New Haven Register 070405


07/04/2005 Cyclists' poverty trek ends at Farnam Court Pictures!!! Randall Beach , Register Staff NEW HAVEN - For six days, they rode through either 98-degree heat or thunderstorms or a cacophony of blaring horns from impatient rush-hour commuters in Fairfield County. But it was well worth it when the "poverty cyclists" ended their journey at the Farnam Court housing project. When the 20 bicyclists arrived at the housing units at 11:55 a.m. Friday, they were greeted by an equal number of kids on their own bicycles, who escorted them into the courtyard. One of the kids was on a tricycle. The riders from St. Bridget's Church in Manchester call their annual trek the "Brake the cycle of poverty ride." They covered 300 miles around Connecticut, calling attention to the need to address poverty. St. Bridget's pastor, the Rev. Stephen Sledesky, who joined the group for many of their miles, said the overall reception to the riders was very favorable, especially in cities: Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven. "People on the side of the streets were waving at us and cheering," he said. "The biggest thing we kept hearing," Sledesky said, "was the need for affordable housing in Connecticut." He recalled speaking with an impoverished family in Greenwich who had just lost their apartment. Subsisting on the minimum wage, they are unable to afford average rents of $1,500 per month, plus a security deposit. As for the impatient honking motorists of Fairfield, Sledesky said, "You have to be in their faces. People have to know there is a problem." He noted one of every six kids living in Connecticut is in a poverty-level family. In order to be at the federal poverty level, a family of four has an annual income below $19,350. "Who can raise a family of four on that?" Sledesky said. Nationwide, he added, the number of people in poverty has risen from 32.9 million in 2002 to almost 37 million now. The bicyclists are aiming for "systemic change" in fighting poverty, rather than relatively small donations. They have met with state and federal legislators to tell them about the sufferings of the poor. Sledesky said the church bicyclists will continue to do their annual rides. "We'll do this as long as we have to." Sledesky later told the Farnam Court residents, "Riding in the heat may be tough for us, but there are people who live every day with it, and have no air conditioning, no refuge from the heat." During a welcoming ceremony for the bicyclists, greeters included Farnam Court residents and public figures such as Bishop Peter Rosazza of the Archdiocese of Hartford, state Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven, and Alderman Michael Smart, D-8. In his prayer, Rosazza noted the ironies of such poverty in the wealthiest state in the wealthiest country in the world. Harp applauded the residents for standing up and fighting to win a state promise for construction next year of sound barriers shielding them from the noise and fumes of Interstate 91. They also successfully fought against the reopening of the nearby English Street power station. Mary Ogman, past president of the Farnam Court Tenant Representative Council, and Ed Grant of the New Haven Environmental Justice Network, were singled out in these efforts. Randall Beach can be reached at rbeach@nhregister.com or 789-5766. ©New Haven Register 2005

07/04/2005
Cyclists' poverty trek ends at Farnam Court Pictures!!!
Randall Beach , Register Staff

NEW HAVEN - For six days, they rode through either 98-degree heat or thunderstorms or a cacophony of blaring horns from impatient rush-hour commuters in Fairfield County. But it was well worth it when the "poverty cyclists" ended their journey at the Farnam Court housing project.
When the 20 bicyclists arrived at the housing units at 11:55 a.m. Friday, they were greeted by an equal number of kids on their own bicycles, who escorted them into the courtyard. One of the kids was on a tricycle.

The riders from St. Bridget's Church in Manchester call their annual trek the "Brake the cycle of poverty ride." They covered 300 miles around Connecticut, calling attention to the need to address poverty.

St. Bridget's pastor, the Rev. Stephen Sledesky, who joined the group for many of their miles, said the overall reception to the riders was very favorable, especially in cities: Hartford, Bridgeport, Waterbury and New Haven.

"People on the side of the streets were waving at us and cheering," he said.

"The biggest thing we kept hearing," Sledesky said, "was the need for affordable housing in Connecticut."

He recalled speaking with an impoverished family in Greenwich who had just lost their apartment. Subsisting on the minimum wage, they are unable to afford average rents of $1,500 per month, plus a security deposit.

As for the impatient honking motorists of Fairfield, Sledesky said, "You have to be in their faces. People have to know there is a problem."

He noted one of every six kids living in Connecticut is in a poverty-level family.

In order to be at the federal poverty level, a family of four has an annual income below $19,350.

"Who can raise a family of four on that?" Sledesky said.

Nationwide, he added, the number of people in poverty has risen from 32.9 million in 2002 to almost 37 million now.

The bicyclists are aiming for "systemic change" in fighting poverty, rather than relatively small donations. They have met with state and federal legislators to tell them about the sufferings of the poor.

Sledesky said the church bicyclists will continue to do their annual rides. "We'll do this as long as we have to."

Sledesky later told the Farnam Court residents, "Riding in the heat may be tough for us, but there are people who live every day with it, and have no air conditioning, no refuge from the heat."

During a welcoming ceremony for the bicyclists, greeters included Farnam Court residents and public figures such as Bishop Peter Rosazza of the Archdiocese of Hartford, state Sen. Toni Harp, D-New Haven, and Alderman Michael Smart, D-8.

In his prayer, Rosazza noted the ironies of such poverty in the wealthiest state in the wealthiest country in the world.

Harp applauded the residents for standing up and fighting to win a state promise for construction next year of sound barriers shielding them from the noise and fumes of Interstate 91. They also successfully fought against the reopening of the nearby English Street power station.

Mary Ogman, past president of the Farnam Court Tenant Representative Council, and Ed Grant of the New Haven Environmental Justice Network, were singled out in these efforts.