Building Community--Erasing Poverty & Homelessness

Vital Stats

Lauren W

Asheville, NC

  • people helped300
  • People Doing It 30

The Problem

We are working to end poverty and homelessness by building community--establishing relationships of care and support and working to create change in our city and world. I started a community house where people have safe space to gather to share meals; clothing; basic first aid and healthcare; get haircuts; support each other in finding housing and jobs; helping street musicians & artists; and generally taking care of each other. I also started a residential community where people who were living on the streets can come to live until they have permanent housing. Together as residents we lead the community house. The entire community advocates for social change to end poverty and homelessness. We honor each other in a setting of mutuality and respect. The community house has become home to lots of people because in too many other places they are a number, a case, a client. Here we're all friends with needs and lots of gifts to share. We all try to use our talents for good whether it is cooking a meal, caring for our elderly neighbors who are poor, giving a haircut, entertaining with a song, organizing the clothes closet, leading an educational "street tour," making signs for a public demonstration on issues that concern us as poor and homeless people. Together, we're making a difference and inspiring everyone to "do something" because all of us can!

Plan of Action

To begin building community, you have to cross boundaries and start meeting people. I started gathering friends to do outreach on the streets. Soon we had enough interest to move into a house in the heart of our city. Immediately, we opened the doors to provide safe space for people on the streets and people living in poverty. We began to inspire everyone who came in the door to do something to help. We grew and were able to open five days a week. We started some outreach with children (sharing school supplies and helping them start libraries in their homes in the housing project) and seniors (providing fresh bread and produce to those on fixed incomes). Then came the residential house that provides transitional housing to people on the streets. We hope to do more work for social change in our city, start a program to help kids make a difference in the world and learn how to be non-violent in their relationships, and to expand the work of the community house.
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Homelessness
Homelessness and Poverty

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