Just Thinking
October 5, 2012
My wife and I were watching TV
Last week
And she made a very
Astute observation
“How come all we hear about
In the Presidential election
Is the middle class
Did everyone stop talking…..
About the Poor?”
We hear about the top 2%
And
The middle class
What are we doing about the poor?
Are they now the middle class…
Want to hear some sobering facts?
There have been
48 murders…..
In Camden, NJ
So far this year
Camden has gained the title of….
America’s most dangerous city
Camden is about 7 miles
From where I am sitting
Let’s look at some of the facts:
- 13 homicides in July – the most deadly month since a shooting spree in 1949
- Murder rate was ten times New York City in 2011 — and on pace to be even higher this year
- More than half of children live below the poverty line as the city is ravaged by drugs
- Police department forced to cut one third of officers in 2011 and arrests dropped to less than half of what they were in 2009
I am using Camden
As an example
Because it is
Close to home
There are many families hurting
Not only in Camden….
But in all across…
The United States
In cities
And
In small towns
There are independent programs
Set up
To help these people…..
Mostly non profits
With Church affiliations
Providing food
Temporary Shelter
Working with youth
Helping them to
Believe in their abilities
Teaching them
You can make a difference
Aspire,
Don’t settle
But there is no grand effort
No coordinated
Vision
To make a difference
To lift these people up
Yes,
There is unemployment
Disability
Food Stamps
And
Other Government assistance programs
But what are we doing
As a whole….
To lift the poor in spirit
Give them the opportunity
To live
To Share
The American dream
Whatsoever you do
To the least of my brethren
That you do unto me
I think we are all familiar with that line
What are we doing to help…..
The poor?
We all take our lives for granted
What we fail to realize is that…..
Every Day is a Gift
I am a product of Catholic Schools
They taught the….
The 7 Corporal Works of Mercy
- Feed the Hungry
- Give drink to the thirsty
- Cloth the naked
- Shelter the homeless
- Comfort the imprisoned
- Visit the sick
- Bury the dead
What have we been doing….
With the gifts that we have been given?
Many years ago
As man evolved
They realized
The only way
They could sustain
Continue to grow
And Survive
Would be by
Helping each other
There was no….
Bigger
Better
Stronger
They all worked together
They Realized that they….
All needed each other
The world calls us to be engaged
We are all one
“For I was hungry and you gave me food
I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink
I was a stranger and you welcomed me
I was naked and you gave me clothing
I was sick and you took care of me
I was in prison and you visited me.”
Mathew 25:34-36
Giving Hope
April 13, 2012
For the last 8 years I have shared an affiliation
With Hopeworks in Camden
4 of those years I was on the Board;
And for 2 years I served as the
President of the Board
Hopeworks is the vision of Fr Jeff Putthoff
A Jesuit
Gotta love the Jesuits
Fr Jeff has committed himself to making a difference
In Camden
Thru hard work and patience
His vision is becoming a reality
Camden is recognized as one of
America’s poorest cities
There has been constant wrangling
Whether it is #1 or #2
It is also is ranked #2
As one of America’s
Dangerous cities
Over 40% of the youth never even graduate
From High School
Hopeworks vision:
Empowering the youth to identify
And develop their D.R.E.A.M.S.
(Dynamic, Realizable Efforts to Attain and Maintain Success)
And own their future.
Hopeworks provides the youth an opportunity to
Stay in school
Or to
Get their GED
Learn a skill
Giving them an opportunity to
Go to college
Education is the Key
The environment that The Camden youth
Are exposed to
Is frightening
Just within the last month
Over 3 people were shot and killed
Within a 2 block radius of Hopeworks
At 5th and State St
Drugs are dealt opening
One youth when asked what he hoped to do
When he got older
Stated that before coming to Hopeworks
He never really thought about it
For he never expected to live past 17
When he was 10 years old
His brother died in his arms
A victim of the streets
By 12 years old he was running drugs
And arrested on gun charges
After he shot at the police
Hopeworks is making a difference
While I was on the Board
Fr Jeff introduced the
Fun in the Sun Calendar
Each summer; Hopework uses
The Fun in the Sun Calendar
To help fund summer jobs
For Camden youth
This summer we are hoping to raise
Enough funds to support
25 summer jobs at Hopeworks
This is where you can help
I have agreed to be a Captain
For the Fun in the Sun program
I am looking for you to help me sell
60 tickets
Which will help us to partially fund the
Hopeworks summer work program
There are many options available
1 subscription cost $20
You may also choose to support a youth for 1 week
That only cost $160
Each day in June a name will be pulled
From those you have bought a subscription
You will have a chance to win a
Specific dollar amount assigned to that day
One lucky subscribe stands to win
$2012
That could be you
Click on the link below to get more information about the
Fun in the Sun Subscription
And take a minute to look at the other tabs on the website
These tabs provide more information
About Hopeworks
Their Vision and Mission statements
The programs available
To the Camden youth
Hopeworks is all about
Giving back……
Providing Hope…..
Opening Doors……
Fulfilling Dreams……
Let’s take time to Pay it Forward
http://www.hopeworks.org/fun-in-the-sun/
It is my hope that you will help us
Give 25 youth in Camden
A job at Hopeworks
This summer
Note: Should you choose to buy a subscription
There is a space that ask for the captain name
Please enter my name
Thanks
And God Bless You
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