Voiceless Documentary

When you are experiencing homelessness or poverty, your voice is silenced and you aren't seen. Our 'Voiceless' documentary humanizes those who experience homelessness in the U.S.

Watch the Full Documentary

Download ‘Voiceless’ Documentary Workbook

A tool for advocates, teachers, and community leaders

THE PODCAST

LBW started the ‘Narrative Shift’ podcast to highlight alternative perspectives on the topics of race, class, justice, and issues that intersect with the realities of the poor.

This audio channel focuses on people’s stories and features interviews of workers who are in the trenches and doing the hard work. It also serves as a bridge to introduce listeners to new creative projects. If you know someone who would be a good fit for the podcast, please contact us.

If you know someone who would be a good fit for the podcast, please contact us.

What does it look like to move from normal life into something bigger? The goal of this episode is to set up the grand narrative of finding your why or spark.

Watch Episode I: Find Your Beginning

Finding people to come alongside you or people you need to come alongside in this work is just as important as your why. This episode is about finding the right community.

Watch Episode II: Find Your People

You’ve found your why, you’ve found your community, now how do you tap into these things so you can keep going when it gets tough? This episode is about sticking with your why.

Watch Episode III: Find Grit

If you are faithful to the work you will change lives. How you can have impact. The goal of this episode is to show people the impact they can have on the life of another after they’ve found their why, joined in a community, and have pushed through the trials.

Watch Episode IV: Find Life-Change

Glossary

Words and their multiple uses reflect the tremendous diversity that characterizes our society.

Situational Poverty

Situational poverty is a period wherein an individual falls below the poverty line because of a sudden event. Situational poverty can be caused by a range of factors, such as: a divorce, death of the family head, illness, a natural disaster or loss of job.

Generational Poverty

Generational poverty occurs in families where at least two generations have been born into poverty. Families living in this type of poverty are not equipped with the tools to move out of their situations.

Gentrification

The process of repairing and rebuilding homes and businesses in a deteriorating area (such as an urban neighborhood) accompanied by an influx of middle-class or affluent people and that often results in the displacement of earlier, usually poorer residents

Redlining

Redlining is an unethical practice that puts services (financial and otherwise) out of reach for residents of certain areas based on race or ethnicity. It can be seen in the systematic denial of mortgages, insurance, loans, and other financial services based on location (and that area’s default history) rather than an individual’s qualifications and creditworthiness. Notably, the policy of redlining is felt the most by residents of minority neighborhoods.

Chronic Homelessness

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Affordable Housing

Any type of housing, including rental/home ownership, permanent/temporary, for-profit/non-profit, that costs less than 30% of a household’s pre-tax income.

Episodically Homeless

Refers to those who move in and out of homelessness

Homelessness

Homelessness describes the situation of an individual, family or community without stable, safe, permanent, appropriate housing, or the immediate prospect, means and ability of acquiring it. It is the result of systemic or societal barriers, a lack of affordable and appropriate housing, the individual/household’s financial, mental, cognitive, behavioural or physical challenges, and/or racism and discrimination. Most people do not choose to be homeless, and the experience is generally negative, unpleasant, unhealthy, unsafe, stressful and distressing.

Sex Trade

It is broad and encompasses a variety of activities including escort services, street-level sex workers, pornography, exotic dancing, massage, internet work, phone sex operators and third-party support (drivers, managers, bartenders etc.).

Transitional Housing

Refers to supportive, yet temporary type of accommodation that is meant to bridge the gap from homelessness to permanent housing by offering structure, supervision, support, life skills, education, etc.

Youth Homelessnes

Youth homelessness refers to young people between the ages of 13 and 24 who are living independently of parents and/or caregivers, and lack many of the social supports deemed necessary for the transition from childhood to adulthood.

Further Reading

I See You: How Love Opens Our Eyes to Invisible People

Let love open your eyes. Discover how seeing leads us to act with compassion and justice―as God intends.

If you'd like to learn more about our work or about a specific topic, click the stay updated button to contact us directly.

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 OUR STORY 

We are committed to the people that the world passes by each day. We believe the people struggling with poverty have lives and stories that are just as valuable as ours.

 OUR WORK 

As an organization that focuses on building people up, we ask that you consider joining our team by volunteering and sharing your gifts with others.

GET EDUCATED

Fear has no place in love. We strive to view everyone as an individual with a hopeful, better future. All humans are worthy of dignity and we desire to show the same unconditional love to each one of them.

DONATE

Everything we do is because of generous donors that see value in our impact. We ask you to consider giving to our organization. All financial gifts will be used to continue to do work that reaches people where they are and share their stories To give, click here.