HOMELESS SHOP ONLINE AND HELP THE HOMELESS BUY FROM 4000 MERCHANTS DIRECTLY GO TO
W
e at the Homeless Voice try to save you money and prevent you from becoming homeless if you have an accident. A lot of time people have insurance that they do not need as well as not having insurance they may need. We highly recommend a family to have disability insurance. Don’t pick a plan that has a length of coverage. For instance if the plan only offers you disability insurance for two years don’t pick that plan. Pick a plan that states long term, and long-term means they will pay you until you are able to work again. If you can’t work, the plan should continue to pay you until your social security or disability comes to play. The following is a list of Insurance tips that will help keep a roof over your head and prevent the rain from hitting your head if you should have a real emergency such as a permanent sickness or injury. -Staff Reporter If you're like most people, you don't relish spending money on insurance. Sure, you need it, but it's not bright and shiny, you can't drive it, and no one is going to admire it. So it's all the more galling (Continued on page 11)
How’s My Vending? Call (954)
925-6466 X101
A
fter a long day of work standing in the hot Florida sun collecting change, most clients find it difficult to put on a happy face and ask people how they’re doing. Not Roxanne Morales. The 4’11” blonde always comes into the office bubbly, as if she just awoke from a refreshing nap. She cheerfully chats with the staff and is always polite. The outgoing, middle-aged woman may be tiny, but her voice is loud. With a mixed sort of accent, Morales was born in Louisiana and raised in West Virginia before moving to New York.
From the time she was born, she was no stranger to addiction in her life. Although she would not personally deal with it until later in life, as a child, she never knew her father and her mother long-struggled with alcoholism. When she was young, her mother moved to New York, leaving her with her wealthy grandparents in West Virginia. Her sister, seven years her senior, stayed with her mother. For the most part, her childhood was much like anyone else’s. Growing up, Morales was a popular cheerleader, and she started to party as a teen-
Dear Roxanne, I am so proud of your accomplishments. Love, Mark
(Continued on page 8)
So our homeless won’t have to live out of one...
T
he Homeless Voice is now r e a d y t o l a u n c h www.homelessvoicemall.com; this is the place where you can do all your shopping. This is also the place that gives the Homeless Voice commission on every item you purchase. If you are using the Internet to make your flight arrangements or even your hotel reservation, first go to www.homelessvoicemall.com and go to one of the airlines or special Internet sites that offer low airfares. If you need to have unlimited long distance simply to go to www.homelessvoicemall.com and buy your telephone service. Our agency has never taken governmental money; we have always created little businesses that the community needs and then we take
the profits and place them back in to the shelter system. When you combine all your working expenses to help run other businesses it ends up lowering you’re cost to do business. When you have no shareholders to please and the business is low cost to operate it is a smart business plan. It is our goal to market our Homeless Voice Mall to everyone, everywhere so everyone can buy off the mall and then we get a percentage of the Internet shopping cart. When I first saw the icon on the Internet “shopping cart” I was a little confused, how about you? . Now I know that the shopping cart is for all the items you purchased on the Internet. So when you buy items and place them into your Internet shopping cart you will help allow a homeless person not live out of their
“You all have been real good to the Homeless Voice and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts.” shopping cart. This exchange of shopping carts will be our theme or what some people may call a slogan. (Continued on page 8)
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 2
HOMELESS VOICE
FRIENDS OF THE HOMELESS For just $15.00 a month you can keep a homeless family off the streets for a day
Mail check to: P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, FL 33329
Your Name Will Be Printed in Our Paper Every Month • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
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• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
• • • • •
Jamie F. Flores In Loving Memory Of Thomas Gasbarro Cathy and Kids The Davis Family Graham R. Mitchell Essential Oil Healthline Amparo L. Korey John’s Plumbing Service Thank You Winn Dixie Adrienne and Mike Ms. Marilyn Smith Albert J. Taragowski Ruth C Grey Mike Cross Tamara Southard Raul Cardenas MD PA Al and Annie Hurricane Prevention Inc Danny and George The Thompson Family OTD Messenger, Inc M. Smith Yorick and Bonita Parrica Lee Russ & Delores B Mordon Robert Jesus Llanes Comet Couriev Proietto Family In Memory of Billy Corwin Josh Searles Patricia Lee Russ Delores B Mordon Mrs. Jenkins Everglades Moon, Covenant of Goddess, Elibet Hanson Judy B. Pascarella John Gaeta Michael R. Prokop, Jr. Jackie M. McCarty Marilyn R. Smith
• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •
In Memory of Charles Horton In Memory of William F. Judge Todd Palgon The Morabito Family Todd Palgon Holly J. Andrus Lois Cross In Loving Memory of Florence & Nat Popkin Tailored Advertising, Inc Claudia K. Tapolow Margie Jones In memory of Wesley H. Woodall Maria M. Riveiro Gottlieb & Blair Family Pioneer Middle School Youth Crime Watch Rhenals-Mei Family The Strikowski family Margie Jones & Friends Ronald Prescia In Memory of Brian Groleau Laura Flash Jacqueline M. McCarty The Herrmann Family The Monserrate Family Madeline Butera Jennifer S. Nickel David Thawley On Behalf of Matthew Lambert Mustafa Mehmet Gokoglu In Memory of Scott Paul Cooper
YOUR NAME HERE
WE NEED Silverware, soup bowls, and pillows
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Page 3
Volume 5, Issue 13
HOMELESSVOICE.ORG
Y
ou may have noticed that there are no Homeless Voice Vendors in your city. Now you only get a Homeless Voice Issue once in a while. The cities are making it real difficult for our homeless citizens to get back on their feet. Would you like to help a vendor personally? For more details please call Lois at 954-325-7326. Also, you may have noticed that we are trying to raise money in other ways. Bear with us, and support us if you can. We are doing LETTERS TO THE EDITOR everything and anything to SEND TO: keep our shelP.O. BOX 292-577 ter alive.
DAVIE, FLORIDA 33329 FAX TO: 954-926-2022 EMAIL: info@homelessvoice.org ALL DONATION REQUESTS IN THE HOMELESS VOICE FOR ANY CHARITY ARE ADVERTISED IN CONJUNCTION WITH THIS WORDING A COPY OF THE OFFICIAL REGISTRATION AND FINANCIAL INFORMATION MAY BE OBTAINED FROM THE DIVISION OF CONSUMER SERVICES BY CALLING TOLL-FREE IN THE STATE 1-800-435-7352 REGISTRATION DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT, APPROVAL, OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE STATE THANK YOU FOR HELPING THE HOMELESS
H OM E LESS
V O IC E
Cost of paper $.25
To reach us call
954-925-6466
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954-491-BEDS
Need flyers passed out or other temp labor? CALL 954-920-1277
WHY CALL A DAY LABOR COMPANY AND SPEND LARGE AMOUNTS OF MONEY
Rates Start at $5.95 per hour Yards, leaf raking, painting, flyers passed out, car washed and etc.
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The Voice of the Homeless
Page 4
AROUND THE GLOBE
Teen charged with murder in death of homeless man in Bend
A
Sisters teen-ager is facing a murder charge in the death of a homeless man in a Bend park, according to the Associated Press. Stephen Withrow, 17, had been facing a manslaughter charge in the death of Curtis Kizer, 42, who died last Friday after he was beaten, stomped and kicked during a robbery, said Kandy Gies, a Deschutes County deputy district attorney. The murder charge was added after an autopsy showed Kizer died of blunt force trauma to the head, Gies said. News of Withrow’s arrest Monday shocked students and teachers at Sisters High School, said Principal Bob Macauley. Gies said a Deschutes County grand jury is expected to issue an indictment this week. Arraignment was set for April 27.
OREGON
N
Administration proposes cuts to Section 8 vouchers
ew threats to affordable housing around the country come as the Bush administration is proposing a $1 billion decrease in Section 8 funds for the 2005 fiscal year, says the Los Angeles Times. Under the auspices of allowing more flexibility for the housing vouchers, officials are proposing reductions to Section 8 budgets that will undercut housing funds by nearly 40 percent in 2009. In Los Angeles, the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that 10,000 people could lose housing vouchers if Congress passes the proposal. Here in Oregon, the potential for loss of vouchers is just as high. The “Save Section 8” coalition sponsored protests in LA in early April to send the message that cuts in housing are not acceptable. Proposed cuts come at the same time as the Bush administration is attempting to increase spending for the military by 7 percent - to nearly $421 billion, according to the People’s Weekly World Newspaper in Seattle.
Landless people make gains over Brazilian government Brazil’s government is making plans to increase funding to end landlessness this year. According to the BBC, plans to double the current budget would add $600 million to the fight for housing. The country’s landless peasant movement has staged a series of demonstrations in the last year, camping on 22 different ranches in March alone. Brazil currently stands as one of the most inequitable countries in the world, with more than 90 percent of the land controlled by the richest fifth of the population. In contrast, the poorest 40 percent of the population only controls 1 percent. The extra money will provide land for 115,000 more families this year.
BRAZIL
South Africa Takes Great Steps in Housing Access The former apartheid nation has reason to celebrate its tenth year as a democracy. Dramatic increases in housing, electricity, and access are a success story worth noting for the formerly racially divided nation. Since 1994, when Nelson Mandela was elected to the presidency, more than 1.9 million housing subsidies have been provided, along with 1.6 million houses, and 70 percent of homes have been provided with electricity, according to the San Francisco Chronicle. During apartheid, more than 16 million people had no access to clean water and the nation’s housing backlog topped 3 million units. These gains mark an important victory in the fight against homelessness, but South Africa still has a long way to go. Governmental policies continue to be controversial as the need for housing and sanitation remains high. Job provisions in South Africa continue to be desperately needed. Issues of poverty played a large role in the recent elections, and candidates make strong promises to provide housing and job programs for the poor. The United Nations commend South Africa’s progress, putting the nation first in the world in quick housing delivery.
SOUTH AFRICA
WASHINGTON
T
Another homeless man attacked while sleeping outside
wo men are facing charges after a brutal attack on a homeless man in Louisville, KY. Police tell WAVE-3 News that Clifton Dale Agnew, 53, was sleeping in an alley behind a Salvation Army shelter when two men attacked him. After punching, kicking, and beating Agnew with a trash can and a crock pot, the men then allegedly stripped the homeless man of his clothes and sodomized him with sticks, boards, and bottles. He was then stabbed repeatedly. Agnew suffered head trauma, broken ribs, and a lacerated colon and rectum. At one point his injuries appeared so severe that investigators were preparing murder charges. His condition is improving and he remains hospitalized. Friends of the victim say he posed no threat to anyone. The shelter’s director is calling for more to be the one to protect the homeless. “That’s the reason we need the Salvation Army and other overnight shelters,” says Brenda Mattingly. She hopes the community shares the outrage she feels. “We feel everybody here is an asset to our community and are worthwhile people. We don’t see a dividing line as to who should be protected and who shouldn’t.”
WE NEED GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR • WINN-DIXIE • WAL-MART • PUBLIX
KENTUCKY
"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired, signifies in the final sense a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed."
President Dwight D. Eisenhower April 16, 1953
Sponsored by:
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VOICE
Call 954-920-1277 for details
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Page 5
Volume 5, Issue 13
SEAN’S MEDICAL TIPS Ok. People get sick. But what does that mean to a family, after all sickness is normal to all of us. You really have no idea of how many people become homeless because of serious illness or accidents. The numbers are extremely large. I am not even talking about a major illness, just one that requires you to stay in a hospital for a week or two and a few weeks bed rest. If you have no emergency cash and you can't pay your rent, YOU’RE HOMELESS! Like so many Americans, we all are just two paychecks away from becoming homeless. Again, you really won’t ever be able to imagine how many people become homeless due to sickness or accidents. Buy ... Buy your disability insurance with no exceptions. Tuberculosis is one of these illnesses that may require you to be in a hospital for several weeks. It may also require you not to have contact with anybody for a while making you not be able to return to the work place. So learn form our notes. Learn to be careful of who you are around and make sure that you always take precautions from germs. If your one who feeds the homeless on the streets beware of TB.
HOW IS IT DONE? WHAT IS TUBERCULOSIS?
T
UBERCULOSIS {TB} IS A DISEASE THAT IS SPREAD FROM PERSON TO PERSON THROUGH THE AIR. LONG AGO, TB WAS ALSO KNOW AS "CONSUMPTION". THE TB GERMS ARE PUT INTO THE AIR WHEN A PERSON COUGHS, SNEEZES, LAUGHS, OR SINGS. TB USUALLY AFFECTS THE LUNGS, BUT CAN ALSO AFFECT OTHER PARTS OF THE BODY, SUCH AS THE BRAIN, THE KIDNEYS, OR THE SPINE. SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE INFECTED WITH TB GERMS WILL
GO ON TO DEVELOP TB DISEASE.
A
SMALL
AMOUNT
OF
HARML E S S TUBERCULIN P R O TEIN IS I N JECTED I N T O T H E SURFACE OF THE SKIN USALLY ON THE FOREARM.
SIGNS OF TUBERCULOSIS
T
HE USUAL SIGNS ARE CHRONIC COUGH, FATIGUE, NIGHT SWEATS, UNEXPLAINED WEIGHT LOSS OR FEVER, LOSS OF APPETITE OR COUGHING UP BLOOD. OFTEN THE ONLY SIGN IS A PERSISTANT COUGH. THESE SIGNS ARE OFTEN SYMPTOMS OF OTHER DISEASES AS WELL, SO BE SURE TO SEE A DOCTOR.
THE SKIN TEST
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HE PURPOSE OF A TUBERCULIN SKIN TEST IS TO TELL WHETHER YOU HAVE BECOME INFECTED WITH THE GERMS (BACTERIA) THAT CAUSE (TB) TUBECULOSIS.
WHO SHOULD BE TESTED?
P
ERSONS AT HIGH RISK OF ON-GOING EXSPOSURE TO TUBERCULOSIS SHOULD BE TESTED AT REGULAR INTERVALS. PERSONS WHO HAVE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS SHOULD BE TESTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. ANYONE WHO MIGHT BE OR IS INFECTED WITH THE HIV VIRUS SHOULD BE TESTED.
WHO SHOULD TAKE INH?
I
T IS ESPECIALLY IMPORTANT FOR INFECTED PERSONS WHO ARE AT HIGH RISK FOR DEVELOPING TB DISEASE TO CONSIDER TREATMENT. YOUR DOCTOR WILL EXPLAIN YOUR RISK FOR DISEASE. INFECTED PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD CLOSE CONTACT OVER A PERIOD OF TIME WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS ACTIVE TB DISEASE ARE CONSIDERED HIGH RISK. EXAMPLES OF INFECTED PERSONS AT HIGH RISK FOR DEVELOPING TB DISEASE ARE PERSONS WITH HIV INFECTION, PERSONS WHO SHOW "OLD TB" ON A CHEST X-RAY, OR PERSONS WHO HAVE HAD CERTAIN MEDICAL CONDITIONS (LIKE DIABETIES).
WHAT THE TEST SHOWS
T
HE TEST SITE IS EXAMINED 48 TO 72 HOURS AFTER THE TEST IS GIVEN. IF NEGATIVE OR NOT SIGNFICANT, IT USUALLY MEANS YOU ARE NOT INFECTED WITH TUBERCULOSIS GERMS. HOWEVER, MEDICINES OR MEDICAL CONDITIONS WHICH AFFECT THE BODY'S IMMUNITY MAY CAUSE A FALSE NEGATIVE TEST RESULT. BEFORE HAVING THE SKIN TEST, DISCUSS THIS WITH THE PERSON DOING THE TEST. IF POSITIVE OR SIGNIFICANT (TEST SITE SHOWS SWELLING, POSSIBLE REDNESS AND/ OR BLISTERING), IT MEANS YOU HAVE BEEN INFECTED WITH TUBERCULOSIS AND YOU NOW HAVE THE GERM IN YOUR BODY THAT CAUSES TUBERCULOSIS DISEASE. IT MAY NOT MEAN THAT YOU HAVE TUBERCULOSIS DISEASE OR THAT YOU CAN GIVE IT TO OTHER PEOPLE. A CHEST X-RAY, AND PERHAPS OTHER TESTS, SHOULD BE DONE TO SEE IF YOU HAVE TUBERCULOSIS. OCCASIONALLY A TEST WILL BE READ AS "DOUBTFUL". A REPEAT TEST WILL PROBABLY BE NECESSARY. THE TESTER WILL EXPLAIN WHY THIS IS NESSARY. NCE YOU ARE INFECTED, YOU CAN DEVELOP TB DISEASE ANY TIME IN YOUR LIFE. IF YOUR CHEST X-RAY IS UBERCULOSIS GERMS ARE INHALED INTO NORMAL AND YOU HAVE YOUR LUNGS WHEN YOU SHARE BREATHING NO SYMPTOMS, DRUG SPACE WITH SOMEONE WITH ACTIVE TUBERTREATMENT MAY BE RECCULOSIS DISEASE. THIS IS USUALLY AT HOME, OMMENDED TO PREVENT WHERE YOU WORK, OR WHERE YOU SPEND DISEASE NOW AND IN THE MOST OF YOUR FREE TIME. YOU DON'T GET IT FUTURE. THE DRUG MOST FROM BRIEF OR CASUAL CONTACT IN THE OPEN USED IS CALLED ISONIAZID AIR. OFTEN THE SOURCE IS NOT KNOWN AND (INH) AND MUST BE TAKEN YOU MAY HAVE BEEN UNKNOWINGLY INFECTED EVERY DAY FOR 6 TO 9 YEARS AGO. MONTHS, DEPENDING ON THE DOCTORS RECOMMENDATION.
WHAT CAN I DO?
HOW DOES IT SPREAD?
T
PREVENTION IS IMPORTANT
T
UBERCULOSIS PREVENTION IS IMPORTANT FOR YOUR HEALTH AS WELL AS FOR THOSE CLOSE TO YOU. IF TREATMENT IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR YOU AT THIS TIME, BE SURE TO KEEP YOUR EYES OPEN TO THE SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS AND SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL ATTENTION IF THERE IS ANY CHANGE.
O
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 6
KID’S KORNER
A man has two coins in his pocket. The two coins add up to 30 cents. One of them is not a quarter. What two coins does he have? Answer: The man has a nickel and a quarter, remember, only one of them was not a quarter because it was a nickel.
How many letters are in the alphabet? Answer: There are 11 letters in “THE ALPHABET” Did you say 26? Do you have a riddle? Email to: Voiceus@aol.com
Things do not change; we change. Henry David Thoreau
Tic Tac Toe
From Air Travel to Wire Transfers SHOP @
he insights of children into that important emotion. A group of social scientists posed this question to a group of four- to eight-year-olds: “What does love mean?” The answers they got were broader and deeper than anyone could have imagined. See what you think. “Love is that first feeling you feel before all the bad stuff gets in the way.” “When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn’t bend over and paint her toenails anymore. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That’s love.” “When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You know that your name is safe in their mouth.” “Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your french fries without making them give you any of theirs.” “Love is when someone hurts you, and you get so mad but you don’t yell at them because you know it would hurt their feelings.” “Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.” “Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him to make sure the taste is OK.” “Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My mommy and daddy are like that.” “Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen.” “If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.” “When you tell someone something bad about yourself and you’re scared they won’t love you anymore. But then you get surprised because not only do they still love you, they love you even more.” “There are two kinds of love, our love and God’s love. But God makes both kinds of them.” “Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.” “My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.” “Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.” “Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.” “Love is when your puppy is so glad to see you even though you left him alone all day.” “Love cards say stuff on them that we’d like to say ourselves, but we wouldn’t be caught dead saying.” “When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.” “You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.” “God could have said magic words to make the nails fall off the cross, but He didn’t. That’s love.” -AUTHOR UNKNOWN
T
SHOP ONLINE AT THE HOMELESS VOICE INTERNET MALL go to www.homelessvoicemall.com
Page 7
Volume 5, Issue 13
THOUGHTS
a road that no one knows how to begin or to end… Monday, January 1, 2001; Ibaro Ago Juba (Song for Elegua) Eshu Eshu – his body felt wet – wet and yet covered –wet and cold in a new way – in a dead way – was he awake? …. The orisha Elegua was waking him up.. Eshu Eshu Layiki. he heard the first words, the praise name for Elegua- a road that no one knows how to begin or to end….
A
s he slept last night 47 year old Carlos’s small awning under the 24th street bridge had given away slowly to the onslaught of rain and he awoke to a sleeping bag which was heavy with moisture, he stepped gingerly out of it – careful to not touch the sides of the nylon- if he moved slowly the inside would stay dry – or at least the inside of most of his clothing layers. He slept at a right angle facing up on a slope against the 280 freeway dirt mound. A stray piece of paper flew past him – he grabbed it quickly and put it in his "trash bag" – no one could understand how much he loved this place. After two years of random doorways, benches, jail, shelters and the bus station, assault robbery and police harassment – this was his place – he was never bothered here- in fact almost no one could see him at all. The ambient whir-swooshroar of the traffic above him became a symphony - a peaceful sound. He slowly put on a second set of "outside" clothes- preserving another clean set for later-after dressing he groped in the dirt for his breakfast- a leftover burger from last night, he unfolded the thin paper wrapping-from his remaining whop-
A
per- he loved burger king because they were on his recycling route, included a free cup of hot coffee, and never asked him to leave if he stayed longer than his burger eating time. As he was almost ready to leave a voice called out, "Hey .. yeah…. you with the hat- you need to come out of there right now,” the voice like a knife sliced through the air. Was it real? How could it be? How could anyone know he was here? Choncho abe ko lori eyo’ (a pointed knife protruding from Eleguas head) "Are you talking to me senor?" Carlos answered quietlyhe was a softspoken man who refused to raise his voice for anyone. "Hey you - yeah I am talking to you don’t try to pretend you don’t hear me..,” the man’s tone was layered with disdain, hate or both, "I know you live in here and I really don’t care but you have to get your things and leave." "Why do I have to leave?" "Did you hear me - get out of here-punk." "I am only asking for a reason - senor?" "Ok you want a reasonbecause we have to clean this whole area under the freeway." "Ok - I will wait on the sidewalk.." "Oh no you can't do that - we have to steam clean the sidewalk as well.." "But…. its pouring rain, Senor." Carlos did as the man said and quietly left - he was only
able to take a few things - all the rest of the stuff the man threw triumphantly into his truck - including his wet sleeping bag which Carlos could not carry on his back. C a r l o s walked numbly through his usual route - collecting over 300 hundred pounds of cans and cardboard - and transporting the whole load 7 miles across town to the recycling center - he made $34.00. At 10:00 pm he walked slowly back to his "spot." The Asphalt was shining like glass with rain - the wet night sky was smoke colored - the intermittent rain dripped down his wet clothing into unseen crevasses.. and competed with his streaming tears for space on his face." Please don't be gone.. he whispered between gulps -please don't be. And then he was therein front of what he knew would be there.. What he could taste and touch and yet did not know for sure until now… Illuminated by the passing flash of headlights glistening in the rain - was a giant steel fence surrounding his space. He reached up to touch it "Dios Mio - why have you let me down? Elegua - why do you trick me so? - What can you gain by this .. Where will I go? " He fell into the cement burying his face on the sidewalk his hands stretched out in front of him- his body shook as he re-
“As he was almost ready to leave a voice called out…”
young man who had been raised as an atheist was training to be an Olympic diver. The only religious influence in his life came from his outspoken Christian friend. The young diver never really paid much attention to his friend's sermons, but he heard them often. One night the diver went to the indoor pool at the college he attended. The lights were all off, but as the pool had big skylights and the moon was bright, there was plenty of light to practice by. The young man climbed up to the highest diving board and as he turned his back to the pool on the edge of the board and extended his arms out, he saw his shadow on the wall; the shadow of his body in the shape of a cross. Instead of diving, he knelt down and asked God to come into his life. As the young man stood, a maintenance man walked in and turned the lights on. The pool had been drained for repairs. -Author Unknown
peated the screams..Where will I go? Dios Mio where will I go? Eshu Eshu.. Layiki It started as a light -a random headlight from a passing car on the freeway above that lingered a little longer than the rest and then the light showered Carlos’s body - and as it grew brighter Carlos became warm-the warmth turned into a burning heat and then his hands grew away from his body - sailing into the night sky - climbing on the fence motioning for Carlos to follow… Carlos stood up, following his hands to the fence letting his body fuse slowly into a new version of his hands- hands lined in pure gold - he watched them rip the fence apart -one tier at a time- effortlessly as though it was made of paper - the fence fell away to the ground- Carlos walked through…. Eshu eshu Layiki.. Eshu.. Eshu Lisa Gray-Garcia and Rodrigo Jimenez --POOR MAGAZINE SAN FRANCISCO
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 8
HOMELESS VOICE
So our homeless won’t have to live out of one... (Continued from page 1)
So don’t forget to visit our mall where it takes no driving time, where our mall is open 24 hours, no need to fill up your gas tank, no need to drive in and out of the parking lot looking for a place to park. A mall that has real security so you don’t get mugged and where your car won’t be stolen. You won’t have to pay your babysitter to shop at our mall. All this while paying less for your goods or services and at the same time putting a roof over the heads of a homeless family or someone who is too disabled to work. You all have been real good to the Homeless Voice and we want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. We would like for you all to
contact your friends worldwide and email them our site www.homelessvoicemall.com. Tell them the same thing, tell them they can shop for less and also for every item purchased they too will help someone in need. Contact your church and ask them to put this same story in their church bulletin or even just a small one liner advertisement telling their members to shop at the Homeless Voice Mall. One last time… Go to www.homelessvoicemall.com -Mark Targett Homeless Voice Voiceus@aol.com
(Continued from page 1)
ager. When she was 15, her grandfather died, and her mother moved back to West Virginia to live with her and her grandmother. The following year, her grandmother died, and she and her mother moved back to New York. She received her GED and at the age of 18, she married her high school sweetheart. Morales gave birth to her first child, Joshua Adam at the age of 19, and her second child, Jennifer Ashley was born two years later. With her husband a musician and often playing in bars, the couple struggled with alcoholism for years. Having married too young, the pair began to grow apart and after eight years of marriage, they called it quits. Her children moved in with her father-inlaw, and Morales moved back in with her mother and her sister. Once she moved home, Roxanne’s sister introduced her to free base cocaine. She began experimenting and was eventually hooked. Her life was spinning out of control, but she didn’t know how to stop. After coming down
with a severe case of pneumonia, a friend brought her to Coney Island Hospital. It was there where she started on her road to recovery. Through an 18-month outpatient program of therapy and support, Morales began to deal with her problems and come to some peace with her issues. The hospital even paid for her to go back to school, where she received her certificate in medical assistance. Morales stayed clean for five years; however she remarried a heroine user and eventually relapsed. She decided she needed a big life change, and she moved to Florida with a friend. She got a job in a doctor’s office and part-time as a nanny. Things seemed to be going well, until she was laid off from the doctor’s office when he
From Air Travel to Wire Transfers SHOP @ couldn’t afford his malpractice suit. Devastated, Morales once again relapsed. In October of 2003, when the woman she lived with moved into an assisted living community, Roxanne found herself at the shelter. She and another client (Charlie Robinson) decided to join a drug treatment program. She has been clean since January. With her outgoing personality, Roxanne has been able to do very well for herself here. She has said that she never wants to get high again, and she is looking forward to being a grandmother for the second time. She has a boyfriend named Robert, and she wants to go back to school for nursing. She attributes staying
clean to her program and to leading a good Christian life. Prayer is what works for her. It’s been a long road to recovery, and it is one that is not over yet. However, Morales holds her head high and keeps her spirits up. So if you see this little lady, stop and say hi. She’ll probably ask you how you’re doing. -Sean Cononie Homeless Voice of S. Florida scononie@homelessvoice.org
Roxy, as Lois and I call you…. We are ever so proud of you for what you have done in your life. Life can sometimes be a ride on a rollercoaster. The good thing about a rollercoaster ride is that it is the same ride almost every time. It starts at the same point and ends at the same point. It has the same dips and twist for every ride. Think of your recovery as a ride on the rollercoaster. It is a pattern, it is structure, and it is the same routine daily. Pray real hard and stay clean. At this time, Lois and I ask you the reader to stop what you are doing and also join Roxy in a prayer of recovery wishing her a smooth ride on the road to recovery, and of course pray for a stranger who may be about to pick up that drink. Did I mention your prayer just helped a stranger? From Sean And Lois SHOP ONLINE AT THE HOMELESS VOICE INTERNET MALL go to www.homelessvoicemall.com
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Volume 5, Issue 13
HOMELESS VOICE
A
s National Fire Prevention Week begins October 5, the American Petroleum Institute and the Petroleum Equipment Institute are reminding motorists to avoid potential problems with static electricity at the gas pump by staying outside the vehicle during refueling, and to follow all safe refueling practices during their weekly routine gasoline tank fill-up. Static electricity-caused fires at the pump are extremely rare. In fact, Americans pump gasoline into their cars an estimated 11 to 12 billion times a year, generally without incident. But static electricity may build up when a motorist re-enters the vehicle during fueling and slides across the seat. When the motorist returns to the nozzle, the static may discharge at the fill point, potentially igniting gasoline vapors and causing a flash or a small sustained fire. Potential problems with static electricity at the pump may occur any time of year, but most typically incidents have occurred when the air is cool and dry. Although static electricityrelated refueling fires are rare, according to API and PEI, these incidents have caused a few injuries and some property damage. The primary way consumers can avoid static electricity problems at the gas pump is to stay outside the vehicle while refueling. It may be a temptation to get back in the car for any number of reasons. But the average fill-up takes only two minutes, and staying outside the vehicle will greatly reduce the likelihood of any build-up of static electricity that could be discharged at the nozzle. If a motorist experiences a fire when refueling, leave the nozzle in the fill pipe of the vehicle and back away. Leaving the nozzle in the vehicle will prevent any fire from becoming much more dangerous. Notify the station attendant immediately to shut
off all dispensing devices and pumps. If the facility is unattended, use the emergency shutdown button to shut off the pump and use the emergency intercom to summon help. If you must re-enter your vehicle during refueling, be sure to discharge any static that may have built up before reaching for the nozzle. Static may be safely discharged by touching a metal part of the vehicle, such as the vehicle door, or some other metal surface, away from the nozzle, with a bare hand. Consumers can minimize these and other potential fueling hazards by following safe refueling procedures all year long. Always put portable gasoline storage containers on the ground to fill them and keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the container. Never allow children under licensed driving age to operate the pump. For more information on avoiding potential problems with static electricity build-up at the pump, refueling safety and safe fuel storage and handling guidelines, see API’s web site and PEI’s web site. Since API and PEI launched their joint public safety awareness campaign on static and refueling last year, the National Fire Protection Association has adopted new language for warning labels at refueling pumps that includes these safe refueling guidelines. These guidelines were proposed by API and supported by both organizations. The new warning language will continue to appear at gasoline stations located where many local and state governments follow NPFA guidelines as part of their safety regulations.
Static may be safely disRefueling charged by Safe and Fuel Handling touching a Guidelines for Consumers metal part of H ere are conrefueling the vehicle, sumer and fuel safety
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Similarly the International Code Council is also considering updating its warning language guidelines to be posted at refueling pumps.
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guidelines that will help keep you and your family safe when refueling your vehicle or filling up gasoline storage containers: · Turn off your vehicle engine. Put your vehicle in park and/or set the emergency brake. Disable or turn off any auxiliary sources of ignition such as a camper or trailer heater, cooking units, or pilot lights. · Do not smoke, light matches or lighters while refueling at the pump or when using gasoline anywhere else. · Use only the refueling latch provided on the gasoline dispenser nozzle. Never jam the refueling latch on the nozzle open. · Do not re-enter your vehicle during refueling. If you cannot avoid re-entering your vehicle, discharge any static build-up BEFORE reaching for the nozzle by touching something metal with a bare hand -- such as the vehicle door – (away from the nozzle.) · In the unlikely event a static-caused fire occurs when refueling, leave the nozzle in the fill pipe and back away from the vehicle. Notify the station attendant immediately. PORTABLE CONTAINERS · When dispensing gasoline into a container, use only an approved portable container and place it on the ground to avoid a possible static electricity ignition of fuel vapors. Containers should never be filled while inside a vehicle or its trunk, the bed of a pickup truck or the floor of a trailer. · When filling a portable container, manually control the nozzle valve throughout the filling process. Fill a portable container slowly to decrease the chance of static electricity buildup and minimize spilling or splattering. Keep the nozzle in contact with the rim of the container opening while refueling. · Fill container no more than 95 percent full to allow for expansion. · Place cap tightly on the container after filling - do not use
containers that do not seal properly. · Only store gasoline in approved containers as required by federal or state authorities. Never store gasoline in glass or any other unapproved container. · If gasoline spills on the container, make sure that it has evaporated before you place the container in your vehicle. Report spills to the attendant. · When transporting gasoline in a portable container make sure it is secured against tipping and sliding, and never leave it in direct sunlight or in the trunk of a car. ADDITIONAL SAFETY GUIDELINES · Do not over-fill or top-off your vehicle tank, which can cause gasoline spillage. · Never allow children under licensed driving age to operate the pump. · Avoid prolonged breathing of gasoline vapors. Use gasoline only in open areas that get plenty of fresh air. Keep your face away from the nozzle or container opening. · Never siphon gasoline by mouth nor put gasoline in your mouth for any reason. Gasoline can be harmful or fatal if swallowed. If someone swallows gasoline, do not induce vomiting. Contact a doctor and/or emergency medical service provider immediately. · Keep gasoline away from your eyes and skin; it may cause irritation. Remove gasolinesoaked clothing immediately. · Use gasoline as a motor fuel only. Never use gasoline to wash your hands or as a cleaning solvent. -AP
The Voice of the Homeless
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VOICE UPDATES
O
ur campaign still exists. If we can’t get the mortgage paid off, we would love an interest rate of about 6 percent on the outstanding balance. This would save us about $2000.00 a month. Our mortgage payment would go HELP PAY OFF OUR MORTGAGE down from We need just $8400.00 a month 38,413 people to send in a check for $20.00, to approximately Or 15,365 people to send in a check for $50.00, $6400.00. We Or would need the 7,683 people to send in a check for $100.00, remaining balance Or 768 people to send in a check for $1,000, Or financed over 30 Just one wonderful person or business to send years. a check for the entire $768,250.00 So, if anybody can find us a mortgage, please let us know.
H
OMELESS is not something people do for "a living"... those who believe that truly don't understand the other side of life that could turn their world into a living nightmare. HOMELESS doesn't mean we just need a cup of soup and a blanket. Most of us have lived well...we need true friends in Christ who would rather help someone get back on their feet than spend another $100 a week at the mall on things they have no room for anyway.. HOMELESS for the most part is where we have become sick, injured or just left alone by a partner/spouse, sometimes it's mental illness. (The truly disabled often have no clue how to go about getting disability or a ride to a clinic for medical help.) HOMELESS doesn't mean we don't know the Lord. We probably know him better than most. Some of us have spent years serving in the church and helping others. We know we will answer to him for
everything we do and don't do in the end. That's why most of us are quiet, kind and careful people. We may be poor but we aren't stupid. HOMELESS doesn't mean we never had a family or even that we have drug/alcohol problems. HOMELESS means we cannot afford a home anymore. HOMELESS means no Christian feels led to share what they have. They talk it but they won't walk it. HOMELESS means getting a job can be nearly impossible with no phone or address or even a place to do up a resume and keep it clean and presentable. HOMELESS means we cannot get a home with reasonable payments because as HOMELESS we often have lost our credit through illness, divorce or a situation beyond our control. HOMELESS means God would expect you to do exactly as the Bible says because anything less will leave us HOMELESS. We appreciate a meal but more
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than that invite us to your Bible study, be faithful and don't forget to pick us up early so we can bathe and put clean clothes on at your house. Don't tell others who we are beyond a friend until we have the chance to develop friendships based on love not based on "HOMELESS" and people's prejudices. Play fair is all we ask. HOMELESS is perhaps one of the ultimate tests for the successful Christian whether it's you or me. HOMELESS is not a state of living, it's the ultimate position for miracles....don't just pray, ACT. ANYTHING LESS is not faith and won't please God. Don't just be touched for this moment while you read this. Make a difference. Forget fear, it has no
Please send your checks to:
The COSAC Building Fund P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, Florida 33329 We do thank you
place in God's Kingdom. Praise the Lord for new avenues to help those who you would consider "the least of these"... of course only fear and prejudice determines "the least of these" but by societie's standards we are just that. Thank you for listening. Heaven is a place we won't be HOMELESS anymore. But until then we need more than prayers... Wyoming Winds http://www.vcn.com/~wch/wywjul.htm
“HOMELESSNESS is not just “Those People”… It’s our family and friends, who are just lost, waiting to be found.” -Mark Targett
Things We Need Donated Soda Sneakers Laundry Detergent Pillows Linens for Bunk Beds Blankets Towels Motor Homes Over the Counter Pain Medication Computers
Cars Copy Paper Pens Notebooks House Telephones Sugar Butter Salt Coffee Creamer Liquid Bandage Medical Gloves
Rubber Cloves Vitamins Face Mask Bleach Lunch Meats Milk VHS Movies Hand Soap Coffee BBQ Sauce Frequent Flier Miles
Toilet Paper Lysol Spray Clorox Wipes Industrial Mops Brooms Pillow Cases Recreation Items Eggs Sunscreen Latex Gloves
SHOP ONLINE AT THE HOMELESS VOICE INTERNET MALL go to www.homelessvoicemall.com
Page 11
Volume 5, Issue 13
HOBO JUNGLE
(Continued from page 1)
when you find out you've purchased insurance that you don't need. “Fear sells a lot of insurance,” says Robert Hunter, director of insurance for the Consumer Federation of America, a nonprofit consumer-advocacy group of which Consumers Union, publisher of Consumer Reports, is a founding member. “A good rule of thumb is to purchase insurance only from an insurance provider. And buy policies that are comprehensive.” Insurance should cover catastrophic losses that you'd be hard-pressed to cover on your own. So what do you need? A term-life policy to cover your contribution to the family's expenses; a comprehensive health policy (or membership in a managed-care plan); disability coverage to provide income when you can't work; and homeowners and auto insurance to replace lost property. If you've got those, you don't need the following 10 policies. Mortgage life insurance. This policy, generally purchased from a lender, will pay off your mortgage if you die. The cost can be three to five times as much as comparable term-life insurance for a benefit whose value declines as the mortgage is paid down. Instead: Rely on term life. Credit-card-loss protection. It pays off losses if your card is stolen and the thief goes on a spending spree. Plans cost $7 to $15 a month. But federal law limits your loss to $50 per card. Instead: Put credit-card numbers in a safe place, and report lost cards ASAP. Car-rental insurance. For $8 to $11 a day, it covers damages to cars and people if you are in an accident while driving one of the rental agency's vehicles. Check to see if your credit card or your own auto policy has such coverage, says Sandy Praeger, insurance commissioner for Kansas. Instead: Don't bother. Flight insurance. Specialty travel-insurance companies sell life-insurance policies that pay a benefit if you die (or are dismembered) in a plane crash. Depending on the amount of insurance you buy, you pay $15 to $60 per flight. Instead: Skip it. Term life
will cover you if you die in a plane crash, and health insurance should cover medical expenses. Cancer insurance. Marketed by specialty-insurance companies, these plans supplement health insurance for cancer-care costs. Annual premiums range from $200 to $3,000. Despite their high cost, the policies may not cover outpatient care. Instead: Chances are that your existing health insurance already covers cancer expenses, so forget about it. Credit-life insurance. Credit card companies, banks, and other organizations that finance a purchase or lend money offer policies that repay a loan if you die. Average payout is $4,500 for a yearly cost of $23, says William Burfeind, executive vice president of the Consumer Credit Insurance Association. That's a lot of money when a healthy, nonsmoking man of 40 can buy $100,000 of 10-year level term coverage for about $100 a year. Instead: Make sure you have enough term life to cover loan payments. Credit disability insurance. This policy will pay minimum installments on a loan, typically up to 36 months, if you are disabled according to the terms of your policy. A policy may cost $21 per $1,000 of coverage. Instead: Make sure that your disability plan will cover your expenses, including any loan payments. Involuntary unemployment insurance. Credit-card companies and other lenders market this policy, which makes minimum payments on a credit card or car loan for 6 to 12 months if you lose your job. The cost: $0.70 per $100 of your credit-card balance. Instead: Create an emergency fund that will cover 3 to 6 months of your expenses. Accidental-death insurance. Your heirs collect a benefit if you die in an accident. Cost runs about $600 a year. Only about 5 percent of those who die each year do so in accidents, however. Instead: Stick with term-life insurance, which pays regardless of cause of death. Identity-theft insurance. Sold by banks, credit-card issuers, and specialty insurers, it covers the cost of repairing your credit and
sometimes attorney's fees. Policies cost $20 to $180 a year for up to $25,000 in coverage, which does not include unauthorized charges or funds siphoned from accounts. Instead: Check your credit reports regularly. The FTC anticipates issuing a final rule
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this summer that would give consumers the right to order one free credit report a year from each of the three main credit bureaus. Written by: Sean Cononie
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So please do not get mad at our vendors if you are holding up money and they do not come to your car. • I know this will be a big pain • We can only do medians for now • We are going to court
"The only time you don't fail is the last time you try anything -- and it works." -William Strong