Poverty-stricken find bridge to somewhere
PORTLAND, Ore. – Sometimes even hard working people are living in poverty, and community leaders recognized that this weekend as part of an event called the Poverty Bridge Conference.
They extended a helping hand to hundreds of people who were trying to get off of government assistance, find a place to live or simply raise their families on their own.
No matter how hard they've tried, a lot of people say it’s impossible to beat down the walls of poverty, especially isolation and self-esteem.
“I'm learning about breaking cycles of poverty with my family,” said Ian Finch, one of the attendees.
He said he hit rock bottom when he lost custody of his five kids.
“And at the end of that visit, my kids grabbed onto my pant legs and cried like they were physically hurt,” Finch said.
He completed drug treatment and got his kids back, but like so many people at the conference, he still struggled with poverty.
“I was getting evicted because I couldn't pay my bills,” he said.
But then he met Donna Beegle, a national poverty expert and speaker.
“Donna laid it out for me: ‘I'm never going to be self-sufficient until I get a skill or an education,’ “ he said.
Beegle knows the road. She has lived it – homeless off and on for 28 years.
She spoke at the conference, where attendees learned the importance of building a network.
That includes making connections with members of the community such as bankers, lawyers and business owners who can be mentors.
As for Finch, he’s not wasting any time making a better life for his family. He is teaching by example.
“By me going to school, I've just increased my kids' chance at a higher education,” he said.
People coordinating the event say they'll follow up with participants in a year to see how well they're doing with some of their goals and their connections.
There was also a drawing at the conference where the winner received a car along with six months of insurance and gas.