March is Social Justice Month at the University of Missouri-St. Louis and many organizations are gearing up to help their communities.
On Wednesday, March 3, 2009, the Community Partnership Project (CPP) met in the JC Penney building on the UM-St. Louis campus to discuss the effects that America's current economic down turn are having on local communities in and around St. Louis.
The discussion was led by Dr. Nancy Kinney, with Glenn Koenen and Major Janice Love as a panel of guest speakers. There was an open invitation to volunteer-organizations and individuals interested in social action in St. Louis.
Dr. Kinney is an associate professor of political science and public policy administration as well as director of UM-St. Louis' Nonprofit Management & Leadership Program. She began the meeting by tossing a few statistics to the group.
According to the Missouri Hunger Atlas, 13 percent of Missourians are subject to hunger, 17 percent in St. Louis City and 9 percent in the County.
While there are barely 6 million people in Missouri, 1 million use food stamps (aka SNAP).
Kinney mentioned some government programs such as Social Security and SNAP, but believed that there is a limit to their involvement and provision. This, said Kinney, is for two reasons.
First, it is difficult to predict such a demand as hunger and second there is reluctance in citizens to empower government enough to completely solve these issues.
Therefore, Kinney said that we must rely on private sectors to "fill in the gaps."
With this, she posed one general question to the attendees: How are we meeting the needs of people in St. Louis?
In order to answer this question the panel explored current needs in and surrounding St. Louis City.
As usual, people need food, shelter and health care; children need education, the elderly need assistance, families need counseling and organizations need volunteers. It seemed to be a typical discussion when concerned with social needs.
So what difference has the current "Financial Crisis," as labeled on the CPP website, had on the St. Louis Region?
The panel, with agreement from those present, conceded that the difference is the influx of a new demographic: the Middle Class.
Glenn Keonen, Executive Director of Circle of Concern, pointed out that many of the people needing aid are used to living above their means.
Not only are some losing their jobs and in need of help but many are maxing out credit cards in order to pay their mortgages.
"What we have now," Keonen said, "are people who have jobs and can't make ends meet. Most people can't comprehend it. When they think of poverty, they think of the 1930s pictures. The harsh reality is that they'll have to make major changes in their lives."
Major Janice Love, Pastor and Corps Officer for the Salvation Army Euclid Center, pointed out some further consequences.
"We are recognizing stress on families," she said.
The economy as it is, causes problems for the children and a need for counseling. Also, come summer most families will not be able to afford summer camps and the children will have nothing to do during the day.
Both Keonen and Love say that alterations are needed in order to assist the new demographic. Aside from retraining the staff, both organizations are expanding hours.
It is difficult for, what Keonen calls, the "Working Poor" to receive aid during the day.
Also, Major Love spoke of offering family management classes, counseling and free summer camps for the children.
Furthermore, since most who donate to Circle of Concern are middle class there is less of an inflow of money.
"We've had to cut many of our budget and staff," Love said about her branch of the Salvation Army, "but we can't cut services."
Despite having less money, she still thinks that, "people's generosity...has gone up even though it hurts their pockets. It's a blessing."
As a supplement, Love encouraged organizations to collaborate.
"Collaboration is key," she said, "Reaching out to other churches and agencies...to best serve the people."
One such group whose actions Love calls "something to be commended" are the local college students.
"The college students have stepped up to the plate," she said.
According to Leah Jones, UM-St. Louis' Student Services Advisor, as UM-St. Louis has been planning more, students "rise to the occasion."
Recent changes that Jones noticed on campus are more focused on hunger and homelessness and less focused on the students' ability to contribute financially.
"Fundraising is decreasing," Jones said, and even though "people will have less to contribute [fiscally], time and effort will swap."
Jones voiced a desire to "step up involvement and focus more on the local, Normandy Community."
Thankfully, for Jones, "Students want to be involved."
For those interested in getting involved, Leah Jones and Megan Hill (AmeriCorp*VISTA and Missouri Campus Compact), recommended a few contacts and upcoming UM-St. Louis events. Students can stop by the Office of Student Life on the third floor of the Millennium Student Center, view Student Life's 'service' page (www.umsl.edu/studentlife/osl/service/), or contact them directly at OFLservice@umsl.edu.
A noted event in March is "Volunteering at Safe Connections" on March 13. On April 1 is "Civic Engagement Day," and on April 3 is "Volunteering at Mary Ryder Home."
As voiced by all the organizations mentioned, volunteering and assistance is much appreciated.
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