Only YOU can prevent poverty!

CAN PREVENT POVERTY!!!

Some cool stuff is happening in the world of poverty. That sounds weird. What I mean is, there are big things happening to try to END poverty (by 2015 *fingers crossed). Poverty is one of those things that REALLY bugs me because it can EASILY be eradicated if we more evenly distributed our resources. Seriously, it's probably one of our biggest problems with one of our easiest solutions. ESPECIALLY in this country. We tend to believe that poverty doesn't exist in America (wrong), and if it does, it's the individual's fault, or it's "not as bad as in other countries" or said person is lazy. Ugh. Unfortunately we have a very, very distorted view of our social class in the U.S. (I get fired up about this issue, but am more feisty then usual this week since we talked about social class recently in grad class). ANYWAYS, like I said, the pro here is that big things are happening to help this problem. When Jesus comes back to earth I would really like to look him in the eye and say, "Well Boss, we at least got this right. People aren't hungry anymore." Woo! Anyways, these are a few websites if you would like to help out. With the click of the button you can make BIG changes. You can sign government petitions or make financial contributions. Awesome!

www.one.org (you sign up, they send you an email, you click and sign petitions about upcoming legislature or letters to urge congress to vote. super easy. It takes like a second).

http://www.onedayswages.org/ (donate a day's wages to the cause!)

www.poverty.com (click on the "take action" link and print out a letter THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN WRITTEN to send to D.C. Super easy and it only costs one stamp! Seriously, what could be easier?! The letter basically urges the U.S. to live up to its promise and jump on the bandwagon and donate the money that it promised it would in the past)

http://endpoverty2015.org/ This one is my favorite: it talks about the millenial goals. (Read up--super awesome and interesting)

www.freerice.com You can sit and learn new vocabulary words to impress your friends with your verbose vocabulary AND donate rice to those in need. LEARNING AND ACTIVISM...what's better?!

If you are interested in the Haiti relief go here: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umcor/ The United Methodist church is putting together little care packages for those in need, as well as taking $$$.

These are two good books on poverty: The Working Poor (by David Shipler, probably one of my favorites) and Nickled and Dimed by Barbara Ehrenreich. They both greatly changed my own view of poverty in the U.S.

I love these options too because, if you are like me, you don't have very much money, and I'm beginning to see what a privilege it is to even be able to BE charitable. But most of these items are FREE and are about taking action. Your vote is just as important as the $50 you donate. By taking only a few minutes of time to click "take action" in the comfort of our own homes we can make huge differences. I know it sounds super cheesy, but it's true: we're supposed to bring heaven to earth as Christians--that's our mission in life. Awesome mission, and these days it seems it gets easier and easier to take action what with technology and all. I'm hopeful we can change things :)