The Association of Brethren Caregivers encourages individuals and congregations to engage in the Cover the Uninsured campaign, a project of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. ABC has become a partnering organization for Cover the Uninsured. This campaign seeks to raise awareness of the millions of people in the United States without health care insurance and access to affordable health care.

During April 23-29, 2007, thousands of activities will take place in all 50 states and the District of Columbia to tell Congress that health coverage for Americans must be their top priority. Activities include press conferences, health and enrollment fairs, business leader summits, interfaith activities, small business seminars, campus outreach and more.


Children's Healthcare Needs

The actions of the Good Samaritan are a good example for us as we think about those in our midst who are in need of assistance. While the priest and the Levite looked the other way and walked right on by the man who lay injured beside the road, the Good Samaritan responded to the man's needs.

We are called by Jesus to care for our brothers and sisters--our family--who are in need as the Samaritan did. Or in the words of The Message (Philippians 2:4) "Forget yourselves long enough to lend a helping hand."

In 1997, Congress created the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) to provide insurance for children whose parents work but can't afford health insurance of their own. Today, 46 million people live in the United States without adequate health insurance and 9 million of those are children. SCHIP comes before Congress again this year to be reauthorized to continue. This is the opportunity to cover millions more uninsured children, providing them with the health care they need.

Cover the Uninsured Week 2007, April 23-29, will focus on this goal: demonstrating broad support for the reauthorization of SCHIP and the need to cover America's uninsured children. As people of faith we believe that life is a gift from God to be cherished, and as God's people we are called to care for one another, providing healing and preventing suffering with compassion and a committment to justice.

How will you and your congregation respond? "The King replied, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these children of mine, you did it for me.'" (Matt. 25:40)

See the Cover the Uninsured website for ways to be involved.


A Call to Care For People Without Health Insurance
Who Needs Care?

Today, nearly 46 million Americans have no health insurance, including more than 8 million children; America's uninsured need care.

Most of the uninsured -- eight out of 10 -- either work or are in working families; America's uninsured workers and their families need care.

The health, jobs, families and lives of the uninsured are in constant jeopardy. These children, women and men live sicker and die younger simply because they do not have health insurance; those at risk, sick and dying need care.

Individuals and families without health coverage are more than twice as likely to have had problems paying medical bills in the past year as those who have coverage; those with financial problems need care.

Yet it doesn't have to be this way. So today we proclaim the call to care in the name of our nation's nearly 45 million uninsured people.

Why Do Our Faith Communities Proclaim the Call to Care?

Because faith communities have a long tradition of caring for people who suffer in mind, body and spirit, today we proclaim the call to care for our nation's nearly 45 million uninsured people.

Because faith communities have prayed for the sick, visited the hospitalized, comforted the dying and their loved ones, and founded hospitals, today we proclaim today a call to care for our nation's nearly 45 million uninsured people.

Because faith communities have led the way in seeking just and compassionate public policies, today we proclaim the call to care for our nation's 45 million uninsured people.

Because Jewish teaching holds that "if you save one life it is as if you have saved the world;" because Muslim teaching instructs us to "help one another in righteousness and piety;" because in Christian teaching we read, "Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me," today we proclaim the call to care for our nation's 45 million uninsured people.

Because all of our faith traditions, despite encompassing a wide spectrum of beliefs, hold central a conviction that life is a gift from God to be cherished and that God's people are called to care for one another, provide healing and prevent suffering with compassion and a commitment to justice, today we proclaim the call to care for our nation's 45 million uninsured people.

Answering the Call

By reflecting on the texts and teachings of our own faiths that guide our understanding of and response to the needs of the uninsured, we will respond with faith.

By learning more about the plight of the uninsured and potential solutions through study, discussion and participation in Cover the Uninsured Week events, we will respond with concern.

By reaching out to help people without health coverage through Cover the Uninsured Week health fairs and other volunteer opportunities, we will respond with care.

By focusing attention on the plight of the uninsured and promoting respectful discussions in which we invite all Americans to participate in seeking and implementing solutions, we will respond with justice.

Visit the Cover the Uninsured website and see what awareness raising and educational activities are happening near you. Also, let us know how you are involved with Cover the Uninsured Week.