With the report from the Brookings Institution making headlines in January of 2010, Grand Rapids area residents get a cold, hard look at the numbers proving the reality of the area's economic situation. Although Grand Rapids does not have the highest poverty level in the nation, the report shows that the area's level of poverty has increased more sharply than any other city in the nation from 2000 to 2008. In the city itself, poverty rose 8.9%, while the surrounding area saw an increase of nearly 5%. Nationally, according to 2008 numbers from the USDA, one in seven American households is having trouble putting food on the table. Even more shocking is that nearly 25% of children come from families that are struggling to get enough to eat.

Despite the dismal numbers, we must keep in mind that our present moment is a potentially wonderful opportunity. We have the ability to make the change that transforms the lives of those who live each day wondering where the next meal will be coming from. In Grand Rapids, we have a lot to be thankful for. Not only do we have an incredible network of social services in the area working to alleviate the effects of hunger and poverty, but we also have a community generous with its time and resources that helps to sustain this safety net throughout the hardest of times.

In addition to locally-based efforts working to improve the lives of those living in hunger and poverty, national and worldwide efforts also play an important role in making the world a better place to live. Bread for the World, an organization based in Washington, D.C., serves as "a collective Christian voice urging our nation's decision makers to end hunger at home and abroad." Bread for the World advocates for justice to be done on behalf of the hungry all over the world, by urging Congress to take action to eliminate hunger.

In 2010, many previously-enacted tax credits, which offer relief to those living below the poverty line, will expire.  These tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit help to lift over 5 million Americans, including 2.6 million children, out of poverty each year. Throughout 2010, Bread for the World and its members will call upon the United States Congress to maintain these tax credits, as well as to make additional steps to bridge the gap between low-wage earnings and the basic cost of living. Bread for the World will also push for the reform of U.S. foreign assistance, making this aid more effective in reducing poverty throughout the world.

In many places, the Bible calls us to take action on behalf of our struggling brothers and sisters. Isaiah 58:10 tells us, "if you spend yourselves on behalf of the hungry and satisfy the needs of the oppressed, then your light will rise in the darkness, and your night will become like the noonday." Governments can play a major role in the creation and resolution of problems that affect the most vulnerable people in the world. Our advocacy embodies the vision of God's justice. Our boldly speaking out for and with our poor and hungry neighbors is absolutely essential in these times. Bread for the World's most recent newsletter states that, "Ultimately, reducing hunger is a matter of political will, and political will is built by citizen advocacy - by you."

So, take action; reform cannot take place without concerned individuals speaking out for change. As Steve Robbins says, "Justice requires those who suffer the least to speak up the most." Bread for the World makes it easy to get in contact with your Congressmen and women, providing points for you to address and plenty of information on the hunger-related action taking place in Congress. For more information on how you can get involved, visit www.bread.org. Also, check out Bread for the World's www.offeringofletters.org to find out about how you can get others to write to their legislators as well. Together, we can create change!

Nicole DeVries
ACCESS Poverty Education Initiative Director