There are many reasons why people come face to face with poverty. Loss of a job, divorce, lack of education, inequality, and lack of infrastructure and government support are just some of the leading causes, to name a few. This makes me question if the problem can be the solution? For instance; lack of education; although public schools are bound to the communities they receive funding from; there can’t be much denying that providing life skills to each child would elevate a school district’s budget to alarming heights.
Learning how to make a budget, write a check, cook nutritional food, how to communicate, and take time to reset one’s mental health can be achieved with little to no funding. All of these skills, although few are listed, are the basic foundational principles to earning a job, progressing within that job, as well as sustaining oneself and their family should something arise in the future. I remember it was mandatory to take home economics in Middle School and with each grade we would progress these skills with varying home economics or business courses. Although some may argue that students should not be taught in grade school how to type or construct a resume, I must strongly disagree. In my previous experience as a Case Manager and now even as a Supervisor, I still find experienced adults struggle to create an efficient and well organized resume.
If this were a diagnosis we would be trying to treat the problem (poverty) before it metastasized. It takes three generations to break the cycle of poverty. That is three to many! We need to stand with our local legistlatures, our schools, our families, friends, and communities to do better for our children. By building up our children and giving them a hand up instead of the immediate hand out we are building them up for years of success, not just a “single success” of a weekly food basket.
I have always had a special place in my heart for the Salvation Army; and I have now come to find a program that truly is making headway and providing people with their own foundational building blocks for success. The Pathway of Hope is a case management based program that doesn’t just provide the band-aid needed in the moment but a goal oriented path to take an individual out of poverty. This type of goal setting, case management, and assistance makes the Pathway of Hope a leading figure in services provided to those seeking assistance. Unfortunately for me, I have seen too much of the band-aid effect versus an effective program to eliminate poverty for good. The Salvation Army is changing that mindset.
Want to find out more? Please check out the link provided below.
Why do I bring these two ideas together? I am a firm believer that by starting at the lowest level, our children, giving them the foundational skill set of life skills through varying home economic courses along with educating adults who are experiencing poverty – we can start to close the gap.
I challenge any of you that have a skill set of resume building, budgeting, cooking, interview tips – to reach out and volunteer a little of your time to those in your community. WE have to be the change and we can create a better tomorrow for others.
Want to donate to the Pathway of Hope: https://give.salvationarmy.org/give/251119/#!/donation/checkout
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