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'Convoy of Hope' reaches out to Americans below poverty line

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    Faith-based humanitarian organization fights poverty

  • Duration 3:44
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-- the reports of high unemployment stagnant economy are pushing more Americans below the poverty line.

The US Census Bureau has some startling numbers in fact 46 million Americans are now living in poverty the highest number in more than fifty years.

In today's beyond the dream we focus on convoy of hope.

A faith based humanitarian organization or on the front lines in the fight against poverty.

For eighteen years convoy of hope -- been dispatching its trucks to deliver food.

Water clothing and other essentials to areas where people are in dire need.

The organization is now -- a fifty state tour to deliver fifty million dollars in goods and services to the poor poverty is not isolated it's everywhere.

It's widespread and every state.

Virtually every community people -- -- -- Donaldson is the founder of convoy of hope.

As a child growing up in San Francisco.

-- experience the pain of poverty and self.

After a family tragedy.

My dad was hit by a drunk driver killed my mom was in the car and she was injured and unable to work for quite some time and so our family has -- -- welfare.

And food stamps.

But that wasn't enough it was really the generosity of our neighbors who would come to our door week after week with bags of groceries.

Years later during a missions trip to Calcutta India Donaldson met with Mother Teresa.

What she said to him helped fuel -- driving passion to serve them for she looked at me and -- -- everyone can do something.

I came back to the states and we loaded up a pickup truck.

Went to needy areas are passing out groceries since then convoy of hope -- been helping the poor around the world.

Providing a poverty free day for families in the in each city thousands line up to get help and find hope through convoys.

The organization provides a full menu of services groceries free haircuts.

Clothing dental and medical screenings.

In America the national breast cancer foundation also provides free mammograms for women the group also responds to disasters.

When an F five tornado devastated Joplin Missouri last year.

Convoy of hope was there.

One of the first groups to provide health.

It is currently building new homes for some of the families left homeless because of the storm.

Senior director Jeff -- says the new homes are designed to withstand another store -- -- poured concrete walls.

And what was done -- worked very closely with FEMA.

On this new resilience package of construction so the people that are taking ownership of these homes.

And really.

These secure and and feel secure.

The next time a tornado happens to come through -- -- and from its -- distribution center in Springfield Missouri convoy of -- was able to provide an abundance of food and clothing donated by corporations throughout America.

Donaldson says the purpose -- convoy of hope is to connect people in need with people can help them escape the nightmare.

A poverty government has a role to play.

But government can't do everything and that's what we're showing to -- -- broke through our fifty states who were.

We're going in the communities -- showing communities that neighbors can help neighbors that there are a lot of resources.

In those communities that already exist programs have already exist.

Convoy helps bring them together.

Churches governments civic organizations.

All working together to help but.

Of course the Fox's very own former governor Mike Huckabee says the convoy of hope is on to something special here their strategy says.

-- uniting neighbors to rally resources provides long term local solutions to poverty for more information on convoy of hope go to foxnews.com.

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