They need social infrastructure (families, extended families, social institutions like churches and service organizations), cultural infrastructure, and economic opportunity within this stable social structure.
All of which the intellectual class has been helping the financial elites destroy for the past century or more.
If there is neglect or abuse at home, it doesn't matter if there's some mildly positive neighbours / aunts / church people, I think it's hard for that to make a real difference.
Nothing this side of heaven is perfect, of course.
I don't see attention being spent on church helping the community... some churches may spend 10-20% of their efforts helping the community, sure, but why not go to a soup kitchen or animal shelter or litter pick-up? Then 100% of your effort is helping others, not listening to stories from ancient books or discussing how mythical beings would view our sins.
Community-wise, I'd prefer to play music, sports, sing in a chorus, head to a farmer's market or pub trivia. All of these don't require an abandonment of reason and enlightenment whilst still building community. And even when I have attended church, most people consider it a perfunctory duty to ensure they aren't put into Hell or, more closely, that they aren't judged by themselves or others for being pagans.
The idea that suffering in this life is OK because it will pay off in the afterlife seems to be a common theme in the bible and helps explain why Christianity has been so consistently successful within poor communities.
At least in my northern coastal state, there are lots and lots of family resources that were put in place as a result of the persistent work of the "intellectual class". Free library programs for all ages of children, free health education programs, and so on.
It's a cold, clinical approach that lets "leaders" feel good and appeals to people at first glance but doesn't actually solve problems.
The things that will change people, families, and cities require true leadership, mentoring, holding people accountable, and friendship. It requires deep personal investment in people and neighborhoods and can't be done from an office downtown.