YouTube Dedicates Homepage To Homelessness On Sunday, August 22

Activist and frequent HuffPost blogger Mark Horvath has dedicated years of his life to telling stories of the homeless through video (and an active twitter account @hardlynormal).

Despite an active following, Horvath's message hasn't quite made it into the mainstream. That'll change this Sunday, when Horvath will be taking over YouTube's homepage "with videos that smash stereotypes about America's most forgotten citizens."

Videos from Horvath's blog and YouTube channel, InvisiblePeople.tv, will be featured on the front page for 24 hours to expose the humanity of the tens of thousands many Americans ignore every day.

Horvath's passion is palpable even via e-mail (his signature reads "Chief Evangelistic Officer, Do-Gooder and Loud Mouth"). Perhaps that's because he understands homelessness more than most Americans -- he lived on the streets of Hollywood for years.

The homepage curation comes at the midway point of Horvath's 2010 Road Trip U.S.A. He's traveling to 28 American cities, interviewing homeless individuals every step of the way.

WATCH:

Comments

[Steven Samra]

06:49 AM on 08/26/2010

As the "Godfather" of outreach, I've met a lot of people over the past years, but Mark stood out from all of them! His visit and his immediate assistance to my client here will never be forgotten. This is a HUGE shout out to Mark from the good people of Nashville: we love ya Mark and you're alway welcome here in Music City, my brother!

[shelteranon]

01:56 AM on 08/24/2010

I saw the video and he’s right that there are different versions of homelessness...and what he is doing is noble. But people such as me trying to get a job may be looked down on if we were to appear in a YouTube video.

That’s why I don't publish my name or picture. Because I am a newly homeless person who is in the middle ground where I have skills but they are not enough to get a job now... but they are also plentiful enough that most places don't want to hire me either.

if you really want to help homeless people

Donate your time and teach new job skills to those who need it.

Donate money to medical clinics - people with medical problems are always really tough to help because they require medicine and do not have insurance.

Donate bus passes or money for transportation assistance programs. The shelter I'm at doesn't offer help because there are no funds...i.e. my job search is restricted to my computer use.

Professional clothes that employers and co workers actually wear. I have seen some hidious "work clothing" donations that would only make a MSN Top 10 Things Not To Wear To A Interview list.

www.socalshelterlife.blogspot.com

[tompoe]

09:51 AM on 08/21/2010

It's about time. Keep up the good work, Mark.

[Stephanie Rudat]

02:20 PM on 08/20/2010

Absolutely fantastic! Mark Horvath's creative approach to sharing the faces and stories of the homeless gives everyone watching a reality check - they are just like you and me.