Homelessness on The Huffington Post

Outpouring Of Support From Seattle Community After Food Bank Burglary

2009-11-25T15:08:44Z

As part of its Bearing Witness 2.0 project, the Huffington Post is rounding up a few of the best local stories of the day.

Last Tuesday night, the Rainer Valley Food Bank, in Seattle, Wash., was burglarized. Thieves broke into the storage container and took all the food they could, including hundreds of pounds of potatoes and dozens of crates of canned fruits, vegetable and soup, amounting to a total loss of about $2,000. The food was going to be distributed this week in Thanksgiving bundles.

The city erupted in rage and donations started pouring in. Individual people and businesses came by to drop off food and write checks. Walmart and local radio station 100.7 WOLF each dropped off a semi-truck's worth of food, a local produce market chain donated about $1,000 worth of fruits and vegetables and a restaurant launched a food drive to help out.

In the end, the food bank raised $70,000 in cash and $30,000 worth of food. That's far more than it knows what to do with -- or can store -- and it is going to be distributing the food to neighboring organizations that need help. "If anybody needs to pick up something," said director Sam Osborne, "we have plenty." Their only problem now: sorting through everything.

*********

A burglar stole electronic equipment, a laptop and microphones from a church in Clayton County, Ga., reports WBS-TV's Linda Stouffer. The thief broke in at night but left a note: "Sorry but I'm poor. Forgive me Lord."

"You always get aggravated with people stealing things," said pastor Roger Davis, "I don't know what kind of situation this person was in but maybe it's someone we need to reach." Neighbors were rendered speechless.

*********

Ten-year-old Jonathan Brende, in Independence, Mo., has a severe form of cerebral palsy, and needs constant care, reports Fox 4's, Rob Low. He is on Medicaid, but just barely: in order to stay covered by the federal plan, his father had to turn down a raise at work.

But his mother, Tonni, has Hepatitis C, which was ruled a pre-existing condition by her insurer, and hence not covered. "I got sicker because I couldn't afford to go to the doctor," she said, "I quit going when the insurance company quit paying and I saw how the bills were piling up." Because of her medical bills, the family filed for bankruptcy.

*********

Just a year and a half ago, Northern California's Shelter Network was fielding about 100 phone calls per week from people looking for homeless shelters. Last week that number was up 900 percent, according to Will Oremus, from the Bay Area Daily News. The high demand is causing some shelters to have the longest waiting lists they have ever had, and as the weather gets colder more homeless are looking to move indoors.

"Right now it's pretty cold outside," said Vickie, who declined to giver he last name. "To sleep in my car, I would be a popsicle." She is trying to stay healthy and warm while she finishes up her online classes at Eastern Oregon University.

HuffPost readers: Seen a compelling local story? Have a neighbor going to bizarre lengths to get through the recession? Tell us about it! Email jmhattem@gmail.com.

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

New Yorkers Line Up Early For Thanksgiving Supplies At City Food Bank

2009-11-25T12:46:54Z

In the face of unemployment and tough economic conditions, food banks are serving more than ever this Thanksgiving. CNN visited an upper Manhattan pantry and found that many working New York City residents were lining up as early as 5 a.m. to supplement their holiday dinners too.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

9 Ways To Show Your Gratitude On Thanksgiving Day

2009-11-24T22:05:30Z

Favorite Turkey Recipe? Check. Special occasion dishes and gravy boat? Check, check. Ways to express your gratitude this Thanksgiving? Don't worry, we've got you covered with nine ways you can show what you're grateful for this year by giving back to others who may not be faring as well.

Tweet your thanks on Tweetsgiving
Between November 24 and 26, Epic Change encourages social media users to share their gratitude both on and offline by participating in TweetsGiving. Share what you're thankful for via Twitter, your blog, Flickr, Facebook, YouTube, or blip.fm with the #tweetsgiving tag and a $10 donation. This year, they hope to raise $100,000 to build an educational facility in Arusha, Tanzania, and fund future Epic Change projects.

Sign the Charter for Compassion
In February 2008, former nun Karen Armstrong won the TED Prize and asked for the help of others to create, launch and promote an international Charter for Compassion. Thousands of people contributed to the creation of the multilateral Charter to promote compassion across cultural and religious boundaries. By signing the online document, you agree to live by and encourage the "golden rule" by treating everyone in this world with compassion and respect.

Send a holiday care package to a soldier abroad
Our service men and women who are out of the country during Thanksgiving often long for the comforts of home. By sending a care package through Any Soldier, you can show them your gratitude for their duty and make them feel loved. Any Soldier has provided care packages to 96,371 service members and has an extensive list of popular items that have been requested by soldiers if you need ideas for what to include in your package.

Deliver a Thanksgiving meal to housebound neighbors
Don't forget seniors or the seriously ill during this holiday. By volunteering with a local Meals on Wheels Program to bring a hot dinner to those who may not be able to join family or friends. They'll appreciate the food and, more importantly, the time you share with them at their homes.

Feed families with pocket change
According to a recent government report, 49 million Americans went hungry last year, so you can bet that many families are facing slim pickings for Thanksgiving this year. Help change this by participating in Feeding America's Thanksgiving Feast for 9 Million. By donating $1, you can provide seven meals this holiday, and $50 will provide 350 meals for hungry families.

Run a "Turkey Trot"
All over the country this Thanksgiving, companies and nonprofits are hosting 5k races to benefit local charities and good causes. San Francisco's fun run will benefit a local high school's Track & Field team and Ann Arbor's will benefit local animal shelters and community groups. The bonus? Most of these races are Run/Walks that encourage full family participation and you can work off some of dinner before you even sit down at the table. Runs are planned for on and around Thanksgiving day and some require advance registration, so be sure to mind the rules specific for your area.

Pledge to Give 29 Things Away
‪Thanksgiving is a perfect time to sign up for the 29-Day Giving Challenge, a commitment to give something away each day for 29 days. It can be a tangible object or something as simple as a compliment. The goal is to make giving a habit and share your stories with others who might be inspired. Each month, 29Gifts features a different cause, so if you get stuck one day there are plenty of ideas ready to go.‬

Serve Thanksgiving Dinner at a Homeless Shelter
All the donated food that is raised during Thanksgiving time has to have willing hands to help cook it. Lend yours by volunteering this thanksgiving at a homeless shelter to prepare and dish up a meal with all the trimmings for those who don't have a home to go to this Holiday. The National Coalition for the Homeless has a searchable directory to find homeless shelters in your area.

Sponsor a Family in Need
Thanksgiving is only one day out of the year that U.S. families go hungry. Why not do a little to help one family a lot during the whole year? Family-to-family.org can help you connect with individual families that you can help by providing food, clothing and other necessities throughout the year. Or, open a family-to-family branch in your area.

For more information on how to sponsor a family in your area, you can watch a step-by-step "How To"from Create The Good:

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

Lorraine Roe: The Six W's Of Charitable Giving This Season

2009-11-24T16:25:56Z

Ok, people, look alive! Let's get this Thanksgiving rocking with not only a nod to good causes, but also with a shout about how discerning we can be. We're rocketing into the season of giving. I've been to the mall and the grocery store and Hanukkah-Christmas season is upon us. Soon come the unverified charities asking me for cash outside the doors of these stores and extra solicitors at my own door and on the phone. It's time to give back and be grateful. Ok, ok, I'm thankful, your thankful. But that doesn't have to translate into mindless giving. Let's go over some helpful ground rules for making donations that I developed after working as a reporter.

It all started in my journalism training about writing a complete news story. We were taught to ask the five "w's" which are: who, what, when, where and why. When you're about to give, make sure you answer the who first. Are they a tax-deductible organization? Being tax deductible has two advantages. The first is that, of course, you can deduct it on your income tax. The second is that the organization has their accounting on file in a public place. The document is the IRS Form 990. Checking this form can provide some delicious details when you're a reporter or a civilian giver. That's where you can often find out that the non-profit spent 85% on administration, with only 15% of their money going to actual people who are supposedly helped by the cause. Of course there are countless charities devoted to helping people that actually do that. But it's important to check their non-profit's 990, just to make sure. Many non-profits post their Form 990 on their websites. But, if they don't, you can often find those forms in the offices of the State Attorney General in many states across the country. And if you don't have the time you can visit a charity watchdog website, that does a lot of the checking for you.

Nonprofit websites and their literature often answer the what, when, where and why of their charities. If they don't have stories about real individuals or places you can find in a Google address search, they may be pulling your leg. A while back I had a friend of a friend who held a turkey dinner fundraiser at a church. He then helped cook the dinner and we did a Thanksgiving turkey day story for the six o'clock news. Later I learned that the man collected hundreds of dollars that went into his pocket beyond the cost of making the meals for the homeless. He actually had scammed a lot of people, because he operated on the word and good graces of people who had built up trust in the community. No matter what the cause, as a giver, I now ask people to mail me information or direct me to a website where I can confirm their organization's validity. I also find that when I ask a lot of the people asking for money outside grocery stores (who's causes appear to be homeless shelters, holiday meals or recovery houses) they often don't carry any official identification to show their affiliation or their organization has no such website or literature.

Finally, there are the five w's, but I also learned a fifth as a cub reporter. There is the question, who cares? I personally believe the best giving comes from the heart. It comes out of being compelled, not by being guilted into it. As someone who follows her intuition and encourages outhers to do the same, I believe having a really good feeling about a cause goes a long way in making good choices. Ask yourself, who cares? Do I really care about this cause. If your answer is yes, then take the time to ask the five w's. Beware of urgent giving, in the rush, you may be giving your hard-earned money to someone who's actually a thief dressed in the clothing of a charity. True, it is the season for giving. But the value of getting all the facts about a charity is timeless. That way you know your hard-earned money really is getting to people who need and deserve it.

Capture The Recession: Best Of The Best (SLIDESHOW)

2009-11-24T15:10:38Z

Tough times can inspire lasting images, and the HuffPost's Eyes & Ears has compiled the most evocative recession pictures around in our Capture the Recession series. This slideshow offers the best of the best--the most striking photos from all our previous posts.

You can check out the entire collection of recession photos in our Capture the Recession Flickr group pool.

You can also take a look at previous slideshow installments here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.

And upload your own recession photos below:

Get HuffPost Eyes&Ears on Facebook and Twitter!

Rancher Jailed For Housing Homeless

2009-11-23T20:26:44Z

For eight years, Dan de Vaul has provided shelter for about dozens of homeless people on his 72-acre ranch. Now, the rancher is serving 90 days in jail for his efforts to house the less fortunate, the Los Angeles Times reports.

A defiant Dan de Vaul stretched out his arms and let deputies place handcuffs on him before being led out of the San Luis Obispo courtroom. The 66-year-old defendant was offered probation after a jury convicted him in September of two misdemeanor violations of building and safety codes at his Sunny Acres ranch...But De Vaul refused the terms of his probation because he said it would mean he could no longer provide shelter for about 30 people who reside in his sober-living facility.

In addition to his jail sentence, the rancher was also fined $1000. San Luis Obispo officials have offered to help De Vaul bring his property up to code, but De Vaul declined, Superior Court Judge John Trice said.

The sober-living facility comprises a grouping of wooden sheds, tents, RVs and a Victorian farmhouse that is often vilified by officials and neighbors. For years, An earlier Los Angeles Times piece on Sunny Acres described,

De Vaul has battled neighbors and San Luis Obispo County code enforcement officers as he's converted his land from cattle range to a thriving hub of mostly illegal money-making ventures. He sells scrap metal from heaps, salvages parts from dozens of rusty vehicles and hawks produce and nursery stock from a stand near the ranch's entry on busy Los Osos Valley Road...They call it an eyesore and a threat to the health and safety of the 30 or so people it's supposed to help.

To see a slideshow of Sunny Acres and to read the latest on De Vaul's case, visit the Los Angeles Times.

Aaron Glantz: Vets Battle Unemployment and War Injuries

2009-11-23T11:36:47Z

Recently discharged vets of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars are joining the swelling ranks of the country's unemployed. They bring to the job hunt both special skills and training and, often, the terrible traumas and injuries of their military experiences.

The video and article below originally appeared on New America Media's website. The video is co-produced with Cliff Parker.

Vets Battle Unemployment and War Injuries from New America Media on Vimeo.

U.S. Army veteran Walter Williams was homeless when he returned from tours in both Iraq and Afghanistan.

"I slept in my car and occasionally on other people's couches," he said. Williams had a job at the time, working at a group home for $10 an hour -- hardly enough to pay for an apartment in expensive San Francisco.

"Gas was crazy," he said, and the bridge tolls alone sucked up a half hour's work.

Then Williams lost that job and landed on unemployment. But just as his unemployment benefits were running out he landed a new, better job at Swords to Plowshares, a veterans' service organization, where he helps other veterans find work.

Now, Williams helps organize job fairs, which gather dozens of veterans together with possible employers. Most of the veterans who show up are like Williams was a few years ago. They have jobs, but they're looking for something better.

A 2007 VA survey found that 18 percent of recently discharged veterans were unemployed and that of those who had found a job 25 percent made less than $22,000 a year. And that was before the recession began.

"They said my skills are obsolete," Marine Corps veteran Brian Inami told NAM. Anami, who attended the job fair, was looking for work in electronics. Anami was trained in electronics in the military but has spent the last six years working as a swim instructor and a lifeguard.

"It's heartbreaking to find out that I spent all that time doing training, and then I come back and I find out that I can't do that training anymore," he said.

"The job search is really hard even though I'm a vet," added Christopher Tajuma, who was medically discharged from the army after injuring his knee when his Humvee rolled over.

Tajuma also has a job -- loading and unloading cargo overnight at San Francisco International Airport. But he wants a job that pays better and lets him sleep at night and work during the day.

"I think it's because of the economy," he said. "Everyone is hurting."

But it's not just the recession that can make the job search difficult for returning vets. According to a recent study by the Rand Corporation, nearly 600,000 Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans have suffered wounds that affect their ability to think.

Rand found that 300,00 returning veterans suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or major depression, while another 320,000 thousand have sustained a Traumatic Brain Injury -- literally brain damage often caused by roadside bombs.

"When you're suffering form PTSD, you have all these triggers," said Walter Williams. "Sometimes you don't even realize the triggers. So you can be at work just doing your job and someone can make a movement or a gesture and just with muscle memory you might react."

After his tours in Iraq and Afghanistan, Williams was diagnosed with PTSD. It's something he manages on a daily basis as he tries to hold onto his job and help others.

"There are days when I might have an anxiety attack and I got to take a day and you can't just let an employer know that," he said. "I can't let my boss know every time I have an anxiety attack. It's embarrassing. It's hard to be professional and have issues."

Auburn McCanta: ACLU Attorney Who Fought For Miranda Rights Rules Against the Poor

2009-11-22T21:37:31Z

PHOENIX, AZ - How ironic is it that the attorney responsible for successfully introducing the concept of Miranda rights to the U.S. Supreme Court would become a retired Arizona Supreme Court Justice who has now handed down a draconian ruling that homeless and poor individuals can't eat pancakes before a worship service?

In the 1960s, ACLU general counsel, Robert J. Corcoran thought generously about how civil rights should affect the little guy. After receiving a letter from Ernesto Miranda, a convicted rapist, Corcoran found stars in his eyes as he realized a chance to argue before the U.S. Supreme Court that Miranda's rights had been violated in extracting a confession. With a dream team he assembled from his former law firm, Corcoran changed forever the way detainees are treated.

Now this same attorney, who proudly received the ACLU Civil Libertarian of the Year award for his stellar work in assuring the Miranda rights of every person arrested by police, has ruled that homeless and poor people can't receive a simple pancake breakfast as part of a Saturday morning worship service at Crossroads Methodist Church in Phoenix, Ariz.

ACLU Founding Board Member, Alice Bendheim, remembers the once-ideological Corcoran after his triumphant work for the ACLU.

"Bob had his award, along with the letter from Miranda and the title page of the Supreme Court opinion framed and it was hanging in his chambers when he was in the Superior Court. I don't know if he kept it on the wall when he was a Supreme."

Lowering her voice, Bendheim continues, "He has become much more conservative in the last 10 to 15 years. He was liberal in those days, in the early 60s. Now he can't be that [liberal] in Arizona."

In the matter of Crossroads Church however, Justice Corcoran showed he still has the chops to be clever and innovative. In his 19 page quasi-judicial ruling, Corcoran used several online dictionaries to define his notion that the church is functioning as a "Charity Dining Hall" by serving a once-a-week pancake breakfast in conjunction with a worship service. Although the City of Phoenix does not define the terms, "charity" or "dining hall" in their zoning ordinance, Corcoran used some fine-tuned Googling to rule that city zoning regulations were nevertheless violated.

Confirming that Crossroads intends to appeal Corcoran's ruling, church attorney Marilee Miller Clarke explained of the Saturday morning breakfasts, "This is not a charity dining hall in the sense that it's merely there to provide food. It's not a dining hall. It's part of the service. It's just one element of it."

With a 50-year history of feeding the homeless and caring for disenfranchised individuals, Crossroads maintains they are not violating city codes, but rather providing an enhancement to the community. In her argument, Miller Clarke also cited First Amendment right to freedom of religion, the 14th Amendment and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000.

When asked about Justice Corcoran's flip-flop from his famous background, Miller Clarke said, "The ACLU isn't really popular in this area ... I'm not surprised that he became very conservative over the years."

Crossroads congregant and self-described "formerly homeless heathen", Smoky, 58, doesn't care about conservative or liberal ideology. He just wants to attend church and have a nice breakfast with everyone. He winces as he talks of a 40-year methamphetamine habit. "Crossroads gave me a purpose," he says. "I'm not unique in that way. I'm clean and sober now for one year and I wouldn't be at all if it wasn't for Crossroads. We're here to worship and eat because it's hard to look for God if your stomach is grumbling and you can't think for the hunger."

The church's co-defendant in the matter, Prodigals Home, guides and supports a great number of people like Smoky who it says will suffer without the full complement of fellowship during their Saturday worship service.

Prodigals Home Director, Mike Ricker says of the Saturday morning services, "This is not a homeless feeding program. We need to change our words because words have power. We are learning to change our language. It is time for us to be intentional."

Answering to neighborhood allegations that homeless people are taking over the area, Ricker says, "About a third of our people are mentally ill and chronically homeless, a third are what we call 'couch surfers' in homes of family and friends and a third are hard-working poor people." He continues, "These neighbors have said they want to shut down the church.

Kim Ricker adds, "For me, I'm all about serving those we're called to serve. We're appealing to the Board of Adjustment in another quasi-judicial hearing, this time made up of volunteer citizens. Most are realtors with property value on the brain, so we don't expect favor from this Board of Adjustment hearing. Nevertheless, we're moving forward." The hearing is scheduled for December 14.

Ricker points out that there are at least 20 other Phoenix churches that have been providing food to the homeless and poor as part of their worship programs. "People are hurting everywhere and it's really bad here with job losses and foreclosures. Maybe it's time to think of poor people as our neighbors instead of our adversaries," she says.

In response to Corcoran's ruling that Crossroads is serving as a "charity dining hall," Pastor Dottie Escobedo-Frank, writes on the church website,

... there's still a lot of questions to be answered. Questions like, How hungry? What about our potlucks? What about our Christmas dinner or Easter Sunrise breakfast? When I eat that, I am pretty hungry...is that allowed? What about the coffee and donuts we serve on Sunday mornings? Can we eat that if we are hungry? And then there is the other question, "How poor?" How poor do we have to be to be considered a "charity?" Federal-poverty-guidelines-poor? Not-able-to-make-the-house-payment-poor? Or, how about not-able-to-pay-off-the-credit-card-poor?

In 1966, one enterprising and brilliant attorney argued for the rights of people accused of a crime. Where did that man go when it came time to decide if hungry people were complicit in a crime by being served a simple plate of pancakes on a Saturday morning?

Get HuffPost Eyes&Ears on Facebook and Twitter!

Liz Glover: Flava Flav On Khaleid Sheik Mohammed's Upcoming Trial In New York City

2009-11-21T11:24:00Z

Andy Borowitz: Inspired By Oprah, Homeless Guy Ends 25 Years of Shouting at Passersby

2009-11-21T09:59:24Z

NEW YORK (The Borowitz Report) - A homeless man who began shouting at New Yorkers in 1985 said that Oprah Winfrey was the inspiration behind his decision to call it quits in early 2010.

"I've had a good run," said Tracy Klugian, who has barked non sequiturs at passersby on the corner of Third Avenue and 29th Street for the past 25 years. "If there's one thing Oprah's taught me, it's quit while you're on top."

Mr. Klugian said he was exploring a number of options, including starting his own cable channel and shouting obscenities at people on the subway. More here.

Judy Montero: The "Home" in Home for the Holidays

2009-11-20T14:20:53Z

In all the talk about budgets and dollars and cents and how much to spend on homelessness, it's important to remember the human beings we are making decisions about.

During this holiday season when we celebrate our blessings with our families, I find it is important to remember those who are less fortunate. There are a great many people who are homeless today that just a year ago had homes. They had jobs. They paid their taxes. And, they never thought they would find themselves on the streets and needing help.

We're talking about people like Amber Batson-Vasquez. Amber was trapped in an abusive relationship and at the time she was able to escape with her baby son, the recession had hit. Like thousands of other pour souls who have been suffering in Denver because of the economy, this bright, educated young woman couldn't find work.

"I applied for job after job but continued to be rejected," says Amber. "My son and I were moving from place to place, there was no stability in our lives." Amber never imagined she would be homeless. Having to endure this taxing situation month after month drove Amber into clinical depression. "Being homeless was a very humbling experience," says Amber. "I felt helpless and confused. I didn't know what to do or where to go but I knew I needed help."
Due to the recession, people are living on the edge. We can't turn our backs on them and thanks to Denver's Road Home, the community's 10-year-plan to end homelessness, we are helping.

At Project Homeless Connect on Oct. 9 at the Pepsi Center, a one-stop shop for the homeless involving over 500 community volunteers, Denver's Road Home served over 300 families (reaching over 500 children) who are homeless or at risk of being homeless. Demand for services is clearly up at a time when community resources are diminishing rapidly.
After being accepted into a transitional housing program, Amber received help in finding a job. She was then referred to the Family and Senior Homeless initiative, a permanent housing program of Denver's Road Home administered by the Denver Rescue Mission. "I was able to save up money to buy a car and things fell into place," says Amber. "Not only did I have the financial resources that I needed to move into a home, but I was also given much needed emotional support and encouragement." With employment and a stable living environment, Amber and her young son are happy and healthy.

There are thousands of people like Amber who work hard to support their families - people who desperately need Denver's Road Home. Since it was launched four years ago Denver's Road Home has experienced incredible success. It has:

• Raised $12 million from businesses, individuals and foundations;
• Found employment for 3,278 homeless individuals;
• Prevented 2,232 seniors, families and individuals from becoming homeless;
• Mentored 564 families and seniors;
• And developed 1,500 new units of housing for homeless individuals and families. Each unit is attached to substance abuse, employment, day-care and other services and tenants are expected to pay 30 percent of their income in rent.

Even in this extraordinarily challenging economy the number of chronically homeless - the people who cost taxpayers the greatest amount because they use the most expensive services like jail space and detox facilities - has continued to decrease.

And the business community, led by the Downtown Denver Partnership and the Business Improvement District, credits Denver's Road Home with helping to create an atmosphere where downtown business can prosper.

Helping the homeless is not just the right thing to do - it's the smart thing to do.

A recent article in the New York Times was a great reminder for me of what could be happening in here if not for Denver's Road Home. According the story, tent cities housing the homeless have been erected in Seattle, Wash., Nashville, Tenn., and St. Petersburg, Florida. Thanks to Denver's Road Home we are not facing that prospect.

While it is important to recognize the success our community has achieved through Denver's Road Home we must realize the economy is continuing to push more men, women and children into homelessness.

Homeless providers report that requests for services are nearing an all-time high. The Mile High United Way said that last month the top five requests for help were:

• Rental Assistance - 3,352
• Utility Assistance - 2,264
• Shelters and Transitional Housing - 1,361
• Food - 845 referrals
• Housing Counseling and Assistance - 574

In Denver, 260 of the 581 homeless children are under the age of 5. And 50 percent of the homeless adults have been without a home for less than 30 days.

We could talk about statistics forever but when you think about whether or not we should support Denver's Road Home consider Amber, her son and all the people like them.

Just like all city efforts, Denver's Road Home has made cuts and is doing more with less. We must continue to be smart with taxpayer dollars. But we can't afford to cut more.

There has never been a more important time to support Denver's Road Home. Just ask Amber what Home for the Holidays means to her.

Karen Olson: Because Every Child Deserves A Home

2009-11-18T14:22:18Z

America's promise is that each generation's prospects shall be brighter than their parents'. How often, as children, were we assured that our futures were limited only by our imagination? Now, however, that promise is under siege and those assurances ring hollow to children across the country lacking basic necessities like a place to call home, nutritious meals and access to schools.

3.5 million people were homeless in America within the past year, including almost 1.5 million children. Families now comprise 40% of the homeless population and are its fastest growing segment. On a typical day in New York City, 9,600 families, including 15,000 children, begin each day not knowing where they will sleep that night. Statistics show that those children are more likely to transfer between multiple schools than children in a stable home and they're more than twice as likely to get held back a grade. They tend to be less healthy, with a significantly higher incidence of depression, and are more apt to struggle with developmental difficulties. In short, they're not playing on the level field that every child deserves to have a chance at success.

These families, from coast-to-coast, in big cities and small towns, are truly our neighbors. Anyone can become homeless in today's challenging economy due to a layoff, an extended illness or injury, a foreclosure, even a divorce. The shocking truth is that six in 10 Americans will spend at least one year below the poverty line at some point in their life. Safety nets have been shredded due to budget cuts and the economic downturn is driving families out onto the streets at a pace not seen since the Great Depression.

Family Promise is a national nonprofit organization that provides low-income and homeless families with meals, shelter and social services while helping them achieve sustainable independence. Founded in Summit, New Jersey in 1986, we are now comprised of 150 Affiliates across 39 states empowering 125,000 volunteers to address family homelessness in their communities. These Interfaith Hospitality Networks (IHNs) touched the lives of 45,000 fathers, mothers and children last year and we recently served our 270,000th guest.

Family Promise works to mobilize tens of thousands of committed volunteers drawn from America's communities of faith. Although over 5,000 of these congregations lend a hand, Family Promise is non-sectarian in its purpose and services delivery. But, by utilizing existing community resources -- churches, temples and mosques provide shelter, volunteers supply meals and daycare -- we are able to operate much more cost-effectively than traditional shelters. For every $1 collected we provide $3 worth of goods-in-kind and services. A remarkable 80% of our guests transition to temporary or permanent housing within eight weeks of entering the program. And our families remain together throughout the process, also unlike many shelters, which often separate fathers and sons from mothers and daughters.

Although IHNs are our core activity, Family Promise's services have expanded over the years in response to both the needs of our guests and the aspirations of our Affiliates. We also provide family mentoring for at-risk and homeless families, poverty education for communities, and mobilization for volunteers and former guests as advocates for public policy initiatives, like the National Housing Trust Fund and HOPE for Homeowners. The issue of family homelessness has reached crisis proportions, and it requires a comprehensive approach to effect systemic change.

But what makes Family Promise work at the end of the day are not government programs or corporate grants or even individual donations. Ultimately it are the grass roots volunteers who change lives, one family at a time. We were founded on the belief that Americans are compassionate people who want to make a difference. Not by providing handouts -- but by offering a hand up to ordinary people in difficult times. No child should go hungry or sleep in a car when we can come together as a nation to help.

This is our mission: mobilizing communities to tackle a national emergency at the local level. Now, more than ever, we need your support. Watch the accompanying video of Family Promise guests, volunteers and staff discussing the IHN experience. Visit our website at familypromise.org to learn how to help. Volunteer, lend a hand, make a donation -- what starts out as simple charity by you will evolve into opportunity for you. I promise.

Time and again people across the country share with me what a gift the act of volunteering has been for them. How often do we have the chance to make a real difference in the lives of others?

We are truly a nation of abundance. It's time to share.

'Project Healthy Neighbors' Fair Helps Santa Barbara Homeless

2009-11-18T14:22:18Z

Did you know that the largest mobile medical clinic in Southern California
serves the homeless community? The fifth annual "Project Healthy Neighbors" fair, held at Casa Esperanza Homeless Center, provides a wide range of health and counseling services for Santa Barbara's homeless population.

According to Imelda Loza, associate executive director of Casa Esperanza, the goal of "Project Healthy Neighbors" is to prevent disease, illness and death within the homeless population. Loza said this objective is especially important considering that 26 homeless people have died in Santa Barbara within the last year.

Over 100 volunteers turned out to give assistance to the homeless, reports The Daily Nexus. Services include drug and alcohol counseling, haircuts, dental hygiene and veterans' resources. Neighborhood clinics and local organizations such as UCSB Student Health Outreach contributed their efforts to promote health among the homeless.

One of the most innovative forms of aid was "survival packs" created by Families United to Nurture Dreams. The packs consist of backpacks filled with shirts, socks, sweatshirts, ponchos, food and hygiene products, and over 400 were distributed last year.

The event draws the ire of some critics, who believe it encourages out-of-town homeless people to relocate to Santa Barbara for the benefits, but the increase in homelessness is believed to be due to the financial crisis.

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

Homeless Job Seeker Gets Helping Hand From CNN Viewer

2009-11-17T14:14:46Z

Two weeks ago, CNN profiled Tony Briones, a recently homeless Los Angeles man who had exhausted all his resources while looking for work. Now, the network reports, Briones is receiving surprise help in his job search from a CNN viewer who volunteers at Chrysalis, a non-profit organization helping the homeless and people recently released from prison find jobs.

WATCH THE VIDEO:

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

Read more: Homeless, Jobs, Chrysalis, Cnn, Impact News

Arianna Huffington: Memo to Warren Buffett: Put Down the Pom-Poms and Tell Us the Truth About the Economy

2009-11-16T18:43:08Z

Difficult times need wise men to tell difficult truths.

And, for many years, Warren Buffett, the "Sage of Omaha," has done just that. For example, he was one of the first to sound the alarm about the danger of derivatives, warning in 2003 that they were "financial weapons of mass destruction" that could lead to a "corporate meltdown."

So it was deeply distressing to watch his recent CNBC town hall meeting with a group of Columbia business students, followed the next night by an hour spent talking about the economy with Charlie Rose, and see Buffett joining in the economic victory lap the Obama administration -- and much of the media -- are taking.

"The financial panic is behind us," Buffett told the Columbia crowd. Sure, he conceded, the economy "still is sputtering some," but his tone was overwhelmingly upbeat.

The cheerleading continued with Rose: The economy "will come back, Charlie," said Buffett. "I want to emphasize that." And he did, again and again:

"The American economy will come back."

"Businesses will be formed. Businesses will expand."

"We're not out of the hospital yet. But we will come out of the hospital... It happened in the 19th century, it happened in the 20th century at various times, and we've always come back stronger."

"There will be some lasting impacts of certain types, but in terms of coming out of it, I don't worry."

All this pom-pom shaking would have been okay if it had been accompanied by some ideas -- any ideas -- for what steps need to be taken for "the American economy to come back." The assumption being that it would, somehow, just happen. That the rising tide of unemployment, foreclosures, and bankruptcies drowning so many Americans would, somehow, reverse itself. But the bout of truth-telling we so desperately need was absent.

Instead, Buffett assured Rose "we'll create new jobs" because... well, because we always have. As proof, he pointed to the early 80s recession when unemployment was at 10 percent and people were deeply concerned about America's economic future. "We've created millions and millions and millions of jobs since then," he said. "But, you know, who would have thought when Paul Allen and Bill Gates were in Albuquerque, you know, eating pizza and drinking Coke at 2:00 in the morning, you know, that they were a big part of our future."

This echoed his rah-rah salute to American can-do at Columbia: "The plants haven't gone away. The cornfields haven't gone away. The talent of the American people hasn't gone away."

But all those same things could have been said last October, when Wall Street was melting down. The plants hadn't gone away then, either. The cornfields hadn't gone away. The talent of the American people hadn't gone away. But since it was the banks in crisis, we didn't just offer pep talks and rosy predictions for the future, we convened all night meetings, and brought together big wigs over a weekend and told them not to leave without a solution. And, oh yeah, we ponied up trillions of our taxpayer dollars.

But even with unemployment at a 26-year high of 10.2 percent (which is actually 17.5 percent when you include workers no longer looking for work or only partially employed), we're not seeing anything remotely resembling the urgency and aggressive action we saw when it was the banks that needed saving.

Instead of Buffett raising his prophetic voice to sound the alarm as he'd done in the past, and as we desperately need him to do again, he's sounding a trumpet blast: "behold and rejoice."

And the best the White House can muster is a summit on joblessness -- to be held next month. What's the rush, right? The plants are still there -- and so are the cornfields.

Despite Buffett's acknowledgment that "we've got 60 million people living in households where the top income is $21,000 or less," it looks as if, at least for the moment, he's out of the truth telling business.

Last night, an investment banker friend told me "Buffett is talking his book" -- Wall Street-speak for making an argument that, if accepted by the market, would also make you money. I actually think it's more likely that Buffett who, after all, has already pledged his fortune to the Gates Foundation for charity, believes that by talking the economy up he can actually have a tangible impact.

But the real economy doesn't need upbeat rhetoric. It needs serious action.

For a snapshot of what kind of action, check out Nouriel Roubini's latest post. It's a dose of bracing truth-telling -- and the perfect counterweight to Buffett's cheerleading. Roubini puts forth more truth in less than 600 words than Buffett managed in a full hour on Charlie Rose and a full hour at the Columbia town hall.

"There's really just one hope for our leaders to turn things around," writes Roubini, "a bold prescription that increases the fiscal stimulus with another round of labor-intensive, shovel-ready infrastructure projects, helps fiscally strapped state and local governments and provides a temporary tax credit to the private sector to hire more workers."

Without such action, says Roubini, "we can expect weak recovery of consumption and economic growth; larger budget deficits; greater delinquencies in residential and commercial real estate and greater fall in home and commercial real estate prices; greater losses for banks and financial institutions on residential and commercial real estate mortgages, and in credit cards, auto loans and student loans and thus a greater rate of failures of banks; and greater protectionist pressures."

The Wall Street economy and the Real Economy both went down together. But the one that caused the plunge has gotten the lion's share of government attention and money -- while the other one has continued to plummet. And since it's tragically clear which economy has Larry Summers' and Tim Geithner's attention, we are in even more urgent need of truth tellers to point out the grave human consequences of the White House's lackadaisical response.

Consequences like the 35.8 people million who used food stamps in July -- up almost 7 million from the same time last year.

Or the 17 million American households that have had difficulty putting enough food on the table during the last year -- an increase of 4 million from last year.

Or the 1.3 million unemployed female heads of household who, according to the Center for American Progress, are unemployed.

Or the 42-percent rise in homeless schoolchildren in Las Vegas -- the result of Nevada's highest-in-the-country foreclosure rate.

I'd love to go to Vegas with Warren Buffett -- but not to hit the tables or catch a show. I want to take him to Whitney Elementary School, which I saw profiled on Saturday on CNN, right after watching Buffett on my Tivo'd Charlie Rose.

As reported by CNN correspondent Dan Simon, the school's supply closets are no longer filled with pens or paper, but with food and clothing: "This school has so many homeless people that it felt it had to take the initiative to make sure that its students are fed and have clothes on their back."

I'm sure, given Buffett's legendary compassion, that what would happen in Vegas would most definitely not stay in Vegas -- but would instead become a much-needed counter-narrative to the official spin.

The media spotlight needs to move off Wall Street and the green shoots sprouting across the Dow's ticker and onto ways to turn the real economy around. It's not going to happen by clicking our heels together three times and saying "The American economy will come back... The American economy will come back... The American economy will come back."

We need Warren Buffett to put down his pom-poms and tell the president -- and the American people -- the truth about the economy.

Douglas Forbes: The New Surge: Overcoming Poverty in America

2009-11-16T12:19:45Z

Since 2007, there's been plenty of bitter chatter about if/how to muster the proper surge of troops in Iraq and Afghanistan. To this day, successes from proffering such resources largely remain anyone's guess.

Then along came last year's report called Federal Spending By the Numbers issued by conservative think-tank, The Heritage Foundation. Sure, it might not have moved the masses like Dan Brown's The Lost Symbol; nonetheless, it has its own certain potency.

A section of said report attempted to illuminate readers about a whole new kind of surge here at home, as stipulated accordingly...

"Anti-poverty spending surged 56 percent under President Bush to a record 3 percent of GDP."

It is yet unclear if the 39.8 million Americans living in poverty have read, pondered and debated the report while standing in unemployment lines, lounging on shelter beds or floundering through broken neighborhoods. So, it makes sense to question if/how such anti-poverty appropriations have been, well, appropriated.

However, here's the broader stroke. The Heritage Foundation report goes on to cite...

"It is a myth that anti-poverty spending has already been slashed and cannot be a source of savings or reforms. Program success should be measured by reduced government dependency not increased spending."

Well, how about elucidating the authors of said report in terms of this measurement? What if every resident of California were to surge into poverty right this very minute? Or what if we were to simultaneously wipe out New York, Florida and Washington, D.C., home of The Heritage Foundation? This entire populace represents the number of Americans who must currently choose between food on the table or gas in the tank, between a doctor's visit or an electric bill... between life and death.

For those like The Heritage Foundation who demand government spending be abridged on programming to protect the personal welfare of its citizens, how is it defensible that the U.S. Department of Defense budget has surged to approximately 4.8 percent of GDP, the most in U.S. history? (Incidentally, the $1 trillion surge on defense spending has NOT yet included appropriations for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, largely funded through bills outside the federal budget. So, add another $200 billion per year or so.)

A secure nation is a fundamental paradigm, and eternal praise must befall those who engage their military duties with incomparable valor. But the fact is, the 2009 U.S. military budget is nearly as much as the rest of the world's defense spending combined. It does not take a rocket scientist to wonder If this is truly apposite.

Most curious, however, is this country's perpetual penchant for securing foreign territories instead of salvaging its very own turf. And, what pray tell are we accomplishing by doing so? With 1 in 7.5 citizens living in poverty (including one in five children), America has ordained the bloodiest of wars right here within her very own borders; a war that affects every town and every city in every region of every state every single day.

The very least we can and should do is initiate a surge to empower our less fortunate souls into sustainable independence. The Emergency Food and Shelter National Board Program (government arm of FEMA) and Community Services Block Grant program (via the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services) afford monies to fight poverty. But should they not be funded dollar-for-dollar with "national defense" spending? Of course they should. And then some.

It sure would be swell to annually disperse a trillion dollars plus another $200 billion or so to help moms and dads, sons and daughters become wholly helpful and hopeful Americans. And with all this talk about family values, it seems eerily duplicitous that America has let its families become the fastest rising component of our 1.6 million homeless, representing 40 percent of the sum.

For more than eight years, this nation has deployed an extravagant amount of resources to fight a war against an enemy we can hardly see -- an enemy with unprecedented patience and resolve. Can that war be won? The jury might well be out for another eight, 28 or 108 years.

But when it comes to a war on poverty here at home, we know precisely where the enemy lies and how it attacks the hearts and minds of New Orleans, Sacramento, Detroit, Savannah and so on. Most importantly, this is a war that CAN be won.

Those who disproportionately equate poverty with iconic imagery of shotgun shacks, drug-addled convicts or war-torn vets are gravely under-informed. Poverty is a cyclical lack of means and opportunities, not a wholesale personal refusal to move forward. Furthermore, it is the turbulent and iniquitous imbalance that causes the conditional or behavioral characteristics most closely associated with our poor.

The most obvious illustration of this imbalance lies in recent wage history. Over the past 20 years, CEO pay has surged over 300 percent while Average Joe pay has sputtered to a meager 4.3 percent bump. Do not be fooled by recent public uproar and Executive Branch mandates to curtail this trend. There is a long and arduous road to travel before this disgraceful and unacceptable inclination eases.

Ultimately, through "good" economies and "bad", the constancy of American poverty continues. But why this enduring story fails to surge into our collective consciousness is the mystery that surely must unfold.

Nan Roman: Ending Homelessness for Our Veterans

2009-11-16T09:44:48Z

In an address he gave on April 9 of this year, President Obama assured American soldiers that, "When you come home to America, America will be there for you." Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki affirmed the President's promise when he vowed to end veterans homelessness in five years.

It's a goal as noble as the men and women it honors; and one that should be taken very, very seriously.

The latest numbers show that 131,000 United States veterans will be homeless tonight. This number is approximately one-fifth of the entire homeless population and represents veterans who served in World War II, Vietnam, Korea, and in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. A growing number of these veterans are women, many with families. There is great concern that because of the high injury rate in the current conflicts, veterans of our current conflicts will be extremely vulnerable to homelessness in the future (as such disabilities are often linked with homelessness).

The crisis is here -- and in order to keep our promise to our returning soldiers, we must act swiftly.

Luckily, the tools to end veterans homelessness are at our disposal -- now, it is our responsibility to make sure that we utilize these tools with the urgency befitting this preventable tragedy:

Congress has committed to provide housing and resources to 20,000 of the poorest and most disabled homeless veterans -- let's make sure that funding is distributed quickly and appropriately.

Existing permanent supportive housing programs have proven to successfully house veterans. Let's commit to expanding the availability of such units, which link veterans to the medical and behavioral health services necessary to receive the care they need.

Congress continues to debate a multitude of proposals aimed at ending veterans homelessness. Let's make sure that Congress approves what we know works for our country's veterans: homelessness prevention, rapid re-housing, and thorough outreach to those most vulnerable.

The VA stands at the helm of this fight as the agency closest to returning veterans and most capable of offering assistance. Let's make sure that Congress charges them with the clear responsibility -- and all the necessary tools -- to get the job done.

Our hearts are in the right places -- it's time for our hands to follow.

President Obama said, "...and through their service, they are living out the ideals that stir something deep within the American character -- honor, sacrifice, and commitment to a higher purpose and to one another."

Now it is our turn to uphold that American character for those who have shouldered it here and abroad.

Let's not let them down.

Biden Serves Lunch To Homeless Men In D.C.

2009-11-13T13:47:24Z

Vice President Joe Biden made a surprise stop at the Father McKenna Center of St. Aloysius Church in Washington, D.C. today to serve lunch to the homeless.

About 80 men watched the vice president don gloves and an apron to serve fish sticks in the nation's capital, which is home to approximately 18,000 homeless people.

Biden said he wanted to serve to remind himself of the grim reality that many D.C. residents face. According to The Washington Post, when Biden left the church, it took his motorcade less than five minutes to bring him back to the White House. St. Aloysius church is about half a mile north of the White House, and less than a block west of the Department of Veterans Affairs.

From The Washington Post:

"I do this at home," Biden said while lifting a piece of crust-covered fish with tongs and placing it on the plate of a man who shuffled by, eyes down, not recognizing his server. "I wanted to do this. I asked where I could do this without a lot of fanfare and they told me I could do it here."

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

Chicago Taps Parking Meters To Fund Homeless Shelters

2009-11-13T13:47:12Z

Chicago mayor Richard M. Daley announced last week that the city has earmarked $1.4 million to fund homeless prevention programs over the next two years, noted The Chicago Reporter.

The funds will be drawn from the city's lease of parking meters, which the city leased to a third party for a 75-year term early this year.

Julie Dworkin, director of policy at the Chicago Coalition for the Homeless said the parking meter lease funding will be used to create at least one new program-- increase in the number of shelter beds.

For more on the story and to learn about the issues the homeless face in Chicago, check out The Chicago Reporter Blog.

Get HuffPost Impact On Facebook and Twitter!

Christine Schanes: Homelessness Myth #2: "They're All Bums!"

2009-11-13T12:00:16Z

Absolutes can be tricky because there is usually an exception that "proves" or breaks every rule. We have often heard the expression, "Never say never!" We generally know in our hearts that in the world of human beings, no one is perfect, no rule remains unbroken and no expressions are absolute.

The same is true with homeless people. There are no absolutes. Just based on what we intuit about the world around us, we know that each homeless person is a unique person - just a housed person without the home.

Whether a person can be called a bum actually depends upon how, of course, we define the word, "bum." However, anyone chooses to define that word, I think most of us would agree that children are not bums under any definition.

In my experience, I have found that approximately 25 percent of homeless people are children. Together, women and children make up close to 40 percent of homeless people and are the fastest growing segment of the homeless population. They have not chosen homelessness as a life-style; rather, homelessness has been forced upon them.

Escaping battery is one reason why women become homeless. When women leave their batterers, they generally take their children with them. Battered women's shelters are testaments to this experience. Not unlike homeless shelters generally, most of the battered women's shelters are full.

Another reason women and children become homeless is the impact of a challenging economy upon single mothers. Since the first working mom sought employment, finding a job and arranging for childcare so she could go to work have been huge issues. In the past, however, some of these working moms had family that they could rely on to some extent for support.

Today, large distances separate many family members and extended family finances have dwindled due to a host of economic circumstances. Thus, poor mothers often find they are unable to get help from their already overstressed family support system.

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) of 2009 signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009, will hopefully help prevent more people from becoming homeless. On October 8th, LaDonna Pavetti, director of the Welfare Reform and Income Support Division of the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, testified before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Income Security and Family Support that the ARRA "prevented millions of Americans from falling into poverty and has helped some states to forgo significant cuts that would have weakened the safety net for very poor families with children."

Part of ARRA, the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) as administered through the States and their Continuums of Care may help homeless women and children become housed. Since applications for assistance are just now being made available to potential participants, the impact of the HPRP is yet to be felt.

The opinions that some housed people may have of homeless people may be understandable, but their opinions are uneducated. For example, some housed people may see homeless people sleeping in public during the day and conclude they are lazy.

In truth, many homeless people choose to sleep during the day because it is too dangerous for them to sleep at night because that is when they are most vulnerable.

Some time ago, I accompanied students from Crossroads High School in Santa Monica as they made a short film about homelessness in their city. I introduced them to my friend, "Charles," who spoke to them very frankly about his experiences since he became homeless.

Charles shared that although he was over 6 feet tall and weighed over 230 pounds, he was afraid to sleep at night.

"Why?" asked the surprised students.

Charles was slightly embarrassed when he confessed that when he slept at night he was afraid someone would hurt him. Instead, he chose to sleep during the day and in well-trafficked areas because he felt that the constant flow of people would provide him with an additional measure of safety.

Charles asked the students if they had read the reports of some young people who had killed homeless people while they slept.

Bums or people protecting themselves? You decide.

I look forward to your comments. Thanks,

Christine