LPI Founder Shares Reflections on Homelessness

Wed
08
Jul

LPI Founder Shares Reflections on Homelessness

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As Livingston Philanthropies, Inc. (LPI) has been shipping food on a weekly basis to its Newark distribution partners, founder and director Jeff Friedman has been in close touch with some of the city’s hands-on philanthropic leaders. “According to the 2019 Point-In-Time Count conducted by Monarch Housing Associates, Newark had 1,928 homeless people in January of that year,” noted Friedman. “In 2018, Monarch counted 1,927 people, accounting for the majority of homeless people in Essex County, which has the most homeless people in all of New Jersey. However, folks on the front lines tell me that the homeless and profoundly poor populations have grown in 2020 due to the pandemic.” For this week, Friedman continued, “I feel it will be educational and perhaps inspirational to share the sage words of others reflecting on homelessness and poverty. “Singer/musician Jello Biafra said, ‘You can spend the money on new housing for poor people and the homeless, or you can spend it on a football stadium or a golf course.’ Rock singer Joe Walsh once said, ‘A homeless veteran should not have to stand at a freeway exit with a cardboard sign. That’s not okay.’ “ ‘The challenges that the homeless face are not dissimilar to those in developing countries,’ explained the late Leila Janah. Janah was the founder and chief executive officer of Samasource and LXMI, two companies which share a common social mission to end global poverty by giving work to people in need. “U.S. congressman Mike Quickley said, ‘Economic inequality is not about food stamps and homeless shelters. It is about being a devotee of social justice and equality.’ ” Friedman concluded, “And we at LPI agree with singer/songwriter Lauren Daigle, who once said, ‘I consider the homeless just as important as the richest of the rich.’ Thank you, philanthropic Livingston residents, and our partner, the West Essex Tribune, for making it all happen. LPI continues to re-invent itself as we approach our tenth season of providing for the homeless and profoundly poor.”   Photo:     On Sunday, July 5, Newark’s Bessie Green Community volunteers provided essential items for the homeless and those living below the poverty line. “Thanks to Livingston’s continued kind generosity, Bessie Green is a regular recipient of food shipments from Livingston Philanthropies Inc. (LPI),” said LPI founder Jeff Friedman. “Bravo, Monique Kelly, Bessie Green’s manager, who makes it all happen.”     ...

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