ProjectGiveBack.org

 

The Evolving Portrait of Poverty

By Ransom Miller, III – Project GiveBack Founder
November 13, 2010

As we gear up for the final push to solicit financial and volunteer support for the Project GiveBack 16th Annual Thanksgiving Food Distribution I began to reflect on our journey which began in 1995 in the break room of consulting firm Thompson, Cobb, Bazilio and Associates. That year we collected money from colleagues and purchased Thanksgiving Food Baskets for six families the Saturday before the holiday centered on giving thanks. We leveraged the compassionate hearts of those who were doing well financially against those who had fell upon hard times. For the past 16 years, the focus of soliciting individuals, corporations and organizations and providing resources to the neediest among us has been a primary focus for Project GiveBack. Since that time, we have watched our economy dip and dodge around, but since 2007, we have witnessed a vicious surge in the amount of families that find themselves in a position of need. Early on, we depended heavily on the local and federal poverty agencies to provide family lists, but in recent years we have developed partnerships with like minded organizations, churches, homeless shelters and other groups who have proven to be efficient in identifying people in need.

Several of the individuals and families we serve deal with issues most of us cannot even comprehend. Do I buy groceries or pain medicine? Do I pay my electric bill or buy metro card so I can get to work? Do I buy diapers for my child or assist my mother with her car note. These dilemmas are real and far too common in our community. Unfortunately, these issues are not new to us. The most compelling phenomenon we have noticed is the increasing number of situations where a faithful Project GiveBack supporter finds him/herself in a position of need. This is a typical representation of what several community groups and who service underprivileged individuals and families. The evolving portrait of poverty is a true reality. The faces of those dealing with poverty issues are becoming more familiar. Your neighbor, your cousin, even your coworker could be masking their poverty due to the unfair and downright cruel stereotypes that plague poverty stricken individuals. Most people who find themselves in this position attempt to hide it for fear of embarrassment from their peers and sometimes even family. Though there are plenty of cases where shiftlessness and laziness have led to poverty conditions, we are increasingly seeing highly educated/skilled people in this unchartered unprivileged territory. Job loss and reduction in work hours due to company cutbacks and budgetary issues are obvious reasons for this evolution. However the growing underemployed population should be considered in this evolving portrait as well.

As a young man, I often saw social ills and pontificated on ways to cure them. In my short 40 years, I have learned that some remedies are beyond my span of control. On a grand scale, poverty is one of those tough issues that men and women much smarter, more enthusiastic, more ingenious, and more resourceful than I have been unable to fully address. While we may not be able to fully address this issue, WE CAN (and will) Make a Difference in the lives of some dealing with poverty and hunger in our area. On November 20, 2010 hundreds of volunteers will take over Bell Multicultural High School in Washington DC in an effort to provide food baskets to 1,000 needy families in the DC, Maryland and Virginia Area. It’s not too late to join our honorable quest. Visit www.projectgiveback.org to see how you can volunteer and make a charitable donation to this effort.