In the spirit of blog action day, Oct. 15, I’ve decided to veer a little off of our usual discussions on http://dietivity.com, and participate as bloggers around the world share thoughts on the subject of poverty.
Perhaps as little as a few months ago, the word “poverty” would have immediately brought to mind television images of emaciated children suffering in third world countries, single mothers in inner cities struggling to raise their kids in run-down, crime-infested neighborhoods, or migrant workers living under the radar, working for less than minimum wage just to send it home to their families for whom those few dollars make all the difference. Yet, now with the economic crisis gripping the US, the specter of poverty is revealing how close to home it’s always been lurking.
Before the meltdown, I remember reading in the papers that the income gap between rich and poor has been widening, and that the upward mobility of past generations is not as easily obtainable for today’s children. I thought that was bad…
Now in the papers, I’m reading that food banks across the country running out because demand has outstripped supplies. Take for or instance, Escanaba, a small city in my fairly remote region of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The Salvation Army alone has seen a 15% increase in new cases. People who thought they had good jobs, and always managed, now have to ask for help. People who had always been on the edge of poverty, are now slipping into it. It seems that being in the “middle class” is just not what it used to be.
While the government and greedy corporations have a lot to answer for, those of us whose neighbors are being pushed over the brink have to help out. The organizations that provide assistance to people in need are facing worse difficulties than ever. Donations are harder to come by and demand is increasing. The government is not going to fix things overnight.
In these tough times, we need to remember that we are all part of a community. We need to recognize that poverty can affect anybody, and it is not as far away as images on TV, but that it can hit very close to home. If we can get recognize and overcome this in our small part of the world, then that is a first step toward conquering it across the globe…
To find a local food bank near you click on a link below:
- www.feedingamerica.org/
- povertyinamerica.psu.edu
- Living Wage Calculator
- New Poverty figures do not reflect current condition
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Great post. Its so true that in times like these we need to remember we are part of a community and do what we can to help our neighbours/neighbourhood!
Megs last blog post..5 Things You Can Do to Help End Global Poverty
How are you?, Give something to help those hungry people in Africa and India,
I added this blog about this subject:
on http://tinyurl.com/5t2jg6