In Changing the Face of Poverty, the author, Diana George, starts off with a description of different Thanksgiving advertisements and catalogs for non-profit organizations asking for donations for the poor. She raises an important question- How, in a culture saturated by images of poverty, do we otherwise convince Americans that despite the wealth they see before them there is a great deal of poverty out there, in need of change (543, or 2 of 7). Ms. George wonders, and examines if in fact poverty is growing due to the stereotypes associated with images and advertisements by non-profits. This issue is a very important one in modern day United States. The major example used by this author is Habitat for Humanity. That is a very relevant organization to poverty in today's world. Habitat for Humanity aims to provide housing for those in need worldwide. It also puts the control of the housing into the hands of the homeowners themselves to help try and break the cycle of poverty. Her issue with habitat for humanity is in its rhetoric, in the way it argues and represents poverty. 

        “To be very clear, then, I am not criticizing the work of Habitat for Humanity. It has done an amazing job of adressing what is, as cofounder Millard Fuller tells us again and again, a worldwide problem. What I would draw attention to, however, is how that problem of inadequate housing is represented, especially in publicity material produced and organized by that organization, and how those representations can feed into the troubles that Habitat continues to have as it attempts to change the ways Americans think of helping others.” (George 242) Diana George believes there is this unfair representation of poverty that focuses on images that pull on the heartstrings, photos of people living in the worst of poverty; children who are sick and homeless, houses that are falling apart or awful to live in. However this use of pathos causes people to make this the only association with poverty. People only see an issue with poverty in the example of poverty they are given. Those who are in poverty, that are represented and cared for by society, because of this representation, are only the ones at the very bottom. However millions suffer poverty every day, and struggle and lead very difficult lives, who are left out because of this. There are so many people out there, who are very unfortunate yet slightly more fortunate than those represented by Habitat for Humanity. And because of this representation they are forgotten. Only a minority of the poverty in this nation is cared for because of this, which is a major issue.

        Another issue the author sees is that people only want to write a check, "... It is truly radical to think that our poorer neighbors might actually be allowed to buy a home at no interest and with the donated time and material of others..." (547 or 4 of 7) This means that people don't want poorer people to have an unfair advantage. The author also sees an issue in that people don't think of these images taking place in America. They believe that it is in another country, because most Americans are not exposed to this poverty. Poverty is a severe issue in the United States. Diana George believes it lies in how people and the media view poverty. As much as she is right, politics and bureaucracy are also largely to blame. Poverty is something that the government tries to change all the time. However the system is abused by people more fortunate than others. Politicians who give billions of dollars in tax cuts to a corporation don't care that this taxable money could build hundreds of homes and create jobs for those in need. There are a few programs out there for people in need, like welfare and food stamps, that are also taken advantage of. People who can go without it or people who use it for the wrong reasons like drugs and alcohol are taking money from the mothers who need to feed their children. These programs need more support and much stronger regulation, such as drug tests administered to persons collecting a check. The issue of poverty is not just a large one in the United States but worldwide. In order for this issue to be helped however it must be dealt with. The world needs to bring more attention to the larger picture of poverty as a whole.