Churches can provide a meal. We can't provide families with long-term food subsidies. We can provide a poor family with a car battery so an inner city wage earner can drive to the suburbs for a job. We can't provide affordable housing in the suburbs. Churches can provide charity.
Welfare reform has to address societal structures that keep people in poverty.
In separate statements issued during the last several months, Wisconsin's Jewish and Protestant church leaders have joined the Wisconsin Catholic Conference in calling for welfare reforms that decrease poverty and protect children and the elderly. Following the lead of the Wisconsin Bishops, who issued a statement on welfare reform in September, the Wisconsin Conference of Churches, which represents Anglican and Protestant communities across the state, issued a welfare reform statement in October after sending a letter to Gov. Tommy Thompson and state legislators. The Wisconsin Jewish Conference, which represents Jewish Congregations across the state, issued its statement in mid January. The religious leaders have offered their input as legislators consider an ambitious proposal by Gov. Tommy Thompson to reform Wisconsin's welfare system. Inspired by their common Biblical values, the three religious bodies have cautioned that a reformed welfare system should not focus on punishing the poor but should look for way to make honest work pay and to reward marriage and healthy, intact families and not punish children and infants for their parents conduct.