Signs of Hope and Despair

In the past two months I have been in the Syracuse, NY area, Minneapolis/St. Paul and Chicago (specifically Mokena since this where our home is located). Different regions of America but all with a sadly similar fate for low income people. What I have witnessed and read about over this period is the number of people (of course, including school aged children) who are relying on the goodwill of others in terms of food and other forms of aid.

Heck, I just noticed in today's Minneapolis Star Tribune where nearly half of the North Carolina state troopers are reporting a need for food stamps or other forms of help. Many of these state troopers are also having to take second jobs.

In many of the locales people of good conscience are helping out via food pantries, meals, food kitchens and the like. How very kind of such organizations to step up and help others.

In terms of Schools Count Corp., and our mission, these cases of people 'going without' have great implications in terms of how students perform in school. Certainly how children do in their classes is but one hurdle in their daily lives. But 'going without,' whatever that entails, is going to have a profound impact on the kids.

Yes, there is hope due to what charitable groups do on behalf of other but, at the same time, the growing number of people living in poverty and having too little to make it in life also reveals far too much despair.

But one thought to share with you on the subject. Far too many people talk about the minimum wage. Forget discussing a minimum wage, it is far more important and more critical to address the notion of people having a living wage. Until that happens we'll continue to see more people reaching out to others for assistance.

Dick