In the face of historic deficits, the nation faces unavoidable choices about how to balance needs and resources and allocate burdens and sacrifices. These choices are economic, political — and moral.

As Christians, we believe the moral measure of the debate is how the most poor and vulnerable people fare. We look at every budget proposal from the bottom up—how it treats those Jesus called “the least of these” (Matthew 25:45). They do not have powerful lobbies, but they have the most compelling claim on our consciences and common resources. The Christian community has an obligation to help them be heard, to join with others to insist that programs that serve the most vulnerable in our nation and around the world are protected. We know from our experience serving hungry and homeless people that these programs meet basic human needs and protect the lives and dignity of the most vulnerable. We believe that God is calling us to pray, fast, give alms, and to speak out for justice.

As Christian leaders, we are committed to fiscal responsibility and shared sacrifice. We are also committed to resist budget cuts that undermine the lives, dignity, and rights of poor and vulnerable people. Therefore, we join with others to form a Circle of Protection around programs that meet the essential needs of hungry and poor people at home and abroad.

Key Principles:

1. The nation needs to substantially reduce future deficits, but not at the expense of hungry and poor people.
2. Funding focused on reducing poverty should not be cut. It should be made as effective as possible, but not cut.
3. We urge our leaders to protect and improve poverty-focused development and humanitarian assistance to promote a better, safer world.
4. National leaders must review and consider tax revenues, military spending, and entitlements in the search for ways to share sacrifice and cut deficits.
5. A fundamental task is to create jobs and spur economic growth. Decent jobs at decent wages are the best path out of poverty, and restoring growth is a powerful way to reduce deficits.
6. The budget debate has a central moral dimension. Christians are asking how we protect “the least of these.” “What would Jesus cut?” “How do we share sacrifice?”
7. As believers, we turn to God with prayer and fasting, to ask for guidance as our nation makes decisions about our priorities as a people.
8. God continues to shower our nation and the world with blessings. As Christians, we are rooted in the love of God in Jesus Christ. Our task is to share these blessings with love and justice and with a special priority for those who are poor.

» Continue reading A Circle of Protection: A Statement on Why We Need to Protect Programs for the Poor

» continue reading Study: Fewer low-income kids getting summer school meals – CNN.com

Both articles say the arrest resulted from a joint local and federal investigation. I’m glad to hear it. I posted previously about my frustration with entitlement program fraud, but I never heard about anyone doing anything about it.

I wonder if there will be more arrests? There’s more than one store in this town where you can get cash — 50¢ on the dollar — for food stamps.

For those who might be wondering how I know about food stamp fraud: I’ve learned a lot doing street outreach. This is one of those things that makes me angry, frustrated and sad, all at the same time.

The Myrtle Beach City Council has placed serious restrictions on group that feed the homeless in city (public) parks.  Church groups are currently feeding the homeless and hungry in obedience to their faith — weekly in one park and monthly in another.  A new ordinance will require them to obtain a permit and restrict feedings to four times per year.  The ordinance is a response to  neighbors’ complaints, such as perceived safety issues for children  in the park, and crimes alleged to have been committed by some of the homeless people in the parks.  But those who serve the homeless point out that children are among those being fed (children and families are homeless, too), and that homeless people will be in the parks whether meals are served or not.

Feedings in the parks apparently began because the homeless were already there.  The Swash Park Ministry of First Baptist Church serves meals to a group of homeless people that includes some who aren’t allowed at the community kitchen or shelter and don’t have anywhere else to eat.  Another church’s youth group serves bag lunches monthly at Chapin Park.

Bruce Crawford, pastor of Myrtle Beach First Baptist Church, asks:

“If Jesus came back and tried to feed 5,000, would he able to do it in Myrtle Beach?   We just need to think about our actions.”

Amen.

» More from Myrtle Beach area news outlets: here, here, here, here, here

UPDATE: Map links to parks where homeless are being fed — with images from Google street view:

• Chapin Park, 16th Ave. N. & & Hwy 17
• Withers Swash Park, off 3rd Ave. S. (Withers Swash Rd.)

Note:  I created the image used with this post, using a sign generator.  As far as I know, there is not a sign at Myrtle Beach that says “Don’t feed the homeless.”  (Yet, anyway.)  The image is intended to graphically depict the absurdity of the city’s position and to provoke a reaction in the viewer.

From the News & Record:

The fund  had raised $44,103 as of Friday.  Requests for shelter are up 32 percent at the Salvation Army of Greensboro.** Greensboro Urban Ministry has seen a 30 percent rise in assistance requests. Shelters are crowded. Food pantries are nearly bare.

Donations will be distributed to FaithAction International House (www.faihouse.org, 379-0037); Greensboro Urban Ministry (www.greensborourbanministry.org; 271-5959); Lutheran Family Services (www.lfscarolinas.org; 553-1501); Salvation Army of Greensboro (www.salvationarmyusa.org; 273-5572); Senior Resources of Guilford (www.senior-resources-guilford.org; 373-4816); and The Servant Center (www.theservantcenter.org; 275-8585).

You can help by making a tax-deductible donation at Operation Greensboro Cares’ Web site or sending a check to Operation Greensboro Cares, P.O. Box 14985 Greensboro, NC  27405. Number is 378-6600. If you want to volunteer, call the Volunteer Center of Greensboro at 373-1633.

**Although NightWatch is sponsored by the Salvation Army of Greensboro, we are not an official Salvation Army program and we are not a funded ministry, so no funds from Operation Greensboro Cares will be disbursed to NightWatch. We will continue to provide food (both hot meals and snack bags) to homeless people living outside this winter through our street outreach ministry. You may make a financial contribution to NightWatch through our ministry partner, Men Of Vision & Excellence, a 501(c)3 non-profit. Donate online here. Your contribution is tax deductible. You must note that your donation is for “NightWatch” in the designation field on the online form.  If you send a check, please write “NightWatch” in the memo line.  Thank you.

From my on-the-street perspective, it certainly appears that hunger and homelessness are increasing in Greensboro.  There are more and newer faces at free meal sites, homeless shelters and the downtown library, one of our de facto day centers.  I went to Weaver House the other day looking for a homeless friend, and for the first time in years, I didn’t recognize a single face among the crowd of homeless people hanging out around the doorway and in the parking lot.

I’m hearing from homeless service providers that their numbers are up.  There were problems with our county homeless count last year, resulting in an undercount, and I’m not depending on the next count for an accurate number, either.  But my eyes tell me that there are more homeless and hungry people in town.  And it’s apparently going to get worse before it gets better. 

Urban Ministry serves homeless breakfast

Your article, “Discovering a need, blogger takes action” (A1, Aug. 14), contained incorrect information. It stated, “Hospitality House is the only place in the city that serves breakfast to the homeless.”

I have the opportunity to serve breakfast every Thursday morning at Greensboro Urban Ministry, where between 70 and 150 homeless people are served each morning. These breakfasts are prepared and served by members of First Lutheran Church, Lutheran Church of Our Father, the Episcopal Churches of Greensboro and others.

Each church/organization is responsible for one morning a week. Volunteers arrive at 6 a.m., cook, serve, clean and provide an uplifting message for the guests.

The opportunities in Greensboro to help those in need are endless. Let’s all do our part to show we care.

Susan Wilson
Greensboro

My response:

A follow-up article the next day stated:

“The nonprofit [Hospitality House] is the only place in the city that provides breakfast to people who are hungry every weekday except Wednesday, when the Greensboro Urban Ministry has a community breakfast. Urban Ministry otherwise serves breakfast only to those who stay overnight at the Weaver House.”

The letter writer, Ms. Wilson, serves breakfast for Weaver House residents. The Hospitality House serves unsheltered homeless people and other hungry people. Both are needed and appreciated.

We have also learned that St. Paul Baptist Church serves breakfast on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. That location is a little over a mile southeast of the downtown area. (Glenwood Presbyterian and Nu Life Church serve breakfast on Saturdays. As far as we know, no one is currently serving breakfast on Sundays.)

The letter writer is correct that the opportunities are endless, because the need here is great. There are many homeless and hungry people in Greensboro. We have more homeless people than we have space in homeless shelters.

We are blessed to have people like Miss Terry at the Hospitality House who daily feed and serve those who would otherwise go without. Those of us who volunteered last week got a glimpse of how much work Miss Terry does, and we are even more appreciative now of her efforts to love and serve our friends.

Cara Michele

We served at least 100 for breakfast on Thursday and 150 for breakfast on Friday, and 150+ at Friday’s dinner. We served a different group of homeless folks than Greensboro Urban Ministry. There are a lot of homeless people in Greensboro. Many more than most people realize. And we still didn’t serve them all.

“I want to end hunger.  No one should be homeless without someone who cares.  I keep it simple.”

My formerly homeless friend Tim dreams simple but big.  He has what he needs now, and he’s focused on helping other people.  He’s making progress, too.  Go, Tim. 

• Not everyone has a can opener, so buy pop-top cans or other easy-open containers, if you can.
• Not everyone has milk or butter, so buy the macaroni and cheese that includes the cheese packet, or the just-add-water instant mashed potatoes with butter already in them.
• Buy other “complete” foods, too, like the spaghetti dinner that includes the sauce and cheese in the box.
• Don’t forget proteins. Canned tuna, chicken, and ham. Peanut butter, black beans, kidney beans, etc.
• Mix up your fruit and vegetable can sizes. Big families need the extra-large can size. Or single-serving cans for one person.
• Look for microwavable meals that don’t require refrigeration first. (Great for people in hotels!)

If you’d like to donate food for NightWatch, please contact us here. Greensboro Urban Ministry and Salvation Army also have food pantries.