Shockingly, 4.9 million people in Canada live in poverty, according to statistics collected in 2016. The fact that one in seven Canadians lack of food and shelter to meet basic needs is heartbreaking to me. Although we tend to think of our Canada as a relatively wealthy and privileged nation, we must nevertheless face this incredible truth. So far, we have done a wonderful job helping people in need in other developing countries. However, we also need to solve the problems at home now. It is completely understandable that people have their different difficulties and worries in life. Sometimes it is difficult to spare our efforts to help others. However, I believe we should do our best to help those most in need for two main reasons. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why violent video games should not be banned”?Get the original essayFirst, as Catholics, we must follow God's call and obey the theme “option for the poor and vulnerable » Catholic social teachings. In light of Pope John Paul II and the wisdom accumulated over centuries, societies are judged by how their most vulnerable and deprived members live. In other words, how we treat the weakest members of the community reflects our ethics. Individual wealth does not reveal the quality of society as a whole. God revealed this important message to us through his Son Jesus Christ. Jesus in the story of the Last Judgment (Matthew 25:31-46) asks us to prioritize the needs of the poor and vulnerable. This is precisely how the Catholic Church expects us to act. Additionally, we grow up in an environment that values ​​love, compassion and generosity. It is unethical to see others suffer without lending a helping hand. As God's children, we are expected to dress our brothers and sisters as ourselves. There is therefore no reason for us to turn a blind eye to the suffering endured by the most deprived. Second, helping the poor and vulnerable is helping yourself. This idea may seem strange at first. However, it would ultimately make sense to take a close look at some data. Research conducted by economists for the Ontario Association of Food Banks found that poverty costs the government about $30 billion a year. Much of the money goes toward health expenses, because being poor usually means reduced health. Also think about the homeless. It typically costs three to four times more to keep someone homeless than it does to provide housing. If a homeless person manages to acquire a safe habitat, he or she will most likely be grateful to society and work hard in response to people's kindness. On the other hand, if he does not receive any help, he will probably not be able to get out of it since no one can guide him. As time passes, he will be full of negativity and might get into trouble. As a result, the government has to pay many more expenses to cover its prison or hospital costs. This is not good news for us, because the money comes from our pockets in the form of taxes. So poverty costs us all, each and every one of us. It is therefore fair to say that saving the poor also means helping ourselves. This is why we must solve the problem of poverty now. Policy reform must.