wfn.org | Work to End Poverty More Important Than Ever, NCC Board Told

[Carol Fouke <carolf@ncccusa.org>]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: NCC News, 212-870-2227; news@ncccusa.org; www.ncccusa.org
NCC10/5/01 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WORK TO END POVERTY MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER, NCC BOARD TOLD

	NEW YORK CITY - The National Council of Churches' decade-long concerted 
effort to end poverty is all the more important in the "September 11 
context," the Rev. David Beckmann, President of Bread for the World, a 
grassroots anti-hunger advocacy movement, told the NCC's Executive Board at 
its October 1-2 meeting here.

	The NCC launched its "Poverty Mobilization" last November (2000), 
resolving to reduce U.S. poverty measurably by the end of this decade.  It 
is working with a host of partners, including Bread for the World, to 
conduct situation analyses and set goals in such areas as eliminating child 
poverty, hunger and poverty housing and improving health care coverage, 
especially for children.

	The Rev. Beckmann led opening worship, then addressed the NCC Executive 
Board.  The NCC is "a really important structure in American church life," 
he said.  "The focus on overcoming poverty is exactly right.  I'm grateful 
for the openness to working together with movements such as Bread for the 
World, Habitat for Humanity and Call to Renewal."

"We need to think how we'll represent the interests of poor and hungry 
people in Sept. 11 context," the Rev. Beckmann went on.  "There will be 
more poor and hungry with higher unemployment in this country, and slower 
economic growth in poor countries.  Economy hits poor people like others 
and they are least able to take the hit.  And there's this huge diversion 
of resources to the counterterrorism campaign.  In the long term our 
nation's security depends heavily on whether we do justice to poor and 
hungry people."

Despite the dire economic news, the Rev. Beckmann said he is optimistic 
that hunger can be eliminated - because there are specific proven 
strategies.  "For a dime per American per day," he said. "we can end hunger 
in America and cut world hunger in half."

"It looks like our best chance to win anything for poor people is in the 
context of the economic stimulus package," the Rev. Beckmann said.  "If you 
really want to stimulate the economy, give more to poor people.  They'll 
spend it, not bank it."

Supporting an increase in the minimum wage and national nutrition programs 
like Food Stamps would reduce U.S. hunger quickly, he said.  "The Food 
Stamps program has been so badly damaged that it represents a huge 
opportunity," he said.  "There's a program already in place, and it works. 
 It's a quick and proven way to reduce hunger and poverty."

Bread for the World's membership numbers about 45,000 and includes 2,000 
congregations.  The NCC's 36 member communions count 50 million adherents 
in 140,000 congregations.

-end-