The P.O.O.R. acronym stands for Purchase Our Own Respect. This is an initiative of Community Families United Network (C-FUN). It is a multifaceted project that promotes families through the Arts, Education and Community Building. The project is designed to pursue and encourage a much needed cultural change in people from governmental dependency to self-sufficiency. This project will continue to be a ‘work in progress’ because changing a learned culture takes time. I believe this project requires an unusual spiritual dynamic that will begin to effect a cultural change economically through our youth. People become a product of their environment and we must begin to do what we can to change negative environments. We’re starting this project in Birmingham, Alabama and pray God will take it as far as it needs to go. The future of our children is at stake. We can’t advance or expect any progress if we continue to do the same things year after year. Our communities have too many unproductive, unsupervised kids with too much time to get into trouble which sometimes ends in the loss of life. We must provide more valuable structured programs. It will take the support of many, many caring individuals, sponsors and donors to accomplish this project. One problem is there aren’t enough jobs available to supply our youth with opportunities to earn an income and there are so many thousands of youth and families in need of help. C-FUN, through the Performing Arts’ has created a program to help kids show their talent, which in most cases, is a source of emotional healing for problems brought about from living conditions. We pay our performing youth a stipend for their performances and also give them the opportunity to earn extra income by selling event tickets. Youth who aren’t performers can earn income as our Event Ticket Representatives. The teachable moment is to instill a work ethic in all of them at an early age. Youth gain support, confidence and love from working with us because they can see that we care about them. I believe to see the goodness of God in what I am trying to accomplish for him.

Another facet of The POOR Project, Community Building, is to build a Community Investment Chest (CIC) to have funds to re-invest in our people and our communities. The vision is that proceeds from this chest will be used in renovating or building Family Life Skills Centers in communities. These facilities will create community jobs and help families meet economic needs. They will also promote positive values, healthy habits and education through mentoring, training and recreational fun resulting in real life power as citizens. I know this is God because it’s too big for me to imagine getting done at age 65. I will do what I can to get the process started and keep it going until he calls me. I pray I leave a legacy of those who will continue the dream. You, too, can become a supporter of this project.

With the help of donors and sponsors, we will be able to involve more under-served families and youth in our events and introduce them to our programs. Needy families have to seriously prioritize their income because there is usually not enough to make ends meet. We want to help families by instilling the concept of working to obtain what we want or need and the idea of not having to depend on others all the time for handouts. However, there must be opportunities for this to happen. It’s a joyous and uplifting feeling that keeps our dignity intact.
The POOR Project’s objective is to work hard to earn the finances needed to sustain our programs and this will be consistent with the mission of Community Families United Network. We want to encourage and inspire our children and families to hope again.

I love all of God’s people and I pray he sends his angels to fulfill his purpose. Will you be one of his angels? God bless you!

I have self-published two books that you might enjoy reading, especially if you love caring for children. Please consider purchasing so that I will have money to take the vision to other parts of Alabama and hopefully beyond. Thanking you in advance for your generosity and support, please follow the links below:

https://www.lulu.com/shop/search.ep?keyWords=Following+The+Millennial+Christ&type=
http://www.lulu.com/shop/lois-simmons/foster-parent-substitute-teacher-worlds-greatest-jobs/paperback/product-10904796.html

 Tax deductible donations can be made at: http://www.MyCfun.org.