If you haven't experienced poverty first hand, it can be hard to understand the complexity of issues and the severity of the problem.  Below is a list of recommended reading on poverty, homelessness and related issues. 

(We also have a list of books that can help make non-profits stronger.  Click here for our Recommended Non-profit Reading List)

A Framework for Understanding Poverty
Payne, Ruby K. (2005)
Aha! Process Inc.

Beating the Odds: How the Poor Get to College
Levine, A., and Nidiffer, J. (1996).
San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc.

Bridges Out of Poverty: Strategies for Professionals and Communities
Payne, Ruby K., PhD, Philip E. DeVol, Terrie Dreussi Smith (2001)

Aha! Process Inc.

Broke, USA: From Pawnshops to Poverty, Inc. — How the Working Poor Became Big Business
Rivlin, Gary (2010)

HarperBusiness

Class Matters
Correspondents of The New York Times (2005)
Times Books

Criminal of Poverty: Growing Up Homeless in America
Gray-Garcia, Lisa (2006)

City Light Books

Ending Poverty in America: How to Restore the American Dream

Edwards, John, Marion Crain, Arne L. Kalleberg (2007)
New Press

Families in Poverty - part of the Families in the 21st Century Series
Seccombe, Karen (2007)
Pearson Education, Inc.

Insufficient Funds: Savings, Assets, Credit and Banking Among Low-Income Households
Blank, Rebecca M. and Barr, Michael S., Editors (2009)
Russell Sage Foundation

Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America
Ehrenreich, Barbara, Arlie Hochschild, Shara Kay (Editor) April 2002
1st Owl

One Nation, Underprivileged
Rank, Mark Robert (2005)
Oxford University Press

Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Homeless Children and Families in Small-Town America
Vission, Yvonne M. (1996)
University of Kentucky Press

Poverty in America: A Handbook

Iceland, John (2006)
University of California Press, second edition

See Poverty...Be the Difference
Beegle, Donna (2007)
Communication Across Barriers, Inc.

The Other America: Poverty in the United States
Harrington, Michael (1997)
Scribner

The Working Poor: Invisible in America
Shipler, David K. (2004)
Random House

Why Don't They Just Get a Job?  One Couple's Mission to End Poverty in Their Community
Phillips, Liane and Echo Montgomery Garrett (2010)
Aha! Process Inc.