Yesterday I reached my limit. I'm so tired of hearing the same old tired complaints and non-solutions to our country's problems. It's time to move on.
Reality check #1 -- more jails and prisons doesn't stop crime. My county is pushing for a jail tax to build more jails, and threatening increased property taxes if we don't approve the sales tax. Putting criminals behind bars with other criminals only creates better criminals. When people come out of jail, they come out with no better skills, no further education. Instead, give inmates the option to train in skilled trades or take online courses -- the inmates would have labor assignments if they don't choose productive training. Once inmates have done their time, provide them with the means to have their records expunged or reduced to misdemeanor records for less severe crimes after a period of time, so felons can gain housing and work and actually move on with their lives.
Reality check #2 -- housing the homeless is less expensive than ignoring the problem -- by a factor of two to three times. Face it, very few people actually want to remain homeless. Given the option between living under a roof and living in a car or a tent, most people will choose a home. But many people have barriers to housing. Records. Substance abuse. Mental and physical disabilities. And they end up costing society in medical, criminal justice and other community challenges. Housing First is a model that allows people to become housed, gain case management to get back on their feet and receive the services they need. In many cases, people gain stability, jobs and reduced substance use.
Reality check #3 -- national hot button issues are resolvable. How long are our country's citizens going to believe that issues like health care, immigration, poverty, living-wage jobs, climate change and other issues are going to stay with us forever? I'm tired of watching the people in the spotlight spar and never bring the issues to a conclusion. When you sit down to talk with another citizen, even one on a different part of the political spectrum, we all have things in common. A family ought to be able to find a job that pays enough so they don't need benefits to get by, if they are truly working. People shouldn't have to sneak into our country -- we should have a process that is meaningful but reasonable to assure citizenship. Not having health care costs the American public more than everyone having a basic level of health care. We can do more environmentally to assure our future generations of a safe, livable world. There is so much more our country could be doing if we weren't wasting political energy on the fringes of these basic agreements.
Showing posts with label poverty. Show all posts
Showing posts with label poverty. Show all posts
Friday, August 8, 2014
Sunday, July 27, 2014
Life's lessons: the basics
Generational poverty. When you think about the term, what comes to mind? Three generations, packed into a house, people on government programs, unkempt home, dirty children.
I have to admit that this was my picture of that situation several years ago, and to some extent, I still have to force that stereotype out of my mind. But it's so much easier to replace it with another picture today. That's because generational poverty isn't a particular living situation. It is the attitudes and lessons passed down, shaping the next generation's repetition of lifestyle patterns.
Time and time again, I see these patterns emerge, not because people buy into them, but because they never learned any other pattern. You don't learn what causes people to live hand to mouth in school. You believe the family that raised you had life's lessons down to a tee. Or even if they did, perhaps they never talked about finances and other realities with their children. In fact, many families took great pains to avoid sharing their struggles and decisions with their children.
I was raised as one of those children, so I see those patterns in my own life. Worse yet, my husband was raised in the same type of household. The implied message was that you should know these things as adults, but we're never going to share them with you. You're going to have to figure them out or do just as we did.
Observation #1: If you are a normal human family, you have lots of credit cards, and you use them. That's what they're for. If they give you a decent credit line, use it all. If they raise it, use it too. They won't raise it beyond your ability to pay it.
Reality check #1: Credit cards companies are in the business of making money on people who don't use them wisely. The more you use them, the more money you pay them in interest. Many people don't pay them off and end up paying substantially more in interest than they ever imagined. They probably don't read the fine print, explaining how much they will pay if they only the minimal payment. Soon, the credit card debt is over their heads, their credit rating in the gutter.
Observation #2: Social Security is going to provide for me in my retirement. I don't have to worry about IRA's or 401K's or anything.
Reality check #2: Social Security was designed to pay for only basic support. If you intend to travel, to eat out occasionally, to visit your grandchildren, save for that opportunity. And, big surprise, Social Security may not even exist when adults today reach retirement.
Observation #3: Buy whatever you need. You only live once.
Reality check #3: What you need is food, shelter, basic clothing and very little else. Most things that people buy are wants. Many people today have no impulse control and buy pretty much everything they see, using credit cards to do so in many cases. They have little saved for the actual rainy day, when a job disappears or the car breaks down. Yet they have a house full of stuff.
Schools don't teach reality checks. They are very good at teaching English and math and science and social studies, but life's reality checks come at a high cost. These are lessons we have to teach our children. If not, this generational deficit continues.
I have to admit that this was my picture of that situation several years ago, and to some extent, I still have to force that stereotype out of my mind. But it's so much easier to replace it with another picture today. That's because generational poverty isn't a particular living situation. It is the attitudes and lessons passed down, shaping the next generation's repetition of lifestyle patterns.
Time and time again, I see these patterns emerge, not because people buy into them, but because they never learned any other pattern. You don't learn what causes people to live hand to mouth in school. You believe the family that raised you had life's lessons down to a tee. Or even if they did, perhaps they never talked about finances and other realities with their children. In fact, many families took great pains to avoid sharing their struggles and decisions with their children.
I was raised as one of those children, so I see those patterns in my own life. Worse yet, my husband was raised in the same type of household. The implied message was that you should know these things as adults, but we're never going to share them with you. You're going to have to figure them out or do just as we did.
Observation #1: If you are a normal human family, you have lots of credit cards, and you use them. That's what they're for. If they give you a decent credit line, use it all. If they raise it, use it too. They won't raise it beyond your ability to pay it.
Reality check #1: Credit cards companies are in the business of making money on people who don't use them wisely. The more you use them, the more money you pay them in interest. Many people don't pay them off and end up paying substantially more in interest than they ever imagined. They probably don't read the fine print, explaining how much they will pay if they only the minimal payment. Soon, the credit card debt is over their heads, their credit rating in the gutter.
Observation #2: Social Security is going to provide for me in my retirement. I don't have to worry about IRA's or 401K's or anything.
Reality check #2: Social Security was designed to pay for only basic support. If you intend to travel, to eat out occasionally, to visit your grandchildren, save for that opportunity. And, big surprise, Social Security may not even exist when adults today reach retirement.
Observation #3: Buy whatever you need. You only live once.
Reality check #3: What you need is food, shelter, basic clothing and very little else. Most things that people buy are wants. Many people today have no impulse control and buy pretty much everything they see, using credit cards to do so in many cases. They have little saved for the actual rainy day, when a job disappears or the car breaks down. Yet they have a house full of stuff.
Schools don't teach reality checks. They are very good at teaching English and math and science and social studies, but life's reality checks come at a high cost. These are lessons we have to teach our children. If not, this generational deficit continues.
Thursday, July 24, 2014
If ending poverty was as simple as a job...
It's so easy to blame the poor for their poverty. What's really difficult is being a force for change.
There is no simple reason for a person to be poor. Every person who is there wishes they were some other place. Truthfully, many of them could be in a different place. But something holds them back.
Fear. It's the No. 1 reason people don't change their circumstance. "If things are bad now, they could be worse." "It took me forever to get this job -- if they found out I was looking, I could lose everything." "This job pays my rent and barely covers my bills. At least that's something."
Education. Many highly capable people don't have the education they need, or think they need, to get the job they want. Maybe they had to drop out of school to help support their family. Or they have a learning disability or another challenge. Maybe their education is in another field that is no longer an option. Perhaps in some cases, they have advanced degrees that prevent people from hiring them for a lower-level job.
Support. Some people have no family support to help them get a job. Perhaps they have small children, and they don't have family who can watch the youngsters so they can submit resumes and go to job interviews. Without this support, they can't effectively job search and are stuck in their circumstance. Other times, it is a family member who clearly or vaguely is unsupportive: "You don't need to look for a better job -- my job supports us just fine." "If I was your boss, I wouldn't promote you." "Do you think that is wise?"
Discrimination. Obvious or hidden, challenges can stop a person from getting a job or even looking for one. A wheelchair user, for instance, can't always prove that his disability stopped him from getting a job, but after hundreds of unsuccessful job interviews, unproven discrimination can wear a job seeker down. The same with vision or hearing impairments, age, size, or many other issues. And the person's own challenges may stop them from even searching for satisfying jobs. Perhaps they have unseen medical conditions or are a caregiver for someone who needs their help -- and the caregiver knows of no other options. "I wouldn't be able to keep a job." "Who would want to hire me?" "I have to be home if they call."
Thousands of workers, thousands of reasons. These are not excuses, they are barriers. Some of them easily overcome, some of them impossible to scale. It's hard not to say, "well, why don't you get a job?" or "you could easily get a better job" when you don't know the circumstances.
Individual-oriented job placement is the answer, but on one hand, some people won't accept the help, and often it is not available. In addition, job success isn't just about landing the job, it's about dealing with the other life obstacles that can stop a person from succeeding long-term even after he or she lands a job that fits. Attitudes. Money issues. Family situations. Work is an effective way out of poverty, but it is hardly the entire answer.
There is no simple reason for a person to be poor. Every person who is there wishes they were some other place. Truthfully, many of them could be in a different place. But something holds them back.
Fear. It's the No. 1 reason people don't change their circumstance. "If things are bad now, they could be worse." "It took me forever to get this job -- if they found out I was looking, I could lose everything." "This job pays my rent and barely covers my bills. At least that's something."
Education. Many highly capable people don't have the education they need, or think they need, to get the job they want. Maybe they had to drop out of school to help support their family. Or they have a learning disability or another challenge. Maybe their education is in another field that is no longer an option. Perhaps in some cases, they have advanced degrees that prevent people from hiring them for a lower-level job.
Support. Some people have no family support to help them get a job. Perhaps they have small children, and they don't have family who can watch the youngsters so they can submit resumes and go to job interviews. Without this support, they can't effectively job search and are stuck in their circumstance. Other times, it is a family member who clearly or vaguely is unsupportive: "You don't need to look for a better job -- my job supports us just fine." "If I was your boss, I wouldn't promote you." "Do you think that is wise?"
Discrimination. Obvious or hidden, challenges can stop a person from getting a job or even looking for one. A wheelchair user, for instance, can't always prove that his disability stopped him from getting a job, but after hundreds of unsuccessful job interviews, unproven discrimination can wear a job seeker down. The same with vision or hearing impairments, age, size, or many other issues. And the person's own challenges may stop them from even searching for satisfying jobs. Perhaps they have unseen medical conditions or are a caregiver for someone who needs their help -- and the caregiver knows of no other options. "I wouldn't be able to keep a job." "Who would want to hire me?" "I have to be home if they call."
Thousands of workers, thousands of reasons. These are not excuses, they are barriers. Some of them easily overcome, some of them impossible to scale. It's hard not to say, "well, why don't you get a job?" or "you could easily get a better job" when you don't know the circumstances.
Individual-oriented job placement is the answer, but on one hand, some people won't accept the help, and often it is not available. In addition, job success isn't just about landing the job, it's about dealing with the other life obstacles that can stop a person from succeeding long-term even after he or she lands a job that fits. Attitudes. Money issues. Family situations. Work is an effective way out of poverty, but it is hardly the entire answer.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Not-for-profits carrying too much responsibility
Having worked in a not-for-profit environment for the past 11 years, I know that working there is never quite the same as working in a corporate or business entity. When something at a business breaks, you fix it or replace it. At a not-for-profit or community benefit organization, as my former agency preferred to call itself, there was hand-wringing.
Fortunately, none of the food went to waste. But not repairing the freezer immediately was not an option. Our service company knows we run on a shoestring, so we'll get the best deal possible.
Last year, the Coalition for Compassion and Justice's Open Door had over 34,000 individual visits for food and other assistance. We feed people, provide them with clothing, various types of emergency assistance, provide them with a bathroom, a shower, and emergency shelter on the winter's coldest nights. We provide meals and pantry items with donated food, and sometimes buy more food when the shelves get bare. And we debate what else we should do, whether it is our mission, and whether it is critical enough to do if no one else will do it.
We have 15 staff members, including a couple that come to us from Americorps VISTA and AARP on poverty-level wages themselves. And we put lots of volunteers into service -- our count is about 180 at any given moment.
Our goal is to work ourselves out of business: end poverty in this community. But it doesn't look like we'll be out of business anytime soon. Even as the economy begins to recover, our guest count doesn't appear to be tapering off.
Through the past few presidencies, there is a greater emphasis on allowing charities to do this kind of work. Oh, and faith-based initiatives. Just a kind way of saying "The government isn't interested in helping. Find a charity or church to feed the poor and shelter the homeless, care for the mentally ill and provide hope to those in prison (or recently released from prison -- pretty much one in the same. Probationers and parolees don't stand much of a chance of turning their lives around without companies willing to hire them, so they turn to charity or crime).
As soon as one suggests that government should swing the pendulum back in the other direction, you may as well have suggested America becoming a Socialist state. But that isn't true. America came out of the Great Depression on some serious government programs included in the New Deal. Social Security and the Tennessee Valley Authority are still around. Most of them faded before World War I.
It's time for the government to turn that corner and beef up services and programs that give people a fair shot at economic security. It shouldn't completely rest on nonprofit programs to assure that our communities are fed, housed, treated with health care and mental health services, and gainfully employed. Nonprofits should be filling in the gaps, rather than being the only place for people in crisis to turn.
- What will this mean for the budget?
- Can we get it donated instead?
- Would someone donate money to cover the cost of that item?
- Should we buy it now, or wait until the beginning of the month or the next quarter?
- How important is that item, anyway?
Fortunately, none of the food went to waste. But not repairing the freezer immediately was not an option. Our service company knows we run on a shoestring, so we'll get the best deal possible.
Last year, the Coalition for Compassion and Justice's Open Door had over 34,000 individual visits for food and other assistance. We feed people, provide them with clothing, various types of emergency assistance, provide them with a bathroom, a shower, and emergency shelter on the winter's coldest nights. We provide meals and pantry items with donated food, and sometimes buy more food when the shelves get bare. And we debate what else we should do, whether it is our mission, and whether it is critical enough to do if no one else will do it.
We have 15 staff members, including a couple that come to us from Americorps VISTA and AARP on poverty-level wages themselves. And we put lots of volunteers into service -- our count is about 180 at any given moment.
Our goal is to work ourselves out of business: end poverty in this community. But it doesn't look like we'll be out of business anytime soon. Even as the economy begins to recover, our guest count doesn't appear to be tapering off.
Through the past few presidencies, there is a greater emphasis on allowing charities to do this kind of work. Oh, and faith-based initiatives. Just a kind way of saying "The government isn't interested in helping. Find a charity or church to feed the poor and shelter the homeless, care for the mentally ill and provide hope to those in prison (or recently released from prison -- pretty much one in the same. Probationers and parolees don't stand much of a chance of turning their lives around without companies willing to hire them, so they turn to charity or crime).
As soon as one suggests that government should swing the pendulum back in the other direction, you may as well have suggested America becoming a Socialist state. But that isn't true. America came out of the Great Depression on some serious government programs included in the New Deal. Social Security and the Tennessee Valley Authority are still around. Most of them faded before World War I.
It's time for the government to turn that corner and beef up services and programs that give people a fair shot at economic security. It shouldn't completely rest on nonprofit programs to assure that our communities are fed, housed, treated with health care and mental health services, and gainfully employed. Nonprofits should be filling in the gaps, rather than being the only place for people in crisis to turn.
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