# data[].attributes.body
I saw a food pantry, clothing and essentials store, and other facilities.

I think that these sorts of facilities are extremely helpful to those living under, and at the poverty line.

I wonder if other groups have created similar facilities

# data[].attributes.body
In this photo, me and Jann worked to clean the halls, and stores at LifeWise. This way the space was much more clean for everyone.

# data[].attributes.body
Caring, Kindness, and Respect.

# data[].attributes.body
To provide uplifting and supportive services that empower their clients to become financially secure and have a stable home.

# data[].attributes.body
to see familles stably housed with a robust support system to ensure longer term sustainability and hope for a better tomorrow.

# data[].attributes.body
An estimate of around 40600 people have received emergency shelter with many undocumented, who have yet to receive aid.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in outcomes. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity.

For Homelessness, a score of 100 - a score reflecting racial equity - would mean black and white residents are equally likely to experience homelessness. It is important to note that for this indicator, equity is not our only goal; we also want to improve outcomes for all.

More Information

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
A score of 100 represents racial equity, meaning there are no racial disparities in outcomes. The lower the Equity Score, the greater the disparity. For Homelessness, a score of 100 - a score reflecting racial equity - would mean black and white residents are equally likely to experience homelessness.

# data[].attributes.body
"400,000 (1 in 7) people are food insecure in the Greater St. Louis community"

https://stlfoodbank.org/blog/map-the-meal-gap-for2022/#:~:text=At%20the%20local%20level%2C%20Map,Louis%20community.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.provider_name
St. Louis Area Foodbank | Member of Feeding America

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap | St. Louis Area Foodbank

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Feeding America's Map the Meal Gap!Meredith KnoppToday Feeding America released publicly the annual "Map the Meal Gap" results. Map the Meal Gap (MMG) is Feeding America's annual study on local food insecurity and food cost.

# data[].attributes.body
LifeWise created a program to help feed families during covid. using donations and food that they collected and bought themselves, they put together food bags and meal boxes and deliver them to families in need around the St Louis area. This helped a lot during covid when going out to the store was much harder, and food wasn't as common. They also have an after-school and daycare program. The after-school program has clubs as well as tutoring for kids Middle School through Upper school. The daycare is set up to allow the parents to drop their kids off somewhere when they need to go to work. These allow the parents to work on odd hours and not have to worry that their kids have been left alone at home.

# data[].attributes.body
Poverty has lasting problems not only in life, but before babies are born. Chronic stress impacts their learning, and development time. Without a through understanding of this teachers can't help .

Chronic Stress - Constant stress, no matter the situation. Developed after long exposer to constant stress

Poverty line - The economic line that marks the start of poverty. Anyone who make less then $1400 a year are impoverished.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
The Brain on Poverty | Jessica Sharpe | TEDxGreenville

# data[].attributes.body
( I am going to present by myself )

# data[].attributes.body
I heard the seeping of a broom, rummaging of boxes, sounds of laughter, music, and a vacuum cleaner.

I saw donated foods, children, cans and shelves, cars, red bull, and chocolates.

I felt happy, tired, useful and proud.

I learned that loaves and fishes has a shelter for helping others, that they make grocery boxes for the less fortunate, and that loaves and fishes helps put people in hotels or other places when the shelter is full.

I realized that the shelter and groceries both are extremely helpful to those in need, and that most of the food was donated from stores like trader joes.

I know that we were able to make a difference through our actions.

# data[].attributes.body
Here we are after filling all grocery boxes. We worked to fill the boxes with donated food, and gave them out to people when they arrived.

# data[].attributes.body
-Important terms/vocab

low income families - A family that makes around less then $1600 a year.

-Challenges/opportunities

26.7% of people in St. Louis city are living under the federal poverty line, and it is extremely hard to find affordable housing

Most people have to wait years to get a voucher that will allow them to buy and own a house or piece of property, with help from the government. the problem is not many landlords are willing to accept the vouchers.

Because of the way the system is set up people have to work long hours for money, that ends up all going toward rent, and then they can’t afford food, and are at work so much they can’t go to a food pantry for food.

-Any connections to your org?

no

-Questions you have?

What are ways we can break the system

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Poverty in St. Louis is Exacerbated by an Affordable Housing Crisis | The Takeaway | WNYC Studios

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Over a quarter of city residents are living below the federal poverty line, where finding affordable housing is nearly impossible.

# data[].attributes.body
-Important terms/vocab

ARPA funds - Investments from the state or local governments

-Challenges/opportunities

The hope is to create 5,000 affordable housing units, to help combat the affordable housing problem in St louis. So far they have already started and funded the construction of 3,000 of the units, and are fixing up 527. With all this done and only the course of two years there was a lot of hope for this project.

-Any connections to your org?

no

-Questions you have

How can we support this project ourselves?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Mayor Tishaura O. Jones Announces Goal to Develop 5,000 Affordable Housing Units by 2030

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At the 2024 Mayor’s Celebration of Businesses Luncheon, Jones announced her administration’s ambitious goal to develop 5,000 affordable housing units and support the development of 5,000 market-rate housing units in the City of St. Louis over the next five years.

# data[].attributes.body
I used to think that moving large quantities of things was done mostly by moving companies

Then I learned that a lot of non-profit

organizations use volunteers for the work.

Now I know that lots of heavy lifting in non-profit organizations is done by volunteers

# data[].attributes.body
This is right after we got the van packed for the first time. it took about an hour and a half to get all the boxes in the van, and though it was hard we were able to move all the books by the end of the day.

# data[].attributes.body
-Important terms

AMI - Area median income. it gives an idea of the average income of people in an area.

-Challenges/opportunities?

Because of the way that home units work in St louis. in the city and an impoverished area there are more rental spaces than there are homes to buy. On top of this a majority of the rental units have a monthly rent of between $550 to $999. Along with this is the fact that a majority of the renters make between 0 and 22,000 annually. In St Louis the demand is about  54,000 households, and the supply is only $19,000 units. because of this there  are 35,000 units that are needed. That means that 35,000 homes are unavailable or unrentable by a majority of impoverished people in St louis.

-Any connections to your specific org?

The article does not specifically mention either of my organizations, but they do reference steps forward that we need to take that my organizations are working toward. Loaves and Fishes owns a shelter as well as other properties, to put people up whenever they don't have a home. This along with life-wise who help  impoverished citizens, through financial education, are both working to help maintain quantity, and help people keep their homes.

-Questions you have

none

# data[].attributes.body
-Important terms - vocabulary people in the field use?

Food insecurity - the inability to buy food, that is nutritious and healthy.

-Challenges/opportunities?

St Louis County has started putting out fresh produce boxes to members in the community. They started doing this during the pandemic, to help combat food insecurity. food insecurity impacts about 29% of all people in St Louis County and many more in the city. Even though the library has been able to put together a sizable amount of produce boxes every day, the demand is still extremely high, and other organizations are encouraged to help join the cause.

-Any connections to your specific org?

Loaves and fishes does the same thing, making and distributing produce boxes amongst the community.

-Questions you have

how can I help these processes?

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
St. Louis County Library addresses food insecurity with produce boxes at three branches

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You may have noticed long lines of vehicles outside several St. Louis County Libraries this fall. The branches are giving out produce boxes every Thursday.

# data[].attributes.body
Today we worked at Loaves & Fishes in their shelter. We cleaned up the facilities and did an inventory check. These simple jobs allowed the workers to focus on more important problems then cleaning, and we made the shelter a nicer place to be. Now i have learned more about cleaning, but also about how shelters work, and how they are run.

# data[].attributes.body
Here me and Isaiah are putting away the bikes. The kids in the shelter love to ride the bikes around the backyard and in the naborhood.