As in any other playoff, candidate rhetoric let loose during the U.S. presidential race can be tough. We’ve held a front row seat to the 2012 showdown for over a year, with tensions still rising as the general election looms nearer. Some of the barbs launched along the campaign trail have been laughable: Newt Gingrich’s television ad incriminating Mitt Romney for his ability to speak French comes to mind. Others are not. The dialogue surrounding U.S. poverty and inequality, two issues that are hotter than ever during a deep recession that the nation has shown incapable of simply shaking off [...]
Faith communities
Couple finds second chance in faith-based program
Al and Vicki Lea have moved from living on the streets to being homeowners with the help of an affordable housing program created by City Care, a faith-based nonprofit that addresses the needs of Oklahoma City’s poor. The Leas got assistance in combating heroin addiction and criminal charges so they could retain stable employment,... »
Denver on the road to reaching homelessness goals
Since 2005, when Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper signed the city’s ambitious 10-year plan to end chronic homelessness, the combined efforts of local government, faith organizations, and advocacy groups have kept 2,800 families in homes. Teams of trained volunteers mentor families on the brink of homelessness and provide $1,200 for the first month’s rent, followed... »
Cyclists cross country to raise poverty awareness
A group of cyclists are pedaling across the country under the leadership of the Rev. Matthew Ruhl, a Jesuit priest from Kansas City, Mo., to raise awareness about poverty in the U.S. The campaign, entitled “Cycling for Change,” seeks to unite faith-based organizations, businesses, and lawmakers to reduce homelessness. Twelve permanent cyclists and various... »
New Jersey volunteers bring food, clothing, awareness to Kentucky town
Volunteers from local faith groups in Millburn, N.J., have recently returned from a mission trip to McRoberts, Ky., where they delivered food, clothing, and furniture to a town hard hit by strip mining and rural poverty. Widespread drug use among McRoberts’ youth has many worried about the future of the next generation. Many Millburn... »
Faith communities help homeless in Denver
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper’s 2005 initiative to cut the city’s homeless is slowly gathering momentum. Under the plan, senior citizens and families without shelter are paired with local congregations for spiritual, physical and financial support. As of the end of April, 704 families and seniors with legal, steady income have been guided into permanent... »