“What do you do?” is usually one of the very first questions asked in a conversation between two strangers. How do you think you might feel if you had no meaningful answer to that question? “The Lord God took the man…
The Power of Work
Category: Poverty
The Impact of Your Volunteer Time at Salt & Light
While our amazing, dedicated staff works hard each day to make Salt & Light the best it can be, we literally could not operate for a single day without the efforts of community volunteers who come through our doors to sort, stack, stock, stage, and sacrifice their time to make Champaign-Urbana a better place. Their work makes opportunity possible for people in poverty to have their needs met with dignity and grace.
Program Update
Since we first transitioned into our current credit-earning model in the fall of 2014, we have done our best to make the unique opportunities we provide available to every person who desires to participate. Not surprisingly, the number of people…
Addressing Poverty of Community
Poverty of community affects all of us. Salt & Light in Urbana and Champaign, IL addresses this broken relationship through opportunities that build collaborative connections with community members and participants.
Addressing the Beggar Mentality
I saw a growingly familiar sight on the off ramp today. A disabled “begger” who was clearly in a bad way. He had this eerie million-mile stare on a very downcast face. As he leaned on his crutches there was no way…
An Incomplete Understanding of Poverty Leads to Solutions That Don’t Work
What is poverty? Merriam-Webster defines poverty as the state of one who lacks a usual or socially acceptable amount of money or material possessions. Our government’s own definition (all 184 words of it) is rooted in income thresholds based on…
Read More An Incomplete Understanding of Poverty Leads to Solutions That Don’t Work
How Your Dollars and Cents Help Salt & Light Make Change
The changes we have undergone at Salt & Light have drawn a ton of attention because of our unique approach to access to basic to resources like food and clothing. For many, our developmental model is all they need to…
Read More How Your Dollars and Cents Help Salt & Light Make Change
The Potential of Those in Poverty
Jim Nowlan recently wrote a piece entitled, “Poverty Doesn’t Limit Your Potential.” In this editorial, he provides many examples of successful individuals who broke the cycle of poverty. I’m sure we all know someone who, despite humble beginnings, became successful.…
Why is Salt & Light Opening a Childcare Room?
This fall, we’ll be opening a child care room at Salt & Light Urbana, staffed by volunteers, that will offer a safe, fun space for preschool-aged kids to play while parents volunteer, or attend a class or program on site.…
Why Should You Attend Financial Peace University?
One of the opportunities we provide to empower our participants and community members is Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University. This nationally acclaimed program gives individuals resources to take control of their finances, work towards being debt free, and the privilege…