Even in Naperville, it's necessary to f ight poverty

We can take solace that Naperville has one of the lowest poverty rates in the region, even though that rate is rising.

Calculating from figures in a report released recently by the Heartland Alliance's Mid-America Institute on Poverty, Naperville's 3.1 percent poverty rate - up from 2.2 in 2000 - means that about 4,300 residents live in poverty.

Though the rate is low, that is a large number of residents.

It should be no surprise, then, that in 2007, Loaves and Fishes Community Pantry in Naperville distributed a million pounds of food to those in need.

The ideal, of course, is that none of our residents will ever live in poverty and need assistance.

That no one will ever lose their home and have to live in a car or under a bridge.

That Loaves and Fishes suddenly will find itself with no one whom to give that million pounds of food.

That Naperville Cares will someday find itself with no one who needs help to pay the rent.

Unfortunately, none of this is going to happen.

Loaves and Fishes has been in business for a long time now and doesn't seem to be in any danger of running out of hungry residents to feed any time soon.

And as soon as Naperville Cares helps someone out with a rent check or a donated used car with which he or she can drive to a low-paying job, someone else is going to come along who needs similar assistance.

We may be one of the richest countries in the world and Naperville may be an affluent community, but that certainly doesn't mean everyone shares that affluence.

Fortunately Naperville has giving residents and organizations that provide support services for those in need.

Because that need is there, even if we do have one of the lowest poverty rates around.