As a child, I can remember being given food stamps, told to go to the store to make a purchase and feeling a level of embarrassment, awkwardness and paralysis that is hard to describe. I think it was the stigma associated with welfare that bothered me most.
But even more than the stigma, I was convinced that the mountains in my life were too insurmountable. In my teen years, a mentor shared a revelation: Each person on this earth has his or her own mountains – it is a condition of life and overcoming life obstacles is optional.
Starting out on welfare, particularly as the child of a mom who experienced generational poverty, no doubt created a tremendous opportunity to fall short of living my best life. Success is the result of our decision during the high and low watermarks of life to try without yielding.
We now have a new generation of poor people in our nation who are trying to make sense out of their mountain. According to census data, the official poverty rate in 2010 was 15.1 percent – up from 14.3 percent in 2009. This was the third consecutive annual increase in the poverty rate. Since 2007, the poverty rate has increased by 2.6 percentage points, from 12.5 percent to 15.1 percent. In 2010, 46.2 million people were in poverty, up from 43.6 million in 2009 – the fourth consecutive annual increase in the number of people in poverty. Poverty for blacks stands above 27 percent.
This new generation consists of leaders who anchored the middle class, helped out their neighbors and are now finding themselves in need of help. Asking for and receiving help can be psychologically difficult, particularly when you are accustomed to being on the giving end.
During the last few years of the recession, so many positive lessons have been reinforced for me. The first is that there should be no shame in needing help, for there will be a time when you are again in a position to help.
The second lesson that I have seen play out is even when you don’t have anything to give monetarily, you still have the gift of your time, your insight and passion, and focusing on others can help you see bigger possibilities.
The third lesson is that, generally, problems come in pairs and the effect can be “motivation paralysis.” When we believe our problems are too big, there is a greater temptation to give up. I have seen many in this community rise to the occasion – the bigger the mountain, the stronger their resolve.
We are so fortunate in this region to have compassionate leaders like you who understand the importance of investing in our community’s table – United Way.
Since 1922, United Way has invested more than $2 billion into this region because of generous donors like you. While some of the needs since 1922 have changed, United Way is still helping people who struggle with job loss, mental illness, homelessness, hunger and more find help through a United Way Member Agency.
On behalf of the community that we serve, thank you for the difference you make in helping others.
Orv Kimbrough serves as executive vice president for United Way of Greater St. Louis. He is also adjunct professor in the Brown School of Social Work at Washington University.
