By Carol Pomeroy

 

People in the middle class and upper class consider the following as necessities and for the most part are able to purchase or acquire them as needed. People who are poor or live in poverty can’t afford to purchase or acquire them and consider them luxuries.

• Health care

• Dental care

• Non-emergency doctor’s appointments for check-ups, vaccinations, antibiotics for infections

• Drug prescriptions

• Quality personal hygiene items instead of inferior products

• Mental health therapy

• Eyeglasses

• The ability to be able to work only one job

• Paid sick days

• Paid time off, vacation days

• Enough food

• Healthy food

• Affordable housing

• A clean and safe place to live

• Adequate heat in cold weather

• Air conditioning in hot weather

• Child daycare

• Car and car Insurance

• Gasoline for cars

• Access to public transportation

• Easy access to laundry equipment (washers & dryers)

• Warm clothes for winter and a good winter coat

• Having clothes that fit

• Shoes without holes or tears

• College or vocational training

If this isn’t a wake-up call that the minimum wage needs to be raised, then I don’t know what is.

Carol Pomeroy lives in Salisbury.