The face to face outreach process is amazing; being able to connect on a large scale network, like that, shows we are all connected in a universal web. Ever heard the expression "web of lies", that traps you in a sticky situation? Now we have a community web that supports every individual and a cause.
Bill Cusak had the right idea. By using one-on-one involvement, he encourage the development and growth of the web. He mobilized such a large number of people by surrounding them with familiar environments. Therefore, he was able to remove the terrifying part from activism by giving them comfort and support.
The Standford student meant he hopes his grandchildren, and people alike, will still be taking on the challenge of over coming homelessness, since the process will take so long to find a solution.
In an episode of Gilmore Girls, the main character, Lorelei Gilmore managed an in that burned down. In one night the town, of Starshallow, worked together to house the guest in their home over night. Yes, this is a television show; however, couldn't this network be used in real life. Maybe this is what we need to over come homelessness. By embracing and supporting a network, or web, of people we could find the necessary support to help people.
If we were to use this, we could help people in our community and on a bigger scale the nation and possibly even the world. For example, at my church we kept an ear out for people who were looking for a job and for people who were looking to hire. In this process we helped a 20 people, including me, to get a job. They also continued to follow up on people and see how their job is doing and how things are going.
Now applied to homelessness, we would be able to not only temporarily help people but also teach them how to help themselves. "Give a man a fish and feed him for a day, but, teach a man to fish and feed him for a life time," says all exactly what we as a community, country, and world need to do. If we all were connected we could help find homes, jobs, and any other necessities of life, and one person at a time, ending homelessness.
The process will take years, I do not believe it can be done by the time my grandchildren are old enough to volunteer because it takes so long to build trusting relationships with people. The bonds that are build will only make the web stronger and build life-time relationships.
Skylar,
ReplyDeleteI agree with your proposal of taking what resources we have in our communities and using them to achieve a greater common goal. It kinda takes things back to older times when AMerica was first formed. Communities were smaller, and people in those communities depended upon one another for resources like food and shelter. Maybe that's how it needs to be again but on a larger scale.