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by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer  Photo Credit (c) Lyn Lomasi Sometimes people get overwhelmed with trying to help their favorite causes by making things more difficult than they need to be. Advocating for the homeless is no different.
You don't need to be the leader of a huge organization or a millionaire to help the homeless. Advocating for those faced with homelessness can be achieved with ordinary acts. Bake pies for the local shelter program While people living on the streets could use more wholesome meals, maybe pie baking is your gift. Your pies could be a welcome addition after a balanced meal at the local soup kitchen. Pies may not be an absolute necessity. But comfort foods can help bring back good memories. Plus, even when you're homeless, you deserve a nice treat now and then too. Give blankets to homeless kids Are you good at sewing? Maybe you're just good at shopping. Either way, try donating blankets that homeless kids can use. A blanket may seem like a simple thing to you or me. But many homeless people go without blankets every day and children are our most vulnerable citizens. Volunteer for uncommon activities Do you know of a local shelter or other organization for the homeless? Try volunteering to read to kids, teach kids to read, do a magic show, take a family on a fun outing, and more. There are many possibilities. Volunteering to do the uncommon things can make a big difference, even when the act seems small.
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 Image (c) Lyn Lomasi; All Rights Reserved Stacey Carroll - Contributing writer
Living on minimum wage or close to it is nearly impossible. It’s a horrible situation and worse than living paycheck to paycheck because you have to decide whether to eat or pay rent or other utility bills. I know because I lived it, and I am still living it. At one point in my life, I had a job where I was working 40 hours a week at $8.10 an hour. I was bringing home $998 a month after taxes. That's $12,000 a year or $1,500 a year more than the poverty line for one person. No matter what the government says, I was living in poverty. My rent was $630 a month. My electricity was $120 a month. My cell phone bill was $75 a month, and my internet was $45 a month. That left me with $128 to buy food, essentials, and gas for the month or $32 a week. Gas Since I lived a mile from work, I put $10 in gas in my car every week for a monthly total of $40. That was enough to get me to and from work. It was not enough to take me anywhere else, so I did all my shopping at work since I worked in a large retail store. Essentials With $20 left for the week, I had to budget for all my essentials. The number one thing I needed for the month was toilet paper, and I spent $6.98 a month on toilet paper. I spent .74 a bottle on shampoo and conditioner, and I needed two bottles of each a month for a total of $2.96. I bought 3-packs of ivory hand soap for .97 cents, and one bottle of dish soap for $1. Both of those items lasted the entire month for a total of $1.97. I bought one tube of toothpaste for the month at $1. I didn't buy laundry soap. I used dish soap to wash dishes and clothes. The total monthly cost of all my essentials was $12.91 or $3.23 a week. Food After buying my essentials, I had $16 a week leftover for food. I'd buy a bag of rice for 82 cents, four packages of smoked sausage for $5.56, four cans of pork and beans for $2.60, and six $1 frozen pizzas. I'd eat a pizza for breakfast, skip lunch, and eat either beans and rice for dinner or beans and smoked sausage. It was a total weekly cost of $14.98. I did not buy bread, milk, eggs or cereal. All of those items were too expensive for my budget. After taxes, my total weekly expenses were $30.63 The Other $2 My budget at the top says that I had $32 a week to spend. Yet, I only spent $30. The other $2 I regularly lent out to my coworkers who had to drive farther or couldn't afford lunch. Two dollars was three quarters of a gallon of gas at the time, and could mean the difference between getting to work on Friday and not getting to work. For others, $2 meant being able to afford lunch. Even though I was struggling to feed myself and get to work, some of my coworkers were worse off. 
Photo Credit: Wolfgang Lonien on Flickr
By Mike Thompson, Contributing Writer
Heading toward the presidential election, through three debates, neither candidate uttered the word "poverty." That's sad and tragic, and while this omission is a lousy reflection upon both Barack Obama and Mitt Romney, it's also a lousy reflection on mainstream U.S. society, at least in political terms. In such a close election, it would likely be political suicide for either Obama or Romney to speak with any sympathy toward people most in need. There would be a backlash, and accusations of "big government" and even "socialism" from the other side. Obama also is branded as "the food stamp president," although he speaks rarely about increasing food aid during times of economic recession. Both candidates harp on uplifting the "middle class," which somehow has transformed to include families making up to $250,000 per year. Every rare once in a while, I've heard Obama add that he aims to uplift the poor into the middle class. But only every rare once in a while. Making matters worse, the Associated Press reports that as census data continues to be amassed (the Census Bureau remains active in between the every-decade counts), the poverty rate is soaring toward 15.7 percent, the highest since the War on Poverty started during the middle 1960s. Based on my memories of the idealistic mid- and late-60s, if there had been presidential debates back then, poverty most certainly would have been on the agenda. So why has poverty become a blind spot in our general political discourse? Some critics will say it's because of frustration at lack of progress, because the War on Poverty has been a failure. After all, we've spent all this money, and one in six families still is officially poor -- for example, an income of less than $23,000 for a four-person household. I disagree; I'd hate to think of how things would be without the various War on Poverty programs, at least the ones that have survived and that have not been stripped bare. Other critics will assert that a culture of dependency has been created. Any of us who are honest must admit we have seen some individual examples of this, but too many of us ignore what activist Peter Edelman described as a "tidal wave" of minimum wage jobs. The vast majority of households in poverty are headed by the working poor. I don't understand why the hard-hearted among this fail to see this. Amid all the analysis, I personally observe and sense a compassion deficit. I hate to say this, because it makes me sound holier and more caring than thou. Still, I'm only being honest. When Romney's "47 percent" comment was unveiled, falsely implying that nearly half of Americans are "takers" who rely on government while not paying taxes, the first reaction among national pundits was that this revelation would severely harm his campaign. My own reaction, to the contrary, was that the 47 percent remark would actually help Romney among the population's resentful and bitter element of people, and it seems that's been closer to the truth. Most people I encounter are courteous, kind individuals. So why is our politics so spiteful, that neither candidate will even risk talking much about uplifting our brothers and sisters (and our children) in need? To tell the truth, I'm stumped. Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/22/us-poverty-level-1960s_n_1692744.html By Michael Thompson, Contributing Writer
I never would have dreamed of being a Salvation Army bell-ringer. Then I received a writing assignment to ring a red-kettle bell for a day. As a shy person, there was much trepedation. But I went ahead and sucked it up. You know what? Once I got started, it was fun. (Of course, it was an unseasonably mild December day, so it's not like I was out there getting frostbite.) If your local Salvation Army is like mine in my Michigan hometown of Saginaw, you can pick your day(s) and your hours at your convenience starting around Thanksgiving. When I received the writing assignment, I figured it would be good to glean some advice from a veteran. The Saginaw Salvation Army sent me out to see to see a man who became one of my heroes, Ted Kolhagen, who in recent years is dearly departed. What a guy! When I encountered him, he was 76 years old and in his 49th season of bell-ringing. He had an act where he would whistle and dance and clown around with anyone who approached the kettle, child or adult. And so I told my editor, Ted was far more interesting than anything I might write in the first person. To see the resulting article, look here: http://www.newreviewsite.com/articles/Profile---A-Whistling-Holiday-Bell-Ringer-Has-a-Deeper-Purpose-at-Heart/519. Well, I still was bound to do my bell-ringing, even though I had chosen to write about Ted instead of myself. And so, armed with Ted's advice and examples, I was out there. Ted's first rule was that "shy" is no excuse. If you just stand there and tinkle the bell, you're selling the program short. Indeed, Ted would bring in about $60 an hour, compared to about $20 for the listless bell-ringers whom The Salvation Army is forced to pay minimum wage because of a lack of volunteers. So I found myself out there shouting "ho-ho-ho" (I couldn't whistle like Ted, in spite of -- or because of -- the David Letterman gap in my front teeth.) One lady walked past the kettle and smirked, "Do you think that helps you?" But then a guy in professional business attire walked past, laughing, and jammed a folded $10-spot into the kettle. He laughed and said, "Those are some hearty ho-ho-hoes." And I said to myself, "Ted Kolhagen, you are vindicated." (Curious? I made $35 an hour.) Two-liter pops were on sale in a big stack at the storefront, and people were grabbing 'em up, and so I stole another lesson from Ted and slid the kettle over near the pops. Sure enough, donations increased. It was like, the customers were contributing the money they saved on the pop discount. Then a woman walked by, like so many folks, with her nose up in the air. Her checkbook fell out of her purse. "Ma'am," I called out. She thanked me when I returned the checkbook, and, feeling guilty, stuck a pair of dollar bills through the slot. The Salvation Army assigned me to a pair of places for half-day shifts. At the Kmart in the low-income neighborhood, I got a regular stream of donations -- no big ones, but a bunch. But in front of the high-rent Macy's, most people ignored me, although that's where I got the fin from the guy who laughed as my ho-ho-hoeing. I'm not making any comment here, just passing on what I experienced. Readers: Consider an experiment in volunteer bell-ringing. You won't know whether this fits you until, and unless, you try it.  Photo: PublicDomainPictures.net by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer
America has a rising crisis on its hands-- child poverty. A study released on August 17, 2011 by the Annie E. Casey Foundation shows that child poverty has increased in 38 states from 2000-2009 leaving 14.7 million children in families that fell below the federal poverty level in 2009. That is 1 in 5 children living in poverty. Today's federal poverty level is $22,350 a year for a family of four. The researching foundation on child well-being cited that research has shown that the federal poverty level should be double that for a family of four at $44,700. The current level has not changed since the 1960s. The increase of child poverty over the years will have a devastating effect on the economy and especially on the children. According to the Daily Mail, “In the foundation's first examination of the impact of the recession on the nation's children, the researchers concluded that low-income children will likely suffer academically, economically and socially long after their parents have recovered.” Stephen Brown, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, sees a bleak future for the economy, “What we are looking at is a cohort of kids who as they become adults may be less able to contribute to the growth of the economy. It could go on for multiple generations.” The study concluded that the rise in child poverty would be a great social cost to America which would include reduced economic output, higher health expeditures and an increase in criminal justice costs for society. Patrick T. McCarthy, President and CEO of The Annie E. Casey Foundation, believes that “We can—and must—do better. With sound investments, we can provide all children with the opportunity to reach the full potential of their talents and ambitions, while setting the nation on a path to renewed economic prosperity. It won’t be easy, but as a nation, we have the knowledge, tools, and determination to make it happen.” Visit KIDS COUNT to learn more about the child poverty levels in your state and to find out what you can do to make a difference. More by Linda: Brazil’s “Zero Hunger” Program Offers Hope for the War on Poverty Worldwide Soles4Souls: Over 300 Million Children are Without Shoes World Humanitarian Day: Celebrating the Men and Women Making a Difference Yum! Brands, Inc. Fights Hunger in Africa with $1M by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer
I had the pleasure of meeting two representatives of Soles4Soles at BlogHer ’11 in San Diego where I was able to learn more about the organization and what it stands for. Chris and Jeremy were two of the nicest guys, although guys were in limited supply at BlogHer, a girl could meet. You can see in their eyes how much the organization means to them and why the cause is so close to their hearts. Since I don’t know when any of you will be able to meet Chris or Jeremy at an event, I decided I should tell you a little bit more about the organization and what they are doing to make a difference in the world today. Soles4Souls, Inc. was founded by Wayne Esley in 2004 following the devastating tsunami that hit Southeast Asia. A picture of a single shoe washed ashore triggered an idea that would lead Esley to creating Soles4Souls, Inc. and help put shoes on over 15 million pairs of feet worldwide. Some might ask, “Why shoes?” The truth of the matter is that shoes can prevent infections, diseases, burns, and other injuries that could lead to health issues later in life. Soles4Souls “Why Shoes?” webpage sums up the importance of shoes especially for children, “With the number of children living in abject poverty and therefore surviving at a scavenger's existence, the feet are at tremendous risk as the child hunts for food or household items in garbage dumps, abandoned housing/construction areas, or while crossing through open sewer trenches and contaminated areas.” The organization takes new and gently used shoes, cleans them up, and then delivers them to those in need. Soles4Souls has delivered over 15 million pairs of shoes domestically and internationally. Volunteers with the organization have delivered shoes to children and families in need in over 127 countries. Shoes are not the only concern for Esley and his volunteers. Clothing, toys, furniture and building materials are all items that can provide support to victims of natural disasters and those living in extreme poverty. Soles4Souls’ other two divisions, Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, focus on these efforts. Visit Soles4Souls to find out how you can make a difference by cleaning out your closet, hosting a fundraiser or taking a trip to deliver shoes to those in need. More by Linda: Brazil’s “Zero Hunger” Program Offers Hope for the War on Poverty Worldwide Child Poverty: America's Rising Crisis World Humanitarian Day: Celebrating the Men and Women Making a Difference Yum! Brands, Inc. Fights Hunger in Africa with $1M by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer
Brazil is giving hope to the world by leading in the war on poverty. The country has seen dramatic changes over the years in how many people are going hungry. In 2003 over 17 million Brazilians were living in extreme poverty. That number dropped to nine million in 2009. It still means that nine million people are living in poverty, but it also means that the social programs being used to combat poverty and hunger are working. The new Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Jose Graziano da Silva, was previously a food security minister for Brazil. He was also one of the creators of the nation’s “Zero Hunger” social programs. One of the programs is “Bolsa Familia” or “Family Grant” which gives money directly to poor households. Graziano has stated that one of his first priorities for the FAO is to eradicate hunger. “Bolsa Familia” is the social program that can be credited with helping Brazil’s extreme poverty numbers drop. Graziano believes that the “Zero Hunger” programs should be a model for other nations. According to Fox News Latino, Graziano believes that the “strong institutional framework” including the right to food in Brazil’s constitution and working closely with civic groups are the strength behind Zero Hunger. Graziano stated, “These two pillars are what make the Brazilian program so attractive for the world.” Last year it was estimated that 925 million people worldwide suffered from malnutrition, hunger, and poverty by the U.N. food program. A fear that the numbers are already on the rise due to the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, rising food prices globally, and economic collapses is well founded. The social program initiatives under “Zero Hunger” should be a great starting point for governments all over the world to give hope to those living in extreme poverty. Some of the initiatives under “Zero Hunger” include “Bolsa Familia”, job training for women, support for small farmers, and running restaurants that serve 50-cent meals. More by Linda: Child Poverty: America's Rising Crisis Soles4Souls: Over 300 Million Children are Without Shoes World Humanitarian Day: Celebrating the Men and Women Making a Difference Yum! Brands, Inc. Fights Hunger in Africa with $1M by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer
A student, Drew Mirolli, at North Paulding High School in Georgia is a founder of a non-profit organization that collects food and clothing for people in need. The non-profit called Operation Poverty has raised close to $13,000 to stock up a local food pantry and to help rebuild a girls’ dormitory in Uganda. As great as those things are, that is not what sets Operation Poverty apart from other non-profits that focus on helping those in need. Operation Poverty believes that in order to understand the crisis of homelessness and poverty you have to experience it. The organization issued a challenge to the students of North Paulding High School- to sleep outside and live on $2 a day with daily rations of oatmeal, small PB&J sandwiches and ramen noodles. Over 200 students joined in “Challenge Week” with some dropping out along the way. When the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked Mirolli if anyone dropped out of “Challenge Week” Mirolli responded, “We had a couple of freshman girls — it is just a little too hard. That almost makes me happy. That means that they are actually experiencing what it’s like.” Mirolli was honored earlier this month in Washington D.C. for his outstanding community service. He was awarded the Prudential Spirit of Community Award which recognized outstanding service by middle and high school students. Mirolli is graduating this year but has passed the challenge project onto a senior at a rival high school He hopes that Operation Poverty will go nationwide with more and more students getting involved. You can read Ann Hardie’s full interview with Drew Mirolli at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.  “The most called-upon prerequisite of a friend is an accessible ear.” ~ Maya Angelou Are you accessible to those around you? Be it business or personal, you should always lend an ear. Not only can being accessible strengthen trust and relationships. But it is also vital to solving important issues. What does this have to do with poverty or homelessness? Think about it. In order to be successful in getting the most help out to those who really need it, a program needs to be very accessible. Also think in terms of support and encouragement. Like Ms. Angelou says, lend an ear. Listen to your client, friend, or family member in need. I mean really listen hard and be there for them. That is the first step to helping someone succeed in life. Without the inspiration and desire to do so, all the assistance in the world is not going to matter. If someone is not encouraged, it will be a wasted effort. If you offer help that is not easily accessed, it is a wasted effort. But when you are accessible in times of need, this can make all the difference in someone's life. So, the next time a client, acquaintance, or friend comes to you for help, be accessible. by Ann Olson, Featured Y! Health Contributor Staying healthy when you're poor can be very difficult. It's hard enough to afford groceries--making healthy choices with your grocery habits may seem impossible.  Photo (c) Lyn Lomasi But there are ways to stay healthy even if you are struggling to afford groceries every week. Some foods stretch further and offer more nutritional value, such as carrots and oatmeal. Other foods offer cheaper alternatives to more expensive food choices, such as lean chicken breasts. If you are poor or expect to become poor, these healthy eating choices will keep you healthy, which can prevent the onset of illnesses that may ultimately cost more money to treat.
So how do you stay healthy when you're poor? 1. Always have carrots and potatoes in stock. Potatoes and carrots are usually very cheap or on sale in my area.. The versatility and nutritional value of these vegetables are essential for staying healthy, as it contains several important nutrients and vitamins that helps maintain the health of your skin, teeth, bones and vision. 2. Get your protein with eggs and canned tuna. Chicken or pork can be very expensive--in my area, it's hard to find a bag of chicken breasts for less than $5.99, and that doesn't even last the entire week! Try getting your protein by eating eggs or canned tuna instead. Just a couple of servings can cover your daily protein requirement. 3. Oatmeal just isn't for breakfast. It contains both insoluble and soluble fiber, which takes slower to digest, giving you a feeling of fullness. It's also cheap and has limitless servings--just one canister of oatmeal should last you at least a week, if not more. I like to eat mine with a dash of raisins and brown sugar. 4. Remember to get your sun. If you're poor, you probably don't feel like going out because you don't want to spend money, but just spending 30 minutes outside each day can have wonderful benefits for your physical and mental well-being. Not only has moderate sun exposure been shown to make people less likely to become depressed, it can also help your body get vitamin D. It can really help you stay sane during these rough times. Overall, making smart choices can help you save money and stay healthy when you're poor. Stock up on vegetables, cook your food from scratch, and make sure to get some fresh air to stay healthy and sane. 
In America, poverty doesn't always involve lacking enough money to eat or to pay the bills. Poverty often is the experience of viewing the affluent society.
Consider jewelry. A poor person, for lack of access, may covet gold or fine diamonds. Here's a question: Are supposedly unbreakable diamonds all they're cracked up to be? Following is a short passage from the book Ad Nauseam, which examines the U.S. consumer mentality and in the process delves into the gaps between rich and poor: "In the late 1800s, the Oppenheimer family established a diamond monopoly with its company, DuBeers. At the time, diamonds were practically worthless compared to other gems, but DuBeers set out to change that by limiting their supply, driving up the price. "In the 1930s .... DuBeers turned its focus to marketing. The company gave Hollywood starlets hefty stones, arranged glamour photo shoots, and script-doctored movies to include scenes of jewelry shopping. .... And DuBeers visited high schools to teach girls about the value of diamonds. "In 1947, DuBeers' ad agency came up with the massively successful slogan, '˜A diamond is forever,' which implied that diamonds don't crack, break, or lose value. They do, but it needn't have mattered. Thanks to clever marketing, the diamond came to symbolize true love and diamond rings became an inseparable part of courtship and marriage." One might logically ask, if all this is true, why would a poor person care about jewelry? As they used to call it when we were young and in school: Peer pressure. Sad, but true.
by Michael Thompson, Contributing Writer
We are hearing that the federal poverty rate of 14.3 percent in the highest since the 1960s.
Before criticism is directed at President Barack Obama, however, consider these points: 1) Obama fought to extend unemployment benefits, but an individual who receives $300 still heads a family in poverty. $300 per week equals $15,000 per year. The federal poverty income is about $20,000 for a family of four. 2) Obama pushed to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. Anyone lucky enough to get full-time hours in the minimum wage economy still is bringing home a scant $290 per week .... again, below the poverty level. These folks may officially remain in poverty under Obama, but they would be in far worse shape if he had not been elected president. Health care legislation eventually will bring them into the system as well.
by Michael Thompson, Contributing Writer
Wal-Mart stores have been selling red-white-and-blue T-shirts that were especially popular prior to the Fourth of July. They display a map of the U.S.A., awkwardly patterned with the Stars & Stripes obliterating the Pacific Northwest. They are a real bargain at only $2, although they give an appearance that the map and the flag may fade quite quickly when washed, after all, the name of the manufacturer is “Faded Glory.” Is that a metaphor for how these sweat-shop cheap imports are contributing to global poverty? The shirts are made in Guatemala, by workers who earn an average of 53 cents an hour.
According to the organization Globalization and the Poor, average Third World hourly wages for apparel workers are 13 cents in Bangladesh, 26 cents in Vietnam, 34 cents in Indonesia, 44 cents in China, 49 cents in Haiti, and 75 cents in Nicaragua. This makes average pay in places like El Salvador ($1.38) and the Dominican Republic ($1.62) seem downright lucrative. Some globalization apologists argue that U.S. companies actually are paying more than domestic manufacturers in the Third World, and that if the Americans were to pull out, global poverty would become even more severe. There’s a solution, according the group Global Watch – an international minimum wage. All sorts of trade agreements are governed under the World Trade Organization. Why not this? And the next time you see an item or a product that displays a U.S. flag, check the label! SOURCES http://www.independent.org/publications/working_papers/article.asp?id=1369 http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Reforming_System/TimeLivingWage.html |
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