Who Will Help (people like) Henrietta Hughes?
Henrietta Hughes is the homeless woman in Fort Myers, Florida, who asked President Obama for help at his Town Hall. What did Obama do? He stepped off the stage, hugged her, and said his staff would talk to her after the Town Hall. And as a result of her appearance and plea, housing was offered to her by the wife of a local Republican official.
It was a touching moment. It would have been interesting had Obama turned to the crowd and asked anyone who had a solution for Henrietta to step forward afterwards. But he didn't have to. People came forward anyway. The dilemma Ms. Hughes described is not limited to her. It is absolutely accurate for families all over the country. . All she asked was a little kitchen where they could cook for themselves and a bathroom of their own.
Her request was a compelling one and it only highlights issues of homelessness that will surely get worse as the economic downturn deepens. In fact, some predict that 1.5 million additional Americans will become homeless because of the hard economic timesto come.
Florida ranks third in the nation in the number of homeless people - some 60,000 -- and that was two years ago. Unfortunately, California leads the nation in this statistic. Ms. Hughes said that the Housing Authority had a two year wait for housing assistance in her area, and that is also sadly typical of almost any community in America.
Who are the homeless? They can be a diverse group. Some have been homeless for awhile and may suffer from mental illness or disability. Others are single mothers with children who just can't come up with the "first and last" payments required for moving into an apartment, so they live in their cars. Still others may be veterans. On any given night, 200,000 veterans who have fought for our country are sleeping on the street somewhere in America. Almost all the homeless are low income. Permanent housing is one of the most important priorities for the homeless.
The problem of homelessness will not go away because we turn our heads. The Henrietta Hugheses of this country hopefully will keep asking us to pay attention. What will we as communities do about this? Because it really has to be a community solution. And, thankfully, there are a number of organizations addressing the problem with some very innovative solutions. The Jericho Project is one. And there are many others such as Beyond Shelter and Pathways to Housing.
The National Alliance to End Homelessness outlines ten essential steps on their website if a community wants to address this issue. The website is chock full of information about homelessness and what can be done about it in your community. It starts with a plan, data on who is homeless and where they can be found, then moves on to describe ways to prevent homelessness, limit its tenure, provide emergency services, get people back to work and into more stable housing arrangements for the long term. You can also donate directly to their work on this website.
I am glad that Henrietta Hughes did find a solution. She got some attention and someone did step forward to help her because she was smart enough and courageous enough to attend the Town Hall and keep her hand up long enough to be recognized. And if her action calls attention to this problem and energizes even a few more people to take action, then she will be a real hero.
UPDATE: There is $1.5 Billion in the Stimulus Bill for the prevention of homelessness and support for those who need help. The money will go to cities and states and will cover things like first and last month rent, housing searches, assistance with mortgage payments and other areas of assistance. If this story has moved you to help, hold your local and state representatives accountable for their vote on the Stimulus. And do check out the resources in your community or go online to one of the websites I mention above.
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Henrietta Hughes: Obama Asked For Help At Town Hall (VIDEO)
President Obama went to Fort Myers, Florida Tuesday to highlight the desperate need for an economic recovery package. Unemployment in the area is up to...
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Linda,
This is a beautiful piece. Thank you so much for writing it.
HAP
I am now hearing the This lady was ACTUALLY SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST LOOKING FOR A free ride. On the radio I believe they said she was previously offered a home but refused it. And she has grown children who do not work either.
Do you think it is all true?
After the show: Obama's people gave Ms. Hughes a business card for the housing authority and told her to call. Mrs. Thompson -- wife of Rep. Thompson (rep.) offered her a home.
Obama's brother lives in Africa on $20 a year. Obama's aunt lives here in the housing projects on welfare. Did you really think the Messiah was going to help Ms. Hughes?
So much is sad here and so much wonderful. Henrietta Hughes' suffering and her strength and the compassion expressed by President Obama. There was no show business or posing for the camera in the minute the President connected with her. I am glad she got a place to live, I was especially touched somehow by the need for a personal bathroom. Not a lot to ask. Unfortunately, people in Washington, DC are blind to people living on the street. We have had homeless advocates for years, groups provide temporary and even months of housing to individuals and families, and still all it takes is a short walk or drive through the City to see the people sleeping on the ground. The Federal buildings stopped people from sleeping over their tax-supported heat vents. Not that that was a good answer, but at least it was warm. Many on the streets are incapacitated by mental or physical illness, alcohol or drugs. Thanks for this story, maybe it will re-sensitize us all and encourage us to reach out.
In a movie about the cold war, The Russians Are Coming, The Russians Are Coming, Soviets and Americans are about to blow each other's brains out when, all of a sudden, the see a young American boy who is about to fall off a roof. Both sides drop everything to save the boy.
Why is it that we are such generous people when suffering has a face, and yet our public policy often is just plain heartless? Why is it so hard for affluent Americans to understand that what government does really does affect real flesh and blood people? Managing an economy is complex and often abstract, but somehow we have to learn to relate public policy to individual welfare. There are many credible excuses for ignoring the human suffering that results from "adherence to fundamental principles," but to consign our less fortunate neighbors to a scrapheap called collateral damage runs counter to everything that is right about our country.
OK, here's what everyone is missing in this story. Everyone.
Does anyone notice what happened after she made her plea to the President? Did you REALLY notice what happened? I doubt it. No one here understands the significance of it but nearly all of the comments here are a part of it.
What is so utterly significant, and sad at the same time that no one here realizes it, is where her help came from. Obama didn't do a single thing to help her. The government didn't do a single thing to help her. And it isn't the federal government's job anyway! But, she was helped IMMEDIATELY by average, ordinary Americans reaching out to someone in need. That's what makes America great! This lady now has a house and donations from average Americans out of the goodness of their hearts!
Furthermore, her help wasn't extracted forcibly at gunpoint (like taxes are - try ignoring your taxes, unless you're Daschle or Geithner, there will eventually be someone at your door with a gun to collect them). It was given by people of their own free will and desire to help someone in need. With zero overhead. Charities have 10-15% or more in overhead I shudder to think of the government's overhead. But, everyone who opens their hearts and wallets to help Henrietta has 100 percent of their heartfelt contributions going directly to her.
All without a bit of government involved! That's how America works, and it what makes this country great.
Homelessness does have many faces. I'm a Singer & Actress putting my life back together after hitting a low point of homelessness that lasted nearly 3yrs, including stints of sleeping in my car. Even though my experience wasn't nearly as rough as many, and even though I'm humbled knowing there are still many countries where people are born into and doomed to live in even worse squalor and unfit conditions than most homeless here, I do know what it's like to be female with no money, nowhere to go, no bathroom, no dignity and no hope. I am sooooo lucky that I now have a job and a place to live. I'm lucky I had a car to sleep in. I'm lucky I had any friends at all during that time. I am lucky I'm even alive and sitting here at this computer, writing this post. It could've been way, way worse for me than it was. That whole period of time ended up giving me greater compassion and empathy for others. I have a stronger ability to imagine myself in other people's shoes and allow that to affect how I live my life, what I think, what I say and how I behave. I can relate to this woman and other homeless. Every human being deserves compassion and empathy. It was people's compassion and empathy that helped me survive.
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=51142242
http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=51255944
I promised I would provide updates on help for Henrietta Hughes. But I want to emphasize that Henrietta is only one of the many folks who need help, so please do find a way to do something!
So far, this blog is mentioned on CNN -- http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/02/11/henrietta.hughes/ with some ideas for donating and as some commenters have noted, there are a variety of ways to contribute --through the local newspaper - http://www.news-press.com/article/20090211/OBAMA/90210088/1085/NEWS0110 and there is a new website which KCSHAWNCvoter mentions below that I cannot verify as legit, but which you could check out --
I always suggest donating through established community outlets wherever possible -- examples -- Florida Coalition for the Homeless -- www.fchonline.org/ or Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida -- http://www.centralfloridahomeless.org/index.html .
And as far as I know, the Stimulus Bill that passed still had the money in it for housing and helping the homeless, which is good news.
I am now hearing the This lady was ACTUALLY SOMEONE WHO WAS JUST LOOKING FOR A free ride. On the radio I believe they said she was previously offered a home but refused it. And she has grown children who do not work either.
Is this all true?
here is a website for her http://henriettahughes.com/
The local Fort Myers newspaper has a sort of disjointed story here
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090211/OBAMA/90210088/1085/NEWS0110
on what the current status of Ms. Hughes and her son is. There's also an address to send donations.
http://www.pbase.com/jypsee
OK, I'll ask...
WHERE are the mega-churches?
They have millions.
WHERE'S Pat Robertson?
mommadona, you better preach that!!!!
I've always taught my children that giving comes in all forms, the preachers I hear all the time, are always crying about folks paying their tithes, well tithes come in giving of your time, giving of yourself, giving of whatever it is that you can do for your fellow man. Those mega Churches with their pulpit pimps disgust me. They are suppose to be helping regardless, of ones affiliation. They've been tax exempt for years and I think those monies should be given back to the community to help those in need. But they rather live in million dollar mansions, driving hundred thousand dollar cars, all while the world around them goes to shambles. And then they have nerve to ask WWJD? Trust me Jesus would NOT be doing what those churches and pastors are doing.
They only serve the rich. "The poor will always be with us" says the bible.
This really touched me and it really helped me realize why I voted for this man. I often took the last five dollars I had and contributed to his campagn. I am so proud of this President. I am the fortunate father of four and my wife and I are greatful for what little we have....a mortgage that is larger than the value of our modest four bedroom home and we are both gainfully and thankfully employed.
That being said, I am contacting the mayor's office in Florida in order to send this courageous woman some money so she can get on her feet. Her sense of urgency and courage were truly touching and I hope she gets the relief she needs and pays it forward to someone else in need when she regains her strength and her dignity.
Its people like you that make me proud to be an American.
YES, yes it is Anesthesia. A thousand blessings to you Greg.
Ms. Hughes was offered housing by a local politician's wife who had an empty house in a community near Fort Myers.
http://www.news-press.com/article/20090210/OBAMA/90210038/1075
according to research I've done online tonight, she and her son were living in a house in Le High Acres and when her son lost his job they became homeless. She waited for tickets to the town hall meeting here in Ft. Myers and was called on by the president. After an interview on the local NBC station the public began calling and offering help; outside the convention center she was offered business cards and cash. There's more if you google.
There are people who think she's a setup or that they should get help because she's getting help and, because President Obama was compassionate to her that he is creating socialism or some such thing. I've been homeless twice in my life, with three kids to protect, because I couldn't afford a place to live. We had money, but not enough to rent something on the economy so we had to live in a campground in very cold weather until military quarters could be available; we had to do this twice. So, I think I can understand her plight. And it doesn't take much to get into living in your car.
Anyhow, if you want to help this lady, in particular, you might try calling the NBC news station in Fort Myers, Florida at (239) 939-2020.
could some of the military bases or motels that have been closed be used to house homeless families?? one can contribute to the salvaton army...
Ms. Hughes and her family were offered a home after the townhall meeting. Here's the link....
http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2009/feb/10/homeless-woman-pleads-obama-help-locals-step/?partner=yahoo_headlines
Or, Obama could have announced that a moratorium is immediately put in place to stop the bleeding while the games with Wall Street play out. Geithner had his chance, today, and all we got was more Paulson double-speak.
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