Tag: huffpost

Shelters to Help Those in Need

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According to [the] Metro-wide Engagement for Shelter and Housing, […] it costs $32 [per day] for an adult and $125 [per day] for a minor to be in a shelter. On any given night, 600,000 Americans experience homelessness, of which 138,000 are children—[b]ut who ends up in these shelters?

Americans needing shelters have a long history. According to a history of homelessness, displacement […] has many causes: wars, medical problems, widowhood and racial inequities, to name a few. During the 1820s, people began migrating from farms to cities in search of jobs, [and because] so many could not find employment, they began walking the streets. This caused the country’s first panhandling ordinances, and city jails became de facto shelter systems. Poor safety regulations [in these jails] caused physical disabilit[ies] and, [frequently], death. The disabled and widows, many with dependent children, became the next wave of homeless. In the 1850s came the first documented cases of homeless youth, many of them kicked out of their homes because their parents could no longer afford to raise them.

The Civil War was the first war in which morphine was used, [a]nd, with that, opiate addiction came to the hundreds of thousands of war veterans. The Sears [& Roebuck] catalog sold morphine and heroin with syringes in its earlier days in the 1890s. The Civil War was the start of what is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder, [or PTSD].

Whereas all types of shelters are needed in our country, one of the newest [types] are [for victims of] domestic violence. […] According to Saint Martha’s Hall, [historically], British Common Law allowed a man to hit his wife with a stick no greater than the length from the last joint to the end of the thumb. In 1871, Alabama and Massachusetts became the first states to criminalize domestic violence, [b]ut it wasn’t until over a century later in 1973 that the Women’s Advocates opened the country’s first domestic violence shelter.

By 1983, there were 700 [domestic violence] shelters […] across the country, serving 91,000 women and 131,000 children. In 1994, Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), [which] funds services for victims of domestic violence and rape [and] provides training to increase police and court officials’ sensitivity to domestic abuse. Between 1994 and 2000, $1.6 billion was spent to jumpstart VAWA. Its reauthorization in 2000 created a legal assistance program for victims and expanded the definition of crime to include dating violence and stalking. […]

Providing shelter for those in need cannot be solved by the government alone, especially in times of government gridlock and lack of funds. This is a major problem that affects all of us. Those that need help could be the war hero [who] dedicated [his or her] life to protecting our country or the woman down the street who was hurt by an abusive husband.

There are many ways we […] can help make a difference by donating to these shelters. Covenant House opens up its doors to help homeless youth. Stand up for Kids helps homeless street kids. Support Homeless Veterans works to get forgotten heroes off the street. Women’s Shelters connects [those in need to] over 2,300 women’s shelters. […]

It hurts everyone when our neighbors have to seek out shelters. Our society suffers when we deny children a good night’s sleep and a nourishing meal. Our communities suffer when a veteran loses out on the shot to attain the “American dream.” This is not a political or religious issue; it’s a moral issue that our society needs to embrace. With a little help from all of us, these 600,000 Americans can find shelter for another night.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/shelters-to-help-those-in-need_b_6662444.html

For the Love of Animals

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While on Valentine’s Day, we show our love for other humans, February 20th is “National Love-Your-Pet Day,” where we turn to our four-legged friends to show them how much we love having them around. The Humane Society estimates there are 67 million [U.S.] households that have pets. […] The pet industry made $58 billion in sales in 2014, [which] includes retail pet stores, online sales, grooming, pet hotels, innovative pet product manufacturing and even pet funerals. Considering the cosmetic and toy industries brought in $56 billion and $22 billion, respectively, the pet business has turned into a significant piece of our economy. On February 20th, we should not only be loving our pets but thanking them for helping drive our economic recovery!

Sadly, we often hear about pets being abused all over the country. Just in 2015, the former mayor of Sorrento, La., was accused of torturing and abusing cats. There’s also the retired Phoenix police officer [who] collected over 100 animals—zebras, horses, chickens and pigs—and kept them without proper shelter, food or water. [T]here’s the individual cruelty, like the dog in San Diego whose owner used rubber bands as a muzzle and caused severe injuries to the poor dog’s face. […] This disregard of compassion for animals cuts to the core of human nature. It is not only about how we treat our beloved best animal friends, [but, in] a sense, it is about how we treat each other.

So where do […] unwanted, unloved animals go? According to the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals), there are 13,600 community animal shelters nationwide. There are 7.6 million animals entering shelters each year, of which 3.9 million are dogs and 3.4 million are cats. Each year, 35% of [these] dogs are adopted, 31% are euthanized, and 26% are returned to their owners. For cats, 37% are adopted, 41% are euthanized and only 5% are returned to their owners.

There is a major strain on our community animal shelters this time of year. With the temperature below freezing in many parts of the country, it does not take long for an animal to freeze to death when left outside. Luckily for these animals, [several] communities [are taking] action. […] Cleveland just passed a new law to protect animals being left outdoors without shelter. The city ordinance requires that [those] left outside have shelter large enough to stand up, turn around and lie down in freely, and the shelter must have one entrance and exit with a door or flap to protect the animal from the elements.

Besides weather, the inhumanity of our fellow human beings continues to burden these underfunded shelters. The Baltimore Animal Rescue and Care Shelter just took in over 70 dogs that were seized in a major dogfighting operation. […] Evidence seized in this case included firearms, treadmills, breaking sticks, heavy chains, steroids and bloodstained dogfighting rings. I just cannot image the physical and psychological wounds these abused animals now have.

It falls back on all of us to have the heart to help defenseless animals that can’t speak for themselves. There are plenty of concerned organizations that need our support to fight animal abuse—great nonprofits like [the] ASPCA, Humane Society and the American Humane Association. There are also many lesser-known animal nonprofits like World Animal Protection [and the] Best Friends Animal Society. […] If you can’t support these helpless animals with money, donate your time to help care for them at the shelters. All shelters welcome people who will feed, walk and groom these ignored animals.

Those of us with pets know they provide therapeutic benefits for many of life’s invisible scars. Our pets help us socially and emotionally. The unconditional love pets give us transcends work issues, family conflicts and death. Animals don’t care about the color of your skin, whether you can read or not, or if you are missing a limb. […] Donate to animal shelters and organizations to help care for these innocent animals. Volunteer at your local shelter to help the animals cope with being alone. No one wants to be alone, and your simple act of kindness goes a long way for animals that don’t have anyone.

Original article here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/for-the-love-of-animals_b_6459194.html

Can’t Stop the Giving

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Now that the season of giving is officially over, we are approaching the harshest time of year, when underprivileged, poor and homeless fellow Americans need our help the most. The average high [temperature] across the United States in January is 42° F and the average low is 27°, [making it[ the coldest month of the year. In February, the average high moves to 44° and the average low is 28°. […] Using New York […] as the example, the cost of heating oil jumps in the winter, with [the] January [2014] cost per gallon [at] $4.13 and February’s cost [at] $4.34. […]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, a family of four is considered living in poverty if their annual income is under $23,850. The current […] U.S. […] poverty rate is 14.5%, [amounting to] 45.3 million people living in poverty. […] The poverty rate for children is 19.9%; for people ages 18 [to] 34, it is 13.6%, and for those over 65, the rate is 9.5%.

We can’t rely on our government to take care of the poor—or can we? The New American just reported that 65% of our children live in households [participating] in at least one or more of these government aid programs: Temporary Assistance for Needy Families; the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program […]; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC); Medicaid; [or] the National School Lunch Program. The “War on Poverty,” which was part of the “Great Society” plan of President Johnson, […] celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2014. Our government has spent $22 trillion over these 50 years to support this war.

So does the U.S. welfare system actually hamper dignity while claiming to grant it? We continue to hear stories of recipients abusing the social safety net designed to help those who truly need our help. Do some of these programs trap people into the poverty they are trying to escape? Our government programs address complex social problems with a one-size-fits-all solution. Local nonprofit organizations and local governments have a better vantage point to identify and address the true poverty issues in their communities, [making them] more invested in the success of the families and individuals living [there].

[N]ow that the holidays are over, we are back to focusing on ourselves. Whether it is finding a gym to get back in shape or a diet to lose the holiday pounds, our attention naturally shifts away from those who need our help 365 days a year. [Fortunately], there are several nonprofit organizations that don’t give up after the holidays. […] One of my favorites is One Warm Coat. This nonprofit organization started [in 1992] with a Thanksgiving weekend coat drive, [and, since] then, they have organized thousands of groups across America that collect coats to give to those in need. […] Another favorite is Operation Warm, which started in 2002 and [relies on] organizations like [local] Rotary [clubs] and firefighters to distribute over 300,000 coats to impoverished children annually.

Each of these caring organizations began way before the recession, survived the recession and continues to serve the underprivileged as the country recovers. The Salvation Army [is] the second largest charity in the country, receiving $2.08 billion in donations annually. The largest charity is The United Way, who took in $3.87 billion [within its] network of over 1,300 units across the country. […]

With the impasse in Washington, [D.C.], which looks like it will be getting even worse in 2015, we cannot rely on our government to pick up the slack to take care of those Americans who truly need our help. Gas prices are going down, giving all of us more discretionary income to spend. The holidays are over, […] and now it is time […] to step up and begin to funnel [that] extra gas money back into our local communities to help our neighbors pull themselves out of poverty. We, as citizens, need to create a new grassroots effort—our own local “War on Poverty.” Having 45.3 million people living in poverty is not what any of our forefathers envisioned, and it is not the country we want to leave to our children.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/cant-stop-the-giving_b_6390550.html

Donating: Is It the American Way?

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In the United States, there are 1,429,801 tax-exempt organizations made up of 966,599 public charities; 96,584 private foundations; and 366,618 other types of nonprofits, including chambers of commerce, fraternal organizations and civic leagues, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics. These [tax-exempt] organizations paid for 9.2% of all wages in [our nation last year] and accounted for 5.5% of GDP. Charitable contributions are over $320 billion, with religious organizations receiving 32% […] and educational institutions getting 13%.

Over the last five years, the World Giving Index rates the United States as the most giving country, followed by Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada and the United Kingdom. What is driving the No. 1 rating is the fact that helping a stranger is more commonplace in [our country], with 77% of Americans saying they helped someone they did not know. The United States ranks third globally in volunteering and 13th in donating money.

[Americans] have a long history of giving back. [T]he Pilgrims […] relied on neighbors to survive the harsh winters. The settlers raised each others’ barns, hosted quilting bees for the community and built common areas in their towns. Benjamin Franklin […] is known as the Founding Father of American Volunteerism; [in] the late 1700s, [h]e gathered volunteers to sweep the streets of Philadelphia, organized the nation’s first volunteer fire department [and] established a voluntary militia. […] His philosophy was “individuals working together, un-coerced, for the common good.” In the 1830s, two groups who felt their lack of power—women, who had no right to vote, and the clergy, whose political authority was weakened by the constitutional separation of church and state—formed benevolent societies to focus on issues [like] slavery, cruelty, drinking [and] illiteracy.

[B]illionaires [also] have given to improve [American] society. Andrew Carnegie, who made his fortune in the steel industry, helped fund 3,000 public libraries, […] 7,000 church organs and […] Carnegie Hall in New York City. […] John Rockefeller, Jr., who made his fortune in oil, donated land along the East River in Manhattan for the United Nations headquarters in his belief that the world together can get better. […] Warren Buffet and Bill Gates, probably the two best-known billionaires, created the “Giving Pledge,” which now has 127 billionaires committed to pledging at least half of their wealth to help nonprofits.

These are examples of the very visible givers. There are hundreds of others who have given to help hospitals and schools and the underprivileged that are not in the news.

Overall, Americans give, on average, 3% of their income to charity, a figure that has not budged significantly for decades. The Chronicle of Philanthropy reports that there are significant differences in how much the average American gives; [i]n Utah and Mississippi, households [donate an average of] 7% of their incomes to charity, while in Massachusetts and three other New England states, giving is under 3%. Middle-class Americans give a far bigger share of their discretionary income; households earning $50,000 [to] $75,000 [annually] give an average of 7.6% of their income to charity compared to 4.2% of people making over $100,000. […]

What are the reasons people help other people? According to Gaiam.com, giving to charity improves your sense of well-being, [because you know] that you sacrificed time, finances or property to help others. Supporting a cause can help keep you informed about issues of social injustice. Giving to charity out of spiritual conviction can strengthen your spiritual life. Volunteering with a charity may result in physical and social benefits—[a]nd donations are tax-deductible.

Having donations as a tax-deductible item has been in the fabric of our taxes since the Revenue Act of 1917, which established […] an individual income-tax deduction for contributions made to tax-exempt charitable organizations. According to CNN, the charitable deduction is the ninth-largest tax expenditure in the federal budget. In 2014, the amount of revenue the government will forgo from those claiming charitable deductions is estimated to reach $52 billion. Giving, on one hand, helps those in need, while on the other hand, [it] pushes our government into greater debt.

Community service is not political, and it is not mandated by the state. It is something that comes from deep within our core values. A true definition of this can be seen with the Society of Secret Santas, who[se members] give away $100 bills of their own money to the needy to help reinforce the self-worth and image of those they help. […] They give in anonymity; [lead] by example; [share] their wealth in a humble, selfless way; [and] show compassion through random acts of kindness, tapping into the human spirit by giving the recipient hope and belief.

Anonymous givers set the stage to teach our kids about the selflessness of being kind. Whether it is cleaning out your closet to help a charitable organization or spending time to help the elderly or volunteering to help a neighbor do yard work or shovel snow, the examples we adults set today by our actions will influence how the next generation views their obligations to others. […]

From Ben Franklin to Andrew Carnegie to Warren Buffet, well-known leaders set the example for us, but you don’t have to be a billionaire leaving a legacy to make a difference. [V]olunteering still forms the core of the American character—[i]t is who we are and how we pass on freedom and caring to the next generation. Maybe that is one reason that seniors volunteer at a higher rate than our children. The experience of life that seniors [possess] is precious, and if we can teach the younger generations to care more about others, we can continue to be the most charitable nation, just like our forefathers [envisioned].

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/donatingis-it-the-america_b_6222052.html

The Homeless Need More Than Blankets

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In this land of plenty and this land of opportunity, [more than] 600,000 Americans experience homelessness on any given night, [including] 138,000 […] under the age of 18. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the national rate of homeless persons is 19 [in every] 10,000 people, with the highest [rate] in Washington, D.C., [at] 106 [for every 10,000]. Veterans are homeless at the rate of 27 for every 10,000, with [our nation’s capital] again [rating] the highest at 156.

[L]ack of affordable housing is considered the primary cause of homelessness. The government agency HUD […] has seen its budget slashed by over 50%, resulting in the loss of 10,000 units each year of subsidized low-income housing. Thirteen percent of the nation’s low-income housing has been lost since 2001. This country needs 7 million more affordable apartments for low-income families, but, because we don’t have enough, 11 million families spend over half of their monthly income on rent. Add on top of this the over 5 million homes that have been foreclosed on since 2008, and it easy to understand why this country is where it is with our [inability] to help the homeless.

Homeless children, as defined by the federal “No Child Left Behind” program, include not just those living in shelters or transitional housing, but also those sharing housing [with others] due to economic hardships; living in cars, parks, bus or train stations; or awaiting foster care placement. Using this definition, the National Center for Homeless Education reported in September 2014 [that there are] 1,258,182 homeless children in [our country’s] public school [system], an 8% jump from 2013. Youth homelessness has increased 72% in the last seven years, [and] many of these youths exchange sex for food, clothing, shelter and other basic needs. Seventy-five percent of [our nation’s] homeless youth have either dropped out or will drop out of school.

As a caring society, what can we do about this?

Sports Illustrated (SI) just published a fascinating article on how more than 100,000 students on school teams are homeless. In the Mobile, Ala., county school system, 27.6% of homeless students competed for middle- and high-school teams. In Kansas City, Kan., 20% of homeless students competed. SI concludes that athletic programs are keeping homeless athletes away from outside factors that derail their chances for a successful future. Coaches often become mentors and surrogate parents, and pregame and post-game meals provide essential nourishment, while kids benefit from the exercise and structure in sports. […]

Homeless veterans are another story. The National Coalition for Homeless Veterans reports that 1.4 million veterans are considered at risk for homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks and substandard housing. [Approximately] 49,933 of these veterans are homeless on any given night. America’s homeless veterans served in World War II, the Korean War, [the] Cold War, [the] Vietnam War, [the] Gulf War, Afghanistan and Iraq. Half of our current homeless veterans served during the Vietnam era. [Eight] percent are female, while 40% are African-American or Hispanic.

The Washington Post reported our new Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary, Bob McDonald, […] announced an additional $207 million in funding for rapid-assistance grants to help 70,000 veterans keep their homes or return to permanent housing. [Another] $62 million will be dedicated to a rental-assistance program that would bring more than 9,000 chronically homeless veterans off the streets. [In total], the VA has committed more than $1 billion in 2014 to strengthen programs that prevent and end homelessness among veterans. They have changed their approach to a “housing-first strategy” where they are focusing on providing veterans a place to live first and then help[ing] them with drug abuse, job searches and mental health. Previously, the VA insisted on health services first before offering housing.

Homelessness cannot be solved by the government alone, especially in times of government gridlock and lack of funds. This is a major problem that affects all of us, whether it involves the classmates of our kids or the war hero who was dedicated to protecting our country. There are many ways the average citizen can help by donating or volunteering. The Covenant House opens up its doors to help homeless youth. Stand Up For Kids helps homeless street kids. Move for Hunger helps collect food for those in need. Support Homeless Veterans works to get these forgotten heroes off the streets. […]

We all suffer when we allow our neighbors to go homeless, even for just one night. Our society suffers when we deny any of our children a good night’s sleep and a nourishing meal. With the limitless potential that many homeless youth have to make a lasting positive contribution to our communities, whether it is in science, humanities or sports, we cheat not only them but ourselves by not allocating dollars, either in the taxes we collect or the disposable income we can spare. Every child, veteran or family in need should have a shot at attaining our American dream, and, with a little help from all of us, America can help those 600,000 a night who suffer. This is one issue that is not political.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/the-homeless-need-more-th_b_6064668.html

Small Businesses Are Still Struggling

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Small-business owners don’t take vacation not because they don’t want to travel or relax or explore new adventures, [but] because they are scared to death their business will fall apart. Fortune recently reported half of small-business owners will take no vacation this year. Of the half that do go on vacation, 61% […] go for only a week, […] half of what the average U.S. employee takes each year. Also, when a small-business owner actually takes a vacation, 67% […] check in with work at least once a day, and only 15% completely disconnect from their business.

Gallup reported earlier this year that the total number of new business startups and business closures per year […] just crossed to the bad for the first time since this measurement began. Annually, 400,000 new businesses are being born nationwide, while 470,000 are dying each year. [U]ntil the recession began, startups outpaced business failures by 100,000 per year. If small businesses continue to die at this pace, disastrous consequences for our economy and way of life are right around the corner. […]

So why are businesses failing at such a high rate?

According to MSN, the No. 1 reason is running out of money too quickly. When starting a business, you need to plan as if you had no sales for six months and have that money sitting in the bank to cover all the startup issues. [B]efore the recession, business owners could borrow against the equity in their homes. [W]e don’t have that same home equity today, [which means many] new business startups are rolling the dice and not having as much in the bank. […] Larger businesses also face cash-flow issues—they may be completing their projects, but their clients are paying slower, so payrolls get missed and lights go off. […]

The No. 2 reason why businesses fail is overconfidence in their product that may be ill-timed or is a dud of an idea. [I]f you don’t test [the] market first or [if] you are not keeping up with the trends, there is a good chance customers won’t purchase your goods.

[T]he third reason is a poor pricing strategy. [The] competition may have a cheaper solution, [but] if you […] lower your price, there still needs to be enough margins to pay the bills.

How can we reverse this trend of more businesses dying than being born? One way is through a new program, “Big Ideas for Small Business,” that was launched last year by The National League of Cities in partnership with the City of Chicago’s Innovation Delivery Team. They have produced a toolkit that helps local leaders create ecosystems that support small-business growth with city resources and provides business owners with access to new sources of capital. Another resource is SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives), […] whose mission is to foster small-business communities through mentoring and education. […] The NFIB (National Federation of Independent Businesses) […] is a great resource for information and interaction with other small businesses. […]

This lopsided failure rate of small businesses is a concern to every community. For our cities to [only recent;y] realize this is a local issue that must be solved with “boots on the ground” reinforces that these entrepreneurs are not in this battle alone, [that] they have their “village” looking out for them. This is a good start to reverse our small-business death trend, [b]ut it also takes individuals in our communities spending in small businesses. These “buy local” campaigns truly make a difference; [f]or each $100 spent at local businesses, $45 of secondary local spending is done, compared to $14 for big chains. This multiplier effect trickles down and has a dramatic influence in keeping our local businesses alive.

America has been great since our independence, because, on the backs of small businesses, we have built an exceptional agricultural, industrial and intellectual powerhouse economy. We can’t afford to let these small businesses die, because just about every great economic accomplishment in our country started in the mind of an entrepreneur.

Original article here: https://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/small-businesses-are-stil_b_5870328.html

Is the Recession Really Over?

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[Recently], Gallup reported that the total number of new business startups and business closures per year, known as “the birth and death rates,” […] just crossed to the bad for the first time since [its] measurement began—[a]nnually, 400,000 new businesses are being born nationwide, while 470,000 are dying. […] [Until] the recession, startups outpaced business failures by 100,000 per year. If small businesses continue to die at this pace, disastrous consequences for our economy and way of life are right around the corner.

Our “Main Street” American businesses still find it difficult to borrow the funds they need to expand. […] If you read the news, it says bank loans are easier to come by, but I haven’t talked to even one of our customers who tells me banks are happy to help them.

Not only have small businesses not bounced back from the recession, but, as reported in USA Today, many households have not yet rebounded from the downturn. According to the federal government’s report on the economic well-being of U.S. households:

  • 34% of families are worse off or much more worse off financially than they [were] five years [ago].
  • Educational debt [is] held by 24% of the population, averaging $25,750 per person.
  • 43% of households [cannot] cover a major out-of-pocket cost for a medical expense.
  • 25% [of households have] not visited a dentist in the last 12 months because they [can’t] afford one.
  • 31% of Americans have no retirement savings.

On top of this, The Washington Post just reported 77 million Americans have debt in collections. […] These […] debts are non-mortgage-related, like credit card bills, child-support payments and medical bills. […]

Ask your favorite charity if the recession is over for them. […] Last year, total giving to charity organizations […] was $335 billion, down from the pre-recession level of $350 billion. [I]n America, 610,042 people [were homeless nightly in 2013], [and] 20 states saw an increase in homelessness. According to Newsweek, 42.5 million American adults […] suffer from some mental illness, enduring conditions such as depression, bipolar disorder or schizophrenia. That hit home for me when my favorite actor, Robin Williams, […] died. Close to one in five of us are feeling like Robin, and is America built to have the support system to help?

Feeding America reports that 15.9 million children under the age of 18 (one in five) live in a household without enough food to eat and are unable to consistently access nutritious and adequate amounts of food. […] We are struggling to help our homeless, to help those suffering from mental disorders, and to help our children. This recession is not over for them. […]

Where is the good news to get us out of this funk of no-growth and the pain of the recession still lingering for businesses and individuals? It is not coming from the Middle East or from Europe or from our own government, [which] has confused our economy with sequestration, shutting itself down, and continual battles over healthcare, [the] debt ceiling and budgets.

[A]ll of us [need] to buy local, help those in need and donate more than we normally would to support this economy. Our economy is the basis for our society. When our economy is stable, our society will take care of our businesses and the individuals in need. At that point is when we can declare that the recession is over.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/is-the-recession-really-o_b_5678614.html

Dropouts Are Putting a Major Strain on Our Economy

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Despite all the efforts of every president from Kennedy to Obama, [high-school dropouts] are a blight on our society. According to DoSomething.org, [more than] 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States every year, [or roughly] 7,000 kids a day. [In 1970], the United States […] had the world’s highest graduation rates of any developed country; [our nation] now ranks [at] No. 22 out of [the world’s] 27 [developed] countries.

[Statistically], high-school dropouts commit 75% of our [nation’s] crimes. The unemployment rate for [these former students] is 9.1%; for those with high-school diplomas, it’s 5.8%, and [for those] with college degrees, [it’s] 3.3%. The average high-school dropout earns $20,240 annually versus $30,600 for a high-school graduate.

According to The New York Times, if we could reduce the number of dropouts by a little over half, this would yield close to 700,000 […] graduates each year. These […] graduates […] would obtain a higher rate of employment and earnings, […] would be less likely to draw on public money for healthcare and welfare, and less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system—[a]nd, because of the increase in income, [they] would contribute more in tax revenues. Each of these graduates over their lifetime produces a net benefit to taxpayers of $127,000 in government savings, [which] would benefit the public close to $90 billion each year. […] That is serious money and an easy issue that both Democrats and Republicans can rally behind to reduce our deficit while supporting funding for education.

Throughout the years, […] our leaders have made attempts to reduce the dropout rate through improving our educational system. Kennedy […] [desegregated] public schools to give all kids the hope of a better education. Johnson established Head Start so all kids would have a chance to start on equal footing. Carter upgraded the Department of Education to cabinet-level status. Clinton passed the “Goals 2000 Educate America Act,” which gave resources to states and communities to enact outcomes-based education with the theory that students will reach higher levels of achievement when more is expected of them. George W. Bush passed the “No Child Left Behind Act,” which worked to close the gap between rich and poor students by targeting more federal funding to low-income schools. Obama passed the $4.35 billion “Race to the Top” legislation, which has competitive grants supporting education reform and innovations in classrooms. Yet, we still have 1.2 million students dropping out of high school each year.

[A]ccording to The Arizona Republic, the 18,000 high-school [students who dropped out] this year will cost Arizona $7.6 billion over their lifetime. Phoenix, the country’s sixth-largest city, had the highest rate of youth disconnection among the country’s 25 largest metropolitan areas [in 2012], with 24% of its students dropping out of high school. [T]his year’s dropouts will cost Arizona $4.9 billion in lost income, $869 million in health costs, $1.7 billion in crime-related expenses and $26 million in welfare over their lifetime. On top of all [of] this, statewide, 22% of [those ages] 16 [to] 24 […] are [neither] working [nor] in school, [totaling] 182,000 young people.

The societal impact of our kids dropping out of school is devastating. Our schools know early on when many of these kids are in trouble. Key indicators include poor grades in core subjects, low attendance rates, failure to be promoted to the next grade, and disengagement in the classrooms, which would also include behavioral problems. [T]o save these kids, [o]ur government needs to invest in early childhood education. When students enter school without the needed knowledge and skills, they begin behind and just never catch up. Early childhood programs need to support the emotional, cognitive and social development of kids.

So what should our schools do to curb this enormous economic problem? Because many dropouts feel alienated from others and disconnected from the school experience, schools must ensure that all students have meaningful relationships with adults while at school. This obviously includes teachers and administrators but should include counselors, volunteers, and more paid and unpaid mentors. Schools must have individualized learning sessions and nontraditional options, [which] may include online learning and intensive tutoring programs. Also, students with disabilities, who are twice as likely to drop out as students with[out] disabilities, must be offered [more personalized] programs from Kindergarten [through 12th grade].

This is truly a grassroots effort in each community to lower our dropout rates. There are national programs to help on the local level. Communities in Schools, an organization that has been around for 30 years, […] helps bring community resources inside public schools […] for at-risk kids to succeed in the classroom and in life. The Boys & Girls Clubs of America provide programs, services, and a safe place to learn and grow and connect with adults. […]

Dropouts cause our society emotional pain because we all feel sorry for those less fortunate and struggling to survive, [b]ut the cold, hard fact [is that dropouts also] cause us economic pain that could be avoided. […] We have to get our schools the resources to go at this problem head on. Maybe if we approach our current congressional leaders that this is an economics problem, not a school funding issue, we can finally get their attention.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/dropouts-are-putting-a-ma_b_5586176.html

Who Pays for Our Kids’ Education?

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CBS News reported there are 200 one-room public schools located in rural areas left in America. At one time, just about every child was taught in a one-room school. Our second president, John Adams, taught in a one-room school near Boston. Abraham Lincoln was educated at a one-room school. Henry Ford loved his one-room schoolhouse so much that he had it moved to a museum in Michigan. As late as 1913, half of the country’s schoolchildren were enrolled in the country’s 200,000 one-room schools, [b]ut after World War I, people moved into cities, and one-room schools began to disappear. […]

There are 54,876,000 kids enrolled in schools [today], of which 49,484,000 are in public schools, according to the Center for Education Reform. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1 in public schools and 11:1 in private schools. Total public school expenditures were $607 billion [last year], with 12.7% coming from the federal government, 43.5% from the state and 43.8% [from] local expenses. The average public school expenditure per pupil was $13,000, and the average teacher makes $49,630 a year.

If you step back and study all of these numbers, they are just so huge. The number of kids […] in our school systems, the billions of dollars we spend to keep up the learning, and the amount of buildings we construct—[it all] makes our educational system alone rank as the 21st largest economy in the world. […] [Nevertheless], New York City […] teachers […] spend $500 of their own [incomes each year] on pens, paper and other instructional materials [for their classrooms]. Taking the 3.3 million teachers nationwide spending [an average of] $500 [annually] to help their kids, and we have over $1.6 billion coming out of teachers’ pockets to keep our schools going. […]

[The] teachers I know tell me they want to do their part in changing the world one student at a time by working on their hearts and minds and guiding them to become literate, empowered, engaged and creative. These teachers are passionate about their jobs, which most feel is their calling in life, [s]o pulling $500 out of their own pocket to help others is just what they do in their selflessness to make a difference.

[A]sking our teachers to do this is not right, [though]. Whether we have kids in school or not, all of us must be concerned with the quality of education we are providing for the next generation, and, as concerned citizens, we must make a difference and help our teachers help our kids. The National Teachers Assistance Organization is taking donations to help teachers. Donors Choose, an online nonprofit charity group that matches donors and teachers for supplies and projects, reports […] a 30% increase in requests for help from teachers this year. [The] Start Donating [website] is [another] easy way to help teachers get what they need. […]

We are a well-educated society, so how did we get ourselves into this cycle of putting this financial burden and stress on the teachers who we entrust with our kids every day? Teachers’ classrooms should be a sanctuary of learning, maturing and growing our children into the next greatest generation. Instead, we have our teachers worrying about the funding for the basic functions needed to educate our leaders of tomorrow. From John Adams and his one-room schoolhouse to our modern-day consolidated schools, we are still making it difficult for these dedicated teachers to perform at their best. It is the teachers of today, like the teachers of our forefathers, with their dedication and determination, who set the example for their students by their actions of caring and giving. The rest of us need to support these public servants and ease their personal burden of doing the right thing for our kids.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/who-pays-for-our-kids-edu_b_5512072.html

Kids Lose Their Future to Poverty

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Now that one school year is over and we are preparing for the next, June is a month of reflection for educators and parents on how to do better [for the] next school year. It is hard enough for students to learn at school in today’s world. You throw in overcrowding, teacher-to-student ratios, poverty affecting too many students, and lack of funding for supplies, and it becomes almost impossible for the average student to get ahead.

The New York Daily News reported that in New York City, 6,313 classes were [considered] overcrowded based on the teacher’s union contract, which sets 34 kids [per classroom] as the limit in high schools and 25 [kids per classroom] in Kindergarten. In these classrooms, kids were sitting on the floors or standing the whole period. It is tough to imagine how children can function in these overcrowded situations, let alone how can teachers concentrate and keep the kids interested. How can these kids learn when they are sitting on top of each other?

[Adding to this], 16 million children in the United States, [or] 22% of all [U.S.] children, live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level of $23,550 a year […] for a family of four, according to the National Center of Children in Poverty. These children are far more likely to have limited access to sufficient food, [a]nd with Congress cutting […] $8.6 billion from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program […] earlier this year, these kids just got a little bit hungrier. The states where the most kids go hungry include New Mexico at 29.2%, Mississippi at 28.7%, Arizona at 28.2%, and Georgia and Nevada, both at 28.1%. How can these kids learn when they go to school hungry?

Now look at the 1.2 million children in the United States who are homeless. […] According to the American Institutes for Research, homeless children have four times as many respiratory infections, twice as many ear infections, five times more gastrointestinal problems, and [are] four times more likely to have asthma. [W]hen at school, they have three times the rate of emotional and behavioral problems compared to non-homeless children. How can these kids learn when they have so many personal problems?

Poverty and poor performance go hand in hand in school. DoSomething.org reports that children living in poverty have a higher [rate] of absenteeism, or [they] leave school altogether because they are more likely to have to work or care for family members. Dropout [rates among] 16- [to] 24-year-old students from low-income families are seven times [higher] than those from families with higher income[s]. By the end of the fourth grade, low-income students are already two years behind, and, by the 12th grade, they are four years behind. How can these kids perform [well as] adults when they fall so far behind in school?

The U.S. educational system is ranked as the 14th best in the world. South Korea is No. 1, followed by Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, Finland, [the] United Kingdom, Canada, [t]he Netherlands, Ireland, Poland, Denmark, Germany and Russia. Why is the most powerful nation in the world ranked in the middle of the pack in educating its children? Last year, $1.15 trillion was spent on education in the United States, of which 10.8% came from federal funds and the rest from state and local contributions. You would think that is enough to educate every student, rich or poor, but, obviously, it [is not].

The United States sure has a lot of things to fix to break into the top 10. […] Since the vast majority of funding for education falls back to the states and […] communities, local help is where it has got to begin. It has to fix the children who go hungry and the children of the poor. There are great organizations to contribute to for this, like Save the Children and the Children’s Defense League. […] We have to fix the homeless children situation, [a]nd, somehow, we have to get the right equipment into the hands of these poor kids—the right books, pencils, paper and calculators—so they can keep up with everyone else in their classrooms. […]

I wish we could just flip a switch and poverty and hunger and homelessness would disappear for our kids, but we all know that won’t happen. Who chooses [which] kids are born into wealth and those who are born to live on the streets? Who chooses the kids who suffer in overcrowded schools or those who go to schools with sophisticated arts, music and computer programs? Back in 1918, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the American Creed, which states, “The United States of America is a government of the people, by the people and for the people, established on the principles of freedom, equality, justice and humanity for all.” It is up to all of us to bring these poor, hungry and homeless children up to the standards our forefathers envisioned for all of us, and we need to start today.

Original article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/marc-joseph/kids-lose-their-future-to_b_5337752.html