Back in the Depression, it was easy to see the face of poverty sweeping our nation. Thousands of people were out of work, families were being driven from their homes and orphans were begging in the streets. It wasn't unusual to see people standing in line, seeking help from social service agencies and churches, including here in the Kansas City area. Of course, they didn't like asking for handouts, but a struggling economy and circumstances beyond their control left many with no choice in feeding their families.
Today, we aren't facing a Depression, but anyone who reads the headlines knows our economy is having a rough go. While we don't often see people begging or families standing in line at soup kitchens, it's not because they aren't struggling to make ends meet. People are hurting, but they are suffering out of sight, beyond our view. It's because modern technology has changed the way people seek help. Instead of standing in line, they are using their telephones. The rash of corporate layoffs and business downsizing has Kansas City area churches and social service agencies struggling to handle all the calls from people needing food, clothing, utility assistance and help making their rent or mortgage payments.
Gauging the Scope of the Crisis
Area United Ways recently convened a group of stakeholders to examine the surge in requests for help. We met with nonprofit and public sector representatives to discuss what's happening throughout the community. They talked about the increasing number of people seeking emergency assistance throughout the Kansas City area.
The overall consensus was that we have more people needing more help in the Kansas City area, than we've seen in many years. Agency representatives expressed concern that the combination of people leaving the welfare system and people losing their jobs is overwhelming the social services system. They offered a number of specific examples:
- Harvesters reported its member food pantries served 27 percent more clients in the first seven months of 2002 than they did over the same time period in 2001; n Calls to Red Cross for assistance doubled over the past year; n Catholic Charities calls for assistance doubled to over 400;
- Mid-America Assistance Coalition (MAAC) has received nearly 2,000 more calls for emergency assistance in the 3rd quarter than in the 1st quarter of 2002. MAAC also reported a 47percent increase in the value of food given to families;
- Heart of America Family Services reported a sharp increase in applications to its clothing program.
And it's not just the "usual customers" seeking assistance. Suddenly, people who have never needed help before are coming to agencies. Families that are used to having dual earnings and discretionary income are unable to pay their bills.
The Ripple Effect
We're seeing increased competition for jobs, forcing some people to take jobs below their training, education and experience, in order to pay their bills. And it's having a ripple effect on families. As skilled workers settle for lower paying, service industry jobs, less educated workers are being forced to settle for part-time jobs with few, if any benefits.
The result is families who have always had health insurance through work are opting to go without insurance because the premiums are so high. It makes them more vulnerable should a family medical crisis occur. When people are without benefits, there can be far-reaching and costly consequences.
ReStart related a situation in which a wife lost her job due to a medical condition. With the decrease in family income, her husband and four children were losing their home, and as of September, they had not enrolled their children in school because they did not know where they would be living. The Salvation Army Independence Corps Crossroads Shelter reported an increase between June and August of 400 people being turned away for lack of space.
Vicious Cycle
As agencies downsize because of reduced funding, they have fewer staff to raise money and provide services. Guadalupe Center described a Spanish-speaking family with a child who has cancer, seeking assistance. This agency was able to provide a range of needed services beyond the initial medical care, but perceived that such a comprehensive approach would not be possible in the future if funding is reduced.
For agency staff, the increased demand is presenting some ethical dilemmas. In some situations caseworkers are seeing families that clearly needed help but don't qualify according to agency or program guidelines. The families exceeded the economic criteria or needed more help than the agency policies generally allow.
While the purpose of the roundtable was to get a better handle on the scope of the emergency assistance dilemma facing Kansas City, and share ideas on responding, participants came up with several recommendations, including:
- Increased agency collaboration in fundraising, grant writing, and service delivery.;
- More creativity and flexibility by agencies in fundraising and meeting the increased demand for service;
- Encouraging grant-makers to increase funding for basic services, operating expenses, endowments, and core programs, instead of primarily focusing on new initiatives;
- Agencies need to advocate with a unified voice in state capitals.
If nothing else, the forum confirmed that even though we can't see them, families are screaming for help. The lines are electronic and they're getting longer every day. It's discouraging for the people calling for help, because many are being turned away by agencies that don't have enough resources to meet the demand. We must find a better way to help good people make it through this difficult time of their lives.
Tom Dugard is the president of Heart of America United Way. He can be reached at 816.474.5111.
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