As a lifelong American, why would I hate my own country? I do not. I am a veteran who left my wife, then three months pregnant and in tears, to serve overseas. We were separated for more than a year. I volunteered partly to avoid the draft, but also because I wanted to serve my country. Even without the threat of being drafted, I would make the same choice again. Military service was one of the best decisions I made, and many young people who take that path become responsible citizens and devoted Americans. So why do some people believe that native-born Americans hate their country? I do not believe they do. I have visited many admirable countries, and I judge a nation in part by how well it cares for its people. By that standard, the shine of American patriotism begins to fade. It deeply saddens me to see Americans resent other countries—and, worse, one another. “Divide and conquer” remains effective for those who benefit from division. Most Americans are watching their freedoms shrink and their opportunities disappear because of poor leadership and, more importantly, indifference to the lives of vulnerable people. The weak, the uneducated, people with disabilities, and the poor are treated as expendable. Giving simply to help others is disappearing. If there is no personal benefit—no answer to “What’s in it for me?”—too many people, make no effort to help their neighbors.

This website was created to educate our audience on the struggles US citizens face when they fall into hardship “through no fault of their own.” We lean our focus toward the Latino communities and that culture mainly because of the roots of its founder. Habitaciones Para Latinos or (Homes, living quarters, for Latinos) HPLA Charites was founded after seeing the horrible living conditions so many people were content or forced to live in. If you have lived in a one room house with dirt floors than a two-room house with flush toilets is a mansion. A wheelchair bound individual that has groceries delivered and a health care representative coming by one a week for baths and med check is heaven because there is no money to help make things better. The hope dilutes and the structure of the house just goes downhill. Leaky faucets, clog drains, broken toilets, drafty windows etc. lead to a very unhealthy environment and so welfare homes become the result and as a ward of the state it’s not long before even friends stop showing up. Whether drugs or lack of exercise intime not eating or drinking leads to more time asleep than awake. No food or water is required and soon a ward of the state becomes expendable and dies. I was heartbroken when a veteran of the local fire department started going downhill. I was visiting family and coming from out of state, so I witnessed the slow decline of this hero from listening to war stories to him not knowing his own name.

There is so much pain in watching folks passing way before the life expectancy date of a US citizen. Males are at 76.5 years while females are at 81.4 on average. HPLA Charities helped Ms. Clarke make it to 90 years of age and only spent a few weeks in a facility. Death with dignitary for our clients, which is a goal but living in dignity is a higher priority for us. In our mission statement we state that we provide minor home repair for low-income homeowners. Lately that mission has required more help with food and utilities rather than leaky faucets. We have had to put those projects in second place due to lack of funding.

Every politician running for election or reelection has reached out to me for a donation but while they are asking for help to become millionaires or multi-millionaires HPLA Charites can do wonders with your donations of five or ten dollars to help people stay in their homes without becoming deathly sick. Would you send the same amount that you sent to your political party to HPLACHARITES.ORG/DONATE

There is such division in our country today and yes probably by design, but I am going to ask respectfully to help support our mission. We are helping those that love their country. We prefer to help build a good country that is concerned about the care for its people than one that only cares about helping people get rich at the expense of the poor. Charity has stayed in the perpetuation of America. As important it is to keep our furry friends and environment healthy it is more important to keep Americans healthy especially those that are hurting through no fault of their own. rflores