Poor lil Americans

         You are not going to believe this! When I first started telling it, Billy was pretty sure I was informing him about a scam, but nope, this is true stuff.
         I work in Human Services. One the duties of my job is to help people find financial aid when they have met with temporary hardship. (like in our economy, hardship can be temporary!)
        So, this lady comes in to my office yesterday, straight from another charity who had run out of funds and in turn, sent her to me, but, they had armed her with the phone number of this organization called, and you might wanna write this down, Citizens Energy Program.
        She says, you call the number supplied and though it takes about 3 weeks, this organization will supply you with 100 gallons of heating fuel!
        So, after she leaves, I call the other charity, because, hey, this sounds like a pretty awesome deal to pass along to my clients. You have no idea how many people are out there right now with NO HEAT!
        Here's the deal.
        Citizens Energy Program is run by the government of Venezuela. (probably murdered the spelling here, but you get the picture, right?)
        Apparently, there is one government out there who sees the plight of the American people and is doing something about it. Knowing how, such a majority of our resources are spent aiding other countries so that we can continue to present the facade of being affluent, and seeing that, as we do this, millions of American people are literally, left out in the cold, the country of Venezuela has set up a fund to aid the low income families of the United States by supplying 100 gallons of fuel if you contact them and fill out their application.
       Oh and you can bet your bottom dollar, the higher ups in our government are not plumb tickled pink about all this, oh no! Sort of ruins the whole benevolent giver image don't it if our own people have to turn to outside resources for help we cannot get at home!
       BUT! Though he has passed away, apparently, Ted Kennedy had a part in all this and used his office for passing it along. I do not know his full role, but I was told that much and so I pass it along to you. I give credit where credit is due. Kudo's to Senator Kennedy.  
        I used a green background today to indicate money and finances, and while I am at it, I am going to add this little plug.
        The Salvation Army kettles you see every year are manned by volunteers. These people do not get paid to stand out there in the rain and snow. 100% of the funds collected is to be used throughout the year to aid families who meet financial duress and cannot meet their basic needs. I personally did not know this. Yes, sometimes it ends up supporting users and leeches, but for the most part, this $$$ is used to aid people just like you and me who simply cannot make it due to some major catastrophe, such as losing their job, or car....
        The next time you hear someone talk about the church people and what hypocrites they are, gently remind them that, at least in our community, some of the biggest contributers to our needy are these very people who are so maligned. This is one area where I see a union of several faiths and beliefs. They all work together to help out.
          Just sayin.......
        I know things are hard for all of us. I personally don't have a lot of money to spare, but, the need is always there. You can make donations any time of year. If you want the money kept in a certain area, you can request this. Let's join in with Venezuela in helping out the poor lil Americans!