Image: Salvatore Vuono / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

6450 North West 77th CT Miami Florida 33166

Email: fp@spiritist.com

� Why are we here?

� The Food Stamp Challenge

� Poverty, hunger..... And the story of

our lives.

� God Watches over us

� Chico Xavier and his dedication to

the poor.

� Understanding Hunger and Poverty

in the U.S.

May 2011

Understanding Poverty and Hunger in the U.S.Understanding Poverty and Hunger in the U.S.Understanding Poverty and Hunger in the U.S.Understanding Poverty and Hunger in the U.S.

BEZERRA DE MENEZES FOOD PANTRY REPORT

WHY ARE WE HERE?

Around 400 families come to Bezerra de Menezes Food Pantry every month. They are low income families, many of which with at least one member working full time. Sixty percent of these households have members under the age of 17, and almost 30% are retired individuals. All of these people are motivated by a common goal: to receive supplemental food to put in their tables. TEFAP – The Emergency Food Assistance Program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, provide to BM Food Pantry about 40% of the food products needed to help our population (400 families/month). The balance must be either purchased or obtained from other sources. Goya Foods, Brex America, F. Garcia Wholesale, Jimmy Food Distribution, Tropical Supermarket and Panera Bread are some of the donors that have provided BM Food Pantry with food products, some for free, others at low cost. Many individuals contribute their time and/or money to make all of this possible. It is a great opportunity to practice Jesus’s teachings and volunteer work. Each client that comes to the door give us a chance to show that we understand the words “Love your neighbor”, or...... that we need to further develop such a virtue.

BM Food Pantry continues to try and improve every time. The aim is to provide a caring and courteous service in a familiar-like enviroment. We hope to continue doing the Lord’s job by being part of this social safety net. Our spiritual mentor, Dr. Bezerra de Menezes was called the “Doctor of the Poor” because he always had an open heart for those in need. Still today, when we elevate our prayers to him, we receive the warm comfort of his presence and love, giving us the strength to continue.

Dr. Bezerra de Menezes

About BM Food Pantry Bezerra de Menezes Food Pantry is a social program managed by the

Bezerra de Menezes Kardecian Spiritist Center a 501(c)(3)

educational and charitable organization, located in Miami Fl.

Through its Social Assistance Department. BM Food Pantry was

founded in February 2009 to provide supplemental food to families

and individuals in need, in the Miami Dade County area. Our

services and products are free of charge. We are a distribution agency

for the TEFAP program of the U.S.D.A. and also rely on private

donations to fund this program.

Social Assistance Dept of BM Kardecian Spiritist Assc. Luis Salazar – Director

Members: Rita Salgado, Felix Abreu, Marlene Alencar, Luiz Cesar Carvalho.

BM Food Pantry Report: Gilberto Rustice, Luis Salazar

BM Food Pantry Report is a digital periodical distributed FREE to Donors, Government agencies, Volunteers and General Public. The main objective of this publication is to inform about the operation of the Bezerra de Menezes Food Pantry and to provide news and opinions on Poverty and Hunger advocacy. You can send your comments fp@spiritist.com .

The Food Stamp Challenge

of David Davenport

Ever done the Food Stamp Challenge? Limit your budget to

$25 a week–what a single SNAP (formerly food stamps)

recipient is allocated. I did it for a week in 2009, and reported

on it here. I’m a cook and have time to cook. I was a

professional musician early in life, and learned to live sparsely.

So I had a few tools in my toolbox. But I was still really glad to

reach the end of the one week to which I committed.

David Davenport, executive director of The Second Harvest

Community Food Bank in St. Joseph, Missouri, is nearing the

completion of the second month-long commitment he’s made to

the challenge. David’s a great American, and an exemplary

hunger fighter, who truly walks the talk. I was able to ask him a

few questions about his experience with the challenge this time.

(Q) Why are you doing the challenge now? (A) I will

throw everything I can muster at the challenge of hunger and

food insecurity in the communities that make up our Missouri

and Kansas service territory. To me the obvious starting place

is investing time and effort to better understand the challenges

our clients face on a daily basis.

(Q) Any notable differences and/or similarities in doing it

for the second time from the first? Have recent rises in food

costs been noticeable? (A) Interestingly the last time I took on

a month long Food Stamp Challenge was during the summer of

2008. Gas prices had jumped to over $4/gallon and food prices

followed. The biggest difference is my health has improved

dramatically and I have more flexibility in my diet. Last time

around I lost so much weight my doctors demanded I stop the

process early. That conclusion was very frustrating and

emotional.

(Q) I’m thinking anyone who’s done this—especially for a

month—can probably speak credibly to the assertion by

some who’ve been advocates of SNAP funding cuts that the

program promotes a “cycle of dependency.” What would

you say to these and the other arguments being used to

defend proposed cuts in SNAP funding? (A) I have a sign in

my office that reads “When I feed the poor they call me a saint,

When I ask why the poor are hungry they call me a communist”

(Dom Helder Camera) – nutrition assistance programs don’t

create dependency – communities, organizations and local

leaders that fail to empower systems that empower people

create dependency by never offering a way up for those in need.

Advocates for a hunger-free nation, state or community do a

disservice if they never embrace or demand solutions beyond

just feeding the hunger line. Cutting funding for programs such

as SNAP, WIC, and Summer Food Service is tantamount to

stopping a blood transfusion to an injured person because

nobody is treating the wound. The idea that the only way the

patient will recover (or be inspired to recover) is to make the

situation worse is short sighted and immoral.

(Q) You’ve made no secret of the fact you’re an organ

transplant recipient. I’m assuming you have to be

particularly careful about nutrition. How does this kind of

restricted budget impact someone with special nutritional

needs? (A) My dietary restrictions are similar to a diabetic or

person with mild heart disease. According to the Hunger in

America 2010 Study, nearly 40% of the households served by

Second Harvest Community Food Bank have one or more

members in poor health. My health challenges provide me an

opportunity to explore the challenges surrounding eating a

healthy diet on a limited budget. I am thankful for the

suggestions and advice provided by the many folks that have

followed me. Some of the best recipes have come directly from

our clients including an amazing bean soup.

(Q) You’ve managed to create a tremendous amount of

awareness in a community to which you’re relatively new.

Any advice to those working in hunger relief around the

country who might want to undergo the Food Stamp

Challenge to create awareness in their own communities?

(A) Yes, be authentic and go right after the issue full speed

knowing that what is missing in the current debate around

domestic hunger is “moral imagination” or the ability to feel

the fear, frustration and pain felt by children, families and

seniors in our local communities. Invest the time to sit in line on

a freezing cold day for hours to receive a small bag of food that

may last two days and on the bus ride home try and figure out a

way to make it last a week. Bring those around you into that

experience. Demand people follow your lead and embrace the

core belief that Hunger is Unacceptable and act on that belief

as an advocate, donor and/or volunteer. Finally, reach out and

connect with others – if you care to bring about change there

are many out there that share your passion.

Ed Nicholson

http://www.tysonhungerrelief.com/2011/04/david-

davenport-food-stamp-challenge-champion/

Poverty, hunger…. and the

story of our lives.

As Dr. Maureen Black, director of the Interdisciplinary

Growth and Nutrition Clinic at the University of Maryland

School of Medicine, says: “It’s humbling, but there’s nothing

we can do as health-care providers that would ever be as

powerful as getting people access to housing and healthy,

nutritious food” (Monitor, Sept 2010, Vol. 41). For a few

decades now, Dr. Black has worked with government agencies

to build national and international coalitions to “investigate the

factors behind malnutrition and poor child development”.

In the process of gathering some specific data for this

article, I got puzzled with a few things: the facts are not enough

to minimize the impact of the “multiple realities” we all live

under; the “power of now” type of thought we are encouraged

to follow seems to focus on effects, and not enough on causes;

and, in this planet of trials and expiations, there is much more of

it then there seems to be. You’re probably confused, but you

won’t be after I present the details behind the above issues that

puzzled my mind.

Let’s start by looking at some data. The national

poverty rate in this country reached 13.2% in 2008 (of which,

almost one-fourth was represented by Hispanic groups). If we

consider only children, the child poverty rate was up to 19% in

the same year. What about hunger? Well, in 2007, over 36

million Americans, including 12 million children, lived in food

insecure households. That means that over 11% of all

households were food insecure, meaning that at some point in

the year the family could not have, or had limited access to

adequate food. In nine of the 50 States in this country, over 20%

of children lived in food insecure households in 2007.

The impact of poverty and hunger on children bio-

social-psychological development is incredibly devastating. As

per the American Psychological Association, “poverty impacts

children within their various contexts at home, in school, and in

their neighborhoods and communities”.

To cite some of the implications of poverty, researches

point to the link between poverty and poor academic

achievement, higher risks of behavioral and emotional problems

(for example, impulsiveness, aggression, attention

deficit/hyperactivity disorder, conduct disorder, anxiety,

depression, low self-esteem), and increased risk of a wider

range of physical health problems (such as asthma, anemia, and

pneumonia, plus those derived from adoption of risky behaviors

like smoking, early sexual activity, substance abuse, and others)

. Image: koratmember / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Did you know that the first three years of a child is the

period of rapid brain development? Here is the issue: shortfalls

of energy, protein, and nutrients in this critical period can lead

to deficits in cognitive, social, and emotional development.

These problems affect 5-10% of American children under age

of three.

All these and other statistics are very scary, and I don’t

want to highlight them more than I need to catch your attention

to issues like poverty, hunger, and food insecurity. Maybe by

now we can talk about one the issues I previously mentioned:

the facts and the multiple realities. We do have people like Dr.

Black that can’t stop trying to help improve the poverty and

hunger situation, but we still can’t say “feeding our neighbor” is

high enough in the agenda of people in general. And this leads

to the second issue that I mentioned before: the focus on the

effects and not enough on the causes. The consequences of

poverty- and hunger-related issues to the well-being of

humanity do not seem to be getting enough attention. I guess

one could argue that the impact of those issues get more public

attention than their causes (for example, high criminality rates

in many parts of the world).

So, can we help? Yes, and I believe we will. I believe

time is approaching for us to try to understand Jesus’ intent

when he multiplied the bread to feed all of those with hunger,

and then follow his example. We, at Bezerra, are privileged

people, as we are a part of a community that already found the

indescribable rewards that come from the “feed your neighbor”

practice (or help those that do that). While we want to show our

gratitude to those that help making our FOOD PANTRY the

hope of so many food-insecure families, we pray to God to

protect the good souls that have come to understand the need to

show solidarity to those that depend on the Food Pantry to

“Poverty impacts children within

their various contexts at home, in school,

and in their neighborhoods and

communities”.

secure some food. But the continued support of all is critical, as

the demand from the poor has had a tendency to grow. As Dr.

Black said: “Children’s young bodies and brains cannot wait

for an economic recovery”.

Gilberto Rustice

Volunteer

References

Effects of Poverty, Hunger, and Homelessness on Children and Youth,

American Psychological Association. Retrieved from

http://www.apa.org/pi/families/poverty.aspex#

Children, Youth, and Families & Socioeconomic Status, American

Psychological Association. Retrieved from

http://www.apa.org/pi/ses/resources/publications/fact-sheet-references.aspex.

“HHHHow’s your son?” It is the first thing that we hear when

approached by this familiar face. Still playing baseball?” He

asks without letting me answer his first question. You can tell

by the way he handles himself that he is comfortable around us,

that he feels that he is in a familiar place.

Antonio Cantillo, started visiting the Bezerra de Menezes Food

Pantry in 2009, he comes with his wife, Maurenn, to pick-up

some food to take home. Every month , sometimes more often,

the Cantillo family comes looking for some relief in their

budget, trying to get by with a fixed income.

Antonio migrated from Cuba to the U.S. in 1980 and has

worked for 19 years as an electronics technician and later as a

driver for a rental car company. After all these years, Antonio

and Maurenn have survived multiple difficulties. Maurenn was

born in the U.S. with a learning disability that has kept her away

from reading and writing till this day. She speaks English and

Spanish while Antonio is not fluent in English.

Living in Hialeah FL in an apartment with their 18 year old son,

Anthony, who by the age of 4 had already been expelled from

three day care centers. Like his mom, Anthony suffers from

AD/HD. He’s currently attending the 10th grade of senior high

school.

We asked Antonio about his situation and he said “It is very

bad; I don’t know what we are going to do. My son is still

getting his medicines through the Florida Kid Care program but

he will lose it soon. Last year he got his disability application

denied; I had to hire a lawyer to help us with the case. My main

worry is the food. Prices keep going up and our disability

checks stay the same. I pay $494 for rent, groceries, however,

we don’t have enough of it.”

Most of the clients of BM Food Pantry are employed or

receiving some kind of government assistance, but not enough

to make ends meet. As time goes by and some of them keep

coming we realize that it is not just the food, it is the time they

spend around us; it is the need for sharing their worries and

most importantly, that they feel welcome and protected in our

Center.

“The help that we get from Bezerra de Menezes is really

important to us.” says Antonio. “I would say to the people who

support the BM Food Pantry, we have survived thanks to you.

I’m sure God will compensate you as He’s watching over us.”

says Antonio with a smile.

Many families like the Cantillos rely on Bezerra de Menezes

Food Pantry, to receive some extra food to put on their tables,

every month, sometimes every two weeks. They come showing

their gratitude and hiding their pain and troubles, with a smile

on their face, accept whatever is available to them that week.

Sometimes after most of the food has been distributed, and only

very little products are left, we have no alternative but to invite

the remaining clients to leave and come back next week for a

full box of products, at that time we quite frequently hear

people say”whatever can I get today is great, even if it is just a

few cans of beans or fruits, as that will be more than what I

have at home.”

As Antonio said, we are sure God is watching over us and He

will provide the products and quantities needed, as long as we

keep being available to work for Him.

God watches over us

MEDIUM CHICO XAVIER

Y LOS POBRES

Del libro Chico Xavier e Isabel, la Reina

Santa de Portugal, obra publicada por la editora Madras.

El libro trae un resumen biográfico de Chico Xavier y de la reina Isabel de Aragón, considerada la Reina Santa de Portugal. Chico registró la presencia de ella en los primeros momentos de su tarea mediumnica, ocasión en que traía consigo

fuerte influencia de su formación católica. Isabel de Aragón lo incentivó a la práctica de la caridad y le dijo que en el futuro él podría ayudar innúmeras instituciones con los recursos de las publicaciones literarias, hecho que realmente se dio con la donación de los derechos de autorías de todas sus obras mediumnicas.

El propio médium ya había relatado, anteriormente, como inició sus lides en el campo asistencial, como podemos leer en el libro Chico Xavier – Mandato de Amor, publicado por la Unión Espirita Mineira.

He aquí como Chico Xavier se refirió a su primer encuentro con la reina Isabel de Aragón, ocurrido en 1927:

“Todo seguía en orden, cuando en la noche de 10 de Julio referido, dos días después de haber recibido el primer mensaje, cuando yo hacía las oraciones de la noche, vi mi habitación pobre alumbrarse, de repente. Las paredes reflejaban la luz de un plateado lila. Yo estaba de rodillas, de acuerdo con mis hábitos católicos, y descerré los ojos, intentando ver lo que se pasaba. Vi, entonces, cerca de mi una señora de admirable presencia, que irradiaba la luz que se difundía por la habitación. Intenté levantarme para demostrarle respeto y cortesía, pero no conseguí permanecer de pie y doblé, involuntariamente, las rodillas delante de ella.

La dama iluminada miró la imagen de Nuestra Señora del Pilar que yo mantenía en mi habitación y, en seguida, habló en castellano que yo comprendí, como sabiendo que yo ignoraba el idioma, en que ella fácilmente se expresaba:

- Francisco – me dijo pausadamente – en nombre de Nuestro Señor Jesús Cristo, vengo solicitar su auxilio a favor de los pobres, nuestros hermanos.

La emoción me poseía el alma toda, pero pude preguntarle, a pesar de las lágrimas que me cubrían el rostro:

- Señora, ¿Quién sois vosotros?

Ella contestó:

- Tú no te acuerdas ahora de mí, todavía yo soy Isabel de Aragón.

Yo no conocía señora alguna que tuviese este nombre y extrañé lo que ella decía, entre tanto una fuerza interior me contenía y callé sin hacer cualquier comentario, acerca de mi ignorancia. Pero el diálogo estaba iniciado e indagué:

- Señora, soy pobre y nada tengo para dar. ¿Qué auxilio podré prestar a los más pobres de que yo mismo?

Ella dijo: - Tú me auxiliaras a repartir los panes con los necesitados.

Clamé con pesar: - Señora, casi siempre no tengo pan para mí. ¿Cómo podré repartir panes con otros?...

La dama sonrió y me esclareció:

- Llegará el tiempo en que tú dispondrás de recursos. Tú vas a escribir para nuestras gentes peninsulares y, trabajando por Jesús, no podrás recibir ventaja material alguna por las páginas que tú producirás, pero vamos a providenciar para que los Mensajeros del Bien te traigan recursos para iniciar la tarea. Confiemos en la Bondad del Señor.”

El relato arriba es bien significativo por elucidar un aspecto importantísimo de la obra de Chico Xavier, que fue su reconocida dedicación a los más pobres.

http://www.oconsolador.com.br/ano5/209/editorial_espanhol.html

ISABEL DE ARAGON

Medium-Mediumnidad: Mediumnidad es el conjunto de facultades que permiten al ser humano, comunicarse con el mundo espiritual. Es inherente al hombre y por tanto no es privilegio exclusivo de nadie.

ESPAÑOL

Chico Xavier e sua dedicação

aos mais pobres.

Do livro Chico Xavier e Isabel, a Rainha Santa de Portugal, obra publicada pela editora Madras. O livro traz um resumo biográfico de Chico Xavier e da rainha Isabel de Aragão, considerada a Rainha Santa de Portugal. Chico registrou a presença dela nos primeiros momentos de sua tarefa

mediúnica, ocasião em que trazia consigo forte influência de sua formação católica. Isabel de Aragão o incentivou à prática da caridade e disse-lhe que no futuro ele poderia ajudar inúmeras instituições com os recursos das publicações literárias, fato que realmente se deu com a doação dos direitos autorais de todas as suas obras mediúnicas.

O próprio médium já havia relatado, anteriormente, como

iniciou suas lides no campo assistencial, conforme

podemos ler no livro Chico Xavier - Mandato de

Amor, publicado pela União Espírita Mineira.

Eis como Chico Xavier se referiu ao seu primeiro encontro

com a rainha Isabel de Aragão, ocorrido em 1927:

"Tudo seguia em ordem, quando na noite de 10 de julho

referido, dois dias depois de haver recebido a primeira

mensagem, quando eu fazia as orações da noite, vi o

meu quarto pobre se iluminar, de repente. As paredes

refletiam a luz de um prateado lilás. Eu estava de joelhos,

conforme os meus hábitos católicos, e descerrei os olhos,

tentando ver o que se passava. Vi, então, perto de mim

uma senhora de admirável presença, que irradiava a luz

que se espraiava pelo quarto. Tentei levantar-me para

demonstrar-lhe respeito e cortesia, mas não consegui

permanecer de pé e dobrei, involuntariamente, os joelhos

diante dela.

A dama iluminada fitou a imagem de Nossa Senhora do

Pilar que eu mantinha em meu quarto e, em seguida,

falou em castelhano que eu compreendi, embora sabendo

que eu ignorava o idioma, em que ela facilmente se

expressava:

– Francisco – disse-me pausadamente – em nome de

Nosso Senhor Jesus Cristo, venho solicitar o seu auxílio

em favor dos pobres, nossos irmãos.

A emoção me possuía a alma toda, mas pude perguntar-

lhe, embora as lágrimas que me cobriam o rosto:

– Senhora, quem sois vós?

Ela me respondeu:

– Você não se lembra agora de mim, no entanto eu sou

Isabel de Aragão.

Eu não conhecia senhora alguma que tivesse este nome e

estranhei o que ela dizia, entretanto uma força interior

me continha e calei qualquer comentário, em torno de

minha ignorância. Mas o diálogo estava iniciado e

indaguei:

– Senhora, sou pobre e nada tenho para dar. Que auxílio

poderei prestar aos mais pobres do que eu mesmo?

Ela disse:

– Você me auxiliará a repartir pães com os necessitados.

Clamei com pesar:

– Senhora, quase sempre não tenho pão para mim. Como

poderei repartir pães com os outros?...

A dama sorriu e me esclareceu:

– Chegará o tempo em que você disporá de recursos.

Você vai escrever para as nossas gentes peninsulares e,

trabalhando por Jesus, não poderá receber vantagem

material alguma pelas páginas que você produzir, mas

vamos providenciar para que os Mensageiros do Bem lhe

tragam recursos para iniciar a tarefa. Confiemos na

Bondade do Senhor.”*

O relato acima é bem significativo por elucidar um

aspecto importantíssimo da obra de Chico Xavier, que foi

sua reconhecida dedicação aos mais pobres.

PORTUGUES

Chico Xavier and his dedication to the poor.

From the book Chico Xavier and Isabel, the Holy Queen of Portugal, published by Madras. The book features a biography of Chico Xavier and of Queen Isabel of Aragon, considered the Holy Queen of Portugal. Chico registered her presence at the beginning of his journey as a medium, at which time he

still was under a strong influence of his Catholic upbringing. Isabelof Aragon encouraged Chico to the practice of charity and told him that, in future, he would be able to help many institutions with the proceeds from the sale of his publications, a fact that really happened with the donation of the copyright of all his mediumnistic writings. . The medium had already reported how he had begun his work in the assitstance field, as we can read in the book Chico Xavier - Mandate of Love, which was published by the União Espírita Mineira. Here's how Chico Xavier referred to his first meeting with Queen Isabel of Aragon, which occurred in 1927: "Everything was moving along well when, in the evening of July 10, two days after receiving the first message, as I was saying my evening prayer, and I suddenly saw my room become illuminated. The walls reflected a silvery lilac light. I was on my knees, following the habits of the Catholics, when I opened my eyes trying to see what was happening. I then saw the admirable presence of a lady next to me, whose light was spread throughout the room. I tried to stand up to show Her respect and courtesy, but I could not remain up; I involuntarily turned on my knees before her. The illuminated lady looked at the image of Our Lady of the Pillar which I held in my room, and then spoke in Castilian. I was able to understand her, although I was aware that I did not know that language in which she could easily express herself. She said: - Francisco -- speaking slowly -- in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, I come to request your assistance for the poor, our brothers. The emotion took over all my soul, and in spite of the tears that covered my face, I could still ask her: - Lady, who are you? She replied: - You will not remember me now; however, I am Isabel of Aragon. I did not know any lady by that name and what she was saying sounded strange to me. However, an inner force helped me stay quiet and refrain from making any

comments about my ignorance. But since the dialogue had been initiated, and I asked: - Lady, I am poor and have nothing to give. What help could I give to someone poorer than myself? She said: - You’ll help me share the bread with the needy. I cried with grief:- Lady, I almost always have no bread for msyself. How can I share bread with others...? The lady smiled and explained: - Time will come when you will have resources. You will write to our people in the Peninsula, and, working for Jesus, you won’t receive material benefits for the pages that you will produce. However, we will arrange for the Messengers of the Goodness to bring resources for you to start the task. Trust in the Goodness of the Lord. " The above account is highly significant for the elucidation of an important aspect of the life of Chico Xavier, which was his great dedication to the poor.

ISABEL DE ARAGON

Médium Francisco Candido Xavier (Chico Xavier)

ENGLISH

Understanding Hunger and

Poverty in the U.S.

About Food Security

Feeding America, the largest national food bank association, of

which Feeding South Florida is a member and provide food

products for a low maintenance fee to Bezerra de Menezes

Food Pantry, reports there are over 403,600 people in Miami-

Dade County experiencing food insecurity each year, including

approximately 137,000 children. With a 28.5 percent poverty

rate, Miami is the fifth poorest city in the nation. 2600 families

have registered with the BM Food Pantry in their 27 months of

operation.

In the US, there are approximately 2,000,000 farmers, less than

1% of the population. A direct relationship exists between food

consumption levels and poverty. Families with the financial

resources to escape extreme poverty rarely suffer from chronic

hunger, while poor families not only suffer the most from

chronic hunger, but are also the segment of the population

most at risk during food shortages and famines.

Food Security definition by the United States Department of

Agriculture (USDA):

• Food security for a household means access by all

members at all times to enough food for an active,

healthy life. Food security includes at a minimum (1)

the ready availability of nutritionally adequate and safe

foods, and (2) an assured ability to acquire acceptable

foods in socially acceptable ways (that is, without

resorting to emergency food supplies, scavenging,

stealing, or other coping strategies).

About Food Justice

This movement takes a collective approach to achieve food

security. It notes that globally enough food is produced to feed

the entire world population at a level adequate to ensure that

everyone can be free of hunger and fear of starvation. That no

one should live without enough food because of economic

constraints or social inequalities is the basic goal.

Food security should be a basic human right. It should be a

fairer distribution of food, particularly grain crops, as a means

of ending chronic hunger and malnutrition. The core of the

Food Justice movement is the belief that what is lacking is not

food, but the political will to fairly distribute food regardless of

the recipient’s ability to pay.

About Poverty in the U.S.

According to a study published in 2004 by The Heritage

Foundation, ¨The typical American defined as "poor" by the

government has a car, air conditioning, a refrigerator, a stove,

a clothes washer and dryer, and a microwave. He has two color

televisions, cable or satellite TV reception, a VCR or DVD

player, and a stereo. He is able to obtain medical care. His

home is in good repair and is not overcrowded. By his own

report, his family is not hungry and he had sufficient funds in

the past year to meet his family's essential needs. While this

individual's life is not opulent, it is equally far from the popular

images of dire poverty conveyed by the press, liberal activists,

and politicians.¨ 1

In 2005, author John Scalzi wrote a simple but brilliant essay on

what being poor is in reality for millions of Americans. Among

his observations:

- Being poor is hoping the toothache goes away.

- Being poor is thinking $8 an hour is a really good deal.

- Being poor is relying on people who don’t give a damn about

you.

- Being poor is an overnight shift under fluorescent lights.

- Being poor is six dollars short on the utility bill and no way to

close the gap.

- Being poor is people surprised to discover you’re not actually

stupid.

- Being poor is knowing you work as hard as anyone,

anywhere.

- Being poor is getting tired of people wanting you to be

grateful.

- Being poor is people who have never been poor wondering

why you choose to be.

- Being poor is knowing how hard it is to stop being poor.

¨Several hundred people added their own observations to

Scalzi’s essay, making it perhaps one of the most definitive oral

descriptions of poverty in recent years. Poorness, we learn,

isn’t just a number –- it’s not just a salary or a neighborhood –-

but something that encompasses every facet of a person’s life,

from health and social opportunities, to where we live, and

whom we can attract as a partner.

Poverty carries an emotional and stigmatizing price. It’s losing

teeth at a young age because a $600 root canal or 50% co-pay

is unaffordable, and then losing out on social and job

opportunities because of a marred appearance. It’s not being

able to afford to pay a $50 fine for a traffic violation, and

ending up in jail.

It’s having to sell everything you own to pay the rent for just

one month. Or losing your ID or drivers license and not being

able to afford to replace them. It’s having no credit and no

cash for a flat tire or any other emergency. It’s having poor

credit, and being charged exorbitant interest rates, and paying

higher rates for auto insurance than not even drunk drivers

pay. It’s a life where nearly everyday comes with some anxiety,

panic, or dread.

Image: graur razvan ionut / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

To live in poverty is to be hastily judged, and told you should

have taken better care of your teeth to start with, and that if

you can’t afford a car you shouldn’t drive one –- never mind

how your teeth got damaged, or whether or not you have bus

service in your neighborhood. It’s being denied employment

opportunities based on your faded clothes or credit score.

It’s being thought of as irresponsible even when you have

made your paycheck stretch as far as it could go. It’s buying a

.79 cup of coffee at the convenience store in the morning on

the way to work and having someone, likely a better-off

relative, tell you that this is why you’re poor and can’t afford to

pay your rent –- because you waste your money. It’s knowing

that no matter what you do, or how hard you try, someone will

view you harshly because you have not risen to their class

level.

It’s hearing the rags to riches stories, looking desperately for

hope, only to learn about the privileged circumstances,

inheritances, benefactors, or rare open doors that led to

success. It’s hearing how all those things are negated by

successful people when they talk about “working hard” and

“creating their own luck”. It’s waking up every day to face a

society that believes its own American dream cliches, but that

puts no stock in the truth of your own story.

This is what poorness in America is, and unfortunately it is

largely misunderstood, ignored, or viewed as an incurable

plight. It’s a particularly grim and harsh story in a society where

the pursuit of happiness is a constitutional right, but where

there’s really no such thing as a level playing field. Presently,

the circumstances that help create happiness – including those

as basic as personal security, health, food, and shelter – are

increasing in price while wages and job opportunities stagnate,

leaving the poor poorer, and millions more at risk.¨ 2

References

1 Robert E. Rector is Senior Research Fellow in

Domestic Policy Studies and Kirk A. Johnson, Ph.D., is

Harry and Jeanette Weinberg Fellow in Statistical

Welfare Research in the Center for Data Analysis at

The Heritage Foundation.

http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2004/01/under

standing-poverty-in-america

2 By Jane Devin http://janedevin.com/2008/10/08/what-

does-poor-mean-in-america/

Maybe we´ll never agree on what is to be poor in America, but

the truth is that when a mother or a father comes to a Church,

government office or to our home, asking for help to feed their

family, that cry needs to be heard and attended. If we can offer

food, a job and our friendship for sure we have had covered all

fronts. At Bezerra de Menezes Food Pantry, we are open to all

souls looking for food and a place to share their life experiences

under God´s love.

Dear reader: You can help these many families in the Miami

Dade County area that are struggling to put food on their tables.

We can see the numbers, the percentages of poverty and

unemployment, without realize that more than numbers there

are people, every digit has a face. We have met some of them

and we invite you to stop by on a Sunday afternoon and meet

some of the families registered in our program.

Just $10, provides food for a family of four. $50 will go a long

way for five familes of the 1600 registered in the Bezerra de

Menezes Food Pantry.

You can send your check, payable to Bezerra de Menezes to our

office at 6450 NW 77th CT Miami FL 33166

Or using Paypal, send your donation to info@spiritist.com

remember to mention Food Pantry

Your Donation will be Tax deductible since Bezerra de

Menezes is a 501(c)(3) organization.

Visit us on the web www.spiritist.com/fp

Luis Salazar

Coordinator

BM Food Pantry

BEZERRA DE MENEZES MORE THAN A FOOD PANTRY

• Spiritist Teachings: Science, Philosophy and Moral Education

• Spiritual Healing Treatment – Passes

• Fraternal Counseling

• Mediumnistic Education

• Spiritualist Bookstore

• Peer to Peer Support Groups

• Volunteer Opportunities available on Social Assistance

Projects and Special Events.

6450 NW 77th CT Miami Fl 33166

www.spiritist.com eMail: info@spiritist.com

Office Ph: 305.477.4148 (Weekdays evenings-Sunday mornings)

Dr. Adolfo Bezerra de Menezes

PROBLEMS OF THE WORLD

"The world has plenty of gold.

Gold in the soil, in the sea, in the coffers.

But gold does not solve the problem of poverty."

"The world has plenty of space.

Space in the continents, in the cities, in the fields.

But space does not solve the problem of greed."

"The world has plenty of culture.

Culture in education, knowledge, and opinions.

But the culture of intelligence does not solve the problem of selfishness."

"The world has plenty of theories.

Theories in the sciences, in philosophical schools, in religions.

But theories do not solve the problem of despair."

"The world has plenty of organizations,

Organizations in the area of administration, economy, and welfare.

But these organizations do not solve the problem of crime."

"To extinguish the sore of ignorance, which fosters poverty;

to dissipate the shadow of greed, which creates illusions;

to exterminate the monster of selfishness, which promotes war;

to neutralize the germ of despair, which promotes insanity; and

to remove the torrent of crime, which drags along misery,

the only efficient therapy is the Gospel of Jesus inside the human heart."

"Let us, therefore, be courageous, expanding the Spiritist doctrine, which rescues the Gospel from a literal interpretation,

making it an instrument for the formation of the new humanity, radiating the divine master's inspiration and influence

through our emotions and ideas; through our rules of conduct and behavior; through our words and example; and, echoing

the reasoning behind Allan Kardec's unforgettable statement on charity, let us proclaim to the problems of the world:

"Without Christ there is no solution."

Bezerra de Menezes / Francisco C. Xavier

http://www.explorespiritism.com/MESSAGES%20start.htm