Today, October 15th is Blog Action Day 2008 around the world. According to its organizers:

Blog Action Day is an annual nonprofit event that aims to unite the world’s bloggers, podcasters and videocasters, to post about the same issue on the same day. Our aim is to raise awareness and trigger a global discussion…today bloggers everywhere will publish posts that discuss poverty in some way. By all posting on the same day we aim to change the conversation that day, to raise awareness, start a global discussion and add momentum to an important cause.

As this is a local media blog, I wish to focus my effort for Blog Action Day in spotlighting how the Erie media partners with one organization in eradicating poverty in our town.

For this special event, I connected with a true Erie media professional: Lisa Zompa Nietupski, the Director of Development for the Erie City Mission. Since 1911, created in the wake of meetings by the evangelist Billy Sunday, the City Mission has served the homeless, addicted, and poor of Erie. Since Lisa Nietupski came to the Mission from local television, she has greatly increased the presence of the Mission’s events and brand in the local media.The Erie City Mission and Lisa Nietupski have a unique perspective on the plight of Erie’s poor. She graciously responded to our questions for The Press and Tower on Blog Action Day 2008: Poverty:

P&T: In a sentence or two, what is your and the Mission’s perspective on the current state of poverty in Erie.

LZN: Without checking a single national statistic on poverty, I can tell you that more hungry people are walking through our doors for lunch, more families and individuals are showing up at our Family Care Center for emergency groceries and personal care items, and fewer people are donating.  It is very telling to me that one man arrives for lunch every now and then, right from the job site, wearing his hard hat.  Even many who work (the working poor) are finding that their minimum wage jobs are not allowing them to manage well enough for themselves and their families.

P&T: The work of the Mission for homeless men and those struggling with addictions is well known. But there is this whole side of the Mission that works with poor families. What are some of the programs you run for family care?

LZN: Family Care is a ministry to families and individuals who are struggling with poverty. They register with us and are able to come once per week to 717 French Street (the old Erie Book Store) to get emergency groceries, personal care items and other necessities.  When we have them available, that includes items like diapers and “Depends”.

Because of an ever increasing number of clients, (more than 1,200 family visits per month!) we had to move our clothing distribution out of the Family Care Center.  We now collaborate with Bethany Lutheran Church to offer free clothing to the poor.  Kings Kloset is available at Bethany Outreach Center 254 East 10th Street on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings.

The Erie City Mission also opens its public dining room 7 days a week for any hungry man, woman and child who need it.  We see an average of 200 people a day.  That number swells at the end of every month.

P&T: How receptive are the local media to requests for coverage for the Mission’s events and news items?

LZN: I’m not just saying this because I worked in Erie media for 17 years prior to coming to the Mission-but I have the utmost respect for their social responsibility.  The media has been very responsive across the board.  I have to give special credit to WICU for unprecedented coverage of last February’s “Help the Homeless Week.”  They actually spent the better part of the month looking into problems of homelessness and poverty in the Erie area.

P&T: Talk about some of the partnerships you’ve had with local media?

LZN: In addition to WICU’s efforts above, owner Brian Lilly has agreed to be the media sponsor for the Erie City Mission’s 2009 Capital Campaign (we need to rebuild the 100 year old shelter building at the corner of 11th & French-it is currently being held together with duct tape and hope). He has pledged commercial time on WICU/WSEE and The CW, as well as agreeing to once again offer the Mission free air time for a “Help the Homeless Week” special report in February.  This will be the third year in a row. WJET has also been very responsive anytime we put out a call for help.  WCTL and WXTA have also been there for the Mission, including offering phonathons to help us raise money.  WXTA has turned their “thon” into a major 13 hour live pre-Christmas event at the Millcreek Mall.  (It’s scheduled this year for December 16th.)

P&T: What is the greatest frustration or misconception that the public has with the work of the Mission that spotlights by local media could help cure?

LZN: Perhaps the biggest misconceptions are that poor people are in that situation because they are lazy.  Also, that addiction to drugs, alcohol, gambling and any number of other activities is a weakness of character.  Sure, it is sometimes caused by making bad choices, but addiction is a medically recognized disease that has no known cure, but some very effective treatments. (90% of those who come to the Mission for shelter suffer from the disease of addiction, 50% of those same people are dual diagnosed with mental illness)

P&T: What can ordinary people do to support the reduction of poverty in our city?

LZN: The Erie Community is one of the most generous communities I have ever encountered. The best thing is to please continue to support the Erie City Mission and the other wonderful social service agencies in the area that help those in trouble.  Many do more than just help in the short term (the band-aid approach). Many, like the Erie City Mission’s New Life Program, are long term residential programs that actually teach men that despite what they have come to believe about themselves, they have worth.  Rehabilitation programs like the Mission’s take people who have become a drain on society and get them back to being a contributing member of society.  Supporting programs that accomplish that is critical to reduce poverty in our city.

Want to get involved in reducing poverty? Click here to make a financial donation to the Erie City Mission. You can drop off items for their Family Care Department.

You’ve been enlightened and informed on the plight of poverty in Erie…now is the time for action.