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Success Stories No matter how dedicated an organization’s efforts may be, sometimes the idea of volunteering doesn’t always reach low-income neighborhoods. The concept of “volunteering” can seem far-removed from everyday life or, in the case of “community service,” punishment for a crime. But no matter what the terminology, residents of low-income neighborhoods spend a great deal of time in service to their communities. Volunteer agencies’ main hurdle, then, isn’t with motivating low-income residents to help out in their neighborhoods; it’s figuring out how to partner with residents to apply their talents and skills into building stronger communities. Reaching out to these underserved communities can be a struggle, especially for Volunteer Centers who aren’t used to engaging a low-income population. Unique challenges present themselves — what kind of language is best to use? What’s the best way to do marketing and outreach? How does a Volunteer Center know it’s really having an impact on the community? The following four case studies represent some promising effective practices from Volunteer Centers who took a leap into unfamiliar territory in an attempt to engage communities that had been too long overlooked. These organizations partnered with local agencies, governmental groups and public housing authorities to establish programming that would effectively engage low-income communities. These case studies illustrate how several organizations have adapted their efforts to create inclusive, multicultural programs that engage the time, talents and skills of underserved communities. A Fresh Face, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
A Different Kind of Generation Gap, Columbus, Ohio According to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), 23 percent of all youth in the foster care system — more than 120,000 nationwide — live as part of kinship families. Traditionally underrepresented and underserved, kinship families are family units where children are raised by biological relatives or family friends. (Grandparents raising grandchildren are the most common examples.) In the Columbus, Ohio, area, a silent undercurrent of kinship families was struggling to stay solvent. Hardworking but isolated, the families needed fellowship, not a handout.
The “Aha” Moment, Macon, Georgia The percentage of families in Macon, Ga., living under the poverty line is substantial: 21.6 percent. Splitting those family units into two groups, those led by two parents and those led by single mothers, reveals the incredible challenges that face one-parent households in this Southern community. According to Census data, 41.5 percent of Macon’s families led by single mothers are below the poverty line; in terms of single-mother families with children under the age of 5, that number jumps to 60 percent.
From Requirement to Empowerment, Toledo, Ohio The United Way of Greater Toledo ran into such a problem when the Housing Act of 1998 went into effect. Passed by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Housing Act requires residents of public housing to commit eight hours to community service each month to maintain their residency.
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