Poverty Is as ‘True’ in the U.S. as It Is Overseas

To the Editor:

Philip D. Harvey’s opinion article (“Want to Attack True Poverty? Look Overseas,” My View, April 23) featured some wonderful statistics concerning how the American standard of living is so much higher than other nations and how, in Mr. Harvey’s opinion, Americans no longer need support.

Tell it to my residents and to the thousands of other homeless people being served throughout the United States.

Mr. Harvey is so far off the mark that I can’t believe he has taken the time to look around the United States to see just how bad things are and how much worse they will become, with all the changes coming from welfare reform.

Like Mr. Harvey, I champion any service that helps people help themselves. Unfortunately, channeling money into foreign countries does not help the people in need here at home. It makes more sense to help the neighbor who lives next door than it does to help someone, somewhere else, that you do not know. They both have equal needs.

My time in the military showed me that trips to foreign countries such as Somalia, Haiti, and even Bosnia do little to help the people there. I spent time in countries “trying to feed the people,” only to find out that they didn’t want us there in the first place. While I realize that this may not be the case everywhere, I often wonder what truly happens to the food and medical supplies that Americans send to foreign countries. Does it go to the people in need or to some “warlord”? At least in the United States, we have laws that make sure it goes where it was intended.

The organization I represent is small, but we make a huge impact in our community. We not only treat the symptoms of homelessness, we provide the cure. We only help those individuals and families who are committed to helping themselves. We require that our residents seek and maintain employment the entire time they are with us; they must work toward their G.E.D. or further education if needed; and they must remain drug and alcohol free. We teach our residents the life skills they need to become self-sufficient.

In 1997, we had a 95.3-per-cent success rate. This means that our residents moved out on their own, into a house they could afford, with a job that could support themselves and their families.

While we are all proud of the services we provide and the people we help, I know the needs within the United States are just as great as elsewhere. I know this because I provide services to the folks in need, in a small community. Based on the number of people needing our services here, I can only imagine the needs in the inner cities.

Americans have started to realize that there are “missions” with needs, right here at home, in our own communities. Donors support causes that they can see make a difference. I know the names and faces of the people we help. I know we make a difference.

Carl L. Cook
Executive Director
Abilene Hope Haven
Abilene, Tex.