Welcome! We’re glad you’ve found your way to the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative website. The Ecumenical Poverty Initiative empowers and mobilizes the faith community to end the sin of poverty in the United States.

As a pastor, I’ve seen first-hand the impact that policy decisions at the national, state, and local levels have on people living in poverty. The faces of parishioners and families and experiences working with them to not lose their homes or apartments, find employment, and keep food on the table remain in the forefront of my mind. They are not alone; as children and families across are country are struggling and often confront too much month at the end of their money. Nearly one in four children live in poverty, and 1.17 million children live on less than $2 dollars a day – here in the United States. Wages have remained stagnant for the vast majority of workers, and Congress refuses to extend unemployment insurance to people caught in the economic downturn. I know that this is not God’s vision for a just society.

Here at the Ecumenical Poverty Initiative we work with churches, pastors, religious leaders, and parishioners across the country to fulfill our faith mandate to care for the poor, the sick, the vulnerable, and those marginalized in the halls of power.

We’d love to hear from you with any questions, comments, or ways we can help you fight against poverty. Drop us a line at info@faithendpoverty.org.

Peace with justice,
Rev. Sèkinah Hamlin