A few small deeds are all it takes to alleviate a situation that may be simple to us, but seems insurmountable to a family in need. A little solidarity and an act of humanity can bring hope to this family.
1 Give Your Time
How do you help a poor family? By giving a little time.
In the case of a single parent family, you can help the parent find a job, even if it’s only through encouragement. If you have a car, you can accompany them to an employer for a job interview.
You can give time by babysitting and helping the kids with their homework.
You can also help a poor family dealing with an illness that prevents the father or mother from carrying out their daily tasks. You can assist them by cooking, shopping for groceries and accompanying them to the hospital for treatment.
Terry Pomerantz stresses the importance of “referring families to specialized agencies. These organizations have the professional and physical resources to help families in need. Quebec food banks such as Sun Youth or Moisson Montréal and organizations specializing in employability and access to housing will quickly help out a disadvantaged family.”
2 Give clothes and many other things
How to help a poor family or what to give to underprivileged children in winter as well as in summer are often questions that we ask ourselves.
Remember that donating your surplus can help them greatly!
Clothes, furniture, kitchen utensils and pots, old cookbooks and children’s books are all things that we have at home that we can donate if we don’t use them.
Every time we clean out our belongings, it’s an opportunity to find and donate things that are no longer useful to us, but oh so useful to a family in need.
3 Raise awareness in your entourage
You can also help a family in need by telling people about it… discreetly.
Often, the people around a family are not aware of their true situation. Poverty can be caused by job loss, burn-out or the You can also help a family in need by telling people about it… discreetly.
Often, the people around a family are not aware of their true situation. Poverty can be caused by job loss, burn-out or having to care for a disabled parent.
This situation can plunge these people into debt, anxiety and, in extreme cases, addiction to medication, alcohol and drugs.
Before these families hit rock bottom, they need help. So educate your friends and family to be good listeners and empathetic to others.
Often, families facing difficulties find it hard to ask for help, so give simply without bringing up sensitive topics.
This situation can plunge these people into debt, anxiety and, in extreme cases, addiction to medication, alcohol and drugs.
Before these families hit rock bottom, they need help. So educate your friends and family to be good listeners and empathetic to others.
Often, families facing difficulties find it hard to ask for help, so give simply without bringing up sensitive topics.
4 Get involved politically
To get politically involved for families in need in your neighbourhood or municipality, you can raise awareness with your city councillor, your MP and school authorities.
For example, if you have a school-aged child, getting involved in the school’s PTA will allow you to make teachers aware of the problems experienced by children from an underprivileged family that you know.
A child’s lack of attention may be a reflection of a difficult family situation. Informed, teachers and school administrators can better help these children succeed in their school year.
Starting or joining an organization dedicated to helping poor families can also be a way to get politically involved.
5 Donate money
Terry Pomerantz adds: “The most important thing is to never leave a family without resources to fend for themselves. That’s why I always suggest to those who want to give money to give it to recognized organizations that will accompany the families with their volunteers and professionals. Putting the world out of misery is their only mission. And helping these organizations is the sole purpose of the Pomerantz Foundation!”
6 Donate Food
Food donations are essential to disadvantaged families, especially those with young children. “We beg you, if you choose to give food, do not give food for which the expiry date has already passed! If it is no longer good enough for you it won’t be good either for the families who depend on food donations. You can give fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. Organizations such as Sun Youth or Moisson Montreal know who to give these foods to, before they have expired.” (Terry Pomerantz)
7 Donate Gift Certificates and Discount Coupons
Terry adds: “We often receive discount coupons and gift certificates we don’t need or use. Why not give back to these organizations, who will hand them over to families in need?”
8 Donate Personal Hygiene Products
Personal hygiene is an intricate part of a person’s right to dignity, in the same way a healthy place to live, healthy foods and comfortable and nice-looking clothes can be.
Disadvantaged families are also often desperately in need of baby diapers, shaving gel, sanitary napkins, shower gel, toothpaste, shampoo, toilet paper and deodorant.
9 Donate Culture
Disadvantaged families and children also need culture. Books, theater, cinema, literature, museum, concerts. Cultural experiences stimulate motivation and bring hope, allowing poor families to remain connected to society.
10 Offering Decent Employment
If you are a business owner, an entrepreneur or manager and you are recruiting employees, why not place an ad for the positions you are looking to fill with organisations that help families in need? This way you can allow a person in need to make a decent living, to be able to cater to their family’s needs, while you gain a worthy and competent employee.
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Entrepreneur and prominent figure in Montreal's real estate and manufacturing sectors, Terry Pomerantz approaches every aspect of life with heart and character. At the helm of Domfoam and T.R.A.M.S Property Management, he carries on his late father's legacy while dedicating his philanthropic commitment to the Pomerantz Foundation, which has been actively supporting children's causes since 1991.