Signs of Trouble: United Way Collections and Surveys

by Diane Nilan

categories: Cities, Jobs & Unemployment, News, Nonprofits, Social Programs, The Economy

Published October 09, 2009 @ 05:06AM PT

Mansfield, a gutsy little city of 50,000 in the middle of Ohio, might be a good place to take the pulse of our nation's war on economic doldrums. My recent visit there provided food for thought to share with Poverty in America readers.

Two ominous signs:

1. The local United Way collection last year was $250,000 below target, and this year the GM plant is closing, an additional shortfall of about $200k from employees' UW contributions. Ouch!
2. A surprising (not really) result of an informal poll of the 19 high school students I was speaking to at Mansfield's St. Peter's High School: When I asked how many either experienced homelessness or knew someone who had, 6 responded positively.

At another presentation in Mercer County, in the western PA town of Greenville, at Thiel College, about half the audience of 100 raised their hands on the homelessness question. Hmmm. These perplexing signs would worry me if I were in charge of restoring this nation's economic health.

Reading the disturbing (again, not surprising) account of the "shenanigans" of corporate greed meisters ravaging the Simmons Mattress Company, which will cost jobs of those who contribute to local UW campaigns, I'd predict many agencies serving people in need are screwed. So are those relying on  assistance. It's the Golden Age of Greed pattern described in the NYT article:

Simmons is one of hundreds of companies swept up by private equity firms in the early part of this decade, during the greatest burst of corporate takeovers the world has ever seen. Many of these deals, cut in good times, left little or no margin for error — let alone for the Great Recession.

That pattern needs to be stopped. But, in the meantime, if this administration is serious about job creation, I have a few suggestions:

• It's the Little Things. Look around at all the little things that could be fixed--frayed flags, faded traffic signs, broken sidewalks, etc. Those represent job opportunities for the little people--the ones whose honest spending stimulates local economies.

• Rehab junkers. Lots of people who couldn't afford the new cars Cash for Clunkers offered need help with their cars, the kind of help out-of-work mechanics could offer. Use some of those shuttered car dealership repair shops, hire mechanics, and service cars of lower income people. Take a look at their tires, batteries, etc., replacing them at a nominal cost if needed. Think of how many will benefit from this!

• Clean up America! Most able-bodied people who rely on government support would like a job that would bolster their self-respect. Get crews working on community clean-up projects--roadside cleaning, clearing deadwood out of forests, painting and minor maintenance, etc. Yeah, like the CCC of Depression era. Hire competent out-of-work supervisors and get crews tidying up!

Seems to me that solutions to America's woes lie not in the minds of the devious money changers but of those persons who can see lots of little ways to restore this nation to greatness. After all, the little people--those of us comprising the great majority of this country--are the ones that stand to benefit. Therein lies the problem.

photos by the author