The United States is the wealthiest country in the world, yet millions of Americans suffer from poverty. Although the Census Bureau assures that the poverty rate has “stabilized” within the last two years (after four consecutive years of increase), 37 million Americans are currently living in poverty. Both the causes and consequences of this phenomenon can be seen within the inequalities within the educational, economic, and general social structure.
Few places can better represent this crisis than the city of Detroit. In 2005, Detroit was labeled the nation’s poorest city by the US Census Bureau: one out of three of its citizens live at or below the poverty level. The ramifications of the situation are tremendous and affect every aspect of our daily lives—yet, how can we, ordinary citizens, address this complicated issue?
The Free StoreThe Free Store is a place where clothing, food, household necessities, and other useful items are made available to visitors at no cost. Unlike a normal store, The Free Store makes no profit, has no employees, and does not turn anyone away. It is made possible through the effort of volunteers. We obtain the merchandise that is distributed through donations from individuals, businesses, and organizations. The donations are then gathered and made available to the public on the date that The Free Store is held. Read more... |
