much (the dynamic of) the people who have something and the people who don't have something.”

Osche also spoke of the frustrations about what those who are poor or who are in poverty often go through.

For example, a job promotion could eliminate the eligibility to get child care or food assistance, pushing that family back into the position where it started.

According to federal poverty guidelines, 5.8 percent of families in the county are below the poverty income line. Single mothers with children younger than 5 were most impacted, with 44 percent of them living below poverty levels.

The poverty income threshold for a family of four is $23,850.

When split by municipality, the Slippery Rock area has the highest percentage of families living in poverty at 36.4 percent. On the other end, Jefferson Township has the lowest rates in the county at 2.2 percent.

However, the federal guidelines are not a perfect measurement, said Kierston Hobaugh, director of results and performance at the United Way.

Many others above that limit still are struggling.

“To me at least, the most alarming thing is that we have 40 percent of families that live just on the edge,” Hobaugh said. “They're living paycheck to paycheck. They're living on the brink, that one crisis, one family illness, one car breaking down.

“Any kind of emergency could tip them over that point where they're now one of those families in poverty. That's significant. That's almost half of the families in Butler County.”

Summit participants also took part in a poverty simulation. Groups were given information packets on families, income and situations based on real families in the county. Those families included single parents, grandparents, homeless and even those in prison.

“It's a true cross section of the families that we're seeing at our agencies,” said Janine Kennedy, director of the Butler County Community Action Group, a program under the Butler County Department of Human Services.

The test was to see if the participants could have those families make enough to make ends meet.

“It's a tool where participants walk a mile in someone else's shoes,” she said. “The littlest thing could really push them into the pit of despair.

“It helps people gain a little bit of understanding.”

Here is information about poverty in Butler County, according to the Federal Poverty Level and American Community Survey five-year estimates released in December 2013.Federal poverty guidelines list poverty at $11,670 for an individual and $23,850 for a family of four.<B>Families</B>Families in poverty, 5.8 percentFamilies with children younger than 5, 12 percentHusband and wife, 2.3 percentMale head of household and family, 12.7 percentFemale head of household and family, 26.1 percentSingle mother with children younger than 5, 44 percentIndividual head of household, 16 percentSeniors, 8 percent<B>Individual</B>All people in Butler County, 8.9 percentYounger than 18 years, 10 percentRelated children younger than 18 years, 9.7 percentRelated children 5 to 17 years, 8.6 percent18 years and older, 8.6 percent18 to 64 years, 9.1 percent65 years and older, 6.5 percentUnrelated individuals 15 years and older, 23.6 percent