Pritchett is the communicator for the Southwest- ern Washington Synod and a newspaper reporter in Bremerton, Wash.
By Rachel Pritchett L
utherans coast-to-coast are responding to Americans facing poverty at levels not seen since the Great Depression. We are bent over sinks at crowded meal sites and tugging out produce from once- fallow fields. We are hunched at computers helping with résumés, and slapping down more shelter mats. Between 2000 and 2010, 15 mil-
lion Americans tumbled from pros- perity into poverty, pushing the total to 46 million people, or 15 percent of the population, says the U.S. Census. One in six (49 million people) went hungry in 2010. Today, 12 million Americans still
can’t find work. Seven million homes are mired in foreclosures. Mark S. Hanson, ELCA presiding bishop, said he is grateful for Luther- ans’ stepped-up response. He called for strengthened advocacy and ecu- menical partnership in a historic time of need. “We have a greater capacity when we work together than when we work alone in our individual congre- gations,” he said.
Josselyn Bennett, ELCA director for poverty and justice ministries, said, “We have to listen to people living in poverty and their stories. We need to see how those stories are repeated over and over. And then we
Poverty unpeeled:
A glimpse of what’s happening at home
Facing unprecedented need, Lutherans refuse to blink 20 The Lutheran •
www.thelutheran.org CHAD GREENE
Nancy Oppinger (left), Marlene Brown and Samantha Lowery sort through donated clothes for Appalachian Helping Hands Ministry in Greeneville, Tenn. The ELCA effort provides free clothes, household items and food for more than 2,000 families in need throughout east Tennessee. A shopper (inset) selects shirts.
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