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

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

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.

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.

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

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?

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

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

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?