How to Help the Less Fortunate, Even when You're on a Tight Budget
How to Help the Less Fortunate, Even when You're on a Tight Budget
Many people and churches feel called by God to make a difference in the lives of those around them, both spiritually and through more earthly methods such as lowering crime rates and helping people escape poverty. With the recent economic crisis, many people have found it hard to ignore the unemployed, the impoverished, or those suffering from global injustice. However, most of those called to do something about the crisis are themselves a bit crunched. That's why we put together these tips with practical, very low cost steps that can impact the social and financial health of whatever region you're called to reach.
Laying the Foundation
Step 1: Put something aside every month, even if it's a dollar
Putting money aside sounds simple, almost to the point of absurdity. What administrator in their right mind doesn't create a budget category for something they want to spend money one? But, the truth is, while times are tough and you're just starting out, it can be easy to be embarrassed by how little there is that can be put aside. If you're a new church and your community service budget literally consists of whatever you can manage to find on the sidewalk in a given month. Then don't be embarrassed. Just walk down more sidewalks. If all you can scrape together is a dollar a month, put that aside with joy. It's bigger than zero. Never be ashamed by any amount, so long as it's used for God's kingdom. It may take a while to build up a large sum, but I guarantee it'll take longer if you let yourself be shamed into inaction.
Step 2: Set your budget and don't change it
The first step gets something in the bank for you to use, this one preserves it. When the budget is small, and you can only do a minor event every 6-12 months, it can be easy to feel like you aren't doing anything at all with that money, so when the lighting bill is $10 more than you expected and you have to take that from some where, it would be easy to take a small amount from a low profile ministry. But, that means it takes longer for you to get a noticeable sum in the outreach account. You'll feel that account isn't useful, and it will be easier to take money from that account the next time around. Then, the whole cycle starts over. Set a realistic amount to put aside monthly, don't rob that fund to pay another, and don't get impatient and take from another fund just so you can make an outreach event happen before you're ready. Stay consistent until there really is a sustained change in your ministry income and it's time to adjust accordingly.
Low-Cost Serving Ideas
Pay for a person's medicine at a pharmacy before they arrive.
Just take what little money you have, and ask that it be applied to a random prescription. It may not cover the full amount, but even a partial coverage will bless someone (particularly if you do this in a neighborhood where many people are struggling). Make sure you don't request information about the person (not even their name), because it's illegal for the pharmacist to share that and asking would put them in an awkward position, but they can apply anonymous payments, and if your goal is to bless people, you don't have to know a name in order to do that. Plus, you can just use whatever you have. You don't have to pay out a thousand dollars a month. Just take what you have and tell the cashier to let it go as far as it can.
Hand out basic safety equipment
A few years back, my church decided to get involved in a part of town here that has the highest infant mortality rate in the entire UShigher than many developing countries'. We were a bit hesitant about what we could do, since a complex problem usually requires a complex solution. But, after talking to local officials, it turns out the biggest need is simply smoke detectors and the like. That's enough to avoid many of the tragedies that cause the high mortality rate. The best part for churches on a shoestring budget is that smoke detectors aren't that expensive ($20-30), and as a church you could even get stores to donate some in exchange for the tax deduction. On top of all that, this idea is scalable. If you can only afford one detector, you can give away only one without much trouble. It's not like some items where people have to wait and wait and then you feel bad if all you run out quickly. The most efficient thing to do is go house to house and examine exactly what they need. Then, you stop contacting people as soon as your resources are used up.
Pick up trash off the streets
This, to me, is king of the low cost tactics with huge results. Three bucks gets you enough bags to clean an entire neighborhood, and the psychological impact of all that litter suddenly gone will make the area look twenty times more beautiful. That means people will take more pride in it, and when people are proud of where they live they are more likely to work to maintain the quality and less likely to neglect property or vandalize, because a lot of vandalizing happens because the area looks horrible and breaking a window really won't make it look much worse, so kids do it and get the rush without fear of being caught or remorse that they destroyed beauty.
Get involved with abolitionist groups to stop slavery
Many people don't know slavery exists today, but many developing countries still face it, and sex slavery is common in almost every country on earth (including your ownthe more wealthy the country, the more common sex slavery is). Letter writing campaigns to government officials or holding a fundraiser can do a lot to change the state of affairs. Plus, since so few people know this is still a problem, you can invite the media out and recruit more support just by letting them run a story. In my opinion, the best source for information on human trafficking is the A21 campaign. Their website is www.thea21campaign.org
Free tutoring for children
Partner with schools and volunteer a night or two a week to tutor children who are struggling in class. Most the time you'll just go over their homework, so you don't need many materials, but something as simple as helping them keep up in class will go a long way. Education is one of the most effective ways to break most poverty cycles, because it opens the door to higher paying jobs, and equips more people to start their own business if they so choose. Once a person escapes poverty, they are then able to turn around and use their resources to start their kids and grandkids off on the right foot, so the effect of your efforts just increases with time.
Free financial management classes
Once again, this really just costs you time and effort. Not much money required. I'm sure you know people in your church or even you yourself who have good money sense. You don't have to drop any deep revelations, either. Many people in poverty are there because no one told them how many of the most common overly aggressive sales techniques work, and that leaves them undefended in the marketplace. It's not their fault. Their parents didn't know, so they were never told. No one explained that when salespeople only talk about the monthly payment instead of the price, it's because doing so makes something unaffordable look easy to afford. No one explained that having money sitting in the bank gives you more money, basically for free. If you open people's eyes to how the economic system they live in works, if you teach them how to design the most basic of budgets, you'll give them traction in their finances and fill their wallet.
Love People
I have a passion to see every church going out and doing what they can, small or great, to help those in need. I believe in grassroots efforts and have no doubt that many small efforts are infinitely more valuable than one or two large movements. However, for all the work I've done and the results I've seen, there is one truth that stands out, and that you should know: Nothing can solve every problem a person has. Granted, God has the capacity to solve any problem, but in all of history, He has yet to solve every problem a person has. We don't yet live in Heaven, and here on Earth, there will always be something else that comes up. All the money and time in the world can't fix every problem a person has. But, if you love people with God's lovelove can solve every problem that matters. You many not change the fact that a woman lost their job the day she discovered she was pregnant, but if you cry with her and pray with her, your love and support will give her the strength needed to lift her eyes from the problems she faces and look to God, knowing He also loves her and He will provide. That solves the problems that matter.
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