Detroit and its poverty sites were selected as the focus of the analysis. The choice was made due to the location, and the problematic solutions that present themselves in one of the most developed countries in the world. It is an important site to consider because there is a great connection between poverty, race, economic and social status, as well as education and governmental support. There is a great number of factors and issues that lead to a certain part of the population to live in poverty. “Focus Hope” is an organization that tries to alleviate the suffering of those in need.
Poverty is considered to be one of the key problems of any civilized society, and there are very many reasons that lead to it. It is defined by a dire need for food, water, shelter, and clothing. The factors can be seen in the geographical location of the community, environmental conditions of the society, discrimination and segregation, economical position, personal education, and psychological choices, as well as health problems that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential. It is a very important issue that must be addressed, which is complicated by a number of other difficulties in the world, such as the economic crisis and international competition (Hartman 2001).
An organization that takes part in dealing with poverty and improving the conditions is the “Focus Hope”. It is a non-for profit organization that takes an active part in helping people of all walks of life to get reintegrated into society. It aids those in need by having a food program, training for careers are providing any other inspirational support in youth development. The Urban context of Detroit becomes one of the factors in how the city adjusts to poverty and abandonment. Industries are moving out of the city, and people are abandoning houses. There is limited access to jobs, shelter, and places of adequate healthcare. Access to basic needs can change very quickly or it could be a gradual process. Detroit’s poverty rate has reached a staggering 40.9 percent, and conditions are not improving (Defining Poverty 2012). This is the largest in the nation, and the fact that it is not stopping but growing is alarming to everyone.
The “Focus Hope” is closely involved with the community. There are several children’s programs set up; special attention is paid to the elderly population, and people without a cause. As such, the organization wants to unite people with art and social life (Focus: Hope 2013). This would prove beneficial because giving people an incentive would mean a lot. People would be feeling the support, as right now, they seem to be left alone without any particular interest from the rest of society or governmental institutions. As the company establishes connections with people, it develops a moral code that becomes well known. This is a great benefit because people start to realize their potential, and it gives them a strong base to begin from.
Henry Ford was one of the people who spoke about poverty and ways to find solutions. His main point related to production and giving people jobs. This is seemingly the case in Detroit, as people cannot find employment because of the absence of corporations who would want to invest. If people are presented with jobs they can support the infrastructure and themselves. Ford also mentioned that it is important to keep “waste” to the minimum, and this can be clearly observed in Detroit (Ford 2007). People move out of neighborhoods and make them even more “destroyed”. A district receives a bad reputation and becomes deteriorated faster. Thus, the physical environment determinant of life is the neighborhood that one resides in.
Detroit is filled with crime and low-quality quarters, so the whole area is affected. The community affects the needs of people, and the collective of people determines the relationship towards such a community by the nearby districts. It is interesting to note that Detroit was not always in such a poor state. According to Scott Martelle, the industrial era was very prosperous. There was a significant rise in goods that were shipped in and out of the city which greatly aided the economic conditions present at that time (Martelle 2012). It is clear that the case today is much different, and the fact that it was industrial in the past proves what exactly is needed. The more industry there is, the higher the demand, so people will invest in the market and especially the area where they can acquire everything they need.
As Rupert Cornwell rightly notes, the industrial revolution has been very favorable for Detroit previously, making it one of the central regions for the economy, but it might very well be the place which will become the worst in the economy (Cornwell 2008). Now, the limitations include an environment filled with economic instability and lack of proper employment. Warner writes that “the departure of manufacturing jobs for other regions…widened the gap between those with and without college educations…” (Warner 137). As a result, people turn to crime and join others with similar lives. A large percentage of people in this group are forced to drop out of school as they do not have any goals to pursue further education (Lemelle 2013).
The fact that people are engulfed in the vicious cycle is very difficult to change. One of the proposed solutions is to rehabilitate and change the setting of the districts. Getting rid of old and abandoned homes and setting up new areas where people can live and educate themselves is one way of change. Another possible solution is uniting an area where housing, work, and education can be closely located. Merging several institutions into one where people can work and learn at the same time would save time and resources, so assimilation to the environment and economic hardships would be faster. As a lot depends on the international economy and business conduction, companies such as: “Focus Hope” could provide resources for people to become specialized in the needed field. By doing this, they will get a job, support themselves and the nation’s economy.
For things to change people must base their efforts on individual strengths. The close connection between the government and communities must be established, so that there is mutual cooperation. Poverty and its causes provide many answers as to what must be changed and how to do it. Organizations such as “Focus Hope” play an important role in society and individual lives.
Works Cited
Bonfiglio, Olga. “Urban Planting.” U.S. Catholic, 76.10 (2011). n. pag. Web.
Cornwell, Rupert. “Downtrodden Detroit Fights for Its Very Soul”. The Independent on Sunday (London, England). (2008). n. pag. Web.
Focus: Hope 2013. Web.
Ford, Henry. My Life and Work. New York, NY: Cosimo, Inc., 2007. Print.
Hartman, Chester. Challenges to Equality: Poverty and Race in America, Armonk, United States: M.E. Sharpe, 2001. Print.
Lemelle, Anthony. “The Effects of the Intersection of Race, Gender and Educational Class on Occupational Prestige”. The Western Journal of Black Studies, 26.2 (2002): n. pag. Web.
Martelle, Scott. Detroit: A Biography. Chicago, IL: Chicago Review Press, 2012. Print.
Poverty in Milwaukee 2012. Web.
Thompson, Heather. Whose Detroit?: Politics, Labor, and Race in a Modern American City. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2004. Print.
Warner, Sam. American Urban Form: A Representative History. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2012. Print.