Springboard Ministries, Inc./Center of Attention Mission Statement:
Providing psychological, educational services, and ministering aid to the poor and homeless community.
Homeless in Orange County
During the decade of the 80’s and early 90’s, major decisions were made by the Federal and State governments that resulted in the closure of large facilities designed to provide care for the mentally disabled and dysfunctional residents. The result of this decision forced many of these individuals out into the streets of our nation as homeless citizens, for which we are now paying large consequences. These individuals, with proper care and medication, can become productive citizens, however the government offices are not in the position nor are they willing, to meet their enormous needs at this point.
Springboard Ministries is prepared to provide a proactive ethical strategy that will address the felt needs of the low income and homeless community in Orange County, specifically, the inner city residents of Santa Ana, California. Resulting from the interaction with this population, appropriate emotional and psychological services will be scheduled for provision. These services will be available for those desiring to become healthy community members and able once again to function as successful employees. After receiving emotional, spiritual and vocational assistance, they will have the skills to gain employment and manage a private budget resulting from gained psychological recovery to the extent of possessing the capacity to cope with trauma and emotional pain without reverting to previous abusive escape methods. The recovering homeless will serve as a model for others in the community as a model of “hope” within a social system that has failed them in the past.
Potential Solutions
The research has told us that most parents, regardless of their socioeconomic status, love their children and want them to have quality lives. They believe that parents need strategies to help their children learn how to read and write. We hope to break the cycle of poverty by giving children choices to recover from major trauma. It is also important to provide food programs for homeless families, especially shelter for the children. In order for this to be successful however, it must be presented through a relationship with one individual family at a time.
Our research indicates that these individuals are hidden from society, or at least attempts made to shield them from the general public, clearly demonstrating the need to uncover their presence and accept the fact of their existence. Secondly, with the government social services allocated for this population, employment is now viewed as a qualifier for financial aid. If these individuals are not employable for whatever reason, they may find themselves in a never-ending cycle of arrest, jail, recovery centers, and shelters.
Opening the window of Possibilities for this Community
The goal of the Center of Attention will be, to equip people with skills and training in order that they can help themselves within our community. As an extension of other groups working in the city of Santa Ana who are providing food and clothing, the Center of Attention will be dedicated to reach out in areas not being addressed by other programs, specifically, clinical counseling. Collaborating our efforts with others, the Center of Attention can relieve some of the personal and physical expectations of those currently responsible to meet the needs of Santa Ana’s low-income residents.
The Center provides vocational and educational, emotional and spiritual counseling. This will result in the poor and homeless realizing the possibility of returning to their environment. Therefore, as productive residents, they will serve as success models and will multiply the effectiveness for others seeking release from the bondage of financial/emotional and spiritual depravation..
