South Quad hosts 'Poverty: From the Lens of your Columbia Community'
President and CEO of the Oliver Gospel Mission Wayne Fields came to speak and proctor a dialogue with USC students about local homelessness and poverty Thursday night in the South Quad lounge.
“Poverty: From the Lens of Your Columbia Community” was held as part of the Carolina Service Council's 'Remeber MLK' event series as an extension of celebration of Dr. King and his vision beyond MLK Day of Service. Wilbur Frederick, one of the mission’s life coaches, was also in attendance.
“Homelessness is defined as a dysfunctional state with one or more of four factors: mental illness, relational estrangement, substance abuse or a lack of material possessions,” Fields said.
Fields stressed the fact that there is no one solution to poverty, but it is often a combination of many things. Breaking the poverty cycle can be as difficult as the tendency toward mental illness and drug addiction.
“South Carolina is in the top 10 most poverty-stricken states, with 17 percent of the state’s population living below the poverty line,” Fields said. “A staggering 21 percent of Columbia’s citizens are in this classification.”
Close to 40 percent of the men who come to Oliver Gospel Mission are military veterans.
At the all-male mission, men in need can seek a new beginning through a multistep mental and physical rehabilitation process. The average successful recovery process takes between 12 and 15 months.
The beginning phase assesses the intensity of desire to recover as well as addressing any physical issues. The mission works with a medical team to ensure that men with pre-existing medical conditions receive treatment.
The second “mind” phase is for a change in their way of thinking. The third or “heart” phase is intended for changing attitudes and outlooks. The final phase, “career,” places men in jobs. During this phase, 80 percent of the worker’s earnings go into an account to save for housing.
Oliver Gospel Mission is also developing a program for women with children with an intention to change the future for local youth to break the cycle of poverty.
Marcy LaBossiere is the graduate assistant who spearheaded Thursday night’s discussion with a focus on educating students on local issues and nonprofit organizations. LaBossiere was thrilled with the turnout and hoped the information presented would allow USC students to reflect on this issue.