The stock market is booming and unemployment is near an all-time low, but there was the depressing news this past week that homelessness among Americans has increased by 12 percent in the past year.
The cold, harsh reality for many Americans in 2023 is that the promise of a booming economy still is only a dream in our country, where even those who are lucky enough to work full-time are barely getting by thanks to the crushingly-high cost of housing.
And for those who cannot find a job, or who are unable to work — and especially for their children — the holiday joy that most of us take for granted is just an illusion.
We recognize that in our hurry-hurry world where we barely have time to think, the Christmas season brings with it the pressure of last-minute shopping and holiday preparations. But we urge all of our readers, who have the means to do so, to take a deep breath and a brief “time-out” in order to consider doing something to make the holiday season a bit brighter for those who are less fortunate.
We can assure our readers that any gift of charity that you make, whether it be to a Toys for Tots program or to a Salvation Army Santa or a food bank donation, will be the most meaningful — and most satisfying — act that you can make this holiday season.
