Besides praying and doing what we can on a personal level (which includes: donating to your local food bank or your church; starting a food outreach ministry in your church or area if there is not already one; etc.) we support:
1. Legislation that offers help to the homeless, decriminalizing
homelessness and community job programs for the jobless and
homeless
2. Unemployment benefits
3. Minimum wage increase
4. Holding corporations accountable for pay scales and fair wages
5. Housing, financial aid and small business grant programs
6. Job creation in rural areas
Scriptures reflecting the values:
Deuteronomy 15:7
“If there is a poor man among your brothers in any of the towns of the land that the Lord your God is giving you, do not be hardhearted or tightfisted toward your poor brother.”
Deuteronomy 24:14
“Do not take advantage of a hired man who is poor and needy, whether he is a brother Israelite or an alien living in one of your towns.”
Proverbs 14:31
“He who oppresses the poor shows contempt for their maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”
Proverbs 17:5
“He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.”
Proverbs 21:13
“If a man shuts his ears to the cry of the poor, he too will cry out and not be answered.”
Proverbs 22:16
“He who oppresses the poor to increase his wealth and he who gives gifts to the rich—both come to poverty.
Matthew 19:21
Jesus answered, ‘If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.’ “
Luke 4:17-19
“The scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written: ‘The spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’ “
Luke 11:40-42
“You foolish people! Did not the one who made the outside make the inside also? But give what is inside the dish to the poor, and everything will be clean for you. Woe to you pharisees, because you give God a tenth of your mint, rue and all other kinds of garden herbs, but you neglect justice and the love of God. You should have practiced the latter without leaving the former undone.”
Luke 14:12-14
“Then Jesus said to his host, ‘When you give a luncheon or dinner, do not invite your friends, your brothers or relatives, or your rich neighbors; if you do, they may invite you back and so you will be repaid. But when you give a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind, and you will be blessed. Although they cannot repay you, you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.’ “
James 2:1-13
“My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don’t show favoritism. Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, ‘Here’s a good seat for you,’ but say to the poor man, ‘You stand there’ or ‘Sit on the floor by my feet,’ have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts?
Listen, my dear brothers: has not god chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong?
If you really keep the royal law found in scripture, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself,’ you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ also said, ‘Do not murder.’ If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.
Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!”