Poverty -- Transportation

Transportation is becoming an increasingly insurmountable challenge for those struggling
with poverty in the rural areas of the diocese. Higher gas prices are putting extra burdens on families having to drive some distance for services, as well as hindering nonprofit organizations’ ability to recruit volunteers to provide assistance to those in need. The vast geography of the North Country, lack of adequate transportation and high unemployment rates breed isolation, an inability to access services and multi-generational socioeconomic problems for families. Families that live in the rural areas of Delaware and Otsego counties may have to pay up to $60 for a cab ride to Oneonta to get medical care or other services.

Catholic Charities encourages parishioners to call on legislators to address the needs of struggling constituents.

This blog is participating in Blog Action Day, an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. The aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion: this year the issue is poverty. Between now and October 15, we will be posting about poverty in our diocese, with material provided by Catholic Charities in its report Poverty in the Diocese of Albany: A Threat to the Common Good. The report, and additional information, is available here.