|
|
           |
PlentyClick to select a specific article.
“For those on the edge of poverty, one event such as a stalled car, can lead to being fired or financial ruin. Families who go just beyond a poverty-level wage by earning $7 to $10 an hour can become ineligible for vital assistance such as food stamps, child care assistance, and the earned income tax credit starts phasing out for a single parent at $13,730. For them, Horatio Alger does not apply.” Ron Haskins, a former Republican staffer AWAL-ingThe spread of Sam Wall’s sprawling empire is hitting some walls these days. The world’s largest corporation is suffering growth pangs as recent efforts to break ground for new stores have become battlegrounds for Wal-Mart. In April, after being denied permission by officials in Inglewood, California to build a mega-store there, they forced through a referendum on the ballot--only to lose. Then, in what has become “the battle for Chicago,” they have been tangling with the local alderman and union workers over zoning permits to build two new stores. And now in a rare move to protect its innocence, Vermont recently appealed to the National Trust for Historic Preservation to isolate the entire State as “endangered” because of the threat of “behemoth” and incorrigible conglomerates like Wal-Mart. Surprised? Sure, especially if you buy the Wal-Mart line about their benevolent impact upon local communities: new jobs, broadest selection of merchandise available at the lowest prices, magnates for other businesses, and neighborly improvement through increased tax revenues. So why would any self-interested community not welcome a super-sized Wal-Mart with “biggy” promises? Reasons are widespread and well documented:
Yet Wal-Mart is not alone in abusing privileges of wealth and power in this country and, increasingly, around the world. With catchy jingles promising low prices and hopes for employment, many of these bottomline-based companies offer little chance for bottom-of-the-line workers to move out of poverty and from “welfare to work.” So what are people of conscience to do? Notwithstanding such battles in California, Illinois, Vermont, and almost everywhere, today’s brand of economic warfare may call for old-fashioned self-defense. Since good and bad businesses alike depend on patronage, prospective customers are the ultimate arbitrators of their survival. Armed with fair and accurate information—such as corporate labor practices, purchasing policies, evidence of community enhancement—informed and conscientious patrons are truly dangerous. These otherwise individually insignificant shoppers pose collectively the greatest intimidation to Goliathian Wal-Marts and their kind. But their effectiveness will hinge upon wiping that smile off the yellow-faced cost slasher by refusing to surrender their purchasing power to the loudest advertiser or cheapest bidder. Only then will “ordinary people” be able to discern, not just the best places to shop, but what is critical to insure the quality of life in their communities and the humane treatment of their neighbors. Advocacy OpportunitiesHope for "over there"People of faith are encouraged to contact their legislators on behalf of lives devastated by poverty, those with HIV/AIDS and, increasingly their orphaned, homeless, and hungry children. Recognizing that "there is no greater friend of Africa's children than Senator Mike DeWine" in the U.S. Congress, we are pressing legislators to follow his example and "Keep the Promise on Hunger and Health" made by President Bush to fund the Millenium Challenge Account (MCA) at $15 billion over the next five years and $10 billion in new money to turn the tide against AIDS. 1.800.82BREAD Child NutritionIn recent months, the Hunger Network has joined with the Children’s Hunger Alliance and other Ohio-based organizations advocating for improvements in legislation impacting child nutrition. As a result of such efforts, the Senate Agriculture Committee on May 19th passed a version containing many of our suggestions. To strengthen chances for these important changes being confirmed by the entire Senate, join with us in both thanking Senators DeWine and Voinovich for their previous involvement and encouraging them to recruit their congressional colleagues to support them:
Children’s Hunger Alliance Website TANF: Get with it!Yet again, Temporary Assistance to Families in Need (TANF) is scheduled for reauthorization (June 30). Although passed in the House, Senator may need a groundswell of public support just to re-consider welfare reform after postponing twice last year. When that happens and in contrast to their Representative colleagues, they will also need encouragement to place greater emphasis upon increasing self-sufficiency for low-income families:
Midwest Partners Housing HelperThe Section 8 voucher program is the nation’s primary rental assistance program. Millions of low-income families are able to find safe, decent, affordable housing with this assistance. This spring, the Bush Administration proposed cutting more than $1 billion from last year’s appropriation for funding Section 8 tenant based vouchers. This could result in the elimination of funding for up to 250,000 vouchers. In Ohio, this will mean removing 10,343 families assisted in 2005 and a reduction of 24,822 by 2009. Within the current unit-based allocation of Section 8 funds, these cost-cutting measures would replace reimbursements for actual costs with a fixed dollar amount which will not keep pace with the cost of providing rental assistance to needy families. As a result, fewer families could be served, and some may even lose their assistance. In Ohio, this will mean a reduction in voucher subsidy of $55 million in 2005 reaching $148 million reduction by 2009. Recently through the combined efforts of outraged advocates of this program, HUD restored $150 million to 500 public housing authorities. However, the Section 8 problem was not fixed. While reducing the number of families affected, there still is a shortfall of over $170 million that would harm at least 35,000 low-income families nationwide with 1,962 of these in Ohio. So while some housing authorities may receive part of the $150 million, this will likely be an incomplete and inefficient way to fund a program for almost 2 million low-income families. Thus, the Campaign to Save Section 8 continues to advocate for this Section 8 voucher program which has been successful in assisting millions of families with housing costs. Please contact your legislators to restore the 2004 levels of funding. Coalition for Homelessness and Housing in Ohio TidbitsBudget Deficits, Tax Cuts, and Poor PeopleThe federal budget deficit—projected to exceed $500 billion this year—is being used as a reason to cut spending on critical programs for low income families. With this rationale, attempts were made last year to whittle $17 billion dollars from such staples as child nutrition and food stamps. This year’s budget reflects this same determination to reduce poverty programs, notably housing. While many economists and some members of congress object to further cuts during a time of economic instability, war-related expenses, and the deficit, advocates of hungry and poor people will be needed to confront this mentality. To become involved at the various points in congressional debates, contact Bread for the World, 1.800.82BREAD or www.bread.org. Winners and LosersA joint report of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center and the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities provides a unique examination of the effects of the 2001 and 2003 tax cuts, examining not only who benefits but also who is likely to pick up their costs once they are inevitably paid for. Low- and middle-income households are likely to lose significantly once the costs of the tax cuts are offset. Funding AvailableFederal governmental funding is available for programs sponsored by churches and community groups:
www.fns.usda.gov/fns or 1.800.glean-it Alarming StatsAn annual hunger survey finds the number of households served by Ohio’s emergency food assistance network is increasing dramatically – from 2,127,325 in 2002 to 2,703,684 in 2003. This represents an increase of 27 percent (duplicated count). A total of 97 percent of the households surveyed reported income below the federal poverty level, which is $15,260 per year for a family of three according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 2003 Federal Poverty Guidelines. The average annual household income of those responding to the survey was $8,557.32. Of these households, 63 percent lived in extreme poverty, reporting incomes of less then half of the federal poverty level. The findings are part of the 6th annual No Name, Please! Survey conducted by Ohio Association of Second Harvest Foodbanks. www.oashf.org Do the Right Thing!Is it O.K. for candidates for president to enlist religious congregations around the country to distribute campaign information while registering voters? It’s occurring in Pennsylvania where a spokesperson claims to be “building the most sophisticated grass-roots presidential campaign in the country’s history” by identifying 1,600 “Friendly Congregations.” In the past, the I.R.S. has sought to revoke and has succeeded in revoking the tax-exempt status of churches for political activity. “If I were a pastor,” said Richard Land, president of the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention, “I would say to my church members, we are going to talk about the issues and we are going to take information from the platforms of the two parties about where they stand on the issues. I would tell them to vote and to vote their conscience, and the Lord alone is the Lord of the conscience.” Suffer the Children...?Infants and toddlers being raised in food insecure homes are more likely to suffer poor health, including illness severe enough to require hospitalizations, according to a new study published in the June 2004 issue of the Journal of Nutrition. www.bu.edu/phpbin/news/releases/display The Other WarThe low-income world (roughly, those who live and die on less than $2 per day) constitutes 40 percent of humanity — and most of the places where American troops have fought and died in recent decades. The United States will spend about $450 billion this year on the military but only $15 billion on official development assistance. The 30-to-1 ratio is mirrored by a similar imbalance in our thinking. Our military expertise is undoubted. Our ability to understand what exists before and after wars in low-income countries is nearly nonexistent. We must strive to understand problems — tropical disease, malnutrition and the like — that are unfamiliar to us but are urgent concerns of billions of people abroad. In the case of a superpower, ignorance is not bliss; it is a threat to Americans and to humanity. Jeffrey D. Sachs, Director, Growing for OthersHow can farmers in northwest Ohio help people in Kenya, Africa, to have food? By “doing what we do best” and “inviting the whole community to join in.” For the past six years, Vernon Sloan and his wife, Carol, have donated part of their farm crop to help feed other through the Foods Resource Band (FRB). Theirs is one of 12 projects that took palace in 10 Ohio counties last year. As with crops, others are raising steers and giving proceeds to FRB. As a Christian outreach project, it supplies more than food. Rather it is a means by which African villagers reaffirm “their dignity and pride in feeding themselves.” Often working through congregations, they generate money for the training, seeds, tools and irrigation needed to grow their own crops. Featured in a recent Ohio Farmer, Living on the edgeTwenty-eight million working Americans, or one in four workers between the ages of 18 to 64, make less than $9.04 an hour, putting them below the federal poverty level for a family of four. With unpaid sick days and no benefits, for those on the edge of poverty, one event such as a stalled car, can lead to being fired or financial ruin. Families who go just beyond a poverty-level wage by earning $7 to $10 an hour, can become ineligible for vital assistance. For them, Horatio Alger does not apply. “Working...and Poor,” Hunger Network: Current ResourcesThe Hunger Network in Ohio (HNO) offers a variety of resources for groups and individuals to learn about hunger and poverty, join with others, and advocate to change conditions responsible for these problems. They include: Email Public Policy Network: HNO recently initiated an electronic public policy network, designed to be in touch with interested persons as soon as public policies are introduced and prime opportunities are available to influence legislators. It also offers background information and reference to parallel efforts of other organizations. Email us, info@hungernetworkinohio.org if you are interested in becoming part of “HungerNetOhio”. “Plenty and Scarcity—Hunger and Public Policies, 2004” is intended for study groups, Sunday school classes, families, or any two or three gathered together and wanting to learn more about critical hunger-related issues. The Booklet summarizes five key issues and includes directions for Bible study with opportunities for prayer. Seeking to change conditions causing hunger, advocates are shown what to do now to make a difference. This year’s study booklet may be downloaded as a PDF file or ordered from the office. “The Line” is a documentary produced and aired by CBS Television’s 60 Minutes II last year. It is of particular interest to residents of Ohio, having been filmed in two southeastern counties of our state. This 13 minute video tape may be used to raise awareness, stimulate discussion, and help focus planning for further study or action programs. It is appropriate most groups including church outreach committees as well as educational programs such as adult, senior high, middle school classes, and Bible studies dealing with the responsibility of the religious community for the world. A discussion guide is available. Companion Organizations Fighting HungerChildren’s Hunger AllianceWebsite: www.childrenshungeralliance.org Ohio Association of Second Harvest FoodbanksWebsite: www.OASHF.org AnnouncementConference for churches in the SE area of the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio, focusing on cultural connections, economic realities, & small church opportunities. Saturday, September 11 from 10 to 4, Hocking College, Nelsonville, Ohio. Becky Michelfelder (740-446-2483). |
|
Hunger Network in Ohio Content Copyright © 2003-2008 Hunger Network of Ohio Site designed and maintained by Webs by Elaine. Comments? E-mail webmaster@hungernetohio.org |
Columbus, Ohio 43201