Just what is the social “safety net?”
February 8, 2010 at 9:49 pm 1 comment
As more and more people turn to churches, government agencies and groups like Lighthouse, the news media talks about the strain on the social safety net. Just what is the social “safety net?”
The image of someone balancing precariously on a high-wire above a net is a good metaphor for those who are struggling to keep it together in this tough economy. When public and nonprofit agencies step in to make sure that relatively smaller problems like an unpaid utility bill don’t lead to a larger crisis like homelessness, these groups serve as a safety net for people in need. The short-term help provided to families often helps them avoid even larger troubles down the road.
You and I as individuals are part of that same safety net when we reach out to help a family member or friend who is struggling. When every one of us contributes what we can — whether it’s time or money or a listening ear – we keep the safety net from breaking. With help and support the families we serve can continue to move forward even as hard luck and tough times try to push them back.
Perhaps the safety net is simply each of us joining hands to make sure that no one in our community has to face a difficult crisis alone.
Let me know if there are things you think Lighthouse should be doing to maintain a strong safety net for the communities we serve in Oakland County.
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Shameca | August 24, 2010 at 2:58 pm
I agree with the “safety net” Often times people are given help and assistance by Lighthouse and some never need the assistance again. I believe that there should be a yearly fundraiser for food and clothing sponsored by people who have been helped by the agency, this is a way to say thank you and also a way to give to others who my be experiencing the same hardships they once did.