Chicago Food Insecurity

Name the article: Feeding the need
Author: Rachel Farrell
date of publication: 3/19/2010
source: http://www.kellogg.northwestern.edu/News_Articles/2010/kate_maehr.aspx

The article about the Greater Chicago Food Depository basically shows the increase in need for services amongst the popultions. The thing that distinguishes this from the readings we have done thus far is the timing. None of the texts faced such economic hardships as we do now in 2010.
“Not surprisingly, the economic downturn has caused demand for food at GCFD to spike dramatically. Since 2006, the number of people served has increased 36 percent. Last year, that amounted to 58.3 million pounds of meat, produce, dairy products and nonperishable food.” These rises within the area are not by any means insignificant. Any increase in terms of donations or contributions when people are pinching their wallets is pretty much a disaster in the making. The texts examine scenarios in stable economies, the current scenario is more like a fiction film than any reality we would like to endure.

Nickel and Dimed and the LIVING WAGE reality

In Minneapolis, Wal-Mart payed her $7 an hour. She spent some time debating between this and Menards but realized that the 10 dollars an hour promised at Menards was not a reality by any means. A problem facing Ehrenreich around this time as well as throughout the book is affordable housing.

The Minneapolis Community Development Agency filed a 2003 report that establishes the 2003 Minneapolis Living Wage at $9.73 per hour. She is barely there and realistically going to need another job to survive in Minnesota.

http://www.newrules.org/equity/rules/living-wage/living-wage-ordinance-minneapolis

Walter and Marnie's Blog critiques

Since walter and I have had some classes together I figured I would check his blog out and get a look at his thought process. I was pleasantly surprised to find some video bars as well as a burst of color on his sight. The other thing I liked was his adding of contact info for the national runaway switch board. I found that to be clever. I am pretty sure we saw Kim speak last summer together so his blog about her was refreshing, and his quote of, "I guess to anyone going through hard times I challenge you to INSPIRE someone and do what is right and succeed despite it" was awesome.


Go figure that I have the same background as Marnie! Her posts were about as long as I have ever seen. Once again, here was another person with some photos and a video bar and it had me wondering why i never spent as much time with mine as I do on my facebook. The most fascinating part of her blog was the link to the world socialist website. OMg how revealing is that? I am not sure if it was just for the one article it took me to or if she was trying to tell us something. Either way, her blog most definitely matches her in class actions and was well written

A splash of extra credit with the National Runaway Switchboard

Hmmmm. Prior to the presentation I had zero knowledge of this group even existing. Possibly from the fact that at no time in my life did I or those around me need the hotline, or could be the fact that their message just never reached me. I thought the presentation was outstanding as far as what they have to offer. I wish things were a little more involved but I understand that from a legal standpoint, when aiding minors or working with them in general there are a ton of legal barriers.

I found the speaker to be above and beyond knowledgeable on the topic and that helps when it comes to an effective presentation. The message definitely reached me as well as my fellow classmates I am sure. It is unfortunate as to the laundry list of reasons as to why people runaway yet it is our reality. I think the message needs to be reinforced and educated to the parents as well so they can make a less hostile household. If only there was a program to give people licenses to reproduce and classes beforehand I think some of the problems we now have would be decreased.

STREETWISE

This film was disturbing for a number of a reasons. To start, prior to taking this class or film, I never really thought of children and teens as capable of being homeless. The term runaway came to mind meaning a kid who left for a little bit and came home, not so much as what the film showed.

Drug abuse, hustling, prostitution, and a number of other day to day possible activities for these individuals as a means to survival and coping were upsetting. I could not imagine what this would be like. As far as the resources available to these kids that seems as if at the time the film was made little was out there. In this economy, I can't imagine there being an over abundance of resources either.

Lastly, the reasons as to how these kids ended up this way is the root of the problem. Issues within the household that no one should have to endure led the majority of these individuals to turn to the streets. Truly disturbing. I hate to blame the parents but in the majority of these cases, I think the problem lies with them to turn these kids into the streets as oppose to keeping them home. As bad as things may have been in my life, I can't imagine running away as a solution.

The action project that I did not see coming

It all began with a search for an organization for my group to work with. We brought it down to a few and ultimately chose to go with REST.

We were instructed that in order to work with the group we would have to go through an orientation of sorts. Jen and I were able to do so a week ago, the other two group members will do theirs soon. Upon completion of the meeting we were given a chance to chose our times. For some reason, simply serving a meal did not seem adequate enough for what I was seeking to gain from this group. I told the coordinator that instead of the 6-8 am breakfast shift or 8-10 dinner, I would like to begin at 6 am and see how long I could last in the organization. Little did i know what was in store for me.

To keep the blog brief and save information for my presentation, I will give a quick overview of my day at rest.

6am Walk into the mens shelter and engage in conversation with the night supervisor along with one of the "clients" who is the cook. I found it interesting and encouraging that the residents so to speak were all labeled as clients and members.

The food situation was not ideal and the menu consisted of oatmeal and coffee.

I guess shortly after the disorientation settled in for me the door was opened and I stood witness to the sleeping situation. That along with the smell took my breath away.

Fast forward to an awkward morning of service and it was almost 8am. The cleaning and putting away of the beds had begun to occur and I was just in a state of shock.

around 8am i met the two day shift supervisors and it was business as usual for them. From processing in the current males, in addition to the women from down the street, it was quite a sight to see. I worked with the two on the front end to receive and process the clients as if it were a job or something with a roll call. My appetite at this point was gone.

Orientation for some newbies happenned around 10, after which i took a lunch to regain composure and let things marinade a little bit.

My group partner Jen came in after lunch and together we mingled with the clients and discussed some of the scenarios that led them to this place of refuge. In addition to some board games and what not, we then went on an adventure with a young fellow through the neighborhood and to Starbucks, where we unexpectedly ran into another client who walked in.

By 7 pm, the day had reached an end for us and the rest of the fun filled action will have to be told in class, so make sure you attend!!!!

DALLAS...again

Dallas was our city
• The number of estimated homeless people in the county was around 6,000
• 10 % of unmet need from the Mayor’s Report with regards to food that comes from the food pantries. This was interesting when you consider the report states that there was a 77% increase in funding in this area.

In 2004, when this city took the pledge to end homelessness in ten years, times were different. The answer as to why they are not providing better, enough, or more comprehensive services is kind of tricky. Prior to this crisis, and for a good number of decades, the homeless were not your working or middle class individuals. Thanks to some corruption on a number of levels, millions have now lost their homes and jobs and as a result are now poor. People who back in 2004 could not begin to fathom what this would be like are now at the pantries trying to grab some grub. Well, this has stalled things across the country and will take a good number of years before they can begin to combat this issue.

Cadillac Chapter 3

Uhhhh, it is no secret that the media plays a huge role in the stereotypes that have wrongfully been embedded into our society. As a young child, I can remember the white people standing in front of Dominicks trying to sell their food stamps for cash which I can only assume would be to fuel one of many addictions. These characters have never been shown on FOX, NBC, or CNN when I have been watching.

I have attached an interesting article in the link below that may be from 2003, yet is still relevant today.

http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/478/

So you think I drive a Cadillac? Chapter 2

Nope, i drive a BMW.

Seccombe and her version of aid and assistance.....can i say headache? While I understand what the misconceptions are about those on the receiving end, those who are the ones giving the handouts need to be examined as well with their motives. Whether it is this text or the video we watched in practicum about the projects, this type of aid does nothing for long term benefit for anyone and in my opinion deepens the divide amongst the classes.

I have said it time and time again that we need to stop complaining and start acting. Looking at the causes of poverty can end up being an endless list. TIME TO ADDRESS IT AND CHANGE IT. Was it just me or was there not enough of that in chapter 2?

Justyna's Blog

I definitely had to check out Justyna's blog since she is the polish version of me with bleached hair.

JUST KIDDING.

I thought it was flattering that she commented on my blog and that i hit a 2 for 2 upon checking others blogs who happened to comment on mine. HOW NICE>?

She had some good graphics as well as a personal portrait which i found to be appropriate for the topic. On any note, her blog is effective in spreading the message and I felt as if i was growing with her along this journey in understanding the homeless

CLAUDIA and her definition of poverty

If i had an extra dollar for every single time Claudia complained about education there would definitely be an extra 20 bucks in my wallet.

She is relentless but the correlation she finds is strong to a point. I can't stand when people keep on blaming class because it does not take a high class individual to know that going to school is important and sitting in front of a television is not. Let us keep it to the point, education is the key, and reinforcing what a good education is imperative. To the families who complain about school closures but purchase their kids video games and nike shoes i think the answer is self explanatory.

Quit complaining and do something about it.

Time for some ACTION

Action Project details....

I feel like we are Group 4, but not too sure on that. At least i have the group members down. Jen, David, Adolfo and I plan on doing our work with REST, which is a United Way Member Agency. You all can find some more info on the organization on the link below.

http://www.restweb.org/

Since this is a class on Hunger & Homelessness I hope this organization can provide us with an inside look at the issue right here on Chicago's very own north side. I am sure we will have more info in the near future once we get this thing rolling.

KIM is my HOMEGIRL!

Kimberly States- enough said!!! I am a huge fan of her.

What a story. It is kind of like a car accident that you can't help but stare at as you drive by. She had a roller coaster of a life and is a great example of what our society has done to the African-American community as well as women in general. The fact that she is still alive is a triumph in itself all things considered. I thought stories like hers were only on television and definitely not as entertaining, she has found her calling and i wish her great success.

On a serious note, this woman has been through hell and back and I can't seem to find anyone to blame directly other than society as a whole. Her parents were not only the ones who failed her, or the relatives that took advantage of her at a young age either, but all of them and some more indirect ones as well. The racial segregation that we had and still have today that divided communities, the drug dealers, the teachers, and pretty much everyone to some degree failed this woman. She said it best when describing the walk outside your door to find a dealer at every corner so blatantly in your face. In my neighborhood, we had ice cream trucks and carts everywhere, like normal children with a future of obesity dreamed of. I applaud her and the message she sends and hope that some reform will happen in our lifetime to prevent and aid the other Kim's out there.

Hmmm..... reality bites

So I spent four years away from the great city of Chicago to see an incredible amount of hitchhikers in southern California and a few of them while overseas in Japan. The four years i had prior to that adventure driving around in Chicago there were always homeless but not as many as I have seen the past year back.

From a majority of men a few years back spread throughout the city at random and not as frequent, to an alarming number of individuals now found at gas stations, highway exits, and other public intersections. It saddens me as this people are spread throughout the city that we can't consolidate the groups and somewhat guide them in the right direction since we lack one. While millions have been affected by the recent economic crisis, for those already at the bottom of the barrel in life it has taken away the few benefits or resources they used to have to now fix other issues that affect middle class America. God forbid you sell a car or downsize in suburbia, let us find a way to bail you out.

Where is the bail out for the homeless???

Chicago Coaltion for the SELECT Homeless

WOW- this group of speakers made me really think about what the hell i am doing as a justice studies major.

I thought that we were about aiding all of the people and assisting the masses, without exclusion. The one speaker turned out to be the biggest hypocrite ever after having "hustled" her way through life to find Jesus and sobriety. When she said that they can chose to be sober in order to benefit from the programs i almost jumped out of my seat. My frustrations with this woman are the same many others share and are the reasons as to why little to no movement is occurring to solve the problem. PEOPLE LIKE HER ARE THE PROBLEM.

I ask how many of the homeless she felt are substance abusers of sorts and she replied in jest "all of them." Hmmmm, if that is the case, i think we are going to have a huge problem. Must be nice for her to have found sobriety and now reap all of the government benefits she is denying so many from receiving.

DOLLAR MENU CRAZE

While times get tough, the fast food giants have opted to capitalize on the dollar menu. Nowadays the only chain without one seems to be starbucks. AS obesity rates skyrocket for Americans what better solution than a poor quality and high in fat diet?

Hmmm. I don't think the rich are as affected by this type of marketing. People in poverty have been making the wrong health choices for a long time and this new trend to cure and lure in individuals based on financial hardships is brilliant and disgusting at the same time.

Dallas TEXAS & Poverty

well they say everything is bigger in texas and it was no different when it came to the issue of homelessness.

As a group we decided to divide up the city and each examine a different area of hunger and homelessness.
Once I looked at the Mayor's report and conducted some additional online research, I felt as if my issue of race was a key player in this city. While Michigan and Ohio may be experiencing widespread poverty levels, the racial lines were not as black and white as my city in Texas.

The "higher the hair, the closer to God" mentality down in Texas does nothing for their standard of living. The minority groups down there pass their white counterparts on a higher level than in comparison across the nation when looking at data. At any rate, my group presented our findings last week and concluded that the information provided was rather vague and not as direct as we would have liked.

We shall see how this city and many others pledge to end poverty turn up in a few years.

Illinois Poverty

I can't think about the poverty level in Illinois without addressing the main region in poverty, Chicago.

According to the mayors reports we were given, a key factor in our region is a lack of affordable housing. As for the entire state, i don't think that is as much of an issue. My friends located in southern Illinois tell me they face poverty issues but the cost of living is significantly lower downstate than what we are dealing with way up here.

Reality is, as i have traveled across the state, I am never really faced with poverty outside of the Chicago metropolitan area. While i am sure the entire state is affected by it to some degree, the concentration is most visible here in the city.

Dino's definition of poverty

I view poverty as circumstantial. $18,000 a year to an individual versus a family of four is an entirely different standard. I think that the term poverty is thrown around too loosely nowadays and when i hear of soccer moms getting coffee in the morning and their nails done on weekends crying about living in poverty the argument does not work for me.

DINO's DEFINITION
If you are without a home or on the brink of losing your home you are living in poverty.
If you are malnourished and lack proper food and water you are living in poverty.
When you go to the ER for a simple cold or fever you are probably living in poverty.
All of the undocumented workers making less than minimum wage are living in poverty.

The college student making 10 bucks an hour in a $500 a month studio is not what i would consider poverty, i call that life.

AAANACA Conference

On January 28th I attended the AAANACA Conference at NEIU and was truly shocked by the information presented.

What started out as an overload of AIDS information proved to be more than just an eye opener. The numbers are beyond alarming and truly disturbing. When I think about my Military experience, it was mandatory for all of us to be tested in order to achieve mission readiness. As civilians, i understand that there are certain rights and privileges that have to be uphold. When it comes to this disease I did not feel it was necessarily an option and argued that it should be a mandate.

Since I was at the seminar from 2:50 to 6:50 there was a variety of information provided other than AIDS alone. A professor came and spoke about his neighborhood of Oak Park/ RIver Forest and the plight of the African Americans in the area. The school where his children attend took part in an interesting experiment on race that showed some attitudes and misperceptions on the people in the area. I barely agreed with anything he said and thought he was bias and rather narrow minded.

All said and done the day was incredibly informative and educational.

Chicago homeless shelter for veterans

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chicago/ct-xtra-veterans-shelter-20100118,0,3303391.story

Another article on poverty- this time focussing on the veterans. You would think that after serving your country that you would always be protected. The benefits they offer upon exit from the military are massive after all. But the fact of the matter is that there are tens of thousands of homeless veterans in the US.

Study: More poor living in U.S. suburbs than in cities

http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2010/01/20/poor-suburbs-brookings/

This article breaks down the myth that the suburbs are filled with wealth as the numbers of those in poverty in suburbia are skyrocketing. While much of suburbia came from massive white flight, we now face some of the most alarming increases in poverty out in pleasantville.

The main problem with this rate increase in suburbia is an entire lack of resources. The poor were always thought to have been in urban areas and that is where the access was for them to seek assistance. In suburbia, they are extremely limited when it comes to obtaining aid. Guess the Cleaver's are going to have to drive to the city for help.

Hunger & Homelessness

Let the semester begin