Bread Blog

Domestic Poverty on the Rise

Yesterday's Washington Post had an article chock full of statistics about poverty in the U.S. Check it out. Apparently, according to the Census Bureau, the U.S. poverty rate rose to 12.7 percent of the population for the fourth consecutive annual increase. This is a high number for a developed country, especially considering the fact that for example, Vietnam's national poverty line remains at 28.9 percent, a little over half the U.S. percentage for a smaller population (2002 World Bank statistics, World Development Indicators 05).

Also, here's what a Brookings Institute member had to say yesterday about the new Census Bureau figures:

"New data on the poverty rate in the United States indicate that not everyone in America is doing well. We have now had four years in which the poverty rate has risen, from 11.3 percent in 2000 to 12.7 percent in 2004. Yet these discouraging figures have occasioned little comment in the media or among elected officials of either party."

Isabel Sawhill 
August 30, 2005

- From the Brookings Institute website

End Extreme Poverty in 2005?

Check out the editorial on poverty from Christianity Today written last week.  It quotes Jason Fileta, a recent Calvin College graduate and fantastic BFW activist.

Bring on the white wristbands, the rock concerts, and the Brad Pitt commercials.  Bring on the new generation of Christians who support social justice.

One of them is Jason Fileta, who headed the Social Justice Coalition at Calvin College until he graduated in May. Bread for the World chose Fileta to attend the G-8 Summit as part of an American delegation. This fall, Fileta will begin working for the Christian Reformed Church's Office of Social Justice and Hunger Action and promote the Micah Challenge, a Christian campaign to, more modestly, "halve absolute global poverty by 2015."

So Fileta believes in ending poverty. He lives it and breathes it. It's a natural outgrowth of his faith. But in light of his passion, does he believe we can end poverty as soon as some celebrities and Sachs say we can?

Why the food shortages in Africa??

This was an interesting comment in the NYTimes--- quite enraged me, but saddly this is how many people in the world feel.  MYTH: If African women simply stopped having babies they would no longer live in poverty, so lets support birth control.

"staving people in Niger and other poor countries, it's overpopulation that is the problem. As long as women, through custom, tradition, religion or lack of effective birth control, have too many children to support, the problem will continue.

The path to food sufficiency is paved with effective birth control so that no family has more children than it can feed, clothe, house and educate. The "developed world" cannot keep feeding ever-increasing numbers of the world's poor; the poor countries must embrace birth control and encourage it. "

TRUTH:  TO reduce population growth and poverty the answer has consistantly been to educate women.  Women that are educated will spend longer time in school, earn higher incomes, and wait longer to get married AND wait longer to have sex.  The real answer to population growth and poverty is not birth control, but education!  Women also should not consistantly be blamed for overpopulation.  We must remember that it takes two to tango!

About Bread for the World

Bread for the World is a nationwide Christian citizens movement seeking justice for the world's hungry people by lobbying our nation's decision makers.  Bread for the World's 54,000 members contact their senators and representatives about legislation that affects hungry people in the United States and worldwide. We do not provide direct relief or development assistance. Rather, we focus on using the power we have as citizens in a democracy to support policies that address the root causes of hunger and poverty.

Thousands of local churches and community groups support Bread for the World's efforts by writing letters to Congress and making financial gifts to the organization. Bread for the World groups across the country meet locally to pray, study and take action; members meet with their representatives in Congress, organize telephone trees, win media coverage and reach out to new churches.

We've launched this new blog to allow us to communicate directly with our supporters and members of the public who are concerned about hunger and poverty issues.  We'll be posting regularly, so check this site regularly for the latest information, or subscribe to our syndication feed to keep abreast of the latest updates.