Could you pay for your food and drinks with only $1.50 per
day? Now, imagine paying for your
housing, healthcare, food, drinks, education, transportation and virtually
everything that you need for basic survival with just $1.50 each day. Could you?
This is the sad reality of millions of people worldwide living in
extreme poverty. During the next five
days, we will be supporting the Global Poverty Project by joining the Live Below the Line Challenge. From May
7, 2012 through Friday, May 10th—I will live below
the extreme poverty line—in terms of food and drink.
I realize that government assistance factors in
significantly for the people in the United
States living in extreme poverty. I also accept the argument that some of those
people living in extreme poverty in the United
States do little to help themselves—and should.
Unfortunately, I also realize that there
are those living in extreme poverty—or nearly at that level—who are in those
situations by no real fault of their own.
In today's economy, many families are literally paychecks away from homelessness.
I realize also that participating in this challenge is
a bit meaningless. While I will eat
according to the poverty level—I have an air conditioned home, a mini-van full
of gasoline, clothes and shoes, furniture, the internet, television, books, a
college degree… You get the idea. And I get
the idea as well—but, if by completing this challenge, my own daughters consider
the realities of poverty or it inspires others to think about those less
fortunate—then it’s worthwhile.
The Living Below the Line Challenge is about more than
skipping coffee house coffee for a week.
It’s about social awareness. It’s
about “what-if’s” and empathy. It’s
about understanding and appreciating what we have so that we may advocate for
others. If you are interested in
donating to the Live Below the Line Challenge—or in joining the challenge
yourself—visit Live Below the Line
for more information.
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