The Torah teaches Jews Christian and all of mankind about the poor, social justice, and God's deep concern for both.
The Torah teaches:
"If there is a poor man among you, one of your brothers, in any of the towns of the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, nor close your hand to your poor brother; but you shall freely open your hand to him, and generously lend him sufficient for his need in whatever he lacks." - Deut. 15:7
Now when you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap to the very corners of your field, neither shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. Nor shall you glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather the fallen fruit of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the needy and for the stranger. I am the LORD your God. - Lev. 19:19
What Would Jesus Do If He Sat On The Greenwich BET?The recent severe storms have caused loss of conveniences and even disastrous events in most of our lives over the past several days. Loss of a life and extensive property damage, injuries, blocked roads, loss of electricity and heat, cold showers, shortages in some basic needs and general overall discomfort.
Now consider this and worse as a way of living for yourself. Many of our fellow Greenwich Citizens live in the wake of a true disaster each and every day of the year!
Among us are the homeless, the hungry, the unemployed, the mentally ill, the financially stressed seniors, disabled and low income people. They make up more than 16% or well over 10,000 of our fellow citizens. The recent storm was only an inconvenience to most of us. The ongoing devastation is what our least fortunate citizens experience throughout the year.
Recently The BET Budget Committee reviewed and ratified next year’s town budget. Our Social Services Department budget was decreased
2 ½ times more than any other department’s. Can you visualize the additional devastation this will have on the lives of our less fortunate.
• More than 3,900 Greenwich residents are officially unemployed (more are not recorded)
• The local homeless shelter has experienced a 21% increase in demand and is either at or beyond capacity
• The local food pantry has seen an increase of 50% in demand for food
• The average non-profit in Greenwich has seen a 20% drop in their fundraising
Social Services is the Department that addresses the most urgent needs of this suffering population. It seems counterintuitive to slash their budget by 5.78% from last year’s funding, but that is exactly what has happened. (Note: Social Service makes up less than 1% of the Town’s overall Operating Budget.)
If that isn’t enough reason to fully fund Social Services, please consider the fact Social Services has seen a 21% increase in caseloads is forced to radically triage incoming clients and the new budget calls for a further 11% reduction in permanent staff. The Social Service Staff has already decreased by 25% over the past few years. As staff size has decreased — so has service and help for those most needing it.
The hardworking, dedicated Social Service Workers can truly be life savers. I know from personal experience. A few years ago, I went from being a well-paid corporate communications designer to an indigent alcoholic bipolar after neurosurgery to remove a brain tumor. I cycled between emergency rooms, psych wards or jail for suicidal thoughts, severe depression, trespassing, disturbing the peace/drunkenness and back due child support. A Greenwich Social Services Caseworker helped me find psychiatric services, addiction services, temporary shelter, permanent shelter, moral support and gave me wise counsel. If it wasn’t for them, I don’t believe I would be alive today. Now I am able to pay back to society instead of just being a burden. I volunteer for Hurricane Relief Work, Habitat for Humanity, City Harvest, Neighbor to Neighbor (Food Pantry) and am actively involved in the many community service projects through my church.
Now is not the time to further weaken the safety net for our most vulnerable brothers and sisters. Greenwich Social Services Staff and its budget needs your advocacy. Our less fortunate and our vulnerable citizens can ill afford a further cut in services.
Please find the time to contact the Greenwich BET and ask them to reinstate the Social Services Funding and Staff to the full requested amount by the First Selectman and Social Services Department. Let’s make this a livable community for all our citizen including the less fortunate who suffer from a devastation you never want to experience.
Sincerely
Tim Bassford
Greenwich Citizen and Community Volunteer
COMMENT:
Dear Tim,
I was sorry to hear of your misfortune of being struck with a brain tumor.
You should be commended for turning your misfortune around and being brave enough to share this part of your private life in order to help save the funding for the poor of Greenwich.
I would like to thank you for truly being of service in to the less fortunate members of Greenwich society.
Greenwich BET Members could learn a great deal from your selfless service with Hurricane Relief Work, Habitat for Humanity, City Harvest, Neighbor to Neighbor and at your church.
Tim when you meet your maker you will probably hear ....
Unfortunately Some Greenwich BET Members May hear .....
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity
Taking funds from the towns poor is an unfair wicked and immoral act that defines iniquity.
Some in town even describe the Greenwich BET as a den of iniquity.
Unfortunately, Greenwich BET Member's mainly "serve" for selfish political reasons.
That's why the Greenwich BET is rigged.
The town's two political parties choose which persons who will run unopposed for the BET, and preventing a caring person such as yourself from serving.
The BET Is basically a launching pad for a higher office in town and the State Of Connecticut.
No wonder fiscally irresponsible Greenwich BET did not have a rainy day fund for when the economy took a down turn.
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Greenwich Roundup Can't Stop Typing, Because He Is So Mad At The Heartless Greenwich BET Members Who Are Devoid Of Compassion Or Feeling For The Towns Less Fortunate Citizens
Everyone knows that Greenwich BET members have to answer to the two local political committees that select them.
But God isn't a Democrat or a Republican; he's a revolutionary. He not only takes the side of the poor; he puts himself in their place.
PLEASE SEE:
He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him. - Prov. 14:31
He who is gracious to a poor man lends to the LORD, and He will repay him for his good deed - Prov. 19:17
The righteous is concerned for the rights of the poor; the wicked does not understand such concern. - Prov. 29:7
But whoever has the world's goods, and beholds his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? - 1 John 3:17
No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and Money. - Mt. 6:24
In this very alarming passage Jesus speaks of salvation as depending on how we treat the poorest and the most afflicted.
When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. And all the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; He will put the sheep on His right, and the goats on His left.
Then the King will say to those on His right, 'Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry, and you gave Me something to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger, and you invited Me in; naked, and you clothed Me; I was sick, and you visited Me; I was in prison, and you came to Me.'
Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, and feed You, or thirsty, and give You drink? And when did we see You a stranger, and invite you in, or naked, and clothe You? And when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?'
And the King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.'
Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' Then they themselves will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You?'
Then He will answer them, saying, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life." - Mt. 25:31-46
Greenwich Roundup Is Going To Go To Church At 5;30 PM Tonight And Pray That The Heartless BET Members Will Soften Their Hearts And Have Some Pity And Compassion For The Weakest Members Of Greenwich Society.
Please Join Greenwich Roundup In Praying That Greenwich Residents Nancy Barton, James Campbell, William Finger, Randall Huffman, William Kelly, Michael Mason, Arthur Norton, Joseph Pellegrino, Jeffrey Ramer, Laurence Simon, Leslie Tarkington and Stephen Walko Will Show Some Mercy On The Homeless, The Hungry, The Unemployed, The Mentally Ill, The Financially Stressed Seniors, The Disabled And Low Income Residents Of Greenwich.
GREENWICH BET BOARD MEMBERS CAN BE CONTACTED
AT THE FOLLOWING EMAIL ADDRESSES:
jpellegrino@psquareinvestments.com
Corcerned Greenwich Residents Can Call Thier BET Members At The Following Phone Numbers:
Nancy E. Barton - 203-637-2343
James S. Campbell - 203-561-1184
William R. Finger - 203-629-9170
Randall Huffman - 203-869-6356
William G. Kelly - 203-698-2046
Michael S. Mason - 203-869-8052
Arthur D. Norton - 203-532-0513
Joseph L. Pellegrino - 203-661-1889
Jeffrey S. Ramer - 203-637-1666
Laurence B. Simon - 203-661-0633
Leslie L. Tarkington - 203-661-0535
Stephen G. Walko - 203-912-9699
Why Isn't Hearst Newspaper Editor David McCumber Covering What Is About To Happen To The Disadvantaged Of Greenwich?
McCumber Drove His Previous Newspaper, The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Into The Ground And Out Of The Newspaper Business, Because He Did Not Understand That ....
"The job of the newspaper is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable."
McCumber Can't Hear The Cries Of The Town's Poor As He Sits In The Greenwich Time Editor's Chair Over In Stamford.
The Seattle Times is a newspaper that kicked David McCumber's butt.
It is now the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. Since the 2009 demise of the printed version of rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
The Seattle Times is one of the few remaining major city dailies in the United States independently operated and owned by a local family named the Blethen.
That's right David McCumber had the unlimited resources of the all mighty Hearst Corporation and he could not beat the Blethens in the Newspaper game.
In 2009 the Hearst Corporation announced that it lost money every year since 2000 while Editor David McCumber was in charge.
One reason it the Seattle Times reporting has received seven Pulitzer Prizes is because it reports on the underbelly of Seattle.
It has an international reputation for its investigative journalism, in particular.
The Seattle Times is known for standing up and giving a voice to the disadvantaged and poor.
Frank Blethen would not have fired an investigative reporter, like Teri Buhl, just because Fox News reporter Charlie Gasparino made a buch of cry baby phone calls to the newspaper.
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