Link to Article:
Link to Article: https://www.cnn.com/2020/10/09/americas/direct-giving-homeless-people-vancouver-trnd/index.html
The New Leaf Project is an organization run by the Foundations for Social Change that is working toward finding a solution for the homeless so they can create a better life for themselves. Their team of researchers gave each of 50 homeless people in Vancouver who were living on the street or in a “tent city” 7,500 Candadian Dollars (5,700 US Dollars) to spend however they wanted, but explained how permanent housing would be the best area for them to spend the money. They kept an eye on all the recipients for the next 12-18 months, while comparing the lives of those who did not receive the cash. Most, if not all, of the recipients found some sort of housing and were able to maintain a steady source of food to keep themselves off the streets at night. Some even bought bikes so they could get to work, or find a job, farther away if they needed to. Claire Williams, the CEO and co-founder of Foundations for Social Change, said in an interview to CNN “One of the things that was most striking is that most people who received the cash knew immediately what they wanted to do with that money, and that just flies in the face of stereotypes.”
The importance of this article is that this small controlled trial can help millions of homeless around the world to make a better future for themselves, if there are organizations such as this. Of course there are plenty of charities that give shelter and food for free, and that help individuals find employment, but they often don’t have the capacity to help everyone. If the New Leaf Project received government funding, Canada’s homeless problem in their major cities could rapidly decrease over the next few years, and yield sustainable results as the individuals who receive aid are able to get the leg-up they need to help themselves conquer homelessness.
This concept doesn’t need to stop in Canada; if other countries took note and also orchestrated programs similar to the New Leaf Project, homelessness would decrease dramatically all over the world. While it would take a lot of money to fund these programs, it would, in my opinion, be extremely beneficial to everyone. Pulling people out of poverty and equipping them with the basic needs of reliable food and shelter and the skills they need to maintain a job allows individuals the ability to sustain themselves, help themselves achieve a better future, and contribute to the economy and their community.