The Journey

As I began my senior project I was aware that poverty was an issue not just in America but in our area.  After completing my project I can confidently say to what extent poverty is impacting those around us. Poverty, especially after the recession of 2008, is a problem that society should be more concerned with. "Between 2007 and 2009 the number of people below the poverty level jumped by 4.9 million". This statistic alone demonstrates the vast impact the recession had and as Jesse Carswell analyzes " There was a drastic increase in the need for public assistance, public and non-profit, a significant increase in unemployment and a higher number of families and individuals identifiable as poor in Burke County."  Many people perceive those in poverty to be job-less and homeless.  The working poor make up a substantial percentage of those in poverty, especially after the recession. "Due to the major loss of job cuts and layoffs, companies tended to layoff the jobs at the bottom of the socioeconomic ladder that are typically held by the working poor" says Jesse Carswell. Along with the working poor seeing great effects so did single-parent households. The impacts many families faced such as layoffs or cut hours had double the impact on single-parent households as a layoff of one job would result in no income. Even years later those in poverty are still seeing the long-term effects of The Recession and are still trying to overcome those obstacles.

So what is being done? In our area I have learned the powerful impact The Meeting Place Mission has had on ending poverty and homelessness. I saw firsthand how they don't just give those in need a place to stay and a warm meal, they enable those in need for a better future by providing them with resources necessary to transition out of poverty and live a stable life. At the Burke Women and Children's Shelter, I saw how although a warm bed and meal was provided, the access to a computer for job hunting and applications as well as helping them find affordable housing and free clinics were just as beneficial to those in need of a helping hand. Through volunteering at the Burke Women and Children's Shelter, I had the opportunity to see firsthand what it takes to keep this shelter running and meet the women who benefited from this shelter. I loved having the chance to work with Natalie, and I saw how she connects with each person who walks through the door and how her encouraging words comfort all.

Throughout this journey I have learned that poverty is a growing issue in our society, especially since the recession of 2008. And awareness needs to be brought to this topic so people can see what is being done in our area and what they can do to help. Through The Meeting Place Mission I saw poverty in our community firsthand and I hope through this blog, I brought awareness to the great work they are doing and how you can help as well!


 http://www.brookings.edu/research/papers/2010/10/07-suburban-poverty-acs-kneebone

What Can YOU Do?

So far throughout this blog I have highlighted what The Meeting Place Mission is doing for those in need in our community, but what can YOU do? There are so many ways to assist The Meeting Place Mission in the great work they are doing.  And after reading this blog I hope you feel compelled to do so by contributing to the great work already being done. As a non-profit organization, donations are what keeps The Meeting Place Mission running and able to help those in poverty. Here are some ways you can donate:

Native Grace is a fair trade company that is generously giving 40% of all sales now thru March 31st to The Meeting Place Mission.  Use the code: HOME when you checkout.
Native Grace Website  code: HOME

Go to Bloomin' Bucks Website and from a drop down menu of all of the organizations registered, select to support The Meeting Place Mission.  From there you will be sent to Brent and Becky's Bulbs Website where you can order what ever you want, i.e. bulbs, tools and books. 25% of every purchase will go to The Meeting Place Mission. With spring right around the corner, this is a great way to get a head start on your garden while donating simultaneously.

Shop the popular low priced and vast selection of Amazon by visiting Amazon Smile.  Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization. Choose Amazon Smile to shop the Amazon we all love while donating to a great organization.

Visit The Meeting Place Mission Website and go to the SHOP tab at the bottom of the screen to shop through the merchandise which consists of t-shirts, mugs and more. Your purchase will benefit this organization.

Lastly, although these are all great ways to donate to The Meeting Place Mission, I challenge everyone who visits this blog to give $10 by going to The Meeting Place Mission Website and going to the Donate Today tab where you can use PayPal to donate. $10 is a small amount, but if everyone who has visited this blog so far had given $10, over two thousand dollars would have already been donated to an organization that does so much for the ones in need around us. Now it is time for YOU to help with ending homelessness.

Programs

Although I have been volunteering primarily at the Burke Women and Children's Shelter I wanted to share information about the two other great programs The Meeting Place Mission has. FACES is a transitional housing program that provides families with assistance so they can transition out of homelessness and into permanent housing. FACES  stands for Families Adjusting, Changing, Evolving Safely. Each family develops a plan and receives assistance in achieving their goal. Although each family has different needs in terms of time to reach their goal and help needed in accomplishing their goal, The Meeting Place Mission is committed to helping every family succeed.

The Men's Transitional Program is for homeless men that are recovering from alcoholism or substance abuse. Not only are housing and meals provided but also counseling and  job placement. These services not only give immediate assistance but will in the future as well through the obtained job skills and counseling they receive. This program transitions residents into permanent housing through building goals and plans that will lead to a lasting, permanent change.

Here is a picture of the FACES house

Volunteering Experience

When I arrived at The Burke Women and Children's  Shelter I was greeted by Natalie who is a bubbly and sweet woman and in my previous post I shared the great things I learned about her and the role she has as house manager. The shelter is open 7 days a week, 5pm to 8am and is an emergency shelter for those in need. Behind the scenes a lot of work goes into keeping the shelter running. Keeping the shelter, sheets and laundry clean and hot meals ready is definitely a full-time job. Natalie and I  started preparing for intake which is from 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm  and is when women and children in need of a place to stay can arrive at the shelter to spend the night. At 4:00 pm preparing for intake  includes folding laundry, preparing dinner, and making sure the shelter is clean and ready for all who may come. At 5:00 pm those looking for a warm bed to lay their head for the night and a hot meal after a cold winter day started arriving. Seeing these woman so grateful to have their clothes cleaned and the ability to take a hot shower made me realize how quickly we can forget that not everyone has these simple luxuries we take for granted. It is one thing to read statistics such as 108 people were counted as homeless in Burke County in January 2012 and 19% of these were women but it is a truly humbling feeling to see the faces of people who are living these statistics.

Besides what the shelter provides for these women and children during their stay, resources are also provided that can help them on their way of overcoming their current situation.  Natalie helps those in the shelter become aware of resources such as where free meals, clinics, and transportation are available along with where they can find affordable housing. While many women that take shelter here have jobs, it proves that it is not enough to make ends meet.  For those that don't have a job, they can take advantage of the computer to search for jobs and to complete online applications.

"The shelter provides stability and peace of mind" says Natalie and throughout my time volunteering this definitely rang true because as an emergency shelter it provides women the security of knowing there is a place for them to stay as long as necessary and this is priceless and  much needed in our community. The work  being done for those in poverty in Burke County is shown vibrantly at this shelter and was inevitable during my time spent volunteering.

Compassion is Key

My mentor arranged for me the opportunity to volunteer at the Burke Women and Children's Shelter so I could see firsthand what it takes to keep the shelter running as well as see what is being done to help the women and children that come to this emergency shelter in need. Upon arrival I met an amazing woman, Natalie, who is the house manager of the shelter. After interviewing and volunteering with Natalie I have realized that being a house manager takes a very compassionate person who knows the impact they can potentially have on each individual or family who comes through the door and Natalie is just the person who is capable of having a great impact. Her story is one that I'm sure is encouraging to those that come through the shelter because it reveals that she has been in their shoes. After working and not being able to afford transportation to and from work along with the other costs of living she too had to seek  help. But she encourages others by saying "that was a hard time but I got through it and they can too" and continued with "I tell them that this is a speed bump and you just  need to have faith". Not only does Natalie keep the shelter running but she also provides the women and children that come through the door with resources to help them get out of their current situation. I learned a lot from Natalie after volunteering here, check out my next blog post to read more about my experiences at the Women and Children's Shelter.

 

Natalie and I discussing her role and story

The Beginning

I am beginning my senior project learning about poverty in not only America, but in our area. Through this blog I want to bring awareness to not only what is being done, but what you can do to help those in poverty.

People in poverty           NC 17.8%.                  Burke County 20.7%

http://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/county-level-data-sets/poverty.aspx


Having a percentage higher than the state average shows the awareness and action needed for poverty in Burke County. For the project portion of my senior project I will be working with The Meeting Place Mission to see firsthand what is being done in our community. The purpose of The Meeting Place Mission is to assist people who are homeless by providing shelter and meals, being a support system through recovery, and setting goals so that each individual or family can get out of their current situation. The three programs The Meeting Place has are FACES, Men's Transitional and Burke Women and Children's Shelter. By volunteering at the Burke Women and Children's Shelter, I  have learned so much about what this awesome program is doing in our community. I can't wait to share these experiences with you!


The Meeting Place Mission Website