If we had an 911 number for the world, who would respond?
Millions of people are facing personal disasters, with few resources and little or no help. They are unable to get an education or make a living or pay for the minimum services they need to survive. They suffer from treatable diseases without medical assistance; endure malnourishment or starvation; live on the streets, or in refugee camps; or are forced into indentured servitude, or prostitution.
Our opportunities to directly help those who are facing life and death crises are few, especially if we want to act in a way that addresses the roots of the problem. But what if we could connect people in dire circumstances with those who want to help, on a deep, human level? The purpose of People in Need is to recognize people in desperate circumstances who are ready to make a thoughtful response, help them form a real, human relationship with a privileged person, and work with them to achieve their vision for their life.
Ambulances race to the scene when a person has a heart attack or a stroke. This is the way we live in industrial society: addressing external problems through government agencies. The emergency medical system certainly does fill a need. But (aside from these services being limited to places of political stability and prosperity) there is often nowhere to turn in the face of other kinds of catastrophes: the intense suffering of people forced into dehumanizing or dangerous situations, or whose spirits are in the process of being broken.
If there were an emergency number for the world, any person in a dire situation could find the help they needed. They could go to a center, where they would be able to fully describe the truth of the situation they are in. This would be confirmed by staff and the information placed on a website. This site could be accessed by those who want to help.
