Charities and churches are doing their part to help the poor, but they can’t meet the need. They’re swamped and are the first to say that government must play a role too. According to one estimate, proposed cuts to SNAP, alone would require every church in America to come up with an extra $50,000 a year for the next 10 years in order to close the gap. The average church budget is $55,000. Private charity and government assistance aren’t opposed to each other but work together as partners. Many faith-based charities depend on government funds, and slashing state and federal assistance would seriously weaken their work.
More than 10 million people who live in poverty hold down at least one job. Many of their jobs, however, pay minimum wage, which adds up to only $15,080 a year for full-time work. The federal poverty level for a family of two is $15,130. For a family of four, it’s $23,050.
Source: Christian Century, 7/16/13, Churches Can't Do It All
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