The author posits that: Americans truly are sick of the welfare mess; they are tired of throwing money at programmes that only seem to make matters worse; and most Americans are also sickened by the thought of millions of children going to bed hungry each night, of young adults with no jobs and no hope for the future, of older citizens deprived of comfort and dignity. While the leaders in Washington argue over block grants and competing plans to reform the human services bureaucracy, grassroots movements all across the land are quietly developing effective solutions to the problems of hunger, housing, employment and education. Often overlooked by the media, these grassroots programmes are not based on any radical economic theory, nor are they tied to any political agenda. Robin Garr, a Pulitzer prizewinning journalist, visited all 50 states to study the ideas and innovations of the creative problem solvers of this quiet revolution. The result is a narrative that celebrates the human spirit as well as human inventiveness, and presents a blueprint for change. Garr's close examination of what is actually working allows him to present a set of principles to guide any effort to help people climb out of poverty. Garr shows how the programmes that work: are guided by clear objectives; foster self-reliance rather than dependency by building on people's strengths; take a comprehensive approach to the complex array of an individuals problems and use a variety of tools at once; deal with people one-on-one as distinctly important individuals; focus on prevention; and demonstrate strong leadership. One such programme is "Cafe 458" in Atlanta, a soup kitchen that provides not only food but on-the-spot drug and alcohol counselling - a comprehensive approach to the complex life problems of each individual. Garr studied community job training programs in auto repair that pay for themselves through the services they provide, homeless shelters that get people off the streets - permanently - because they force individuals to deal with the consequences of their behaviour, and such high-profile operations as "Habitat for Humanity", Jimmy Carter's favourite charity, which brings individuals into the actual labour of solving their own problems.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
After winning a Pulitzer Prize with the Louisville Courier-Journal, Garr joined the nonprofit advocacy group World Hunger Year in 1989 and undertook an examination of grassroots organizations devoted to helping the poor become self-reliant. After visiting more than 200 cities, towns and villages in all 50 states and more than 500 projects, he details programs to assist Americans in securing food, shelter, decent housing, health care, political power, jobs skills and employment. The most effective agencies, he concludes, are multipurpose organizations that seek to identify and deal with problems using a one-on-one approach involving the people they serve as planners, builders and board members. The aim here is to help the down-and-out get back on their feet. This upbeat volume has a message for individuals, groups, elected officials and government agencies and may inspire many of us to emulate the organizations studied here. An appendix titled "Getting Involved" lists more than 180 grassroots groups by state for readers stirred to action. Author tour.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Booklist
Garr, a Pulitzer Prize^-winning Louisville journalist, signed on with World Hunger Year, the nonprofit group formed in 1975 by the late Harry Chapin and ex-priest and radio talk-show host Bill Ayres, to build a database on nonprofit groups around the country whose efforts to fight hunger and poverty suggest creative new solutions. Four years and 200,000 miles later, he describes the best of these programs and urges citizens and politicians to expand their successes across the nation. Like the programs he profiles, Garr's chapters focus on people's needs--for food, shelter, housing, education, healthy children and families, political power, job skills, and work. Effective programs convince Garr that dealing with U.S. poverty requires effective government-grassroots partnerships. Other requirements include management by clearly defined objectives, flexible and daring leadership, and commitment to the simple truth that change is better than charity. A heartening alternative to the endless, misdirected debate over welfare rather than poverty. An appendix supplies addresses and phone numbers of 185 groups around the nation, including all those Garr discusses. Mary Carroll
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13 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
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Excellent work!,
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This review is from: Reinvesting in America: The Grassroots Movements That Are Feeding the Hungry, Housing the Homeless, and Putting the Americans Back to Work (Hardcover)
I was given this book as a gift, and ended up devouring it in one afternoon. What an inspiration to those that don't believe people care!!! A must for anyone interested in really doing something for the world, or even just their community.
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Great Purchase!,
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This review is from: Reinvesting in America: The Grassroots Movements That Are Feeding the Hungry, Housing the Homeless, and Putting the Americans Back to Work (Hardcover)
The book I purchased was in great condition. Even thought the shipping charge was greater than the cost of the book, it was worth the cost.
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