Lupton, founder of FCS Urban Ministries and author of “Toxic Charity: how churches and charities hurt those they help, and how to reverse it,” addressed the problem of charity towards the needy in his lecture along with providing solutions to meet their needs in a long-term.
Lupton emphasized the necessity of restoring the dignity of the needy as a first step to building independence and productivity. An effective way of changing and improving the environment is becoming a part of that environment or community where everyone has something to offer, Lupton said.
He later explained how “one-way giving” can lead to a downward spiraling effect on the poor. Giving once to the poor can initially lead to appreciation, with each consecutive act of giving increasing expectations with anticipation from the receiver, then expectation, then entitlement and finally dependency.
“When you address a crises need with a crises intervention, lives are saved,” Lupton said. “On the other hand, when you address a chronic aid with a crises intervention, people are harmed.”
Lupton said that even today there are Hurricane Katrina victims who have become dependent on out-of-state emergency donations to maintain sufficient lifestyles, a state of dependency that should have ended six months from the natural disaster.
Community-led projects that encourage the poor to use their talents, energy and creativity to work are
As people walk the path of opportunity with the practice of hard work, they also begin to know the faith in God required for him to do the miraculous, Lupton said.
Mary Anne Poe, associate dean of the school of social work, helped bring Lupton to Union to speak. As director of the Center for Just and Caring Communities, Poe’s involvement in different community-focused programs included organizing an after-school program focused on mentoring younger impoverished members of the community.
“Having [Lupton] come emerged from the mentoring coalition,” Poe said.
Responsible for helping establish the Christian Community Development Association, Lupton’s work has been similar to the community-focused work in Jackson, Poe said.
“[Our efforts to do charity] can come across as more judgmental and patronizing rather than empowering and strengthening,” Poe said.
Many “life stressors” can contribute to the state impoverished members of the community find themselves in, including job availability, educational background and the environment they live in, Poe said.
“When you associate homelessness as a moral issue, it immediately focuses on the person as being wrong because of their behavior,” said Michael Messmer, senior social work major. “Oftentimes, addiction is the result of a secondary issue (mental health, sever traumatization and abuse).”
Messmer said that by avoiding stigmatization and choosing to work alongside those suffering through issues like these, an effective impact can be made on the community.
“[People] may need something, but they are not just a need,” said Janie Valentine, senior social work major. “That’s something to keep in mind when you’re helping people – looking at the whole person and where their strengths are, who they are as an individual.”
Lupton will speak in chapel April 22 then lead a community development luncheon workshop at the Carl Grant Events Center.
