Virgin is going where few have gone before: combining goodwill and entertainment. In other words, volunteer 13 hours to help the homeless and you might be a 'Free I.P.' at Freefest 2009 (August 30, 2009 in Columbia, Maryland). Great idea, right? The concert line-up is solid and it looks like a fun day. More importantly, it's awesome to see Virgin continue their work to raise awareness about youth homelessness with such a refreshing new approach. Check out the Freefest site for more information.
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Change.org: End Homelessness
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Entertainment with a Conscious
4 Jul 2009 | 4:20 am -
Will Unemployment Reach Double-Digits?
3 Jul 2009 | 3:57 amJune marked the highest unemployment rate in 26 years - 9.5 percent, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Even more concerning is that many of the jobs lost were in industries that tend to be lower-paying, such as service, manufacturing, retail, and construction. In other words, job losses are affecting those who were probably living paycheck-to-paycheck. According to the National Alliance to End Homelessness, unemployment remains among the most common reasons for homelessness. This is according to surveys in select communities collected during the annual point in time count (surveying… -
24 Cities, 49 Days, 8,598 Miles
2 Jul 2009 | 12:31 pmJust because you don't have a home, doesn't mean you don't have a voice, a story, a plan, or hopes for a better future. Mark Horvath, of InvisiblePeople.tv and contributing editor here at Change.org, has helped people across the world understand this important lesson by bringing the voices of those without a home to the web. Working with him and featuring his stories here at Change.org has been a real honor, and I hope his videos have opened your eyes. This summer, I'm excited to announce that he's bringing his project to an entirely new level. Here are the details: This summer,… -
Obama Appoints Paris Hilton to Lead Homeless Strategy
1 Jul 2009 | 9:24 pmMr. Change had a brainwave inspired after watching a Simple Life marathon. President Obama has decided to appoint Paris Hilton to lead the Homeless Strategy. The scoop is Sasha and Malia melted the big guy's heart and got in his ear about the issue of homelessness. The Hilton family has committed to build three new five star resorts, one in New York, the second in New Orleans, and the flagship in New Hampshire. President Obama will close homeless shelters on a concurrent basis. For example, as 100 Hilton standard rooms become available to the program 100 shelter beds will be de-funded and… -
Real Stories: Meet Richard
30 Jun 2009 | 11:53 amRichard has slept on the streets, under freeways, in parks, and on sidewalks. But today, he is a proud resident of Nickelsville, a tent city named for Seattle's mayor. From the moment I walked into the "city limits", Richard made me feel welcome. This interview is taped in front of his home. Richard does a nice job explaining the ins and outs of Nickelsville, such as the rationale for giving each tent an address. I like Richard. Although his future is uncertain, he has a plan, hopes, and aspirations. He is trying to improve his life. Trying, he says, "to get myself into a more solid…
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Google News: Homeless
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Homeless felon gets $12500 settlement over being Tasered - Longview Daily News
4 Jul 2009 | 2:08 amHomeless felon gets $12500 settlement over being TaseredLongview Daily NewsA homeless felon, who was zapped with two Tasers simultaneously -- twice -- during a 2006 arrest, has settled his federal civil-rights lawsuit against and more » -
Tucson soup kitchen doubles as clinic for homeless - MLive.com
4 Jul 2009 | 2:06 amTucson soup kitchen doubles as clinic for homelessMLive.comCasa Maria is a soup kitchen, but for many homeless and near-homeless Tucsonans, it's also their sole source of medical care. and more » -
25000 students in state homeless; up 18% in year - Arizona Republic
4 Jul 2009 | 12:37 am25000 students in state homeless; up 18% in yearArizona Republic4, 2009 12:00 AM The number of homeless schoolchildren in Arizona has surpassed 25000 - equivalent to the population of Fountain Hills. and more » -
CONSUELO 'CHELO' MURRAY: Cared for AIDS patients battling cancer ... - Dallas Morning News
4 Jul 2009 | 12:36 amCONSUELO 'CHELO' MURRAY: Cared for AIDS patients battling cancer Dallas Morning NewsShe also gave care to the homeless. In her free time, she rescued dogs. Dr. Murray, 57, died June 20 at her Dallas home of complications of rectal cancer. and more » -
Taking a Pledge in Support of the Homeless Community in Santa Cruz - Bay Area Indymedia
3 Jul 2009 | 11:39 pmBay Area IndymediaTaking a Pledge in Support of the Homeless Community in Santa CruzBay Area IndymediaWe support Human Rights for the homeless community, including the right to sleep at night--not anywhere and everywhere--but somewhere. "The Shelter Project" declaration addendum to the "Anna Richardson Bay Area Indymediaall 2 news articles »
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Yahoo! News: Homeless
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Homeless women find a safe haven (The Virginia Gazette)
4 Jul 2009 | 7:24 amYORK — After nearly a decade of planning and two years of construction, the county’s first homeless shelter is poised to open this fall. Women will be able to stay there up to two years. -
Grocery store will aid Alameda homeless program (Oakland Tribune)
4 Jul 2009 | 6:37 amAlameda Point Collaborative, which provides housing and social services for homeless families and individuals, has a new partner in town. Alameda Natural Grocery has launched a campaign to solicit donations and raise awareness of the collaborative. -
New £5.5m homeless centre planned (BBC News)
4 Jul 2009 | 5:40 amPlans for a £5.5m centre for homeless people in Northampton are going before councillors next week. -
Tournament to net Homeless World Cup cash (The Scotsman)
4 Jul 2009 | 3:03 amA CHARITY football tournament is to take place in Edinburgh as part of last-ditch bid to raise enough money to fund this year's Homeless World Cup in Milan. -
25,000 students in Arizona now homeless; up 18% in past year (The Arizona Republic)
4 Jul 2009 | 1:26 amThe number of homeless schoolchildren is now equivalent to the population of Fountain Hills.
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National Alliance to End Homelessness
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Implementing Harm Reduction Strategies in Your Health Center Presentation - Ed Stellon
1 Jul 2009 | 6:45 pmThis presentation was used by Ed Stellon in the June 3, 2009 webinar, "Implementing Harm Reduction Strategies in Your Health Center." -
Implementing Harm Reduction Strategies in Your Health Center Presentation - Jan Caughlan
1 Jul 2009 | 6:45 pmThis presentation was used by Jan Caughlan on the June 3, 2009 webinar, "Implementing Harm Reduction Strategies in Your Health Center." -
Implementing Harm Reduction Strategies in Your Health Center Presentatino - Miriam Komaromy
1 Jul 2009 | 6:45 pmThis presentation was used by Miriam Komaromy on the June 3, 2009 webinar, "Implementing Harm Reduction Strategies in Your Health Center." -
Take Five! Q & A with Steve Hilton
1 Jul 2009 | 7:30 am<img src="/images/editorFiles/Image/Hilton small.jpg" alt="name" width="131" height="200" /> <p>Take a five minute break from whatever you are doing to hear about emerging issues, new research, and personal stories from experts and leaders in homelessness and housing policy.</p> -
Alliance Online News: Report on Foreclosures to Homelessness
30 Jun 2009 | 11:45 amJune 30, 2009
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InvisiblePeople.tv
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Richard
30 Jun 2009 | 11:29 amRichard has slept on the streets, under freeways, in parks, and on sidewalks. But today, he is a proud resident of Nickelsville, a tent city named for Seattle’s mayor. From the moment I walked into the “city limits”, Richard made me feel welcome. This interview is taped in front of his home. Richard does a nice job explaining the ins and outs of Nickelsville, such as the rationale for giving each tent an address. I like Richard. Although his future is uncertain, he has a plan, hopes, and aspirations. He is trying to improve his life. Trying, he says, “to get myself into a… -
Bruce and Donna
25 Jun 2009 | 2:41 pmDonna and Bruce are like any other couple… except their relationship began on the streets. Domestic violence landed Donna in the hospital. When she was released, she had nowhere to go. Bruce says he wound up on the streets due to a few bad decisions. The two met in a park and spent their nights in doorways and under bridges. I can only imagine how difficult this experience was for them. Today, Bruce and Donna are residents of Nickelsville, a tent city outside of Seattle. Since settling there, life has started to improve for the couple. Here, they have found a sense of community,… -
James
21 Jun 2009 | 8:25 amSeattle’s homeless encampment (dubbed “Nickelsville” after Seattle’s mayor) is unlike anything I have ever experienced. Sure, it’s a tent city. But it is also a community in every sense of the word. But, unlike most communities, Nickelsville is at the mercy of the city of Seattle. Already this year, Nickelsville has been bulldozed seven times and forced to relocate. When I was there, they had been in the same location for ten days straight (a record). At their last location, they were only there four days before being forced to move. If you think it’s hard to remain… -
Jennifer
16 Jun 2009 | 2:32 pmFor the last four years, Jennifer has lived on the streets of Skid Row. Most of that time she has been heavily addicted to drugs. Getting clean is enormously challenging when you’re living on the streets, particularly in an environment like Skid Row. The day we met Jennifer she had been sober for three months, but this wasn’t her first attempt at sobriety. Last time, she was clean for 13 months, only to relapse on Christmas Day. I asked Jennifer what she thinks the solution to homelessness is, and I think her response was spot on. She said it depends on the person. I admire… -
Robert
15 Jun 2009 | 9:14 amWhen Robert and his wife moved away from Las Vegas in search of a better life, they never thought they’d end up homeless in LA’s notorious Skid Row district. But that’s exactly where they are today. Rather than stay in shelters or an SRO (single room occupancy hotel), Robert and his wife choose to stay outside on the streets. Shelters, he said, separate men and women, and SRO’s are downright nasty (he’s right; I know from experience!). Furthermore, the hotels that accept welfare vouchers tend to attract crime, drugs, sex offenders, parolees, and gangs. The day we met…
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Google News: Homeless Canada
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Mission to Saginaw: Youths share food, prayer on city streets - The Saginaw News - MLive.com
4 Jul 2009 | 6:32 amMission to Saginaw: Youths share food, prayer on city streetsThe Saginaw News - MLive.comThursday, groups will head to "homeless hangouts" with lunches to share, interviewing them about what it is like to be homeless, Defoe said. and more » -
The world could learn - Winnipeg Free Press
4 Jul 2009 | 5:42 amThe world could learnWinnipeg Free PressThere are youth here who have experienced homelessness." Burns stressed that the issues affecting Winnipeg youth are different than those facing Middle and more » -
New housing laws may keep owners afloat - The Salinas Californian
4 Jul 2009 | 5:17 amNew housing laws may keep owners afloatThe Salinas Californian provide resources for the homeless including more direct aid to the homeless; and provide for the consolidation of homelessness programs to streamline and more » -
Talks start on homelessness facility - Northern News Services (subscription)
4 Jul 2009 | 4:46 amTalks start on homelessness facilityNorthern News Services (subscription)According to Dayle Handy, homelessness co-ordinator, funds have become available through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation to start up a pilot and more » -
Albertan makes big briefs donation - Edmonton Sun
4 Jul 2009 | 2:26 amAlbertan makes big briefs donationEdmonton SunBrent King has spent the last two weeks delivering 3000 pounds of tighty whiteys to 10 shelters as part of his Great Cross-Canada Underwear Drive. and more »
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LA's Homeless Blog
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Homeless Man Chooses Jail Rather Than The Streets
3 Jul 2009 | 8:15 amIt is sad when a person without a home would rather commit a crime and go to jail than stay homeless living on the streets. The “security” of four walls, a cot, and three meals is better than open sky, a hard sidewalk, and no food.What’s wrong with our society when we allow people to choose jail over homelessness?Here’s the beginning of the article:James Cox makes no apologies for his crimes because they got him three meals a day and a bed to sleep in for the first time in ten years."You may think this is a jail but to me it's the Hollywood Hilton, no joke," Cox said Thursday night… -
Is Suing Cities A Way To Resolve Homelessness?
2 Jul 2009 | 9:40 amLaguna Beach is one of those quiet, secluded beachside communities behind the Orange Curtain (also known as Orange County, California), and thanks to MTV, has become a destiny for many people. Including homeless folks.This small city is currently dealing with 70 homeless people sleeping on their streets and beaches. Their law enforcement officers have become the first responders to homelessness.So, like their big-city counterparts to the north, Laguna Beach was sued by the ACLU for “criminalizing” homelessness. The city recently settled. KPCC describes the settlement:Under the settlement,… -
Why Under-Employment Is A More Accurate Gage On Poverty
1 Jul 2009 | 9:38 amThe LAobserved.com blog explains clearly the difference between unemployment statistics and “under-employment” numbers.When public officials and the media release monthly unemployment numbers they are describing the number of people of people who are jobless, or looking for work based on survey estimates. But this survey does not include an important factor—people who are under-employed, with part-time jobs that don’t make enough to overcome poverty. It also does not include people who have given up on employment, and are not even trying to find work.Why is this important? In May,… -
Make It Count? The War on Poverty Using 45 Year Old Tactics Won’t Work
30 Jun 2009 | 8:41 amIn the battle to end homelessness in America one of the most effective tools for communities struggling with homelessness is the homeless count. Every two years, the federal government mandates such a count if a community wants to receive federal funds.Knowing how many people are living on the streets and who they are is important. It helps direct resources, helps communities design services and housing, and frankly, makes communities more accountable to whether they are succeeding in resolving homelessness or not.So what about our country’s war on poverty? That 1960’s national initiative… -
Very Disturbing: Down and Out (and Deceased) in Beverly Hills
29 Jun 2009 | 8:11 amThis is very, very disturbing news:Man found hanging by neck outside Beverly Hills City Hall Daily News Wire ServicesUpdated: 06/29/2009 06:51:34 AM PDTBEVERLY HILLS - An investigation was under way today into the death of a man, believed to have been a transient in his 30s, who was found hanging by the neck from a stairwell outside Beverly Hills City Hall, police said.The body was found around 1:45 p.m. Sunday at 455 N. Rexford Drive, said Sgt. Kelly Spedden of the Beverly Hills Police Department.The man was hanging from the second-story railing of a stairwell, Spedden said. What had been…
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Los Angeles Mission
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A HALO for Skid Row
30 Jun 2009 | 12:53 amIt is easy to see the results of the “Safer City” initiative. The streets of Skid Row are safer. Ask anyone, service providers, shop owners, or even the homeless – of course, don’t ask the drug dealers and troublemakers. The Los Angeles Downtown News has had a story and an editorial about what one of the next steps is for the area. It is called HALO, an acronym that stands for “Homeless Alternatives to Living on the streets” (which is better than it could have been. HATLOTS doesn’t really work.) One of the biggest problems with the chronically homeless is their refusal to go… -
Twitter to the Rescue! The homeless need raincoats right now
25 Jun 2009 | 3:25 amI’m always looking for creative ways to do what we do better. This certainly is a unique use of Twitter technology. It almost has me convinced to sign up! LOL: Mark Horvath is an advocate for the homeless who admits that if it wasn’t for Twitter he’d be homeless himself. Already homeless once before, Horvath knows how tough it can be. Whenever he sees a problem in his homeless community he uses Twitter as a bullhorn to get homeless people the services they need right away. When he was working for the Burbank Winter Shelter in California, he was responsible for 150 homeless people… -
The Inspiration of Photography
24 Jun 2009 | 7:54 amLast week photographer Jamie Johnson donated a collection of her photography to the Los Angeles Mission. Hung in our conference room, her haunting images of children and those surrounding them help us focus on those we serve. We all know the power of photography for good or evil. The article below focuses on a creative use of images to help foster kids. How about a campaign to plaster these kid’s images on cereal boxes across the globe until we find safe and loving homes for all children. CHILDREN'S TRUST MIAMI | HEART GALLERY Photos inspire families to open homes to foster kids The… -
A Huge Thank You to:
16 Jun 2009 | 9:47 amListenersOnce again the listeners and staff of GoCountry came through for the Los Angeles Mission and most importantly those we serve. We raised over 21,505 meals and care with this event. Thank you to the new friends who supported us and to those who once again responded to the need. Thanks to the volunteers that staffed the call center. I am amazed that these incredible listeners don’t just listen to the lyrics of country music but respond to the needs of those so frequently sung about. Thanks to all those who participated and to those who could not help this time. I invite any of you to… -
Barbecue Kickoff for a Skid Row Summer!
16 Jun 2009 | 12:32 amJune 6th turned out to be a very good day for the people of Skid Row. It was the second annual barbeque to kick off the Summer of Hope. And the turnout was great. The Los Angeles Mission hosted the event, and with some help from friends, about 15 hundred people got meals, a very nice hygiene kit, and shoes. That’s right, new shoes. The friends in this case are three wonderful organizations. Soles4Souls, Hungry Hogs and Starvin’ Steers and Hope 4 Homeless. Soles4Souls is a national organization that provides shoes for the homeless and needy all over the world. Several of their…
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NC Coalition to End Homelessness
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Meeting the Needs of Frequent Health Services Users: Building Blocks for Success
30 Jun 2009 | 8:00 amThis Toolkit from the Frequent Users of Health Services Initiative was created to share lessons from a multi-year, multiple-site project that addressed the challenges and barriers facing frequent users of emergency departments. Whether you are a service provider, hospital administrator, government employee, or advocate, these building blocks can help guide your efforts to create a more rational and cost-effective system of care that addresses multiple and complex needs frequent users experience. Read the full toolkit here. 30-Jun-09 11:00 AM -
Improving Health and Health System Outcomes by Redirecting Medi-Cal Resources
30 Jun 2009 | 8:00 amThe Corporation for Supportive Housing published this bulletin about providing frequent users of hospital emergency departments with alternative methods of health care. Read the full bulletin here. 30-Jun-09 11:00 AM -
A Chicago project for homeless people shows strong results
30 Jun 2009 | 7:00 amThe Chicago Tribune published an article about the Chicago Housing for Health Partnership, the first program in the country to link hospitals serving homeless, chronically ill patients with groups that help people find federally subsidized housing. Read the full article here. 30-Jun-09 10:00 AM -
Effect of a Housing and Case Management Program on Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations Among Chronically Ill Homeless Adults
30 Jun 2009 | 7:00 amThis report presents the findings of a randomized trial that assessed the effectiveness of a case management and housing program in reducing the use of urgent medical services among homeless adults with chronic medical illnesses. Read the full article here. 30-Jun-09 10:00 AM -
Medical Respite Services for Homeless People: Practical Models
30 Jun 2009 | 7:00 amThis resource manual is designed for organizations and communities interested in developing medical respite services for sick or injured homeless people. Read the full manual here. 30-Jun-09 10:00 AM
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Chicago Coaliation for the Homeless
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Thousands protest - and the fight moves to Springfield on Tuesday
20 Jun 2009 | 11:33 amThousands of people, many with children in tow, filled the plaza and streets around the Thompson Center Thursday to protest state budget cutbacks that take effect July 1 if state leaders do not amend their doomsday budget plan. The cutbacks include: · Eliminating homeless prevention grants, which helped more than 12,000 Illinois families this fiscal year. · 8,800 fewer homeless people will be sheltered if the state proceeds to cut 27% from the Emergency Food and Shelter Program that supports the Chicago Department of Human Services and 88 other agencies statewide. · Up to 80,000 low-wage… -
June 18 Day of Action rally, 11:30 a.m., Thompson Center
18 Jun 2009 | 8:11 amOn May 31, the Illinois General Assembly passed a budget that makes devastating cuts to social service programs--including the homeless prevention fund, child care, mental health services, care for the elderly and services for those with disabilities. These cuts will have a devastating effect on children and families. If state legislators do not take action and new state revenue sources are not identified by July 1, the cuts will go into effect. Join CCH at today's Day of Action rally at 11:30 a.m. at the Thompson Center (100 W. Randolph) to tell our state legislators that we support state… -
Gov. Quinn's June 16 update on state budget cuts
17 Jun 2009 | 12:52 pm- By Stephanie Procyk, CCH policy intern and graduate student in public policy at the University of Michigan The Office of Governor Pat Quinn organized a June 16, 2009 update held at the Assembly Hall of the Thompson Center concerning the budget cuts to community services in Illinois. A panel composed of Michelle Saddler, the Governor’s Director of Policy; Jerry Stermer, the Governor’s Chief of Staff; Jack Lavin, the Governor’s Chief Operating Officer; Billy Ocasio, Senior Advisor to the Governor; and another individual representing the Governor’s office explained the Governor’s… -
"How a kid goes from homeless to high school graduate"
9 Jun 2009 | 11:20 amToday's article in the Daily Herald by Burt Constable features Andre Logan, a homeless student who's worked extensively with the CCH Law Project. Check it out here. -
Exhibition by artist Jason Brammer to benefit CCH
5 Jun 2009 | 12:53 pmPhoto-surrealist painter Jason Brammer will give CCH a portion of the proceeds of his current exhibition, Into the After. The show will run through June 30 at the Star Lounge (2521 W. Chicago Ave.), a coffee shop featuring drinks brewed from organic beans that's open from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sun. - Wed. and from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Thurs. - Sat. Pictured to the right is one of the paintings available for purchase as part of Into the After, titled "Time Machine XXVI". Viewers of the new show have described it as "Hitchcockian in its visual surrealism" and "an industrial…
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Cleveland Homeless
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Tent City Back in the News
3 Jul 2009 | 9:34 amSacramento Herding Homeless PeopleNPR revisited the story of the tent city in Sacramento yesterday. Here is good quote from the story:"When we moved out, we moved over to a private area two fields over. They wanted us off of there too. Just like shuttling cattle, that's all it is," said Grice, a carpenter by trade, who wears a T-shirt that reads, "Where am I supposed to live?" "We're supposed to be the eyesore, but actually we're citizens and we're human beings. We're supposed to have rights like everybody else; it don't matter what we have in our pockets."We warned the governator back in… -
40 Years After Stonewall
3 Jul 2009 | 8:34 amBeing Gay and HomelessWe should not let the 40th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising pass without a mention of the difficulty of being gay and homeless in America. It is especially rough losing a place to live and a place to maintain some level of privacy. In Cleveland, no matter if you are hetero or homosexual, there is no place for sex in the shelters. Most taxpayers would say, "Good, that is the way it should be," but as shelter stays get longer and longer this reality is difficult to defend. We have no shelters for couples and the entry shelters require a married family to often split… -
Grading the Administration 22
29 Jun 2009 | 5:33 pmWeekly Grades of the Administration on Poverty: BIt is almost time for the Independence Day vacations, and so there was a big push on to get things done. A great deal happened between June 15 and June 21 in the struggle to reduce poverty. Here is a short run down of the items that result in a B on the academic scale:There was more information released about the health care reform efforts. Every week that they push for universal health care guarantees at least a D for the week.The Administration talked about HIV testing, which has not been uttered by a President for 9 years.HUD is proposing… -
Linking Homlessness to Foreclosures
29 Jun 2009 | 5:05 pmNational Coalition for the Homeless Releases Report on Foreclosures A partnership of national homeless organizations, including the National Coalition for the Homeless, the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, the National Alliance to End Homelessness, the National Association for the Education of Homeless Children and Youth, National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and the National Policy and Advocacy Council on Homelessness; have release a joint report on the impact of the foreclosure and economic crises and the unprecedented… -
Veterans Street Card Available
27 Jun 2009 | 1:46 pmPhoto by Cheryl Jones of the NEOCH Photo Project. Call NEOCH if you want a print.Homeless Veterans Street Card Available on the NEOCH WebsiteWe have updated the Street Card dedicated to the services for Veterans in Cleveland. This is an 8.5 inch by 11 inch double sided piece of paper with all the information that you might need if you became homeless in Cleveland. Please feel feel to print and distribute the Veterans Street Card as much as you want.Speaking of the website...The Homeless Legal Assistance Clinic has been updated.We have added a section on the Movable Wall exhibit that is…
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Picture the Homeless
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PTH Participates in Press Conference Regarding the Closing of Peter's Place
25 Jun 2009 | 2:20 pmSpeech given regarding the closing of Peter's Place by Joan Harrison, former resident of Peter's Place and Civil Rights Leader of Picture the Homeless during Wednesday's press conference on the steps of City Hall.Wednesday June 24th, 2009read more -
JUNE 30th - HOUSING NOT WAREHOUSING COALITION MEETING
25 Jun 2009 | 11:39 amThe next meeting of the HOUSING NOT WAREHOUSING COALITION will be on Tuesday, June 30th, at 6PM - at the campaign offices of Reverend Billy - 250 Lafayette Street (6 train to Spring Street, R/W to Prince, B/D/F/V to Broadway-Lafayette). read more -
PTH on WNYC's Brian Lehrer Show again
24 Jun 2009 | 12:38 pmOn June 23, PTH represented again on the Brian Lehrer Show on WNYC radio.read more -
PTH Member Responds to the Closing of Peter's Place
18 Jun 2009 | 3:21 pmCivil Rights Committee Leader Joan Harrison wrote to the Chelsea Now newspaper as a response to an article they wrote relating to Peter's Place closing. Below is her response. == Editor,Chelsea Now June 11, 2009 Dear Sir or Madam, I am writing in response to your front page article, "Outrage over plan to close Chelsea homeless shelter," (Volume 3, Number 24, June 4-17, 2009).read more -
Friday: party & performance for PTH!
1 Jun 2009 | 1:30 pmFriday, June 5 7:30pmA Night of Performance and Partying!To benefit Picture the Homelesshttp://brechtforum.org/events/benefit-evening-picture-homelessread more
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ChoseFast
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‘Where Am I Supposed To Live?”: California Homeless March For Land Rights
3 Jul 2009 | 7:22 amIt has been about three months since city officials shut down a large “tent city” occupied by Sacramento’s homeless people. Now, some of the tent city’s residents say they feel like refugees, with no place to go. » continue reading “Hundreds Of Calif. Homeless March For Land Rights” at NPR.org. Homeless camps in downtown Greensboro and [...] -
Homelessness: A hard habit to break
2 Jul 2009 | 7:03 amFrom Jamie’s Big Voice (UK): “…I think I understand more than most the plight of homeless people after they have a home. getting A flat or some kind of accommodation is only part of the battle. The battle to break the habit of homelessness it’s self is the toughest. It doesn’t matter how good you are [...] -
Twitter Weekly Updates for 2009-06-28
28 Jun 2009 | 9:03 pmSign at shopping ctr on Bessemer: “Peddlers & panhandlers prohibited in this area.” Legal? Why not do this downtown? Solve that problem. # W/Audrie. Looking 4 homeless panhandler she met yesterday. Have food & necessities 4 him. Not on his corner. Can’t find his camp. Hmm… # I need someone with a Sam’s or [...] -
Camp cleanup, homeless needs, Greenway vs. the homeless
27 Jun 2009 | 11:54 pmOn Saturday, June 27, 2009, my ministry partner, Audrie Keen and I, along with our friends Lavaughn and Lee, participated in an Americorps homeless camp cleanup. The camp we cleaned was one of several in an area that lies in the path of Greensboro’s Downtown Greenway. I recently learned, through an email from [...] -
Homeless in the path of the greenway: Cotton
27 Jun 2009 | 11:53 pmVia email, from Action Greensboro: “… As you may know, Action Greensboro is spearheading a public/private partnership to create a Downtown Greenway… Construction… will displace those living in this area…” This is Cotton. She is homeless and lives outside, under a tarp in woods in downtown Greensboro, in the path of the proposed greenway. Cotton uses a [...]
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The Homeless Guy
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Problem Solving Vs Choices
2 Jul 2009 | 4:58 pmThere is something to the premise of this video, about computer game design, that speaks, accidentally, about life and the way we live it. I just watched it so I haven't ruminated long enough to come up with concrete statements on its implications. But there's no point in delaying your viewing pleasure. Please watch and consider the correlations with life...after all, life is just a game... -
The Sacredness Of Questioning Everything
1 Jul 2009 | 8:14 pmI can't say enough good things about the book, "The Sacredness of Questioning Everything." by David Dark. I recommend it for several reasons, as this is one of those books that speaks to people on many levels, and can be of useful for working out many issues regarding modern religious beliefs.For myself, this book will now be my response to people's questions regarding Christian rescue missions -
Curiouser
1 Jul 2009 | 2:42 pmI just did a search of my name in Amazon (I am bored) and found 4 books that mention me and/or this blog. Three of the books are about blogs and social networking, and one is a fiction. The author of the fiction was inspired to write this particular book after reading my blog. (pats self on back)Amazon.com -
Thanks
30 Jun 2009 | 5:10 pmThank you Tracy for the book! -
Welcome Guardian Readers
30 Jun 2009 | 10:00 amI really enjoy reading the Guardian, and I appreciate the mention in this recent article that pointed you here, www.guardian.co.uk. There is much to this blog, 6+ years worth. I hope you have the time to give it a going over.I think the best thing I could do right now, as I have your attention, is to tell you of a book an acquaintance of mine, David Dark, has just published. The book is not
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Homeless Family's Blog
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Map out your local homeless before they do
1 Jul 2009 | 12:37 pmWith the seasons changing as they do each year, the migration due to weather and job scarcity increases to more temperate areas like Jacksonville.I had contact with two different families, one coming from Seattle and another from Boston, both having the same issues of inability to find work as well as preparing for another hard winter affecting family members' health problems.Although the agencies in the area attempt to assist as much as possible, there's the masses still unaccounted for that are off the scale. Meal lines, labor pool lines, medical clinics, all of them are already beginning… -
Things you can do
3 May 2009 | 12:57 pmIf you're getting new office furniture, donate the old stuff to people reintegrating back into homes. Getting on one's feet isn't easy. Most people don't have filing cabinets, folders, and the rest of the stuff that really most people need in keeping track and dealing with this, that, and the other stuff in their lives.The other option is letting people use doors on their backs set on cinder blocks, not being able to find papers put somewhere when needed, and being back on the streets once more........all for the want of a table, the house was lost! -
The 'Anonymous' Comment you may find
3 May 2009 | 11:05 amPeople are people. Some nicer than others. Some not. Recently I've been getting a large handful of posters commenting 'anonymously', most replying out of ignorance and not knowing anything about the blog or the writer behind it...but the majority pretty much just simply ignorant.For them I offer this list of top term life insurance companies. May they find their needs better filled elsewhere.For the rest of the readership, last week ushered in another mass scare involving Swine Flu. Texas one of the first reported States closing schools, followed by numerous others throughout the country. -
When ya get a job, ya can get some of da bling
18 Apr 2009 | 6:08 amHowie Mandel...Youtube.com...and Buy.com. It's always pretty when he pushes a sale.But unlike his million in a briefcase; which has dwindled to a half a million...and where did all the models go; he's getting better quality time in 30 seconds rather than minutes, in my opinion.On a scale of 10 this time around, I'd give him a '7'...but not for lack of trying. He simply didn't ask me or any homeless cohorts to be included in his video.That was a joke.So when you end up getting a job, need some 'pretty pretty'...go give 'im a click. Tell him John sent ya...and he should have gotten 'MY' bling… -
Take care of your butt on the streets
9 Apr 2009 | 12:13 pmToilet paper, personal hygiene wipes...lest we say...douche?Face it, you can't use leaves on the streets...well, you could...but it wouldn't feel good, would it?In the amount of times I've had the chance of seeing closets of items of personal hygiene items accumulated, I see a common factor each time: how quick they go. Constant rantings of locals claiming how 'good' the homeless 'have it'...they don't have any idea what they're arm chair quarterbacking looks like.Ignorant.Perchance time for a Colonix treatment?I had the chance of connecting with a young man whose family was homeless…
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The Adventures of Homeless Girl
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Some Homeless Blogs that Deserve a Shout Out
19 Jun 2009 | 2:47 amYou know I really love wordpress I think its the best blogging platform by far. When I first became homeless I did try to start a blog about it as an ongoing documentation or maybe even a video diary of my experiences and I set it up and everything with blogger. But I had no clue how many hits I was getting because they don’t reveal it. And that’s where my love of wordpress comes in. You can see who’s linking to you and how many hits you get. And I try to interact with those that link me. If you want to know the first attempt at this blog really sucked. It was terrible. I… -
Would You Like To Help Out?
17 Jun 2009 | 2:40 pmA few weeks ago a very nice person contacted me offering to sponsor a link on this blog. Originally I was very against earning any time of money from this blog by donations or other things. Because I thought it was being noble and less authenthic. But I figured if its from advertising or sponsorship that is okay. And at the moment I am saving up to pay for a laptop to use on the road as I know I will be out of here soon. They have paid me well and I’m grateful. So I am asking if you could please click the link and help the client out. It is underneath the picture of the Rosetta Stone… -
I Sometimes Question My Own Sanity
12 Jun 2009 | 5:26 amBy Patrick Smith Photography Now and then every once in a while I get a feeling in the back of my head that makes me think. Maybe I’m insane. Maybe all of this is just My fault and a direct result of my own actions, that I should have done something: sold the house, rented an apartment do this do that. I’ve never denied that there are somethings I could have done to change the outcome of the situation but as they always say hindsight is perfect. When I look back there is no way I could have averted this situation because I always believed that things would get better. I wonder… -
The Homeless are Everywhere not Just on The Street.
8 Jun 2009 | 6:26 amBy Grifondoro I just saw this article and I know its a bit of a lazy post but guess what I’m lazy. It’s basically about all the hidden homeless people and how because of the economy people are finding themselves homeless. I might be an optimistic person but I’m not that optimistic about people, people can be horrendous. People are selfish and have no clue how to live. We claim that this right now, is the peak of human wisdom, we are so damn smart we know everything, people before us were nothing but brutes and fools. All we have is just acquired knowledge not wisdom. Wisdom… -
Update
3 Jun 2009 | 3:13 pmBy Katarina2352 This is the best city in the world Just a quick hashed out post so everyone can know that I’m alive and not dead. On friday I went to a birthday party of a friend. I did the same thing last year and I’ve always tried my best to attend this because out of every single person I know she is the one person who invites me to anything, (apart from another person) And like I said before I feel like a fraud and I literally have no friends. I know that is partly my own fault but I wish the people who claimed to know and love me would understand that I can’t commit to…
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Jaime's Big Voice
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2 Jul 2009 | 7:26 pm
2 Jul 2009 | 7:26 pmYou see some of my poetry at http://poetmccoy.blogspot.com/ Its half past three in the morning and it too hot to sleep so I thought I would catch up with my blog even though I have nothing much to say.which most who know me will say is a miracle but I haven't watched the news for ages and have kept pretty quite. Tonight I am trying to write some more poetry and my book but nothing comes to mind so I will continue with the struggle -
I wonder
2 Jul 2009 | 1:00 amEverything changes but does it really? Over the last few months I have not been quite myself and I have had to slow down a bit which has given me time to ponder on life's little quirks. The conclusions I have come to are really not that amazing, just so obvious. I still wonder what would have happened to me if I had still been homeless and using drugs. What would I be doing now? Would I have died and be buried in a paupers grave? Are there better days to come? These questions would never have entered my head a couple of years ago. I still think not much has changed though. I still do some of… -
The Honorable
1 Jun 2009 | 3:47 amAm I right when I think that when MPs are in the houses of parliament that the speaker calls them the right honorable whoever it is from such a place. The question I wanted to ask after the expenses row was. was it the honorable thing for for so many MPs to do. I as a member of the public just didn't want to hear we did nothing wrong because it was in the rules. What I wanted to hear was that it wasn't the honorable thing to do and apologise. We trust our MPs to be beyond reproach and it doesn't matter what their back ground or where they come from but when it comes to decisions we trust them… -
Back to the issue of homelessness
9 May 2009 | 8:34 pmWell, it's been a while since I wrote anything useful so I'll keep this short and simple. Many of you folk think homelessness is now less of an issue because you only see a few people sleeping rough or walking the streets late at night. The funny thing is there are still quite a number of homeless people and we don't see them because they now hide away at night, so they wont be woken up by police or anyone who will ask them to move on. The other thing is that homelessness is now a wider issue. It doesn't cover people just sleeping rough anymore. Now its about people who are stuck in hostels… -
Still on about homelessness years later
26 Mar 2009 | 8:37 amSince I became a member of the nearly normal society brigade. I have had several interviews and things concerning homelessness and every year it I am still writing the same old thing and still talking about ways to tackle homelessness. Strange as it might sound but it’s true. The question of homelessness is an unrelenting issue.I now am asking has being homeless become a minor crime because it does seem to be as council after council try to stop people sleeping on the streets. I have to admit to the ingenious tactics they have used ( why can’t they use the same logic on the state of…
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Homeless Man Speaks
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Lefty laid low by loneliness
29 Jun 2009 | 2:11 pmTONY “My friend Lefty died on Thursday last week. You know, he’s the one who was homeless and was in front of the Beer Store over on Dundas. Man, there were tears that came to my eyes when I heard about him. I want to pass on my sincerest condolences to everyone in his family. You know, in a way, Lefty died from loneliness.” Tagged: Beer Store, condolences, death, Lefty, loneliness, Merle Haggard, Pancho and Lefty, sincerity, Willie Nelson -
That road not taken
25 Jun 2009 | 5:19 pmPHILIP “Where were you yesterday? I thought you said you were going to be here.” TONY “I was down at St. Joe’s with heat stroke …. one minute I’m crossing that overpass, the next I remember was being in the ambulance. The paramedic told me they found me on the sidewalk, which was good since I’d have been run over if I’d been on the road.” Tagged: ambulance, climate change, global warming, heat stroke, hospital, paramedic, Robert Frost, Scott Peck -
Flower power
23 Jun 2009 | 12:01 pmTONY “Hey Phil, look what a lady just gave me. Nice, eh?” Tagged: carnation, flower, flowerpower, gift, power -
Why
17 Jun 2009 | 9:05 amPHILIP “Would you say that you’ve ended up homeless because of your own decisions?” TONY “Sure but we all know that I’m making some big simplifications when I say that. Even with me, things can get pretty complicated, if you know what I mean.” Tagged: billiards, complexity, decisions, meaning, newtonian physics, responsibility, why -
Eye of the beholder
16 Jun 2009 | 2:42 pmTONY “I feels like summer today.” Tagged: beholder, double-slit experiment, e=mc^2, eye, feeling, light, Molly Bawn, particles, photons, relativity, summer, waves
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Union Rescue Mission
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Vacation Bible School at URM!!
2 Jul 2009 | 7:00 amFor 5 straight days Crossroads Community Church of Santa Clarita blessed Union Rescue Mission and Hope Gardens kids with a Vacation Bible School. Each day 15 volunteers led the children in all kinds of activities to learn about God, including worship songs, crafts, story time, and games. With so much summertime fun the kids were sad to see our Crossroads partners leave…and so were their parents! Thank you, Crossroads, for blessing our children and bringing light to their lives! -
A Typical Saturday at URM?
1 Jul 2009 | 5:16 pmMy plan for last Saturday was to meet one of my Facebook Friends and her group who had offered to bring a tremendous dinner to our 5th floor families and men living in our 5th floor transitional housing. They were coming to serve the dinner on our fantastic URM rooftop with a 360 degree view of all of LA County and beyond. At 3:30, I arrived to set-up, only to be alerted that a gentleman was having a violent seizure in our guest area. I rushed in to assist and joined my long time friend, former All-American Football player, Gene — formerly homeless, now new employee. Gene and I worked… -
CLDP Men’s Graduation
30 Jun 2009 | 10:02 amOn Sunday, June 28th Union Rescue Mission recognized 23 men for their commitment to a restored life and the completion of our 12 month Christian Life Discipleship Program. Our chapel was filled with love from proud family, friends, and mentors as our graduates were celebrated for their accomplishment! We thank Key Note Speaker, Keith Phillips of World Impact, for his inspiring words and musical guest, Carol Picott, for her moving performance. Excerpt from program: The Christian Life Discipleship Program helps program participants in discovering their true self as created in the image… -
URM on CNN! One Inspirational Teenager!
25 Jun 2009 | 10:09 amMany inspiring individuals have found refuge at Union Rescue Mission, including 17 year-old, Kenneth Chancey. Currently staying on the Mission’s 5th floor, this high-achieving and diligent young man is determined to change his circumstances. He’s got his eyes locked on the road to a brighter future, starting with Harvard University. Taken from the CNN.com story – Click here for the full story LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) — Kenneth Chancey, 17, walks down the littered streets of Skid Row, one of the roughest areas of Los Angeles. Drug deals are made around him. A man… -
Men’s Graduation and Key Note Speaker, Dr. Keith Phillips
22 Jun 2009 | 11:05 amIt’s graduation time at Union Rescue Mission. On Sunday, June 28th, 2009 at 3pm we are recognizing the hard work and dedication of our program men to a transformed life. Our men have successfully completed their year long commitment to URM’s Christian Life Discipleship Program. We are so proud of you, Graduates! At Sunday’s graduation ceremony, Union Rescue Mission is excited to welcome key note speaker, Dr. Keith Phillips. Dr. Phillips is President of World Impact where he supervises inner-city ministries in 11 cities and 4 camps. He is a dynamic Christian leader…
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Los Angeles Times - FULL COVERAGE: Homeless in America
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Some veterans of recent wars find homelessness at home
29 Jun 2009 | 12:00 amSoldiers returning from the Middle East end up on the street and have trouble coping with a return to civilian life. It was, back then, a joke Luis Pinto shared with his Army buddies in Iraq. As they were all eating food out of tin cans, living out of rucksacks, moving constantly from place to place, Pinto cracked, "If I become homeless, I'm ready." -
CALIFORNIA BRIEFING
26 Jun 2009 | 12:00 amReports from Malibu, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles and the region MALIBU -
Lost for 12 years, a prodigal father is found
21 Jun 2009 | 12:00 amLoving friends and family embrace Eddie Dotson, who lived on an L.A. sidewalk The e-mails arrived in March, within an hour of one another -- one from New York City, the other from Austin, Texas. -
New housing projects for homeless go beyond basic shelter
25 Apr 2009 | 12:00 amNew apartment complexes in downtown L.A.'s skid row offer homes that feel safe, encourage healing and look good. It's the day before the grand opening of the Abbey Apartments, where 113 formerly homeless men and women will try to rebuild 113 broken lives. Mike Alvidrez, executive director of the Skid Row Housing Trust, swings through the sunny courtyard, shows off the TV lounge, then climbs to the fifth floor sun deck where striped patio umbrellas sway in the afternoon breeze. In the distance: a panorama of the downtown L.A. skyline that would make most loft dwellers envious. -
Upward Bound House gives homeless families a new home
25 Apr 2009 | 12:00 amVolunteers redesign apartments for each new family. Here at Upward Bound House , extreme makeovers are happening every month -- just without Ty Pennington, the cameras or the network TV budget.
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Homeless Tales
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Near The End Of Life As We Know It
2 Jul 2009 | 12:43 pmLife, as we know it, that is, in the way most people have structured their reality, begins with a place to live, usually a house, which becomes central. Everything else depends on that: owning a lawn mower, having pets, insurance policies, the dining room set, even having children. And it is difficult to imagine any [...] -
My Only Concern
20 Jun 2009 | 2:10 pmI became homeless the day my father fucked me up my ass. I believe this. How can I not believe that? If a boy can be raped by his father and still believe he has a home then what does “home” really mean? So that happened when I was around 8 or so. It took a [...] -
Lust Exhaustion Om
20 Jun 2009 | 2:09 pmI have, for a long time, focused on spiritual concerns. I remember meditating quite often when I was in High School and I also remember doing yoga at an even younger age. I have no idea what was the original inspiration for my interest in yoga? Perhaps my inherent divinity? Or a cool ad in some [...] -
My Dharma and My Homelessness
17 Jun 2009 | 2:59 pmSo I have been meditating twice a day, at the very least, for a month now and it has been life changing. I was inspired to do this after I met a fellow at a cafe and had a great discussion with him. We were sitting next to each other and just started talking, the [...] -
Twitter’s Transatlantic Homeless Love Match
10 Jun 2009 | 3:52 pmThey say truth is stranger than fiction. We have already seen some remarkable events unfold on Twitter including international breaking news stories such as the Hudson river plane crash and a revolution in Moldova. Romance is nothing new either, there have already been a number of marriage proposals taking place in full public view on [...]
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Stone Soup Station
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Ricky Lee Morgan: "23 years in prison."
30 Jun 2009 | 4:11 amSay it with me now: "Good riddance to bad rubbish!" This man, like all those who are labeled "homeless" by the press and media, has blackened the eyes of all the good, honest, upright but down on their luck individuals experiencing homelessness out there and deserves to spend every second of that sentence behind bars and electric fences.... Homeless man to serve 23 years for park rape June 30, 2009 A man convicted of raping a young woman in Bicentennial Mall has been sentenced to serve 23 years in prison. Ricky Lee Morgan, who was homeless, pleaded guilty in May to the… -
"No wrongdoing in homeless camp clean up"
29 Jun 2009 | 4:42 amHappens all the time, all around the country, and folks in the camps have little, if any, recourse. Nice to see the ACLU at least tried to get something done.....Colo. Springs police: No wrongdoing in homeless camp clean up; ACLU declines commentBy Associated Press 7:49 PM MDT, June 28, 2009COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — Colorado Springs police say an internal probe found no wrongdoing by officers overseeing the city's clean up efforts at homeless camp sites. Homeless advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union of Colorado claim people at the sites were threatened with… -
"The move to clean up Oahu's beaches began nearly three years ago in an effort to reclaim them and parks for use by the general public."
29 Jun 2009 | 4:36 amHmmmm....living carefree on a beach in Hawaii? Sounds like most folks' lifelong dream! About to become a nightmare for most folks tho, I'm afraid.... Homeless Warned To Leave Beach City Crews Conduct 4-Day CleanupPOSTED: 3:18 pm HST June 28, 2009 HONOLULU -- Honolulu's latest effort to move the homeless off Oahu's beaches is set to continue on the Waianae Coast. City crews are to conduct a four-day cleanup in Nanakuli at an area known as Depots Beach. Notices announcing beach-dwellers must be gone by Monday morning started going up a month ago. Service providers have… -
Are Homeless Parking Meters Returning To Nashville?
29 Jun 2009 | 4:20 amFolks in the know are abuzz about a recent meeting to determine possible locations for parking meters to help the homeless. The idea isn't new to Nashville, but when we tried this before, I've been told that we didn't plan it well, didn't choose the location correctly, and raised about enough money to pay for one car to park downtown for about 15 minutes. But the folks behind this effort have been watching Denver's successful implementation with interest, especially after learning that Denver is pulling in about $90k a year off those meters, and that money is being used to fund services and… -
One Man Army
29 Jun 2009 | 4:06 amI've been watching a new outreach worker in Nashville with some interest. He's been working as a volunteer, attached to no agency in particular, demanding of all of them to put their money and their resources where their mouths are, and bringing in one person at a time for help in getting off the streets. I've begun calling him "Outreach Man" and he's becoming a formidable force on the streets of Nashville simply because of his kindness and generosity in assisting those who want desperately to leave the street but have no idea how, nor the resources to get them to those who can lend a…
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Car Camper Homeless Blog
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Quick Survey
1 Jul 2009 | 9:24 amI want to improve my site. While I get ideas about what is and what isn't popular by watching my logs and seeing what people are reading and what they spend less time on, I really want to tune things a bit better than that. So, in this post, I've set up a short, and I do mean short, survey which I hope you will take the time to fill out. It's easy! There are only thirteen questions, nine of which are just selecting a radio button! None of your private information will be used by me or anyone else to spam you, in fact, no one else will ever have access to it. Fill out my Wufoo form! -
Find Your iPhone, A Fable By Apple, Inc.
28 Jun 2009 | 6:54 pmOnce upon a time, my iPhone was stolen. I went to my mobile me account, tried to locate and was told the phone was off. Looked at the page, saw a couple other options, one to put a message on the phone--what would I say to the thief that would be useful--one to delete my personal information. At this point everything seemed logical and the minor warning was easily overlooked, I mean, after all, why would deleting files on the iPhone stop it from being locatable? Like many users, I failed to read carefully enough, the headlines were all I needed. This was an Apple product and an Apple web… -
iPhone Stolen - A Tragedy
27 Jun 2009 | 2:31 pmI made myself a promise over a month ago that I would stop going to the various non-medical homeless services offered here in San Diego. These places are insidious. Wait here, wait there, sing hymns here, even though you are not of that faith and don't want to be, wait a week for this, three weeks for that, first Thursdays from 1-1:15 for that, seventeenth Tuesdays of Octember for that, breakfast from 8 AM to 11 AM, no, not a range, that's how long you will loose in order to eat, you must get your chair at 8 AM and by the time the religious service ends and you are served food and… -
BACKGROUND: Health Problems Leading to My Homelessness
27 Jun 2009 | 1:47 pmUnlike, I admit, the vast majority of the homeless on the streets of San Diego, I am something of a rarity. Besides myself, I only know of two others among the hundreds of homeless I've come to meet and in some cases know, who are looking actively and continuously for work. Being homeless with health problems at fifty-one years of age in this depressed economy makes the job hunt a bit of a problem. Health problems, you ask? I am handicapped. I suffer from horrible Neuropathy that affects both my legs and hands. My legs are numb to the touch but horribly painful from the… -
Canning Thievery
27 Jun 2009 | 11:57 amWas sitting in front of the Neil Good Day Center in San Diego when some activity across the street caught my attention. I took out my iPhone and shot the following photos which I've turned into a slideshow with music. Enjoy!
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the 13th juror
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Police officer quits after he slashed homeless man's bike tires
1 Jul 2009 | 12:08 pmA police officer resigned this morning from the Tarpon Springs Police Department after an internal investigation determined that he slashed the bicycle tires of a homeless man.Officer Jeffrey Robinson had retaliated for the homeless man's use of racial slurs Jan. 28 as Robinson was taking him to the Pinellas County Jail, the internal report said.A video captures Robinson, who is black, going into a police storage room and rolling the bicycle out on Feb. 8. Moments later, it shows him wheeling a wobbly bicycle back into the storage room.Robinson, 52, admitted to slashing the tires in… -
Teen convicted of killing homeless man
1 Jul 2009 | 11:51 amA jury took less than two hours to convict an Abilene teenager of murder in the beating death of a homeless man in 2007.Sixteen-year-old Michael Martinez Jr. could face up to life in prison.Eric McMahon, 48, was killed when he was hit by cinder blocks and kicked.Defense attorney David Thedford told the jury that Martinez acted out of fear of another man who he said threatened him and had a gun.Prosecutor Joel Wilks told the jury that no one else saw a gun and said a witness testified that Martinez laughed as he kicked and hit McMahon.Read the Abilene Reporter-News article here. -
City Hall garden feeds the homeless
28 Jun 2009 | 6:17 pmUrsula Sheffel helps harvest an early crop of vegetables, planted in front of Baltimore City Hall, for delivery to a homeless resource center.The vegetable gardens planted around Baltimore's War Memorial Plaza in front of City Hall have produced more than 1,500 pounds of vegetables for the kitchens of Our Daily Bread, which feeds the homeless."We have an opportunity to do something right here in front of City Hall," Mayor Sheila Dixon said. "We have a chance to lead by example and to inspire residents, to show that in an urban environment you can still maintain healthy eating."Read the… -
An invisible woman will be laid to rest
28 Jun 2009 | 8:45 amFor most of her adult life, 48-year-old Marcia Powell was invisible. Then she died, and slowly came into view.Powell had been in and out of jail for decades, unable to overcome mental illness. She roamed the streets and had been in and out of jail for decades.After offering oral sex to an undercover police officer in exchange for a few dollars, Powell found herself in what has become one of Arizona's largest de facto mental-health facilities -- state prison. Then she was placed in a cage-like outdoor enclosure at the prison and left to cook for four hours.There she fell into a coma and… -
It's okay to sleep on the beach again
27 Jun 2009 | 9:02 amPolice will no longer arrest, cite or harass people under state law for sleeping in public places in Laguna Beach, California, as long as there are no public health or safety concerns.In settling a lawsuit, the city also agreed to “seal, expunge or destroy” citations that were written, and convictions obtained, under the city’s own “anti-sleeping” ordinance. Key portions of that ordinance were repealed after the lawsuit was filed December.“This settlement agreement ... is one more important step toward decriminalizing homelessness in Laguna Beach,” said Hector Villagra of the…
