A Common Foundation

Find common ground to combat poverty on a congregational and individual level.

Last week, I attended the ELCA Greater Milwaukee Synod Symposium in Racine, WI. It was entirely devoted to poverty, particularly on a local level in the Milwaukee, Racine, Kenosha corridor. Keynote speaker Bishop Peter Rogness presented some excerpts of his book Ending Poverty: A 20/20 Vision A Guide for Individuals and Congregations. His leadership helped create an interfaith alliance to end poverty in Minnesota by the year 2020.

As a people of faith, with varying theologies and traditions, we are convinced of a remarkable convergence on fundamental principals that call us to common work in combating poverty and walking with people living in poverty.
We believe it is the Creator's intent that all people are provided those things that protect human dignity and make for healthy life: adequate food and shelter, meaningful work, safe communities, healthcare and education.

A Common Foundation is a network that can be modeled elsewhere and adopted to fit specific areas' particular needs. Much of this work needs to modeled to the Milwaukee corridor as the percentage of people living in poverty in the U.S. was about 13%. When compared to the Southeastern area of Wisconsin the statistics were staggering. Racine sits at 21%, Kenosha at 11% while Milwaukee is nearly double the nation at 25%.
Often times poverty exists in concentrated areas, as such people in these concentrations are victims of an endless cycle that keeps them in unemployment, poor housing, higher crime rates, lower property rates, diminishing or nonexistent public services and more.
The picture above is from the church building the conference was held at, and it should serve as a reminder to the burden that we should carry as people of faith (or simply as human beings that care for others) and the burden that poverty leaves upon those who must live through it day in and day out.