To raise the voices of NC’s faith community on behalf of poor and vulnerable people in NC, please sign on to the letter below. We will be sending this letter to the North Carolina’s Congressional Delegation and releasing it to the press in North Carolina.
The letter is modeled after the one which national religious organizations sent to the Super Committee (by Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs). Rev. George Reed (Executive Director) and Rev. Collins Kilburn (Executive Director Emeritus) have already signed. Please join them with your signature by filling out the form below and share with any of your colleagues by Oct. 27.
Thank you for taking a stand for the “least of these.”
Dear Members of the NC Congressional Delegation,
As religious leaders in North Carolina representing many denominations and faith traditions in our great state, we urge you to use all of the opportunities you have for input with the nation’s Super Committee to prevent requiring further sacrifices from poor and vulnerable people in our state and nation. In Proverbs 31:8-9, we are reminded to “Speak out for those who cannot speak, for the rights of all the destitute. Speak out, judge righteously, defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
With 14 million people unemployed (450,000 North Carolinians) and poverty rates rising in our state and nation (Feeding America reports that 18.2% of North Carolina’s people are food insecure), we must prioritize creating jobs and assisting those most in need.
As leaders in North Carolina’s faith community, we call for the protection of Medicaid and all food assistance programs such as SNAP and WIC as well as tax incentives and programs for low income people (EITC, unemployment insurance, etc) that generate economic growth. The Interreligious Working Group on Domestic Human Needs reports that:
- Every $1 of SNAP benefits generates $1.73-$1.79 in economic growth.
- Every $1 in refundable tax credits, like the EITC and child tax credit, generates $1.26 in economic growth.
- Every $1 dollar of unemployment insurance benefits generates an estimated $1.63 in economic growth.
We encourage the use of revenue producing options and reductions in wasteful defense spending as ways to reduce our deficit. The burden of deficit reduction should not be borne by programs for poor and vulnerable people who are now struggling and are not in a position to sacrifice more. We acknowledge the challenges the Super Committee faces as they develop a plan by Thanksgiving that will reduce our deficits by $1.5 trillion. However, as you make recommendations and communicate with members of the Super Committee, we strongly urge you to protect assistance for poor and vulnerable populations.
Our budget is a moral document; may it reflect the common good and priorities that help people in need in North Carolina and our nation.
Sincerely,
Rev. J. George Reed, Executive Director of North Carolina Council of Churches
Rev. Collins Kilburn, Executive Director Emeritus, North Carolina Council of Churches
_________________________ (Your name here)
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