Identification of Problems or Needs in Braidwood Illinois

Braidwood is a relatively small community located within the state electorate of Monaro. It has an approximate area of 230km with several suburbs, such as Back Creek, Bendoura, and Durran Durra. The community has access to several vital services that meet some of their needs. Some of these services are churches and places of worship, general disability services, library services, counseling and support services, and children and youth clubs (“About Braidwood community,” 2020). However, the community is still facing other challenges due to unmet needs. This paper will examine the problems and gaps in services that the city is facing. It will look at the community’s physical fitness state, poverty rate, and drug addiction among youths as the major problems.

The first problem is there is no promotion of physical activities in the community. For instance, no outdoor activities, sidewalks, and bike lanes. All these activities enable people, especially aging, to exercise their bodies. Lack of physical activities such as running races and engaging in sports and games could be a significant problem because people will keep their bodies fit. In the end, chronic diseases may invade their bodies. Also, such activities bring people together and foster peace among them. If people do not meet through outdoor activities, it may not be easy to interact, and maintaining peace may be challenging. The sidewalks are also crucial because people do not need to travel in vehicles all through; sometimes, walking may help keep the bodies fit. The overall effect of lack of these activities is that people become overweight and obese, which leads to diseases and sometimes death.

The second problem is the high poverty rates. Research conducted by City- Data.com (n.d) shows that the poverty rate stands at 12.0% in the Braidwood community. The rate is mainly attributed to many residents of the Braidwood community, earning an income below the poverty level, as the City-Data explains. This could be a significant problem facing the community. Firstly, meeting their physiological needs could be a challenge. If an individual cannot meet the primary requirements, carrying out other activities such as working may also be challenging. Also, children may not have access to education to help them later in the future to secure high-income jobs. Hence, if the issue is not addressed, then poverty will continue increasing.

The last problem is drug addiction, particularly heroin. The drug has been a significant problem, especially to the youths, and has seen many of them losing focus in life. This could also be attributed to the poverty rates explained above. Baran (2019), a writer at Helard News, published an article in which a grandmother was mourning her 22-year granddaughter’s death who had died of a drug overdose. The case happened in Braidwood city, and many others have been killed because of the same situation. This is a problem because if people continue abusing drugs, it will be a city of unconsciousness and death. Due to this, there are initiatives such as H.E.A.R. U.S. (Heroin/Opioid Education, Awareness, & Remembrance… United we Stand) to help curb the problem. Braidwood Area Health Community Coalition leads the initiative. Its main objectives are; to increase understanding of addiction by providing relevant information, provide opportunities to those lost in overdose, and reduce barriers to access treatment (Braidwood Area Healthy Community Coalition, 2020). To sum up, all three problems need to be addressed for the wellbeing of the Braidwood community.

References

About Braidwood community. (2020). Retrieved from https://www.mycommunitydirectory.com.au/About/Suburb/New_South_Wales/Braidwood#:~:text=About%20This%20Community%20%20%20%20Organisation%20,free%20In%20…%20%201%20more%20rows%20

Baran, D. (2019, April 22). Braidwood’s mom shares her daughter’s battle with heroin. Retrieved from https://www.theherald-news.com/2019/04/22/braidwood-mom-shares-her-daughters-battle-with-heroin/ap5qg78/

Braidwood Area Healthy Community Coalition. (2020). Initiatives – Braidwood coalition. Retrieved from https://www.braidwoodcoalition.org/initiatives/

City-Data.com. (n.d.). Braidwood, Illinois (I.L.) poverty rate data – information about poor and low-income residents living in this city. Retrieved from https://www.city-data.com/poverty/poverty-Braidwood-Illinois.html