Building A Home For Children In Need

One of the greatest problems facing our nation today is the American “need” to turn a quick profit. These fiascos have resulted in millions of dollars in foreclosures and many thousands of lives essentially “ruined” in the process. Perhaps there is a greater gain to be considered than money. There is no greater reward, financial or otherwise, than that of helping a child in need.

In the low-income neighborhoods of this country, children often find themselves with too much time on their hands to be productive, and no idea of how to do so if they wished. Boys and Girls Clubs are great but usually located far from the neighborhoods which could benefit most. What is really needed is a place where children can play safely, receive extra instruction for success in school, and enjoy a wholesome meal or snack within their own community.

Here lies the answer to the $150,000 question. My plan would be relatively simple: purchase a foreclosed home within a low income neighborhood, fix it up, and find people to come inside and make a difference in the lives of children. Additionally, I would make arrangements for food, materials, and activities to be available by starting a campaign to raise money and acquire donations to sustain the new Kids’ Club.

The Property

Not just small children have a need for such a place, but older children as well. The ideal purchase would be a 3,000 plus square foot distressed home on a decent sized lot. Of course, in a lower income neighborhood, this may not be available. So the size of the house would be less important than the lot, because along with the renovations would be an addition to make it suitable for approximately 50 children at a time with ample space remaining outdoors for wholesome activiti...

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...glish. With only a handful of bilingual volunteers, a group of 40 ESL’s (paying $5-10 a week) could generate enough money monthly to keep the facility going for the foreseeable future.

The Return

Obviously this is not the most profitable way to spend $150,000 on a distressed property, but that is only if you are looking at monetary gain. Many times in this life, we will find that the greatest return is actually love and gratitude. In this case, knowing that a difference could be made in the lives of children (as well as those who have the opportunity to volunteer) is a far greater incentive than a simple turn of profit. What a wonderful way to keep kids learning, keep them off the streets, and make them feel like they are worth fighting for.