Furthering Your Social Justice Education

Helpful Websites about Baltimore…

Maryland Poverty Statistics
Explanation of what the poverty level is, how it’s calculated, and how many Marylanders are considered materially poor.

Baltimore City 2005 Census: The Picture of Homelessness
An up-to-date resource that covers gender, race, level of education and causes for individuals experiencing homelessness in Baltimore City.

Baltimore Safety Net Access-to-Care Survey 2005
Data from a survey done by REACH, an organization representing community-based safety net organizations that provide medical and social service assistance to low income Baltimore residents.

Baltimore City Public School Statistics
Lists of the schools that are “in need of improvement” and “available for transfer” according to the standards set by the No Child Left Behind Act.

Kids Count
Statistics on reading levels, absences, and violence in schools, etc. for Maryland schools.

Hispanic Issues
Recent stats and updates facts sheets on Hispanic issues and concerns.

Maryland Latino Coalition for Justice
A statewide advocacy organization that promotes human rights, civic participation, and the well being of the Latino community in the state of Maryland.

Migration Information
Fast facts on migration as well as full length stories.

Justice for Immigrants
provides tools and information for diocesan and community-based organizing, education, and advocacy efforts.

Helpful Websites about the Country…

Hungerinamerica.org Data and reports from Hunger Study 2006 by America’s Second Harvest

Alternet.org alternative political/human interest articles

Servenet.org site on service and volunteering

Energizeinc.com for leaders of volunteers

Wiretapmag.org socially conscious information geared toward college students

Coc.org Center of Concern

Networklobby.org National Catholic Social Justice Lobby

Maryknoll.org Maryknoll Office of Global Concerns

Bread.org  Bread for the World

Universallivingwage.org Universal Living Wage

Fns.usda.gov US Department of Agriculture.  Food, nutrition and consumer services information

Colseup.org Current issues information and civic education

Nationalpriorities.org National Priorities Project.  Database for how federal spending policies affect yours state

Fao.org Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN

Forumfoodsovereignty.org Forum for Food Sovereignty

Nationalhomeless.org National Coalition for the Homeless

Nlihc.org National Low Income Housing Coalition

Poverty 2004 Highlights from US Census Bureau

• The official poverty rate in 2004 was 12.7 %, up from 12.5 % in 2003.
• In 2004, 37.0 million people were in poverty, up 1.1 million from 2003.
• Poverty rates remained unchanged for Blacks (24.7 %) and Hispanics (21.9 %), rose for non-Hispanic Whites (8.6 % in 2004, up from 8.2 % in 2003) and decreased for Asians (9.8 % in 2004, down from 11.8 % in 2003).
• The poverty rate in 2004 (12.7 %) was 9.7 percentage points lower than in 1959, the first year for which poverty estimates are available (Figure 3). From the most recent trough in 2000 both the number and rate have risen for four consecutive years, from 31.6 million and 11.3 % in 2000, to 37.0 million and 12.7 % in 2004 respectively.
• For children under 18 years old, both the 2004 poverty rate (17.8 %) and the number in poverty (13.0 million) remained unchanged from 2003. The poverty rate for children under 18 remained higher than that of 18-to-64-year olds (11.3 %) and that of people aged 65 and over (9.8 %).
• Both the poverty rate and number in poverty increased for people 18 to 64 years old (11.3 % and 20.5 million in 2004, up from 10.8 % and 19.4 million in 2003).
• The poverty rate decreased for seniors aged 65 and over was 9.8 % in 2004, down from 10.2 % in 2003, while the number in poverty in 2004 (3.5 million) was unchanged.

Recommended Books:

The CCSJ Resource Library is located in front of the Office Manager’s office in Cohn Hall.  These books, videos and other resources are available to everyone.  There is a sign-out card system and books/resource materials should be returned in two weeks.  Some suggested books are:

• Faith Beyond Resentment  by James Alison
• Binding the Strong Man by Ched Myers
• Spiritual Journeys  edited by Stanislaus Kennedy
• Sweet Charity by Janet Poppendick
• Flat Broke With Children:  Women in the Age of Welfare Reform by Sharon Hays
• Nickel and Dimed: On Not Getting By in America  by Barbara Ehrenreich
• Without a Net:  Middle Class and Homeless (With Kids) in America  by Michelle Kennedy
• The Working Poor: Invisible in America  by David Shipler
• How Can I Help?   by Ram Dass and Paul Gorman
• Surviving in a Material World  by Ronald Paul Hill
• The Long Haul  by Horton-Kohl-Kohl
• Urban Injustice:  How Ghettos Happen  by David Hilfiker