One of the biggest holdbacks in to improving poverty and helping out the homeless is the biggest institution of them all, government. They are the ones who run the show and allow what they want for the businesses and non-profits to do. I was talking with one of the case-managers at the internship that I volunteer at. I found out some interesting information about how the city can really limit the helping that these people and volunteers can do for the non-profits and shelters that help the homeless. The way I found this out was because I was curious why the church had the men’s shelter open for only 3/4ths of the year. I was told that is was because of the city. They only allowed for a permit for that length. They are in the process of fighting it to make it a full year, because it is stupid to kick the people in need out for a few months. The city is also doing sweeps right now and is pushing the homeless on the street out to another neighboring city. It would be a lot more beneficial to put the recourses towards the shelters that house them and not have them be on the street. The shelters are beneficial in the sense that they help the homeless try to find a better place to live, or try to give them the job skills that would allow them to get back up on their feet.
Final Internship Report
Since my last progress report, my internship organization has undergone several positive changes. The first that I observed was their inclusion of healthier items to put in the food boxes. Before this month, the majority of what was donated was high-calorie, fat, and sugar products that were not conducive to a well balanced diet. This was particularly concerning for me as the majority of the clients we were serving were families that had young children. A nutritious diet is essential for children to grow and develop normally and it would be tragic for the children’s health to be comprised due to financial instability. Along with an increase in fruits, vegetables, and healthier items, another food box program has been established to cater to diabetic and gluten-free clients so that they too can benefit from this organization’s food distribution program.
Staff members are also making more of an effort to guide volunteers about how they should interact with clients. One of the core values of this Christian nonprofit organization is that every person, regardless of their race, religion, background, gender, and socioeconomic status is deserving of respect, care, and love. The head of the organization reminded all of us that, “it’s not just about an armful of clothes or a food box, it is the spirit in which it is given.” This message speaks volumes about the organization’s attitude towards those in need. They really endeavor to ensure that each client who walks through the doors is made to feel special and important, instead of degraded or shamed for having to accept a “handout.” This organization does not blame the people it serves for their situations and need for assistance.
My internship makes a massive difference in the lives of the local community whom it serves. However, on a macro level, this organization is not doing much to end hunger and homeless. This is because their efforts are targeted towards providing resources to individuals instead of focusing on challenging the system that creates these types of issues. The Blessing Center’s mission is not to change the structural causes of hunger, but to do what they can to help the individuals whose wellbeing is compromised by it. They do not focus on amending government policies or lobbying for political change relating to such issue. While this does not ultimately work towards eliminating hunger in the United States, the Blessing Center is still a significant organization because of the difference they make in the lives of the community members they feed and clothe.
Internship Report 2
My internship at a domestic violence shelter has been a great experience and I am very glad I got the opportunity to do it, but there are definitely some critiques of the organization I have found, along with the positive things going on. The organization is broken into three sectors: legal, shelter, and administration. During this semester, the administrative sector has been completely reconstructed, the shelter has flooded and needed to have most of the structure replaced, and the legal sector has lost employees. Needless to say, it has been hectic.
There was a dire need for an Executive Director of the organization because there was no one really in charge. There were two people leading the administration and a supervisor at the legal and shelter sectors, but there was not any staff at the top. This was the first change to be made. An Executive Director was brought in to fix some of the things going on in the organization. The main concern was getting the budget back on track. This has been accomplished very well and within a short couple months, she has gotten payroll on track and gotten more grants awarded to the organization. She also has put an evaluation process into play which will really help the staff better understand what is expected of them. I have a lot of faith that this position will really help in a variety of ways. Without a leader, there is just so much disorganization.
The legal sector does great work and I am very proud of their part of the organization. They help people who need to get restraining orders on their partner due to domestic violence. They help anyone who comes into their office and don’t discriminate. I had the least experience working with this sector other than helping with their data entry, but I think they are the most on track. They have a system and it works, and so I don’t see why they would mess with that system.
The shelter sector is where I have spent most of my time. This is also where I see the most problems. The shelter is run very poorly and there is a lot of disorganization. The staff doesn’t know what exactly is expected of them, and the supervisor of the staff is very disorganized herself. The more educated staff and interns are not used well, and are asked to do things such as cleaning and laundry instead of completing tasks they are very capable of. Instead older, uneducated staff is put in charge of the main responsibilities. Education is not the only factor into making a good employee, but it is very important as an advocate for victims of domestic violence. There is a lot of victim blaming and criticizing. I blame this on a lack of training and knowledge on these staff and supervisor’s part.
Overall, I do think the organization does do good work, but in my opinion the shelter sector has a lot of work to do. The number one thing to be done is more training and education for the supervisor because with lack of an educated authority the whole structure falls apart. After educating and training the supervisor, the other staff needs to be better trained. The legal and administrative sectors seem to be on their way, and I believe they will be on track very soon.
ABCs and Rice
This project opened my eyes on several different levels. I thought the most interesting part of this presentation was the degree of creativity needed to overcome problems and how they could solve problems without “red tape” in the way. Creativity is something that’s needed for the problems in the United States because bureaucracy and comprises between politicians makes change very gradual and not immediate enough for the social issues that need addressing now. I thought it was interesting how problem after problem was addressed and handled immediately because as Tammy said, these problems involve real people and real lives that can be visibly seen. I think there’s an unfortunate disconnect in the US between seeing this connection and policymakers at the federal, state, and local levels. At the same time, there’s no bureaucracy in Cambodia and this can have negative effects as well, such as too much transparency, bribery, and lack of organization.
For me it was inspiring to see fellow young people making visible change in the world regarding these topics. I myself have been interested in getting into an interest group or a nongovernmental organization that would address these problems in either the US or in a developing country.
Bring Awareness
We are coming towards the end of semester in this course, hunger and homelessness. One of the most eye opening courses I have had the privilege of taking. We have gone over different aspects of hunger and homelessness from history, to personal stories, to structural issues, to organizations and programs that are established to minimize hunger and homelessness. We are now discussing ways to end this ongoing issue that seems to be increasing. One of the main starting points is raising awareness. Our teaching project will be the start for me and others to take action towards hunger and homelessness. Educating people is one of the simplest forms to take action. I will be teaching and informing a group of young ladies who work with charity and community service. I am know that individuals are aware of homeless yet do not know what truly goes in the lives of the people both experiencing and the staff at facilities whose goal is to decrease hunger and homelessness. This is as i have mentioned before a worldwide issue, seen with our guest speakers from Cambodia. “ABC’s and Rice” is a successful organization that has helped the lives of many in Cambodia, run by Tammy Durand. The passion individuals like Tammy have, is what keeps those experiencing hunger and homelessness on their feet with hope to return to a life of stability. Tammy is admirable. Each community simply needs a group or even an individual to bring awareness and tackle down hunger and homelessness. There is more to hunger and homelessness than you make think. Get informed.
ABC’s and Rice
The past week in class we had two guests, Tammy and Charlie, from ‘ABC’s and Rice, an organization in Cambodia that furthers children’s education. Tammy’s story is inspiring and shows how anyone can make a difference. Her approach to the organization and education children has important characteristics. She is extremely flexible and creative with her goals and how she reaches them. As she was telling us about her organization it seems they are constantly evolving and ready to address the root problems in order for them to be as efficient as possible. She admitted that there were problems as far as debriefing which I found an important problem that many may not consider in this field. It’s important to help others but that does not mean you can ignore your own health and issues.
Charlie works with the network of NGO’s in the region creating sports programs. Of course food and shelter is important and the main concern for those helping and those receiving the aid, however the luxuries are also important part of life. These people not only deserve to eat and have a home, they deserve to live beyond survival. It reminded me of one of our previous readings where shelter inhabitants mention they have no luxury of sleeping in ever. Being able to spend the morning in bed and having time to decompress and have fun with sports are important for mental health that many take for granted. The lack of such luxuries can really take a toll on a person’s overall health. Many people we’ve studied do not have access or time for these luxuries. As a class we have discussed many of the governmental aid programs and various organizations help that are focused on survival. Charlie’s approach to helping provided additional perspectives to consider that humans deserve survival and some luxuries.
This speaker also showed insight to the international hunger and homelessness discourse. This class has focused primarily on the United States homelessness issues. By Tammy’s response to questions and references to Cambodia’s history (particularly that of war and genocide it seems that homelessness that occurs in other countries has their own set of causes and discourses that may not apply in the U.S.
Check out her organization’s website at http://abcsandrice.webs.com/aboutus.htm
Breaking the Cycle of Poverty in Cambodia
Last week in class, we were given the opportunity to look outside the scope of hunger and homelessness in the United States and look at other places around the world. As we reached the point in the semester where we are looking at solutions and what actions are successfully being taken to combat homelessness and poverty globally, we heard from Tammy Durrand the creator of the organization ABC’s and Rice, an organization that educates children and aims to break the cycle of poverty in Cambodia. According to their mission statement, ABC’s and Rice is aimed towards “activating global awareness and helpful resources on the plight of those caught in a cycle of poverty”. These goals are achieved through the out-of-the box thinking and ability to problem solve in order to ensure that children are able to come to school to learn and be given the opportunity for a brighter future.
As most of us were already aware, Tammy discussed the fact that the children that she works with in Cambodia are not given the privileges that children in the United States are allowed. She explained that even with the offer of a free education for children, parents often still cannot afford that because they would lose the needed help of the children in growing and cultivating food necessary for survival. Tammy’s attitude was remarkable, especially after witnessing the level of hunger and hopelessness that she had during her time in Cambodia. She shared with us the affects that this organization has had in her personal life and the ways that it has shaped her as a person forever. Honestly, it was very inspiring to see how the vision of one individual can grow from humble beginnings to the point where the organization is able to help nearly 200 children, with the hope of expanding to reach so many more families.
I think what sets ABC’s and Rice apart from other organizations that we have been a part of throughout our time in our internship positions is the fact that it is focused on the big picture. Instead of just focusing on small goals, the aim of ABCs and Rice is to combat poverty by giving education to as many children as possible. Unlike our internships that we have become familiar with this semester, Tammy described the fact that ABC’s and Rice does not have to struggle with the issue of maneuvering around the “red tape” and having their hands tied when searching for solutions to the problems of their populations. She described that the only thing standing in the way of solving a unique issue is the ability to problem solve and create solutions that can apply.
I think that it was very powerful to see this example of organizations like ABCs and Rice that are actually offering solutions to poverty and homelessness. I think that it is important to stay positive and aware that resolutions are out there that truly make a difference in the lives of those who are impoverished worldwide.
** http://abcsandrice.webs.com/
Global Awareness
Throughout the course of the semester we have learned a lot about homelessness within the United States. But last week, we had a speaker who broke down that wall and opened our eyes to poverty on a worldwide scale. ABC’s and Rice is an organization that raises global awareness of poverty. They are based in Cambodia where they educate young children and give them a bags of rice at the end of each week to help feed their families.
Children around the world are not as priveledged as many children that we see around us. Something that really stuck out to me was that children in other countries often do not go to work becuase their parents cannot afford it. This sounds like a common reason but it was not for the reasons I initially thought. These children do not go to school because their parents need them to work or else their family cannot survive. So if these children were to go to school, not only would their parents not be able to afford it, they would also not be able to afford food which they survive on.
Our guest speaker, Tammy Durrand told us that this was her main objective when starting this organization. She wanted to be able to feed and educate young children to make a lasting impact in their lives. This really opened my eyes because this is often something that we do not think about. Tammy opened our eyes to child poverty on a global scale and this is something that really stuck with me. My plan is to become a teacher, so hearing about the struggles these chidren are enduring on a daily basis was very hard. The goal of the organization is to raise awareness so this is something that we all can do to help. We may not be able to go to Cambodia or start our own organization but we can help existing ones by spreading awareness and encouraging people to give to those who need it most.
To make a donation to ABC’s and Rice or explore their website, click the link below:
If not in our backyard, then where?
An editorial in the Los Angeles Times, “A missed chance for L.A.’s homeless” discusses the need for permanent supportive housing to help the city’s homeless. However, it is too costly to provide this kind of housing. The Cecil Hotel is mention to be able to hold up to 384 homeless people, yet the opportunity will not be taken advantage of. The Los Angeles Neighborhood Council opposed this opportunity because of the area’s historic core and argument’s of the issue that affordable housing has already begun in the “backyards”. The initial problem here is the factor of location. As long as it is “not in my backyard”, then the people of L.A. are supportive of this plan. But if it is not taking place in anyone’s “backyard” then there will be no hope in getting these people of the street. One cannot solve a problem if they are not willing to take the necessary steps, such as accepting affordable housing in more locations, to achieve their goal. If there first priority is to get people housed, officials and the community must support this. Sadly, in this case they are not. This is an extremely frustrating situation, and there is no one to blame but our own selves. We need to be the change, not hinder it.
increasing awareness about homelessness
This week I have spent time on building a workshop on increasing the awareness about homelessness in the United States. I have decided to teach my lesson in the San Bernardino Juvenile Hall to the incarcerated teens many whom have already experienced homelessness or will experience it when they get out of jail. My lesson plan will begin by having defining the definition of homelessness. The federal homeless definition is, people who are living in a place not meant for human habitation, in emergency shelter, in transitional housing, or are exiting an institution where they temporarily resided if they were in shelter or a place not meant for human habitation before entering the institution. There are to main intersecting factors in homelessness which includes personal susceptibility and structural personalities. Personal factors can include: alcohol and drug addictions, mental illness, problem personalities, disabilities, injuries, and family tragedies. Structural conditions include, housing loss, job market changes, hospital closures, drug epidemics, lowered social support. In 2013, PIT (point in time) counts showed that 610,042 people were homeless in the US. Nearly 2/3 of people counted (394,698) were living in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs. 215,344 were counted in unsheltered locations. Since 2007, Pit counts showed a 9% decrease in homelessness (61,846 people). Unsheltered – lowered by 23% (65,143 people) and increased shelter by 1% (3,297 people). California is home to 22% of the nation’s homeless population. To understand where these counts come from and how society counts all the homeless people is done by different methods of methodology for different communities. One example is when a team of 3 goes out early in the morning before sunrise and has a map of the area that they are supposed to cover. 1 is the driver, 1 is the recorder, and 1 is the looker. They drive around counting there best looking under bridges, inside coffee shops, etc. some counts may be counted by sheriffs or city police such as in more difficult places like San Francisco on the golden gate bridge.