A Declaration against Poverty

As individuals and communities of conscience we covenant to run a marathon against the moral evil of poverty and for the common good of all: the poor, the rich, and the in-between. We run to let justice roll through our communities, our state, our nation, and our world.

To win this race against poverty, all people need:

• A fair start in life - high quality pre-school and public education and opportunities for higher education and job training
• Food for the journey - nourishment that frees them from hunger
• Rest and security - safe and affordable housing
• Strength and stamina - health care and a healthy environment

We call on our fellow citizens in the marathon to let justice roll, as well as religious communities and civic organizations, to publicly join in this covenant, and by so doing raise a united voice to our elected officials.

We call on the Mayor of the City of Chicago to join with the 21 alderman already in support of Alderman Preckwinkle's Inclusionary Housing Ordinance, which would help ensure the availability of affordable housing for Chicago's working poor while promoting home ownership.

We call on the Governor of Illinois to work for the passing of the Rental Housing Support Bill, which will prevent over 4,000 working families from becoming homeless.

We call on the Illinois General Assembly to convene a Joint Task Force on Poverty to formulate recommendations to (1) reverse the trend of increasing poverty through strategies that reduce poverty annually by 1 percent in each of the next four years, and (2) reduce "extreme poverty" by half during the same four-year period.

We call on the President of the United States to review and change the proposed budget, which slashes and shuts down vital programs for America's working poor and most vulnerable citizens.

We covenant and pledge to be active in the democratic process in support of public policies that fight poverty in our communities, across our nation, and around the globe.

(Adapted from Let Justice Roll Covenant Prepared by Protestants for the Common Good)

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