After reading the May 17 article (Issaquah doctor helps women in Bangladesh) and like so many of the feel-good stories I have read in the past about local residents taking up the cause to help with services and donations to far flung countries, I thought I would issue this challenge.

I have lived in some somewhat affluent communities in Southern California and now Sammamish where all the kids and their folks want to help these poor disadvantaged individuals in these countries like. But, we have many in need here.

Not all Native American reservations are in the casino business. Some have no running water, electricity – never mind medical for that matter. How about those poor folks in Appalachia?

Maybe it’s that many young people don’t know real Native Americans in this country exist like this? Or that helping poor dumb white people just isn’t cool?

There are also people in Puerto Rico, where there is an almost 26 percent unemployment rate, who are in need. There are also poor native people in Hawaii, but nobody either knows or cares.

I have visited many places right here in the USA and have tried to help, but I can’t do it alone. Maybe some of you well meaning folks can lend a hand?

Pete Poulos, Sammamish