Obama Discusses Importance of Faith-Based Groups in Overcoming Poverty

During a recent panel discussion at Georgetown University, President Barack Obama discussed the importance of faith in helping Americans out of poverty.

The president joined Harvard social scientist Robert Putnam and Arthur Brooks, president of the American Enterprise Institute, at Georgetown's Catholic-Evangelical Summit on Overcoming Poverty on Tuesday.

During the panel, Obama argued that both faith and family are important keys to avoiding or overcoming poverty in the U.S.

"Faith-based groups across the country and around the world understand the centrality and the importance of [poverty] in a intimate way — in part because these faith-based organizations are interacting with folks who are struggling and know how good these people are, and know their stories, and it's not just theological, but it's very concrete. They're embedded in communities and they're making a difference in all kinds of ways," Obama said.

The president went on to say that he believes faith-based organizations need to play a more central role in overcoming poverty.

"When I think about my own Christian faith and my obligations," Obama continued, "it is important for me to do what I can myself — individually mentoring young people, or making charitable donations, or in some ways impacting whatever circles and influence I have. But I also think it's important to have a voice in the larger debate. And I think it would be powerful for our faith-based organizations to speak out on this in a more forceful fashion."

During his talk, the president also spoke about the importance of maintaining optimism in the face of American poverty.

"I think it's important when it comes to dealing with issues of poverty for us to guard against cynicism and not buy the idea that the poor will always be with us, and there's nothing we can do," Obama said. "Because there's a lot we can do."