Box 3, Folder 17, Document 24

WIA

i

Poverty

By JO GRAHAM STERN
Starf Writer

9
1A
io

“To say that I'm sacrifie-
‘ing anything is baloney. J just
love these kids. Fighting
poverty is like fighting a fire
from a drinking fountain with
a paper cup.”

This is the way Charles

Arter, a Southside resident,

=*

feels about working as a full-

time volunteer for Economic
Opoar ciunlty Atlanta,

“Arier is nota “typical work-
er. He doesn't have an ordi-
nary” job because he dgesn’t
need the money, since he re-
ceives an income from an
inherited trust fund.

“T came to Atlanta with a
friend from Akron, Ohio. J
had received a degree in eco-
nomies frorn Ambherst Col-

= ; t 7 »

RLES ARTER AND PREENDS
Worker and Capitol Ave. Pupils

. r . 2
a eeeeeeeaeieteeheiaieies inane eee gece cet

Hee ghee .

Sheradeys, (cl, Iees

lege, and my friend was at-
tending Emory business
schoo]. He and I began looking
for work and found jobs in a
social welfare agency.

Arter found social work
unrewarding, he said, be-
cause he was ‘“‘not allowed to
do anything I felt was re-
levant or worthwhile.”
with the organization ever
since. He feels he is helping to
bridge the gap between black
and white peaple.

“T find animosity among
blacks but Lean understand it.
The majorily are really
friendly. These kids are can-
did. They'll test you, and they
can spot a phoney.”

Just being in the area has
awakened Arter to the needs
for more and better schools,
remnedial reading classes, less
crowded classrooms.