My God.. did anyone watch ABC tonight - 20/20 Diane Sawyer special.. it was so, so sad.. I cried my eyes out.. children living in such poverty.. oh man, I can hardly see this computer screen.

ABC News: Watch '20/20' Friday Nights at 10 p.m. (http://abcnews.go.com/2020/)

I just went to the website ( Where people can help these kids) to copy the address to post here.. and the server is busy and the message was
too many people accessing the site ... hopefully, people were as touched as I was and are donating.. that makes me feel better.

Urban Promise (http://up2020.servicenetwork.com/) Urban Promise

This one little boy had a dream to be Superman so he could get a house for his family because they are homeless.. it just breaks my heart.

Did you happen to tape that episode? I work in camden and wanted to see the show but missed it, everyone told me how good it was but no one taped it. :(

I didn't! But you can go to ABC and they show a few different segments - not the whole thing but better than nothing until they re-air the segment .. have the tissue handy.

ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2816480)

Donate Now (http://up2020.servicenetwork.com/)

ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2819889)

ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2823563)

ABC News (http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=2826860)

I hope this helps..there's a lot more but this gives you an idea.. just watching some of these again made me so sad.

Truly sad. I didn't see it (I just read the article) but my sister did and was telling us about it. This is something the Bill & Melinda Gates foundation should be in on if they're not already. Having children myself, it just breaks my heart to see kids going through these kinds of things. We sponser a child from my sons school for Christmas and give coats etc. Thats what I can do close to home.

It seems so many of the celebrities are so worried about poverty in foreign countries that they forget to donate to and support people in our own back yard. It really irks me when after something like 9/11 or Katrina that celebs will hold a telethon to get people like you and me who work hard for every dollar to donate. I'm sure some of them do to, but it seems like a waste of resources when if they all would just donate part of their mulit-million dollar paychecks they would solve a bigger chunk of the problem more quickly. And we would still donate even if they didn't do a telethon. So their donation keeps them from buying that fifth mansion in Monte Carlo, they'll never notice.

**steps down off soapbox**

I know a lot of people were down on Oprah for putting so much money towards African schools when here in our backyard, we have so much poverty.. but hey, no child anywhere should live in pallid conditions when so many of us have so much - more than enough, more than we'll ever need.

When one of the little ones was asked what he wanted for Christmas, he said curtains.

Another little boy didn't even have one thing he wanted, he hadn't compiled any type of list because he knew not to.. he knew he wouldn't have a chance of getting anything - he had no hope. That got to me the most.. for a child to not even have a dream of getting a toy or anything for Christmas just broke my heart. Makes me cry again just thinking about what kind of childhood these kids get.. we only get one chance to be a kid.. it should be fun and carefree.. not hungry and worried and cold..

That's why I like UrbanPromise.. because instead of just sending money that might not get to the intended children, the school helps at risk children learn skills to live in this world without resorting to selling drugs.

It is based in Camden - I checked the site earlier and was so gratified to see that all of the featured children got enough donated money to fund their education and housing.. but there are thousands more that need help.

Have a Little Faith...

update on the Camden story - another heartbreaker, 100 tissue story! This is an uplifting story - tears of happiness.

But, oh my goodness, I was so touched to see the changes in their lives!

You have to watch it.. 20/20 Tonight - ABC (check the time)

The title of this thread provoked me "Waiting for the World to Change", it reminds me of a famous quote from Ghandi "You must be the change you wish to see in the world". This is a quote so true regardless of one's religion.

Stories like this make me furious. Not at the kids, of course. The deal is, these shows encourage people to believe they can throw money at the problem or pass certain legislation and somehow be able to save these kids. Unless you are willing to take them to raise, and the thousands upon thousands just like them, about all you can get out of the situation is a temporary "feel good" without making any permanent change. And probably not a temporary change, either. The Washington Post ran a series of articles last year where they followed a number of young individuals living in poverty over a period of years. It was heart breaking because even the ones who survived without going to jail or being killed, ultimately were spitting out babies before graduating highschool, living with abuse and/or struggling with substance abuse.

These are the kids I work with, every day. They are not living in poverty by accident, other than an accident of birth. 99.99999999% are poverty stricken as a result of their parents' ignorance, lack of education, substance abuse, poor life choices, poor choices in partners, promiscuity, poor parenting skills, mental illness and/or criminal behavior. I won't waste my time, or yours, attacking the parents - it just is what it is. Some of it is multigenerational and the parents are simply the result of the same sort of upbringing as their kids are now receiving. The program points out the immediate ramifications of poverty and that doesn't even take into account the abuse kids in these situations endure at the hands of strangers in and out of the homes, criminals wandering the streets in bad neighborhoods, and a culture that does not appreciate the value of hard work, education and delayed gratification. Kids without even a high school education don't stand a chance to be able to achieve much in our society. When I see kids allowed to stay up until after 2:00 every night (by parents who just don't see the problem) I am not surprised that they fail to do well in school the next day.

Poverty has never been cured by handing over money (and I am not suggesting the program says that - it is just that is what people are frequently moved to do). The assistance these families receive from the state/county is simply not enough to live on unless you are an animal. I see "welfare" moms who get periodic child support from a kid or two, and government assistance. But they frequently have 3 - 4 kids. Mom may be content to lay around the house all day and watch soaps, but those kids don't have the "things" that other kids have. In addition, they aren't taught that the way you GET those things is to work and go to school. As a result, you frequently start seeing them stealing and robbing, then ending up in the criminal justice system.

God, I hate poverty and the ignorance that so often leads to it and flows from it.

Sorry for the rant.

I agree with you.

I truly wish we could find a better way. (other than my favorite, sterilization).

Even still, the original show was so heartbreaking for me. I knew that so many kids deal with this situation each and every day. These kids just hit the lotto by being featured.

I don't have the answers but at least programs like this inform and open the eyes of people that in our country, povery such as this exists.

And every little bit can help and what seems to us a small sacrifice can mean a world of difference to a small child. The child shouldn't have to go without a home or breakfast because their parent's are screw ups.. so even though 'throwing money' at the problem won't help in the long run, there is a certain satisfaction in knowing that even temporarily, one child was possibly given a chance to end the cycle of poverty.

I'll watch it tonight with my kids... we watched the original show together . I think shows like this help them see how fortunate they are and hopefully encourages them to try to give back to those less fortunate.

I can be such a downer. I should not dump on you guys. Clearly, the show highlights a positive experience and regardless of my own opinion about it, no need to drag down the positive energy. Mea Culpa.

nah, you're just passionate about it.

It's a frustrating situation any way you look at it.

At least you care.