Category Archives: Anti-Poverty Programs

Blog Post Final Internship Summary

Anti-Poverty Programs

To protect this non-profit social service organization the names of the staff, and the social service organization have been altered.

In previous posts I have not touched on my own experiences but rather more about what my social service internship has been about. In my experiences at Small Social Service I have realized that I enjoyed my time there, but will most likely not return to any position in case management or at a non-profit small organization such as SSS. SSS has the potential to be a great social service however it is lacking efficiency/ professionalism from staff and funding as well. The SSS has amazing goals and I would love to see them go into action such as providing shelters and affordable housing around the city of Redlands. However, in this social service it is dangerous to dream of such things becoming a reality.

From our course we speak on what we can do to solve homelessness and Kay, Small Social Service’s executive Director as well as many of the case managers I have spoken with agree that housing first needs to happen, but it wont happen in Redlands… However, SSS has one of the strongest volunteer and support centers in Redlands. Educational institutions, small/large businesses, restaurants, and companies are all in support of the history of SSS and the work it does to protect those families in crisis.

Although they don’t exactly reach the expectations of their mission, SSS provides a non-judgmental and safe space for those who don’t know where else to go. And although they cannot pay their staff more, and can barely keep afloat during crazy holiday times and try to provide the most for the community, they are a social service that is just as important as any shelter, rapid-rehousing, or large public policy change. Because the city of Redlands needs them. There is no doubt in my mind that if they had the funding they would put it to use for the greater good of their clients and the people of Redlands and surrounding cities that need assistance. It is frustrating to look at the potential of a social service organization that has been around for so long, but know that social/political change needs to happen in order for them to reach their full potential of improving the cities they provide for.

#F*ckThePoor Campaign: Put your money where your mouth is

Anti-Poverty Programs, International, Organizations, Related topics

Yes, this sounds bad; however, this campaign is a great example of how society hinders itself from solving a problem that they are concerned about. On April 7th, 2014, The Pilion Trust Charity asked Londoners to “put their money where their mouths are” by filming their reactions to a man wearing a “F*ck the poor” sign. The video on their blog shows that the Londoners weren’t fans of the statement. However, when the man flipped his sign over to read “Help the poor” and held a donations cup, he was completely ignored by the public. This controversial campaign is the wake up call that not only London society needs, but that all societies dealing with poverty need to be aware of. Their campaign is message is: “We know you care. Please care enough to give”.  What’s the point in caring and being offended by a sign that says “F*ck the poor” if they are doing just that when ignoring a sign that wants to help? We are part of the problem and that is why is it still prevalent today.

Share this campaign and open eyes, because deep down, we all do care and that should be enough motivation to give. Here’s the link to the Pilion Trust’s Blog with the video: http://piliontrust.com.

Internship Progress Report

Anti-Poverty Programs, Homelessness, Hunger, Local organizations, Organizations, Poverty, Solutions to Hunger, Solutions to Poverty

Since 1898, the service association I have been interning at has relied on donations and a system of volunteers to provide services to low income and homeless families, disabled adults, and impoverished seniors of the East Valley. Today, there are 14 paid staff members and several volunteers.

Families that receive support from this location are either homeless or on the brink of homelessness. The many services provided by the organization are aimed at helping families in danger of becoming homeless pull themselves out of the rut that many get stuck in. The organization uses a case management-based approach that makes their care more compassionate and personal. Parents can take free classes on budgeting, parenting, anger management, computer skills, etc. and get job training or help with job searching. Housing assistance is provided through the Home Again program, which helps families move from homelessness to permanent housing through several different programs.

Food, clothing, furniture, and many other supplies needed for living are provided to clients through the distribution center. The distribution center contains the food pantry and the clothing room, where volunteers work daily to sort and organize donations. Families can “shop” for clothes and bedding in the clothing room each month. Volunteers in the food pantry put bags of food together for families of different sizes. Giving families the food in grocery bags makes it look as though they are just taking food home from the store like any other person, saving them from judgment.

The childcare center provides a place for children to go while their parents are in class or counseling or any other service they receive. There are plenty of board games, toys, puzzles, books, and crafts available to keep the children busy while they wait for their parents. On certain days, tutoring and homework help is available to the children as needed, to help them keep up with school. This is a very important aspect of the childcare center, as many of the families have a hard time keeping up with school with so many other things to deal with.

Meals are provided to families every night at 5:30 p.m. The dining room is set up with each family at their own table. Parents go to the kitchen to get the food and bring it back to the rest of the family, rather than every person waiting in line, as is done at many charity services. This makes the dining experience more relaxed, dignified, and comfortable for the entire family.

This service organization also puts on holiday programs including Christmas gift giving, in which the parents can pick out and wrap presents for their children, Thanksgiving and Easter meals, Easter baskets, and Easter egg hunts. These are fun experiences that every child deserves to have, and which could not be possible without the volunteer help and donations from the community.

All of these services have helped families in need immensely over the 100+ years that the volunteer-based organization has been around. It is clear that this association understands that everyone deserves respect and dignity and treats its clients with compassion and care.

126,000 Millionaires & 58,000 Homeless

About being poor, Anti-Poverty Programs, Solutions to Homelessness

In this Huffington Post blog post by Joel John Roberts, an interesting solution to homelessness in L.A. is presented. Roberts reports that there are 126,000 millionaires in the Los Angeles area, living it up in their mansions and driving their Lamborghinis past the 58,000 people living on the street. What if the millionaires of L.A. took care of the homeless? Roberts suggests a “Two-for-One” program, where two millionaires can “pay for a person’s mental health care. Pay for the cost of rehab. Provide the means to get a job. Cover the tab of an apartment security deposit. And pay $1,000 per month for a tiny apartment.” Though this suggestion is not a completely serious one, it proves a point. It shows how ridiculously huge the gap is between the rich and the poor and it shows how easy it could be to solve the issue of homelessness in L.A. and other stratified cities in the U.S., if the people at the top only cared enough to do so. As Roberts states, “We [Los Angeles] are the epitome of the first world clashing with the third.” I believe that this solution could work, if only there weren’t so many stigmas against the homeless. If we could open people’s eyes and show them the reality of the homeless issue, they would understand that it can happen to anyone and that the people who live on the streets are not “lazy” or “just looking for a handout,” and they would be eager to help.

What do you think about this solution to homelessness? Would it ever happen? If it did happen, would it really work?

What are some other creative solutions to homelessness that you think would solve the problem?

“Housing first. Community next.”

Anti-Poverty Programs, Government programs, Homelessness, News link, Organizations, Solutions to Homelessness

This blog post from the Huffington Post provides an interesting insight on a possible solution to homelessness. What Joel John Roberts argues is that the key aspect of solving homelessness is a sense of community. Only three weeks into this course, we have already seen several examples of the importance of a simple human connection. A perfect quote regarding this comes from the film “Taylor’s Campaign” (1997): “we are not just looking for a handout, but are looking for just a hand.”  Though charity and “handouts” help, people do not want to be seen as a project; something to be fixed and then forgotten about. The homeless want to be a part of the community, just like everyone else. The only way to really help these people is to extend our kindness and humanness to them. The program described in the article has made a lot of progress in housing homeless people, yet the author/agency director even acknowledges that it needs to be taken a step further in order to maintain this progress. As Roberts states, “A weekly visit from a case worker, or an open case management office in the building, does not create an intimate, supportive community for a person who has been isolated on the streets for years.” He stresses the importance of a supportive and warm community that can ease homeless back into housed living. People too often forget how easy it is to make a person feel like a human being. Solutions to homelessness need to take a step further and include humanity and caring.