Hang a bulletin board headed with the words "Did You Know?" in a visible location in your place of worship. Beneath the heading, post current facts about poverty. Each week, have one or two facts listed for people to consider. More detailed information supporting these facts could be available at a nearby display table or included in a handout. Change the board a minimum of every two to three weeks to keep it fresh and strengthen its impact.
Insert facts in the worship folder or bulletin for each service; they can be accompanied by a supportive verse from scripture to reflect upon in the days following worship. Each week, focus on a different social justice issue and how it relates to poverty: housing, hunger, child abuse, living wage, etc.
On the board or in the bulletin/worship book, suggest an Action Step such as "Call your senator or representative and express your faith perspective on the issue, asking him/her for their commitment to improve policies."
Involve the youth and children by asking them to draw pictures or write letters to the governor or legislators expressing their views on poverty. | Did you know? The 2008 Federal Poverty Guideline (FPG) for a family of 4 is $21,200.
In 2006, there were 464,200 people in poverty in MN.
There were 152,000 Minnesota children living in poverty.
69,000 children lived in "extreme" poverty in MN. (less than 1/2 of the FPG)
More than a million jobs in MN pay less than a family-supporting wage of $12.24 per hour.
In Greater MN, more than 1/4 of jobs pay less than the inflation-adjusted minimum wage of $9.27 per hour.
Only 47% of parents in families with an income less than $40,000 per year are offered health insurance at their jobs.
Almost 1/3 of poor children are under age 5.
The highest rates of child poverty in MN are in rural counties.
In MN, overall poverty rates, and childhood poverty rates in particular, are increasing.
80% of poverty spells last one year or less.
*Statistics are provided by the JOBS NOW Coalition, Children's Defense Fund-Minnesota, and the State Demographer's Office.
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