A Message From Our President - Mark Hedlund
When most of us think of poverty, we think lack of money. But poverty is much more complex than dollars and cents.
No matter our socioeconomic class or upbringing, all of us suffer from poverty in some way. Sometimes it’s in our finances, of course. But we can be experiencing poverty in our family relationships, in our physical and mental health, in our emotional well-being, in our education, or in our community connection to each other as well.
Our philosophy at Uplift People of Elk Grove is simple: by creating a stronger sense of community and building relationships across class lines, we all will benefit not only as individuals but as a society. Poverty is like homelessness or hunger, in the sense that the problem seems insurmountable and unsolvable. But if we can help a few families, a few individuals at a time, we CAN make a difference. At Uplift People of Elk Grove, we’re in it for the long haul with our Champions and their families. That’s why our volunteers and Allies are so dedicated to the mission of helping our Champions create more abundant lives.
Our weekly community meetings provide a dinner for families, followed by child care and youth programs so our adult champions can go through curriculum, attend workshops on topics like budgeting and improving job-seeking skills, and discuss personal issues we all face. It’s all provided free of charge. Most of all, it creates intentional relationships in community, breaking down class barriers between Champions and Allies who join together to set goals and work to achieve them. In the past two years of our program we’ve worked with dozens of families and individuals.
Since March of course, we’ve had to shift from in-person connection to on-line meetings. But now more than ever our Champions need support to get through these trying times. Many have been laid off, or had severe cuts in their hours of work. We’re still meeting on-line weekly, providing financial aid as we can and keeping those connections strong. Moving forward from a life of just surviving, to a life of thriving, is hard work. That work is even harder during this pandemic.
We hope you can find it in your heart to help support our ongoing mission through Big Day of Giving. With your help, we can continue our support for Uplift Champions as we rise from poverty together.
Mark Hedlund
President, Board of Directors
Uplift People of Elk Grove
