Call your Congressperson

Diana Burdett, RI

As a former Justice and Peace Advocate for the UCC and one who, with Peter Wells (Area Minister of the Massachusetts Conference), helped to develop the Justice and Peace Action Network, I underscore what Edie Rasell (Minister for the economic justice program team of the UCC) has said about the tools being available for people to become informed about justice issues and to take action.

I feel that our "New England Justice Leaders" network is a self selected group of really committed justice activists, and while we may need to find a source of strength to continue our activism (and the new program on how to become an economic justice covenant church does include a section on self care), we need to find a way to get other people of faith to act on their faith.

It may sound simplistic, but members of Congress listen to their constituents, and if no one calls, they listen to their donors. Most people don't let their Reps and Sens know how they feel about issues, but they do a lot of complaining! Our voting turnout is only about 40%. The Evangelicals have no problem linking religion with politics (usually anti-gay and anti-women) and we need to do a better job of equating Jesus' teachings, particularly on economics and the sharing of abundance (ex: fair taxation) with our everyday living and with our elected reps at all levels. Instead we stand by as we watch the poor and middle class paying more and getting less. So much for the common good.

I am Director of a non-profit agency which deals with the most marginalized people in our society: the homeless, people struggling with mental illness and addictions and, prisoners upon re-entry, and the resources are dwindling. Grants are being held back; "Bridge Fund" monies are being given ($100) every 4 months instead of every 2 (like anyone could live on that anyway). The most disturbing is our daily client choice Food Pantry which is for people with housing - the working poor, elderly and disabled. In two years our numbers have gone from 500 people a month of whom 20 were children to 6200/month (unduplicated) with nearly half being children. It is the canary in the coal mine as people seek to stretch overburdened budgets by accessing food pantries. School children do not receive free breakfast and lunch during the summer and working people have to find child care. Food Stamps usually run out after 2 weeks. People with Green cards cannot get Food Stamps for five years and people who are undocumented are not eligible for any programs, but we serve everyone. The Emergency Food and Shelter Grant which helps pay for the food for our Food Pantry and Meal Site ($18,300 last year of which the first payment has always been received in March) has not yet even been awarded and we've been told it will be 40% less thanks to Congress.

Every day we hear from people who are losing their homes because they can't pay rent or utilities, so there will be a whole new crop of homeless people. Funds were eliminated that helped with supports to prevent homelessness and local Community Action programs have no funding to assist with utilities. A person working a minimum wage job receives $1200/month in gross pay, just barely covering $900/mo for rent. Add utilities, food, child care and transportation to work, and they are in the hole before the month begins. In the richest country on planet.