EDGE Nebraska City is committed to helping our community understand poverty and how it impacts our community. Often when we hear the word poverty we think “poor” “food insecure” “pay to paycheck” or other phrases we hear in the media related to economic factors.  At EDGE Nebraska City we think of poverty in different terms. Poverty, according to Ruby Payne, is the extent to which an individual does without resources. You can read the full definition HERE.  The areas of impact include:  relationships, finances, spiritual well being, mental and emotional health, physical health and support systems.  Individuals experiencing a lack of resources in any of these categories can experience hardships that impact earnings, health and relationships.

Understanding this helps EDGE Nebraska City develop programs that will benefit all Nebraska Citizens. Our programs are designed to foster relationships, relationships between empty nesters and young families, between newcomers and established families, between different races, between a kindergartner and a retired teacher.  Strong relationships help us all; they help us develop strong emotional well being and help us navigate the challenges that come with losing a job, facing a health crisis and adjusting to a new neighborhood. No one can do it alone and we can’t do it in the current silos that exist in our community.

So the next time you hear the phrase poverty, pause to think about what it means in totality and how we as a community can help each other develop resources to work through the many kinds of poverty that exist and that we undoubtedly have all experienced at some point.