Nov. 17, 2023
BY JOHN BAILEY
“When you take a kid who’s had garbage dumped on them for years about their worth and their value, it’s tough for them to believe that they are capable, that their future can be different.”
- Jamie Brown, Sipe’s Orchard Home executive director
What does it look like for the 20,000+ Catawba County residents living in poverty?
- No home?
- No food?
- Not enough income?
- Not enough hope?
It’s all of this and more.
And no single non-profit or public agency can tackle all these issues, but the Catawba County United Way addresses many of them through the support of its community partners.
This November, the CCUW is taking the time to talk to some of its partners and learn what poverty looks like for the individuals and families they help – what are the key issues their programs address and what areas of improvement are needed to address this concern in Catawba County.
This series will tell the story of poverty from the point of view of those working on the front lines of this issue every day.
Sipe’s Orchard Home
Sipe’s Orchard Home offers a residential program for both male and female youth ages 16-21 who do not have the financial, academic, emotional, or behavioral skills necessary for independent living.
The program is designed to provide residents with the tools needed to gain successful independence, according to its website.
Last year, Sipe’s helped 36 teens.
“Most of our kids come from poverty, an abusive environment or from the system, and they haven’t been taught many life skills, and what they have been taught is incorrect,” Brown said.
“They’ve had all the wrong examples about work and work ethic. They haven’t had a lot of support and positive attention from positive role models – someone who can let them know it’s okay if you make a mistake. You can get back on track, and you still have value.”
One way the staff at Sipe’s reinforces the value of their teens is by celebrating every step forward, big or small. They all add up whether it’s getting a driver’s license, a job, your first car or finishing high school.
“Celebrating little victories is important, like graduation, a normal milestone for most, but for them a monumental moment,” Brown said.
Last year all three of the eligible teens at Sipes graduated. According to a 2023 Ballard Brief from Brigham Young University, 7,000 students drop out of high school every school day in the United States.
Another key role of the agency is helping the teens learn how to navigate the system. Some have a mental health diagnosis and need to learn how to get help whether it’s through counseling or medication.
“Those are things that are tough for adults to navigate, much less a kid who is 18 or 19-years-old,” Brown said.
Watch Sipe’s resident Jessica talk about how the program saved her life in 2020.
It Takes a Village
While the staff at Sipe’s does most of the day-to-day heavy lifting to help their teens, Brown is grateful for all the community partners who provide other essential services.
“For our kids, we work with the (Western Piedmont Council on Government) on housing. We work with Cognitive Connection for any of our kids dealing with substance abuse issues, which sometimes is part of their family history. We work with mental health providers. We’ve worked with an equine therapy agency, and that’s just a few,” Brown said.
He also pointed out that this isn’t just a non-profit issue. Local government leaders at all levels need to be on board, especially on the issue of affordable housing.
The single biggest challenge is ensuring the youth at Sipe’s have a home to move into when they leave the program.
“It’s very frustrating to have a kid who does well here and is willing to work but is not able to afford a place,” Brown said.
Several local agencies have begun working together on this issue researching solutions created in other communities such as the Roof Above program in Charlotte and the Tiny House Community Development program in Greensboro.
But for Brown the issue comes down to language. He said for some, affordable housing means family homes costing between $200,000 and $250,000.
“When you’re talking about our populations and you’re talking about affordable housing, I’m talking about a studio that a kid can afford that’s not $1,000 a month.”
Along with housing, transportation is another issue the youth at Sipes face. The agency created a driving program to teach the teens to drive and help them get their own vehicle before they leave Sipes.
“It costs us money and it scares my staff, but what we’ve learned is not having your own transportation can be prohibitive from working, from getting to your mental health appointments. It can become a huge barrier,” Brown said.
Ending the Cycle
Sipe’s Orchard home provides an opportunity for youth to break the generational poverty they have lived in and faced most of their lives.
“I really hope for a lot of them, they are the first generation where they are finishing high school and starting in a new direction,” Brown said.
- Follow the series next week in the CCUW’s Friday newsletter.