Storm bared plight of poor, panel says

The devastation of Hurricane Katrina pulled back the curtain and revealed a United States that has long been ignored by most people — one with entire segments of the population living in poverty and in desperate need of services, community advocates said Thursday evening.

With the images of the storm's poorest victims still fresh in people's minds, the advocates met in a panel discussion to explore how to keep alive the spirit of giving that led communities across the country, and especially in Utah, to rally to the aid of the evacuees.

"The hurricane really pulled back the curtain on the perception that America is a rich country. And we are, if you're rich," said Bill Crim, executive director of the United Ways of Utah."But lots of people, not just low-income households, are just barely getting by."

If the hurricane does anything, the advocates said, it should raise awareness of the many people living in poverty throughout the country.

"As we've looked at all of this outpouring of love and care and concern, we are very, very much aware that there are a number of people who live in Utah who are homeless, who are living near homelessness, who are the working poor," said Pamela Atkinson, a key coordinator of Utah's hurricane response.

In Utah, more than 7,000 people called a hurricane relief hotline to offer money, time and goods to the nearly 600 hurricane evacuees who eventually made their way to Utah.

The challenge now, Atkinson said, is to encourage continued giving to the state's own needy citizens. "How can we carry this momentum forward so that instead of giving at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and now at times of disaster, how can we carry this forward to meet the needs 365 days of the year?"

The panelists agreed that one large problem is that the hurricane and its destruction was so visible, while everyday poverty is not.

"A sudden onset disaster is much more easy to see and communicate," said Lloyd Pendleton with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints humanitarian services.

Those responsible for serving Utah's low-income community haven't done a very good job of effectively communicating the problem, he said.

One solution then, Atkinson said, is to bring to Utah citizens and lawmakers a similarly clear picture of Utahns in need.