Happy New Year!

If you are reading this post (or following this blog), I have dubbed you "Lemonheads". I apologize if this in any way, shape or form offends any of you - it is simply meant as a play on words...

As such, I would like to wish all of you Lemonheads (and your families) a very safe New Year's eve, and the very best for 2009.

Tonight, I hope you take a moment to appreciate the friends and family in your life. Take a moment to appreciate what surrounds you: your home, the food on the table, the clothes on your back. Remember that one time in your life when you might have struggled to get to the next step. Remember that most important lesson that will be with you forever.

Tonight, look back on 2008 and recall the easiest times and the most difficult ones. In all of those moments, we learned something and grew. Remember the moments you shared a lesson with someone else; remember when you did one kind thing for a stranger.

Tonight, remember the year that was... The Chinese say "may you live in interesting times", and we sure do! A global economic upheaval, the first African-American president of the USA, and crazy politics "North of 49". Remember C.W. Jeffries; remember more natural disasters than we care to think about; and remember the people who are sleeping outside tonight.

Tomorrow: Make a difference! It's a brand new day, and a brand new year.

To all of you, the very best for '09. Stay tuned to the Lemon Tree for some more ideas and some action to be taken in the year to come!

Judi

chief lemonhead

We can play online with the world, so why can’t we eliminate poverty?

The human race is simply an amazing group of “beings”. If you’re reading this post, you already know that we’ve come a long way from, say, the invention of the Ford Model-T. A long way, indeed, wouldn’t you say, since now the automobile industry is in need of $70 billion bailouts!

But, beyond these inventions – or rather, in addition to these inventions – humans have an amazing ability to mobilize hordes of people to do something. Do you or any of your friends have a Playstation (2 or 3), an Xbox 360, or a Wii? If so, it is quite likely that the owner of the aforementioned gaming console might occasionally (and sometimes more than occasionally) connect to the Internet via the console and play some game with other people around the world. Yup, you can sit in your living room in Tacoma, Washington, for example, and play “Call of Duty” with someone in Tallinn, Estonia. These aren’t things people really think about, but if you do, I’d say that’s pretty impressive! In April 08, NPD Group released the results of a gaming study which stated that 72% of Americans play video games, with 42% of them playing online.

For the “marketing and consumer” world, apparently that 42% is a small number, but let’s do the math, shall we:

Population of US online gamers
Population: 305,519,012
% of gamers: 72%
Total# of gamers: 219,973,689
% of online gamers: 42%
Total# of online gamers: 92,388,949

Population number provided by US Census Bureau

Wow! Now, I work in marketing, and I can totally understand that the goal is to “grow your market”. In my world, if I could access over 92 million people, I wouldn’t be scoffing at that. Ninety-two million Americans play video games online. If each of those people gave 1 penny - $0.01 – we would raise $923,889.49 USD.

OK, let’s bring that number back to the “Lemon Tree” concept… I’ve made a couple of assumptions here. Let’s assume a family of 4 needs about $800/month for food. It may sound like a lot, but next time you go to the grocery store, look at prices considering what you would really want to feed your children. Let’s assume this family makes slightly over the “line of poverty”. They won’t get food stamps, so they will spend the bulk of their budget on the food. Wouldn’t it be amazing to put that $800 back into their pockets for other expenses like, say, electricity, heat, laundry detergent or rent??

Check this out! With the $923,889.49 USD we could raise by getting a single penny from each of Americas online gamers, we could feed 96 families in the US! OK, so 96 families – yippee doo-dah, right? It’s 96 more than we had an option to help before; and that’s with only 1 penny! Make it a buck, and you get to help 9,624 families. That’s only in the US. Last I checked Canadians were even more into online gaming (per capita). I bet we could make a little bit of a dent into our poverty challenge in North America, don’t you think?

Alright, I’ve made my point… now, how can we begin collecting this cash, and making sure it gets to the right people?

A box of Lemons

OK, so it’s been a few days (4 to be exact) since I’ve posted… Hey, it was Christmas/Hanukkah in our household, and so we celebrated. I hope each of you enjoyed a great few days of holiday-ing with friends and families.

Now, we are all experiencing the myriad commercials about how every single store in the world has just THE best Boxing Week sales… You could get anything you want for a fraction of the price! Honestly, that is great news considering the economy. But, guess what? Boxing Day has nothing to do with shopping and sales!

Originally, Boxing Day - the first weekday after Christmas Day - was observed as a holiday "on which postmen, errand boys, and servants of various kinds received a Christmas box of contributions from those whom they serve". (Charles Dickens) In England – say, mid nineteenth century – many people living under the level of poverty would also go door-to-door with empty boxes and would receive leftover Christmas sweets, food and money.

On Christmas Eve, we drove to Nathan Phillips’ Square (downtown Toronto)… I wanted to see where I had learned to skate. All the people were enjoying their friends’ and families’ company; kids and grown-ups were taking in the “Cavalcade of Light”; and I can only imagine how many people were wanting to sample the french fries from the vendors (they did smell good).

Right across the street, however, 3 people were lying over the sidewalk grates that gave onto the subway below. This is where so many spend their Christmas nights, and probably most of their nights through the year! They were sleeping, but could probably smell the food too… I wondered what they might have had for dinner. It wasn’t Boxing Day yet, but they got a little something they would find when they woke up. They’d be able to get themselves breakfast. I still felt pretty empty though, because I know that it’s not enough – and it shouldn't just be something we do at this time of the year.

I was hoping to be able to share some photos with you, but not quite yet. The weather has been “non-conducive to picture taking”, but we still have some time before we get back to work. We’re still working on the photo exposé…

In the meantime, I would love to hear your Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanza and/or Boxing Day stories. Click on the “comments” link below and let me know…

For us, we’ve committed to an annual “Christmas Deed”. But, the purpose of the Lemon Tree is still to find a way to generate a more long-lasting impact on poverty – through hope & education.

Do you have a Lemon Tree or a Christmas Tree?

And so this is Christmas, and what have we done?

It’s Christmas – well, 22 hours to Christmas – and most of us are sitting safe at home, wondering what’s in the boxes wrapped under the tree. What’s on your mind right now? (I realize that’s a stupid question since you’re reading this…)

Over 13 million children in the US and another million and a half children in Canada are wondering why they don’t even have a Christmas tree; or, if they do, they wonder if Santa will even come by… (Numbers from www.freethechildren.com and The National Center for Children in Poverty) To quote Billy, the lonely boy in The Polar Express – “Christmas just doesn’t work out (for some people)…”

For Nichole’s family, Christmas was not always as glamorous as what you and I might recall. To begin, Nichole’s mom relied on receiving a Welfare check on time to ensure that the children (3 of them) would get gifts. There was a Christmas tree, there were some decorations. The gifts usually consisted of clothing: jogging pants, sweatshirts – that’s what was needed. To create an appearance of “more gifts”, jogging suits and outfits were separated and each piece was wrapped separately. Christmas was one of only 2 times of the year when new clothes were a possibility; the other time being the beginning of the school year.

One year, Nichole’s mom even had to go to the County Welfare office to pick up a box of food… Food stamps only last so long; and you can be certain that providing a good Christmas meal for your family might just tap out the stamps!

What do you think about or wish for “When Christmas comes to town”?

Now, this post isn’t meant to make you sad, or make you feel guilty. You shouldn’t… I believe that you get what you get because you’ve worked hard for it. It’s not always everything you’ve ever wanted – but, we should be grateful. That’s what this post is for… to highlight that we are likely doing OK in the great scheme of things. And, if we’re not OK today, chances are we are blessed with the ability to hope that things will get better.

Enjoy your Christmas, your Hannukah - or whichever holiday you are celebrating. Appreciate every moment you have with friends and family. And, when you have a chance – share the joy. Magic happens when we Believe.

A different kind of "Butterfly Garden"

When Nichole was in grade 9, she had severe back problems. She missed more school then she was allowed to but received doctor’s notes for justification. In some US states, students need to receive up to 4 “credits” between grades 7 and 9 to be granted entry into high school and begin grade 10. Nichole received 3.5 credits…

After a few months in grade 10, Nichole was called into the high school counsellor’s office. This counsellor informed Nichole that she was revoking her 3.5 credits since she had missed too many school days in grade 9. Nichole argued that the doctor’s notes were provided. The doctor’s notes were not on file and Nichole’s mother hadn’t kept them in a safe place. According to the counsellor, if Nichole wanted to stay in school, she had to prove the reason behind the absences.

Nichole was faced with peer pressures and influences. Some days, she wouldn’t go to school because there were no clean clothes. Some days, she went to school to be picked on because of tattered clothing or out-of-style clothes. Nichole was too embarrassed to bring any friends home for fear of finding her mother drunk. Food was scarce, and certainly wasn’t healthy.

When she realized that there was no way to recover the missing doctor’s notes; Nichole dropped out of high school… With what surrounded her, and the challenges she faced just to be in school, she didn't see a good ending to staying (or trying to stay) in school.

There are days now, when Nichole’s nephews are given permission to stay home because their mother (Penny) is too tired to get up and get them ready. What will happen to them when it is time for them to go to high school?

I'd like to introduce you to Sandra McBrayer . In 1987, Ms. McBrayer founded and developed the first successful school in the United States for homeless and unattended youth, serving as head teacher for the Homeless Outreach School (now known as Monarch High School) in San Diego until 1996.

You need to check out the Monarch School; the evolution of the school Sandra McBrayer founded. Please go through this Website and get to know the school. Monarch School provides the basics, the education and the programs. Their program recognizes all the issues that people who are homeless or living in poverty face, including abuse, hunger, and no place to take a simple shower. Their program provides equal education to their students; many of whom graduate and get scholarships to continue their studies. Their programs also provide assistance after graduation, and provide additional "normal events" such as birthday parties or graduation ceremonies. Kids are allowed to be kids...

Monarch School is the only one of its kind in North America… Their mantra: to restore hope and unleash dreams. This is one idea I would love to see expanded more broadly throughout. Imagine the impact of such a school in the Bronx, or in the “Jane and Finch” neighbourhood of Toronto.

I say it’s time to create a new version of “Butterfly Gardens”…

Link to Youthworks

A quick apology for not having posted yesterday, but we are now on "holiday hours". All that really means is that we are running around trying to get errands done before we get into the Christmas week.

During this special time, where people are encouraged to celebrate with friends and families, share in meals, presents and the "spirit of giving", I wanted to provide you with a link that I hold close to my heart.

When I worked at Direct Energy, we had the luxury of supporting a great cause called "Raising the Roof". This charity helps solve the critical issue of homelessness. In 2006, Raising the Roof launched "Youthworks", a program specifically focused on eliminating homelessness at the beginning - not the end. There are approximately 65,000 young people who have no place to call "home"; not because they got angry and ran away, but because they had no choice. If you take a close look at the program's initiatives, you will notice that one of their main goals is to ensure proper access to education for these youth. The link between "poverty and homelessness" and "education and opportunity" is so strong!

In this time of celebration, I encourage everyone to do one special deed to promote hope to all those who are not quite as fortunate.

I'll be back later tonight with the next installation of the Lemon Tree.

Thanks again for your support and interest...

Judi

chief lemonhead

A Penny for your thoughts...

Now, for a little more on Nichole’s family life… Today, I would like to introduce you to Penny - Nichole's older sister (by 4 years).

You’ll recall that Nichole's mother was working non-traditional hours, getting a very meagre pay, and when time permitted, imbibing to ignore the woes of the world. This left Penny with the role of "mother". Penny took care of Nichole and their older brother: cooking and cleaning in particular.

Nichole can remember Penny bathing her in the morning to get her ready for school. And, when Nichole was sick, Penny would spend time with her – making her soup, playing with her, and making sure she got the rest she needed. One of Nichole's fondest memory is of the 2 girls building tents in their room with their bedsheets and playing with their dolls. Then, the bottom went out again…

Pen’s vivid memory of her father leaving, the downturn her mother took, and the quick decent into poverty and despair scarred her. I suppose that’s not really surprising since it all started when she was 6!

Penny was a good student, focused on doing the right thing for herself and for her family. Penny concentrated on her cheerleading and her schooling until… At the age of 16, Penny started dating one of the high school basketball stars. By the time Pen was 17 she was pregnant and had to quit school to have and to take care of her baby. There was no one around to provide her with guidance, structure and discipline to help her understand and wade through the pressures she might face...

Aside from a broken family, no one provided any support required to a single, teenage mother. Even now, her “baby daddy” is still not paying any child support – and a lot is owed! The result: At the age of 17, Penny is trying to be a mother not only to her own baby, but to her siblings as well; and trying to make her own ends meet.

Just as Nichole’s mom turned to drinking as a way of forgetting the issues, Penny turned to men (though, I’m sure she thought she was turning to love). Anything to escape! Now 18 years later, Penny is the mother of 4 children from 3 different fathers. The poverty and despair cycle has been proliferated. Can you imagine what poverty is like with 4 kids!? How hard might it be to look at your children and encourage them, tell them they can achieve, when you haven't been able to see a glimpse of light yourself?

In the past 10 years, Penny married the father of her 2 youngest, whose drug addiction was rivalled only by his irresponsibility. By virtue of peer pressure and the desire to escape, she too got lured into the world of drug abuse. She even overdosed and luckily survived. Over time, she temporarily lost custody of her children. Her youngest boys (at the ages of 6 and 8) could tell you stories that no child – heck no adult – should ever have to know or see!

Today, Penny is slowly getting back on her feet, but there's still so much to do… She has tried to get her GED 4 times but has not been able to succeed. There are no accessible programs to help tutor her, and certainly not any that come with childcare! We can only wonder what might happen next.

Penny, as her mother before, is living in poverty supported by food stamps and welfare. Her children have had the luxury of witnessing these problems and the way in which they’ve been handled. When do you think the vicious cycle will end for this family? And, if it doesn’t end soon – what hope will the children have?

I deliberately omitted specific details of events due to the harsh and graphic nature of this reality.

Holiday schedule: 1 post every 2-3 days

Hey Lemonheads!

I just wanted to inform you that, for the remainder of December (through the holidays), there will be 1 new post every 2-3 days. So, please check back in tomorrow (Tuesday, December 16) for a new post on Nichole's life.

In the meantime, check out: http://therottenlittlegirls.com/2008/10/15/blog-action-day-poverty-and-education-in-america/.

The week after Christmas, you can expect to see a photo exposé of the effects of poverty in some areas of Toronto.

Thanks again for your interest; I look forward to the next conversation.

Judi

chief lemonhead

Lemon Tree Idea Gallery – The Boulder Remover

(Lemon Creek Glacier, Southern Alaska)

There is a philosophy in management studies which suggests that the key to being successful as a manager is to remove obstacles from the path of your teams, and then get out of the way to let them do what they’re good at. The obstacle in question is usually something within the internal operations of the business.

It has also been proven time and time again that employees who have less personally stress, strife and distraction contribute more significantly and more productively to the organization than those who have more. In fact, SAS, a research software development organization in Cary, NC has – for eleven consecutive years – been in the top 30 of Fortune’s Top 100 Best Companies to Work for in America. One of SAS’s successes during their 30+ years, is the way it treats its employees, including providing: onsite subsidized medical centres, onsite subsidized gourmet cafeterias, subsidized health and daycare programs, among others. SAS believes that by helping employees relieve their personal pre-occupations, they will have employees who contribute more to the success of the organization – and they do!

This doesn’t mean that people who have more personal issues aren’t as smart or as capable; rather, they are distracted. You might think that one should separate their personal life and work life. To a degree, I’ll agree with you. But what if the “distraction” is the concern of whether this week’s pay check will be enough to pay rent, bills and to put food on the table for your 2-year old? Do you still believe it’s easy to just leave the personal problems at home? To so many, these issues are like a boulder in the middle of the highway and you’re driving towards it at over 100mph (160km/h)!

What if we could expand these business theories and practices into society at large? We all want our communities to continue improving – so, let’s be a part of the movement!

Those boulders I referred to are usually major hope crushers for so many people living in poverty. They may want to change their lives, learn, grow, earn and stand on their own two feet, but these big huge rocks (among others) are in their way:
• Who is going to take care of the kids while I go to school and learn?
• If I study, and give up or reduce my salary for 6 months (the average amount of time required to get a certificate), how will I make ends meet?
• Even if I study part time to not give up my salary – can my body handle the demands and stresses?
• Even if I get a job, I can’t leave the kids because I still can’t afford daycare!
• Will I make it through? And, even if I do, what’s at the other end? What if it’s all for not?
To make matters worse, these rocks are next to impossible to budge – and these people are usually alone (remember the reliability issue in "Lemons have families too..."). So there’s no help to even try to move them. What would you do? Over time, most people give up. Voilà: hopelessness!

What if we could create a movement whose key goal is to remove these boulders from the paths of people who aren’t quite as privileged as many of us? Don’t worry about the “how” right now? Worry about the “who”… If we could all commit to “creating a world with no borders where everyone can have true equal opportunity to improve their life”, we would all find the right ways to budget, nudge and even remove these boulders.

Boulder Removing Experts

Here’s idea #2… and, to tell you the truth, I don’t think I’ve heard of this kind of program in existence. Imagine with me:

…An organization that people can turn to for support in order to remove boulders from their path when they want to work toward self-sufficiency. In order to qualify, you need to be willing to work with a counsellor/case worker who will evaluate your needs and ambitions. Let’s be clear – this group is not going to help you get a BMW! But if you work with them, you could be able to get your own.

Independently of what your problems are, this organization removes the boulders. You can get a job, but you can’t leave your children because you can’t pay for daycare: we’ll help you cover daycare. You realize it’s time to get a high school diploma because no matter how hard you try, you can’t get a full time job that pays enough to cover rent and the bills: we can help you get that diploma. You have been working for years in a basic paying job without benefits or savings and now you’ve been laid off: we’ll make it easier for you to find another job and bridge the gap.

You’ll notice that the “helps” provided are built to remove boulders. These individualized programs are temporary. You and your case worker build a plan and timeline together (which unto itself is a learning). Once the boulder is out of your way, and you’re on your way, we get out of your way and you live your life. The point is to get you to self-sufficiency, to teach you how to fish.

There are two small additions to the organization and its programs: 1/ if you want to stay in touch, you are always welcome; and 2/ please pay it forward.

What do you think?

It may sound like welfare – but, I’d like to think it’s better. If this is what welfare is supposed to be then I apologize to those who created the welfare programs. I would suggest that those programs get better managed. I know people who live on welfare, and they really don’t believe there’s a way out. They almost seem to think that it’s going to be “welfare forever”.

In the meantime, feel free to share these ideas with anyone you think could contribute to making a difference. We need to take a stand today. The longer we wait, the more the issues proliferate. The more the issues proliferate, the more we get comfortable with the idea that “this is just the way it is”. I don’t know about you, but I refuse to accept poverty as a norm that just is…

One night's hiatus...

The Lemon Tree blog will return tomorrow evening: Sunday, December 14.

Thank you for your continued interest...

Judi

chief lemonhead

Lemony Lessons: Climbing the pyramid

Many of you are probably familiar with the Chinese proverb: Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, and you feed him for life. One of my favourite business/self-help writers/speakers, Stephen Covey takes it a step further and suggests that if we create a generation of teachers of fishing, we will lift all of society. And, I believe that!

I also believe that many of the existing government programs that support those who live in poverty do so by “giving fish”. These programs deal with the symptoms: hunger and homelessness (among others). Don’t get me wrong, of course we need to deal with these symptoms otherwise we’d be faced with not only people in poverty but people who are dying from starvation and exposure to the elements (which I recognize happens in many other countries). Now, I’m not a psychologist and I don’t pretend to be, but I will wager that those who live at the poverty level are likely, psychologically speaking, at the bottom end of

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs.

And I believe that with all good intentions, those government programs I am referring to were built – at least in part – to respond to those “deficiency needs” shown at the bottom of the pyramid.

I’d like to “throw something out there”… Might it be possible to work through the pyramid rather than step by step? (Yup; I sure did just question Mr. Maslow, the Father of Modern Management Psychology.) Here’s what I’m thinking: Instead of these government programs focusing solely on giving the physiological needs to those living in poverty, why wouldn’t we expand the focus into teaching how to get those needs on their own? That way, people can become self-sufficient rather than continually relying on others.

I can appreciate that some of these programs might already exist but I would question their accessibility. And I can appreciate that some people might question the time required and cost involved in “hand-holding” some of the people to access these teaching/learning programs if we want to move them from dependency to self-sufficiency. But, if we spend the extra effort now to make a real difference, we might actually be able to reduce the problem significantly. Who knows? Maybe one day we can actually eliminate poverty – like so many governments, world-wide, have committed to doing!

I believe that if we could build a culture where teaching and learning combine to drive people to self-sufficiency, we will see a world where the intensity of poverty begins to lighten. I believe that the teachers, who are likely higher (psychologically speaking) on the Pyramid will find themselves “self-actualizing” and that the learners will find themselves striving for higher levels with each new lesson they can take away. We could actually expand hope.

I remember being a kid and learning to ride my bike. I don’t think there was anything more exciting than showing everyone that I could do it on my own! The sense of pride that I actually learned to do something by myself was amazing. It was that feeling – remembering that feeling – that made me want to learn the next thing. What I’m driving at is that if we can learn one thing and feel good about it, we’ll likely want to learn one more… This new cycle continues until learning becomes a habit. And from the lessons come growth, self-sufficiency, pride and self-respect.

Lemons have families too...

I'd like to give you a little extra background on Nichole and her family:

Nichole’s mom graduated from high school – with honours; she was even enrolled in college (but never had a chance to graduate). She took care of her kids while her husband worked. It was the late 70s.

But papa was a rolling stone. He was in a rock band and drove race cars on the weekends. He thought he was one “hot tamale”! Then, the bottom fell out... He lost his job, lost the house and cheated on his wife. Little Nichole was only 2 when her dad left. A single mom with 3 kids and no income doesn’t make ends meet very well. And, Nichole’s dad was not into paying child support!

Oh, there goes gravity… (Eminem, Lose Yourself)

Nichole’s mom turned to county (State) support. A few food stamps and housing subsidies later, none of which provided a good life for a family of 4 in which 3 of the people were under the age of 18, Nichole’s mom gave into the vices that grip people who begin to feel hopeless. She started smoking and drinking heavily – and Lord knows what else – but, the point is that the pressures were too much!

Nichole’s mom – a grown woman – had to work for minimum wage at the local grocery store. She had a job which did not provide her with any family benefits so she remained a “client of welfare”; she did not get time off – she worked weekends, evenings, and sometimes nights. Nichole, her sister (4 years older), and her brother (8 years older) spent nights alone – fending for themselves. The kids would often wake themselves up and get themselves ready to go to school by themselves because their mom was too tired. Can you understand why, sometimes, the laundry didn’t get done?

The subsidies allowed the family to get a used car – sometimes the car started, sometimes it didn’t. Often, it didn’t start because they couldn't afford gas! (Would you believe that food stamps don’t buy gas, either?) When the car didn’t start, Nichole’s mom couldn’t get to work which meant she didn’t get paid. Oh yeah, I know what you’re thinking: call for a ride, take the bus. I thought that way too – but, let me enlighten you:

When you live in many small towns that are in the suburbs of small cities, there is no public transit! So, that option is out the window. And, when you live in areas where poverty is the norm, reliability is not a trait you find in others very easily. So, you just stay home. It doesn't happen over night; at first, you try. But, over time, when you are continuously met with this kind of challenge and obstacle, it's hard to find the strength to push through.

Shall we recap?
• From a life with hope, to hopeless and alone
• From regular meals to food stamps and housing subsidies
• From stay-at-home mom to minimum wage work with no benefits
• From a nice home to no stability
• From race cars to a car that might not start
• And, no reliable people or public transit

Sounds dreamy, doesn’t it? These were the realities that this family lived with… So, it’s no surprise when I tell you that there were often nights when splitting a baked potato for dinner was something you just had to do. Nichole recalls many nights where her mom actually gave up eating so that the kids could get a larger portion. Did I mention that her mom weighs about 90lbs all wet?

What’s the point of this story? The point is that poverty is a cycle. Somewhere, somehow, the cycle has to be broken. Here’s the big challenge: How do you break the cycle of poverty, create value for education, and mitigate the negative influences, without losing the fact that in the middle of it all, there exists a family?

Lemon Tree Idea Gallery - The Coordination Team

There are many more stories I intend to share on behalf of Nichole over the course of this blog. But, I think it’s also important to inject some ideas that we might all be able take action on and maybe make a difference. So, that is what I plan to do tonight.

Your contributions to the posts in the “Ideas Gallery” are particularly important. Click on the “comments” link at the end of the post to provide your thoughts. Feel free to provide your comments at any time…

It takes a village…
I’d like to remind you of 2 expressions that I’m sure you’ve heard before: 1/ It takes a village to raise a child; and 2/ Lead by example. What I get from putting these 2 expressions together is that, in order to raise a child – in all the positive sense of the term – we must model the behaviour we want to see.

If we want to make a real difference in bridging the gap between poverty and lack of education, we have to remember that contributing to this gap are, in no particular order of priority, communities, families, and schools. So, when we build out our programs, we have to find a way to link positive support at all the influence points.

The Coordination Team:
What if there was a "coordination team" whose job it was to work within specific communities and draw together those groups who focus on different aspects of the poverty spectrum: Food Banks, Adult education & job placement, Community improvement, Mentoring, Sports, etc… This very targeted focus would likely make a real impact and could transform areas over shorter periods of time than if we hit each individual issue on its own.

You’ll notice that I’m trying to stay away from government support. This doesn’t mean that these families and communities shouldn’t continue to get the support that they are entitled to, but the point is to help them improve to a level where that support is not required. Education is key!

Adults, like children, must learn. They have to be able identify those opportunities where they can apply the learning, and then they have to get paid for it. They also need the support required to feed and shelter their family. Don't forget, they have to be able to get to work too!

Corporations who are part of the broader community should get involved! If labour shortage is an issue – and it is today – these corporations would benefit tremendously from a program that would help people living in poverty acquire skills for future application directly with them. Imagine the employee engagement that comes from helping someone help himself?

A great example of an organization doing just that is RONA. The RONA Foundation makes a difference – one youth at a time. As a sponsor of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic games, RONA has provided materials for the legacy housing which will house athletes during the Games, and be transformed into subsidized housing after the games. Over 150 housing units will be available. In addition to this, RONA’s “How-to” team also worked with homeless and underprivileged youth in the Vancouver area to build various Olympic venues. By providing skills and training to these youth, RONA has given hope and made a difference in these communities. Want to hear the best part? These youth are now training other youth to build more venues, and they are getting paid for it!

For the record – the RONA Foundation and the RONA How-to team provide support to underprivileged communities across Canada.

Lemon-scented laundry...

Well, now that I’ve introduced you to Nichole, I’d like to walk you through a few episodes of her life. The following stories might get you emotional – they sure did me. Nichole’s life and life experiences are about as clear an example of how lack of education and poverty become part of an endless cycle until someone finds the hope and strength to break it.

Laundry detergent – is it a right or a privilege?

You know what I think is interesting: the term “underprivileged”. According to the

Merriam-Webster online dictionary, underprivileged refers to those deprived through social or economic condition of some of the fundamental rights of all members of civilized society. When most of us think of people who are living in underprivileged conditions, we think of subsidized housing and lack of food. Would you have even considered that access to laundry detergent, or clean clothes, would actually be restricted? I mean, I’m not trying to feign ignorance here but laundry detergent is not something top of mind… not even in our own daily lives, but it is very important.

When Nichole was 9, getting ready for school she often woke up to put on dirty clothes. There were days when the laundry just didn’t get done: without hope or when you're short on food, it’s hard to have the energy to clean clothes. Many times, it was simply a question of not having laundry detergent to begin with. Nichole even has memories of clothes being washed in the bathtub with dish soap because it is cheaper than laundry detergent. Not to mention that it was the only thing left in the house which could clean clothes… well, at least until the welfare check came!

Now, it’s hard enough being a kid who lives below the level of poverty. Add to it the regular stresses of going to school, throw in a dash of “out-of-style” clothing, and for good measure – make those clothes dirty! Do you want to keep going to school?

Here’s the thing – food stamps do not buy laundry detergent. When we look for ways to help bridge the gap between poverty and lack of education, we need to create an educational environment that breaks down (as much as possible) the silos that society creates and then imposes on our children. Those silos make it hard for “over-privileged” children; imagine what they do to underprivileged children?

* The image of the Sunlight detergent is simply used to depict a "lemon-scented" laundry detergent.

My Lemon Tree Inspiration: Setting the stage

I’ve spent some time in the first 5 posts showing why this cause is so important to our communities. Of course, there are many other reasons which I will discuss over time; this is just a beginning.

Over the next series of posts, I’d like to demonstrate why this issue is so important to me personally, and introduce you to my inspiration for the Lemon Tree.

My inspiration:
A little over 5 years ago, I met someone incredibly special. A person with a big heart and a great mind, but who had never had the opportunities I got. This person grew up in a small community in the US – though she would argue that the “small community” she grew up in was no small community at all because it’s the seat of government for the county. But, here’s the back story…

Nichole grew up in a world that I had only seen in movies and on TV (sure, maybe I was a little sheltered): Her family was on welfare and food stamps. (A little fun fact about food stamps: they only buy food. No soap, no toothpaste, no toilet paper. And, they’re actually called “food coupons”. Want more info, click here.) Nichole rarely, if ever, had new clothes – being the youngest of three, she usually received hand-me-downs. Their home was provided, in part, by county subsidies. And, the odds that their car would start in the morning were as good as the odds you’d win at a game of slots at the casino.

You’d like to think that was the worst of it, but such is not the case. Poverty often breeds despair; Nichole witnessed teenage pregnancies, drug use, abuse and overdose, alcoholism, and domestic assault.

Not that anyone should, but humour me… Can you imagine growing up in this environment and succeeding in school? Nichole quit high school in grade 10.

Over the course of the next week, I’ll share some personal stories on behalf of Nichole, and lead up to her ambitions, dreams and plan of attack.

A word of caution here: The posts may contain mature subjects. Reader discretion is advised.

Lemon Tree Facts: Canada and the US

One of the things you will notice throughout this blog is that I am focusing on Canada and the US.

Why?

Well, it’s certainly not because poverty or lack of education doesn’t exist anywhere else. In fact, I know it is rampant in some countries that didn’t make my shortlist. I am focusing on these countries because it’s where I live and it’s likely to be the area where I can make a larger and more realistic difference. The ideas that will be generated, I hope, could be exported to other areas of the world; and as I mentioned before, if ideas are already working in other places, maybe those could be imported here.

Now, to get back to your question: “Why?” I’ll take you back to the last paragraph of my last post: the notion of the stone in the water creating ripples. It’s important to make a difference in our “circle of influence” (Stephen Covey, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People). Sure, I’d like to save the world; wouldn’t we all? But, we have to focus on where we can make the biggest impact, and hope that the positive changes we truly influence will generate ripples into the future, and maybe even into the larger global community.

I mean, most poverty-targeting charities are focused on under-developed countries. And, I’m not suggesting (as mentioned before) that there isn’t a need to help the people in those countries, but who’s looking at the issues on our streets, and in our cities? The poverty-targeting charities in Canada and the US usually only garner media attention around the holidays, or around natural disasters (think Katrina).

How is it that we get “guilted” into focusing our charities and efforts on these places miles and oceans away from us when there is poverty in our own city – if not on our own street? How can we then turn around and dare ask why there is crime in our schools; why so many of our youth choose "the wrong path"; and why so many people in our towns are homeless?

So, that’s why I am focusing on Canada and the US: I believe that if we focus on our streets, our neighbourhoods, our families, our communities, our cities, our countries – we can more likely have an immediate impact, a more direct influence, and make a bigger difference in the long run. When those we help choose to “pay it forward” – maybe even like Chris Gardner did – perhaps the greater circle of influence expands into other parts of the world.

So… what does the picture look like in Canada or the US? Well, I suppose you could say it’s like Vegas, to quote the new and improved INXS, “It ain’t pretty, after the show!”

Canada (stats from

www.makepovertyhistory.ca):
• One in six Canadian child is living in poverty;
• Canada’s child poverty rate of 15% is 3x higher than the rate of child poverty in Sweden, Norway or Finland;
• Every month, 770 000 people in Canada use food banks; 40% of those are children!

USA (stats from http://www.heartsandminds.org/articles/childpov.htm):
• One in four American child is living below the official “poverty line” (who knew poverty had a line?);
• 22% of Americans under the age of 18, or 25% under the age of 12, are hungry, or at risk of being hungry;
• Everyday, 2 660 children are born into poverty; 27 die because of it;
• Children and families are the fastest growing group in the homeless population, representing about 40%!

If these stats aren’t enough to convince you that there is a real problem here, you could always Google the issue for yourself and see how many links you could check out!

To be clear, I am not suggesting that the poverty issue is not very real in other parts of the world; I know that it is. But, if we can turn this blog into a movement over time, the goal needs to be to focus at home and bridge the gap between lack of education and poverty. I believe that by keeping our focus on our true circle of influence, by becoming teachers and by modeling the concept of paying it forward, we will positively impact the bigger community, and maybe even the world…

We can be the stone and we can create ripples in the water.

Once Upon Chris Gardner's Lemon Tree

“Born February 9, 1954 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Christopher Paul Gardner's childhood was marked by poverty, domestic violence, alcoholism, sexual abuse and family illiteracy. Gardner published his autobiography out of a desire to shed light on these universal issues and show they do not have to define you. Gardner never knew his father, and lived with his beloved mother, Bettye Jean Triplett (nee Gardner), when not in foster homes. Gardner is indebted to Bettye Jean for his success as she provided him with strong "spiritual genetics" and taught him that in spite of where he came from, he could chart another path and attain whatever goals he set for himself.” (http://www.chrisgardnermedia.com/main/biography.htm)

If this passage about Chris Gardner’s life doesn’t ring a bell for you, maybe clicking here will jar your memory.

Chris Gardner’s secret weapon for survival: his mind! Even at a young age, Chris knew how to read and realized that this unto itself would provide hope for him. His ability to expand his hope through learning is inspirational. His sacrifice, even beyond the pain he was already experiencing, for the chance to improve his life and his son’s life is one that many of us might not have the strength to make.

As if that weren’t enough, what else makes Chris Gardner special? Chris has taken his lessons and recognizes that without the help he did get, the teachers he did have, he may not have succeeded. He is now “forwarding” the favour by:

• Sitting on the Board of the National Fatherhood Initiative;
• Sitting on the Board of the National Education Foundation and sponsoring 2 awards;
• Sitting on the Board of the International Rescue Committee;
• Remaining committed to the Glide Memorial Church in San Francisco;
• And helping to fund low-income housing project and employment opportunities for Tenderloin (a notoriously poor area of SF).

See Chris on 20/20:
• Part 1
• Part 2

What’s my point?
My point is that when people have the hope to pull themselves out of poverty, can find the right teachers so they can learn what is required to stand on their own feet, and then expand their hope to reach incredible heights, they give back. It’s like the concept of the stone in the water and the ripple it creates.

I believe that each of us have the opportunity to be the “stone”. Help people find their hope; help people learn; and watch them make a difference. If you can teach - and make it a habit to teach - you’ll keep creating ripples. This does not cost money, takes less time than you think, and makes a world of difference!

A little clarity to the Lemon Tree

First, I want to apologize for the late post… I will try to get them up by 7pm EST every day – 1 a day – until more are required. Tonight, I ran a into a delay in line doing the groceries - sorry... And now, back to the blog.

Now, before we move into the “ideas gallery” of this blog, I want to just clarify a few things:

• This blog is a series of ideas that have been percolating in my head for a long time now; and I’m choosing to share them via the blog. Maybe I’m biased – I’m sure many of you are shocked – but I think some of these ideas may have some merit.

• By using the words learn and education, I am not referring to anyone needing a post-secondary education of any sort. In fact, I know of many people who are not living in poverty at all, and who do not have a high school diploma. I am also well aware that there are very highly educated people living at, and under, the level of poverty.

In all cases, I am referring to the simple thirst for knowledge and desire to learn something; maybe even learn something new. Hey – we all had to learn to tie our shoes at one point, right?

• I acknowledge that some of the ideas that will be posted may already be “out there”. If you’ve heard of them, please share where and how they work? I will also be sharing many examples. Maybe it’s not a question of something new, but rather of importing something that works.

• I also acknowledge that there are some elements: images or references, which I will use throughout the blog that are proprietary to other entities. For example: though my profile image may portray Mr. Lemonhead, I clearly am not him. With this bullet point, I would like to refer you to the Lemonhead candy website. They are one of my favourites and one reason for the “lemonhead” reference throughout the blog. The other reason is the fact that we are talking about a Lemon Tree!

In any other situation where references or images will be posted, I will be sure to reference the source and also attempt to advise the entities involved.

• THE IMPORTANT STUFF:
The point of this blog is to make us aware of the link between poverty and lack of education, to highlight the chance that we have to expand hope through teaching, and hopefully to find a way for all of us to take action!

You are all invited to participate in this conversation… Ideas have to start somewhere, and then they need to grow. Like I said: who knows where this can lead?

Next stop: “Once Upon a Lemon Tree”

I hope the Lemon Seed can grow

…The first thing you need to know about learning to identify opportunities is that the secret lies in hope.

I was once told that there are rich people and poor people in the world – but not in terms of financials (although yes, that way too). Rather, we can measure someone’s wealth in terms of hope. There is nothing sadder than a person “poor of hope”. But, if you take a look at this interview with Frank O’Dea, co-founder of Second Cup, you’ll see that it is a possible theory that everyone has some hope. The success lies in the ability to expand our own horizon of hope.

Pay close attention to the section time stamped 1:35

So, if one day, someone hopes for 99¢ - that’s what they work toward. Then, the next day, maybe they’ll hope for $1.50 and work toward that. Who knows where the next bit of hope can lead! Heck – you’ve heard of the guy who traded one red paper clip up to a house, right? Now, that’s some serious horizon expanding hope!

What does all this have to do with the Lemon Tree idea? Well – I guess I have 3 hopes – aka: 3 objectives. (Nah – I don’t have a business background, lol.) There is a short-term, a medium-term, and a long-term “hope”.

Short-term
Get people talking! Poverty, though not the cause of every social symptom, is the springboard from which a lot of people jump into an empty pool. If you can imagine that – it hurts. So, let’s all start by being aware.

Medium-term
Get people teaching! Since everyone needs to learn something, then everyone should teach something. Nope – I’m not suggesting that we all need a Master’s degree or a PhD but think back to your lemon stand. Someone taught you something, and you probably made a little cash. So, teach someone something… Pay it forward!

Long-term
Get people creating! If we’re all teaching, then we’re creating learners. But how can we create the biggest impact? In the long-term, I hope we can create places where the people who need it can come and learn. Not just “programs that are available to you”, but learning experiences that are accessible, motivating and maybe even hope expanding.

Can we save the world? I hope! (…but, probably not in one sitting.)

The Lemon Seed

I think I would be remiss if I didn’t join in the world of endless information, endless communications and endless ideas. You see (for those who don’t know me), I’m one of those people who can take an 8-hour day and turn it into a thousand different ideas. Maybe some are good, maybe some are bad – but the melon is always thinking! And, it is always thinking about something in particular: the link between poverty and lack of education.

I’m hoping that by shining some light onto people’s stories: experiences, successes and fears; and by providing some insight into some ideas I’ve come to dream of, there may be someone out there who can help with making some of these ideas and hopes come to life.

First, let me give you some background on the “Once upon a Lemon Tree” concept. You’ve heard of the expression: “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade”? Well – that’s where this idea was born. Fact is, in today’s climate, there are probably a lot of people who feel like they’ve been given the whole damn lemon tree!

Second, let me show you how the “lemon tree” has anything to do with the link between “poverty and lack of education”. Many of you might remember your first job setting up a lemonade stand on your street and selling a glass for 10¢ on a hot summer day. But, how did you make the lemonade? If your mom or dad hadn’t showed you and your friends how to make the stuff, you’d have had nothing but the lemons and sugar! So, you had to learn. That’s the point… if you learn something you can probably make some money off of it.

Third, let me demonstrate the missing link – and hence, some of the stories and ideas I will present in future posts. Just because you learned something doesn’t mean you can make money, but it is a mandatory pre-requisite. The missing link to the “lemon tree” is to find the opportunity. But, then again – I suppose you could learn to identify opportunities…