Everyone knows that there are people who need help. It's a duty we all have to help those less fortunate. Many people give money, and when even small amounts are combined there can be significant and life changing results. Others give of themselves by serving meals at shelters, collecting warm coats for elementary school kids, or holding fundraisers. Inner city charities that seek to help the urban poor need our support.
The problems of those who live in the heart of our cities are easy to ignore. Many who live in the suburbs and work in professional surroundings never see those who are confined to the slums. Urban renewal has brought life and glitter to downtown areas. However, the people who used to live there, however shabbily, have not disappeared. They have simply been relocated to other, maybe worse, sections of town.
Fortunately, there are those who seek to help these invisible people. Cities have large populations of homeless folk who live on the streets and exist in a shadowy world that is not easy to understand. Tourists give them dollars, church groups go downtown with new socks, underwear, and winter clothes, and other benefactors may serve meals in the parks or hand out still-warm hot dogs.
Stable, permanent organizations are most effective because they function year-round, night and day offering dependable aid. Shelter is a huge problem for those down on their luck. The loss of a job may mean eviction for non-payment of rent, even for families with small children. Shelters and missions open their doors to those who otherwise might have to sleep in their car or in doorways and alleys.
Often the meal that a shelter or mission provides is the only one the truly poor get. Recreational facilities for children keep them off the streets after school, mean that they won't have to go home to an empty house, and make gang membership less attractive. Having the hope of a college education can keep youngsters in school and give them the future they deserve. Learning English can help an immigrant get and keep a job.
The organizations that provide hands-on help may be supported by foundations that make coordinated efforts possible. A foundation may be sponsored by one wealthy individual or by a corporation. Support may be financial, by raising public awareness of a problem, or by hosting fundraising efforts. Many social functions have a humanitarian aspect, even if all that most see is the red carpet.
Whether someone decides to help by writing a check, serving meals at a shelter, helping tutor a student, donating used clothes, or attending a fundraiser is a matter of choice. The first step is in recognizing a need, acknowledging that disadvantaged people need help and may not survive without it, and making a decision to do something about it.
Some may give a lot, others a little. If all you can do is give up your morning latte and drink the free stuff at the office, so be it. If all of us pull together, everything counts. Give of your time and talents even if you can give money, too. The more we do, the better things will be for everyone.
The problems of those who live in the heart of our cities are easy to ignore. Many who live in the suburbs and work in professional surroundings never see those who are confined to the slums. Urban renewal has brought life and glitter to downtown areas. However, the people who used to live there, however shabbily, have not disappeared. They have simply been relocated to other, maybe worse, sections of town.
Fortunately, there are those who seek to help these invisible people. Cities have large populations of homeless folk who live on the streets and exist in a shadowy world that is not easy to understand. Tourists give them dollars, church groups go downtown with new socks, underwear, and winter clothes, and other benefactors may serve meals in the parks or hand out still-warm hot dogs.
Stable, permanent organizations are most effective because they function year-round, night and day offering dependable aid. Shelter is a huge problem for those down on their luck. The loss of a job may mean eviction for non-payment of rent, even for families with small children. Shelters and missions open their doors to those who otherwise might have to sleep in their car or in doorways and alleys.
Often the meal that a shelter or mission provides is the only one the truly poor get. Recreational facilities for children keep them off the streets after school, mean that they won't have to go home to an empty house, and make gang membership less attractive. Having the hope of a college education can keep youngsters in school and give them the future they deserve. Learning English can help an immigrant get and keep a job.
The organizations that provide hands-on help may be supported by foundations that make coordinated efforts possible. A foundation may be sponsored by one wealthy individual or by a corporation. Support may be financial, by raising public awareness of a problem, or by hosting fundraising efforts. Many social functions have a humanitarian aspect, even if all that most see is the red carpet.
Whether someone decides to help by writing a check, serving meals at a shelter, helping tutor a student, donating used clothes, or attending a fundraiser is a matter of choice. The first step is in recognizing a need, acknowledging that disadvantaged people need help and may not survive without it, and making a decision to do something about it.
Some may give a lot, others a little. If all you can do is give up your morning latte and drink the free stuff at the office, so be it. If all of us pull together, everything counts. Give of your time and talents even if you can give money, too. The more we do, the better things will be for everyone.
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