Rich and Poor Together

One of my favorite Christian authors is Shane Claiborne.  His book, Irresistible Revolution, is my favorite of all his writings.  I like Shane because he doesn't just speak and write about social justice, like so many, but he lives it every day.  That's why his observations about fellow Christians are so essential to understanding God's will for all of us.

"I had come to see that the great tragedy in the church is not that rich Christians do not care about the poor, but that rich Christians do not know the poor...I truly believe that when the poor meet the rich, riches will have no meaning.  And when the rich meet the poor, we will see poverty come to an end."  (Irresistible Revolution, pp. 113-114)

"There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and feasted sumptuously every day.  And at his gate lay a poor man named Lazarus..."  (Luke 16:19-20)

"Resources, without relationships, are invariably wasted."

(Type your email address in the upper right-hand column of this blog to continue this conversation and learn more about the work Urban Connection Austin is doing with our neighbors in north Austin.)

Ready to Learn

The primary goal of our Family Resource Center at Dobie Middle School is "to have all students in the classroom every day, ready to learn."  Sounds pretty simple and easy, doesn't it?  And yet, last year school districts in Central Texas lost over $470 million in revenues because of student absences. That's equivalent to the expense of constructing five Long Centers every year.  The two most common reasons that students give for failing to attend is that school is boring and they would rather hang out with their friends.  But the truth is a bit more complicated than that.  

In fact, recent research studies indicate that over half the factors that affect the academic performance of low-income students take place outside the classroom.  It makes sense, doesn't it?  It's hard for a student to study if her family is homeless or his stomach is growling.  Schools are being negatively affected by all sorts of "out of school" factors, like increasing levels of child poverty, high student mobility rates, struggles with housing, unemployment, and healthcare, just to name a few.  That's why we partner with Austin ISD and Austin Voices for Education and Youth to direct one of these centers at Dobie Middle School.

At the Family Resource Center we develop relationships with parents to help them create a plan to move out of crisis into stability and, eventually, sustainability and growth.  That's not easy and it doesn't happen quickly, but, with caring and perseverance, circumstances can change and lives can be transformed, especially the lives of those young students.  It is estimated that the difference in lifelong income for a student that graduates from high school and one that does not is over $1 million.  And just imagine the multiplying effect of that difference on the overall economy.  Clearly, investing in people and programs that can help students get to graduation, and beyond, is well worth the money.

We believe Family Resource Centers are just such an investment and we need your support.  You can begin by subscribing to this blog (type your email address in the upper right-hand column) and giving us a chance to tell you more about the difference that Urban Connection Austin and the Family Resource Centers make in the lives of our most vulnerable and precious students.

Vocation

It has been almost five years since approaching our parent organization, CitySquare (formerly Central Dallas Ministries), for their blessing to start Urban Connection Austin.  This was their plan for several years, but no one had stepped forward to lead the effort.  So, after spending 33 years in professional ministry (much of it spent seeking to help others in need - in Detroit, Chicago, San Antonio and Austin), I offered to lead it because I had a passion for this ministry.  

Since then we've made great strides, working with our neighbors in north Austin to address the root causes of poverty.  It began when we partnered with Austin Voices for Education and Youth and Austin ISD to create and direct a Family Resource Center at Dobie Middle School. There we help families in crisis so their students can be in class every day, ready to learn. And over the last few years we've helped hundreds of families find the resources they needed to move out of crisis toward a more stable, self-sufficient life.  You see, we believe that education is one of the two greatest resources for lifting people out of poverty.  The other is community.  

That's why we convened the North Austin Community/School Alliance, with over 50 partners, to leverage the resources of the community to help. And it's why we're forming local Family Councils in several multi-family housing complexes to engage parents on their own turf and secure their investment in a better future.  You see, we believe that resources, without relationships, are invariably wasted.

The noted author and theologian, Frederick Buechner, once defined vocation as the place "where our greatest passion meets the world's greatest need."  I would like to think that Urban Connection Austin is that kind of place, for me and for you, if you choose to join us.  

Let's continue this conversation and I'll tell you more about the ways we're working to fight poverty with our neighbors in north Austin.  You can do so by subscribing to this blog.  Just type your email address in the upper right-hand column of this blog and we'll keep you updated on our progress.