Can we really afford to help?

I feel terrible for what happened to the people in Haiti, I agree the country needs help. However, it cannot rest on the backs of the American People. What about when Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, who came to our aide? I hate to say it, but how much aide did our government give our own people? It seems they are too busy worrying about everyone else to worry about our own people. We have enough people in our own backyard that are in need of serious help. I get annoyed on how there are tons of commercials on television asking people to donate money and help people in other countries. How often do you see a commercial on TV asking for donations for the people living here in the United States in extreme poverty? In the state of Michigan alone, there are 468,400 children living in poverty. That number does not bother you, it bothers me. Maybe people think it is not trendy to worry about the American Children living in poverty. If people would like to raise funds for people living in poverty, how about raising some money for the people living in extreme poverty in the United States or the homeless who live under bridges or in boxes in the extreme heat and extreme cold?  With millions of people being out of work in the United States, poverty is on the rise. Does anyone really care about that?  How about helping those who live in the Appalachain Mountains?  How many people even know about the children living in the Appalachain Mountains?  In case you don't know, it's a place where 60% of the familiies live below the poverty level.

Yes, this really is a picture of someone's home in the Appalachain Mountains, in our own back yard.