02.15.2011

Wondering if You are Really Helping?

Handouts – including food, clothing and financial assistance – are one of the most typical ways churches offer help to people in need. But research shows that this type of crisis intervention is ineffective in helping people change. Give them a box of food this week – or pay their water bill this month – and next month, they’re right back on your doorstep in need again.

Yet, 80% of the ministries and services churches provide to people in poverty are these kinds of crisis intervention programs. (For more statistics see here)

“A person will never journey out of a life of poverty by receiving only crisis intervention,” according to the authors of “When Helping Hurts; How to Alleviate Poverty Without Hurting the Poor or Yourself.” To break the poverty cycle, individuals must have access to not only crisis intervention, but also rehabilitation and development.

But these two components – rehabilitation and development – take time. A lot more time than giving someone a box of food.

So how can churches that are already strapped for cash and perhaps volunteers truly help the people in poverty in their communities? Partnering with CWJC of Middle Tennessee is one way.

CWJC helps those living in poverty by building relationships and by helping them recognize the roadblocks they need to overcome and by building education and life and job skills to help them attain better employment. Our goal is to empower people to break the harmful cycles caused by poverty.

If you or your church would like to join us in helping the 58,000 individuals currently living in Middle Tennessee who are in poverty journey out of that darkness and into the light where there is hope, contact us.