THINGS TO DO
A group of volunteers, pictured here, went back to help harvest crops at the YMCA Dartmouth which operates the Sharing the Harvest Community Farm The harvest goes to local food pantries and shelters.
K EEPI N G
all the year by Ron Fortier
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n Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, an unrelenting and unrepentant Ebenezer Scrooge refuses to give the charity workers a donation. He exclaims that the “prisons and workhouses” provide for such people and, when told that people would rather die than face those tortuous indignities, that “If they would rather die, they’d better do it, and decrease the surplus population!” Few are as cold as Scrooge, but how many of us can say that we embody the exact opposite of what he represents? The holidays are an important time for charitable organizations. There is always a year-round need. But that need is compounded during the holidays. There is also a need to have the soul and the spirit nurtured by the customary and traditional family holiday gatherings – the need to belong, the need to have a sense of accomplishment, especially at the end of the year. All these things may seem unavailable and certainly out of reach for the homeless.
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The poor, the destitute, and the homeless are still among us. There are many organizations of a charitable mind, but one of the most recent is New Bedford-based Works 4 U, Inc. The poor, the destitute, and the homeless are still among us. There are many organizations of a charitable mind, but one of the most recent is New Bedford-based Works 4 U, Inc. It is their mission to end homelessness through employment. The philosophy is not about providing a handout but rather, a hand up. Trey Whalley, one of the organization’s founders says, “We line up work for anyone who is currently suffering from homelessness or previously was homeless.” Homelessness is a spiraling problem in this modern world. That downward spiral
December 2021 | The South Coast Insider
creates a disconnection. Says Whalley, “For most people, having permanent shelter and food requires having a job.” Not having an address compounds the homeless individual’s constantly deteriorating situation. No address means no access to services. Work is key. Having a job is key. There’s a sense of self-worth that comes with having a job, receiving compensation for your labor, and the satisfaction of acquiring what you need. “Let’s face it: having a sense of purpose is fundamental to stability in life,” says Whalley. Works 4 U clients, who are either currently or previously homeless, are provided with training, placement, and support. This support helps them to maintain permanent employment. Clients are recruited to volunteer for work projects allowing the organization to get to know their work ethic and finding the best way to help them develop leadership skills. Works 4 U
