January is Poverty Awareness Month. Did you know that the poverty rate in the United States is 11.5 percent, with nearly 38 million people living in poverty? Perhaps being the first month will remind us every month to remember, to pray for, and to act in support of our brothers and sisters in need: those who go to bed hungry; those who face financial hardships in paying bills or putting food on the table for their family; those who long for a warm blanket; and those who are unemployed or underemployed. We are reminded in Sacred Scripture that, “Whoever cares for the poor lends to the Lord, who will pay back the sum in full.” May we resolve that this be the year we hear the cry of the poor.