IF I WERE KING FOR A DAY

April 18, 2012

The adage regarding giving someone a fish and it lasting for a day and teaching someone to fish and it lasting a lifetime comes boldly to mind as I review the process of attempting to serve the homeless. So, the critical question is, how can we serve those who need a hand up.

This is what I propose:

1.       Create a network of like-minded individuals that share a common interest such as

a.       making shoes, clothes, blankets, socks, furniture, caskets;

b.       or remanufacturing cars, bicycles, houses, etc;

c.        or creating food products including, vegetables, fruit, sheep, cows, pigs, chickens, eggs, legumes, wheat, rye, oats,

d.      Or others.

2.       Create one, or more networks with distributive linkages, owned and operated by the members of the network.

3.       Secure:

a.        A parcel of land that can accommodate up to 120 mobile homes.

b.      This land would need to be close to town for ease of access to all services.

c.       This land could be donated, leased, offered for use as a benefit to the community

d.      It could come from private, state, local, or other

e.      Homes from:

                                                               i.      Donations

                                                             ii.      FEMA stock

                                                            iii.      Pre-1978 homes that can be converted to upgraded codes for electrical, plumbing, insulation, windows, hvac, exterior, and roofing.

                                                           iv.      Other

4.       Each participant would use his/her talents and training to on assigned tasks:

a.       Farming

b.      Accounting

c.       Cooking

d.      Construction

e.      Security

f.        Manufacturing clothing, shoes, and other soft goods

g.       Creating and maintaining computer access, equipment, etc

h.      And many etc’s

5.        Each participating network member would be provided housing, food, and other necessities.

a.       Those with social security, etc would still participate in productive activities and would share 40 percent of their monthly outside benefit with the network(s).

6.       During the time participants reside and work in the cooperative, they would be mentored through RRC and encouraged to participate in TTW employment network, work force Services activities which encourage gravitation into traditional employment and community activities.

7.       We would need to look long and hard at existing law, programs, services, residential codes, limitations on felons associating with other felons, etc, but it could be done

8.       We would need to ensure that our efforts were either “for profit”, so as not to impede, or compete with other for profit businesses; or a under a 501c3 so as to be deemed a non-profit that somehow worked with the employing/business community; thus, ensuring a strong link between the network and the business community.

 

Duane Jacobs