Educating the Public on Poverty: We Have Work To Do

Comments made recently in the presidential election offer the nonprofit human services sector yet another reminder of the uphill battle we face in educating people about who the “very poor” are and the challenges they face daily.

We can cry foul, but the reality is that we have work to do.

As a sector we bear part of the responsibility that American citizens at all levels are not seeing and understanding the cumulative impact of this Great Recession. The fact is that not only are we facing a permanent reset in budgeting on the federal, state, and local government levels, but truly a renegotiation of the social compact—which may ultimately make the nonprofit human services sector more vital, with greater community and charitable support.

It makes me wonder: Have we given up the role we play in educating the public on the needs and unmet needs of vulnerable people to being solely providers of services? Don’t our values still call us to be advocates first and service providers second? Have we foregone our opportunities to give those we serve the chance to be more visible and civically engaged so that their story and voice is heard? Finally, have we fallen into lobbying versus advocacy? I think we have to do both very well.

We have to educate the public that the safety net isn’t intact or even stressed; in many areas it is broken. After having to cut more than $2 billion from the social services budget over two-and-one-half years as secretary of the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, I and all of you know the safety net has been broken for many people. For example, during one of several “town hall” meetings I held last summer in Washington State to educate the public on the cumulative impact of the Great Recession and discuss yet another round of budget cuts, a woman confined to a wheelchair told me she now had to decide whether to go without lunch or without her bath due to another reduction in hours of in-home services for which she was eligible.

There is no getting around it, we will always need a robust safety net for the people dependent upon the services provided by the community; not everyone is moving to economic self-sufficiency. As a sector we see this reality every day, but do our policy makers? We must be active in our communities in civic engagement to educate candidates, lawmakers, bureaucrats, and residents about the lives of these we serve to we can give them a greater understanding of the difficulties facing those who rely on the safety net and critical social services.

My Jan. 31, 2012 blog post states: the nonprofit human services sector overestimates what it takes to influence public policy and budgets, and underestimates its ability to influence them! Don’t underestimate your ability to speak out. We can’t have a passive mindset, we must mobilize and effectively advocate on behalf of those we serve.

All signs point to increased tension and a greater divide between the “haves” and “have-nots.” We should be part of the force that prevents the pitting of socio-economic classes against one another (and even generations against one another) because that is not what makes America great! What makes America great is its generosity and courageous attitude about righting a wrong and taking care of one another in times of distress and need.

Also, check out this recent Alliance for Children & Families Magazine article on our civic engagement program’s efforts to develop and promote a consistent message to candidates about priority issues.