War on Poverty
On our blog, we share our Quote of the Week as well as other insights about our work and about our community. As our society continues to struggle with some of the same issues that Sargent Shriver focused on -- poverty, racism, inequality, war -- we believe it's important to share our stories with each other. Do you have a story to share about Sargent Shriver or about one of the issues he cared about? Share your story with us by emailing it to info@sargentshriver.org. Maybe we'll post it here!
Jan
18
"If you want to change the world, start small"
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week guides us towards the loftiest of goals, that of changing the world. It reminds us that ambitious change can start immediately, so long as we begin with one small, concrete step.In 1965, Sargent Shriver gave this address to the graduating students at St. John’s University in...
Dec
13
"Put community above chaos"
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week suggests that we can empower ourselves by focusing on something larger: service to our communities and to those more vulnerable than ourselves. By empowering others, we commit fully to our society and strengthen our own sense of citizenship.In 1968, Sargent Shriver addressed...
Oct
25
"Dignity and opportunity and first class citizenship"
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week is emblematic of the fundamental principles behind the War on Poverty: that all of us are equally deserving of dignity and justice, all of us have the right to be empowered and to fully participate as citizens in our society – all while living life on our own terms.Sargent...
Oct
04
Butter or Guns?
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week recalls the “butter or guns” debate, which refers to the federal government’s weighing of options between funding social programs (“butter”) or military spending (“guns”). Sargent Shriver suggests that choosing “guns” over “butter” can in and of itself result in violence, as...
Sep
12
Reflecting on the Politics of Service
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week describes a service-oriented notion of politics. It is a notion that involves every citizen, and that Sargent Shriver embraced with enthusiasm and energy for the people he served throughout his life.In his speech to the New York University Class of 1964, Sargent Shriver...
Sep
02
Shriver on Education
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week highlights the importance of education while acknowledging some of the most basic and serious challenges that our underfunded public schools face. As students of all ages settle back into school, we’re looking back to the beginning of Sargent Shriver’s career in public...
Aug
16
Some Facts about Poverty
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week reminds us of some stark facts: that poverty can be found everywhere in the United States, and that it is particularly pervasive among our society’s most vulnerable populations.On August 18, 1964, two days before President Johnson signed the Economic Opportunity Act into law...
Aug
09
Making "Ordinary Health Care" Accessible to All
by Sargent Shriver Peace Institute
Our Quote of the Week is from 1967 but it highlights a problem that continues to be true today: that our for-profit health care system virtually shuts out the poor, making it impossible for all of us to have equal access to care.Sargent Shriver spoke these words at the first American Medical...
