Community Spotlight: Operation Poverty
Poverty - the state or condition of having little or no money, goods, or means of support; condition of being poor.
Most of us will never know what it’s truly like to live in poverty. However, for so many around the world and in our own community, that is a daily reality. In fact, 60% of the world lives on a mere $2.00 per day. This is why the week of September 11 - 16, 2011 will be recognized as Poverty Awareness Week in Paulding, and the reason Operation Poverty was put into action.
Operation Poverty is an organization that is dedicated to ending local and global poverty. After seeing a presentation on the Invisible Children of Central Africa, Drew Mirolli decided there was more that needed to be done than raise funds; to really experience what living in poverty was like was the only way to fully appreciate what they were raising the funds for. At that point, he and three of his classmates, Andrew Helbling, Bradley Hamilton, and Matt McCoy decided that for one week they would live outside in tents, eat on $2 per day, attend school, and go out into the community to raise funds and awareness for the millions of people who locally and around world live in impoverished conditions.
Community involvement has grown quickly for Operation Poverty. In its second year, 47 students participated and last year 97 students, from both North and East Paulding High Schools, stepped up to help. To date they have raised $12,480.00 which has helped support the Warehouse of Hope in Paulding and the Invisible Children organization. They are looking forward to an even more successful Operation this year. It is their vision that everyone who participates has their eyes opened to what poverty is truly like.
The Operation challenge is strenuous. The student may experience headaches, hunger and fatigue during the week, but they persevere because they know that is what poverty feels like. Adults and medical professionals are on call at all times. Also, special care is taken to ensure that regular activities like school, work, sports, and church are not affected.
During Poverty Awareness Week all schools in Paulding will be participating in some form. Every school will be equipped with clothing and food donation centers. The High Schools will be involved in the Operation challenge week, as well as having teen clothing bins, while the middle and elementary schools will have canned food donation centers. In the past years, the clothing and food drives have been extremely successful. Last year during the drive, they collected 32,000 canned food items, and 720 items of clothing.
Operation Poverty has been quite a journey for Andrew, Bradley, Drew and Matt who started the project in 2009 as sophomores at North Paulding High School. These inspiring young men have now graduated and started college. Though they are still very much involved as the Director’s of Operation Poverty, it will be Senior Megan Boylen from East Paulding High School who will be the new front runner for the local organization.
Operation Poverty needs your support. If you would like more information on how to participate, to fine out if your school is participating or make a food, clothing or monetary donation, please visit www.OperationPoverty.com. Also on their website, they offer contribution options, as well as information for parents should their student desire to participate during the challenge week.