Let me back up.
Myself and my outreach partner that day, Tammy, deployed to the home of a sweet elderly woman. She owed over $5,000 on her utility bill which added up from having to pay other unexpected expenses. Her middle-aged son was battling cancer and was cut off his Medicare plan once his treatments got to be too extensive (another unfortunate situation altogether).
As you can imagine, being a senior with medical needs herself, legally blind, on a fixed income, with a son who is ill, and life continuing to go on (bills and all), it's a lot to keep up with.
When we arrived her utilities were pending shutoff. A week later DTE had turned off her lights and gas completely after giving her a grace period. I was working with her to help her get some assistance for her bill, but as most things go when working within the formal system of care, there are applications, and waiting periods. Almost nothing is immediate, especially utility assistance.
My last idea was to have her call DTE case management line to ask about applying for a Home Heating Credit. Turns out she was eligible and was able to get the bill paid down to a manageable amount. She fortunately had enough money in savings to pay the rest herself.
Last I heard from her, DTE was scheduled to come out the next day to turn her utilities back on.
So jf you or someone you know in the metro Detroit area is struggling to pay their utility bills, and is low income, you can call DTE about a Home Heating Credit. Details here:http://www.dteenergy.com/residentialCustomers/billingPayment/paymentPrograms/payAssistance.html#heatingCredit
And of course, 2-1-1 is always a great resource to keep in mind as we have information to thousands of community agencies in your area.
So I'll briefly explain the shift here.
2-1-1 On the Go! was originally developed to bring the information from the 2-1-1 database out to the homeless population in Detroit. We still do that. But we now have additional staff working on homeless prevention.
That's where the utilities stuff comes in.
In partnership with DTE Energy (Detroit's main utility company), 2-1-1 On the Go! deploys to the homes of DTE's most vulnerable customers - seniors, the disabled, and families with dependent children - providing information about community resources, as well as advocacy to help them get their utilities turned back on.
With this new partnership we are working to prevent homelessness in the lives of vulnerable populations. Also noteworthy about this new project is that we serve Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, while the homeless outreach staff continues to serve just the City of Detroit.
This sparked an interesting question for me. Do people really lack compassion, or do they just not know how to help?
The tone of Roberts' article was sort of 'it's ridiculous that the homeless have to make such a scene to get people to care.'
My view is more on the side of 'people do care, they just don't know what to do about it.'
When I'm made to feel guilty for not doing something, it only leads me to do that thing just enough to make the guilt go away. Guilt would never be the reason for me being a long-term advocate for any cause.
With homelessness, I believe that when people can't walk downtown for 2 blocks without being hit up for money, it desensitizes them to the need. Most people are not aware of the root causes of homelessness, and how they can really help.
I submit that people generally possess a base line level of compassion. When they see a need that they know will result in a positive outcome with their help, more often than not they'll give - that is, if they have the knowledge and resources to do so.
Most people just don't understand homelessness and how they can positively impact the issue. They need to be taught and empowered into helping, not guilted and condemned.
I'm curious to know what you think. Do people REALLY lack compassion, or do they simply not know what to do with their compassion?
John Azoni assists with reducing homelessness in Detroit through United Way for Southeastern Michigan's 2-1-1 service. For more information, check out UWSEM.org/211, or follow @UnitedWayJohn on Twitter.
James (name changed for privacy) came to us fresh out of prison. He was staying in a three quarter house and was trying to get re-acclimated to normal life. He didn't waste a minute looking for work. When I first met him, he was one of the most motivated and self-driven individuals I had met in this type of work. At the time, 2-1-1 On the Go! was able to help him get connected to some job placement resources and provided him a few months worth of transportation to look for work. Our assistance to him paled in comparison to his own efforts though. In no time he was back to work doing grip work for the film crews that come to Detroit to shoot movies, but I know from time to time since then he had some setbacks with work and permanent housing.
I ran into James in Campus Martius on my lunch break. He was downtown passing out fliers for a new entrepreneurial endeavor he was taking on. He excitedly told me that he had applied for a grant from Pepsi for something like $250,000 to start a dry cleaning business near Campus Martius where he plans on hiring people coming out of the prison system. He told me out of over 1 million entries, his proposal was one of the thousand that got selected. He is now in the running to win this grant, and with the help of people voting online, I'm hoping he get get hooked up with this money. He even met with Dave Bing and got his stamp of approval apparently!
I'm expecting James to stop by our offices here in the next day or so to drop off some fliers for me. He had run out by the time I ran into him. When I get more information on how to vote I will post it here.
I'm so excited to hear this news! It's so great to see that people are seeing their goals come to life who were once struggling with the basics!
John Azoni assists with reducing homelessness in Detroit through United Way for Southeastern Michigan's 2-1-1 service. For more information, check out http://uwsem.org/211, or follow @UnitedWayJohn on Twitter.
Southeast Michigan has two resources that anybody can use to help someone find available emergency shelter.
Both services keep track of all available shelter beds in the area, and the information is updated constantly throughout each day.
Shelter Hotlines:
- (313)-963-STAY (963-7829)
- (800)-A-SHELTER (274-3583)
It's best to call in the morning (between 8 and 10 a.m.) as beds fill up fast throughout the day.
TIP: with A-SHELTER, they will need to speak to the person you're advocating for directly because they will ask for personal information like his/her Social Security number. If you are not comfortable letting a stranger use your phone, you may want to try the STAY hotline first.
If beds are available, and the person needs help getting to a shelter, use common sense. Do not give the person money. That is not helpful. More on that issue in previous posts on this blog.
You may choose to purchase a bus ticket for the individual, give them a ride yourself (again, excersise common sense and extreme caution), or simply tell the person that you're not comfortable with or able to meet his/her transportation needs. Setting appropriate boundaries is never a bad thing, so don't be afraid to simply say "no" at any point.
John Azoni assists with reducing homelessness in Detroit through United Way for Southeastern Michigan's 2-1-1 service. For more information, check out http://uwsem.org/211, or follow @UnitedWayJohn on Twitter.
I'm assuming most can agree that the system of care for the homeless is not set up to be an adequate solution to the problem. 2-1-1's role in this issue is to help people navigate through this fragmented system, and access resources that will lead to stability through its mobile outreach effort: 2-1-1 On the Go!. But we're by no means the experts.
So we're asking those who have a voice on the issue to weigh in on this topic. Your responses will be used to improve our work with the homeless in Detroit:
In your view, what are the major gaps in services for the homeless, and how can 2-1-1 be better at addressing those gaps?
If you're not familiar with how 2-1-1 works, before you respond, give us a call and present a need - could be for yourself or on behalf of a client experiencing homelessness (in the Metro Detroit area, just dial 2-1-1 from a landline, or 800-552-1183 from a cell phone). Then let us know in the comments section whether or not the call was worthwile, and your thoughts on the above question.
John Azoni is a homeless outreach associate with 2-1-1 On the Go! and United Way for Southeastern Michigan. He welcomes additional fluff-free conversation about homelessness on Twitter: @UnitedWayJohn
I was at Salvation Army shelter last week with a couple of our other outreach staff, assessing individuals in the shelter for an opportunity to participate in a unique job program through Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit. I sat down with a woman who was older than most, about 62, disabled, and fresh out of detox. The conversation didn't get very far before I determined she was ineligible for this particular opportunity due to the fact that she was disabled, but I sat and listened to her for about 15 minutes regardless.
I could sense that she was hurting, and she told me she didn't have anyone to talk to. She's been an alcoholic her whole life, inherited from her mother who was also an alcoholic. At times she had been addicted to both drugs and alcohol, and experienced the darkness that comes along with those habits. She entered detox at Salvation Army after her addiction to alcohol led her into homelessness. She was such a sweet lady, and considered her time at Salvation Army to be a time when God wanted to use her despite the discomfort of the shelter environment. She told me about how she had become the peacemaker at the shelter, quieting arguments and being a source of comfort and support for one particular woman there.
I could tell as she was talking and tearing up that she had a lot on her mind; a lot she hadn't yet dealt with from her past and present. I'm no counselor, nor do I pretend to be. But when she told me that I was the first person she had really opened up to since entering the shelter, I felt like I was in the right place.
Often times when doing outreach I have my head stuck in the clouds of outcomes. It's as though assessing and truly listening are two completely different parts of my brain that can't function at the same time. But it was refreshing to get a chance to just sit and listen, and hear her story. In fact, it was pretty humbling.
The conversation was short and ended with her realizing she needed to sit down with her case manager at the shelter, and talk through some of her issues. She happened to have the flu that day, and extended to me the hand she had been holding her snotty tissue in. I shook it against my better judgement, not wanting to offend, and felt thankful that for every person who works at United Way for Southeastern Michigan, there are about twice as many bottles of hand sanitizer around the office.
I read an article this morning that’s been passed around Twitter since it was published, about how the number of first-time homeless people are soaring in metro Detroit. Below are the main points quoted from the Detroit Free Press (full article here):
- The number of people who say they are homeless for the first time is increasing in metro Detroit, spurred by unemployment and foreclosures, experts say.
- In Oakland, Wayne and Macomb counties, advocates say people who are homeless for the first-time make up 20% to 40% of those seeking services, out of more than 10,000 homeless people in metro Detroit.
- Jason Weller, executive director of the Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness, said estimates for 2009 are expected to increase by at least 10%.
With all the contributing factors that define a “poor economy”, many people who until now thought their basic needs were a given, are forced to rely on the help of others to sustain themselves and their families.
“...many who previously had jobs, cars and homes -- are straining already crowded shelters, having worn out their welcome with family and friends, and are unable to come up with money for motel rooms or gas for their cars.”
No matter what kind of work you're involved in, it is important- now more than ever - for nonprofits and individuals to be capacity-builders. We need to daily consider how we can make deposits into other people’s work and lives, and help them do what they do better. We need to be willing to shift gears, take risks, and respond to the growing need in new ways.
GIVE
Build capacity through a financial gift to a family or organization you trust.
ADVOCATE
Identify one person who could use a boost and advocate for his needs within your personal and professional networks.
VOLUNTEER
While money can be a quick and necessary fix, giving of the intangibles (our time, our priorities, our strengths, our personal space) has the power to plant seeds that will bear lasting fruit in people’s lives. Consider who you are as an individual and what you bring to the table, then block out some time to give it away (seriously, put it on the calendar). If you’re not sure where to volunteer, find out who needs an extra set of hands in your area: www.volunteersolutions.org/uwsem
John Azoni assists in working on solutions to homelessness in Detroit through United Way for Southeastern Michigan's 2-1-1 service. For more information, check out http://uwsem.org/211, or follow @UnitedWayJohn on Twitter.
Charlie - a rather young guy probably in his 20’s - was homeless and heavily addicted to heroin. Like many homeless addicts, he would spend every day begging enough money to feed his addiction. What was interesting was that the viewer got to see the back-story of this common act. His family was pretty normal and cared deeply about him. They lived in a nice suburban home where one would expect that everything under that roof was all clean and together. As much as they loved Charlie and hoped he would seek help, they had handed him over to the consequences of his own addiction, which meant allowing him to be homeless and reap what he was sowing for himself.
“I wake up sick, I panhandle to feel better, and I do it all over again the next day” says Charlie. That’s his life.
What kept Charlie on heroin was not stubbornness or rebellion, nor was it a desire to be homeless: it was the strong fear of getting off drugs and the pain that would inevitably follow as his body craved the chemicals it would be starved from.
During the intervention, his family shared the pain of watching their son, brother, and nephew kill himself, and after much resistance, Charlie gave in and agreed to seek help.
After begging up enough money to use one last time, Charlie was admitted into detox and later into treatment to learn the life-skills, and get the support necessary to stay off heroin. The cameras cut to a shot of him clean shaven and confident. He had been clean for 60 days and was experiencing the joy of freedom from drugs. It was beautiful to see him be reunited with his family and no longer tethered to his addiction. It was like the smoke had cleared and he saw that he had been believing a lie that life couldn’t exist without the crutch of heroin.
My heart broke though when the show informed the viewers that about a month later, Charlie had relapsed and was homeless again using heroin. All the joy had deflated and I can only imagine what level of disappointment his family experienced.
I wonder at what point of this story the people our outreach team works with to connect them to resources find themselves at. I think about what their families go through daily, wondering where their daughter is at this very moment, hoping someone is there to catch her. It’s a weird feeling when I think about it in that light to know that I play a role in that story. I can never really know all the damage that has occurred in the addicted person’s life, and all the damage she has caused to those around her. The best I can do is just give these people the resources that would be helpful, and pray that the veil is lifted for good.
Strangely enough, Charlie has been on my mind today. I often disconnect from even the reality tv scenarios of people who are really hurting, but this time I felt like I was one of the people really pulling for him in real life, wanting him to get better and realize a life filled with purpose.
This is happening all around us. Without even knowing it, when we give to panhandlers, we are hurting a whole body of people who want that person to get better. We think we are doing good, but we play a role of the opposing team who are keeping that person addicted and suffering. The takeaway from this is to strongly reconsider - as I have said many times before in previous posts – how we help those who are in need. Are we helping, or hurting? Are we enabling, or empowering? Because enabling looks a lot like empowering if you don’t know what’s behind the veil of need.
"On that Friday in January, those private questions would be answered in an unusually public way. No one knew it, but the fiddler standing against a bare wall outside the Metro in an indoor arcade at the top of the escalators was one of the finest classical musicians in the world, playing some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made. His performance was arranged by The Washington Post as an experiment in context, perception and priorities -- as well as an unblinking assessment of public taste: In a banal setting at an inconvenient time, would beauty transcend?" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/04/AR2007040401721.html)
For just about every one of the hundreds of people who walked by that morning, Bell was just another wanderer - another part of the DC landscape. The most interesting part of the story for me was the contrast of privilege versus ordinary depending on the context.
"Three days before he appeared at the Metro station, Bell had filled the house at Boston's stately Symphony Hall, where merely pretty good seats went for $100. Two weeks later, at the Music Center at Strathmore, in North Bethesda, he would play to a standing-room-only audience so respectful of his artistry that they stifled their coughs until the silence between movements."
When you place a world famous musician in a setting you'd expect to see such an artist perform, his work becomes a privilege to behold - one worthy of dropping hundreds of dollars to witness. Take that same person and place him on a street corner, even with a $3 million violin (literally), and he is quickly lumped together with the guy playing Michael Jackson covers on a dirty saxophone. I don't think this is necessarily a bad or unheard of thing. It's the human condition. As much as we say we don't judge, we do. I've met some pretty interesting people who are currently or formerly homeless. These same people have seen more pain than I can imagine, and overcome more struggles than I could withstand. I see very talented people who can't catch a break because no employer sees them as anything more than someone they can get to push a broom around for minimum wages. Restaurants pay them less than minimum wage under the table with the notion that "they should be greatful to even be working."
The funny thing is, they could probably run circles around us in some areas, but we lump them together with a whole population of people we view as "lazy" and worthy of little more than our second-hand clothes and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. If we were to just stop and listen, as only a handful of people did when Joshua Bell played for them for free, we might behold an incredible and irreplacable gift.
If you watch the video in the link to the article above, you'll notice at the end of it one point of redemption. One girl recognizes what's before her. She had seen Bell play not long before, and couldn't believe her eyes (and ears) that he was offering such an incredible gift. Bell wasn't out to receive any glory in this experiment, nor do I think he was offended when people didn't recognize him, but I bet it was interesting to play the part of the meek shaming the prideful, watching quietly as the notes he played fell on deaf ears to all but one.
In addition to this blog, I write about poverty (and the Christian faith, so fair warning) on JohnWritesStuff.wordpress.com. I re-posted my article about panhandling myths on that blog and received this comment on the post from an aquaintance I met at the Detroit Rescue Mission homeless shelter:
"I know firsthand that Detroit's homeless, at least, are mostly in a vampiric state of consciousness that makes long-term success impossible. This is not a mere mental illness. But it is also true that the only honest work available for the homeless -- flyer distribution - barely pays $6 an hour, and that intermittently. Almost, but not quite enough to rent a room for the week. So if cash money can neither be earned nor given, what hope is there?"
I thought this was great insight straight from someone who has been homeless. I responded with raising the issue of all the available space for housing in Detroit, but all the politics and selfishness that cause that space to remain abandoned while people remain unhoused. My friend had this to say about it:
"Our system is currently Darwinian - its unspoken, unchallenged assumption is that competing for profit creates innovation and is therefore a good thing. Only problem is that, under this system, anything that doesn't generate a profit is optimized out of everyone's to-do list. "Affordable" means less profit: few developers truly want that; and "sustainable," usually means less profit for some entrenched gargantuan industry. All private employers, and all their employees, have a vested interest in keeping goodies scarce - even food, housing, and health if they can get away with it - because they are merchants, or in the old language, 'commoners,' and cannot be responsible for the general welfare. The solution? Those playing the role of 'lords' - our politicians, clergy, and strong heads of families - should take the lead again, after a century of greed, and boldly do those things that transcend a profit motive."
I think my friend has a point (as well as an interesting way of making his point). Our city is such a mess of greed and facades, positioning, battles for funding and misuse of that funding... It makes me wonder if we are at all capable of doing anything for the sake of others, void of such a high level of self interest.
The flipside of my previous post on panhandling is that we are quick to call panhandlers lazy, and tell them to get a job, but slow to provide them any legal opportunities to work, as my friend mentioned above. I see time and time again people who do not want to be homeless a day longer, but can't for the life of them seem to catch a break! The barriers they face are not anything that more funding can fix, because the system receiving the funding is not working! We need people at the top to genuinely care for those at the bottom and cut themselves out of the picture.
Just some thoughts... I don't have any answers, but I welcome everyone else's thoughts in the comment section.
I won’t even get into the differences between poverty and middle class culture, and how they view money differently, but there is much to be said for money not being a solution to a homeless person’s problems.
Chances are, people that line the city streets asking for spare change are begging to fill some need, whether it’s truly the need they claim to have or not. Behind every panhandler is likely to be some very real and dramatic issues that need to be addressed. However, as I said before, I submit that money is not the answer to those issues.
So now what? You’re face to face with a desperate looking man who is spouting off every Jesus reference he can think of to convince you he is a man of integrity who wouldn’t lie to you. His story sounds legit, but you’re not sure. Well let’s look at the facts.
The following apply to Detroit only.
1. Food
In Detroit alone, someone who is “homeless and hungry” can get a meal every day of the week. Here are just some of the locations and times:
Mon:
-Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 6333 Medbury St. – (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
-Manna Community Meal, 1950 Trumbull St. – 7-11am
-Central United Methodist Church, 23 E. Adams - 10:30 – 12pm
-Saint Andrew-Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2261 Marquette St. - 4-5pm
-Detroit Rescue Mission, 3535 Third St. – 5:30-6pm
Tue:
-Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 6333 Medbury St. – (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
-Manna Community Meal, 1950 Trumbull St. – 7-11am
-Detroit Rescue Mission – 5:30-6pm
Wed:
-Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 6333 Medbury St. – (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
-Manna Community Meal, 1950 Trumbull St. – 7-11am
-Detroit Rescue Mission – 5:30-6pm
-Saint Andrew-Redeemer Lutheran Church - 4-5pm
Thu:
-Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 6333 Medbury St. – (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
- Fort Street Presbyterian, 631 W Fort St. – 9–11am
-Central United Methodist Church - 10:30 – 12pm
-Detroit Rescue Mission – 5:30-6pm
Fri:
-Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 6333 Medbury St. – (breakfast, lunch, and dinner)
-Manna Community Meal, 1950 Trumbull St. – 7-11am
-Detroit Rescue Mission – 5:30-6pm
Sat:
-Capuchin Soup Kitchen, 6333 Medbury St. – (breakfast and lunch)
-Manna Community Meal, 1950 Trumbull St. – 7-11am
-Detroit Rescue Mission – 5:30-6pm
Sun:
-Crossroads of Michigan, 2424 W Grand Blvd – 12-3pm
2. Bus Fare
Another common story is that the person asking for money needs it to get a bus ticket home. This is probably the one I hear the most. The person is “stranded, and just needs 50 cents for bus fare”. Or, probably even more common, “I just got out of the hospital (or prison) and I’m trying to get home.” I met a guy once outside of a convenient store I watched buy a shot of whiskey from the clerk, and then started in with me about how he just got out of prison and needed money for a meal and a bus ticket to a shelter. He even had on his ID bracelet to make his story more convincing. I knew the shelter he was talking about and it was within walking distance. Nonetheless, I talked to him for a minute and heard his story, then offered to buy him a pizza and a bus ticket. He declined and walked away.
This is one of those that sounds very legit, but if you come Downtown often enough, you’re likely to see the same people, walking around the same area with the same story. A good solution to this is to spend $5-10 on one-way bus tickets, and just carry them around with you. That way when someone asks you specifically for bus fare, you can meet that need directly. The person in need gets to keep his dignity because it shows him that you believe his need is real, and you value him as a person enough to meet that need.
If you don’t have bus tickets on you, you can always offer to purchase a ticket for the person if they will come with you. If they are not being truthful, they will likely decline, because by coming with you they would be missing out on opportunities for people to give them money. I’ve seen this happen many times, and it’s another one of those win/win solutions.
3. Guilt Trip
I recently saw Chris Gardner speak; a guy who went from being homeless to becoming a top executive on Wall Street. Will Smith played his character in “The Pursuit of Happyness”. Something he said in his talk has stuck with me, and I feel it’s pretty telling. He said, “There is a different population of homeless people; the working homeless. You don’t see them, because they’re not waiting around for people to give them money. They’re at work, or out looking for work.”
After hearing that, I didn’t feel bad about saying no to those panhandlers who really lay it on thick. “Come on man, help a poor homeless guy…It’s my birthday…God bless you…I’m a diabetic veteran..”
When we give people money, we enable them to make a living begging for money.
“A survey conducted by the Coos Bay [Oregon] Police Department found that people who ask for money outside the Wal-Mart on Newmark Avenue can make $300 in one day. In comparison, an employee inside the store, working at minimum wage, would need to put in five, eight-hour days to make that much.” (Read the full article here: http://www.theworldlink.com/articles/2008/01/29/news/doc479f709bd9f41798626761.txt)
All people are valuable. One way to show someone they are valuable is to not enable them to devalue themselves by relying on everyone else to carry them through life. Even those who are mentally ill will not have their problems solved by getting free money. If you have a passion for a certain population of homelessness, such as the mentally ill, those stuck in addiction, or even those who are really trying to work their way to stability, find out what is already available in your community for them. If you find there are gaps, become an advocate for those gaps to be filled, or just commit to being in someone’s life who is experiencing homelessness. Be consistent with that person and encourage others to join you in that approach. I’ve seen the effects that positive relationships have on those who are struggling, and I can tell you with confidence there is no substitute for positive emotional support. Just being there and being supportive can inspire an addict to change, or provide comfort and relief to someone struggling with a mental illness. Learn the name of the person asking for money. Be kind and encouraging, but don’t be afraid to flat out say “no” to giving him/her money.
There are these home videos floating around my parents’ house of my sister and I dancing to Michael Jackson’s “Beat It” in the basement of our old house when I was about 2. Even at a young age I was pretty captivated by Michael’s music. My Moonwalk skills developed later in life though, as in about 5 months ago. Nick and I would practice our Moonwalk while waiting for a meeting to start, dancing around the conference table while nobody was looking. This was before Michael’s death though; allow me to make that distinction. Because apparently any interest in Michael Jackson post-death is considered “predictable” (insert winky face).
But I was amazed the day after the new spread about Michael’s death how many people were paying tribute to his music in the streets. I’ve never seen anything like it. I saw more than one person with a saxophone running down a playlist of songs off Thriller with an open instrument case for donations. Restaurants were playing “Billie Jean”, and I heard "Rock With You" blasting into the streets from Hard Rock Cafe.
But what’s even more compelling is the level of remorse for this celebrity; someone whose fame was sustained by some very disturbing controversy, rather than any recent display of his talent. I love what Water1st.org had to say about it on Twitter (Follow @water1st)
“Sad day yesterday. Michael Jackson & Farrah Fawcett passed. And 10,000 children died from preventable waterborne diseases.”
As I spend time mentoring kids in the inner city outside of work, I notice that they’re quick to rattle off Chris Brown’s next court date, but have little clue about issues that matter. It makes me wonder if America is indifferent, or just distracted. Do we really not care that there are people out there that are desperate for a miracle…forced to choose between a bug-infested shelter bed and the hard cement, or are we just buried beneath all the noise? If the homeless got as much attention on Twitter during the week of Michael Jackson’s death as he did, I wonder how many people’s prayers from the park bench would have been answered.
Homeless people die every day for various reasons, but the most disturbing is when they die because the system failed to properly support them. While we’re busy drooling over celebrity gossip, real life is happening, and real life is being lost.
So my challenge is this: Make a habit of shutting out the noise. Spend time with real people, in real life. Make it your default activity to meet the needs of others, rather than sitting in front of the TV cheering on your favorite American Idol contestant. Better yet, find out who in your neighborhood has a killer voice, and encourage them! Michael Jackson was great, but the need is greater.
Let’s put real issues in the Facebook News Feed. And if you need a little inspiration, check out LiveUnitedSEM.org.
Since working with the homeless for several years now, I've become hardened to panhandlers. Having seen first-hand the story behind many of those who are asking for money, it's something I feel we shouldn't feel bad about saying NO to. The alternative solutions discussed in this video I feel are good.
I will update this more in depth soon, but I just wanted to pop my head up and let everyone know I'm still alive.
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Nick and I, as well as few other UWSEM staff members, led the students in going out into different communities in the Greater Detroit area, to find employers interested in hiring our clients. We sent teams to Dearborn, Midtown, Ferndale, and Hamtramck to scour the local businesses (avoiding national chains, with the exception of fast food restaurants) talking to employers about the needs of our clients. The teams went out equipped with an understanding of 2-1-1 and 2-1-1 On the Go!, and how to pitch the ask to employers for full-time jobs.
They must've done something right because we ended the day with 51 employers interested in varying degrees in helping out in some way with our mission. Not all of those employers will have jobs to offer, but at least they are willing to learn about our program and keep us in their back pocket if jobs do open up. Hopefully some will take to the mission and spread the word to other employers in their networks.
Nick has organized all the contacts into one spreadsheet (a task I avoid at all costs), and we will begin following up with the employers on Monday. We hope to get some jobs out of this, but more important is the experience that the ASBers were able to gain in being a unique voice for our clients. Hopefully they learned that you don't have to be on staff with 2-1-1 On the Go! to be a vital part of our ongoing mission, and they will continue to work on reeling in employers for us as they go about their lives.
This was a fun bunch to work with, and I am privileged to have met some pretty rad folks willing to give their time and energy for the betterment of people's lives.
So with that said, I have to say I'm probably a little behind the times when I mention how excited I am about RSS feed. I seriously just discovered this. I've always seen the little RSS icon on different websites, but never bothered to learn what it does. But seriously, this is the best invention ever! It dawned on me one day last week that we could make great use of this tool for our clients' job searches. So we went ahead and set up a Google Reader account for 2-1-1 On the Go!. It's set to gather all the latest job leads in relevant categories from Craigslist, Monster, and Indeed. It also pulls articles from blogs that discuss tips on how to write a great resume, make a good impression in an interview, and ultimately land the job you want. We wrote up some real easy instructions on how to access and use it, and have sent those instructions out to our clients who have email. The rest will receive that information when they get next month's bus pass. We will be encouraging our clients to use this tool for their job searches, and to use it often. Hopefully this will make their job searches a lot more efficient, and hopefully a little bit enjoyable.
Purpose:
People facing homelessness are often lacking the necessary support that we take for granted such as family, friends, neighbors, and church community to name a few. Often the support they do have are individuals living a lifestyle they would rather steer clear of. We want to provide these individuals with positive people who can come alongside them in their efforts to get out of homelessness.
Your role:
· Build a friendship with a homeless individual who is motivated to find work and get off the street.
· Join with 2-1-1 On the Go! in our goal to get 60 people employed and 30 housed by September '09. Your main focus would be your mentee.
· Identify barriers your mentee is facing and advocate for those needs to be met by people in your network.
· Teach your mentee valuable skills that we take for granted such as basic computer skills, navigating the internet, using email, writing a resume, etc.
Time Commitment:
2-1-1 On the Go! mentors need to be able to commit to their mentee and be consistent. The minimum time commitment is 3 hours a week but you are free to commit more time to your mentee if you would like. You will meet with your mentee once a week face-to-face in a public area that you both agree on for as long as you feel comfortable or is necessary. The remainder of the time will be spent working your social network to find opportunities for your mentee and finding ways to get his or her needs met.
For more detailed information feel free to contact:
John Azoni - 2-1-1 On the Go! Homeless Outreach Associate
Work: 313-226-9203
Cell: 313-460-2714
Email: John.Azoni@LiveUnitedSEM.org
If you're interested in what else is going on at United Way for Southeastern Michigan, logon to LiveUnitedSEM.org and get plugged in.
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