Two Posts in One: U.S. Poverty and Hurricane Katrina
Before I start to ramble and lose people's attention, let me point you to the new graphical link in the right sidebar. This link will take you to the United Methodist Committee On Relief's 2005 Hurricane Disaster Relief page. Here you can make monetary donations and find out other ways you can assist in helping the people devastated by Hurricane Katrina. To find out more about UMCOR's history of global assistance to those in need, please check out their website. The United Methodist Church has a strong record of providing emergency assistance when disaster hits around the globe. One interesting piece of info is that all money donated to UMCOR for disaster relief goes directly to the relief efforts and not to administrative overhead. That's 100% of your money going directly to the program or relief effort you specify. Administrative costs are covered through other donations, especially the UMC's One Great Hour of Sharing.
Now, let's examine poverty in the United States. On Tuesday, CNN.com ran an article giving the release of the poverty rate in the United States for 2004. The financial site money.cnn.com reported on Friday, "The number of Americans living in poverty jumped to 35.9 million last year, up by 1.3 million, while the number of those without health care insurance rose to 45 million from 43.6 million in 2002, the U.S. government said in a report Thursday." That means that there are now 35.9 million Americans living in poverty; this equals roughly 12.5% of the population. What do those numbers mean? Put yourself in a group of 10 people. Now picture at least 1 of those 10 living in poverty. Put yourself in a room of 20 people. Now 2.5 of them, nearly 3, are living in poverty. What group of people experienced the largest spike in poverty rates? Children - their rate was the highest its been in 10 years.
I should wrap things up. But before I do, let me pass along a few words from Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine. In my regular edition of SojoMail (a free e-mail service from the magazine), Wallis wrote about the connection between poverty and the hurricane. "During hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters, those who have the least to lose are often those who lose the most," he said. According to Wallis, this happens because, "First, the dwellings in which poor people live are not as sturdy, stable, or safe as others...Second, the places where poor people live are also the most vulnerable...Third, it is much harder for the poor to evacuate...[and] Fourth, low-income people are the least likely to have insurance on their homes and belongings, and the least likely to have health insurance." He also notes that the poverty rate in New Orleans, at 28%, is more than double the size of the national rate. Let us not forget as we see the pictures and videos being played over and over in the news cycle of the damage to the Superdome, the grand Hyatts and Hiltons with their windows blown out, and the devastation to multi-hundred thousand and million dollar homes, that ghettos were destroyed. Ram-shackle huts and overcrowded highrises are gone. Offer up whatever assistance you deem necessary and able to provide. And pray specifically for the elderly, the sick, the babes-in-arms, the poor and destitute. Make it specific; remember them, not just "those people in the South whose homes are flooded."
Peace be with you this day.
Yesterday's weight: Unknown | Yesterday's workout: None
Now, let's examine poverty in the United States. On Tuesday, CNN.com ran an article giving the release of the poverty rate in the United States for 2004. The financial site money.cnn.com reported on Friday, "The number of Americans living in poverty jumped to 35.9 million last year, up by 1.3 million, while the number of those without health care insurance rose to 45 million from 43.6 million in 2002, the U.S. government said in a report Thursday." That means that there are now 35.9 million Americans living in poverty; this equals roughly 12.5% of the population. What do those numbers mean? Put yourself in a group of 10 people. Now picture at least 1 of those 10 living in poverty. Put yourself in a room of 20 people. Now 2.5 of them, nearly 3, are living in poverty. What group of people experienced the largest spike in poverty rates? Children - their rate was the highest its been in 10 years.
I should wrap things up. But before I do, let me pass along a few words from Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine. In my regular edition of SojoMail (a free e-mail service from the magazine), Wallis wrote about the connection between poverty and the hurricane. "During hurricanes, floods and other natural disasters, those who have the least to lose are often those who lose the most," he said. According to Wallis, this happens because, "First, the dwellings in which poor people live are not as sturdy, stable, or safe as others...Second, the places where poor people live are also the most vulnerable...Third, it is much harder for the poor to evacuate...[and] Fourth, low-income people are the least likely to have insurance on their homes and belongings, and the least likely to have health insurance." He also notes that the poverty rate in New Orleans, at 28%, is more than double the size of the national rate. Let us not forget as we see the pictures and videos being played over and over in the news cycle of the damage to the Superdome, the grand Hyatts and Hiltons with their windows blown out, and the devastation to multi-hundred thousand and million dollar homes, that ghettos were destroyed. Ram-shackle huts and overcrowded highrises are gone. Offer up whatever assistance you deem necessary and able to provide. And pray specifically for the elderly, the sick, the babes-in-arms, the poor and destitute. Make it specific; remember them, not just "those people in the South whose homes are flooded."
Peace be with you this day.
Yesterday's weight: Unknown | Yesterday's workout: None
posted by Josh Frank at 9:45 AM| permalink |
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