Give a man a
fish and he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for a
lifetime.
The Deer Park Rotary Club is partnering with several Deer Park
businesses, organizations and churches to stop what could be a disastrous cycle
of poverty. Through a strong community effort, these entities are looking to
establish a community resource center that will provide skills and assistance
to persons in Deer Park seeking to make a better life for themselves.
Almost 600
hundred Deer Park ISD students are considered homeless and seven DPISD
elementary schools are considered Title I. By giving these families the tools
and resources to succeed, the entire community benefits.
When
impoverished Deer Park families suffer, all of Deer Park suffers. In some
cases, poverty leads to bad decision-making, inviting drugs and crime. That, in
turn, lowers the quality of life in a community. By opening a community
Opportunity Center, those persons who are seeking to make a better life for
their families in Deer Park can obtain skills, assistance, food and other tools
to do so.
Although providing this simple assistance is the proverbial drop
in the bucket, the ripple effects will last far beyond our sight lines. When
one person is equipped to provide for the needs of their family while being a
contributing member of society, they equip their children and their children's
children. The ripple effect can last generations. We envision this center to
enable the unemployed and underemployed to attain the real-world job skills to
become contributing members to the community while improving the local skilled
workforce.
What kind of impact would this type of center have on the Deer
Park community? Think about this. Recently, the Bush School of Government and
Public Service at Texas A&M University published a study that predicted the
state-wide class of 2012 will have a dropout rate between 12.2 and 22.2
percent. This would strengthen the cycle of socio-economic troubles that would
cost taxpayers some $9.6 billion in lost taxes and wages, increased welfare
payments and incarceration costs. The study said the most effective way to
prevent this type of rate is early intervention.
This resource
center will not be a charity handout. It is meant for struggling Deer Park
residents who want to better their path in life. When they choose to do so,
they choose to break the cycle of poverty and the crime and drugs that are
known to follow. By choosing to take a stand and breaking this cycle before it
gains momentum, all of Deer Park benefits. |
CONTACT INFORMATION
Jerry L Mouton
Jr.
Texas Lawn & Sprinkler Co.
6328 Alder
Houston, Texas
77081
713-660-6175 office
713-660-8835 fax
832-573-6211 mobile
tls3510@sbcglobal.net
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