From the UCC website:

"If there is among you anyone in need, a member of your community in any of your towns within the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hard-hearted or tight-fisted toward your needy neighbor. You should rather open your hand, willingly lending enough to meet the need, whatever it may be."  Deuteronomy 15:7

Over half of all Americans will be poor at some point in their lives. Millions of people in the United States and billions around the world live their entire lives with inadequate incomes, unable to develop their God-given talents or even thrive at a minimal level.

But poverty is not inevitable. In a rich world and in this incredibly rich nation, the poor do not have to be with us always. The eradication of poverty is possible. Society’s failure to recognize that poverty is at the root of many of our social concerns is just one indication of our blindness. May God open our eyes to see the suffering of God’s people and open our ears to hear God’s call to do economic justice.

Our nation can eradicate poverty. The Church must be a leader in this work.

For articles and other resources on poverty in America, visit the United Church of Christ website.

Hear the voices of America's invisible poor here. 

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