Conductors & connectors

Would you like to know the results of poll #2? Well, 66% of you would have given up laundry detergent, 33% of you would have given up shampoo, and none of you would have given up soap or toothpaste!

If you haven’t already, I really recommend you take the survey undertaken by the Daily Bread Foodbank; it’s quite insightful. You might be surprised what you say you’d live without and what you really can’t live without. Ah, the things we take for granted...

You know, one of the things I find interesting about our society as a whole – and, let me preface, this is my opinion only – is that we are really good, great in fact, at looking at problems and solving them. When faced with a crisis, our society comes together and, so it feels, makes miracles happen!

But, what happens when problems repeat themselves? I mean, with our ability to come together, we get really, really good at solving “chronic problems”! Perhaps we become more effective, more efficient. I wonder, however, if we could stop the issues from coming back in the first place?

Through this blog, I’ve shown (and will continue to show) a number of places, causes, societies, groups, and organizations that come together and help with food or shelter for people living in poverty. I call these people conductors; like the orchestra conductor. These people are in charge of the orchestra – they make music, the foundation of the show. Without the services they provide, many people would likely not be able to even start the day.

What our society is lacking is what I call connectors – the people in charge of linking the music with the entire show. (We have actors: you and I are part of the show, as well as the remainder of the 7 billion+ people who live on this planet.)

The world already has some great connectors: Monarch School, the Harlem Children’s Zone, and Chris Gardner. I’m sure I have missed many... I will continue to research and bring more to you.

It is just in my humble opinion that we are much better at conducting the orchestra than we are at putting on a show. I suggest we take some steps forward. Over the course of this year, I intend not only to show conductors and connectors that already exist, but also show how we can actually become these people.

In the meantime, I’ll leave you with words from Mahatma Ghandi: be the change you want to see in the world... (And, here are The Top Ten Things to Think About if You Want to Change the World.)

Marked in history: January 20th, 2009

It is absolutely impossible to let a day of this historical stature go by with making note of it. Today marks the day that the first African-American President takes office – the 44th President in the history of the United States. But President Obama is more than just another President; he is a “symbol”. God willing, President Obama will follow through on the energy and dedication we’ve seen for almost 2 years now; and we will witness, over the next 4 years (perhaps 8) the true power of a symbol.

In light of this blog, and in light of the issue of poverty, the First Family will be more than just a symbol…

• Meet Barack
• Meet Michelle

Among many critical issues that President Obama must address, he has not hesitated to put Poverty and Education on his agenda.

On behalf of the Lemonheads, congratulations Mr. President!

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Poll update - thanks to those of you who voted in poll #1.

FYI:
• 50% of you said you would miss your weekly spending money;
• 25% of you said you would miss your cell phone (mobile, PDA, BB); and
• 25% of you said you would miss your computer (with Internet).

Continue voting…

In the next post, I’ll share some actions we’re taking to bring these ideas to life and continue driving awareness around the issue. I’ll also discuss the issue of poverty’s impact on literacy and some events you may want to check out.

Baby, it's cold outside... Some people don't have warm clothes!

Are you cold? Lord knows I am!

If you are below 39°N of latitude, you may not be quite as frigid, but let me share some temperatures with you (including wind chill).

• Toronto: -25°C (-13°F)
• Montreal: -29°C (-20°F)
• New York, NY: -17°C (5°F)
• Washington, DC: -18°C (1°F)

So, say you wanted to go out in temperatures like this, you’d likely require: a good winter coat, and preferably a multi-layered one, a tuque, gloves, a scarf, maybe a few extra layers of clothes, and I’d also recommend a decent pair of boots. Wouldn’t you agree?

Unfortunately, in the cities mentioned above, there are so many people who do not have proper clothing; who might not have shelter; and who probably need something warm to eat. I encourage you to check out the local missions or food banks, the Salvation Army in the US or in Canada, and of course there are a plethora of other sources. They are all in need of donations; can you help?

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It’s funny – not “funny, ha-ha”, just funny interesting – to mention this today. I recall, a few weeks ago when the winter cold settled into the GTA, we had to buy scarves. When we did, Nichole turned to me and said: “OK, how do I do this?”

“Um, do what?” was my answer.

“Put this scarf on? I’ve never had one – so not really sure how this goes.”

WOW! The things we take for granted. I’m sure she could have figured out how to put it on, but when you have to rush through something you’ve never done, the simplest things seem so foreign.

Nichole never owned a pair of snow pants or water proof (resistant) boots; not even as a child. And, to be clear, she did not live in an area “below 39°N of latitude” so certainly, those pieces of winter clothing would have been welcomed!

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What does any of this “cold air” have to do with learning and generating hope? Well, a couple of things, among others…

First, if you are in the situation Nichole was in – or anyone who does not have proper food, shelter or clothing – what are the chances of success in school? It is proven that children who are hungry have weaker academic performances. The Children’s Emergency Fund gives us a few indications of what happens when children go to school hungry.

Secondly, if you have opportunities: a regular (reasonable) pay check, transportation, and a basic education (high school graduation), your chances are much higher that you can acquire the above-mentioned clothing for yourself and for your family.

Take a look at this survey from the Daily Food Bread food bank. The additional questions I would ask are: “Which of these do you have?” and “Which of these are you willing to give up?” I could, for example, see how one might think that something like “access to Internet” is not a mandatory requirement for surviving in Ontario, but are you willing to give it up? And, if you lost it, how would you feel?

We take so many things for granted, including (often times) the warmth of our homes and clothes. We are quick to judge what “basic needs” are without truly being willing to give up on things we consider “luxuries”. It’s time, this year, to give back… And, I would encourage you, in these frigid temperatures, to help keep people warm!

If people feel safe, warm, fed, and hopeful, they will be have more clarity to seek out, to identify, and to seize the opportunities which will allow them to become self-sufficient.

CLARIFIER:

I believe that if you work hard for something, you deserve it. I believe that no one should take that away from you. But, I also believe that if you’ve worked hard for something, you probably had an opportunity to work hard for it. Therefore, what I am saying here is not to give anything up, but rather to allow others the opportunity; to help them find it. If people have opportunities and do not seize them, then we’re having a different conversation altogether. However, in many instances of poverty and homelessness, people have simply not had opportunity, or have had opportunity taken away from them.

Job loss - The future of poverty

Hooo-eeee! Any of you guys picked up a newspaper today?

• Canada’s jobless rate is up to 6.6% - a loss of 34,400 jobs in December alone!
• US experiences worst “job year” since 1945 (unemployment rate: 7.2%) – a loss of 524,000 in December alone (1.9 million in the last 4 months of 08).

Take another look at yesterday’s post: Poverty solutions. In that 3rd paragraph, I dared suggest how close we all were to living in poverty. I think you might agree – the numbers that came out this morning just reinforced that reality.

Since the millennium, world-wide groups have banded together begging governments to invest in ending poverty. We’ve seen some changes, but not very many. In fact, my hometown, Toronto, or rather its region, the GTA, has officially been dubbed: Ontario’s Child Poverty Capital. Now that is a legacy to behold! Take a look at a recent report released by the Children’s Aid Society of Toronto: Greater Trouble in the Greater GTA.

One of the numbers that blows me away in this report (and many of its facts are just shameful) is that a single parent with 2 children who makes less than $23,380 a year is considered to be living in poverty. Um… Is anyone reading this familiar with the cost of living in the GTA? That amount of money wouldn’t sustain a single parent of 2 cats! Absolutely sick. Whoever chose that number to be the one we should go with might want to attempt living on that income him/herself. What about the person making $25,000 or even $30,000 for that matter?

In every report, on every Website and in every article – when poverty is referred to, one of the recommendations is to invest in education – education for children, and for their parents. We know that jobs requiring a higher education tend to pay more, hence lifting the “owner of that job” out of the risk of poverty. What we should also consider is that someone who has broad education may be more versatile in times like the ones we are experiencing these days.

OK – so, we can’t change the recession. (Where is “I dream of Genie” when you need her. C’mon, just blink your eyes once!) But what if we said: Now is the time to invest in education. Now is the time to lift people out of their poverty. Now is the time to give people hope for a brighter future. Now is the time, and education is the way!

We have to make a change!

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Take a look at Marty’s comment in the previous post… There’s a lot of truth there: enjoy those institutions of arts and culture; we can learn a lot. Many, in fact, give back to the community and support the causes we refer to in this blog.

Housepaint, for example, is an exhibit currently on at the ROM (click on Exhibitions & Galleries). Housepaint brings together exceptional “street artists” to showcase and commemorate homelessness and represents it through graffiti, or street art. An “out of the box” exhibit for the ROM, to be sure, but one that is so important and draws together the value of arts to the cause of poverty.

What I’d like to add to Marty’s comment is that the learning doesn’t only come from “arts and culture”. It comes from people’s talents and passions. Everyone has talent and passion: for some it’s the arts, for some sports, for some it could be cooking. The point is, we need to encourage people who are living in poverty – heck, we need to encourage each other – to find those niches of passion and lose themselves in the learning and the hope that comes from it.

Learning expands our ability to hope; hope gives us direction; direction gives us purpose; and purpose can pull us out of our darkest hours…

Sometimes hope is in the journey;
The destination never comes.
It’s not about left or right;
It’s not about right or wrong.

Sometimes hope is in the movement;
The destination doesn’t matter.
It’s not about where you land;
It’s that you bothered.

Sometimes hope is all we have;
The destination is a dream.
It’s about when you’re awake,
And a safe place for you to sleep.

Sometimes hope is the answer;
The destination is the guide.
It’s about making the right choice;
It’s about taking the ride.

Sometimes hope…

- Judi Samuels
January 9, 2009

Poverty solutions could help the economic crisis

According to financial advisors – at least, those I spoke with in early 08 and in 07 – a person is considered “rich” when they have saved 3 months worth of their salary, not including RSPs. (For any American readers, an RSP – Retirement Savings Plan – is a Canadian version of a 401K… kinda.) I’m just curious, and I’m also well aware that no answers will actually be given, but think about how many people you know who actually have that amount of money set aside… I would guess it’s not very many, if any. Now, turn on the TV or read the newspaper or check out your favourite Website’s newsfeed, and it doesn’t quite take a genius to know that there’s a pretty grim economic situation “out there”.

• People are getting laid off: In a strange and twisted way, it’s better than quitting or being fired because it gives you the opportunity to seek government assistance. But – in a crazy cycle – this would then put the government back into more debt…
• Banks aren’t lending (although, apparently in Canada, they’re going to start again): But credit isn’t exactly the best solution.
• Businesses are closing doors or going bankrupt.
• Stock markets are crashing – so, watch those RSPs and 401Ks!

In short: it’s ugly. And if you’re not one of those “rich” people (see above), losing your job may mean you could be about 2-3 weeks away from living in poverty… I’m sorry; I don’t mean to scare the pants off you (please, it's too cold - keep them on), but it’s a reality we live in.

Why did I bring this up? And, why so early in a New Year when we are all suppose to be chipper with positive vibes and grand intentions?

I bring it up because I think it’s important for all of us to be aware that the issue of poverty is not happening just to “other people” who have made mistakes. It could happen to anyone of us; and it could happen outside of this economic crisis. I bring it up because we need to seize this time as an opportunity to understand the importance and urgency of programs that make a real and significant impact in the lives of those who do live in poverty. We need to invest in them and make them work now. (Check out other posts for info on such programs.)

If you’re not a softie and you need more hardened facts, let’s go back to the “Coordination Team” post. If we can take people living in poverty, provide them with the skills needed, they can help fill the gaps in the shortage of labour issue. If we teach the new skills (for example renewable energy vs. coal) then we create a generation ready for the next challenge. And, if we do this with more people – meaning more people in more jobs getting paid – then we can let the people inject money back into the economy. Ever heard of supply and demand?

Don’t raise your eyebrow(s)! (The plural possibility is because I don’t know what kind of frowner you are…) I’m not suggesting that this is going to be an overnight success, nor am I suggesting that this is a miracle cure. I’m simply suggesting that this might be something we want to explore.

We’re bailing out the car industry – to the tune of multiple billions of dollars. We’re bringing down interest rates and attempting to increase accessibility to credit – because of course, indebting the nation even further will no doubt help us in the long run. (Please note the sarcasm.) So why can’t we focus on the people and give them a genuine opportunity to make a difference in their lives, in the future of their country, and – who knows, in the future of the world? Notice the suggestion of giving opportunities, not fish.

Did you know that there are 293 ways to make change for $1.00? Then, there must be as many ways - if not more - to positively impact the world we live in. If so, then I'd like to count the ideas proposed in this blog as some of the possible ways to have a real impact in the lives of those living in poverty, in our communities and in our countries.

(Check out www.thestar.com/poverty for some news on how Ontario is planning to deal with the issue of poverty. Got comments and ideas, let me know!)

Psst… Digg it!

A "Zone" of Hope for Harlem's Children

Don’t Blame Me

The girl’s mother said, “Don’t blame me.
Her father left when she was three.
I know she don’t know her ABCs, her 1,2,3s,
But I am poor and work hard you see.”
You know the story, it’s don’t blame me.

The teacher shook her head and said,
“Don’t blame me, I know it’s sad.
He’s ten, but if the truth be told,
He reads like he was six years old.
And math, don’t ask.
It’s sad you see.
Wish I could do more, but it’s after three.
Blame the mom, blame society, blame the system.
Just don’t blame me.”

The judge was angry, his expression cold.
He scowled and said, “Son you’ve been told.
Break the law again and you’ll do time.
You’ve robbed with a gun.
Have you lost your mind?”
The young man opened his mouth to beg.
“Save your breath,” he heard instead.
“Your daddy left when you were two.
Your momma didn’t take care of you.
Your school prepared you for this fall.
Can’t read, can’t write, can’t spell at all.
But you did the crime for all to see.
You’re going to jail, son.
Don’t blame me.”

If there is a God or a person supreme,
A final reckoning, for the kind and the mean,
And judgment is rendered on who passed the buck,
Who blamed the victim or proudly stood up,
You’ll say to the world, “While I couldn’t save all,
I did not let these children fall.
By the thousands I helped all I could see.
No excuses, I took full responsibility.
No matter if they were black or white,
Were cursed, ignored, were wrong or right,
Were shunned, pre-judged, were short or tall,
I did my best to save them all.”
And I will bear witness for eternity
That you can state proudly,
“Don’t blame me.”

‐ By Geoffrey Canada
February 2007

Geoffrey Canada grew up in the South Bronx, in a neighbourhood notorious for poverty and for crime. He was gifted with academic success, despite the surroundings, and dedicated his career to helping those who are faced with similar challenges he once knew. In a very personal account, he speaks about the rise in violence in the US. His book: Fist Stick Knife Gun (link on the right menu) is his story, meshed with society’s impact on the rise of violence.

Since 1990, Geoffrey Canada has been the President and CEO of the

Harlem’s Children Zone. The “Zone”, as it has come to be known, has seen, and helped with, issues like truancy, crack, and “open-air drugs”. The “Zone” offers support to all families including schooling and career coaching. The “Zone’s” philosophy: Whatever it takes!

The bottom line is that if you want to take a child living in poverty and give them a real chance in the world – it isn’t about just one program. It’s about transcending the source of the issues, overcoming the challenges – continuously – until that child has graduated from college and can progress into “middle-class” without slipping back into the life of poverty they were born into. So many programs (as I mentioned before in this blog) have time-specific help… we give them fish. And boy, are we good at “fish giving”! But, like Geoffrey Canada, we need to find ways to teach them how to fish, and then we have to find ways to make sure they never forget.

President Clinton said: “I wish every city had a Geoffrey Canada....His vision of a renewed Harlem community, and his accomplishments toward achieving it, attest to the power we all have to overcome poverty and hopelessness in America." (Dare I say, North America?)

When I worked at the Canadian Tourism Commission, we once had a campaign which stated: The World could use a little more Canada. After learning more about Geoffrey, I would agree. Wouldn’t you?

Whether you are Canadian or not, you can be the one who injects a little more Canada into the world… I’d love to hear what you’re doing. You can click on the “comments” link at the end of this post, or send me an e-mail at: thelemonheads@rogers.com. I’ll include some of your stories in the blog too.

Don't forget to Digg the blog (right-hand menu)

The very sour link between poverty, lack of education, drugs and death...

Happy New Year and welcome back…

It is 2009 and as is customary (in my world) I hope you’ve made some good resolutions for the year. I’ve made a few: I’ve planned them and on day 3 of the New Year I’ve already started on a few. The big one is to increase awareness about the issue of poverty, and in particular its link to lack of education, throughout my circle of influence.

I am currently working on a program I plan to implement once the snow melts. It involves a GPS and various geographic coordinates throughout North America. I’ll keep you posted, but here’s the clue: ever heard of Geocaching? (Yes, there will be a very clear link and application to the blog topic.)

Now – let’s get back to Nichole and her family. It’s been too long and I apologize for the lag in getting back to this story. Though Nichole has told me many of her experiences, I don’t know them all intimately. She is ready and willing to share the stories, but she needed a little break. It’s not easy to reminisce on this type of life; and even harder for someone who may have a little of what I call survivor’s guilt. (Nichole wonders, at times, why her? Why did she have the chance to get out?)

CAUTION: The following content contains mature subjects.

Four years ago, Nichole’s brother Alex, died. He was 35 years old.

Alex grew up just like his sisters. He was the only boy and once their father left, he was also the man of the house. Shouldn't every 8 year old be the man of the house? He would help clean, he would discipline his sisters, he would take care of himself and his mother – just as a father would… but Alex had a problem of getting in trouble at school, and sometimes getting kicked out. In the US, if you are under 18 and out of school you end up in juvie. Alex learned that one at a really young age...

At the age of 10, his mother told him that his next offense would lead him straight to living with his father. Sure enough, young Alex got into yet another fight and got suspended. Nichole’s mom packed his bags and drove him to his father’s – he was dropped off at the door. It took two years of Alex’s rebellious behavior to get him into trouble so big that his father greeted him with a swift “punch in the face”! His mom was quickly at the door to pick up her son and bring him home.

Alex never had a role model, and never had discipline. He didn’t always have meals, and when he did, they were rarely healthy. His behavior made him lose his football privileges. At the age of 12, this boy was losing more than he had before – which wasn’t very much to begin with; he wanted a normal life…

He didn’t graduate high school, but did get trained to be an electrician. The money was good enough to buy the drugs that made life easier - "weed", "coke", heroin, among others. He bought drugs; he used drugs; he sold drugs… (To quote Nichole: “There is more to this story, but I don’t know everything. And, I never want to.”)

May I state the obvious? Drugs lead to addictions, and addictions are generally bad news! In order to make more money for drugs, Alex decided to run his own business… He started overcharging, and one of his clients noticed. He was writing checks to himself – from other people; those people noticed. Someone called him in! Alex was arrested and went to prison.

While doing his time, Alex finished his GED. It appeared that he had a second chance… He was released at the age of 35... back into the world he knew.

One Saturday morning in April 06, Penny went to visit her brother… He wouldn’t answer the knock on the door. She knelt down by the window of his sub-ground apartment and peered inside to see Alex, lying on the couch motionless. Penny ran into the building and broke down his door. He had tissues in his nose, full of blood, and he was grey. Alex was dead!

He had been battling pneumonia and taking the meds; he was drinking with friends the night before; he was taking diet pills (the same that Anna Nicole Smith was taking); and he was taking Vicodin. Big news – those things don’t mix!
The vicious circle is perpetuated - fatally... If little Alex, at the age of 10, had had the opportunities that you and I are familiar with, he may never have been lying dead on his couch at the age of 35. Now, Alex will never have that chance.

You and I do. Yyou and I have the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of 10 year olds we know, and even some we don’t. Check out organizations like: Street Kids International, Big Brothers or Big Sisters, and Mentoring.

Make 2009 one to remember; make a difference.