Shame on us. Recently, the News & Record published the latest census numbers regarding poverty -- our poverty rate is 12.7 percent.
The federal government defines poverty relative to family size. A family of four living on an income below $18,850 is living in poverty.
How many of you could live on that income?
While I couldn't find 2004 statistics on the Census Bureau Web site for North Carolina, I did find these interesting facts:
According to 2002 data, more than 1 million North Carolinians live in poverty, as do more than 54,000 people in Guilford County. In addition, the average poverty level in North Carolina for 2002-2004 was 14.8 percent. Only 10 states have a higher average poverty level. For shame.
It's time for us to re-examine how we use our resources. There are things you can do to educate yourself about poverty and to relieve poverty.
Some suggestions: Read "God's Politics" by Jim Wallis; mentor a child; volunteer at a homeless shelter; make a charitable donation; vote with the good of the community in your heart and mind.
Just do something. If each of us who is able does just a little bit, the results could be staggering.
Laura Druebbisch
Jamestown
Comments (1)
Thank you, Laura, for the pleasant surprise at the end of this letter. Before reading the penultimate paragraph, I thought you were going to demand that we steal more money from the rich and hand it over to the poor. Instead, you list several common-sense, effective, moral actions people can take to help their fellow man.
Thank you!
Posted by Paul Elledge | September 17, 2005 4:44 AM