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The story and people behind Bread Not Stones
In February 2016, I heard a brief but extremely poignant presentation about the Bread Not Stones initiative, a nationwide drive spearheaded by the United Church of Canada and United Church Women to end child poverty in Canada.
I was so moved by what I heard, I went home and within 24 hours had written a song, called Bread Not Stones, that I immediately sent to Linda Woods and Laurel Kenney, energetic co-chairs of the London & Area Bread Not Stones project, in hopes that my song would help their efforts to create nationwide awareness regarding the 1.35 MILLION Canadian children currently living in poverty.
Right now, devoted United Church women across Canada, including women at Wesley-Knox Church in London, are busily making hundreds of beautifully-crafted rag dolls, each one representing a Canadian child currently living in poverty, which they are giving to politicians and others of influence across the country to remind them of a parliamentary promise, made in 1989, to end child poverty in Canada by the year 2000. That promise was NEVER fulfilled. In fact, whereas one in nine Canadian children lived in poverty in 1989, currently ONE in FIVE do. Among First Nations children, this number is ONE in TWO.
LET'S ALL PITCH IN TO END CHILD POVERTY IN CANADA
Bread Not Stones (lyrics)
It was a promise, a promise that was made here once for bread, not stones.
(Oh yes) a promise to end the plight of children suffering alone
With their empty hands and hungry hearts
And hope that’s sinking like a stone.
You might not see them, but they are all around you and their numbers grown.
What has to be then is that we all recall our pledge for bread, not stones.
Don’t make them wait, ‘til it’s just too late
Their hope keeps sinking like a stone.
We’ve had enough time, time enough to make good on a promise made.
And such a rough time for children who keep waiting for their promised aid.
Time passes by, so it’s no wonder why
Their hope keeps sinking like a stone.
When will it happen? When will it happen?
When words are turned to action and excuses cast away.
It has to happen. It’s got to happen
Each child will be our future. Don’t you want the future bright?
More than a million, that’s how many children here must do without.
More than a million; is that what you think this country’s all about?
Together we can make a stand,
Our work has only just begun.
When will it happen? When will it happen?
When words are turned to action and excuses cast away.
It has to happen. It’s got to happen
Each child will be our future. So let’s make that future bright?
Let’s keep our promise, the promise that we’d give our children bread, not stones.
They just are children, why should they be left to struggle on their own?
Let’s fill their hands and heal their hearts,
And don’t stop working ‘til it’s done.
It was a promise,
A promise that was made here once for bread not stones...
Copyrighted © Kevin P. White, February 8th, 2016
MY NEW FRIEND 'DOLLIE' AND ME
To find out more, go to http://www.endchildpoverty.ca/
AWARD-WINNING PRODUCER PAUL MILLS
MARTIN HORAK
DENISE PELLEY
STEVE HOLOWITZ
LINDA, KEVIN & 'DOLLIE'
KAREN SCHUESSLER
THE KAREN SCHUESSLER SINGERS
SINGER-SONGWRITER
ROXANNE ANDRIGHETTI
To download the song, for $0.99 CAD (+ 13% HST) ,
click BUY NOW (ALL proceeds dedicated to disseminating the Bread
Not Stones message across Canada: CHILD POVERTY MUST STOP!!!)
LINDA WOODS & LAUREL KENNEY
'DOLLIE'
FOR MORE OF MY MUSIC, CLICK HERE
TO FIND OUT ABOUT MY AWARD-WINNING BOOKS, INCLUDING BOOKS ON FIBROMYALGIA, AUTISM, SCHIZOPHRENIA AND ADDICTION, CLICK HERE
BREAD NOT STONES: LET'S END CHILD POVERTY IN CANADA
TO FIND OUT WHAT I'M DOING TO HELP PEOPLE WITH FIBROMYALGIA AND CHRONIC PAIN, CLICK HERE
I have since recorded my song, along with angelically-voiced and unbelievably-talented singer-songwriter Roxanne Andrighetti, at The Millstream Studio in London, Ontario. The song was produced by one of Canada's best and most-awarded producers, Paul Mills. Multi-talented multi-instrumentalist Martin Horak provided the five strings (3 violins, one viola, one cello), while Paul added an amazing lead guitar part. My song will soon be re-recorded and a video made with London's finest blues singer, Denise Pelley, lending her famous voice to the effort, aided by one of Canada's finest musicians, Steve Holowitz, as well as Steve Holowitz's band, Roxanne, me, a choir of children led by multiple award-winning conductor Karen Schuessler, and a cast of others. My hope is that this song, in all its various forms, will help to spread the word that child poverty in Canada MUST END.
Scroll down for YouTube video
Sheet music for this song will
soon be available for download
