Our faith traditions emphasize the brotherhood and sisterhood of the human family. When one of us suffers, all suffer. We cannot stand idly by while sisters and brothers on our planet; especially the children are dying because they have little or no basic necessities for life.

The World Bank estimates that 1.1 billion people live in extreme poverty. These people get by on less than $1 per day. This means they cannot meet basic needs for survival. They are chronically hungry; unable to get health care, lack safe drinking water and sanitation, cannot afford rudimentary shelter and basic articles of clothing. This is poverty that kills. Eight million people die each year because they are too poor to survive.