By Donna Stauber
Waco is witness to a new era in health care. A new ministry called Faith Community Health at Baylor Scott and White-Hillcrest is helping shift the paradigm of health care by combining the caring strengths of faith communities with the clinical expertise of health care providers to improve the health of our community.
Baylor Scott and White-Hillcrest is partnering with local faith communities to provide training and support to volunteer Faith Community Caregivers to attend to their neighbors and community members during the entire span they are receiving medical care. These volunteer Faith Community Caregivers are supported through the education they receive at a 6 hour training on personal boundaries, resources, and listening skills just to list a few of the training topics. This team works closely with health care providers and other community groups to ensure people receive the care and resources they need.
Faith Community Health operates according to four principles; Right Door, Right Time, Ready to be treated and Reassured-Not Alone. It aims to help to direct people to the Right Door, or avenue of care such as seeing a primary care physician, clinic, or outpatient center in the hospital. It urges people to seek treatment at the Right Time, learning the importance of preventative care and how to recognize symptoms earlier. It also helps those needing medical treatment understand what they need and why so they can be Ready to be Treated. Finally it Reassures those facing health issues they are Not Alone. Facing illness can cause feelings of anxiety, isolation or fear. Faith Community Health not only provides support in physical healing but also the support of a calm presence during trying times.
Donna Stauber, Ph.D., Program Manager, Innovations, Spiritual Care Delivery, is exploring the ways Faith Community Health can best serve the Waco area. For the past few months, Stauber has been training volunteers to be Faith Community Caregivers around the Waco area. Pictured above is the training at Family of Faith Worship Center in North Waco. For more information or how to receive training for your church, contact Dr. Stauber by email at [email protected] or by phone at 254-855-0579.
Donna Stauber has over 25 years of experience in health education, nutrition, wellness, leadership development and motivation. Presently as Program Manager, Innovations, Spiritual Care Delivery for the Baylor S&W System, she is working at her dream job of connecting faith communities with healthcare. Donna also teaches as adjunct faculty for the department of Health and Human Services at Baylor University. She has three children and 9 grandchildren and has been married to her best friend George for 28 years and loves to fish, bird watch, float, and farm.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Emily Mills
The weight of holding a story is a sacred one. Holding your own narrative, really owning your story is powerful. I learned how to own my story through an unlikely source. Commercial sex exploits, women working in the sex industry, invited me into the journey of self-discovery. Over a decade ago, I began reaching out, extending myself to women in strip clubs. Looking back, I know now why I was there. It wasn’t about saving “them”… it was about knowing myself. Through the sacred journey of holding their stories, I began to own mine.
Like many of the women I met, I too experienced childhood sexual abuse. I wasn’t sure how comfortable I was with this term. I was no victim. I was a survivor. I didn’t “need” anything from anyone. I would learn how to do life on. my. own. And this attitude is EXACTLY the story of a commercial sex exploit. What a perverted sense of pride I had found in “pulling myself up by the bootstraps”. My addiction bore the markings of religion, theirs the sex industry. What was the difference? Both of us used something to make us feel powerful. Needless to say, God has continued to save me daily through the work of Jesus Said Love, a ministry sharing the revolutionary love of Christ with women in the commercial sex industry. I have learned that I am she, and she is me…and we’re in this life together.
Last year, we embarked on our first gala-esque fundraiser, Wild Torch. A night carrying the story of the women we reach through the visual and performing arts. It was purely magical. This year, Wild Torch will blaze on April 11, 2016, at the Hippodrome. Our concept is to swim up the river a bit and through the arts answer the question, “Where does the life of a commercial exploit begin?” And while we can’t make grand assumptions and sweeping generalizations, the statistics and data are flooring:
- The average age of entry into the commercial sex industry is 12 years old for a female.
- Upwards of 80% of commercial sex exploits were sexually abused as children.
- 70% of all human trafficking victims in the US come through the commercial side.
- The number one risk factor for human trafficking is poverty.
- 89% of women in the commercial sex industry say they want out but have no other means of survival.
For more facts and information visit: http://jesussaidlove.com/freeher-facts
While the data is gut wrenching, Wild Torch will display the remarkable story of three women who have beat the odds of the industry! Through powerful dance, song and film we will share and celebrate their resiliency! The funds raised this year will go toward The Dixie Fund, a transition fund for women escaping the industry. Through this fund we not only are able to alleviate financial crises due to leaving the industry, but also empower women with funding for entrepreneurial endeavors!
Last year’s funds went to refurbishing the new JSL headquarters at 1500 Columbus. This year, funds raised for The Dixie Fund will help us transition women out of the industry through educational programs and job training, employ former exploits, and launch businesses! Come carry fire with us at Wild Torch 2016! Find out more at www.wildtorch.com.
Emily Mills received her B. A. in Communications from Baylor University. While at Baylor, Emily participated in various opportunities to serve the marginalized and lead worship. This began her passionate pursuit to “put feet” on the songs she was singing. In 2003, while leading worship at a conference for women exiting the sex industry, these two worlds collided and Jesus Said Love was born. Emily continues to lead worship around the country with her husband, Brett. They have three children: Hattie, Lucy and Gus. To learn more about Wild Torch, visit wildtorch.com or our website JesusSaidLove.com. Contact us at [email protected].
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Jenuine Poetess
We’re almost two weeks into the New Year and for some, just hearing the word “resolutions” can cause eyes to roll and groans to emit. I know. It has become rather cliché. Even so, there is value in a ritual of reflection—gazing back on what we’ve accomplished and how far we’ve come, and there is an important humility in recognizing ways we have yet to stretch, grow, and become. A new year, new week, new month, new day are all great times to reflect, recalibrate, and resume our movements toward what it is that makes us come alive.
As an artist, fresh starts can look like raw clay, blank canvas, empty pages, a quiet studio, an open stage, a fresh roll of film (er…uh…or an empty memory card), a furnace of molten glass, a beautiful blank wall, skeins of untouched yarn, newly tilled soil, or folds of new fabric. Just the thought of any of these sends my heart trilling with the aroma of possibility.
Whether or not you are an artist (and not-so-secretly, I believe everyone can accomplish their work with artistry from mechanics to accountants, from care-givers to morticians) I challenge you to consider your creative health and how you will intentionally nourish this part of you throughout 2016.
Will you take in a night at the Waco Symphony or maybe attend or even participate in a Waco Community Band concert? Maybe you’ll spend some time at the Martin Museum of Art, or the Art Center of Waco, or the Anthem Studios—maybe you’ll attend an opening, or maybe you’ll head over on your lunch break, just an intimate rendezvous between you and art. Will you visit the theater, taking a play by Waco Civic Theater or a concert by the Central Texas Choral Society or enjoy a dose of laughter medicine at an improve show with the Brazos Theatre Group, maybe you’ll support emerging artists and see a show at Baylor or MCC or at Waco High, University High or Midway ISD?
Maybe you’ll hit the streets and meet new neighbors at Art on Elm Ave. or Waco Cultural Arts Fest enjoying all the fullness of free arts programming in Waco and maybe you’ll purchase a print, or a set of earrings, or a new mug, or an original art piece. Maybe you’ll buy a Creative Waco tote hand-painted by a local artist, maybe you’ll by two—one for you and one for a friend. Maybe you’ll take a flower-arranging workshop at the World Hunger Relief Farm, or help out with the Urban Gardening Coalition.
Maybe you’ll knit or crochet tiny hats for new babies, scarves for refugees, or blankets for an elder with the Waco Knitters & Crocheters. Maybe you’ll listen to some stories, even try your hand at your own at the Heart of Texas Storytelling Guild. Will you check out Maker’s Edge and laser cut, 3D print, or wood burn a fascinating piece for your home? Maybe you’ll stop by Central Texas Artist Collective’s painting in the park station one breezy day in the spring, or finally work up the courage to exhibit your work at Tea2Go or Rufi’s Cocina.
Maybe you’ll make your own ornament and learn a bit about blowing glass next December at Stanton Glass Studio. Maybe you’ll decide it’s time to finally get serious about that book you’ve always wanted to write and you’ll join In the Words of Womyn writing circle or maybe you’ll tackle NaNoWriMo with the Central Texas Writers’ League or take a workshop with the Heart of Texas Romance Writer’s. Maybe you’ve been quiet long enough and you’re ready to get up and perform at Waco Poets Society monthly open mics and maybe you’ll take in some world renown poets at the Beall Poetry Festival this spring.
Maybe you’ll volunteer at any number of community arts events or make a financial contribution so that we can all keep creating. Maybe you’ll help share events on social media, telling your friends and neighbors about arts and cultural opportunities nearby. Maybe you’ll make it a regular outing with a partner, some friends, or co-workers at Painting with a Twist or Practically Pikasso. Maybe you’ll bookmark this post so when you have a day with no particular plans, you’ll have some ideas for how to paint the town!
My goodness the arts are blooming in Waco! Even with all these options, I’m sure I didn’t capture them all. But that’s okay, this way you can do some exploring with an art adventure of your own—whatever you find, please be sure to share it with us so we can enjoy it too! I hope whatever your goals for 2016, that they include the arts, in any way, shape, form, or expression.
Thrive on!
Jenuine Poetess is an artist, visionary, and community organizer. In 2010, she founded In the Words of Womyn (ITWOW), an international, grass-roots, written and spoken-word arts project with chapters throughout Los Angeles, CA; Waco, TX; and Lebanon. Jenuine is the founder of Waco Poets Society and co-founder of the Central Texas Artist Collective. She writes, organizes, and creates rooted in the fierce conviction that holding intentional space, access, and opportunity for all people to foster their creative health is a matter of justice and is a vital asset to the sustainable thriving of communities. She currently lives and poems in Central Texas where she enjoys finding new ways to disrupt the homeostasis of her city. You can contact her at: j[email protected].
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Saul Cornejo Bravo
“I can’t wait to get out of Waco!” Throughout my high school years, I expressed this thought often.
I have been living in Waco since I was eight years old, when my family moved here from Phoenix, Arizona. Since then, more often than not, I have viewed Waco as a boring city with not much to offer, mainly because we don’t have a Six Flags or Laser Tag arena. Now that I’ve become more involved in my community, my perspective on Waco is changing. Since starting an internship at First Friday Waco, an organization that partners with local businesses to promote downtown Waco, my hope and excitement for the future of Waco has been renewed.
First Friday Waco was started in early 2013 by Peter Ellis when he saw the need to have a strong downtown network of local businesses supporting one another. First Friday Waco’s vision is that as downtown Waco grows it will become an inclusive hub for local business owners to support each other and make downtown a great destination for visitors and patrons. I was given the opportunity to help in Peter’s vision when I started an internship with First Friday Waco in late October. At First Friday Waco, we fulfil this vision by collaborating with businesses to create a monthly celebration to promote downtown Waco. The businesses agreed to extend their hours, offer specials, and/or hold special events every First Friday of the month, with festivities usually starting as early as 11am on Friday and going as late as 2 am Saturday morning. First Friday is a great opportunity to meet awesome local people – including artists, authors, musicians, and designers – who are enriching our local culture.
Through my work at First Friday Waco, I’ve also gotten to learn about other organizations that are working to make Waco a better place. For example, Creative Waco is an organization that supports the creative community in Waco. They recently started their #NotJustABag campaign which is raising money to make Waco a Texas Commission on the Arts designated Cultural District. Another example is this website, Act Locally Waco. The Act Locally Waco blog provides a place for individuals like me to share their thoughts. The Act Locally Waco “Twelve Aspirations for Waco” resonate with me completely and excite me about Waco’s future because they will bring the community closer together to solve issues.
So now when I think about Waco, I don’t feel disappointment that we don’t have Six Flags or Laser Tag, but rather excitement for the things to come. In my opinion, what is being done at First Friday Waco, Creative Waco, and Act Locally Waco (to name a few) is what will make our city great. The more I become involved in the city, the more I appreciate what it truly has to offer: a great community willing to make a difference. My internship with First Friday Waco will soon come to an end, but my desire to be involved in my community won’t. As I’m getting ready to leave Waco, I find myself thinking “I can’t wait to get back to my city.”
Saul Cornejo Bravo is a student at McLennan Community College and currently interns at First Friday Waco. He is passionate about community development and plans to transfer to UT Austin and major in Economics. If you want to know about First Friday Waco’s upcoming events please visit the Facebook page: FirstFridayWaco.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Michelle Nosrat
When most of us think of baby food, we think of unappetizing cans full of pureed carrots and peas. Zoi Maroudas, a Baylor alumnus and mother, has set out to change this stigma and bring baby food into the 21st century with her company, Bambinos Baby Food. Maroudas, who moved from Greece to Alaska when she was four years old, grew up working in her parents’ Mediterranean restaurant, originally came to Baylor for the medical program and the close-knit community.
While living in Waco, Maroudas worked at Hillcrest Hospital in geriatrics, where she helped patients build up their strength. Maroudas realized that her patients did not enjoy eating the hospital food, and, having grown up in a family where good food was a central part of life, she decided to approach the hospital cook about making the food not only healthy, but delicious.
Soon after, Maroudas made the transition into researching the diets of children. She saw the rising numbers of severe food allergies and obesity concerns across our nation and knew that she could use her medical background and experience in a restaurant to make healthy, yummy food that is also practical and sustainable. Maroudas conducted intensive analyses of her recipes that specifically focused on allergies, age appropriate nutrition and savory flavors. Then she took her products to be analyzed and approved by allergists and pediatricians. Bambinos was founded in Alaska and ships baby food across the nation to parents directly.
As Bambinos continues to expand they are scouting across Texas looking for additional manufacturing locations and Waco is among of them. Maroudas says she is looking forward to creating new job opportunities, contracting local organic farmers for fruits and veggies and giving students opportunity to learn about nutrition and the manufacturing industry. The company is eco-friendly and continually aims to be entirely transparent, so parents know everything about the food they are feeding their children.
The new location will continue to encourage parents to stop by and see the manufacturing facility, ask questions about products and watch as the food is made. All Bambinos Baby Food is organic, all natural, and kosher. Bambinos Baby Food is a completely unique product. Each spoon full offers a complete balance of protein, grain and veggies. All of the meals are frozen, so the natural nutrients are preserved, whereas the canning processes used by most baby food companies loses many of those nutrients.
Maroudas wanted her food to be savory, as well as be healthy. She incorporates flavors commonly found in the Mediterranean diet so that babies develop a sense for those flavors earlier in life, which results in children learning to follow a healthy diet in the long run. Maroudas also incorporates seafood, so that babies can get natural omega 3 nutrients into their diets which is very important nutrient for brain development and social neural interactions.
One of the most distinct elements of Maroudas and Bambinos is that she worked closely with allergists and pediatricians to make the food not only delicious, but healthy. Maroudas, in her research, discovered that nut allergies have become much more prevalent in children in recent years. In response to this, she used a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine to formulate her Peanut Mani Cookies. The recipe is a trade secret. It contains the exact amount of peanut protein to help a child develop an immunity to nuts, reducing the outbreak by 72%, when eaten once a day starting when the baby is four months old. The cookies are sweetened using oranges and carrots, so there is no added sugar at all, plus they are a great a source for beta carotene essential for eye development. And the best part is that they are not just for babies, but parents enjoy them as well.
Bambino’s Baby Food is available online, where you can purchase by the case, or through a subscription service. One case holds about a month’s supply of a particular dish, but can be kept frozen for as long as needed. Gift cards are also available for purchase, which is a perfect New Year’s resolution present for any new or expecting parent! More information about the products, including ingredients and nutrition facts are available at their website, bambinosbabyfood.com. Check them out on Facebook and Twitter as well!
Michelle Nosrat is an AmeriCorps VISTA for ex-offender re-entry with the McLennan County Reintegration Roundtable. She has a Bachelor’s of Arts in English from the Honors College at Baylor University, and is planning to pursue a Master’s degree in Social Work. She currently lives in Waco with her puppy, Penny Lane.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Lisa Dickison
(Note: This is Part 4 in a series on Pay Day lending and its effect on our Waco community. For the rest of the series, click here: Pay Day Lending in Waco. — ABT)
Reason 1: The label “predatory” for Payday loans is an exaggeration.
A predator in the animal kingdom is one that stalks and hunts its prey. The payday loan companies are not stalking customers and forcing them into the store. Customers freely enter. They don’t grab the customers’ hands and force them to sign. In spite of the stacks of pages they must sign, a transaction is very simple: to borrow this much, for this time period, you will pay this much in fees and this much total. “Predatory” is not an accurate description. Everything is in the open and not forced.
Reason 2: Restrictions on payday loans remove options from those who already have few options.
I have experience with this. I’m a customer of these places. Much less so now that I’ve learned to better handle money, but it has saved me a few times. Once, I needed a $700 car repair. I didn’t have the cash on hand, but I needed my car. That’s how I got to work. I’m fortunate now that I can work from home. Many people do not have that luxury. For many, if they can’t get to work, they will lose their job. Restricting access to a quick way to get money just exacerbates the problem. Banks no longer loan money in those small amounts. They certainly don’t loan money to those with poor credit. If these loan companies cannot make a decent profit, which is the goal of being in business, they will leave town leaving those who already have few options with even fewer options.
Reason 3: It’s not the proper role of municipal government.
Different levels of government are designed for different purposes. The purpose of local government is to provide basic services (roads, water, trash collection) and to make laws that make it easier to live together in communities. We have laws that require lawns be mowed so that our neighborhoods are not overrun with vermin. State laws govern traffic laws for the most part, but cities decide where to put traffic lights, stop signs, and other traffic control devices. Municipal governments should not protect residents from their own poor decisions.
Despite these opinions, I absolutely support a market-based alternative that is not funded by taxpayer dollars. I hope that the alternative being proposed works and is sustainable. It may not totally replace payday loan providers, but it may give some relief to those who are in need of additional options to manage emergencies.
Lisa Dickison is a local political activist who has lived in Waco more than half her life. Her passions are defending the Constitution, election integrity and protecting the right of the people to self-govern. She is Republican Precinct Chair for Precinct 29.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Diego Loredo
It’s almost 2016 and it’s about that time of year where everyone starts to think of some New Year’s resolutions. I personally don’t make any because I usually don’t end up sticking to them, but this time it’s different. These are really my own personal New Year’s resolutions for college but some of them (or all of them) can apply to other students in college.
The struggle has been real this semester. I moved into an apartment and took tougher classes. The fact that I was in an apartment meant that I didn’t have the luxury of being on campus. That resulted in me, more often than I should have, skipping class because I didn’t want to drive or take the bus to campus. My grades also went down a bit because of the tougher classes I took. So I decided that I would create several New Year’s resolutions that I would, hopefully, stick too for my 2016 spring and fall semesters.
Don’t take 8 am classes!
This semester I learned just how hard going to 8 am classes can be. I am not a morning person and waking up at 7 to get ready for my 8 am classes was harder than I thought it would be. I took one my first semester, but I was living on campus so that made it easier to go to class. However, this semester I was in an apartment that was 15 minutes away from campus. Because of that, I would often choose to sleep in (which resulted in my grades going down). Unless you have to or you’re a morning person, I would avoid taking 8 am classes.
Save money
It doesn’t have to be a lot at once, but it would help to have a little savings in case of any emergencies. Maybe put in $10 or $20 a week. It doesn’t sound like much but eventually it’ll add up. This will come in handy whenever something comes up. My car broke down earlier this year and I had no money saved up that I could use to pay for it. I ended up borrowing money from my mom, which I later paid back. Let’s face it, we’re always going to run into something unexpected. Having some money saved up will be a huge help.
Work out more
I definitely need to do this. I gained weight my first three semesters and really am not as fit as when I was in high school. I worked out for a bit my second semester but then stopped. I play soccer every now and then but that isn’t enough to get back in shape. So next semester I’m going to try to work out more. Working out can also be a good stress reliever for college students. Lifting weights or going for a run can help free your mind from any worries. Eating healthier can also make you more productive throughout the day.
Step out of your comfort zone
Yes I know, everyone says this, but it’s true! We all need to do this. I never really did that my first three semesters and I need to change that. For others, this can mean attending events on campus, joining new organizations, or just introducing yourself to others on campus or in class. For me, it’s going to the gym to work out more. Like I said before, this is something I need to do. The more I do it, the quicker I become comfortable going.
Don’t procrastinate!
This will be the most difficult New Year’s resolution for me. I love to push things off until the last minute. Instead of writing that essay that’s due in a few days, I would just take a nap. This is a really bad habit of mine and I’m sure it’s the same for other college students. We all procrastinate, but we can also control it. Now I’m not saying to finish your work the day it’s assigned. Start out small, plan to finish your assignment a week or a couple days before it’s due to allow some time to look over it and make sure you can turn in your best work. It’s okay to procrastinate a little every now and then, but I need to try to keep it to a minimum.
I’ll be honest, I hate New Year’s resolutions. I never stick to them and I think they’re a waste of time. But this time, I figured that I would give it another try. I think the reason why most people don’t stick to their resolutions (myself included) is because we all make these unrealistic goals for ourselves that we usually give up on a week into the New Year. I think that these resolutions that I made are realistic enough for a guy like me to achieve, and hopefully for others to achieve as well. No matter what your New Year’s resolutions are, hopefully you’ll stick to them throughout the year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Diego Loredo is a sophomore at the University of North Texas. He is majoring in public relations. He graduated from University High School in 2014. Although he is still not quite sure what exactly he wants to do, he thinks he wants to work somewhere in sports PR (preferably soccer or college football). His hobbies include playing soccer and golf. He is 19 years old.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these Aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Kaleigh Huser
As a junior in high school, I am sorting through those “next step” questions about what type of career I will pursue and where I will attend college. When I was younger, I wanted to be a teacher; I also considered marine biology. As of today, I have abandoned the idea of becoming a professional violinist, but you never know. I very much enjoy theatre and music, and while I can’t say for sure where my interests will lead, I know that I am going to college. I have always known that even if it means drowning in student loans… college is my future. Thanks to Waco voters, I don’t have to worry as much about the student loans. With the approval of the Tax Ratification Election (TRE) I can enroll in classes that will allow me to earn college credit while in high school at no cost to me or my mother.
Prior to this year, high school juniors and seniors were limited to two dual credit classes per semester. The Texas Legislature passed new laws that lifted the limits on the number of dual credit classes a high school student can take and opened up dual credit for underclassmen. This means that incoming freshmen can even get an associate’s degree while in high school should they chose to do so.
I like the structure of the dual credit classes. Expectations are clear, and we are getting experience with college systems. I use Blackboard for notes, grades, handouts, projects, and pretty much everything. I don’t use my planner anymore, because it is all on my phone. When I am talking to my friends who go to school at University of Texas, it feels good to know that I am doing a lot of the same things that they are. When I get there, I will be better prepared thanks to the dual credit experience.
While some high school students qualified for a tuition waiver, my family and many others paid the full MCC tuition. Financial aid is not available for high school students, so taking a full slate of courses can become very expensive over the four years of high school. Next year, I plan to take three to four dual credit classes each semester, which will equal almost three thousand dollars over the school year. With the tuition waiver for all Waco ISD students, I can take the classes without worrying about the financial pressure, and I will enter college with 24 to 30 hours already paid for. If I go to UT, a year of tuition is $9, 346. We are so blessed to have this opportunity! I have friends who do not attend school in Waco ISD, and they are attending the same dual credit classes that I am. They are responsible for tuition, which sometimes limits their options.
If you voted to have your taxes raised or worked to get the TRE passed, thank you for your generosity. I am not just speaking for myself when I say we are honored that you recognized our potential and voted to invest in our future.
Kaleigh Huser is a junior at Waco High School. She is an active member of the Theatre Company, Show Choir, A Capella choir, National Honor Society, and Advanced Academics Student Advisory Board and she plays the violin. Kaleigh is ranked among the top five students in her class, and she spends every waking hour at Waco High or working on projects for classes at Waco High.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
by Jim Coston
(Note: This is Part 3 in a series on Pay Day lending and its effect on our Waco community. For the rest of the series, click here: Pay Day Lending in Waco. — ABT)
I had the privilege of serving as a City Councilman in Trenton, New Jersey, prior to coming to Waco. Despite what the national media may portray, the real action is in local politics. It is here that good government can offer immediate relief to citizens, foster opportunity and right wrongs. I believe the proposed ordinance to provide common sense regulation to the predatory lenders in Waco (also known as payday and auto-title lenders) will do all three.
As a former politician who drafted and passed legislation, I know that every ordinance produces unintended consequences. This is a given. And proponents like myself will bear some responsibility to respond to those unforeseen repercussions. Absolutely.
The fear of unintended consequences should not hinder or prevent our leaders from governing with purpose, that is from legislating intended consequences. It is these intended consequences that deserve some attention.
There are many fine details to the ordinance. I read it as having three main benefits for Waco and its citizens. The first requires each payday or auto-title lender to register with the City and to provide the names of its owners. This may seem a small matter; however, transparency is not one of the hallmarks of this industry. Knowing who is operating where can only serve the public good.
The second benefit concerns terms of lending offered to consumers. Payday lenders may not lend more than 20% of a consumer’s gross monthly income; auto-title lenders may not lend more than 70% of the value of an automobile. This provision should keep consumers from getting over-extended and stuck in a cycle of increasing debt. Furthermore, 25% of all payments must go towards reducing principals. Typical predatory lending practices keep the principal intact even as customers pay more and more in monthly fees. Those fees increase and accelerate, leaving the principal intact.
The third benefit requires these lenders to provide customers with information on available consumer credit counseling. Emergencies happen. People get sick. Cars need repairs. Unexpected expenses arise. There is a need among a portion of Waco citizens for access to capital on short notice. Predatory lenders provide this…service. Consumer credit counselors can do the same, with far less short and long term pain.
When this ordinance passes—I have faith in our municipal leaders—predatory lenders will still make a profit. Well and good. Waco citizens will still have access to quick capital. Well and good. But Wacoans will have options and far more favorable terms.
For some background on this industry, its origin, business model, connections to big banks as well as oft-cited talking points from predatory lending proponents, I refer you to Broke U.S.A. by Gary Rivlin. Be forewarned, it requires a strong stomach; the author provides in excruciating detail how this industry preys upon the poor, downtrodden and most vulnerable in society.
I have the privilege of serving as the Senior Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church located at 18th and Bosque in the Sanger-Heights neighborhood of Waco. Calvary is located only a few blocks from Waco Drive; and thus, only a few blocks from multiple predatory lending establishments. I come at this issue not from political or social concerns. I care about this matter because of my faith in and following of Jesus Christ. Karl Barth, the pre-eminent theologian of the 20th century, noted that the confession “Thy kingdom come” is the most radically political statement one can make. God’s kingdom will not have a place for payday or auto-title lending. It will have ample supply of mercy, grace and justice.
For some background on the divine abhorrence of usury, I refer you the Bible. With only slight exaggeration, you would be hard pressed to find a page within the sacred writ that does not speak of God’s protection over the poor, downtrodden and those most vulnerable in society, and corresponding judgment upon predators and those who do not seek their safety and justice alike. That protection is not reserved for some far off time or far off place. Followers of God are called to work for the redemption of those in need, and their predators, here and now. Passage of this ordinance is one means of declaring “Thy kingdom come!”
Jim Coston is Pastor to Calvary Baptist in Waco, husband to Julie, dad to Justin, Chloe and Samantha and ranch hand to his family’s chickens, goats and dogs.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.
By Meilana Charles
(Note: This post is a part of “Dine on 3,” a new initiative through Prairie View A&M University Cooperative Extension Program. Dine on 3 will use social media outlets to encourage family units to prepare and share home cooked meals more regularly. The initiative’s objectives are to encourage home cooked family meal consumption more frequently and to communicate family life balance ideas and easy recipes monthly primarily through social media outlets. For more information contact Meilana Charles, Extension Agent-McLennan County, Prairie View A&M University-Cooperative Extension Program at 254.757.5180 or [email protected]. )
The winter holiday season is in full swing, but with the average person gaining one pound during this time of the year it’s important to stick to normal eating habits. This may be difficult with all of the seasonal foods prepared during this time of the year. Here are some tips to staying healthy during the holidays:
To achieve healthy cooking during the holidays, modifying recipes may be necessary. To reduce fats consumption prepare meat dishes by grilling or roasting instead of frying. To add, cut visible fat and drain additional fat from meat after preparing. Also, skim fat from drippings used to prepare gravies and sauces. When preparing baked goods, use fruit purees such as applesauce instead of oil. Also prepare those baked good with 100% whole wheat flour instead of enriched flour or purchase baked good made from 100% whole grain ingredients. Lastly, use low-sodium broths when preparing dressing and stuffing.
Now that the meal is prepared and ready to be eaten try to prepare your plate similarly to the USDA’s MyPlate food group recommendations. Use a smaller plate and eat slowly. Consume fried foods, sauces, gravies, creamy dips and sweets in moderation. To avoid second helpings move away from the table or food area when done eating.
Many people attending holiday parties find it difficult to stay on their regular health plans but it is doable. At parties, make the primary objective socializing. Try consuming small portions and limit second helpings. If this seems difficult avoid hovering around the food area. Also consider eating a light snack two hours prior to arriving or volunteer to bring a healthy dish.
In all, remember that winter holidays are an opportunity to celebrate year-end accomplishments and interact with friends and families, not a reason to overeat. Avoid emphasizing food during celebrations. Even if that may be difficult to achieve, having modified, healthy food options can benefit all in attendance and go a long way toward starting a new year healthy and happy.
This Act Locally Waco blog post was written by Meilana Charles. Meilana is a Family and Consumer Sciences Extension Agent at Cooperative Extension Program at Prairie View A&M University. Meilana’s priority areas for providing educational resources to McLennan County are general nutrition, money management and parenting. She has a M.S. in Child Development from Texas Woman’s University and is a certified Human Development and Family Studies professional through American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences.
The Act Locally Waco blog publishes posts with a connection to these aspirations for Waco. If you are interested in writing for the Act Locally Waco Blog, please email [email protected] for more information.