I followed that story about those underfed kids from start to finish, and it was a real travesty, but it has absolutely nothing to do with poverty, and belongs in a blog about child abuse. The family, as photos I'm sure are available online, was a picture of contrasts. The foster parents hid behind their church, who vouched for them, until the truth came out. Many were suckered by this poor excuse for foster parents, but, again, this does not belong in this thread.

I think baiters are in it just for the superiority they think it affords them...*hint*...*hint.*

BTW, that family was just one in several who featured prominently in the investigation of DYFS in NJ. Another, along similar lines, was a family who already had several children of their own, upper middle class, who adopted two brothers from Russia, then starved them and chained them to a leaky water pipe in a cement basement when they were "bad." One of the boys died down there, which is how the story broke. These people were upright, born-again Christians. It just amazes me how people can be blind to the harm they do regardless of their beliefs.

Now, back to poverty: I read a story in a local paper during my absence...about a podiatrist who, once a year, donates free foot exams and brand new shoes to the men in a homeless shelter. Now that's a doable and very practical project. I like practical solutions. Of course, one has to volunteer such services.