Missing: common sense. Reward if Found: self worth

I was watching the news the other night. A special report on poverty in our country.  I'm not sure what that magic number is...  the one that puts you into the poverty level.  The example they were showing on the news was a family of 14 sharing a 4 bedroom home, and family members having trouble finding consistent work. I don't mean to sound heartless....  but this house they lived in was a mess.  Trash was strewn over the porch and the indoors looked very 'unclean'.  The reporters did not mention anything about this.  My guess is, if the people are too lazy to clean their own house... and keep it up,  then maybe that is why they are not consistently working THUS the poverty ensues.  Just saying.  

I don't know about elsewhere...  but in our parts there is always help out there for the poor.  There are so many assistance programs for food, shelter and medical that make me think just maybe they are living a little better than I am...  those who are poor.  Don't get me wrong.  It's a good thing to help people less fortunate.  But there needs to be programs to rehabilitate and teach so that poverty does not become a way of life.  It can be beaten.  But it takes perseverance and determination.  In the end, self worth will take them places where they'd never dream they could be.  

 Note: I was one of seven children (five of us in the pic) and we grew up in a four room house. That's two bedrooms and an outhouse, thank you very much.   Mom worked in the sewing factory and Dad was an electrician at the Brick yard.  Mom and Dad put us to work cleaning the house, washing dishes and babysitting our siblings.  I know it's a different world today.  But for crying out loud....  can't we just pull a little wisdom from our past into today...  and become healthier and happier people...??!!