Yes, Nals, poverty is increasing in the US. But relatively speaking, it is nothing like poverty here. The only differences I can see, as far as the homeless go, are that the climate is warm year round here and, if one searches, he can find tropical fruit growing nearby for food. Further, the culture here is such that people share food when they have it. In the US, that is not the case.
In the US rarely do you see a family of 6 or 8 living in one room with a roof that leaks and dirt floor and all sleeping on one mattress. Rarely in the US do people need to go to the river to relieve themselves, wash their clothes, and get water to bathe and cook. In the US, there are libraries, or gas stations, or restaurants, or stores where these things can be taken care of. I am not saying it is easy for the homeless in the US.
But it is a hard comparison when comparing to the DR.
Lindsey