Tag: povertyeducation

Meet Kim: Poverty Education Director

Kim Starks joined Access’ team in August as our Poverty Education Director. She jumped right in and already has been a part of multiple workshops across Kent County and beyond!  Kim is an upbeat, passionate team member who comes with a background in the financial service industry and experience as a ministry trainer. She loves to connect with people, and is thrilled to be in this role where she can help others understand the impact poverty has in our community and the steps we can take to make a difference. The Poverty Education Workshops inform participants about the intricate realities of […]

Creating Change through Poverty Education

“One time,” Brenda shares, “we had an elected official who went through the workshop and, a little while after attending, she called us to share that she had voted differently on a childcare bill. Attending the workshop changed how she saw things and that impacted the way she voted.”  Brenda Nichols has served as the Poverty Education Director at Access for the past five years. It’s the feedback like this from participants whose views have changed and who are motivated to take action that have encouraged Brenda over the years. We are celebrating Brenda this month, as she is moving […]

Face the Facts: Senior Poverty

Myth: Social security takes care of the senior population Fact: 9 percent of seniors live below the poverty line. Ask an average person to describe someone in poverty, many faces may arise: a young child, a single working mom with a house full of kids, or an unemployed 20-year-old high school dropout. But does an 78-year old woman come to mind? According to Feeding America, 9 percent of the population 65 and older, 4.6 million adults, lived below the poverty line in 2015. This population can face harsh difficulties in their post-employment age of relying on savings and federal assistance. […]

Face the Facts: Housing

Myth: A house is all about the aesthetics. Truth: Where you live is an indicator of health. Turn on the TV station HGTV and you’ll get many ideas of what paint colors go together, how to furnish a living room and what color backsplash to add to your new granite counter tops. Or just add things to your wish list of what your house good be like. Yet a home is more than just a building with rooms. It’s a representation of a life. And it also affects your health. The National Center for Healthy Housing names housing as a […]

Face the Facts: Food Insecurity

Myth: People can find healthy foods anywhere they live Fact: 30 million Americans lack access to a supermarket within one mile of their home For millions of Americans, biting into a sweet, tasty carrot is not possible every day. Licking the fresh watermelon juice from your chin is only a special treat. In an abundance of healthy foods, people still are left to settle for a bag of chips. In 2013, nearly 30 million Americans did not have access to a grocery store within one mile of their house to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables. Between 6 and 9 percent […]

Poverty Simulation Staffers make the workshops happen

Our staffers are important here at Access of West Michigan. In preparation for an upcoming Poverty Simulation, volunteer staffers Mary, Cindy, Tom and Rhoeda are busy at work compiling participant packets and organizing materials. The Poverty Simulation is just one of many programs at Access of West Michigan to create solutions to poverty through education and collaboration. The goal in these seminars is to bring awareness of the realities of poverty and to encourage people to get involved. The “Living on the Edge” poverty simulation provides an opportunity for participants to walk in the shoes of someone living in a […]