Unemployment and its effects have left few untouched in the New River Valley and across the nation. The unemployment rate for Blacksburg, Christiansburg, and Radford in September 2009 was 7.8 percent as compared to the state unemployment rate of 6.6 percent, according to a study released by The Commonwealth Institute entitled “The Long Road to Recovery.” This area also suffers from a higher poverty rate—20.6 percent of residents in the New River Valley live at or below the poverty threshold, fully double the statewide average of 10.2 percent.

The odds of a quick recovery don’t look particularly promising. Virginia would have to add 12,000 jobs every month for the next two years in order to return to pre-recession employment levels. According The Commonwealth Institute, this is unlikely to be accomplished until almost 2014. Clearly, we are only beginning to face the brutal realities of this economic dip. More people will soon suffer the indignities of impoverishment.

What, then, is the responsibility of the faithful in caring for those hurt most in these difficult economic times?

Most Christian and non-Abrahamic faiths emphasize two methods in addressing poverty—charity and the pursuit of justice. Charity describes an attitude of love and caring which results in benevolent acts. It typically operates on a small, localized scale. Justice, however, looks to address structural problems so that all are treated in a fair and just manner. Psalms 82:3 in The Old Testament states, “Defend the poor and the fatherless: Do justice to the afflicted and needy.” In Islam, it is believed that the poor have a claim on the rest of society in providing for their needs. Thus, Muslims are required to pay zakat, a portion of their excess savings to the needy. Most faiths believe that alleviating poverty is a moral obligation.

Justice for the poor means addressing the problem of increasing unemployment and poverty with the state and federal governments. Currently, legislation is underway to extend unemployment benefits through federal stimulus money to those struggling to make ends meet. HB 647 and SB 562 propose extending benefits to unemployed part-time workers as well as extending benefits to unemployed workers in qualified job training programs. With a program such as this, unemployed persons will be able to stay financially afloat as they try to find another job or gain skills to leave a dying profession.

If you feel it is your moral obligation to support these bills that will help those in need, contact the chairs of the House and Senate Commerce and Labor Committees where House Bill 647 and Senate Bill 562 are currently sitting. Those chairs are Del. Frank Hargrove (804.698.1055) and Sen. Dick Saslaw (804.698.7535). Ask that they ensure that these bills make it to the General Assembly floor so that the local legislators can vote for their passage. Constituents can track these bills at http://www.richmondsunlight.com/bills/ and call their own legislators to encourage its passage when these bills come up for vote.

May we fulfill our duty to the poor by not only acting in a charitable manner, but also pursuing justice in their behalf.

Hannah Anderson is a Policy Intern with the New River Valley Chapter of the Virginia Interfaith Center for Public Policy as well as a Masters of Social Work student at Radford University. She lives in Christiansburg with her husband and two young daughters.