Review of “Think and Act Anew: How Poverty in America Affects Us All and What We Can Do About It,” by Larry Snyder, with foreward by E.J. Dionne, Jr. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books. 2010, paper, 144 pp.
Timeless and interesting solutions to the poverty in this land..
Larry Snyder has compiled here some interesting solutions to the poverty in this land and explains the ways in which some people suddenly find themselves broke. The traditional notions of what poor people should look like have disappeared as the economy and its huge challenges continue to destroy jobs and savings. Snyder bases his solutions on teachings of the Catholic Church and reminds the reader of the importance of helping those in our community.
In this classic, the author tells of how out of touch some people are, how serious the hunger problem is, and how important it is that you and I help do something about it. Pre-COVID solutions in this book are nonetheless still useful today.
You do not have to be a caseworker, a researcher, or an MSW student to get it. You can still help. Many of the very most active helpers on the street do NOT have training is social services delivery or advanced degrees in psychology, counseling, or social work.
On a daily basis, I encounter people who are in great need. There are so many poor people in the country at this time—in comparison with the time this book was written, there are many more homeless now out there.
Remember that last year in Chicago alone, there were over 59,000 people with no housing…
This year, we will go well over 60,000 people. This does NOT include the new migrants. They did not bring a home with them, so their figure of 20,000 plus can be added to the 60,000 Chicagoans already sleeping on the sidewalk, in shelters, on the train, in or on dumpsters, in vans, etc.
Snyder includes a lot of information on the poor in America and the kinds of services and goods they need. One thing he emphasizes is that there are a variety of programs meant to provide loans to people—and other services and training to bring about longer-term good—instead of merely feeding people once or giving them one shirt. People living in poverty have various needs, and it is important to understand what is really going on out there.
Many people have been operating with blinders on when it comes to the realities of the poor among us. I have a friend (ex-friend?) who said recently that he feels food stamps are not necessary and that everyone is abusing them. I countered with some of the numbers of people nationwide who are living in poverty and who are facing hunger. His reply was that he, too, is struggling very hard to pay bills also but does not take the “easy route” of just getting free food he does not really deserve.
Some people are really out of touch.
I like the story Snyder relates in this book about the man who is drowning in the lake. He is screaming, “I can’t swim! Help!” A guy walking past tells him to be quiet, saying that the guy is disturbing other people, and tells him, “I can’t swim either, but at least I am not screaming at people and bothering them.”
And that is the sorry of the poor in this nation, currently. Many people do not understand why they are screaming. I will keep talking about helping the poor and disadvantaged—as long as it takes. And it seems like it is going to take more time.
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We as educators and counselors, especially, have the duty of helping our hungry students and neighbors, their struggling families, and our communities under siege. We know how to communicate, organize, facilitate, network, and also do some pretty successful problem-solving. I continue to remind teachers and administrators of our need to help.
Snyder helps us by providing several example programs already underway (or proposed at the time the book was written) for giving a variety of solutions to the needs of the poor. There are also 147 possible solutions that were brainstormed and ironed-out at two recent regional summits held by Catholic Charities USA.
The book is very much about Catholics as leaders and servants to the communities in need. Hence, there are references throughout to the teaching of Christ and the call to action from Snyder and others working for Catholic Charities and similar groups throughout the country.
I recommend the book because of the good reminders we need to help, the interesting model projects that counselors and educators could read about or visit, and the list of possible solutions. One does not need to be Catholic in order to help others, of course. As it stands, this book provides some very good solutions that are a start to helping the poor in our country.