4 Greatest Needs in "Tent City" under I-45

During the 2016 "point in time" homeless census, we asked our homeless neighbors in "tent city" what were their four most pressing needs. The graphic below makes the answer very, very clear.

  Imagine if this were you and me.

Poverty. . .a real issue

The poor among you

By Ken Camp on March 30, 2012
© The Baptist Standard

They gather at dawn at day-labor centers or designated parking lots where contractors hire workers. Some stop on their way to pick up a cheap breakfast taco at a convenience store, buying their meal from an employee earning minimum wage. At the store, they wait in line with members of a crew purchasing gas for the mowers and trimmers they will use to cut the grass of other people's lawns.

They are the working poor—people who may work more hours a week than the average salaried employee, but they do it at a cobbled-together assortment of part-time jobs without benefits. Some find themselves trapped in the situation because they lack the education or technical skills to find a better job. Others lost salaried positions due to economic recession and are working part-time or temporary jobs to try to make ends meet.

Continue reading. . .

Hunger to increase in US due to short-sighted cuts

Take a moment to watch this video and to read the accompanying report.

Already we are seeing the impact of cuts to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP or Food Stamps).  Dig a little deeper:  read up on this very helpful benefit to working, low-income families and individuals.

Consider the impact of the proposed cuts.  Think beyond the affect on those who use the program.  Think also about the impact on the retail grocery industry and on related jobs.  Consider health care costs resulting from people being forced to consume food products that are cheap, high calorie and unhealthy.

Being penny wise and pound foolish never gets us where we want or need to be.

Your thoughts?

Obesity and Poverty: Access, Volume and Cost

Food Desert Atlas

Now you can identify "food deserts" by address!   To check out this useful tool, click here.

Ironically, inadequate access to food drives the growing problem we have with obesity.