While there have been signs of a recovery, Graves says their benefits have not yet reached the bottom of the economic ladder.
"The recovery for many people has looked very different. The jobs that are coming back are some of the lowest paying jobs," she says.
Many jobs created since the end of the recession are in retail and food services and often do not pay enough to support families. Middle-income jobs that were once lifelines out of poverty have become more scarce, making it even more difficult for groups with some of the highest rates of poverty, including Latinos, African-Americans and single mothers.
Graves says in today's economy, having a job doesn't necessarily mean you're not scraping by.
"Even when women are working full-time, they may still be in poverty," she explains. "Even as the economy is doing better, women are not doing better."
Waiting In Line
In a suburban industrial park in Gaithersburg, Md., just outside the nation's capital, workers push a stacked cart full of snacks and produce through the Manna Food Center, a local distribution site for food donations where Yelba Mojica meets daily with struggling families.
"People that have never needed the food are coming to [Manna Food Center] and [asking], 'What do I have to do to qualify?' " Mojica says. "You see a lot of different people. You know, you see all walks of life who have never needed it in the past and all of a sudden, they do."
Judith Prado, a bus driver and single mother of three, never imagined waiting in line at a food pantry — until nine months ago, when her hours at work were cut and she had to choose between gas for her car or food for her family.