What is it like to run out of unemployment benefits?

To find out, take a look at the stories of some of some of our neighbors down the road in Elkhart.

See: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/32555445/ns/us_news-the_elkhart_project

What kind of community do we want to be?

Are we a community that leaves adult workers with no means of supporting themselves or their children once they lose their jobs? Right now, there are many times more people who are unemployed than there are jobs available.

Or are we the kind of community where neighbors help each other through the institutions of our representative democracy as well as through volunteerism and charity?

It is up to each of us to decide, to take a stand, and to act.

How would a Poverty Simulation benefit my organization?

There are many reasons to participate in the Poverty Reduction Initiative's Community Poverty Simulation Workshop on September 29th. Our simulations increase empathy, awareness and offer solutions to reducing poverty.

But what is the specific benefit to your organization?

Businesses:

Poverty simulations are an opportunity to understand the struggles that your employees may be experiencing. With 36% percent of the population in Kalamazoo City in poverty, you have the opportunity to learn what steps your company can make in improving employee satisfaction.

Non-profits:

Gain insight into the personal experiences of the population you serve. Many of our organizations serve the needy, but we often do not realize struggles they endure on a daily basis. The next time you offer a service to the community member, you will reference a unique perspective on how it affects them.

Educators:

We often forget that 39% of children in the City of Kalamazoo are in poverty. Many more are exist in the lower-income bracket. Learn some of the struggles that economically disadvantaged children experience and obtain the tools to be a better communicator and educator.

Churches & faith-based organizations:

Serve the mission of God by leading an example in the community. Simulations will inspire members of your congregation to volunteer. After experiencing a simulation, participants said that they were 74% more likely to work with community resources to assist people living in poverty.

Government Organizations & Officials:

Voters want officials and governments programs that are in touch with the issues in their communities. Better serve the population that you represent and discover ways to advocate on their behalf. Understand the barriers that people living in poverty face every day.

Register now
www.haltpoverty.org

Tuesday, Sept. 29th 2009 from 9am - 12pm
Community Poverty Simulation Workshop
Douglas Community Center
1000 W Paterson St, Kalamazoo, MI 49007

It's not just the Economy...

The beat goes on…the State budget deficit now looks to be over 2 billion dollars and counting. Every revenue hearing produces a bigger number, while the adjusted projections from the last hearing lay on the floor. Where will the deficit end up? How much red-ink will there be. No one seems to know…

Many of our elected officials feel the best way to resolve this issue is cut, cut, cut. While it is reasonable to review each expenditure and be sure we are getting the best value for the investment of our tax dollars, there comes a time, when we have to ask…where’s the revenue?

Michigan is facing a “structural” deficit. The things we tax, the amounts we tax and the way we tax does not provide what is necessary for the state to operate. While we may have bigger problems because of the down-turn in our auto industry dependant economy, we would still face budget problems if GM, Ford and Chrysler were still doing well. It is too easy to blame our lack of revenue on this global economic adjustment.

So where’s the money? How do we increase revenue in a fair and equitable way, keep Michigan competitive, and be sure we are in line with the other 49 states? We do not want to be the outliers, the only ones who tax this or that service, or have exorbitant rates. This makes no sense, when we want to encourage more business and jobs in the state.

The Michigan League for Human Services testified earlier this summer at a hearing in Lansing and offered some excellent options. We may or may not all agree on these options, but they need to be considered. You can learn more by following the link below…if you like some of these ideas, advocate for them with your legislator, and do it now!

http://www.milhs.org/Media/EDocs/BudgetDeficitsWEB.doc

Will preschools make the cut? Families await fate of early education

A decision of whether or not to fund pre-school programs by the state is putting many programs on hold in Southwest Michigan.

"Nine local districts -- Burr Oak, Comstock, Decatur, Lawrence, Marcellus, Portage, Paw Paw, Vicksburg, and White Pigeon -- say their preschool programs are on hold until they get some kind of funding commitment. Several other districts, including the two that run the largest state-funded preschools in the region -- Kalamazoo Public Schools and Allegan Area Educational Service Agency -- say they'll start preschool on schedule but may end the program midyear if funding doesn't come through."

For programs still planning to start, the prospect of "free" education is becoming less and less likely.

"The uncertainty affects only state-funded preschool programs. In addition to the state-funded program some districts, including Portage, have preschool programs for which they charge tuition.

Delton-Kellogg is planning to charge tuition for its preschool for the first time. Bloomingdale may run preschool two full days a week instead of four half-days, to save on transportation costs. Three Rivers will offer bus service to preschoolers at the beginning and end of the school day, but there won't be a noon bus run -- children in the morning session will have to be picked up by parents, and children in the afternoon session will have to be dropped off."

Do you have a child in preschool that will be affected by the cuts? Contact Kevin Lignell at Klignell@haltpoverty.org.

Upcoming Events Focused on Kalamazoo's Homeless Residents

Two upcoming events will provide support services and create awareness around the population of residents who are homeless in Kalamazoo.

Day of Dignity with the Homeless: A One Day Community Fair (3rd annual)

September 12, 2009 from 11:00am - 3:00pm
Martin Luther King Park (N. Rose St. by the Transit Center)

Hosted by the Islamic Relief, Kalamazoo Lend a Hand, Bilal Islamic Center, Kalamazoo Islamic Center, Muslim Student Association & Others. Organizations will be giving away free products including: hygiene packs, new clothing, hot meals, children's toys, school supplies and job information.

Donations are needed to purchase clothing, food & children's items. Make checks payable to Kalamazoo Lend a Hand, 501(c)3 non-profit, or donate online at www.kalamazoolendahand.org. Also accepting item donations such as school supplies, children's toys and backpacks.

For More Info:
269-547-8178
rso.msa@gmail.com
www.kalamazoolendahand.org

Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week

An update from Michelle Schneider at LISC:

The week of November 15-21, 2009 is Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week. This is a time where we look to bring awareness to the issues of hunger and homelessness in our community. It is a time to highlight the work that is being done throughout the year to combat these issues and to bring to the attention of the community that despite our efforts, there isn’t enough being done.

During this week, shelters will hold tours of their facilities, there will be a Poverty Simulation, volunteer activities, neighborhood meetings, speakers at Rotary Clubs, Food Pantry Collection Days, Habitat builds, a showing of “Where God Left His Shoes”, and a donation day where donations can be dropped off at numerous local shelters.

We know that many of your organizations do good work throughout the year to end homelessness and hunger in our community. If you will be hosting an activity such as a food pantry collection day, a film viewing/discussion, group volunteer day, or similar activity during the month of November, we would urge you to consider holding it during Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Please let us know about your events! We will be marketing all of the events together through press releases, flyers, and posters to generate as much momentum around your events as possible. On behalf of those that are hungry and homeless, we must speak up and make this issue known.

Contact Michelle Schneider at mschneider@lisc.org or 269-343-5472 x 6 to have your event listed as part of Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.

Poverty Reduction Initiative
www.haltpoverty.org

Kalamazoo Eastside Block Party a Hit

Last Sunday, I was able to join community residents and leaders for a block party on the Kalamazoo Eastside Neighborhood called "Changing the Face of the Neighborhood." Hosted by the Bilal Islamic Center, the event featured free food and drinks, as well as guest speakers from the Bilal Islamic Center, ISAAC, the Eastside Neighborhood Association, and the Poverty Reduction Initiative.

The speakers expressed their views about building leadership in the community, reaching out to residents, and bringing more resources to the neighborhood. The party will ideally be the first of many upcoming events to be highlighted on the Eastside Neighborhood.

The leaders have many ideas for improving the neighborhood and are looking to engage other empathetic community residents who would like to see more prosperity throughout the community.

The food was delicious and the guests were exceptionally kind, smart and knowledgeable. To summarize, it was great to be a part of this event and I look forward to enjoying similar ones in the future.

Here are some of the pictures from the event thanks to Holly Lantz of ISAAC:

Upcoming Community Events in Kalamazoo

This week features two community events that are certain to impact the residents of Kalamazoo:

Changing the Face of the Neighborhood

Sunday, August 9th, 2009 from 11am - 6pm

Hosted by the Balil Islamic Center
Block Party at East Main/Tremble Intersection (Fish Dock)

Join the Islamic center for a block party on Tremble. There will be food, prayer, and speakers from various organizations talking about issues on the Eastside and their organizations.

Event Schedule:

• 11am-Noon Breakfast
• 12pm-2pm Dawah: Door to Door invitations to Community Residents
• 2pm Dhur salat (noon prayer)
• 2:15pm - 3:00pm Tour of the Peace House and Balil Islamic Center
  
• 3pm - 3:30pm Speakers from various organizations
• 3:30pm - 4pm Keynote address
• 4pm - 6pm Food and Fellowship
• 6pm - 6:30pm Asr salat (Evening prayer)

Kalamazoo Neighborhood Public Meeting
Thursday, August 13th 7pm-8:30pm
The River Church on Bronson Park
302 Academy St., Kalamazoo, MI 49007
Hosted by ISAAC

The success of the Eastside, Northside & Edison is vital to the prosperity of Kalamazoo. Discuss concerns, desires, winnable solutions and commit to improving the neighborhoods.

More counties to follow PRI's lead after Region 3 meeting in Grand Rapids

The meeting last Friday in Grand Rapids determined one certainty in the ongoing regional campaign to reduce poverty in Michigan: It assured that the leadership of the Poverty Reduction Initiative and WMU's Lewis Walker Institute will continue to assist region 3 in a their efforts to reduce poverty in their 11 county district.

What started out as a 9 county coalition in Southwest Michigan is now a 20 county effort that extends from Berrien County in the Southwest corner, all the way to Osceola on the Northeast border. Though the two regions will have different leadership, objectives, and resources, they now will have a greater advantage to share information and work cohesively to reduce poverty on a greater scale.

On Friday, the PRI and Lewis Walker presented to the regions a framework of how to successful organize and implement a strategy for poverty reduction on a large scale. Lewis Walker Director Tim Ready gave a presentation on the poverty issues in West Michigan and presented a model of how to better analyze, combat and eventually reduce poverty in a way that works across county bounders. PRI's Jeff Brown gave the region a vision of how bring together major organizations and use their resources to press for resources towards improving the lives of the impoverished.

Leaders from close to thirty organizations who represented the region voted unanimously to continue working with the PRI and Lewis Walker by using their framework as a model to adapt to their region. Additionally, 4 participants volunteered to be regional leaders and will be responsible for directing the region towards fulfilling its objectives.

Region 3 identified these objectives as the highest priorities in reducing poverty for their counties:

• Expand access to early childhood education
• Increase Jobs
  
• Reduce homelessness and increase housing security

Region 3 is faced with a similar challenge as region 6 because it must navigate across a diverse collection of counties with very distinct and unique problems. Counties such as Kent, Ottawa and Muskegon are heavily urban, while others such as Lake and Osceola are undeniably rural.
In the past, these differences would have been so polarizing that it would have been a rarity for a church in Lake County to open dialogue with the Kent County Department of Human Services. The regional poverty reduction work is changing all of that - it is bringing together organizations that wouldn't normally communicate and creating a "big picture" summary of poverty in the region.

If the leaders from region 3 are willing to put their time and effort into the cause, if they lend their ears to other positive work, they will discover a variety of ideas aimed at improving the lives of all Michigan residents.

The message of One Community has expanded. Now 20 counties will echo this message:

That we are one people and our prosperity and quality of life depend on all residents contributing fully to the economic, social and cultural life of our communities and our state.

We will not stand for anything less.

84 Reasons Not to Stereotype Poor People

As a volunteer preparing income taxes for low income people, serving lunches a few times a year at the Benton Harbor Soup Kitchen, or helping elderly folks carry a bag of groceries upstairs from my church's basement food bank in Benton Township, I have had my eyes opened wide as to the variety of poor people. There are young or old, men and women, veterans, hard working (some work more than one part time, low paying jobs.) Some are disabled.

I have met highly intelligent poor people. One of my favorite tax clients at the EITC Coalition is a fellow who is writing a book while working as a janitor at a church. Other folks are learning disabled, receive SSI, and may work menial jobs because it provides them dignity and respect.

On occasion, one of my fellow volunteers will wonder out loud: Do some of these people "scam" the system? Are they simply here to "get a hand out?" Are they just "lazy?" (That is like asking: "Do all rich people cheat on their taxes?" In my estimation, these stereotypes pigeon hole people. It seems to me, the truth is much more varied.)

Please allow me to introduce you to a young African American man who I met about a year ago at my church's food bank. In a brief conversation, the young man told me he drives several times a week to a truck driving job in the Chicago area. He was one of 84 families present that day:

84

Nearly end of the month
the benefit and other funds are running low
so 84 families wait in pews
to be called by number
to the church basement
for a meager bag of groceries
to help them be less hungry
for the next week or so.

(Don't they have names?
Or do we have to give them numbers?)

84 families,
different stories each.
Some old and finding it difficult to maneuver the stairs.
Some with little babies strapped to their breasts.

A dad with his three year old
waiting patiently just as he waits
for a truck driving job with benefits to open locally
so that he can spend more time with a little girl
and less time commuting six hours daily,
four times a week.

(Me screaming inside,
Don't tell me that all poor people are lazy!)

His little girl's smile
is all the blessing I need today.
But then I look up and see
83 more.