Christine Schanes2013-05-22T21:22:51-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/author/index.php?author=christine-schanesCopyright 2008, HuffingtonPost.com, Inc.HuffingtonPost Blogger Feed for Christine SchanesGood old fashioned elbow grease.Why I Become a Volunteer Coordinator for the 2013 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Counttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2013:/theblog//3.24366442013-01-09T09:15:10-05:002013-03-11T05:12:01-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
homelessness for The Huffington Post. But that's exactly what happened.
In the course of my research, I contacted several lead agencies of Continuums of Care (CoCs) in California to learn about their responsibilities.
As you may know, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
requires each Continuum of Care (CoC), a group of service providers with a lead agency, to conduct a biennial Count during the last ten days of January, of homeless people living within its geographical area. Some CoCs, including the one in San Diego, California, conduct their Counts annually even though they are not required by HUD to do so.
When I called and interviewed representatives of Los Angeles Homeless Services
Authority (LAHSA), the lead agency for the Los Angeles CoC, I learned that the 2013
Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count would take place, January 29 - 31, 2013. I also found out that LAHSA conducts a demographic survey of unsheltered homeless people.
This demographic survey is designed to elicit specific information about homeless
peoples' needs so that helpful services can be identified and provided.
I found a question in one of LAHSA's prior demographic surveys very interesting: Where were you housed when you became homeless?
What a wonderful question! It contains no bias. So simple, so clear, so straight
forward.
As has been shown by answers to this question, the majority of people stayed in Los
Angeles where they were housed when they became homeless.
This question alone made me curious about the kind of people that would compose and include this question within their survey. How fair they must be. In my interviews with LAHSA representatives, I found them to be knowledgeable, bright and compassionate people.
And then one day, I went to their website, www.lahsa.org and found a job opportunity, volunteer coordinator for the 2013 Greater Los Angeles Count. I was so curious about how much I could learn from these amazing people about the Count that I applied for the job.
About a week or so after submitting my online application, I was quite surprised to
receive a call from LAHSA inviting me to Los Angeles for a job interview. I was even
more surprised to be interviewed by four people, two of whom I had previously spoken with in connection with my research on homelessness!
When I was offered the job, I quickly accepted. I was delighted with the prospect of
learning more about the Count from people sincerely dedicated to ending
homelessness.
Having been on the job for several months, I am convinced that I made the right move to LAHSA. Now when I see homeless people, I know we at LAHSA are committed to doing our best to help them. And I feel good about that.
As I walk toward my office every morning, one of the homeless people I see is an older gentleman who I shall call, "Sam," who lives in a box on the sidewalk. As time has gone by, I've become more and more intrigued by this gentle soul.
Each day when I see him I say, "Good morning, Sam. How are you doing?"
"Fine. How are you doing?" he responds with a smile.
A quick but heartfelt exchange between two friends who barely know one another.
When approached about getting into housing, Sam responds that he prefers to be
homeless and not receive services. Really? I believe that his responses are evidence of irrational thinking. So, for right now, all I can do for my friend is to smile, be kind and do my job.
Through my job as one of three volunteer coordinators, I'm helping to recruit some of
the 5,000 volunteers we need to conduct the Count. The results of the Count will help determine who and where homeless people are as well as help in making funding decisions so that homeless people get the housing and services they need.
Of course, I hope volunteers will sign up for the Count at www.TheyCountWillYou.org.
The Count will help homeless people living in Los Angeles, including Sam. When he
receives the services he needs to help him improve his mental health, I believe that
Sam will be more open to accepting an offer of assistance with housing.
What do I get from my job? That's an easy question to answer. From my job, I get to
work with great people, contribute to ending homelessness and expand my compassion for homeless people, like Sam.
Thanks Huffington Post!
I look forward to your comments.
Christine Schanes]]>Calling 5,000 People to Volunteer in Los Angelestag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.22611192012-12-11T11:10:12-05:002013-02-10T05:12:02-05:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
The 2013 Greater Los Angeles Homeless Count, directed by Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA), consists of counting homeless people within the City and County of Los Angeles, excluding Long Beach, Pasadena and Glendale that conduct their own counts. In order to accomplish the nation's largest local census count of homeless people in scale and scope, LAHSA needs 5,000 volunteers. So LAHSA needs you NOW!
Since 1994, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has been soliciting funding applications from communities across the United States through the continuum of care process (CoC). A CoC, a group of service providers with a lead agency within a certain geographical area, serves two purposes:
To develop a long-term strategic plan and manage a year-round planning effort that addresses the identified needs of homeless individuals and households; the availability and accessibility of existing housing and services; and the opportunities for linkages with mainstream housing and services resources...
To prepare an application for McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act (McKinney-Vento) competitive grants.
-- Continuum of Care 101, HUD's Homeless Assistance Programs, June, 2009, p. 3.
The Homeless Emergency Assistance and Rapid Transition to Housing Act of 2009 (HEARTH) has codified the CoC planning process "as a required and integral local function necessary to generate the local strategies for ending homelessness."
HUD mandates that CoCs conduct a biennial point in time (PIT) count of homeless people during the last 10 days of January. Thus, LAHSA, the lead agency for the Los Angeles CoC, is charged with conducting this count.
The importance of the count cannot be overstated. In its 2012 FAQ Sheet, LAHSA sets forth the purpose of the count and why you should volunteer:
You can make an important impact in the lives of homeless men, women and children by volunteering for the Homeless Count 2013. Your contribution goes well beyond your donated time. By knowing who and where homeless people are in Los Angeles County, government agencies and housing and service providers are better able to plan and identify resources to provide vital services to the homeless and ultimately move families and individuals into housing.
By visiting www.TheyCountWillYou.org, you can choose to serve in Los Angeles just once or multiple times in the following capacities:
• Counters, January 29-31, 8 p.m.-12 a.m.
• Trainers, January 29-31, 7 p.m.-10 p.m.
• Deployment Site Coordinators, January 29-31, 6 p.m.-2 a.m.
• Transporting Materials, January 27-February 1, varying times
• Office Volunteers, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-8 p.m., varying hours per day/week
Most needed are counters. If you are over the age of 18, you can volunteer individually or in teams for the count by registering at www.TheyCountWillYou.org.
The count takes place over three nights and one morning as follows:
• Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 8 p.m.-12 midnight, in the San Gabriel Valley and East Los Angeles
• Wednesday, January 30, 2013, 8 p.m.-12 midnight, in West Los Angeles and South Bay
• Thursday, January 31, 2013, 6 a.m.-12 noon, in the Antelope Valley
• Thursday, January 31, 2013, 8 p.m.-12 midnight, in the San Fernando Valley/Santa Clarita Valley, Metro Los Angeles and South Los Angeles
As indicated at www.TheyCountWillYou.org, if you sign up as a counter you can choose from a number of deployment centers where you will be fully trained and return after counting. You will receive a tract map of the specific area in which you will count and a tally sheet upon which to indicate the homeless people that you see. Light refreshments will be served at the deployment centers.
When you register at www.TheyCountWillYou.org, you will create a user name and password, and indicate whether you are part of an existing team or wish to create your own team.
Once registered, you may later modify or add to your choices by going back to www.TheyCountWillYou.org, entering your user name and password and then making any changes.
LAHSA is currently developing special incentives to encourage volunteers. For example, LAHSA is offering an organization from which 10 or more people volunteer the opportunity to have its logo posted on the Count's website. Please visit www.TheyCountWillYou.org for additional incentives as they become available.
In addition to the incentives offered by LAHSA, I believe as a volunteer, you will experience personal satisfaction knowing that by volunteering in the count you are helping homeless people who will receive services through the programs that rely upon the results of the count for funding. I further believe this satisfaction is the result of the exercise of our inner quality of compassion that expands every time we help a person in need.
To find out more about LAHSA, please visit www.LAHSA.org.
If you don't live in Los Angeles, you can still volunteer for the count. Also, there may be a volunteer opportunity available in a count happening near you. While HUD mandates that the count takes place on a biennial basis, some areas, like San Diego, conduct their counts on an annual basis.
I believe in the importance of the count so much that I moved to Los Angeles to become one of LAHSA's three volunteer coordinators for the count.
Please get involved. Let's all count and do our part to end homelessness by helping to assure that homeless people get the services they need.
I look forward to your comments. Thank you.
Christine]]>Homelessness Myth #25: Here a Homeless, There a Homelesstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.19531012012-10-10T13:07:46-04:002012-12-10T05:12:02-05:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
In fact, the lives of hobos were romanticized through movies, including Emperor of the North, staring Lee Marvin and Ernest Borgnine.
Today, the fastest growing segment of the homeless population is families, including single mothers with their children. I don't know anyone who believes that families choose a homeless lifestyle. There is nothing free and easy about their homelessness. And there are no romantic movies being made about their plight.
However, we housed people now often refer to homeless people by the adjective, "homeless" as if by losing their homes, people lose their humanity and become defined and classified by their economic status. We've all read, heard and maybe even said, "There's a homeless."
There's a "homeless" what? A homeless dog? A homeless cat? A homeless person?
I believe that this practice of referring to people merely by the use of the adjective, "homeless," dehumanizes them. I recommend that we put a noun after the adjective, "homeless," such as, "homeless man," "homeless woman," "homeless youth," "homeless child."
Our choice of language is important for ourselves and for the people about whom we are speaking because it reminds us that we have a shared humanity and that realization can awaken our compassion.
We don't refer to housed people by their economic status. For example, have your ever heard or said, "Oh, there's a housed."
But, we do say, "Oh, there's a homeless."
My question is: Why does it matter to us whether people have a home or don't when we're talking about them?
Recently, a security guard friend of mine showed up with a bandage around the fingers of his right hand.
"What happened?" I inquired.
"When I was standing outside the store I patrol, I told a 'homeless' that he had to move along. When I grabbed his shirt, he grabbed my thumb and it got bent backward."
I wished my friend well and I've being thinking about our conversation ever since.
Aside from the fact that perhaps my friend should not have grabbed the person's shirt, I wondered about his use of language.
Why did it matter that the person he was trying to move along was homeless? Why couldn't he have just described the person as a man?
Upon reflection, I believe that my friend's language is common usage today. Watch for it and see if you agree. In even the most casual of conversations, some of us say something like, "A homeless' did this," "'A homeless' did that," or "There's a 'homeless'."
I believe that there are a number of reasons for our choice of language. At some psychological level, perhaps, we may be angry with homeless people whom we believe have failed to live up to what society requires of them to be housed.
We may also resent that homeless people are living off the benefits of society that we housed people have supplied.
And, perhaps the most prevalent reason for our choice of language is that we may be afraid that, pretty much like feelings of old about cancer, if we speak about homelessness we might "catch it" and become homeless ourselves.
Of course, homelessness is not catching, but in this economic climate many of us, dare I say, most of us are one paycheck away from becoming homeless ourselves. Economic instability creates a great deal of fear in us.
I'm no psychologist, but it seems to me that we are unconsciously transferring our fear of homelessness from ourselves to the visual presentation of our fear, homeless people.
What do you think?]]>Thank You for Helping Susan Hunttag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18740332012-09-13T17:26:49-04:002012-11-13T05:12:01-05:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
In the accident, Susan hit her head and suffered severe brain trauma. She was on life-support at Scripps Hospital until September 4th, when, following her previously stated wishes, extraordinary measures were removed. Within 15 minutes thereof, Susan died peacefully.
Although she was housed when she passed, Susan had been homeless for over 10 years. Susan's progress from homelessness was the combined result of her great personal determination and the compassionate efforts of many people and agencies.
Our Center for Justice and Social Compassion (CJSC) helped her get her essential identification documents and many basic services.
Sally Dunn and the entire staff at SD County Mental Health provided invaluable services.
Susan received much needed support at Rachel's Women's Center.
David Ross, The Waterman, was a dear friend and supporter of "Mo" (Susan's nickname).
In December 2010, through the efforts of Bob McElroy and the Alpha Project, Susan became a resident of the Winter Shelter.
At that facility, Susan was assisted by many agencies, including Townspeople, Friend to Friend and many more.
Susan received HPRP funding and was housed for a year. She then received funding for an additional year of housing, now in its fourth month, from the SD Housing Commission.
Susan had many friends, housed and unhoused, and we will all miss this gentle lady.
We thank everyone who was a part of Susan's life.]]>Homelessness: The Children of Hawaii Singtag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18525672012-09-05T14:36:05-04:002012-11-05T05:12:01-05:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
Some of the children share their thoughts on homelessness:
"There's always something you can do." - KA
"If homeless people have no homes, we will build a home for them. We will help the kids get an education. We will help the adults to get jobs so they can make money." - KK
"One person can make a big difference, so give the stuff you don't need to a homeless shelter." - CP
"In the future I will stand up and talk to one city, two cities, three cities, or four cities. I don't care how many cities I go to, I only care about changing the world." - MB
"If we can all work together, we can do much more than you think." - AA-T
"What I know about some homeless people is that they talk to themselves sometimes, and that is because they don't have people to talk to." - KS
"I think everyone should have a home and a family. People in Africa and other parts of the world are hungry and eat from garbage cans, and drink dirty, polluted water. These people deserve fresh water and good food. They deserve it from the second they were homeless and/or hungry. It's not their fault." - LC
As Matt generously says, "The idea to compose 'Dream What Could Be Done' came from this blog." Matt posted the link to "Singing to the World" on a blog I had written about the Dalai Lama. I responded with enthusiasm and asked Matt if he could create a song and music video about homelessness.
Matt Glickstein is a songwriter and musician born and raised on O'ahu, Hawaii. His goal has always been trying to help people through music, the universal language. After ten years of writing many different kinds of songs, he found what he loves most by creating Songs For a Better World at http://www.mattglickstein.com/store.cfm.
The project started as an ordinary poetry assignment by LHES fourth grade teacher Sandy Patterson, who has personally supported our efforts, and turned it into something much, much more. First, through the creative energy inspired by writing about peace, the poems became lyrics. Then, with the help of Glickstein, the song, "Singing to the World" was born. The children's passion inspired ukulele virtuoso Jake Shimabukuro to accompany them in a music video.
As a post-script to this article, Matt informs me, "On September 21st, the Maui County Council is going to present the Lanai Class of 2020 with a resolution honoring the work they've done, including the 'Singing to the World' video, which was played at two events honoring His Holiness the Dalai Lama in April of this year, and 'Every Day is Earth Day,' which won two contests, including one national contest."
Congratulations Lanai High and Elementary School (LHES) Fifth Grade Class of 2020 and Matt! And thank you for your wonderful, inspiring and compassionate songs!
I look forward to your comments.
Thank you,
Christine
"Songs For a Better World," in CD format now and DVD in the near future, are available for sale on the website http://www.mattglickstein.com as well as iTunes. ]]>Homelessness: My Friend Bobbytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.18306462012-09-04T18:35:39-04:002012-11-04T05:12:01-05:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
After run-ins with the law, Bobby found Jesus and changed his attitude about life. Although he may not have often attended formal services, Bobby spoke about how important Christian values were to him.
He also had a sense of humor about himself. Tattoos from his earlier beliefs covered his torso, both legs and arms. He knew that the sight of his tattoos sometimes caused people to be afraid of him.
Bobby would explain to me, "That person is afraid of me because of my tattoos." He knew that there was nothing to be afraid of because he did his best to act according to Christian beliefs.
I would tell Bobby that it was a shame that people were afraid of him because I knew him so differently. In response, he just smiled.
Bobby would tell me about his life in the riverbed. He prided himself on having created a home around his 18-inch foam mattress bed that supported his pain-tortured body. Although he had made friends with many people in positions of authority, one day when he was gone, someone cleared out his "home." Bobby was devastated: "Where will I go? Why did they do this to me? What can I do now?"
Bobby was very respectful of me. Although he walked with a cane, he always managed to hold doors open for me so I could precede him as we walked into buildings.
My friend was also contrary. When I said, "red," he would say, "blue." One day, I asked Bobby why he was so contrary.
"What do you mean?" Bobby asked.
"Well, when I say, 'red,' you say, 'blue.'"
Smiling Bobby said, "You mean 'chartreuse.'" See what I mean -- always contrary.
Bobby was brilliant and very logical. For example, one day I made an appointment to meet Bobby at a convenience store between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. I had a noon appointment elsewhere and felt that range of time would give me the flexibility I needed to meet him.
However, an unexpected change in that noon appointment allowed me to arrive at the convenience store promptly at 1 p.m. And I was sitting there for over two hours when up strolled Bobby.
My patience worn thin, I exclaimed to Bobby, "Where have you been? I've been here for two hours and 15 minutes waiting for you."
Calmly, Bobby replied, "You said to be here between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. It's 3:15pm. I'm 15 minutes late."
Upon reflection, I could see that I created the wait for myself by not giving a specific time for our meeting. So I said to Bobby, "Well, next time I'll just pick a specific time to meet, like 3 p.m."
"That's fine," he said. "I'll be there by 3:15pm."
Our exchange still makes me chuckle.
Apparently, Bobby had promised his late wife that he would put roses on her grave. His wife, Robyn, died in 2006. Six years later, he still wore his wedding band.
Although Bobby was unable to fulfill this promise, several kind people at hospice were able to locate the tiny cemetery in a remote part of Georgia where Robyn is probably buried. We will need to investigate a little further, but I'd like to see if we can honor Bobby by putting roses on Robyn's grave.
To Bobby, I say, "Rest In Peace, Dear Friend."]]>Homelessness: Love, Sex, Companionshiptag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17690252012-08-13T17:39:39-04:002012-10-13T05:12:11-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
- His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, Ethics for the New Millennium
In the above quotation, His Holiness points out the importance of having positive relationships with other people. Among the positive ways we may relate to others is through love, intimacy and companionship.
But, do homeless people have these relationships? I asked homeless people about this topic and I thank them for their responses that follow.
Anonymous, 49 years old: "We all need all three of these -- love, sex and companionship. But, getting one of the above works for the moment."
Darleen, 44 years old: "You've got your topic wrong. Companionship should be first, then love then sex. That's the right order.
Recently, somebody parked his van near me and asked me to go with him. I said, 'No.' Then he hit me upside the head and he left. I was dazed. I took off. I didn't report the violence to the police because I have a warrant."
Josh, 19 years old: "I'm a gang member. And I lost my best friend to a gang shoot-out eight days ago in South East San Diego. He was 19 years old and he was like my brother. The people who killed him were from another South East San Diego gang.
Yesterday, I was sitting on the beach and talking to two gentlemen who were older, in their 20s. It turned out that these two gentlemen were from the gang that killed my friend.
When I found this out, I wasn't sure what to do -- should I show them love or hate them. I chose to be neutral to them -- that was the choice I made.
I try to look at the positives of life. I just hope that anybody who loses a friend or family member due to non-natural causes can open their eyes and learn from the tragedy that it's all about your decision whether you choose to hate or love."
Vido, 30 years old: "Companionship -- you find people in the same state as you are in so you tend to congregate.
I really wouldn't call the homeless people I hang out with, "friends." I wouldn't put my life in their hands and vice versa. But, at the same time, we look out for one another. See this stuff here [pointing to backpacks and blankets on the ground] -- no one is going to touch it because there is always someone looking after it.
As far as making friends, people are always coming and going. There's no time to make friends and keep in touch. It's not like you're going to develop a lifelong friendship."
Adam, 29 years old: "I think love and companionship are one and the same for me. The qualities you expect when you love someone are the same qualities you want in a companion. And it's when you would do anything for someone. When your very existence depends upon the reaction of the other person. That's what I believe."
Roy, 41 years old: "My wife, Diana, and I started seeing each other in New York when we were kids. We were together for 22 years. Diana served as an E-6 in the Navy, but she received an honorable discharge because she had breast cancer.
Five months ago, I came to San Diego to bury Diana in Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery. She was 31 years old. I love her very much and I miss her.
I'm homeless now because I don't want to go back to our home in New York and smell her clothes.
I haven't sought counseling because there's been so much death in my family and I've always handled it on my own. [However,] I've been feeling kind of reckless since losing my wife and because of my health issues. I have Stage 4 colon cancer and pancreatic and lung lymphomas."
Codi, 18 years old: "When you're on the street, love is hard to find. But I figure that love is not found, it comes in time.
But, if you do find love out here, the bond will be stronger than most because it's not just about the sex when things are said and done. It's whether they will be there by your side when no one else will and whether they will sleep next to you in a ditch."
Grace, 53 years old: "Since I've been living this lifestyle, I've been celibate for five years. When I first started living this lifestyle, there was something inside me that wanted companionship -- mostly because I was afraid to travel by myself.
But within six months of me living a traveling lifestyle, I went with a backpack to Thailand, India and Nepal. I realized that if I could do that alone, I could do anything alone!
After several months back in the United States, I got very sick and ended up in the hospital in Ashland, Oregon. When I got out of the hospital, people who would not have been attractive to me before were suddenly attractive because I was in a place of weakness and I wanted someone there for me.
That was an eye-opening experience for me. I realized that that place of weakness was the place from which I entered every relationship I had ever had. I decided that I did not want to be with anyone until I could heal myself or whatever was in me that was broken. So if I have a relationship again, I want it to come from strength. And I want someone who will bring something to my life. I haven't met anyone like that yet.
Of course, at 53 years old, living in a vehicle and traveling, I'm not sure how great my odds are of finding someone worthy. Now, I have a dog. He's a great companion."
I look forward to your comments.
Thank you,
Christine]]>Homelessness: Man's Inhumanity to Mantag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17495932012-08-07T16:43:25-04:002012-10-07T05:12:03-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
For example, there are municipal ordinances in many cities prohibiting sleeping on public land, including beaches and parks. On the positive side, these laws protect public property from overuse -- an important goal so that members of these communities can continue to share open spaces. However, homeless people may experience the impact of these laws as depriving them of a legal place to sleep.
The truth is that no city of which I am aware has adequate housing/shelter beds for its homeless population. Without available housing, many homeless people remain unsheltered.
At night unsheltered homeless people need to sleep somewhere, be it on public property or private property. Sleeping on private property is prohibited by the law of trespass, therefore, it is not a legal option for homeless people.
When cities enact ordinances prohibiting the sleeping upon public land, they remove the last opportunity for unsheltered homeless people to sleep legally. The result of these ordinances is that the police are authorized to issue illegal lodging tickets upon people who are sleeping on public property but who have no other place to sleep.
Of course, sleep is essential for the physical and mental health of all human beings. Without sleep, unsheltered homeless people cannot function at optimum level. But by sleeping on public property, they may be subjected to ticketing for illegal lodging and their consequences.
So, weighing the pros and cons of municipal ordinances that prohibit sleeping on public property, we can contrast the goal of protecting public lands from overuse with the potential negatives on unsheltered human beings who will be denied a legal place to sleep. It appears to me that the negatives outweigh the positives on this issue.
A number of cities have passed municipal ordinances that prohibit the charitable giving of food. They often feel that Good Samaritans who freely distribute food are encouraging homeless people to come to these cities and may even be encouraging people to become homeless so they can receive free food.
Without free food, homeless people often go hungry and have insufficient vitamin intake thereby potentially suffering impaired physical and mental well-being. As many doctors know, starvation is one of the most challenging medical conditions for human beings. Hunger hurts.
It is my opinion that the consequences of municipal ordinances prohibiting the charitable giving of food have a more negative impact upon human beings than positive.
Recently, increasing numbers of cities are passing ordinances prohibiting the sitting on public sidewalks. Among the reasons these cities give to support the passage of these ordinances is that when homeless people sit, they block the sidewalks.
Access to public sidewalks is obviously important, especially when walking may be a more physically and environmentally helpful activity than driving cars.
However, homeless people often have few places to sit. When going about their business, including looking for work, they may need to rest. Public chairs and benches are normally found in parks and beaches that may not be conveniently located. So, they may sit on the public sidewalk.
It seems to me that the impact of prohibiting people from sitting on public sidewalks has more negative consequences by eliminating resting places for human beings than it has positive outcomes.
In addition, there are a number of seemingly small municipal decisions that have major negative consequences upon homeless people, particularly unsheltered homeless people. Take the mid-bench bars that prohibit people from lying flat on bus benches. Often these bars go unnoticed by housed people.
However, in the past, unsheltered homeless people sometimes used these bus benches as safe places to sleep. I recall "The Women of Wilshire" -- the approximately 25 unsheltered senior citizen homeless women who lived on Wilshire Boulevard from 7th to the Palisades Park in Santa Monica. At night, overhead street lights lit the bus benches and The Women of Wilshire used them as beds, hoping that sleeping in a well-lit public place would bode well for their personal safety as they slept.
With the imposition of the mid-bench bars, The Women of Wilshire were no longer able to stretch out and sleep on the bus benches.
Certainly it could be said that the mid-bench bars successfully prevented and prevent unsheltered homeless people from occupying bus benches as beds.
However, I wonder if without available adequate housing, whether denying an unsheltered homeless person some sort of place to sleep is just cruel.
Other apparently neutral decisions on the part of municipalities that can negatively impact homeless people are the cities' landscaping choices. For example, in public parks, grassy areas have sometimes been replaced with bushes so that homeless people cannot recline, even during the day, on the grass.
Of course, there are many municipal ordinances that make great sense in that their positive consequences outweigh the negative. However, in the examples sited above, I believe that these municipal actions create an environment where homeless people are negatively impacted. And reflect man's inhumanity to man.]]>Homelessness Myth #24: They All Frequent Barstag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.17124272012-07-30T12:45:06-04:002012-09-29T05:12:39-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
But do all homeless people really hang out in bars? To answer this question, I asked a number of people who have experienced homelessness whether they frequent bars and, if so, what have their experiences in bars been. I am grateful to them for their answers that follow.
Anonymous, a 49-year-old man who lives in his van: "I don't go into bars. In fact, I don't even like to go into stores so why would I go into a bar?
"Years ago I did go into two bars, but I was asked to leave both bars because I was homeless. I had never been in those bars before. I was asked to leave and I hadn't done anything. I wasn't drunk."
Ami, a 18-year-old woman who is homeless: "I don't drink [alcohol]. I can't. I would if I could, but I can't. I don't drink because I might be pregnant."
Dani, a 25-year-old man who has been housed for two years: "I was homeless right after I got out of the military when I left my wife. I was homeless for 1 ½ years.
"When I was homeless, I went to bars -- all the time. I pretty much lived at the Noodle House.
"I tried to take my friend who is homeless, autistic and of age into a bar. Because he was homeless, the owner sent a waiter to tell us that my friend had to leave. So we all left. We went to another bar.
"Now that I'm housed, I go to bars. It was my birthday yesterday and I think I hit all of them."
Ray-Ray, a 28-year-old man who is homeless: "I was asked to leave a bar because I am homeless. The rich have everything. [They think,] 'the hell with us kids!'
"I'm old enough to do anything, but I can't because I'm homeless. I have a lot of limitations, but I don't give up on anyone."
Joker, a 18-year-old man who is homeless: "Hell yes, I go to bars. I go all day whenever I want to.
"I've never been asked to leave. Once or twice I've seen another homeless person denied service in a bar.
"I've been denied service because I was too drunk when I got to that bar.
"Business is great when a homeless person goes into a bar. There are a lot of kinds of drunks. I'm a funny drunk. I'm one of those drunks that everybody likes."
Scott, a 32-year-old man who is homeless: "I don't go to bars. I haven't been in a bar since Easter Sunday. Before that I would go to bars.
"In San Diego I was asked to leave a bar because I didn't have any money.
"Several times I've seen homeless people asked to leave a bar because they were homeless."
Ronald, a 46-year-old man who is "in-between homes:" "I go to bars, but I don't drink. I go for the music and nightlife. I've been clean of alcohol for 15 years because I didn't want my four sons to be around that.
"I've never been kicked out of a bar for being homeless.
"It's how you dress. And if you don't buy something, they kick you out.
"[By the way,] do they really occupy 2,500 square feet and they don't have a restroom? But, then you still have to buy something. See this bottle of water? I bought it for $2 just so I could use the bathroom.
"I have seen people get kicked out of bars because they're homeless. That's why bars have cover charges -- to keep the homeless out.
"If you have a backpack, you're frowned upon [by the management of bars]."
Justin, a 25-year-old homeless man: "I don't know about homeless people and bars. I don't go to bars. I don't drink."
Terrance, a 36-year-old, self-employed man, homeless three years ago, currently housed: "I don't go to bars. I don't like bars because it's a set up. I can't remember the last time I was in a bar -- maybe 15 years ago.
"I don't even like to drink at ball games because of the kids. It's a mixed signal. Adults drink and the kids are right there seeing it."
Thomas, a 22-year-old, "very homeless" man: "I go to bars now and then. It's a good social place."
Boston James, a 52-year-old homeless man: "I can't afford to drink in bars. I've been homeless since 2000. I've been 86'd from every bar I've tried to get into -- not because I've done something stupid, but because when I became homeless, they no longer wanted my patronage."
Logan, a 50-year-old homeless man: "When I was rich, I used to go to the bars with a $1,000 in one pocket and $800 in the other. I would buy drinks for the house. I was very happy and everyone else was a 'hanger-on.'
"Now [that I am homeless], I don't go to bars anymore."
Grace, a 53-year-old woman who lives in her van: "I don't go to bars. I stay as far away from bars as I can.
"I have seen homeless people being kicked out of coffee shops and restaurants. There's a local coffee shop that opened with the premise that they were going to be a cultural center for Ocean Beach. So they have 'open mic nights' and full-moon drum circles.
"In the beginning homeless people could come in because they're real musicians and could use the open mic.
"But then the coffee shop had complaints and thought that it might lose business of how the homeless people looked.
"So, the store said that the homeless people had to be paying customers.
"Later, even if they were paying customers, homeless people weren't allowed to stay. They were told that they couldn't be there anymore -- they weren't welcome.
"[For example, I know] one young homeless man who is developmentally disabled, homeless, very nice, appears to be very young, and doesn't drink alcohol. Yet, they banned him because he talks to other people and distracts the staff.
"The coffee shop now has a retired police officer to sit in front and keep out the 'trolls,' as he refers to homeless people.
"Most homeless people don't drink in bars. [If they buy alcohol,] they get it from the corner liquor store and then get ticketed for public intoxication."
I look forward to your comments.]]>Homelessness and Hand-to-Hand Combattag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15776562012-06-07T10:53:38-04:002012-08-07T05:12:03-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
To find out why some homeless people fight, I interviewed a 48-year-old man who lives in the streets. I thank him for his candor.
Q: From time to time you fight with people. Why do you fight?
Man: "Mostly I fight because people disrespect me."
Q: What do you mean by disrespect?
Man: "It's when someone slanders me, slanders my name, says things that aren't true in a public forum where everyone else can hear them."
Q: Can you describe your last fight?
Man: "My last fight was caused when someone was standing outside a business and disrupting the community. Certain business people asked me to remove him.
"I tried to remove him nicely. I knew that if he went with me that things would go better for him than if he continued to stay and annoy the business people.
"But he wouldn't listen to my multiple requests for him to leave, so I had to fight him. I had to take him out -- that's the only way I know how -- that's how I fight."
Q: During the fight, what happened?
Man: "The fight? I hit him. He didn't hit me one time. I hit him a couple of times until bystanders broke us up."
Q: When you were young, what were you taught about fighting?
Man: "I was brought up being told that if I let one person disrespect me, then everyone will. It's all about your elders -- you respect your elders. And you don't disrespect anyone."
Q: Are there other examples of when you feel disrespected?
Man: "It's like letting someone steal something from you. If you let one person do it, everyone will do it."
Q: What happens if someone steals from you?
Man: "You take care of it. Otherwise you're 'easy game,' an easy target. Everyone will take advantage of you, if you let them."
Q: You were housed and now you are homeless. Does that make a difference in how you react when you feel are you being disrespected?
Man: "When you're in 'the middle of the road,' people steal things all the time. Homeless people get their stuff stolen all the time. It sucks."
Q: Who steals homeless people's belongings?
Man: "Anyone who wants to. Both housed and unhoused people steal from homeless people. Ha! Homeless people are easy targets."
Q: Have people stolen from you?
Man: "Housed people stole my wheelchair -- twice. They'll steal anything because of their addictions. Everyone has vices. Stealing is just another way of surviving. It is what it is.
"It's just like the cops stealing homeless people's cars -- their homes -- by impounding them.
"But not everyone steals. I was taught not to steal. I don't steal from anyone."
Q: Do you have a general philosophy about life?
Man: "You have to prepare for the worse, expect the best and accept what's in between."]]>Homelessness Myth #23: They Have Too Much Food to Eattag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15545192012-05-30T17:02:38-04:002012-07-30T05:12:13-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
This myth leaves me stunned because I believe its falsehood is obvious. I've had the privilege to work with people in need for over 20 years. Sadly, in all of that time, I have never known a homeless person who was able to eat three healthy meals a day. Really.
As we all know, obesity is an American epidemic. Whether we are housed or homeless, many authorities agree that our diet of high-calorie, unhealthy foods contributes to our obesity. It would appear that many housed people are neither utilizing their kitchens to prepare nutritious foods, nor making healthy food choices at restaurants. Homeless people may have similar nutritional challenges, but for different reasons.
On May 25, 2012, the San Diego County Regional Task Force on the Homeless reported in "A Point-In-Time Assessment of Homelessness In San Diego County -- 2012," that there are a total of 9,641 homeless people within the county. Of this total, 4,374 homeless people are sheltered and often receive their meals from their residential facilities. However, there are at least 5,267 homeless people who are unsheltered and generally live without their own cooking facilities.
Unsheltered homeless people generally eat prepared food that they get from Good Samaritans, at group food service opportunities and, when they have money, from fast food restaurants and/or grocery stores. Pasta, bread and pastries are in abundance. Organic foods as well as raw fruits and vegetables are seldom available. Without healthful foods to eat, homeless people have very few chances of avoiding obesity.
I'm grateful to the following homeless people and service provider for sharing whether they feel that homeless people have too much food to eat.
Annie, an unsheltered homeless person, 45-years-old: "I don't think that homeless people have too much food. We need more fresh veggies, not canned. But that's not easy to get.
"There are a lot of church services, but maybe having food every day would be good. But, we don't have food every day. We're blessed to have what we get."
Jon, 49-years-old, lives in his van: "We never have too much food."
Glyn Franks, a housed person, 62-years-old, founder and president of Second Chances, Bread of Life, and self-described "San Diego's biggest sinner saved by the grace of God:"
"Our goal is to feed the hungry, tend to the sick, visit prisoners and clothe the naked. We feed the hungry... We fulfill the great commission to share the good news by doing the four things I've said to serve the God of love.
"Homeless people don't have enough food. I believe that homeless people don't have proper nutrition because they can't cook. Without cooking facilities, it is difficult to get proper nutrition. Proper nutrition promotes good mental health and the ability to make good decisions.
"I believe that there are also people with roofs that don't have enough food.
"We serve food to homeless people and housed people Saturday mornings, Thursday at high noon and holidays [in and near Ocean Beach]."
Grace, a vegetarian, almost 53-years-old, lives in her van: "Because I have celiac sprue disease, I cannot eat anything that has gluten grains in it -- wheat, rye, oats, barley, spelt. And I'm dairy intolerant... Consequently, most of my money goes to food and dietary supplements.
"Although I have a very limited income, I still feel that it is important to give food to others who need it. Because I'm aware of the need for healthy food and because I'm aware of how little healthy food there is 'out there,' I cook and prepare my meals. Because it is hard to make food for one person, I prepare a lot of food and share it with people who need food. Many homeless people who come to me are vegetarians or need healthy food. So, they are very happy to have this food.
"Most homeless people are suffering from malnutrition because of not eating healthy food... I feel that one of the most important things in life is what we ingest, our food."
John, an unsheltered homeless person, 50-years-old: "For each community, the situation is different. For example, in downtown San Diego, there are limited opportunities to eat indoors. It took me two years to learn where to get food. Several hundred homeless people are usually served at each of the following meals:
• Mondays
The Lutheran Church serves a meal.
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves lunch.
God's Extended Hand serves dinner.
• Tuesdays
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves lunch.
God's Extended Hand serves dinner.
The Salvation Army serves dinner.
• Wednesdays
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves lunch.
God's Extended Hand serves dinner.
• Thursdays
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves lunch.
God's Extended Hand serves dinner.
The Horizon Church serves dinner.
• Fridays
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves lunch.
The Lutheran Church serves a meal.
God's Extended Hand serves dinner.
The Salvation Army serves dinner.
• Saturdays
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves lunch.
• Sundays
Father Joe [St. Vincent de Paul] serves brunch.
Presbyterian Soup Ladle serves a meal.
"It's hard to remember all of this. If you don't know where these meals are, it's difficult. And just to get to some of these places is an effort without a bus pass. It can take an hour to get to a scheduled meal.
"Sometimes you have to stand in line for hours before a meal, after which there is a religious service for an hour or two and then you get to eat. That means it could take a total of 4 to 5 hours out of your day before you can get a meal indoors.
"I don't think homeless people are overfed. My opinion is that there is enough food for some of them to survive. Homeless people are more on the hungrier side than the full side. Going to bed hungry is not a nice thing."
Justin, an unsheltered homeless person, 25-years-old: "This morning I woke up and I didn't know where I was going to eat. I was hungry. I often get hungry. Everyone gets hungry. We, homeless people, are just like everyone else."]]>Homelessness Myth #22: They Have Enough Moneytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15375972012-05-23T18:12:18-04:002012-07-23T05:12:05-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
However, do homeless people really have enough money to get what they need? I think not. For example, one of the most important things that any person needs is government-issued identification. People need this ID for many reasons, including to get a job, housing, food stamps (after the first month), healthcare, a bank account as well as to get married.
In California, there is a schedule of fees for DMV-issued photo ID cards. There is no fee for senior citizens (age 62 or older) to get these IDs. For everyone else, the fee for California photo ID cards is $26. However, this fee can be reduced to $7 when people meet the income requirements of a public assistance program and complete the ferification for Reduced Fee Identification Card form (DL 937) available from a host of governmental or nonprofit programs.
Homeless people under 62 years of age generally qualify for this $7 California reduced-fee photo ID card.
But do homeless people have $7? And if they need to get $7, how do they get it?
Some homeless people work, indeed, sometimes at more than one job. They may "can," meaning they recycle. Some homeless people, including unaccompanied youth, go "spanging," that is, they ask strangers for spare change.
Often they "go signing" or "fly a sign" which means they use a sign indicating their need and request for money. Some musically talented homeless people raise funds by "busking," a term used for playing music for donations.
Homeless artists sometimes solicit donations for their creations. Some homeless people suffering from disabilities may receive money from government programs. And many homeless people involve themselves in any combination of these efforts to raise funds.
I asked the following people whether they had $7 and, if they didn't, how they would raise $7. I am grateful to them for their answers to these questions.
Grace, age 52, lives in her RV
"I have $7. I am frugal. I get disability and supplement it by making jewelry when I can. These are the two ways I get income.
"$7 is very important. You can do a lot of things with $7. To me, $7 means a meal, gas to move the RV, toilet paper or loads of laundry.
"$7 is a new wardrobe for a homeless person. Recently at the $2 Store, I bought a young homeless woman a dress, a pair of shorts, jeans, a T-shirt -- three changes of clothing -- all the clothing that you can carry."
Eric, age 35, homeless
"I don't have $7. To get $7, I have to beg practically all day. I don't 'can' because of germs, it's dirty.
"Also, I make roses and angelfish that I give out for donations. Sometimes I make money, sometimes I don't."
OB Dillon, age "pushing 69," homeless
"I have $7. People give me gifts because they like my guitar playing. That makes me a professional."
Jon, age 49, lives in his van
"I do have $7. To make money, I spange."
Justin, age 25, homeless
"I don't have $7. What I do and what I'd like to do is different. It's really demeaning for me. I have to swallow my pride... It would be nice if there were part-time jobs for the homeless to do."
Manuel, age 30, homeless
"I have no money. I'm just looking for work."
"What would I have to do to get $7? Whatever it takes. I ask around for work. I do yard work. Whatever it takes."
Anonymous, age 40, homeless
"I don't have $7. What would I have to do to get $7? I'd ask someone -- probably have to ask several people. I don't like to do that. I'd rather do some kind of work.
"How long would it take to get $7? It took me one hour to get $12 to go to a Christian rock concert. I had $13, but I didn't realize that the ticket was $25. I just told people why I needed the money and I got it right away.
"Getting money can take a dollar an hour, if you're lucky."
Bobby, age 41, lives in his car
"I always have $7. To get money, I go to work or to the bank. I work for a living, you know."
J.D., age "almost 39," homeless
"Nope, I don't have $7. I make hacky-sacks and in four years [displaying his creation] this is the first one I've made. I haven't eaten for a while so I'm hungry."
Ethan, age 18, homeless
"I do have $7. To get $7 I sit around and make jewelry out of bamboo and sell it. It's pretty much my life right now."
Oasis, age 49, homeless
"I don't have $7. I make a product out of scrap metal. I take the casings of old 50 caliber bullets and 20-millimeter bullets and I make 'peaceful pipes.' I sell them to the public as they walk by. I'm self-employed."
Christiana, age 26, homeless
"I don't have $7. I manage a band named, 'Welcome.' We have our first gig this Thursday at 8pm at Bar 11... It's $5 to get in. We get a split of the door."
Jay, age 25, homeless
"I don't have $7. I'm unemployed. In order to get $7, I'd have to get employed."
Sandy, age 49, homeless
"I have $7 now, but I may not have it by tomorrow. I didn't have a cent to my name yesterday. I was starving. I just asked people on the street for money.
"I get social security but I can't live on that. I was a homeowner. I left my husband."
Erick, age 40, homeless
"I do not have $7. The $7 itself doesn't mean anything to me - it's what I can buy for myself that matters."
Lena, age 29, housed
"I don't have $7. I have $2 in my guitar case.
"To get $7, I would either clean houses or I play the guitar. Most of my income comes from cleaning other people's houses. I stay with my husband in a motel that charges $175 a week for our room."
I look forward to your comments.
Thank you,
Christine]]>Why We Should Care About the Death of Kelly Thomastag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.15082772012-05-14T12:03:07-04:002012-07-14T05:12:04-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/approached by police officers. Approximately 33 minutes later, Kelly was unconscious and taken to the hospital where five days later he was pronounced dead.
What happened in that bus depot parking lot? Can we learn anything from the death of KellyThomas? Why should we care about the death of one homeless person?
We know a great many details of the last minutes of Kelly's conscious life because they were captured on video tapes, including the following video available through YouTube:
On September 21, 2011, Orange County District Attorney Anthony Rackauckas held a press conference and announced that he had brought criminal charges against two of the six Fullerton police officers involved in that meeting with Kelly. Officer Manuel Ramos, 38, was charged with one felony count of second-degree murder and one felony count of involuntary manslaughter. Corporal Jay Cicinelli, 40, was charged with one felony count of involuntary manslaughter and one felony count of use of excessive force. The officers face maximum sentences in state prison of 15 years to life and 4 years, respectively.
During the press conference, Rackauckas said, "The biggest shame about this case is the fact that it could have been avoided. This never had to happen, and it never should have happened." He acknowledged that while in Orange County "we generally trust our law enforcement...[w]e must do everything we can to make sure we protect that trust, including prosecuting police officers if they violate the law."
On May 9, 2012, the preliminary hearing was concluded in this matter and the case against Ramos and Cicinelli was bound over for trial. Arraignment for both defendants was set for May 22.
Earlier, I conducted a phone interview with Rackauckas, a portion of which follows:
Question: Why did you, rather than a member of your staff, conduct the preliminary hearing in the Kelly Thomas case?
Rackauckas: This is a terribly important issue that we have here... Everyone is a stakeholder in it. When did the police act lawfully and when did they cross the line -- this has to be clear. I want it to be very clear to police officers. [The case of Kelly Thomas] is far from the line. On the other hand, it is important for people to know that we have a good police force...I think it's important to convey this message in the clearest way possible.
Question: How do you feel about homeless people?
Rackauckas: I have to say, looking at someone in Kelly Thomas' situation, there is a lot of vulnerability living on the street. Kelly Thomas was shirtless and he had a backpack that was not stolen, it had been discarded.
I don't want to see that, because of someone's vulnerability, that that person gets mistreated. My concern is that the law is followed and is followed by the police in a professional way and does not involve bullying someone. The police have a duty above that.
Question: Are you a compassionate person?
Rackauckas: Sure, I'm a compassionate person. I don't like to see people be hungry.
It's hard to get through [the video tape of Kelly Thomas' interaction with the police]. When I hear Kelly Thomas saying, 'I'm sorry," 'I can't breath,' 'Dad' and later in the tape, 'Daddy,' it's hard to hear.
It's normal to be empathetic. If you don't feel that way, there's something missing.
Question: What can we learn from this case?
Rackauckas: The police force is there to protect and serve and, in general, that's what they do. And they do it at the highest level. When they don't, they are subject to the law, just like everyone else.
Question: In your press conference on September 21, 2011, you said that this case never had to happen.
Rackauckas: That's the absolute truth. This kind of thing should not have happened. There certainly was too much force. We cannot tolerate the police being bullies. It's just not their job.
Every day in the United States, there are over 600,000 men, women and children who are homeless. They are vulnerable and rely upon the police as much as housed people do for protection and safety. Perhaps the case of Kelly Thomas will help all of us remember this.
I look forward to your comments.]]>Homelessness -- Thinking Globally, Acting Locallytag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14506792012-04-25T11:41:54-04:002012-06-25T05:12:02-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
Sometimes we use these feelings of powerlessness as excuses for failing to develop plans or to take any action to help homeless people. Thus, our feelings can literally create a paralysis in our thinking and acting to end homelessness.
Actually, we needn't feel overwhelmed by the challenge of homelessness. We have conquered major issues before.
Do you remember when we felt that the issues of reducing waste and protecting our environment were overwhelming? We adopted the slogan, "Think Globally, Act Locally," which reminds us to address these global concerns by reducing, reusing and recycling discarded items at a local level. Educational facilities encouraged its students to educate their families. Through common practice, we accepted our civic responsibility to protect our planet.
In much the same way, we have the power and ability to solve other complex global issues, including homelessness. Recognizing the widespread issues of homelessness, each of us can act on a local level, together and individually, to affect real change. Some of us are already thinking globally and acting locally as illustrated by the many participants in conferences about homelessness.
For example, since 1997, the National Alliance to End Homelessness (NAEH) has been holding conferences twice a year -- a national conference each July in Washington, D.C., on homelessness generally and a West Coast conference specifically about youth and family homelessness.
On February 9 and 10, NAEH had its 2012 National Conference on Ending Family and Youth Homelessness in Los Angeles. At this conference, there were presentations, panel discussions and conversations about
• Implementing rapid re-housing (and maintaining those programs as HPRP [Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing] funding expires);
• Coordinating with larger 'mainstream' anti-poverty programs to multiply impacts, especially by providing help with employment;
• Strengthening families and promoting reunification in order to end homelessness for youth;
• Preventing homelessness for families and youth, including targeting for the maximum impact;
• Getting the most out of the HEARTH Act, and
• Housing families and youth with the most severe challenges, including chronic homelessness
Steve Berg, NAEH Vice President for Programs and Policy, says that these conferences enable people to learn about "good practices and approaches" to help end homelessness. They "teach trends locally and explain what federal funders are looking for" in local programs.
Steve feels that these conferences are very important because they "get people together so they can support each other, energize each other" and encourage people, now "armed with common experiences," to solve the issues of homelessness. Helping end homelessness, he concludes, "is a movement and conferences are important to keep the movement going."
In 2004, the City of San Francisco held the first Project Homeless Connect (PHC) as an innovative way to offer necessary services to homeless people. Now held every two months, its mission for PHC is "to provide a single location where nonprofit medical and social service providers collaborate to serve the homeless of San Francisco with comprehensive, holistic services."
In December 2005, the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH) launched the National Project Homeless Connect Partnership encouraging mayors and county leadership to hold a one-day community event by providing housing support and quality of life resources at a one stop event with the goal of ending homelessness. By 2008, PHC has been offered in more than 200 cities in the United States, Canada and Australia.
In January of this year, the San Diego Housing Commission was the lead organizer for the Sixth Annual PHC. With the help of 300 volunteers, more than 65 service providers offered health screenings, housing referrals, legal aid, food, clothing and other supportive services to 941 homeless San Diegans.
Just two months later, the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc. presented its 23rd Annual Women's Resource Fair (WRF) involving more than 100 organizations that helped more than 600 disadvantaged women and children with medical, legal and social services. As explained by Amy J. Fitzpatrick, Esq., Executive Director of the San Diego Volunteer Lawyer Program, Inc., "The purpose of the WRF is to gather lots of resources and services for disadvantaged women (primarily those who are homeless, victims of domestic violence, and those fighting substance abuse) under one roof where that assistance can easily be accessed on one day in one place."
Rosemary Johnston, Executive Director of the Interfaith Shelter Network, is an active member of the planning committees of both San Diego PHC and WRF. She explains that these events "are important to the homeless community and to the wider community because they increase access to services in a low-demand environment; there are no obstacles to access these services." Continuing, she shares, "It is very important to put a human face on the homeless population, particularly to people in administration who don't normally meet with homeless people."
Rosemary confirms that conferences are important to keep up our momentum in our efforts to help homeless people: "I appreciate the opportunities these events provide because I don't want to lose touch and it energizes me to return to work with renewed passion to serve these people in need."
So, please "think globally and act locally" to help end homelessness.
I look forward to your comments.]]>The Dalai Lama Comes to San Diegotag:www.huffingtonpost.com,2012:/theblog//3.14362972012-04-20T12:25:38-04:002012-06-20T05:12:02-04:00Christine Schaneshttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/christine-schanes/
On Thursday, the Dalai Lama completed his San Diego symposium at San Diego State University by giving the public talk entitled, "Upholding Universal Ethics and Compassion in Challenging Times."
At the University of San Diego, President Mary E. Lyons presented the Dalai Lama with the USD Medal of Peace.
At the USD Jenny Craig Pavilion before a full house, the Dalai Lama spoke about peace, compassion and nonviolence. He asked what is the meaning of peace? Is it the absence of trouble or violence?
Answering his own question, the Dalai Lama said, "Going deeper into peace ... genuine peace must come through inner peace, not through fear." "Any action that is harmful to others or is in the long run harmful is unjust," he shared. He explained that "the key thing" is a "warm heart of concern for others' well being."
He explained that scientists are beginning to learn about the value of creating an internal balance and a calm mind in helping people recover from illness faster. A calm mind, he said, is the remedy for the loss of hope and a destroyer of fear, distrust and hate.
Stating that the energy to restore our happiness is within ourselves, the Dalai Lama urged further study of the relationship of the mind with the emotions to learn about the destroyers of inner peace.
"You must develop compassion" not pity, he said. Genuine respect is a very noble form of compassion. With compassion, distrust reduces. He advised that we could have a sense of concern for other people because they are human beings just like ourselves. Further, we can respect other people even if they have taken negative actions toward us.
He stressed the value of education through which awareness can be developed, so we can get an understanding of our inner world and achieve inner peace after which justice automatically comes.
Speaking about materiality, the Dalai Lama recognized that material things can bring physical comfort, "but not mental comfort." He gave as an example that some people have plenty of money and "still are not happy." No matter what you're surroundings, he said, you can keep peace of mind.
The twentieth century was a century of blood, fear and violence, said the Dalai Lama. However, he feels that the twenty-first century can be a happy century based on inner peace, "we would have a compassionate world."
A healthy mind brings a healthy body and a healthy family and a healthy world. He asked that we all think more about these things, but "If you don't do this, no problem, "I'm leaving the day after tomorrow. It's your problem."
Overall, the Dali Lama feels that "humanity is becoming more civilized, more mature." He recommended taking care of our minds, being compassionate and living more holistically. A bad economy, he said, reminds us to invest in new things ... it's a "good lesson."
When asked how he remains optimistic when there is so much bad in the world, the Dalai Lama responded, "It is far better to remain optimistic." When we are optimistic, we "look for ways and means to work on. When you loose all hope, there is no ground making effort."
This post was originally published on Obrag.com.]]>
