In our reporting through the summer of 2009, our news team concluded that we were hearing "new voices." A voice that says, "I can't find a job;" another voice that says, "I don't know where my next meal will come from;" and yet another that says "I've just lost my home." As the numbers of the jobless, the hungry, and the homeless continued to grow, we found that the names increasingly included those that we know. As a result, we have found ourselves "one degree away" from poverty.

We are in a unique position to go beyond the statistics and trends of the recession. Instead, we propose to engage. Engage with our community. Engage with our providers. Engage with our leaders.

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on the "That Could Be Me" series.

HUNGRY FOR HELP

Produced by Don Wimberly and Samantha Wright

This spring, one in nine Americans relied on Food Stamps. In Idaho, more than 149-thousand people are utilizing food stamps to survive. That's up more than 40 percent, as the economy forces more people to ask for assistance. What's it like to apply for food stamps for the first time, how does the process work, and who are the people affected? Boise State Radio's Don Wimberly and Samantha Wright take a closer look at those "Hungry For Help."

TOO POOR TO BE SICK

Produced by Elizabeth Duncan and Adam Cotterell

What do I do if I’ve lost my job and my insurance and I need medicine to stay healthy? Do I go to the dentist this year or wait till things get better? I’m sick, is there a place I can go where the first thing they say isn’t, “present your insurance card.” Boise State Radio’s Adam Cotterell and Elizabeth Duncan get answers to these and other health care questions from people who’ve had to figure things out for themselves.

IDAHO'S LOST GENERATION

Produced by George Prentice and Krisi Packer

As we listened to those in need and their caregivers, we heard a particular phrase more than once; "a lost generation." There is a tangible fear that children born into poverty or near-poverty will continue a struggle far beyond their years. As our public and private "safety nets" become more porous, we face an urgency in how we choose to respond. Boise State Radio's Krisi Packer and George Prentice listen to those who speak of a possible "lost generation."