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Lisa Lisa Lisa, you always smelled so nice. It didn’t matter if you walked into the office in the morning or late in the day. And as nice as you smelled, your heart was just as beautiful when it came to helping those around you. You had a special way of listening and talking to the clients and somehow they always felt better when your talks were over. You were doing that before you ever started to “work” here. Remember the time when you just took over helping that old lady? She wasn’t a client but you just found out that she needed help and you were there. With all the things you did around here to help out, you finally found your niche when you started in case management. There was a fine line between personal relationships with your co-workers and the business relationship. You treated everyone like they were your best friend. Robb was so proud of how well you had picked up on what you had to do in your new job. Sean chuckled on how you would just come in and patiently stand in front of his desk, until he was free, to tell him how you handled something that you knew you did good on. And how many times did you come up to the office fuming because you felt that the world should be able to handle certain situations better…to take care of its own better? Remember the hours you sat out with the car raffle? Your presence around (Continued on page 12)
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s most of you have seen, this issue is about disasters. Why would we at the Homeless Voice get involved in the scope of disasters? The first reason is that when we first started up eight years ago we were not a homeless agency, although most of us fed the homeless on the streets on our own. At first we worked as a backup agency for the Red Cross and went to other disasters nationally. We also did other projects, but a disaster is something very close to my heart and that is why one of our first missions was to give aid to people who needed it and give it to them fast. If I had all the (Continued on page 10)
» Start downshifting to the lower gears. This should slow down the momentum of the vehicle so that you can apply the emergency brake when you reach a lower speed (see the next tip!). » Apply the emergency brake only if you're driving under 25 miles per hour. Anything above that speed can cause the vehicle to lock up and spin out of control. » If the accelerator sticks and your brakes fail simultaneously, place your toes under the accelerator pedal and attempt to lift it up in order to slow the vehicle down. » If this doesn't work, turn the ignition switch to the accessory position, which is between the on and off position. (This will turn off the engine but not the electronics.) » Then place your foot on the brake and slowly press down while you steer the car off the road.
T
he shelter sat still and watched the news of the incoming storms. At first we planned for the storm to hit here in Hollywood and made all the preparations to move all outside residents to the main shelter. So that meant moving about 150 people to the main shelter to ride out the storm. We also had to make plans to help the community surrendering the shelter if the storm hit and if people’s homes were destroyed. How were we going to do that? Well, we keep disaster food in our warehouse to feed the community if something should happen as well as 15,000 gallons of water for our little homeless community and the surrounding community. Our building can be used to shelter people and to feed about 5,000 people for four days with three meals a day. A little time went by and we knew that we (Continued on page 6)
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The Voice of the Homeless
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HOMELESS VOICE
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Volume 5, Issue 14
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The Voice of the Homeless
Page 4
KID’S KORNER A well-known speaker started off his seminar What state is surrounded by the most water? THE ANSWER: Hawaii. All of it is surrounded by water. Most people, amazingly enough, get this one wrong. They either say Maine, Florida, Alaska, or California.
A man walks up to you and says "everything I say to you is a lie." Is he telling you the truth or is he lying? He's lying. Even though he's lying when he says "everything" he says is a lie, some of the things he says can be a lie, and this is one of them. Do you have a riddle? Email to: Voiceus@aol.com
“The greatest mistake you can make in life is to be continually fearing you will make one.” -Elbert Hubbard
POOR, HOMELESS?
BUT WE HAVE A VOICE, WE HAVE A VOTE!
L
You and I are the people to which ow-income means living on this government must answer. It is the edge. My apartment rent our duty to hold our government and creeps steadily upward while ourselves accountable to acting in my name has stagnated on the waitthe manner of a compassionate, caring list for Section 8 housing over ing nation that does not perish from the last three years. A crisis and I the earth. We can do this in part could end up on the streets again. with our vote. I’ve been there. For many It was traumatic In the Gettysburg Address and frightening. in 1863, President Abraham years, I didn’t vote. I Daily countless Lincoln declared that, "this can’t say that my one vote would have made others find themnation, under God, shall a difference in any selves in similar devastating cir- have a new birth of freedom particular political cumstances as – and that government of race. The fact rehowever, that I the gap grows the people, by the people, mains, didn’t take advantage between those for the people, shall not of the one tool most who have their readily available to basic human perish from the earth." me in making my needs met and voice heard by my government. For those who do not. In the 2004 electhe last twenty years, I continue to tions, we have an opportunity to turn live on the edge, but I vote, even the tide with our votes. when the odds are against the candiIn God’s eyes we are all created equal, and yet, federal and date of my choice, even when it feels pointless. Because I am poor, I state legislative bodies ignore this sometimes feels as if nothing I have fact as they continue to cut vital programs for housing, health care, to say or can do is of any consequence in this society. For that reachild welfare and education. The son alone, it is imperative that I poor are being cast aside. Over time, vote, for when I vote, I choose hope the vote has been denied to the poor and people of color in this country over despair. When I vote, I am active instead of passive. We need to by the enactment of laws requiring participate in the political process. land ownership, literacy, and most Politics in and of itself is not a bad recently, a permanent address. Many thing. It is the way we order ourcontinue to be silenced. According selves as a society. We must elect to our own Declaration of Independpoliticians willing to work towards ence, governments derive "their just an equitable distribution of repowers from the consent of the govsources. erned." As citizens of this country, Vote – neither you nor I the government’s powers are decan change the system alone. Torived from you and me. When we exercise our right to vote, we refuse gether we can! to consent to a government that supby Pamela Wynn ports unequal treatment of its citizens. This is the winning essay for In the Gettysburg Address this year's "You Don’t Need A in 1863, President Abraham Lincoln Home to Vote" campaign. The declared that, "this nation, under essay question was: Why God, shall have a new birth of freedom – and that government of the Homeless/Low Income People people, by the people, for the peoShould Vote in the 2004 Elecple, shall not perish from the earth."
tion?"
by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room of 200, he asked, "Who would like this $20 bill?" Hands started going up. He said, "I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this. He proceeded to crumple up the $20 dollar bill. He then asked, "Who still wants it?" Still the hands were up in the air. Well, he replied, "What if I do this?" And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe. He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. "Now, who still wants it?" Still the hands went into the air. My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value. Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you. The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE. You are special- Don't EVER forget it. If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring. Count your blessings, not your problems. And remember: amateurs built the ark . professionals built the Titanic. If God brings you to it - He will bring you through it.
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Page 5
Volume 5, Issue 14
WORLD NEWS
SAO PAULO, Brazil
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nother homeless person homeless men were bludgeoned to was found bludgeoned to death and six were injured serideath in South America's ously, Pereira said. All the victims biggest city Sunhave been 40-50 day, the sixth such “The attacks were years old. killing in Sao One of the similar to those Paulo within the six injured Thurspast several days, Thursday in which day died in the hospolice said. pital Sunday, city four homeless men spokesman Jose F o u r other homeless Mello said. were bludgeoned to Roberto Police people - three men said and a woman - death and six were they were investiwere seriously gating whether the injured seriously, attacks were a setinjured in similar attacks shortly Pereira said. All the tling of accounts before dawn Sunamong the homevictims have been less themselves or day. “The atwork of vigi40-50 years old.” the tackers used iron lante groups or bars or wooden skinheads. No arclubs to beat the woman repeatedly rests have been made. in the head and face until she Hundreds of homeless died,” police inspector Francisco people, including women and chilPereira said. dren, sleep on Sao Paulo's streets, The attacks were similar according to city officials. to those Thursday in which four During a demonstration
held in front of Sao Paulo's Roman Catholic cathedral to protest the killings, Mayor Marta Suplicy decreed three days of official mourning. “I call on all of you to join forces to defend the homeless,'' Suplicy told a crowd estimated by police at about 5,000 people. “We must put an end to this distressful situation.” Justice Minister Marcio Thomaz Bastos said in a statement that law enforcement officials would “spare no effort to solve the crime, find the culprits and bring them to justice.” In 1993, vigilante groups attacked a group of 50 homeless people in downtown Rio de Janeiro, killing eight. Six men - all of
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The Howard family and fellow bar owners were outraged, saying Howard was chased down and bashed repeatedly in the back of the head. “It just really makes me sick to my stomach that Harris could even consider this self defense, that this man is released into the community,” Kay Howard said. Martin said the decision would spur Tulsans to take vigilante justice against the city's many homeless, who comprise the vast majority of downtown residents after dark. Estimates on the number of homeless in Tulsa at any given time range from 700 to 1,500 in a city of nearly 400,000. “It's actions like the sort of inaction that's being taken that leads people to chase bums around the back of buildings in downtown Tulsa,” Martin said. Sandra Holden, executive director for the Day Center for the Homeless, said she has warned those who stay at her shelter five blocks from the tavern against sleeping outside while tensions are high. “Those kinds of things (posters and the T-shirts) concern me greatly,” Holden said. “Backlash is a very serious problem. We have seen some of that happening as a result of this incident.” Homeless people have been chased and yelled since Howard's beating, and even a man who works at the shelter was chased away from the area near Deadtown Tavern by people who mistakenly thought he was home-
Badgewell left Tulsa after homeless man's fatal beatthe wanted sign and T-shirts suring of a brass-knucklefaced, said his attorney, Steve Hjelm. wielding bar owner has trigHe won't say where Badgewell has gered something approaching a war gone for fear of retribution. against Tulsa's homeless population. “We took it as a kind of T-shirts around town blast vigilante effort,” Hjelm said. homeless people with a four-letter It started in the wee hours word, and some people are warning of June 24, when Howard and bar of vigilante justice. A liquor store manager Josh Martin left the Deadput up a wanted poster with a picture town Tavern wearing brass knuckles, of Terry Badgewell, the man who as usual, for protection against the used a length of pipe to kill Deadmany vagabonds and town Tavern owner Hjelm maintains drug dealers who inhabit Shawn Howard. the dimly lit neighborA prosecuthat Badgewell, hood. tor said the killing A fight began was self defense whom he describes as with Badgewell, who and refused to file a “cordial” and was resting in a warecharges, but the victim's family is “soft-spoken man,” house stairwell across gathering thousands was merely acting to the street. Howard struck Badgewell in the jaw, of signatures on a defend himself. and the homeless man petition to force a grabbed a pipe and begrand jury investigan swinging. gation. How it started is unclear. “We're very committed,'' Martin said he and Howard encounsaid Howard's mother, Kay. “Shawn tered Badgewell while chasing two deserves this.” crack dealers away. District Attorney Meanwhile, Tulsa's homeTim Harris said the pair told Badgeless are feeling the heat. Michael well to leave the spot where he was Cypert, 31, who usually stays at a preparing to sleep, starting an exSalvation Army shelter near downchange of words that escalated into town, said patrons of the Deadtown violence. Tavern chased him away from the Police called to the scene area during a memorial for Howard a about 4:30 that morning found Howfew days after his June 25 death. ard unconscious in the parking lot. Police have warned homeHe died of head injuries the next less people to stay away from the day. bar, and Cypert said has seen people Badgewell, 38, was arrested downtown wearing ``F--- the homeon two complaints of assault with a less'' T-shirts handed out by bar deadly weapon, but he was released owners. June 30 after Harris declined to file “I think it's crazy to say 'F-charges. - the homeless.' I don't think it's “It is a tragic, tragic deal,” right,” he said. “Most of the people I Harris said. “But under Oklahoma's see around here are either mentally law, he has a right to defend himself ill or have family problems. We with as much force as he thinks is don't panhandle over there or anynecessary.” thing.”
them police officers moonlighting as private security guards - were arrested. Three were convicted of murder. By STAN LEHMAN
less, Holden said. Officer Scott Walton, spokesman for the Tulsa Police Department, said he is not aware of any homeless people being targeted recently for violence because of their homelessness. Hjelm maintains that Badgewell, whom he describes as a “cordial” and “soft-spoken man,” was merely acting to defend himself. “Who can say with any degree of certainty what you would do if you were in a deserted warehouse at 4:30 in the morning and two armed men with brass knuckles attack you?” Hjelm said. However, he thinks Howard's family will have no trouble getting the 5,000 signatures they need from registered voters to force the state attorney general to convene a grand jury, “given the media attention this case has gotten and the fact that Shawn Howard was a very wellliked man” By CLAYTON BELLAMY
We Need Mobile Homes: Call the shelter 954-925-6466
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 6
DISASTER RELIEF
(Continued from page 1)
were not going to get hit by the storm so we had made the decision of making sure we were available to another community if the storm hit them. As we tracked the storm we made contact with the committees where hurricane Charley was going to hit. We first called Lee County four hours prior to landfall and informed them that the Homeless Voice Disaster Services had water, blankets, food, hygiene products and was only two and a half hours from their location. We gave them our contact information as well as email address and advised them to call us for their needs. About 12 hours after the
storm hit, they asked for assistance. The first call came in from Lee County Emergency Operations Center also known as the EOC. Her name was Lucy and she had a firm voice and you could tell by her voice tone she was serious with her request. Lucy’s exact words, “We need water to be taken to the Fort Meyers Fire Station # 2 and also the Fire Station on Pine Island.” She asked how much we had and we asked her what she needed. She needed as much as possible.
The Calm After the Storm (or should I say the chaos before we left)
From Air Travel to Wire Transfers SHOP @
Our Disaster Service Di- so important to have people who rector from the Homeless Voice are first responders to handle the Disaster Service Unit called a little minor medical emergencies. “Code Grey, Code Grey all staff This lets the doctors do the most serious procein the building report to the “Our Disaster Service Director dures and the from the Homeless Voice less serious operations office.” (We Disaster Service Unit called a p r o c e d u r e s like control are all first ‘Code Grey, Code Grey all bleeding until responders doctor and we are in staff in the building report to the can see the the process for the operations office.”’ patient or to Homeland Security’s medical reserve.) splint a compound fracture or When this code is announced in even deliver a baby. The EOC the building over the public ad- wants the paramedics saving peodress system all staff reports to ple from immediate life and the office for their assignment. death situations. The first reWhether it is a tornado in the lo- sponder will be the first people cal area, maybe a terrorist attack who show up at a disaster. This at a local hotel, maybe a vicious medical reserve core was ennatural disaster; the teams are hanced after the September 11th ready to be of assistance to the attacks. government when necessary. At the time our shelter Our policy is to call the EOC of operation center was turned in to the disaster area and ask them if our very own EOC. We called they need assistance. Or when we Mr. Sawyer and asked him to know a disaster is going to im- give us an account of how much pact a certain community we call water we could take and how first and tell them what we can much water our vans could hold offer so we don’t show up at a and still drive safety. He advised disaster. Sometimes like with us that we could only take two many bad disasters you have so pallets of water per van, which many people that want to really only meant 240 gallons of water help that it creates havoc. So it is per van. Sean was resting and important for our teams to stand not back to working so he heard by or wait until a local govern- that there was going to be a transment branch alerts us. In the fu- portation problem. He then ture we will be called by Bro- called Marti Forman from the ward County Emergency Opera- Cooperative Feeding Program tions Center when we are to be and asked if the agency could (Continued on page 7) activated by the States EOC. It is
Downed Power-lines
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Page 7
Volume 5, Issue 14
DISASTER RELIEF
fast, it is a way to clear an interborrow her food box truck, which section if there is no traffic concould handle 720 gallons of wa- trol device or to identify us to ter. Lois Cross gave the order to emergency workers to let us go bring in the teams early. Drivers through road blocks or even to then scattered to the locations to warn other traffic that we may be pick up the teams. Which meant moving a little slower than the we had transportation for another normal speed because of weight. four vans, which meant we had Mr. Robb got our emergency another 960 gallons of wa- communication gear that is only to be used in disaster. Joyce called Publix in Hallan- “All vans and cars were ters. The kit contains cell phones dale and Hollyheaded towards 595 from every carrier wood and they were securing as and then the famous in case some carriers lost service due much water as we Alligator Ally.” to strong winds or needed. The next four hours were the most beauti- if their generators stopped workful thing I have ever seen. Home- ing. The cell sites use electric to less people helping homeless peo- operate and all of them have a ple from what we call Hurricane generator on them but sometimes Charles War on their community. the generator stops working after The storm had so much strength they have been on emergency we changed the name from Char- power for 12 hours. He also lie to Charles. For some reason started to rapid charge our twowe felt that Charles was the more way radio that does not use a loappropriate name. Travis started cal repeater, (they go from radio to get maps and driving direc- to radio and only depend on themtions, made announcements for selves for communications.) volunteers to ride shotgun so the Ginny made her way to Budget to van drivers had someone to talk pick up the explorer. Joe in the to, to keep them awake. Lois kitchen had made sandwiches and called Budget rent a car and got a drinks so we could have food and ford explorer to be the lead vehi- caffeine to keep us up. After we cle for the escort. Travis got the got our official orders from Lee emergency lights that we only use County EOC via fax we made our after we get an order from an move. In less than four hours five EOC office or if FEMA asked us vans, one box truck, and our lead to do something. In most cases ford explorer with blinking red, (Continued on page 8) the lights are not used to move (Continued from page 6)
Our Response: Load, then Road
Publix gives Homeless Voice a helping hand.
Disaster Team taking a break, thanks to the Firehouse
W
hen I learned of Hurricane Charley’s projected path, my first concern was for the safety of our shelter. We immediately jumped into action, securing the building, wind-proofing the outside patio, readying our emergency supplies….generally getting ready for the storm, as were many of you. That night was pretty rough. When the first bands of the storm hit here, it was strong and it was sudden. Thank God that the storm spared us. We would be needed. In another quirk of fate, the eye passed right through Punta Gorda, Fl, a quaint little sailboat and RV town, populated by retirees and those with a passion for the open sea. I used to be one of
them. I called Punta Gorda home for a couple of years. I lived on my sailboat and worked in town. It was a wonderful time in my life. Too bad my homecoming would have to be under such circumstances as these. I was sitting at my desk when I got the call. I just knew from the ring that it was going to change my day. I lifted the re(Continued on page 13)
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 8
DISASTER RELIEF
in Naples and refueled so we green and yellow emergency would have gas for the way lights were on our way from Fort home. As we got to our destinaLauderdale to Lee County. All tion we saw a tree down. Then vehicles had their blinkers on more trees down but this time and in several occasions the local uprooted. The directions were police cleared our way at inter- hard to follow because signs sections knowing that we were were twisted in any direction enroute to the disaster. As we Mother Nature sent them. As stopped to get gas at BP oil on we got there not one intersection Sterling Rd by Publix, Mr. had a traffic control device so the Lyman was asked if we were light became important to make going to the hurricane. As sure we did not get hit by any cars who were not Lyman replied the “You see, these same paying attention. manager asked him to hold on for men and women who At times cops that a minute and then bring this paper to your were stationed at intersections he came back to the register and car windows were now guarding the city made sure all our presented him helping victims of made it with a 100.00 bill Hurricane Charley vehicles through the interand said use it for where some people sections so none the trip. That really touched our drive by and say nasty of us would get The Nextel’s hearts. This man things to them or even lost. were bad and we wanted to help but could not get away at times spit on them.” knew we could not be separated. and he wanted to As we got back into the inner do his part to help those in need. city toward the Islands, trees were over the road so you could We Were Off All vans and cars were not drive fast. It looked like the headed towards 595 and then the city moved what they could famous Alligator Ally. The move so cars could at least drive roads were dark as usual. As we on one side of the street. There drove on Alligator Ally other were downed power lines on cars honked their horns and gave every street that looked like lifea thumbs up. We exited Alliga- less snakes. We still gave the tor Ally and remembered that order that no person should exit there may not be gas north where their vans until the captain of the we were going so we pulled over crew got out to check the area. (Continued from page 7)
Go Back To The Old Days ‘N’ Buy From WATKINS
Lois Cross and Robert Lyman Disaster Relief Team of the Year We recently graduated from the Red Cross training and all remember scene safety. There was no use in trying to help others and then getting yourself hurt.
The First Stop It was the firehouse, and that it was except this fire station only had a generator running the lights. The firemen set up an emergency water station so people could come from the community to get water and food if they could not make it to a community kitchen that was not open as of yet. Then we went to the next firehouse and then this is when we realized how bad this storm really was. House after house had damage and almost every tree in the community was blocking the streets. The sad part about it was that this was not the worst. Further up north were more damages that we would not see yet for another two days.
The Very Next Day and The Second Request We thought everything was done and no other services were needed. But, before we knew it, the operations department got another call from Lucy at Lee County EOC requesting the need for water once again. Lucy said that the majority of the services were up further north and the donations of goods and services were really weak and that they needed as much water as we could give. Our departments once again became the Homeless Voice EOC. In a matter of hours the team started working and the water started to meet Lois’ Credit Card. Another seven vehicles in route this time further up north but still in Lee County. As we got to the new fire station they were using a generator to cook some food. They made us at home and fed us between stops. As we were leaving to go to the next stop a family of six, two parents and
four little ones came up to us because they saw our Disaster Service Management sticker on our vans. They explained that the house they were staying at up north got destroyed and they didn’t know what to do. They were renting the house but now were homeless. At first we said you can follow us back south. Then we realized that FEMA would give better services to them than any homeless agency could ever do. So the fire department sent them to a community shelter where all the other hurricane Charley victims were laying low. The forth day of services we got a call from the Punta Gordo EOC and they knew we had water. So once again this time we had to rent more vans. We were very tired and we needed to make this a short trip because the drivers were still driving teams out to work to sell the paper between trips. For most of us here we had to also fill in at our own agency helping our homeless. It was going to be in rush hour traffic and this time we had to go further up North. We knew it would be a much harder trip. We called the Hallandale Publix and asked them if they still had water. The manager told us he had about 39 pallets of water. We ran out of vans so we had to call USave Auto Rental to get some new vans. We also knew it was going to be much longer this time considering the traffic. It just so happened that the city manager from the city of Hallandale was at our office having a meeting. At this time Sean told him he needed a favor. Sean said to the city manager I need a few cops with lights and sirens that can get us up and back as soon as possible to save hours of time so we could make the same trip tomorrow. The city manager left and checked with the police chief. A few hours later the chief called Sean back and told him that he (Continued on page 9)
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Volume 5, Issue 14
DISASTER RELIEF
(Continued from page 8)
had two units to make the trip up and back. The city also loaded up one of their own vehicles with a load of water. That is the interesting part. Just a few weeks ago and still in the middle of a Federal law suit between us and Hallandale about paper sales the two agencies got together to help victims who needed our help. We forgot about the vending and the litigations and went to work assisting each other to bring water to strangers. No one would imagine that homeless people who just had their income cut because of the city of Hallandale’s new policy and the fact that homeless people and law enforcement do not usually get along were now working together. You see when you are homeless and living on the streets you are subject to arrest because of public lodging ordinance and other small crimes like trespassing. In most cases the homeless do not like to have police contact. Well this time the homeless learned that there was another side of law enforcement that they have never seen. And I actually think the cops got to know the homeless a little better. The two fine police officers from Hallandale got their hands just as dirty as ours by lifting boxes and boxes of water. The Part We Like the Best When you give a homeless person something to eat it makes you feel real good. But it does not always make you feel
great because you know that if one of them really needed to eat or get a drink of water it would not be so hard to do. Maybe the homeless person down here would have to walk a few blocks or ask a few people to get something to eat or drink. But when you go to a town where they have nothing and you feed them, it really makes you respect the disaster itself, as well as Mother Nature. And you fall in love with the people who need the help. The Part That Made Us All Feel Great You see, these same men and women who bring this paper to your car windows were now helping victims of Hurricane Charley, are the same vendors that people drive by and say nasty things to them or even at times spit on them. Sad to say it happens. Just remember the Hate Crimes paper we just brought to you. The men and women were now working for the Emergency Operations Center in towns hundred of miles away. Not getting paid to work shifts of 20 to 30 straight hours. They also gave up their vending funds they would have made in a particular day to help these people. You heard us say it before and you will probably hear us say it again. At times these homeless voice vendors hang up their buckets and shirts and come to the aid of people who have homes and in some cases millions who have just lost their homes. They become the people you see helping out in
disasters. These vendors took off have a lot to work on and there is their shirts, bucket and hats and only $234.00 left in our disaster became the Disaster Heroes. This account. For every dollar donated is such a pleasing thought to the Cosac Foundation will match know that people who are disre- another 1.00 to be donated in garded and sometimes stereo- your name to the Disaster Account. If you have typed as bums, “Even though I was spare water that as nobodies, hupersonally not able to you do not need man waste, or “it must be their help them in this disaster, stop by and drop it own fault that due to my post meningitis off at the shelter. As the Miami Herthey are homedisabilities, it was a ald and the Sunless,” were now lending a helping pleasure to sit back and Sentinel reported, hand themselves. see my teams operate and we were there to Just like every to see them operate only help out and we day when they because you the readers want to be wherever we are needed go out to sell this are the true heroes.” in the future. We paper they are helping the next homeless person thank you, the readers. We thank who will be homeless tomorrow. the Cooperative Feeding Program Our hats go off to you all for for the truck. We thank Budget helping the people of hurricane rent a car for having our lead escort ready as soon as we got to Charley. the long line of tourists waiting to What We Want To Say To The pick up their rental cars. We thank U-Save Auto Rental for Readers and Our Supporters Even though I was per- driving the vans to us when we sonally not able to help them in were out of time. We thank BP this disaster, due to my post men- Oil for the generous donation on ingitis disabilities, it was a pleas- the way up there. We thank the ure to sit back and see my teams Hallandale Police Department for operate and to see them operate their police escort to the disaster only because you the readers are area and most importantly we the true heroes. Because you thank God for such a small make it possible for those teams amount of people who actually to help Charley's victims. The died from Hurricane Charley. Homeless Voice Disaster Action People stop what you are doing Teams and Helping People in right now and from your memory America Disaster Service only see the damage from the news. can bring water and supplies be- Look at the roofs, the trees, and cause you the readers have the damage and ask yourself how bought this paper. Maybe you can only a small number of peodid not have a chance to actually ple die? The answer is because help at this years’ disaster. This God is always in control. No story is written to let you know matter how bad it is or was, it you helped more than you will could have been worse. Rememever know. We spent a little over ber September 11th; the building 10,000.00 in this disaster aid for was not even at full capacity the victims of Hurricane Charley. when the planes hit. So for those That means you the readers have of us who blame God it is about made it possible for us to do what time to Thank God for saving the we do best, and that is to help lives he did. people who have nothing whether -Sean Cononie it is due to drugs, mental or Homeless Voice of Florida physical disabilities, loss of job, SCONONE@homelessvoice.org domestic violence, or hurricane Charley. We thank you. Please remember to help us replenish our disaster account. You can send checks to Helping People in America disaster account. We
Help Us To Replenish The Disaster Fund Call 954-924-3571
The Voice of the Homeless
Page 10
DISASTER RELIEF We Decided To Go
Cononie explains his new plans.
The biggest problem we had with getting ready for Charley was the transfer of emergency equipment and renting vehicles to take with us on our trip. We did do it, and looking from the outside in, it looked easy, but at times it was very stressful to make sure we got everything we needed while ensuring that we packed emergency supplies to use if we were in trouble. One would wonder what kind of trouble one could get into by responding to a disaster. The Red Cross calls it “Scene Safety,” which means looking out for ways to prevent the rescue worker from getting hurt. Rescue workers, Red Cross workers, church members, and Joe Q. Citizens gets hurt while helping others. Also, since we are First Responders we needed medical equipment. Having everything in place to use when a disaster comes to visit is vitally important, especially when you are not prepared for it. We were standing by for Hurricane Charley so we had a lot of the supplies ready and all we had to do was bring it in the vans. But if a major disaster happened it would be easier to just grab the keys and go. So now that you have a little background, let me tell you what we are doing and how useful it will be when we complete our newest plan and this plan will work in conjunctions with all our sister agencies.
One Thing Can Turn Into Many
(Continued from page 1)
money in the world, I would buy planes, rescue units, mobile crisis units, and mobile medical units. Why planes? Because I would love to fly all across the USA one day and show the great people of this country how to help those in need. I would fly to low income areas and bring them food and supplies. I would speak to thousands of people to tell them to “Pay It Forward” like the movie that most of us have seen.
Back To Disasters As stated above when we first started off we dealt with disasters. Then we turned into a Homeless Agency. We still kept our disaster division open as you can tell from this issue of the Homeless Voice. Our first major disaster we went to was to the September 11th Terrorist Attacks in both New York and Washington, DC. We went to some smaller disasters like the tornados and fires that struck Northern Florida about five years ago.
We purchased an ambulance and are in the process of converting it into our disaster service unit (DSU). This ambulance will be used in every division of our group of agencies. It will become a disaster unit with all the minor medical equipment such as oxygen as well as an Automatic Electric Defibrillator. Our goal is not to be a full-fledged ambulance; it is to just assist agencies when a disaster hits. Having First Responders and being in tune with the Emergency Operations Centers saves lives. Priests, baby sitters, retried tow truck drivers, and Burger King Employees help their community if a disaster should strike. When they stand by and let the Emergency Operations Center activate them they become very useful. Under the Homeland Security Plans, the use of First Responders is widely used and widely recommended, because they save lives. Believe it or not, there are still some communities out there that just have First Aid trucks and completely volunteer fire departments as well as volunteer police officers. Without these First Responders, many people would be dead.
Blood Pressure Monitoring In Lower Income Areas We also plan to pull our unit into low-income areas, especially in the Afro- American populations, and do the vitals of the town’s residents. We can check blood pressure, which is usually higher in Afro-American males as they reach the age of 25 and above. We can pull up in front of a Publix and take blood pressures of the elderly as well as checking their sugar. This not only helps the community but it detects possible future medical problems of those who don’t have access to health care. This plan will allow us to tell people that maybe it is time to go to the hospital and get some medication. You have no idea how many people in the Afro-American male population who have come our way and needed to be sent directly to the hospital after we take their vitals. Some of the blood pressures we get are through the ceiling!
Outreach For The Homeless Along With Medical Screening There are many homeless people who do not want to go to shelters because they are not ready to make that move. So they live on the streets with a multitude of medical problems. On any given day, when doing outreach, the case workers can uncover three out of ten homeless people who need immediate medical care. For instance, many homeless people have unknown high fevers, elevated blood sugars, blood pressure through the roof, infections such as cellulites and other type of blood problems, possible TB cases, impetigo all over their body and dehydration. With us having the proper tools to uncover or treat smaller cases, we can help save their lives. If at any time we see someone that needs to be immediately taken to the hospital, we can transport them to the nearest hospital. (Continued on page 11)
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Volume 5, Issue 14
DISASTER RELIEF We Decided To Go
(Continued from page 10)
The good thing about this is that sometimes city Fire Rescue crews must take their patient to the nearest hospital and in most cases they will not travel to a far location where a homeless person may want to be treated. Unfortunately, there are bad people in every profession and sometimes when we see a real chronic homeless person who has not bathed in a few months, the Fire Rescue Crew is not too motivated to let them ride in their ambulance. I have seen this with my own eyes or they will make fun of the person by saying they stink. Again, I have seen this with my own eyes. I am quite sure they will have no problems with taking a real life or death patient, but sometimes the problems are not real emergencies to the medics because the problems are chronic. At other times you will have the most sensitive medics who will do everything possible to treat that person with the utmost respect. If we ran in to one of these chronic homeless people who had defecation all up and down their legs from weeks of not bathing it would be better if we could transport them in dignity. For instance, we have one gentleman named John F. who is in a wheelchair and is allergic to all types of medication, and refuses to go to a shelter. Many times when we see him on the street with major infections we need to get him to a hospital. At times he will be in Dade County. If we call 911 and the ambulance driver thought he needed to be transported to the nearest ER they would take him there. However, John F. only will go to Broward General because they have all his medical records. A lot of homeless people go from ER to ER getting the same medications by different doctors. In some cases one ER doc will give one med, then the homeless person goes to another hospital a few days later and they also prescribe them the same thing. A few days latter the person will go to a different hospital and they too will prescribe the same medication. So guess what happens, they take all three doses of the meds and in some cases it becomes really dangerous or it counteracts the other meds. With this new plan we can do all the screening we need and also take the people to the hospital of their choice which will usually be the hospital that they normally use and the one that normally prescribes their mediations. Many Homeless people use the Emergency Room as primary health doctors.
Here At The Complex I can tell you how many times the City of Hollywood Fire Rescue
So many disasters, so little time.
Units shows up here and you would think we were a real hospital. One day we had four ambulances show up throughout the day. In a normal week Fire Rescue will show up at least three times a week. Now I must also tell you that sometimes our clients call 911 simply because they are a hypochondriac and think they are sick when in fact it is all in their head. Now, this does nothing for our relationship with the fire department. They are very busy trying to save lives and having to take someone to the hospital when there is nothing wrong with them is a reoccurring pain in the butt for these firemen who get awakened in the middle of the night. Yes at times it is a real emergency and yes the Fire Rescue Department must be called. A lot of the times a person may be sick or has a choric problem and then they call 911 themselves and then the paramedics determine that there is really no emergency. However, the client may still want to go to the hospital. This makes the paramedics play taxi transporting the client to the hospital for non-emergency calls. We know we use a lot of the Fire Departments Fire Rescue Division’s time when the call does not require Advanced Life Support. So how could we save their agency time and money? How could we make it easier for our mental health consumers to get treatment in non-emergency circumstances? We thought abut how we could limit the city’s resources when coming here. Go back to your childhood days and try to remember the TV show “Rescue 51” What did those paramedics do when they went to a call? The medics got the patient stable and then a private ambulance was called and did the transporting to the hospital. This saved the medics’ precious time and allowed them to be more available for real emergencies. So this is our theory: once the city ambulance comes and decides the person can be transported in Basic Life Support then we would do the transporting. This will save the city time and money on the indigent care. Even in major metropolitan areas Fire Rescue sometimes does not transport the patient. They show up to a call and then work on the patient getting them stable and call a private ambulance company to transport the patient to the nearest hospital. This procedure allows the Fire Rescue personnel to spend more time on saving people's lives and spend less time being a taxi to and from the hospital. We feel that once the Fire Rescue vehicle comes here and the paramedic clears the individual and feels that it is not a life or death situation, we could transport them to the hospital that the Home(Continued on page 13)
The Voice of the Homeless
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NEW LIFESTYLES (Continued from page 1)
possible.
Sean and I were on our here is going to be missed, very badly missed. Your presence was way to the airport, returning from a and still is in every corner here… business trip when he got a call from the clothes donations that you from your aunt telling us that you had died. You just loved to sort through to the trips with clients “There was a fine went in your sleep. she loved you to food stamps or HRS. line between per- Lisa, so much, she loved The haircuts that you used to give as well as sonal relationships you like a daughter; the colorings. with your co-workers you have no idea the Somehow and the business pain she feels now. I take that back, you with the load you took on your shoulders both relationship. You do know. I told inside the shelter and treated everyone like your husband yesteroutside, those three they were your best day that you were at peace and you were beautiful kids of yours friend.” in heaven and that never lacked for anyyou know exactly thing. They are so smart; someday they will probably what is in his heart. The same goes run this place. Your three and my for your aunt. The same goes for Johnny and Kim…”keep it in the everyone here. You know the gratifamily.” Somehow in losing you, tude in the hearts of those you we have probably lost seeing them helped and the ones you saved from as often also…but you can count making mistakes. This week is on us having them here as often as Anna’s birthday…I know what
I
To the family of Lisa.
say these words to you. With life comes death and with death comes Life. What does this mean? I was just about 18 years of age when a Hollywood Police officer got shot in the line of duty. She was just about over the rookie status. Her name was Frankie Shizers . I will never forget that day. I went to the funeral and when I got there and looked at her family as well as the people in her church they were jumping and dancing. At that time I really could not figure it out ...not until later that day. As some of us in uniform had tears in our eyes, the people who watched her grow up were singing and had the biggest smile on their face. I sat there in shock because I knew Frankie and this was the first time I had gone to a friend’s funeral who was a cop. Years has passed and I have gone to many other funerals of police officers and none was like that of Frankie’s. Yes, they did have their cries as well but during the funeral they sat there in joy. Why? Because they knew these words. “With life comes death and with death comes Life, a new, wonderful everlasting Life.” As we sit here today, remember these words, for they are the same words as the life of Jesus. It is our
Lisa LoPinto Born on 10-16-69 8-21-04 Entered into Everlasting Life she wants most! What more can I say, Lisa, except that we love you and will miss you. There is a huge hole in our hearts and our lives…one that only you could fill. We need you to watch over us, just as we know Bee and Mary do. I don’t think you ever got to meet them here…that would have been quite a trio. I’m
sure they have looked you up by now. Watch over us and pray for us…you have more than “your foot in the door”. Rest in Peace, Lisa Love, Lois
wa s r e h w To kno er h e v o l to
final job, our final task and our final day of a life that had so many tribulations, so many problems and so many trying times. But today it is over for Lisa’s life. Now remember that when Lisa died she became a new child of Jesus, she is a newborn in Heaven. So put those tears away, or change them to tears of joy because Lisa has completed her job here on earth and now she watches over each and every one of us as she sits in Heaven. I can say these words to you. I can see Lisa in Heaven playing case manager; asking the new arrivals in Heaven if they ate last night? Asking them if they need clothes on their naked body. This is the time to thank God because Lisa knew who Jesus was. She is there, do you understand, she is the lucky one. We still sit here in pain or facing the problems of our world as Lisa gets to hang with the most famous person in the word, our Lord and Savior. Way to go Lisa you made it. Lisa, thank you for living the Book of Mathew... for this is my favorite part in the Bible.
Lisa, I Love YOU
Love Sean and Lois and the rest of the gang at the shelter
i my name is Chris. This story all started when I was “...all I did ued to use. Well in first grade. My parents got divorced and my mother was hide it.” I got thrown out because they did not take it to well and started to abuse me. When I found out that I was was about 12, I started to show the traditional signs of abuse and went to using in my room. At school with my first black eye caused by my mother. Around my 14th birththat time I was permaday, I had started drinking and smoking weed. Since my 13th birthday, I had nently discharged. That been snorting powder cocaine, crystal-meth, and heroin. By the I was 17years old I was doing 2 eight balls of cocaine. and a bundle of heroin a night while contemplatday For those that have never done drugs, well that is a lot. When I was 19, I ing all that I had lost, at Chris, starting his new way of life. the same time including found out that my girlfriend at the time We NEED: my unborn daughter, was about 3 months pregnant with my her mother and my shelter, that night I tried to take my own life threw an baby. Well of course when she stopped Men’s Clothing OD. Well I lived, as you can tell. Now I have been clean for some time now using she also wanted me to quit. Well Work Boots and I intend to stay at Cosac until I am clean for a long time and I have the all I did was hide it. After about four Computers money saved to move on out. months a friend caught me using in the Music Instruments -Self Written apartment we were all sharing. When Help Tapes or Movies they threw me out I went to the Cove954-925-6466 nant House for help while I still contin-
H
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Volume 5, Issue 14
DISASTER RELIEF We Decided To Go
(Continued from page 11)
less person wants to go. Again you all have no idea how some ER doctors treat the Homeless. Sometimes our clients will rather be sick then to deal with certain doctors. This will help our clients because if they have a relationship with their own ER doctor they will get better care. Remember that some of our clients are from the mental health population and some doctors just don’t do a good job when trying to treat the consumer. There are also times that we have a routine trip to the hospital that does not require paramedics. For instance the state’s protective service investigator may come because we call them when we think someone is in danger. When they arrive they call 911 and then the city ambulance arrives on scene. We have been told over and over that the city does not do routine transports to the hospital and that we needed to call our own private ambulance to transport the person that needs to he admitted to the hospital. So getting our own ambulance for non-life saving trips to the hospital made sense. On a special note, when it comes to homeless people, it is very important for follow up care, and keeping them in the same area with their past doctors usually is the best plan. At this time we think we may have to get some more training to be able to professionally transport a patient to the hospital and we are prepared to send a few of us to become EMT’s. We spent the time and money to get all staff certified to administer oxygen and AED’s; so if we can save one of our own, why not become more certified so we can save others. So now you have learned how we combined so many valuable services for the community as well as the homeless to one major plan that only requires one piece of equipment. Our disaster service vehicles will be used when directed by an emergency operation center of a certain jurisdiction. If a major disaster strikes and the county calls out its medical reserves, we can respond. We will be assigned the task that allows the paramedics, doctors, and nurses to do the more serious emergency medicine. We will be assigned to the smaller tasks. Yes, we will be dealing with people who are seriously injured and we will make them stable and then send them to the triage station where they will be assigned a level of priority to see a doctor. We were so happy to see that not only can we respond to disasters, we will be able to use our new ambulance for more tasks that will improve the quality of life for the poor and the homeless.
Sean Cononie, still trying to recover from meningitis, stuttering out his ideas
So, Why Are We Telling You All This? Why? Because without you we will not be able to do this project. We are very short on our disaster funds and we need to replenish them fast. Now that we paid for this ambulance we find ourselves in need of even more money. The damage was not too bad. The unit only cost a little over $15,000.00, and with insurance it adds up to over $19,500.00 for the year. So we are counting on you, the public, to help us pay this off. Please help in any way you can, and as always we greatly appreciate your kind hearts. When you see us driving or when you see us in the streets with our disaster shirts, the money you give will be going to pay for the disaster services for Hurricane Charley as well as replenishing our disaster fund. And let’s not forget our new Disaster Services Unit which will be called Disaster 1203. Please help us pay off the Disaster Services Unit. You can send the checks to P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, Florida 33329. -Mark Targett Homeless Voice of America VoiceUS@aol.com
Help Us To Replenish The Disaster Fund Call 954-924-3571 “All the way home, I was haunted by the destruction that I had witnessed.” (Continued from page 7)
ceiver and a voice on the other end confirmed my suspicions. It seems that Punta Gorda was in desperate need of fresh water. Our entire disaster response team was bone tired, having made runs into Fort Meyers, Pine Island, and Fort Meyers Beach to deliver water many times during the past 48 hours. We had the water, or could get it. We knew what we had to do. Sean and Lois made the decision, and it was back into disaster mode. Calls for water had to be made, volunteers had to be organized, and a convoy needed to be arranged, complete with police escort. We were needed, and we were needed now. We took a convoy of seven
vans, a car, a SUV, and a police cruiser, all loaded down with water. The drive across the state and up the west coast to Punta Gorda felt like a long one, especially after this many trips. Things changed a bit though once we got north of Fort Meyers. Downed trees along the interstate….shredded billboards….road signs twisted all in the same direction, pointing at the wind….we knew we were close. Arriving in Punta Gorda, we were met by the National Guard at a checkpoint illuminated only by road flares and the flashlights of camouflaged men. Further proof of the disaster area we were in. A curfew was in force, and with the aid of our police escort, we were ushered
through towards the stadium to deliver our water. The stadium was dark. It was after midnight, and there were cones across the entrance. We’d driven too far and our cargo was too needed to give up. We moved the cones and followed small paper signs to the back of the stadium. Rounding the corner, we were greeted by lights, and a small group of people sitting around a picnic table laughing in the night. It was a welcome sight. The Florida Jaycees were ready and waiting to help unload the vans, and greeted us with offers of coffee and, most importantly, a working bathroom! Everyone was so nice….all these volunteers working together to
better the lives of those who were so unfortunate. The homeless helping the homeless, we unloaded the water with smiles and a lot of hard work. As the pallets of water kept piling high, an officer arrived with a giant Igloo cooler full of soft –drinks and Gatorade. A nice ending to a tiring night. All the way home, I was haunted by the destruction that I had witnessed. Trees were gone that my eyes were so used to seeing, the little restaurant that I used to eat lunch at was flattened to the ground, people I knew were without homes, food, or water. Charley had made his mark on Florida, and on me as well. By Travis Fox
The Voice of the Homeless
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VOICE UPDATE
HELP PAY OFF OUR MORTGAGE We need just 38,400 people to send in a check for $20.00, Or 15,360 people to send in a check for $50.00, Or 7,680 people to send in a check for $100.00, Or 768 people to send in a check for $1,000, Or Just one wonderful person or business to send a check for the entire $768,000.00 Remember the donation is tax deductible!!
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 Please send your checks to: The COSAC Building Fund mortgage payment P.O. Box 292-577 would go down from Davie, Florida 33329 $8400.00 a month to apWe do thank you proximately $6400.00. We would need the remaining balance financed over 30 years. So, if anybody can find us a mortgage, please let us know.
T
he Boca Raton News is once again giving something back to its commu-
nity.
The News has started donating newspapers to Homeless Voice as a way of assisting that publication which deals with homeless issues and provides a program of support for the homeless. “The Boca Raton News is proud to support the Homeless Voice,” said News Publisher Neal R. Heller. “We’re very happy to do this,” echoed Kim Mosley, circulation director at the Boca Raton News. “This demonstrates our commitment to the community and to public service.” As part of the new program, Homeless Voice gives close to 1,000 issues of the Boca Raton News to its street vendors
T
here have been so many times that we have asked you all to help us out with our mortgage. We will be asking as many times as we can to get this place paid off. Last week some person came to me and asked how we can charge the homeless to stay at the shelter. This person was a cop. This person also asked how we could take their social security check to give them a place to live. I am sure others would say that the Homeless are sponges of society. I have always felt that when possible the Homeless should always pay for their services to make them responsible so people can’t label them as sponges. And you know what, many
to distribute every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. She said vendors distribute the papers along with the Homeless Voice, which is offered for a quarter to $4, on highway medians just outside of the Boca Raton city limits. The profits, in turn, go to the Homeless Voice. That’s the benefit of the program, Heller noted. “Unlike our competition to the south that uses the homeless to sell papers for them, we use a different approach, one that aims to help people support themselves.” The vendors cover 200 miles a day, “from the bottom of Homestead to the top of Palm Beach County,” said Sean Cononie, the founder of Homeless Voice. “[Homeless Voice] rehabilitates homeless people and brings them back to selfsufficiency,” he said.
do want to pay their own way… so that they are not sponges off of society. Charging the Homeless for their bed has been a practice that we have learned from many other fine agencies. We have learned this from the Salvation Army and just about all the Christian Missions that exist, all of whom do the same thing. We charge the homeless person a daily or weekly fee to pay for part of their shelter. If shelters did not charge for services they would never be able to operate at 100 percent because usually grants and donations don’t pull in enough money to operate. Thank God our shelter is not like some of the rest who say that if
“The Boca Raton News is proud to support the Homeless Voice,” said News Publisher Neal R. Heller. Distribution is the first step in the processing of rebuilding their lives. “First, they do the newspaper,” Cononie said. “After three months [if they behave properly], they are allowed to search for a job outside of the paper.” “For [homeless] people in a cycle, it’s very hard to recover,” Cononie said. “Our program tries to keep a roof over their heads permanently. They won’t keep on going back to homeless shelters.” Mosley said the Boca Raton News donation benefits the community. “We decided to do this to help the community in a
charitable way,” she said. “The Homeless Voice is a very respectable program. And we want a presence in community involvement.” Cononie said the donation helps consumers, homeless and both companies. “[The donation] gives people a chance to buy the Boca News – and gives self-pride to homeless people,” he said. “It also gives our customers a chance to widen their spectrum of news.” “Any time two companies collaborate,” he said, “it makes the community stronger.” by Rebecca Huval
“Thank God our shelter is not like some of the rest who say that if you can’t pay then you can’t stay.” you can’t pay then you can’t stay. Our policy clearly states that if a person works, receives income, or has other assets then they should pay a fee for services. If someone can’t work and can’t pay then their stay is free for as long as it takes to recover. Most shelters allow the person to come in as an “emergency bed client” this is usually free of charge.
Then when they can produce income they are required to pay a fee base on their income and this is called “Transitional Housing Bed Space.” Basically, the ones who can pay help those who can’t pay. Even if we had millions of dollars, I would still make it policy to have the Homeless pay if they are able to work or re(Continued on page 15)
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Volume 5, Issue 14
HOBO JUNGLE
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ceive a social security check. One time a person from a Calvary Chapel Church came and asked the same question. How can you charge the homeless to stay here? His church had a similar program except it took only paying customers which is alright because that was what their program was based on, responsibility, making the person being able to put a roof over their head. However his question was real firm which made me even more concerned because they charged more than we ever thought of charging. Their program would not allow someone who could not work or not pay to stay there at all! I could really never understand how he could ask such a strong question. His church charges a fee higher than ours and his church did not allow the problematic homeless person to stay there. He kept on saying, “How can you? how can you?” Each time he asked the question I handed him the phone and asked him to call his own church and see what his church charged. Even after he found out he claimed these words, “Well it is a church and we have to make some money to pay for the property that they rent to the Homeless.” I went a little more in detail and asked him why his church did not use their large complex for a homeless shelter. I said if your church opens up a shelter then I can go back in full retirement and then you won’t ask such questions that make no sense. You really have to wonder where people’s heads are. Please keep in mind that his particular church does great service projects for the community and he represented himself and not the church he went to. Here is a better example of confusion. Look at the hospitals that have police officers working details 24 hours a day. These details are very expensive to the tax payers. If these police officers would donate their time, then just maybe cheaper health care could be given out. But, I do not think you could get coverage 24 hours a day on just volunteers. I am sure that some of them would donate their time because there are many who could afford to do it, and there are many who are, community oriented. Sometimes people can be so stupid, or should I say, so uninformed. When we had our zoning problems on Lincoln Street, neighbors in the community came out of the woodwork and complained about our shelter causing chaos in their community. Yes, some of our people did not treat the
surrounding community so nice, but others did a good job of being nice to the neighbors. During this time, one of the local businesswomen from an assisted living facility who was located very close to us, really complained in a public meeting. She stated really loudly in a meeting, “You are taking their social security checks by charging them for a place to stay.” What she failed to acknowledge is that we were much cheaper than what she charged the poor to stay at her place. Also, she failed to acknowledge that we had 47 people who could not work and could not pay. She had only paying customers and in most cases received almost double than what we charged. Again, it is so funny where some people’s heads really are. The government requests agencies such as assisted living facilities and tiered residential treatment centers to become the payee of people who are homeless and receive a disability check. In most cases they cannot handle their life or their finances, Yet this cop and the owner of the assisted living had the nerve to say we take their checks. Let this truth be known: if we did not charge people who could afford to pay a fee, there would be no program to help the ones the churches, the police departments and the hospitals send us and of course the assisted living facilities who kick their client to the street when their clients benefits run out. Thank God we still take them if they have no income. There is a reason for my madness in their article. I was dealing with a case worker at a local hospital and the case worker called up and asked our intake department these now famous words, “How can you charge them money? That is not right, that is mean.” Mean time she was sending someone who was homeless to us who could not work, could not pay and was not able of working for another five to six months. The patient needed antibiotics for cellulites. The case manager asked her to make sure the hospital sent the patient to us with his medication. Her response was that the hospital could not afford to send patients home with their medication. Meanwhile she is asking us to take this completely indigent patient in, which we did, but no person at her hospital could afford a $20.00 prescription. Here we go, a hospital who makes over 87 million just by what they charge for their beds, not including one penny of medical services, but could not afford to send
“I will not turn anyone away from my shelter.” -Sean Cononie
“Our policy clearly states that if a person works, receives income, or has other assets then they should pay a fee for services. If someone can’t work and can’t pay then their stay is free for as long as it takes to recover.” the patient with their medication. Now keep in mind that this is the same hospital that charges $5.25 per Tylenol when it only cost them about .08 cents per pill. I am not cutting the hospital down because in order to get the pill to the patient, you must figure the cost of medical malpractice, administration, maintenance workers, the electric so the nurse can see what pill she is giving the patient, not to forget that extra detail cop who guards the workers who bring that pill to the patient. Our agency only brings in about a million a year, yet we take the ones who can’t pay. Now let’s go back to the guy in the hospital who was going to be sent here. I asked the hospital what he was charged for his services. The case worker from the hospital asked me what I meant. So I repeated it to her, saying, “Did your hospital charge this man for his bed and for the amputation of his leg?” She said of course they did. I then asked her how she could charge this homeless man, who was dying from an infection, money when he had none. She basically said I was nuts. There is a saying in the world, what is good for the goose is good for the gander. One day a cop from the same city came and asked why we took someone’s money for drinking a beer. I answered that we have a policy and if they violate the rules we fine them instead of throwing them to the streets like their shelter does. She said that was taking advantage of the poor by charging them for an infraction. We feel that it is a good deterrent that we have learned from the better programs. So if a person is working and they want to have a beer and they know the rules, this should prevent them from having a beer. We may charge them for this fine, but we also give them a gift for the same amount if not more when they are clean and away form drugs and alcohol. This is a reward. It is one of the most common types of programs in times like today. It is called the “incentive program.” As people do well, you reward them. As they do badly you give them consequences such as fines. We did not develop this type of program we learned it, It is so amazing that in the end, the cop still could not understand why there were fines and still said it was taking advantage of the Homeless. When I finally told the police officer it was really none of
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his business and that he needed to go, the client started to get a little verbal; just a little, but not enough to get arrested. He then ran the client in the data base for warrants. The cop then placed the client in handcuffs and claimed he had a warrant out for failing to pay for his court fines. I then asked the cop, how he could do that, making a Homeless person pay for his consequences and then we had no money put him back into jail? Again, life is so funny. As we make fun of the rules of other programs, as we make fun of the people in this article we still learn everyday; and that is, what is important. Every day we make mistakes here at our agency and we try to fix what we did wrong. The cop is a real good cop that does go out of his way to help the Homeless, we too have some stupid rules. Bottom line is that we need to have an open mind and understand that we try our best just like that cop who tries his best. Even if you lovely people helped us by paying for the mortgage we would still hold our Homeless people responsible for their actions and their place to live. Paying off the mortgage would allow us to hire more staff and expand a little to fit the needs of the community. Our budget is anywhere from 90,000 to 120,000 a month. The fees the clients pay covers only 26,000.00 dollars a month. That means the rests comes from the Homeless Voice. So it is vitally important to have the clients who can afford a little to pay for their bed space. Now that you know all of this, now that you see how much money we need, and now that I tell you that the above figure only represents what we need to operate and does not cover our money that we need to raise to finally pay off the mortgage what do you think I am going to be saying next? You guessed it, would you care to make a donation to help us pay off our mortgage balance? May God bless you the readers, may God bless the homeless and may God bless those people who are alone in a natural disaster or that one mom who is holding her one baby so tight because she is afraid for her life. This is also the time to pray that God protects these people. -Sean Cononie Homeless Voice of Florida SCONONE@homelessvoice.org
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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