Nathan Kelly is an associate professor of political science spoke about poverty in Appalachia to WATE-TV’s Don Dare. According to Dare, the number of poor comes in at nearly 17% in Tennessee. It’s even higher in some rural counties. While government programs help the poor, many still live far below the safety net. The hardest hit are the sick who are plagued by high medical bills, reported Dare. “They want to work. They really want to be productive. It frustrates them to no end that they’re not healthy,” Kelly said. “Folks are very proud. They don’t like to need help.”