Wikipedia definition:

Poverty pimp or "professional poverty pimp" is a pejorative label used to convey that an individual or group is benefiting unduly by acting as an intermediary on behalf of the poor, the disadvantaged, or some other "victimized" groups.


Those who use this appellation suggest that those so labeled profit unduly from the misfortune of others, and therefore do not really wish the societal problems that they appear to work on to be eliminated permanently, as it is not in their own interest for this to happen.

The most frequent targets of this accusation are those receiving government funding or that solicit private charity to work on issues on behalf of various disadvantaged individuals or groups, but who never seem to be able to show any amelioration of the problems experienced by their target population. Some even suggest that that if profit were eliminated as a factor, greater steps in the alleviation of the oppressive situations could begin to truly occur.

Urban Dictionary:

Any self appointed minority leader, who extols the perpetual poorness of their ethnicity, yet is quite well off stemming from their efforts. Usually a Reverend of some unknown church. Marches at the drop of a hat to mug for the cameras.


Uses White guilt to gain credibilty, money, and influence.

Are usually racists themselves.

Do you know a poverty pimp?

by Bork

The winter holidays sometimes seem more like a time of greed for many charity and social programs than a time to redouble efforts to aid the poor. The poverty pimps put their hand out and look like every good and helpful program out there. So how can you tell whom to support? And if you work or volunteer in a program how do you know if it or some the people in it deserve your support?

The term "poverty pimp" is defined as a derogatory label for an individual or group which, to its own benefit, acts as an intermediary on behalf of the poor. Literally, a poverty pimp is an individual or group who solicits for the poor, or it can mean, a welfare system procurer. Poverty pimps gain a higher quality of existence from exploiting the poverty of others.

Under the American system of inter-linked public and private social services the poor get helped but not in any effective way; the big bucks go for overhead. As always, a lot of anti-poverty money is going to people who are not poor. There are whole classes of people who live off the services provided to the poor.

True poverty pimps, however, are worse than just those who live off of helping others. They are the ones who perpetuate poverty in order to keep their job. They add more bureaucracy in order to expand their programs and their power. They are motivated to grant charity to the less fortunate rather than practice solidarity with the poor. They are the firms who purposely overcharge and pad the bills, wasting money supposedly given to help the poor. And poverty pimps spend 90 cents on every donated dollar on administrative costs.

Poverty pimps are the workers and administrators who keep expanding the public and private social services system, thereby expanding their job and salary opportunities. They contribute more money to keep the cycle eternal. They are the ones who make the system so challenging that you practically need a college degree to navigate it, causing loads of frustrated poor people to opt out of the system and often into the street.

Poverty pimps are the originally well-intentioned workers who have lost sight of the poor as individuals and the ones who never really cared in the first place. Essentially, "poverty pimps" callously and purposely profit from the misfortune of others.

Every holiday season I think about the poverty pimps a little more. I receive their solicitations for funding. As an activist on housing and anti-poverty issues, I am given their requests for aid. I'm invited to speak at their fundraisers. But, if I ask them to provide details on where all their funds go, or how their budget is decided and by whom, they take offense at my simple questions. Or if I ask if the majority of their homeless clients were consulted in their decisions, or allowed to participate in the decision-making process, it is as chilling to my relationship with them as the kiss of death.

To contact The Advoc8te or to submit an article for posting on Congress Heights on the Rise email congressheightsontherise@gmail.com.

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