LTTE: Services too far for rural poor in Appalachia

[theHandpuppet]

The Columbus Dispatch
Services too far for rural poor in Appalachia

I thank The Dispatch for the Aug. 8 article “Poverty on rise for kids living in Appalachia.” I have been working to help children in rural Athens County and Appalachia for 10-plus years. I have seen first-hand the devastation poverty visits upon the children.

Many of us who live in urban areas are not aware of the areas mentioned in the article. The Head Start program doesn’t work for those in rural areas because its programs are in larger towns, which poor parents can’t access because they don’t have the gasoline money.

Also, the summer feeding programs found in Columbus at recreation centers, parks and schools are inaccessible to the rural poor...

...The rural poor children in Appalachia truly are the least among us.

For those who would like to help, contact me at 614-888-8052 or 614-439-0245. It feels good to give these children in rural Appalachian Ohio a chance.

JACQUES ANGELINO
Justice Action Ministry
First Unitarian Universalist Church of Columbus
Columbus

To read the whole letter, follow this link: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/editorials/2014/08/18/services-too-far-for-rural-poor-in-appalachia.html