Hand Up Foundation (HUF)
April 19, 2009
Doug & Christie Devin are the founders of “ (HUF)” whom we met today in Milton, Pennsylvania. HUF has a wonderful recycling company and thrift store to name just two of the endeavors launched in just 4 short years. The recycling facility is small in size but extensive in scope. They are capable of recycling plastics, paper, cardboard, computers, televisions, appliances, clothing, batteries, ink cartridges, and I may be leaving a few items out!
They resell the Freon and copper from air conditioning units. They have youth and community service where remanded teens and adults work on equipment or in the warehouse. HUF also employs 18 full and part-time personnel. They have a classroom and certified trainers teaching life skills development.
HUF’s thrift store only sells the best of the best clothing without any snags or blemishes. The items are hung neatly on hangers and they plan the sales schedule seasonally in conjunction with Wal-Mart’s schedule. HUF repairs donated automobiles to give them to people who need to use them specifically to obtain and commute to work. Milton, PA is a rural community and work is hard to find. Transportation is crucial to get around and jobs are often found in surrounding neighborhoods which may be in excess of 30 – 45 minute.
HUF helps elderly homeowners with needed upgrades on their homes. Doug and his board are planning to purchase a building to provide the community of Milton Pennsylvania with an emergency shelter so that runaway teens, battered women, and men who are homeless can have a temporary place to stay to get back on their feet. They do all this on a mere $650,000 budget. The exciting and remarkable thing about “Hand Up Foundation” is that 85% of their budget is from revenue from their businesses, or as we in the non-profit world would call them ‘social enterprises.’ Yes, revenue not just donations. So in this economically strapped time in which giving is down, HUF has found a way to profit and not just stay afloat but to prosper in their quest to serve the less fortunate and disenfranchised. Now this epitomizes the scripture, “blessed to be a blessing!” Genesis 12:1-3
Situational Vs. Generational Poverty
April 16, 2009
We must understand poverty in respect to our current national financial dilemma in order to clearly identify what families are going through today. Many families have been hit by tremendous hardship as foreclosure has hit all time highs. Increasing numbers of people are facing a change of class while they attempt to pick up the pieces.
Generational poverty and situational poverty while similar have very different beginnings and sometimes outcomes. People of generational poverty are “those who have two or more generations living in poverty.” Many of these families live together in large groups, rent versus own property, and struggle to make economic choices toward a better way of life.
Situational poverty is just that: based on dire and often unexpected circumstances. We can remember them as the 7 D’s: Divorce, Death, Disease, Downsized, Disabled, Disasters and Debt. These individuals have never experienced poverty prior to their situation and have their experiences in middle class (or higher) to draw upon.
Individuals in generational poverty are inexperienced with other class systems and the hidden rules of class are foreign to them. People in situational poverty often have relationships and resources at their disposal that assist them in reclaiming their prior living status.
Those in generational poverty often ostracize family members or friends who seek to leave for middle class, at times claiming they have ‘sold out.’ It is important for those who seek to enhance their living environment and economic standing to be willing to disconnect from these relationships even if only temporarily in order to achieve success. This can be a deal breaker for some as relationships are paramount to the psychological security of people of generational poverty. Many find themselves staying in abusive dysfunctional relationships because it is better to be in a dysfunctional relationship than to be alone.
Poor & Indigent
April 13, 2009
I conduct workshops around the country that attempt to bring understanding to the plight of homeless, addicted, imprisoned mentally ill and poor individuals of our society. The individuals listed in one or more of these categories in today’s society have it extremely rough. They are called indigent – which means “a level of poverty in which real hardship and deprivation are suffered and the comforts of life are wholly lacking.”
Poverty is defined as “the extent to which one does without resources”. Primary resources include: Financial, Emotional, Mental, Spiritual, Physical, Support Systems, Relationships/ Role Models and Knowledge of Hidden Rules.
There are two types of poverty, generational poverty and situational poverty. While similar, they have very different beginnings and often outcomes. While presenting a workshop on understanding poverty at the City Gospel Mission, I was presented with the question, “What about the poor in spirit?” I have another blogg about the “poor in spirit” that you can read.
The literal poor have very limited resources where as the “poor of spirit” who are not in poverty economically have at their disposal many more resources even if they abuse or don’t use them. The “poor of spirit” are not systematically marginalized nor oppressed by the larger society. The “poor of spirit” are not cloistered into one class system.
God cares for the lost and hurting regardless of class or status, but in the workshop “Consider the Poor” we learn to become more knowledgeable of the culture and issues that are important to the poor prior to attempting to ‘save’ them from their plight. Some individuals want a better way of life but are very content with living in urban or rural America. So I am not advocating that the poor must automatically desire or transition to middle class communities. We should be creating communities with all socioeconomic classes living harmoniously together. What do you think?
Delivered
April 2, 2009
A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. John 16:21
Deliver: to formally hand over, to launch or aim, to provide something promised or expected, to give birth to. From the Latin de ‘away’ + ‘liberare ’set free.’
A baby is born. An idea is birthed. A task is completed. A book written. The bows are taken. The business is launched. What has been a long, arduous, and often painful process is now complete. Though you have been tense throughout the delivery process - the moment’s here now. It’s done. You’ve crossed the finish line and there is that exhale of relief, and exhilaration: a sense of accomplishment - even if you had to limp over that line!
You check to see if all of the ‘fingers and toes’ are present. In some cases the baby’s a bit premature and must have constant care to survive. A few people discover that they had more than one baby inside of them!
You think to yourself, “I can’t believe I was that stressed! I can’t believe I worried so much over this, that I was so cranky and irritable. Did I really curse the father out? Did I really want to give up?” Hey! Look at my baby!!!!
This beautiful natural or spiritual baby that grew inside me has been launched: free to grow, free to leave a legacy, free to change the world. An unspeakable joy comes immediately, because something has been created through us that never existed before!
