8 ways to do something about poverty

Earlier today, I talked about 8 whys to pay attention to people in poverty. I promised 8 ways to help. (Lots of other people are offering lots of other ways as well today, looking at Goodwill, and fall housecleaning, and a guy who dropped out of school.)

But here are mine.

1. Give $25 to a foodbank. They need money to pay for food and fuel. In the past, stores would give away expired food. Now those same stores are marking down the price but keeping it at the store. Good for shoppers, bad for food banks.

2. Give two hours to an agency working with teen moms. Training, encouragement, attention, opportunity can help them stay in school. Nancy did this kind of volunteering for three years, three hours every other week. It’s slow. It matters.

3. Print out a poster and put it in a coffee house. These are design professionals giving tools to make a difference.

4. Listen to what Paul says about helping kids in Kenya. He understands. He was there.

5. A church I know about has small groups. Each small group is encouraged to adopt a widow as part of their group.They provide community and attention and hope.

6. Older people can forget to pay bills, can forget to eat, can struggle to care for each other. They may be living across the street, seeming to be grouchy old people. Maybe they are grouchy because they are hungry. Or sick. Or both.

7. The hurricane is past. The world attention has come and gone. Tom Osbeck is still in Haiti. He used to live in Fort Wayne. Now he lives there. His ministry is called “Jesus in Haiti.” They preach. And help an orphanage. And help a school. And take food and water to people living in a garbage dump.

8. Read about ways words make a difference from Joanna Young or this story from Robert Hruzek. And pray.