Poverty

In regards to the issue of poverty sadly my mother was very poor growing up in Puerto Rico.  When my daughters throw out food she tells them  how many times she went to sleep without nothing to eat or barely anything to eat.

  My mother is one of five children. My grandparents did everything they could to provide for the family. They first started with a few chickens and a cow. My grandfather worked as a farmhand in another town and wouldn't come home until very late at night. At times he had just enough money to have food to feed the animals so that they could have eggs and milk. My mother said that was their daily meal, morning, noon, and night. At times she said, her father would bring some rice or flour and that was a feast for them. Going to school was hard. There were times she couldn't go because she had to help at home. As for clothing, they all lived on hand me downs even the shoes!



 Once she moved to NJ she told herself she was never going to struggle like that again. She didn't. She learned the language and continued to study. She is 67 years old and still takes an online course here and there because she says " Not only should you fill up your belly, but you must continue to feed your mind." She does refuse to go hungry though. Growing up my mother always made sure my brother and myself had all our favorite foods, snacks and beverages to our hearts desire. We had so much to eat that it was so hard to pick what snack we wanted for school. Our lunchboxes had so much I shared it with my friends. She is still like this til this day. She lives with my grandmother and her younger sister, but that pantry and fridge is full to capacity.


 Children suffering in poverty

 Imagine life  without the comforts we have. Clean water, immunizations, education, food, a safe place to live. There are so many children who does not have at least one of those luxuries.  Many children live in extreme or moderate poverty and live on less than $2.00 a day.  Children deserve the right to have a long and healthy life. Children should just be that just children. They shouldn't have to worry about when they will be able to have something to eat.

Here are a couple links about poverty:
 

 http://www.worldhunger.org/articles/Learn/world%20hunger%20facts%202002.htm

http://www.barnardos.org.uk/what_we_do/our_projects/child_poverty/child_poverty_what_is_poverty/what_causes_child_poverty.htm


 Poverty Quiz

In order for me to continue my understanding how poverty affect everyone around us, I took this quiz. Please take a few minutes of your time after reading my post to take this quiz. I for one was surprised how little I truly I don't know  on the issue. I ranked 60%.  How do you think you would do?

http://www.compassion.com/poverty/poverty-quiz.htm



Anything and Everything Counts!
 
There are so many organizations built to try to end poverty. The Global Poverty Project is an organization that works with charities, community groups and other organizations. Their main focus is to educate others through presentations, conferences, etc  The Green Party of Aotearoa New Zealand are working to have at least 100,00 children out of poverty by 2014.These groups are just a few that are contributing to help many children out of poverty. 

 Don't be an Armchair Advocate

There was a time that I had some change in my purse and began to get rid of the pennies. Someone stopped me and said " You know, with one penny you can make a dollar, so every penny counts." That simple sentence has stayed with me and I repeat it to anyone who would listen. So remember to count you pennies. 100 pennies equals a dollar, and a dollar is all a child who lives in poverty needs to live.