Community is what will Work to end Homelessness with new Community Works Program from The Source
There’s an endless stream of new and exciting programs coming out of The Source, and their newest program is called Community Works. It is designed to help the community’s public streets and properties become clean, while at the same time, allowing Source members to earn a paycheck. The Source has officially added Community Works to its roster of Dignity Job Opportunities, along with Sic Sac.
“The name of the program was conceived because it’s about members from The Source community that will be doing the work,” according to Jade Alexander, Director of Operations for The Source. “We know that the leading cause of homelessness is a catastrophic loss of family and community. So, we are also making a statement that community is what will work to end homelessness.”
The idea has members performing community service projects, not unlike those beach cleanups that are done by local organizations on a fairly regular basis, or even those that high school students need to perform earning credits prior to their graduation.
According to Anthony Zorbaugh, Executive Director of The Source, “Members participating are paid by our organization and dressed in uniforms while picking up trash along streets, lawns and alleyways that might smell, need pressure cleaning and do other work to help beautify the city. We are equipping an identifiable trailer with all the cleaning supplies needed to get the job done. It will be on the streets soon.”
Ms.Alexander sees this as a winning opportunity for the community and the members. “While our members are out and about cleaning, they can also encourage others to become productive members of society. Taking a positive approach to being productive in such a good community-minded spirit, while also earning money for their own living expenses, is not only kind, it’s smart thinking.