"Good Soldiers" by Sallie Tisdale; "How to Get the Poor off Our Conscience" by John Kenneth Galbraith and "Black Hair" by Gary Soto. "Good Soldiers" about how the Salvation Army helps the impoverished. "Black Hair" was an Autobiography about living and working poor. Finally "How to Get the Poor off Our Conscience" is an essay on ways to help the poor.
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The Salvation Army a uniquely worthwhile organization is strictly non profit with the bulk of their monies going to help the underserved and starving. The services they provide are extensive and without strings attached. One of these services, job placement seems minimal, but as the ancient Chinese proverb says (The International Thesaurus of Quotations, ed. Rhoda Thomas Tripp p76) "give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, Teach a man to Fish and you feed him for a lifetime" This holds true having a job, if one works they may put food on the table without needing handouts. Another extremely important service is that of helping alcoholics, look in most downtown's at the homeless, one will see one common theme either drug or Alcoholic usage. Knowing this fact one could surmise that stopping this would greatly impact how ones life is lived, and to help and pull them from the gutters. Today Religious service is extremely understated, many great people such as our president George W. Bush has rose to a new level with religion. The Salvation also offers this to all, .
"Black Hair" is an autobiography about a specific time in the author's life. Author Gary Soto was 17 and on the streets in Glendale, California. He obtained a job working in a tire shop. He works until he is barely able to move, his skin black from the tire dust, his hair greasy from not bathing. It is horrifying thinking of not bathing regularly, sleeping on lawns, or unlocked cars. You feel the anguish he faced being homeless with few alternatives, as a runaway on the streets you see him grow up before your eyes.
