OTTAWA — A study being conducted in Ottawa, Manhattan, McPherson and Wichita by the Kansas State University School of Family and Human Services is trying to shed light on how families living in poverty are coping with everyday life. School officials say parents who are struggling financially are doing the best they can to put food on the table, to persevere, and protect their children, sometimes too much. According to numbers a state report, more than 18 percent of Kansas kids live in poverty. The research is focused primarily on families living in poverty who have teenagers in the household, said Elaine Johannes, K-state professor and Extension specialist. It’s important for parents who are struggling financially, but still persevering, to show that resiliency and to open up to their teens about what they’re learning, Johannes said. She said the next phase of the project will ask families living in poverty to share their experiences.
Thursday, Oct. 26, 5 p.m.
