StreetWise Response

The intentions behind every organization we have reviewed so far have been great, however there are many problems that occur when executed in reality. The program we studied today, StreetWise, had many redeeming and unique qualities that can be appreciated. It empowers hard work and inspires people to change their lives rather than just being handed rations for the day. By earning their livings, people feel a sense of accomplishment and want to continue to improve themselves. This sets people up for a lifetime of success rather than just surviving the day. The also provide people with the sales skills that they can use to gain further employment, and many people have. It is fairly affordable to buy the magazines and many people can afford a place to live in a matter of weeks. Another benefit, though often overlooked, is the simple power of interaction. Many homeless people do not even get acknowledged every day, and this gives them an outlet to be approached on a daily basis. The thought and effort behind this organization is great, but there are also so problems I encountered.

One main issue is the simple problem of started off. If given the choice between spending their last dollar on food or on a magazine, most people would spend it on survival. It would be helpful is a loan was offered or the first order was free, just to help people begin the process. Another problem is that not every body is cut out for sales. I believe that only a certain type of person could benefit from this program. Those with mental illness or serious addictions may not be able to successfully sell magazines. They may however be able to do other jobs in the distribution or production process which should be opened up to other types of homeless people. If everybody is just trying to sell the magazine, there may just not be enough profit to go around. The benefits of the magazine also do not reach far enough. If they have a great product, they should try to expand to other cities with a heavy homeless population.

My overall opinion of this organization is positive. Though there are some drawbacks, what matters is that it does help people. There are obvious signs of success from the testimonies of people back on their feet. Even if it just helped one person, it would have been a success. The quote in their vision statement describes what their primary accomplishment is in my opinion. "StreetWise will provide Chicagoans in need with, a hand up, not a handout. To this end, StreetWise will assure that, by give any person who is willing to work a stable foundation from which they can move themself out of crisis, no one will find it necessary to beg in order to survive." They have already helped hundreds and provided a worthwhile product. Hopefully this will become the new approach for solving homeless on a large scale. We need to provide people with an outlet for personl success, instead of putting them in a continuous cycle of reliance. I hope to get a chance to read a copy of StreetWise sometime soon a support this organization.

 http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/44/Streetwise_vendor_1.jpg


http://streetwise.org/wp-content/themes/sw_vs2/images/bg/logo_full.jpg