Unemployment in Colorado is higher than the national average. According to the Denver Post, the jobless rate has risen to 9.1 percent, the highest since 1983, which may be a sign that the Great Recession isn’t over yet. The bad news came as the Colorado Children’s Campaign released a gloomy report stating that poverty among our state’s children continues to grow. The number of kids living in poverty jumped 17 percent between 2008 and 2009, and median family incomes dropped by $1,800 (Colorado Springs Gazette). And in cases of extreme poverty, defined as a family of four making $11,000 or less annually, the number of kids climbed from 65,000 to 95,000.

Chris Watney, president and CEO of the Colorado Children’s Campaign, noted the impacts of the recession “are wide” with “long-term implications.” Many Coloradans seeking decent-paying, full-time jobs with benefits and health care are coming up short, a concern for the Denver Egotist. One immediate hint: “Getting is gotten by doing, not wanting. So get doing.”