I grew up in southeast Iola. We played outside; we ate all of our meals at home; we did our chores and disappeared for the day; we worked hard; we studied hard.
I thought life was pretty good. I was proud of our family. I never thought anyone would think anything different about us. I cant say that I would have cared if they did. All we knew were people like us.
But the difference in living a couple of blocks away was evident. My best friend had her own room, her own television, a double closet full of clothes, built-in dresser drawers crammed with underwear and socks. All the way across her closet, shoes lined the floor.
Our family was a pretty happy family. We had our share of disagreements, but we had more laughter than anything else. My friends household was filled with strife. Our life seemed the best.
Since Humanity House began, I have become aware of a prejudice that we are responsible for a huge influx of poor people. While laughable, this also makes me angry.
We started out serving people in Allen County and then quickly found out that there is a regional epidemic of poverty. On top of that, services for those in poverty are extremely limited in southeast Kansas. As of the last U.S. Census in 2010, poverty rates in Allen and the three surrounding counties Woodson, Bourbon, and Anderson range from 13.3 to 18.3%. We also have a high rate of those with disabilities. On average, 14.1% of those under 65 are disabled. On average, over 21% of the population is over 65, while nearly 24% are under age 18. Rent averages $595, and those under 65 without health insurance averages 10.1%.
That is why you are seeing poor people. We are everywhere.
If you see someone walking out of Humanity House with three sacks of groceries, those bags represent the 7 lbs. per person that help feed the family for the month.
People come here to apply for SNAP benefits, get help with disability claims, fill out applications for LIEAP, register to vote, get help with skyrocketing utility bills and have help in finding a landlord who will take their money as well as provide a suitable place to live.
My question to the people in town, the shop owners, the people in law enforcement, the ministers, and the public, in general, is this: Why does it bother you to see poor people? Is it a case of out of sight, out of mind? Do you think they are taking something from you? Do you think we are enabling people to be poor? Do you think we are enabling people to stay on drugs?
The poor and indigent have been looked down upon and seen as worthless and expendable since coins started changing hands. We ask for equality in religion, race, sex, and every other thing, but still, look at the poor as less than.
I ENCOURAGE you to walk inside our doors and have a conversation with a poor person. Ask them if they need help.
Everyone has a different journey through this life. If you have experienced hard times and were able to get out of them by yanking your own bootstraps, good for you. But to think that your experience is everyone elses is misguided.
And remember that a different set of circumstances could put you on the wheel of prejudice.
