This is really out of touch. First off, poor people can’t afford Costco memberships. Second, 5 miles is a very long distance in Chicago. How can someone justify spending an hour in traffic each way, and with what car?
5 miles is not a long way. I live in a metro area, one of the highest traffic-wise, and I go that far, no problem.
The car - you have to do this thing called "work" and work at finding someone who has a car and share. Maybe a church has a van that does this kind of thing. I'm not saying it is the easiest thing in the world, but seriously, it is not that difficult to find out if someone has a car that can go to a grocery store, even a normal one, and carpool.
There's a lot of other things one can do to lift themselves out of poverty, that are not difficult.
Since you are taking that tack, I now know that you are not having this discussion in good faith.
>or many people in poverty would have done it.
Nope. And you are the 100% proof. Instead of asking me how, you attack me. Most people would willingly starve to death before doing something different. Trust me, I've tried to help many people out of a bad situation. I got emotionally invested in their situation - they came to me for help, not vice versa. And they just spent money like drunk sailors when they had a little bit.
Anyways, you are not discussing in good faith so I'm going to have to part ways with you here.