To the Editor:
“Live simply so others may simply live” (Mother Teresa).
You can be part of the solution in addressing poverty in America by choosing to live simpler and by acting in hope.
• One in six Americans or nearly 46.2 million Americans live in poverty.
• 1.6 million children stayed in a shelter or emergency housing last year.
• One in seven Americans are food insecure. Food security is defined as people having access at all times to secure enough food for an active, healthy life. Food insecurity exists whenever people go to bed hungry. Statistics can overwhelm and hinder us from doing anything, yet we can make a difference if we have hope.
Suze Orman, TV host and financial advisor, offers this insight, “To come out of poverty, you also need hope. You need to believe that you can come out of poverty. If one person can make a move towards it and helps lift everybody else out, then you start to get the solidarity.”
Be a message of hope — choose at least one way to address poverty, and simplify your life.
Support your public library which serves as a community center and resource for people who are homeless. Contact your local food banks and shelters. Get involved check out this website, www.clintonfranciscans.com.
The public is invited to the movie “The End of Poverty” on Thursday, Aug. 21 at 6:30 p.m. at the Canticle, 843 13th Avenue North, in Clinton. This movie unveils the root causes of poverty and shows the impact of global poverty today. The movie is presented by the Franciscan Peace Center.
Laura Anderson, Lori Freudenberg and Nancy Miller, OSF, Franciscan Peace Center
