Thursday, January 3, 2013

Poverty in America

My youngest daughter, Monica (4), is the sweetest little girl I know. Honestly.

However, she has "another side". It comes out when she doesn't get her way, or just doesn't get it fast enough. She is, well, high maintenance. Even our priests, who shower her with priestly love, are aware of this, and have "messed" with her about it from time to time. Of course, they know to wait until everything's "OK" first.

Yesterday, Monica was "hurrying" me about getting her lunch. When it wasn't going fast enough for her, she whined, "I'm starving!" "No, Monica", I insisted, "You may be hungry, but you are definitely not starving."

On my pin-board next to my computer, I have a picture of a little boy who, at the time the picture was taken, was starving. I keep it there to keep some perspective for myself; to remind me to be thankful for what I have and don't have, and to remind me that there are many in this world, in this country even, with real needs; needs, not just wants and desires.

Later, I noticed that the USCCB facebook page posted that January is "Poverty Awareness Month". I am going to be honest. When I first clicked to go to the daily calendar provided, I winced a bit, noticing that this was part of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development, an organization within the USCCB that has not always properly vetted the organizations it works with and contributes to.

But first, I do believe that much has been done and is being done to "correct" this. Next, looking over the calendar, I think this is a great way to educate my family (myself included) about what poverty in the United States really looks like, and some ways to help that we might not have thought about before.

The calendar includes a suggestion or bit of information along with a link for each day in January. Yesterday's  spot stated:

Take the Poverty Tour to see what life is like for a family of four living at the poverty line in the United States. Then share the Poverty Tour on Facebook!

I hope you will check it out. Heres the link again:


JANUARY 2013: POVERTY AWARENESS MONTH

2 comments:

  1. Hi George, you might be interested to see the latest report on the CCHD by Reform CCHD Now. Take a look: www.reformcchdnow.com

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    Replies
    1. Thank you for your comment and for the link. I appreciate the added information.
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      Dear Reader, I leave the link and the information contained on the site to your own discretion. I have reviewed it only so far as to know that I do not find anything objectionable at first glance.
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      Additionally, regardless of how I (or anyone else) feels about CCHD, the information regarding poverty in America is very good.

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