Local organizations spread poverty awareness

Poverty is something college students at IU don’t have at the forefront of their minds.
But with the economy in demise, this issue is growing across the nation, including Bloomington.

      About 40 percent of citizens in Bloomington are living in poverty, according to the United States Census Bureau. The middle class is falling into this category because of low income, and it is expanding every day.

Although this includes a portion of the student body at IU, this is a topic that organizations in the community would like to address to all.

Bloomington resident Tamyra d’Ippolito is one of the many people trying to inform and educate the community about the issue of poverty in the area. She is an active member in the community, co-owner of the Ragazzi Arte Café and recent founder of the Poor Club in Bloomington.

“I want the community not to give solely in money, I want them to be aware and educated on ending poverty,” she said.

She said she would like to share knowledge and awareness about poverty to IU students and the Bloomington community.

She said she believes that by understanding the issue, volunteers and members of the community can act as a precedent for other cities in solving this crisis.

D’Ippolito first addressed the poverty crisis by researching the issue on a national level, and then local.

“Every day I’m learning something new,” she said. “People always like to blame it (poverty) on the students, but I’ve seen this all my life.”

After investigation, d’Ippolito decided this was an issue of interest, a cause that she wanted to overcome.

The Poor Club is an organization in which d’Ippolito created to increase education and awareness in regards to poverty. Their first meeting was held Oct. 30, at the Ragazzi Arte Café, where ideas were dispersed in regards to getting the community involved. Long-term goals such as an International Poverty Fair, publishing a handbook of services in Bloomington and making a database of volunteers were a handful of issues discussed at the club’s first meeting. However, the main topic of interest was planning the Day of Compassion.

d’Ippolito said she is interested in holding a Day of Compassion in Bloomington on Nov. 15. The club would like each member of the public to give $1 to $50 to be donated to South Central Community Action Program (SCCAP), a program that assists the poor in providing information regarding job locations and opportunities. In return, businesses in the Bloomington community would have open houses and refreshments.

The main goal of this day would be for “the big and small to come together for that one day to do something to benefit those less fortunate in our community,” d’Ippolito said.
The Poor Club is currently looking for businesses in the community interested in holding open houses on this day.

Another aspect included in the Day of Compassion would be a seminar held by Bonnie Vesely from SCCAP. Vesely will be speaking 8 p.m. Nov. 15 at the Ragazzi Arte Café concerning the issues of poverty as well as statistics, initiatives and facts about SCCAP. Vesely said she wants to create “a community strategy, by involving everyone, including the students of IU.”