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
If you ever volunteered or visited at Salt & Light during the years we were an emergency food pantry, you would have found many people with various types of disabilities standing in line for food. This is a reflection of…
Read More Why People of All Abilities Volunteer at Salt & Light
Patti has been a valuable member of our volunteer team for the last nine months. Starting in our clothing processing area, Patti has moved into a volunteer administration role, helping our team with scheduling, reports, and so much more. Patti…
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
Violent crime is nothing new to our twin cities, here in central Illinois, especially the last 5 years. While we may grow calloused to being bombarded constantly with news reports of tragedy, it hits a nerve when a child or…
With a spent Pepsi can in hand, a customer asked, “Do you recycle?” I quickly responded, “You have no idea. Yes, we recycle. I won’t say we have a recycling program; it’s more that we are a recycling program. Every…
Chris has been volunteering at Salt & Light for about 2 years. He performs multiple tasks including working in the admin office, handing out locks and vests, makes copies and keeping the copier filled, restocking the restrooms, cleaning and organizing…
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.…
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…
Our mission here at Salt & Light is sharing the love of God by fighting poverty with opportunities that empower people for lasting change. As we work to accomplish this mission every day, we partner together with many groups, individuals,…
