The connection between charity and public policy hit home for me years ago when I, like so many others, was raising funds for Bangladesh. A few months later, I learned that my government denied Bangladesh food aid because it sold jute to Cuba. The truth became obvious: Congress or the President could undo all our charity, but it could also multiply it.
Since then, I've been an active member of Bread for the World, a nationwide, grassroots faith-based movement. Bread is not a charity; we use our citizenship to ensure that our government plays its role in reducing hunger. We educate ourselves on legislation and lobby our legislators through visits, phone calls and letters.
Bread is celebrating two major wins that we've played a key role in during the last Congress: $435 million in debt relief for the world's poorest countries and raising limits on the vehicle and shelter provisions in the Food Stamp program. If you're serious about ending hunger, call 1-800-82-BREAD or visit www.bread.org
Suzanne Toton
Malvern
suzanne.toton@villanova.edu
MINIMUM WAGE PREVENTS SELF-SUFFICIENCY
I have run my church's food cupboard for 12 years. One woman with four children has intermittently come to our church for food for four or five years. With welfare reform, she is now working 40 hours a week in a minimum-wage job. She lacks the skills and education to do better. She is someone who is doing the right thing, playing by the rules, but she is still unable to provide food consistently for her family. If, in fact, self-sufficiency is our goal, then we must do better. Self-sufficiency in a minimum-wage job is totally out of reach for many.
Patience Jacobs
Crusaders for Christ Food Ministry
Philadelphia
KINDNESS OF OTHERS IS OVERWHELMING
