Overcoming Poverty

The “Rolling to Overcome Poverty” bus tour, which stopped in Pittsburgh on Oct. 15, urged the faith-based communities to demand that political candidates put the poor on their agenda, due to the rise of poverty nationwide.

“The nation has settled for poverty and asked us to clean up the mess,” said Rev. Jim Wallis, the convener of Call to Renewal (CTR), a national network of churches, faith-based organizations and individuals working to overcome poverty. “Overcoming poverty is an electoral and spiritual issue,” he said. 

The Washington, D.C. based non-profit organization kicked off a six-state, 12-city bus tour, to present the Isaiah Platform, a campaign to overcome poverty, in the midst of the political campaign season largely dominated by the issues of anti-terrorism and homeland security. Wallis and his crew stopped in Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee, Chicago, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Toledo, Cincinnati, Cleveland and Akron, before ending with events in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, which was the last stop on the tour.  

Upon arrival to Pittsburgh, Wallis spoke to the University of Pittsburgh students on the patio of the William Pitt Union building. Nearly 30 students and faculty gathered to support him in the chilly, rainy weather. He stressed that voters should consider each candidate’s stand for the poor. “You should ask, ‘how will my vote impact poor families and children?’” he said. 

In the morning of Oct. 16, before the tour continued to Philadelphia, Wallis presented the Isaiah Platform during prayer service at the St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in McKeesport.

Father Jay Geisler introduced Wallis as “a man of justice and mercy.” He criticized the Bush administration’s focus on the Iraq War, which “hurts the poor and disadvantaged.”

Wallis pointed out that the administration neglects the poor, while it stresses the war.  He said the issue of poverty should be addressed in this year’s political campaign.

Although CTR and its network of organizations work together to serve the poor, by providing them with soup kitchens and food pantries nationwide, Wallis is convinced that the government is responsible for the increased poverty. He said, “We need to do more than just serve. We can’t keep pulling up people from the river and not find out who’ve been throwing them in.”

Wallis asked attendees to sign the Isaiah Platform Covenant, which calls for all candidates to come up with policies that will secure living family income, affordable housing, educational opportunity, quality healthcare and adequate nutrition for low-income people.

According to the US Census Bureau, the number of individuals in poverty in 2003 rose to 35.9 million, an increase of 1.3 million since 2002. Nearly 45 million did not have health coverage in 2003, while 43.6 million lived without health insurance in 2002.

Additionally, low-income people are often left out by tax bills that benefit big corporations – another way the current administration fails to support the poor.

John Oesterle, a member of the Association of Pittsburgh Priests, said, “What’s most frightening to me is [the government’s] lack of concern for the poor people.”

Wallis and his supporters believe that their anti-poverty efforts will pay off someday. Joyce Rothermel, the chief executive officer of the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, said, “The work we’re doing is a glue that’s keeping us together.” She said she has faith in the move to end poverty. 

Wallis said, “Movements happen when you believe in and commit to something.”

 - Mya Zeronis is a junior print media major at Point Park University. She aspires to pursue a career as a newspaper reporter.

 
Left, Stand for Children organizer Wanda Guthrie, Rev. Jim Wallis and Molly Rush outside the William Pitt Union. Right, the Rolling to Overcome Poverty bus rolls into Oakland. (Photos by Marie Skoczylas)