A friend and I were talking over lunch today about how there are a lot of folks who haven't gotten very far in life not because they aren't willing to work hard but because they just need a break. Well, one thing led to another and we ended up brainstorming about what I feel would be the ideal "non-profit conglomerate".
One of the biggest obstacles holding back a lot of folks from getting full-time work is transportation. What do you do in a town without public transportation? Meanwhile, a lot of folks have old "junker" cars that aren't worth fixing up as a trade in but not in that bad shape. They may not look like much, but with a little wrenching here and there, they could be dependable transportation. Here's my plan:
Folks could donate their older cars to the ministry and get a write off for the donation. Most of these cars will need some general maintenance. What a great opportunity for an auto mechanics school. The idea isn't to train them to be full out auto mechanics but for sure the basics. OK, while we're at it, why not have a body shop so they can learn a few basic skills such as paint and body work?
This would be great for guys in a halfway house or better yet, a way to invest some sweat equity for those wanting a car. My dream is to have a Habitat for Humanity for cars.
Until someone can afford a car, how about using a church van to tote them to and from work? Of course, we'd run it on biodiesel made from the used cooking oil from the church's fish fries.
Along these lines, I've been studying community gardens. How about collecting the food and other scraps from the church kitchens and creating a big compost pile. Then, do what we call vermiculture growing worms in all that compost so folks can go fishing! Then, use that fantastic soil to grow some produce! What a better way to feed the hungry?
Speaking of fishing, how many times do folks catch more than they can eat? Same is true for hunting. And how many folks have gardens and end up with more vegetables than they can use? Nothing should go to waste.
Another work training program could be for winterizing the homes the poor and elderly. The folks who can afford it the least typically have the worst insulated homes. They face sky high electric and gas bills during the summer and winter. When the utility rates go up, they are stuck. There are a few things that will help that doesn't cost a lot but could really help reduce the light bills. If nothing else, how about recycling the old AC units from when homeowners upgrade to a newer or larger unit? They may not be the most efficient but they are still probably better than what's in use right now. Some folks have heating and air units that are 25 or 30 years old! One that is only ten or fifteen isn't efficient at all compared to the newer units but it's better than what they've got! Unless you get into swapping windows and changing out heating and air conditioning systems, the biggest expense on energy efficiency type work is labor. And again, it can be a great worker training opportunity.
I have been accumulating some training material for worker training. Not the specifics of how to change the oil or repair a fender, but the basics required for any job. Stuff like... show up. Pull up your pants. Look me in the eye. That's the real job training I see most guys need. I've also been thinking about how to train the employer to work with the "under employed". What I've found is, it's not a question of "if" they're going to screw up but "when". What they need is a balance of grace and accountability. Help them but don't enable them. Give them structure and healthy boundaries so they can grow.
As a business owner who has used temp labor for years, I'd use guys working in a program like this for jobs on a regular basis. I'd probably go out and sell more if I knew I could find workers. Too often, guys in a halfway house are still under the control of law enforcement and can't go out of town for days at a time. But, guys just trying to rebuild their lives could.
Of course, my dream set up would be to find an old school, hotel or even an old church that could be turned into a boarding house of sorts. I'm a strong believer in community. For years I've worked with guys who for whatever reason are trying to clean up their act. They go away to rehab and in 28 days they come back only to slide back down into the ditch once again. With a boarding house scenario, they could be surrounded by others struggling in the same direction. Think "halfway house" but more.
Some folks don't need drug or alcohol rehab, they just need a break. By living in a community setting, they would share expenses while hopefully getting some budget training. Showing a guy how he can cut his expenses by $50 a week is better than giving him a $1.25 an hour raise. Again, those who have the least money are typically the least prepared to use what little they have.
There was a big hotel in downtown Monroe that was my dream building. Start out renovating the building. That's job training for basic carpentry. Fix up rooms that will become the dorm rooms for the same guys. Fix up small apartments for families needing a break. Well, before long, I see a need for a pretty large kitchen. That sounds like an ideal setting for a "school of cullinary arts". Again, tying in our immediate need with job training.
Along these lines, I'd love to have an ongoing garage sale. Cleaning out Mother's house, I've run across tons of stuff that we don't need but frankly isn't worth selling at a garage sale. Sure, Goodwill can use a lot of it. But I've seen a lot of stuff get dumped at the landfill that was perfectly good. Why not take the Goodwill store model and let recipients of various ministries work there as part of their sweat equity?
How many times have we seen a family recovering from seeing everything they owned go up in a house fire? They are starting from scratch. The same is true for folks getting out of prison or leaving abusive relationships. They don't need fine china. They just need the basics from flatware to mops and brooms.
It just irks me to see good or easily repairable stuff being thrown out at the landfill. We bury a lot of stuff that could be really useful for a lot of folks. Talk about waste!
Shoot, I'd set up a car wash and detail shop so folks could drop off their cars for hand washing and shining up like a brand new penny. Of course, the we'd be able to take them to work and pick them back up again using one of our "habitat" cars.
Well, these are just a few ideas bounced around a good hamburger and onion rings at the Missle Mart on Hwy 82 West. Any other suggestions?
Yeah, I know, this is kind of odd talk for guys at lunch. But, my co-worker Terry and I neither hunt nor fish. He's happily married and I ain't looking... so we only notice pretty girls in passing. They don't dominate the conversation. But, we've both needed help and both feel for those who need a hand as well. To me, this is real ministry. This is the "in as much as you've done this to the least of these, you've done it to Me" type stuff.
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