Michael Castaldo, better know as “ONE’s Marine”, has an Op-Ed in yesterday’s New Hampshire Union Leader, the only statewide newspaper in NH.

In his piece, Michael mentions ONE, and lays out the reasons why the US cannot turn away from the world’s poorest people even in these tough times.

Many of you may remember Michael from his work on the campaign trail and when he joined ONE in DC last month to help accept the CGD award. He is a cook at a local restaurant, a former Marine, a husband, and a father to 3 boys.

He is also a tireless and brilliant advocate for ONE and the world’s poorest people.

Here’s an excerpt from his Op-Ed:

“I KNOW Americans don’t have it easy right now. Among my own circle of family and friends, I can count many who have lost their jobs, their homes, their life savings, their retirement portfolios. These are challenging times. So, it might be a bad time to talk to my neighbors about why it’s important for Americans to continue our generosity to the world’s poor. However, the moment could not be more appropriate to stay the course in the fight to end global poverty because, what happens there affects us here. It’s not an either/or decision: We can help the world’s poor and ourselves.

The U.S. government provides less than one-half of one percent of the entire federal budget to support international development efforts, amounting to $22 billion in 2007. For those who’d say that those dollars are better used here than in faraway places, let me tell you why the reverse is just as imperative.”

You can read the full piece here.

Go Michael!

Go ONE!

-Matthew Bartlett