Who needs our love

The Poor & the Hungry

We are a friend to those living in poverty.

Everyone has a story to tell that’s unique to them. And when we see people living on the street, it is rarely a simple tale.

Homelessness is often a heartbreaking mix of economic instability, lack of affordable housing, mental illness, addiction, simple misfortune, systemic prejudice, and domestic violence. These factors pile on top of one another over the course of months, years, and even generations.

In the United States, there are more people living in poverty than ever before, and the fastest growing segment of the homeless population is families with children. In 2013, 2.5 million American children experienced homelessness. Picture a school full of classrooms of 30 children: one student in each room does not have a home.

The fastest growing segment of the homeless population is families with children.

It’s not just the homeless facing dire straits, it’s also the working poor. These are single moms who can’t afford the daycare fees to work full-time. College students overwhelmed by student loans and minimum wage jobs. Immigrant families working every side job they can find while their children are at home alone and hungry.

Poverty begets poverty. It limits opportunities and perpetuates the problem. A daily life of struggle and uncertainty, with no stability, support or resources, rarely allows for a success story.

But we can help! Timeless inspiration urges us to comfort and assist the poor. Jesus said, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). Buddha said, “Give, even if you only have a little”. Mohammad said, “If you love the poor and bring them near to you, God will bring you near Him on the Day of Resurrection”. We have been called upon, throughout history, to help those around us in need, to see them as our neighbors and friends.

You need look no further for inspiration, ultimately, than the pure hearts of children. They instinctively hold compassion for the poor. They inherently understand that poverty is not a choice, and that everyone deserves dignity. Stories abound about children using their allowances to buy food for the homeless and donating their birthday gifts to shelters.

It might say something about our society when children are teaching us about compassion? Have we lost our way? It appears we may have forgotten that when we give back to someone, their sense of dignity is restored, and in turn this feeling is mirrored in us. Perhaps it’s time for us all to take a little deeper look into our own hearts and reflect on the contributions we are making to both our individual and global communities.

The Vulnerable & the Neglected

We hold close to our hearts the vulnerable and neglected.

When faced with an unbearable reality, it is often easier to lay blame than provide solutions. When we report that there are almost 450,000 children in the American foster care system, many people are angry. They ask why and talk about parents and taking responsibility.

The truth is, the Paying It Backward Foundation is not here to answer the question. Our focus instead is solutions, because these children are growing older every day, while their problems grow larger.

30,000 young people age out of the foster care system every year, without even being adopted.

People always think about foster kids as children. In fact, 30,000 young people age out of the foster care system every year, without even being adopted. While they’ve been deemed “adult” and able to care for themselves, they still need help. Most importantly, they need a sense of hope to create a space for themselves. Through our support and partnership initiatives, we help them to see they deserve a future.

People with physical and mental disabilities are especially vulnerable in our fast-paced society. The bureaucracies they are subject to are convoluted, the health care system is often insufficient, and simply moving through the day can be a daunting challenge. These people are reliant on their parents, and then perhaps siblings and extended family, but the truth is, many are left to fend for themselves, often with disastrous results. And recent statistics point to the fact that upwards of 40% of homeless people are dealing with mental or physical impairments. These often forgotten particularly need our love.

The Pay It Backward Foundation is also invested in our elderly, as one day we will be counted among them. We now have more elderly in our society than ever before, and at the same time, the reality of family dynamics has evolved beyond the traditional stability of decades past. Career opportunities take people away from their hometown, they are having children at a later stage, and the pace of life can easily isolate families. At the same time, as people age, their physical, emotional and mental needs become more acute. Fortunate elders are able to financially provide for their own care, but too many are struggling. At a time when they need their families the most, many elderly people find themselves on their own. They are lonely, worried and isolated.

Beyond the need for financial and administrative support, the vulnerable and neglected need what is often the easiest to give: our compassion. They look forward to our visit, they relish our attentive ear, they crave our warm embrace.