Helping the homeless is an important endeavor for improving the community and lives of everyone involved. For business owner, Ed Sarfo, helping the homeless in his home state of Kentucky is well worth the time, effort, and financial gifts one can give. Although the immediate, most obvious form of assistance would be providing food and shelter, for many volunteers like Sarfo helping the homeless in the short term is not enough.
According to a two-year study that was conducted by the University of Louisville's Kent School of Social Work, the cost of sheltering and caring for just over 7,000 homeless adults was close to $89 million over this two-year period. In comparison, providing permanent housing solutions for these same individuals would have saved over $6.4 million. Studies such as these help to highlight the importance of assistance with the goal of meeting needs on a long-term basis and providing opportunities for more permanent solutions. This is one instance where the adage, ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime', takes a very real meaning.
One organization in the Lexington, Kentucky area, Hope Center, works with the mission of caring for those who are homeless and at-risk by offering life-sustaining and rebuilding services. These services are intended to be all encompassing and address the underlying cause of homelessness for each individual. Finding the root of the problem is a great way to begin the journey of recovering one's life and finding future success. Some of the services offered by the organization include emergency shelter, recovery programs for men and women, detention center recovery programs, a mental health program, employment programs, socials services, a health clinic, transitional housing program, permanent housing, a health clinic, veterans program and a Hispanic program. All of these programs enable workers to better understand the cause of homelessness for each individual and to help prevent homelessness for those who are at risk.
Helping your own local shelter is a great way to join in the fight against homelessness. There are many ways to get involved. Whether you are able to donate your time or finances, spread awareness, start fundraisers, or attend fundraising events, even the smallest efforts are valued and appreciated. If you would like to participate in Hope Center initiatives or find your place in one of their many programs, please follow the link below:
http://www.hopectr.org/volunteer/
Volunteers such as Ed Sarfo are the hands and feet of the organization in which they represent. Without hard working individuals who give the gift of their time and talent to benefit the community and strangers in need, organizations such as Hope Center would be lost.
According to a two-year study that was conducted by the University of Louisville's Kent School of Social Work, the cost of sheltering and caring for just over 7,000 homeless adults was close to $89 million over this two-year period. In comparison, providing permanent housing solutions for these same individuals would have saved over $6.4 million. Studies such as these help to highlight the importance of assistance with the goal of meeting needs on a long-term basis and providing opportunities for more permanent solutions. This is one instance where the adage, ‘Give a man a fish, and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish, and you feed him for a lifetime', takes a very real meaning.
One organization in the Lexington, Kentucky area, Hope Center, works with the mission of caring for those who are homeless and at-risk by offering life-sustaining and rebuilding services. These services are intended to be all encompassing and address the underlying cause of homelessness for each individual. Finding the root of the problem is a great way to begin the journey of recovering one's life and finding future success. Some of the services offered by the organization include emergency shelter, recovery programs for men and women, detention center recovery programs, a mental health program, employment programs, socials services, a health clinic, transitional housing program, permanent housing, a health clinic, veterans program and a Hispanic program. All of these programs enable workers to better understand the cause of homelessness for each individual and to help prevent homelessness for those who are at risk.
Helping your own local shelter is a great way to join in the fight against homelessness. There are many ways to get involved. Whether you are able to donate your time or finances, spread awareness, start fundraisers, or attend fundraising events, even the smallest efforts are valued and appreciated. If you would like to participate in Hope Center initiatives or find your place in one of their many programs, please follow the link below:
http://www.hopectr.org/volunteer/
Volunteers such as Ed Sarfo are the hands and feet of the organization in which they represent. Without hard working individuals who give the gift of their time and talent to benefit the community and strangers in need, organizations such as Hope Center would be lost.
