San Antonio's Poverty Problem: Latest Guest, Melody Woosley

As 2025 winds down through the month of December, most of us are preparing for a season of abundance, giving, and celebration. For many San Antonians, however, this is not the case. Of our 1.5 million residents, about 18% live below the poverty line, meaning our city has the third-highest rate of poverty nationwide (Karlis). Of the more than 250,000 impoverished individuals in San Antonio, more than half are children, black and Hispanic communities continue to be disproportionately represented, and a majority of households in poverty are run by single women (Dimmick).

One of the greatest indicators of poverty is low educational attainment---another area where we fall short. While 34% of the national population boasts completion of a bachelor's degree, only 28% of San Antonians can say the same, this percentage underscored by huge disparities among white, Hispanic, and black people (DHS).

The San Antonio Food Bank. Retrieved from flickr.com.

Last month, we had the opportunity to interview one of the many San Antonio leaders actively striving to improve these statistics, Melody Woosley. Melody, as head of the Department of Human Services, has very direct, uniquely informed insight to the social inequities our city currently faces, and she oversees the management of a number of initiatives targeting said inequities. Some of these projects include SACRD, the Opportunity Youth Community, and the Benefits Navigation Program---all blueprints devised to assist a specific disadvantaged community (DHS).

In our interview, we discussed the current status of San Antonio's poverty levels, as well as the number of demographics most affected. Among these is our city's elderly population who are not only more vulnerable to poverty and homelessness, but also more at risk during major weather events.

The Northeast Senior Center. Retrieved from rvkarchitecture.com.

Our city, and more specifically the Department of Human Services, continues to devote time and resources to aiding marginalized populations. Tackling low education, unemployment, housing inequity, and food insecurity remain some of the chief goals for local government, but on a small scale, individuals can contribute too.

This holiday season, if you have the means, consider being a part of the Angel Tree Campaign at a local Walmart, volunteer at our city Foodbank, or donate to United Way of San Antonio and Bexar County. Of course, awareness is the first step anyone can take, and one way to be aware is by engaging with our latest interview episode with Melody Woosley. Join the conversation and stay informed to be a part of a more equal future for all San Antonians.

Works Cited

Dimmick, Iris. “City Council Reviews ‘Sobering’ 2024 San Antonio Poverty Report.” San Antonio Report, 28 Feb. 2024, sanantonioreport.org/san-antonio-poverty-level-2024-community-wellbeing-survey-status-report/.

Karlis, Michael. “San Antonio Has Third-Highest Poverty Rate of Any Big U.S. City, U.S. Census Says.” San Antonio Current, 15 Sept. 2023, www.sacurrent.com/news/san-antonio-has-third-highest-poverty-rate-of-any-big-us-city-us-census-says-32648158/.

San Antonio DHS. STATUS of POVERTY. 2024, www.sa.gov/files/assets/main/v/1/dhs/documents/shared/2024-poverty-report.pdf.