The New York State Community Action Association just released a study which found that 40 percent of children in Albany County live below the poverty level, and 14 percent of all New Yorkers do as well. Our Kaitlyn Ross spoke with the organization to find out what can be done to help.

ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York State Community Action Association Program Director Lisa Allison said, "It's tough. Providing hope during these times is really difficult."

Hope for the 40 percent of children in Albany County living below the poverty line is seemingly lost. The study, conducted in 2007, is only a conservative estimate of poverty in New York State, and the Community Action Association says now those numbers could be worse.

"It's not taking into account the current unemployment that folks are facing and the recession in general," said Allison.

All across New York State families are struggling, with one in 10 white families facing poverty, one if five African American families, and one in four Latino families. To be below the poverty line in America means a family of three is earning less than $18,310 a year.

Kathy Cloutier of the Albany County Action Committee said, "The federal poverty guidelines are so very, very low, and to find out there's that many people struggling with that much difficulty, you're right, it's staggering."

The county tries to get those families enrolled in social programs - like Headstart, WIC, and food stamp allotments.

Cloutier said, "All of these resources help put money back in the pockets of these families so that they can help their children and help themselves."

Another thing the group is pushing for, more compensation for working New Yorkers.

Cloutier said, "When you talk minimum wage or even 8, 9 dollars an hour, it's not really even a living wage."

A living wage in the Capital Region would translate to just over $10 an hour.