Funding important in fight to end Alzheimer’s

I am an undergraduate student at Georgia Tech and a volunteer with the Alzheimer’s Association, assisting patients with early-stage Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. In my role, I have been able to recognize firsthand the impact this disease has on families across America. Today, more than 5 million Americans are currently living with Alzheimer’s – a number expected to nearly triple by 2050, including 150,000 in Georgia.

Congress can play a key role in addressing this issue by increasing funding for Alzheimer’s and dementia research at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by $289 million. Thankfully, U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Atlanta, understands the importance of this critical funding and has signed on in support. It is vital that Congress continue to honor the requests of researchers for additional research funding so they can bring hope to the millions of American families affected by this disease. Please join me and the Alzheimer’s Association in thanking Rep. Williams for leading in the fight to end Alzheimer’s by supporting critical funding for research.

ZANE KASHLAN, ATLANTA

Editor’s suggestion flawed that two-parent homes don’t matter

Opinion Editor Andre Jackson’s article (from his personal perspective), “Giving voice to solutions for violence,” (Editorial, July 11), suggests two-parent homes don’t make for a better result with respect to the kids — noting one such family where one child became a police officer and the other an incarcerated criminal. I beg to differ. Take two extremes: Many Jewish people value family and education. They build family units that help generations succeed. Many inner-city Black parents are poor and single, and their kids often continue the hopeless path their parents introduced to them. Many whites have taken the same path. Part of the reason is current federal laws (i.e., entitlements and tax provisions) encourage single parenthood. They must be changed in order for significant progress to be made in reducing the racial wealth gap and crime.

ALLEN BUCKLEY, ATLANTA