I first began researching about homelessness after experiencing minor instances of sleeping in my car between the years of 2014 to 2019. During my last experience, in 2019, as a means to get up from underneath myself, I decided to volunteer at a local organization upon finding the organization through a Google search. While volunteering, I soon became curious and interested in the topic which led to questions and thus then multiple resources online I came across for answers, most notably, some 90+ TedX conference presentations on the subject at large.
Inspired to share this wealth of information, and pleasantly surprised about there being a consistent message and proven solution to homelessness, I organized and published much of the information to share with others. This, plus the want for t-shirts by those experiencing homelessness led to the idea of having a logo created for placement on shirts, and given to guests upon requests for clothing.
I envisioned any and everyone wearing a t-shirt with the logo as a potential advocate for spreading the word and message about the misunderstandings the public at large has about those facing homelessness, and what the facts, data, and research shows as actually being true. Homeless individuals themselves, wearing the apparel, indirectly become advocates at the point by which the general public will see the logo and take it upon themselves to visit the site, encouraging an opportunity for them to educate themselves further about the steps toward resolving homelessness and all that is entailed from data and research driven viewpoints entailing primary & secondary source-related research.
To learn more about the inception of Resolving Poverty click here.
Mission
Resolving Poverty ensures public education and options for active engagement at the community level via a search console (database) we plan to implement onto the site. To give a brief idea, with ten thousand (10,000) apparel pieces sold, this equates to approximately $90,000 in revenue profit. Respectively speaking, it costs on average about $1,500 to keep an individual housed, thus then equating to about 60+ potential folks being assisted. During other times, folks living under dire circumstances require only about $800 to $1200 to maintain their housing, saving them then from becoming homeless.
Maintaining folks from becoming homeless is monumental, but equally important is taking people out of homelessness and giving them housing. Government programs and grants along with independent funders play a crucial role in helping to keep folks out of homelessness, and Resolving Poverty seeks such same role through the holistic approach of branding the description and solutions to the scenarios surrounding this issue, at large.
Vision
Resolving Poverty's vision is to eliminate homelessness in Charlottesville and other U.S. cities by means of housing those in homelessness. This is made possible by the selling of merchandise and using the profits to generate payment toward funds for getting folks housed; who becomes housed is typically based upon vulnerability index variables.
The responsibility for Resolving Poverty to contribute to effective steps and processes toward resolving homelessness is a key goal. It is not enough to just give "money to the poor". Rather, what is essential is the evaluation of programs enabling folks facing homelessness to then become stably housed. Therefore, funds generated by Resolving Poverty, as a social business, are to be distributed wisely and effectively. I invite any and every one to hold to account the progress and improvements and results we garner as a company in accomplishing our mission.
Goals
Resolving Poverty's goals include spreading, growing, and evolving the brand and company to various markets and on various platforms with the goal of contributing to the continuous effort of resolving homelessness while maintaining the integrity, effectiveness, and optimization of the company's operations and contributions.
This, while bridging gaps currently faced at social and political levels between the various areas that impact or compromise folks from finding stable affordable housing is another extension of Resolving Poverty's functionality and purpose. Ultimately, Resolving Poverty has been created to address the challenge of homelessness; to address the societal need of affordable housing for those living in poverty.
The question between poverty and homelessness is an interesting one. Why the brand and website is “resolving poverty“ rather than “resolving homelessness” is because resolving homelessness is a much more realistic and tangible short-term goal to have. Working to resolve homelessness is digestible and realistic, and a prerequisite to resolving poverty at large. In such ways, resolving poverty comes about first and foremost by understanding why homelessness exists to begin with, as broadly linked and associated with “poverty” at large. It is those living in poverty who are most vulnerable to experiencing homelessness; the poor and disenfranchised, as opposed to transient occurrences based on chance, bad luck, or off-occurrences which most capably afflict those in poverty as well as a mixture of middle and at times upper-class folks who may have had a string of ill circumstantial occurrences or otherwise.
To take one step toward resolving homelessness is to look into the depth and impacts of poverty by default because much of everything associated with homelessness also reflects instances of conditions in society that can be attributed to what we would define and relate to as “poverty”. To first take small steps toward resolving homelessness inevitable leads to root-cause awareness and changes calling into account the conditions which enable poverty, vaguely speaking. And through resolving homelessness, the fine tuning of understanding, becoming aware of, and breaking down what it means to have poverty in society and what it means to live in poverty, and the multitudes of factors and variables that contribute to such existence of injustices and systemic workings - much of this is brought to light indirectly and by default, thereby empowering one to view poverty from a more constructive and critical viewpoint based on actual real life information and knowledge in how it links with and results into homelessness.
It all starts with having a roof over your head - that being the "Housing First" approach. And thus, Resolving Poverty is really about resolving the condition of homelessness, which then enables one to exercise their right to create abundance for themselves, thus the "resolution" of (poverty). Ultimately, resolving homelessness is really more of a direct solution. Broadly speaking and with more funding becoming available, the process of resolving poverty serves as a great challenge but also a more apt solution to resolving homelessness, and that extends to then decreasing the amount of homelessness actually occurring at the root level. Thereby, fixing the system through means of education and jobs and other resources really elevates quality of life, and resolving poverty becomes more than just a "Housing First" based directive, but expands and evolves into something far more optimally efficient in combating pervading ills. To fix the root of an issue is to do much justice to the characteristics that sprout from such underlying conditions initially - and that's an ultimate challenge and an ultimate goal I think worth undertaking at some point in time down the line whence the resources align and the time presents itself.
Resolving Poverty is committed to quality, creativity, and social responsibility. To make money for the sole benefit of doing good for communities is the ultimate objective. Such autonomy and self-reliance I believe brings empowerment and purpose to not only the company but to many others inspired by such ideas. Oft times, companies in business for profit are meant to devote themselves to calculating how to turn ideas, people, and material resources into financial gain. That's not to say they won't do some good in the process. Most businesses, however, do not INTEND to do good; it isn't in their primary goal.
Resolving Poverty serves as a model through which the distribution of wealth at large bridges the gap between the haves and the have-nots, ensuring that money is not only giving the giver something tangible in return (i.e. the merchandise purchased) but is also serving as an opportunity for funneling their charitable-capital in support of a constructive and solvable cause, with proven track results and indirectly creating a safer and more just world at large - being that of housing those without a place to call home.
Money is not in short supply. People live in an ocean of money. Only poor people cannot get a sip of it. The world has created a series of bubbles filled with people who ignore what is happening in the lower bubbles. The uppermost bubble is the one where all the wealth is concentrated, while the lowest bubble has the most people and the least wealth. Over time, the uppermost bubble has fewer and fewer people with more and more wealth, making the wealth monopoly more and more extreme. — Muhammad Yunus
1. Cover costs (100% profits incurred until total current costs are recouped (approx. $3k as of January, 2021).2. Donate 100% of net-income to high-efficiency rated Housing First program(s).The means by which revenue will be streamlined is as follows:[1] break-even point (costs recouped)[2] expenses covered (employee wages paid)[3] and 100% of what remains granted to tried-and-true Housing First programs.
What's the best way to be a part of the solution, and honestly? The best way is to give money to the issue. We need resources. We need financial resources to pay for housing services, which end homelessness. We need financial resources to pay case managers that provide the supportive services in housing. That's one of the most powerful ways that you as a community member can be a part of the solution - is doing that and volunteering at these organizations as well, is also fantastic and highly needed […]. If you feel compelled, give money to these programs because it really helps. — Anthony Haro, Executive Director Of Thomas Jefferson Area Coalition For The Homeless (source)
Initially, critics feared Utah would lose tons of money by giving the homeless permanent housing, and that doing so would just "incentivize mooching," as (Hasan) Minhaj put it. However, state officials found Housing First actually saving the government money over time, especially as it encourages people to become more self-sufficient sooner. […]Moreover, Housing First homes are not free: New tenants have to pay $50 or 30% of their income to rent each month (whichever amount is greater). [...]Between shelters, jail stays, ambulances, and hospital visits, caring for one homeless person typically costs the government $20,000 a year. Providing one homeless person with permanent housing, however — as well as a social worker to help them transition into mainstream society — costs the state $8,000, The New Yorker reported in September. [3]
Resolving Poverty aims to supply the means and ammunition needed to resolve homelessness and poverty at the fundamental, social, political, and philanthropic level. One of the over-arching tenets of Resolving Poverty has been to share through published articles (source) what other cities and districts and entrepreneurs and leaders and community leaders have been able to accomplish to alleviate homelessness. The creative ideas and implementations could very well span across other communities and serve as stepping-stone solutions for implementation, not to mention the creative thoughts and ideas that inevitably come from hearing other ideas! This sharing of research and perspectives formulates a stimulating environment.
Over time the mission and vision has evolved and broadened:
- to sell apparel to the public.
- to clothe those in need.
- to generate Housing First program funds (the giving of 100% of net profit).
- to enlighten the public on the causes of homelessness [the accompanying institutional injustices: prison system | banking system | education system | housing crises | etc.].
- to inform the public about the solution to homelessness (Housing First programs | citizen tax dollars spent most effectively | healthy and safe communities with greater inclusiveness as a positive consequence).
- to implement a location-based search module (enabling community engagement and activism propelling awareness and grassroots pro-action at the local, state, and national levels of politics).
- to present updates by newly published articles via an RSS news-feed on the site (legislation, data, and research; politically, economically, socially, spiritually).
Search database
Beyond being a clothing brand, implementing a search database where folks can type in their zip code/city with results showcasing advocacy groups, organizations, politicians (and more) in respective districts and towns, in favor of the Housing First approach and/or affordable housing. This would be an effective step calling for action toward policy making, lobbying, affordable housing acts, and the cultivation of political agendas, including private and public funding, etc.
RSS Feed
To implement a news tracker on the homepage of the website, where new news on "homelessness", "Housing First", "poverty" is generated, featuring published articles on relevant topics. A feature for keeping the site up-to-date on a real-time daily, weekly, and monthly basis.
Business model
Three potential business models have been conjured thus far, and are as follows:
- one-for-one (with profit-donation granted therein);
- a profit-donation amount granted (without one-for-one implementation);
- or both.
Metrics and numbers relating to cost/profit margin data are being formulated with the intent of a compare-and-contrast delineation set in place, to understand what is most optimally efficient and effective for the company's growth and its underlying mission of housing those facing homelessness through the support of Housing First funding programs.
Additionally, I have come to experience the positive win-win impact 'giving' gives to both the receiver and the generous; a fulfillment and satisfaction otherwise unavailable when not exercised. And that my duty as both a citizen of America, and a brother of humanity, and as a believer in a Higher unity, is to be at the least - aware of, and at best, near and of assistance to, and of benefit toward - for the poor. That true servitude rarely if ever comes from serving those with power, but in serving those who can give nothing when you have everything. That such is the highest form of humility and servitude available for any and everyone to take hold of, for their own beneficial well-being in mind, spirit, attitude, and character.
At Harvard, I soon learned that if I really wanted wisdom, I'd better listen to the powerless. I began to learn something about humility. It's not an easy virtue to learn when you've been to all male schools and worked in large corporations, or if you've been to business school and earned big incomes. But at Harvard, as I sat in class and hung out with women, men, and Asians and Indians and Europeans and homosexuals, I became friends with all sorts of people. I spent my time in class and outside discussing very important philosophical and theological issues, as well as ordinary stuff with people who were different from me. Very different.
I began to sense beauty of it all. The richness and firmness and solidarity of "complex beauty".
Particular disproportions greatly add to general beauty, Edwards wrote in his essay "The Mind". The more complex the beauty, the more apparent its disproportions, the more intense that beauty becomes, the greater its excellency. Edwards realized that such apparent "disproportions", when viewed from higher ground, turn into "COMPLEX BEAUTIES".
That made perfect BUSINESS sense to me. Up close, all those different skin colors, religious beliefs, cultural traditions, and genders mixed in one place can look pretty chaotic. But you had to see those customers from different perspectives, you had to listen to different points of view. Surely, if I wanted to sell natural toothpaste or deodorant to a diverse population, I would have to have feedback from a diversity of sources. If I wanted to serve my customers and treat them respectfully, then I'd better know something about them.
Like every other company, my managers and I had been inclined to hire in our own image. We were looking for a kind of sameness, the comfort of the familiar. What we had forgotten was that pure, unadulterated iron is not strong enough to build bridges. Only when it is combined with other alloys -- with different metals, "impurities" -- does iron become steel. Sameness, like a dozen red roses, does have its beauty. But complex beauty, Edwards teaches, is more intense. The greater the complexity, the greater the excellency, according to Edwards. The effort to resolve complex differences, recognizing their not-so-obvious relations, standing back and seeing how it all fits together like wild flowers in a field, is to watch apparent discord turn into something that is not only genuinely beautiful but a model of excellency.
— Tom Chappell, "The Soul of a Business"
If you're in trouble, or hurt or need - go to the poor people. They're the only ones that'll help - the only ones. -John Steinbeck