Friday, January 29, 2010

Poverty USA, America's Forgotten State

Today in America, millions of people are struggling to hang on. Hang onto their jobs, their homes. Trying to keep their families fed. Below is a video clip that shows what it is like to live below the poverty line--where nearly 37 million Americans live every day.



(Courtesy of The Catholic Campaign for Human Development & United States Conference of Catholic Bishops)

Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Homeless Facts on PBS


 Check out these facts about homelessness at pbs.org.

Monday, January 25, 2010

Homeless Veterans: Serving those who serve America the Beautiful

The National Coalition for the Homeless published a fact sheet in September 2009 that shows a steady increase in homeless war veterans. Many veterans face financial and/or psychological burdens as a result of active service duty.

Here is a link to the entire fact sheet:
Homeless Veterans Fact Sheet (National Coalition for the Homeless)
Two startling statistics:
  • 67% served three or more years
  • 76% experience alcohol, drug or mental health problems
The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans provides additional background and stats:
Background & Facts: National Coalition for Homeless Vets

Yes, there are some programs and policies in place to serve them, however, they have also observed that "armed conflict distracts our nation from the dire domestic problems."


We MUST serve and protect our veterans the same way that our veterans serve and protect us.


Thursday, January 14, 2010

Chapel Hill Town Council Approves New Process for Shelters

On Monday, Jan 11th, the Chapel Hill Town Council agreed to modify it's land-use management ordinance (LUMO). Please click on the link below for an article from the Carrboro Citizen.


Town Council modifies LUMO

Monday, January 11, 2010

People who REFUSE shelter

The debate about caring for those in need rages on! However, in the midst of those debates, it is STILL cold outside; in some places, it is FREEZING outside. There are some who choose to avoid shelters. Some prefer avoiding crowds; some refuse out of pride; others refuse out of fear. However, I imagine that all of them know that with the warmth of an overnight cot and possibly breakfast in the morning, there is also a chance of being made to feel subhuman at the worst; made to feel ashamed of themselves at the very least. I imagine they are sensitive to the people who ridicule, stare, whisper, insult them or even assault them.

However, below is a CNN video clip of people who actually choose the freezing temperatures over the possibility of being further frozen out of society.

Who are YOU freezing out????

Welcome to March on Poverty

The Inter-Faith Council (IFC) believes that now is the time to stop poverty in its tracks. Many in our community are struggling to hang on; and many need the inspiration of our community leaders to do something about poverty's influence and prominence. We need everyone who cares about reducing poverty's hold over increasing numbers of Carrboro and Chapel Hill households and unsheltered persons. Our new March On Poverty blog summons you to our call and the original call of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the countless among us who have followed in his footsteps. You ask, "how long will this take?" Dr. King said "Not long, because the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." Poverty is the primary cause of homelessness and hunger, two community challenges IFC volunteers and staff cross swords with daily. A lack of an adequate response by state, federal and local governments enable and procrastinate these conditions. We seek to create a just community, one that is committed to overcoming social problems by a greater commitment to the common good. We hope our blog will bring you more in touch with these issues. We hope you will come to know the facts about IFC future plans, new program models and new facilities commonly called Community House and FoodFirst. We hope you will join us.

Stay tuned! Stay in touch! March On!

Chris Moran, Executive Director

View the Community House Mission & Vision

View the FoodFirst Mission & Vision