Foundation Journal

Just when you thought you heard all the ways Missouri legislators and the governor have made life worse for poor people they pull another one out of the hat. This last move spells trouble for housing projects for homeless people . The trend over time has caused more despair for low-income and working poor people in Missouri. Here is a list of six ways that have Missouri officials have found to increase poverty for people in the state. 1. Make it difficult to obtain food assistance. In a supposed effort to improve the food stamp (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP) and public welfare application process, the Department of Social Services (DSS) in Missouri plans to consolidate 114 family support offices throughout the state . The state also removed an online application, making it more difficult for individuals and agencies to apply on behalf of individuals. While state officials have noted a drop in unemployment and food stamp participation, anti-poverty ...

The annual point-in-time count of homeless people starts with a flurry of activity. A steadily rising number of men migrate into City Union Mission 's chapel, where the survey is conducted, leading to a room filled with 150 people. I fully expect my perceptions of homelessness to be reinforced; I expect to see and talk with hard-working, clear-eyed individuals down on their luck, without health care, without a good job or money to make ends meet...and alone. In one sense they are just like the people I work with every day, except they lack necessities like a home, a job, health care, transportation. Vickie Riddle, the survey coordinator with Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City , interviews one of the men to show us survey takers how it's done. After our last instructions we spread out across several tables to conduct interviews about health conditions and lifestyle behaviors in an open room with everyone in earshot listening to the most private information th...

Georgia Walker with the Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City facilitated a training session for emergency assistance agency representatives and supporters at the KC Salvation Army headquarters on January 18. Agencies included government organizations, schools, housing groups like Phoenix Family Housing, and counseling groups, to name a few. The session was attended by 50 or more individuals who will participate in the January 25, 2012 point-in-time count of people that are homeless in this area. Ms. Walker mentioned the count, like last year's count , was meant to discover “what are the needs in the community" in order to direct resources and services to the need. One example of the benefits of this discovery could be a new shelter dedicated for single, homeless women as reported in a Kansas City Star article this week. I met Pat Wilkins, Executive Director of the Greater Kansas City Housing Information Center, who noted an increase in housing requests an...

I stopped for coffee at a restaurant on Michigan Avenue in Chicago a few blocks from the conference I was attending when a couple stopped by under an awning on a sunny day. "You don't love me. That's the message I get," said the woman, who I clearly heard from 20 feet away. He responds in hushed tones that I can't hear. "We won't be able to work through it today," she added. Just as quickly they disappear before I can take a picture. A woman in a motorized wheelchair makes an appeal for donations for Streetwise , a magazine helps "homeless and impoverished men and women of Chicago." "Good morning, good morning, good morning. Streetwise," she rattles off to passersby. "Looking-good, sounding-good Streetwise," she repeats as people walk from the subway station and pass by on their way to work or make deliveries. I spoke briefly with the woman, who said she had been homeless for six years, but added donations had ...