Take Action to End Poverty

Poverty may be a large and complex problem, but we cannot allow ourselves to be paralyzed by its scope. Positive signs of hope can motivate us to get involved and join in the fight against poverty. Among the signs of hope are these:

1. We know a lot about poverty, including its causes and its solutions. During the past 50 years our nation has learned a lot about what works and what doesn't work to reduce poverty. What's lacking is not the knowledge, but the political will to invest in public policies that will lift families out of poverty and put them on a path to economic self-sufficiency.
   
   
2. Other nations have had dramatic success in reducing poverty, and we can follow their example.
    
3. Engaging in the fight to reduce poverty is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. There are strong moral arguments and strong self-interest reasons for reducing poverty. The continuation of poverty hurts all of us. The failure to act against poverty threatens both the health of our economy and the health of our democracy.
     
4. Our nation has the necessary resources to eliminate poverty. We are the richest nation on earth, and dealing with poverty is a manageable and doable task. It is not "mission impossible." We need a broad public understanding about poverty and strong leadership, especially among our elected officials. 
   

Here's What You Can Do

• Get involved.  Join an organization that is working to fight the root causes of poverty, such as Catholic Charities' Office for Social Justice. View a list of organizations that advocate on behalf of low-income families. Many of them have newsletters, email lists and action alerts that you can sign up for. Doing so keeps you informed and gives you the opportunity to join with others to work collectively in the fight against poverty.
   
• Speak out. Make your voice heard by writing letters to the editor, writing to your legislators, speaking to your family, friends, and acquaintances about the pressing issues of poverty.
   
• Sharpen your advocacy skills. View advocacy tips to learn some simple do's and don'ts about communicating with your elected officials. Another rich opportunity for learning more about advocacy is to participate in the Day on the Hill each February, sponsored by the Joint Religious Legislative Coalition (JRLC).
   
• Learn more about poverty. Visit the Library to find a wide variety of printed and online resources dealing with poverty. Read about Catholic Charities USA's Campaign to Reduce Poverty. One easy way to keep up on the latest news on poverty issues is to sign up for a free weekly email from the Institute for Research on Poverty. Each email contains links to news stories about poverty issues around the nation. Similar updates are provided by the website Spotlight on Poverty and Opportunity.