Sometimes people get overwhelmed with trying to help their favorite causes by making things more difficult than they need to be. Advocating for the homeless is no different. 

You don't need to be the leader of a huge organization or a millionaire to help the homeless. Advocating for those faced with homelessness can be achieved with ordinary acts. 

Bake pies for the local shelter program

While people living on the streets could use more wholesome meals, maybe pie baking is your gift. Your pies could be a welcome addition after a balanced meal at the local soup kitchen. Pies may not be an absolute necessity. But comfort foods can help bring back good memories. Plus, even when you're homeless, you deserve a nice treat now and then too. 

Give blankets to homeless kids

Are you good at sewing? Maybe you're just good at shopping. Either way, try donating blankets that homeless kids can use. A blanket may seem like a simple thing to you or me. But many homeless people go without blankets every day and children are our most vulnerable citizens. 

Volunteer for uncommon activities

Do you know of a local shelter or other organization for the homeless? Try volunteering to read to kids, teach kids to read, do a magic show, take a family on a fun outing, and more. There are many possibilities. Volunteering to do the uncommon things can make a big difference, even when the act seems small. 

Stacey Carroll - Contributing writer

Living on minimum wage or close to it is nearly impossible.  It’s a horrible situation and worse than living paycheck to paycheck because you have to decide whether to eat or pay rent or other utility bills.  I know because I lived it, and I am still living it.

At one point in my life, I had a job where I was working 40 hours a week at $8.10 an hour.  I was bringing home $998 a month after taxes. That's $12,000 a year or $1,500 a year more than the poverty line for one person. No matter what the government says, I was living in poverty. My rent was $630 a month. My electricity was $120 a month. My cell phone bill was $75 a month, and my internet was $45 a month. That left me with $128 to buy food, essentials, and gas for the month or $32 a week.

Gas

Since I lived a mile from work, I put $10 in gas in my car every week for a monthly total of $40. That was enough to get me to and from work. It was not enough to take me anywhere else, so I did all my shopping at work since I worked in a large retail store.

Essentials

With $20 left for the week, I had to budget for all my essentials. The number one thing I needed for the month was toilet paper, and I spent $6.98 a month on toilet paper. I spent .74 a bottle on shampoo and conditioner, and I needed two bottles of each a month for a total of $2.96. I bought 3-packs of ivory hand soap for .97 cents, and one bottle of dish soap for $1. Both of those items lasted the entire month for a total of $1.97. I bought one tube of toothpaste for the month at $1. I didn't buy laundry soap. I used dish soap to wash dishes and clothes. The total monthly cost of all my essentials was $12.91 or $3.23 a week.

Food

After buying my essentials, I had $16 a week leftover for food. I'd buy a bag of rice for 82 cents, four packages of smoked sausage for $5.56, four cans of pork and beans for $2.60, and six $1 frozen pizzas. I'd eat a pizza for breakfast, skip lunch, and eat either beans and rice for dinner or beans and smoked sausage. It was a total weekly cost of $14.98. I did not buy bread, milk, eggs or cereal. All of those items were too expensive for my budget.

After taxes, my total weekly expenses were $30.63

The Other $2

My budget at the top says that I had $32 a week to spend. Yet, I only spent $30. The other $2 I regularly lent out to my coworkers who had to drive farther or couldn't afford lunch. Two dollars was three quarters of a gallon of gas at the time, and could mean the difference between getting to work on Friday and not getting to work. For others, $2 meant being able to afford lunch. Even though I was struggling to feed myself and get to work, some of my coworkers were worse off.

by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer

I had the pleasure of meeting two representatives of Soles4Soles at BlogHer ’11 in San Diego where I was able to learn more about the organization and what it stands for. Chris and Jeremy were two of the nicest guys, although guys were in limited supply at BlogHer, a girl could meet. You can see in their eyes how much the organization means to them and why the cause is so close to their hearts.

Since I don’t know when any of you will be able to meet Chris or Jeremy at an event, I decided I should tell you a little bit more about the organization and what they are doing to make a difference in the world today.

Soles4Souls, Inc. was founded by Wayne Esley in 2004 following the devastating tsunami that hit Southeast Asia. A picture of a single shoe washed ashore triggered an idea that would lead Esley to creating Soles4Souls, Inc. and help put shoes on over 15 million pairs of feet worldwide. 

Some might ask, “Why shoes?” The truth of the matter is that shoes can prevent infections, diseases, burns, and other injuries that could lead to health issues later in life. Soles4Souls “Why Shoes?” webpage sums up the importance of shoes especially for children, “With the number of children living in abject poverty and therefore surviving at a scavenger's existence, the feet are at tremendous risk as the child hunts for food or household items in garbage dumps, abandoned housing/construction areas, or while crossing through open sewer trenches and contaminated areas.”

The organization takes new and gently used shoes, cleans them up, and then delivers them to those in need. Soles4Souls has delivered over 15 million pairs of shoes domestically and internationally. Volunteers with the organization have delivered shoes to children and families in need in over 127 countries. 

Shoes are not the only concern for Esley and his volunteers. Clothing, toys, furniture and building materials are all items that can provide support to victims of natural disasters and those living in extreme poverty. Soles4Souls’ other two divisions, Clothes4Souls and Hope4Souls, focus on these efforts.

Visit Soles4Souls to find out how you can make a difference by cleaning out your closet, hosting a fundraiser or taking a trip to deliver shoes to those in need. 

More by Linda:

Brazil’s “Zero Hunger” Program Offers Hope for the War on Poverty Worldwide

Child Poverty: America's Rising Crisis

World Humanitarian Day: Celebrating the Men and Women Making a Difference

Yum! Brands, Inc. Fights Hunger in Africa with $1M

by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer

Brazil is giving hope to the world by leading in the war on poverty. The country has seen dramatic changes over the years in how many people are going hungry. In 2003 over 17 million Brazilians were living in extreme poverty. That number dropped to nine million in 2009. It still means that nine million people are living in poverty, but it also means that the social programs being used to combat poverty and hunger are working.

The new Director-General of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Jose Graziano da Silva, was previously a food security minister for Brazil. He was also one of the creators of the nation’s “Zero Hunger” social programs. One of the programs is “Bolsa Familia” or “Family Grant” which gives money directly to poor households. Graziano has stated that one of his first priorities for the FAO is to eradicate hunger.

“Bolsa Familia” is the social program that can be credited with helping Brazil’s extreme poverty numbers drop. Graziano believes that the “Zero Hunger” programs should be a model for other nations. According to Fox News Latino, Graziano believes that the “strong institutional framework” including the right to food in Brazil’s constitution and working closely with civic groups are the strength behind Zero Hunger.

Graziano stated, “These two pillars are what make the Brazilian program so attractive for the world.”

Last year it was estimated that 925 million people worldwide suffered from malnutrition, hunger, and poverty by the U.N. food program. A fear that the numbers are already on the rise due to the hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa, rising food prices globally, and economic collapses is well founded. The social program initiatives under “Zero Hunger” should be a great starting point for governments all over the world to give hope to those living in extreme poverty.

Some of the initiatives under “Zero Hunger” include “Bolsa Familia”, job training for women, support for small farmers, and running restaurants that serve 50-cent meals. 

More by Linda:

Child Poverty: America's Rising Crisis

Soles4Souls: Over 300 Million Children are Without Shoes

World Humanitarian Day: Celebrating the Men and Women Making a Difference

Yum! Brands, Inc. Fights Hunger in Africa with $1M

by Linda St.Cyr, Contributing Writer

A student, Drew Mirolli, at North Paulding High School in Georgia is a founder of a non-profit organization that collects food and clothing for people in need. The non-profit called Operation Poverty has raised close to $13,000 to stock up a local food pantry and to help rebuild a girls’ dormitory in Uganda. As great as those things are, that is not what sets Operation Poverty apart from other non-profits that focus on helping those in need.

Operation Poverty believes that in order to understand the crisis of homelessness and poverty you have to experience it. The organization issued a challenge to the students of North Paulding High School- to sleep outside and live on $2 a day with daily rations of oatmeal, small PB&J sandwiches and ramen noodles. Over 200 students joined in “Challenge Week” with some dropping out along the way. 

When the Atlanta Journal-Constitution asked Mirolli if anyone dropped out of “Challenge Week” Mirolli responded, “We had a couple of freshman girls — it is just a little too hard. That almost makes me happy. That means that they are actually experiencing what it’s like.”

Mirolli was honored earlier this month in Washington D.C. for his outstanding community service. He was awarded the Prudential Spirit of Community Award which recognized outstanding service by middle and high school students. Mirolli is graduating this year but has passed the challenge project onto a senior at a rival high school He hopes that Operation Poverty will go nationwide with more and more students getting involved. 

You can read Ann Hardie’s full interview with Drew Mirolli at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

by Lyn Lomasi, Staff Writer

“The most called-upon prerequisite of a friend is an accessible ear.” ~ Maya Angelou

Are you accessible to those around you? Be it business or personal, you should always lend an ear. 

Not only can being accessible strengthen trust and relationships. But it is also vital to solving important issues. 

What does this have to do with poverty or homelessness?

Think about it. 

In order to be successful in getting the most help out to those who really need it, a program needs to be very accessible. Also think in terms of support and encouragement. Like Ms. Angelou says, lend an ear. Listen to your client, friend, or family member in need. I mean really listen hard and be there for them. That is the first step to helping someone succeed in life. Without the inspiration and desire to do so, all the assistance in the world is not going to matter. If someone is not encouraged, it will be a wasted effort. If you offer help that is not easily accessed, it is a wasted effort. But when you are accessible in times of need, this can make all the difference in someone's life. 

So, the next time a client, acquaintance, or friend comes to you for help, be accessible. 

by  Michael Thompson, Contributing Writer

In America, poverty doesn't always involve lacking enough money to eat or to pay the bills. Poverty often is the experience of viewing the affluent society.

Consider jewelry. A poor person, for lack of access, may covet gold or fine diamonds.

Here's a question: Are supposedly unbreakable diamonds all they're cracked up to be? Following is a short passage from the book Ad Nauseam, which examines the U.S. consumer mentality and in the process delves into the gaps between rich and poor:

"In the late 1800s, the Oppenheimer family established a diamond monopoly with its company, DuBeers. At the time, diamonds were practically worthless compared to other gems, but DuBeers set out to change that by limiting their supply, driving up the price.

"In the 1930s .... DuBeers turned its focus to marketing. The company gave Hollywood starlets hefty stones, arranged glamour photo shoots, and script-doctored movies to include scenes of jewelry shopping. .... And DuBeers visited high schools to teach girls about the value of diamonds.

"In 1947, DuBeers' ad agency came up with the massively successful slogan, '˜A diamond is forever,' which implied that diamonds don't crack, break, or lose value. They do, but it needn't have mattered. Thanks to clever marketing, the diamond came to symbolize true love and diamond rings became an inseparable part of courtship and marriage."

One might logically ask, if all this is true, why would a poor person care about jewelry? As they used to call it when we were young and in school: Peer pressure. Sad, but true.

by  Michael Thompson, Contributing Writer

We are hearing that the federal poverty rate of 14.3 percent in the highest since the 1960s.

Before criticism is directed at President Barack Obama, however, consider these points:

1) Obama fought to extend unemployment benefits, but an individual who receives $300 still heads a family in poverty. $300 per week equals $15,000 per year. The federal poverty income is about $20,000 for a family of four.

2) Obama pushed to raise the minimum wage to $7.25 an hour. Anyone lucky enough to get full-time hours in the minimum wage economy still is bringing home a scant $290 per week .... again, below the poverty level.

These folks may officially remain in poverty under Obama, but they would be in far worse shape if he had not been elected president. Health care legislation eventually will bring them into the system as well.

by  Michael Thompson, Contributing Writer

Wal-Mart stores have been selling red-white-and-blue T-shirts that were especially popular prior to the Fourth of July. They display a map of the U.S.A., awkwardly patterned with the Stars & Stripes obliterating the Pacific Northwest. They are a real bargain at only $2, although they give an appearance that the map and the flag may fade quite quickly when washed, after all, the name of the manufacturer is “Faded Glory.” Is that a metaphor for how these sweat-shop cheap imports are contributing to global poverty? The shirts are made in Guatemala, by workers who earn an average of 53 cents an hour.

According to the organization Globalization and the Poor, average Third World hourly wages for apparel workers are 13 cents in Bangladesh, 26 cents in Vietnam, 34 cents in Indonesia, 44 cents in China, 49 cents in Haiti, and 75 cents in Nicaragua. This makes average pay in places like El Salvador ($1.38) and the Dominican Republic ($1.62) seem downright lucrative.

Some globalization apologists argue that U.S. companies actually are paying more than domestic manufacturers in the Third World, and that if the Americans were to pull out, global poverty would become even more severe.

There’s a solution, according the group Global Watch – an international minimum wage. All sorts of trade agreements are governed under the World Trade Organization. Why not this?

And the next time you see an item or a product that displays a U.S. flag, check the label!


SOURCES

http://www.independent.org/publications/working_papers/article.asp?id=1369

http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Reforming_System/TimeLivingWage.html