Homeless Voice; Is There a Difference

I

wrote this article after the Tsunami hit and thought that since Katrina came and caused the mass destruction that she did that I would rewrite this article, but at the same time use some of the same text in its entirety.

It happens from time to time- disaster after disaster and when you see it on TV, some respond in the most saddened way and some just make a comment like, “This is so bad, how can that happen, this is a shame”, while others do not even say a word. Do we not say a word because we don’t care or do we not say a word because we want to block it out?

Years ago I would have said people just don’t care but today I find myself saying and thinking that people just want to block it out. There are many that have it in their heart to

Most Americans are “Two Paychecks” away from being homeless.

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drop what they are doing and go to the area and try to save lives. We saw this in Louisiana; ordinary normal, non emergency personnel came to the aid of total strangers. I call them the real heroes and we bless them and thank them for their fast response. I do consider myself a compassionate person but I fall short in other areas of my life.

When a disaster strikes I try to be the level headed person, always thinking ahead and trying not to worry about death but rather how victims can be saved. This time when hurricane Katrina struck I really felt I fell short of what I could have done. I blame myself for our agency not responding as fast as we normally would have.

We may have been able to do more like send at least ten first responders to give urgent medical care to victims as well as help with assistance at some of the shelters. But it did not work out that way because I had to take care of myself and our own first; I had several surgeries sched(Continued on page 7)

I

live in Henderson, Nevada, just next door to Las Vegas.

My husband and I moved here over three years ago. We learned very quickly that this town is full of con-artists, rip-offs, scams and many other devious means to get you and get you good. There are people who stand at the stop light of freeway exits holding cardboard signs pleading for help.

"HOMELESS - PLEASE HELP GOD BLESS." When they are offered a sandwich by a kind soul they refuse it and demand money. Makes you wonder where they got that pack of cigarettes in their shirt pocket and the 32oz Big Gulp sitting at their feet.

These very same "homeless" folks have been followed on different occasions by

The Homeless Voice Disaster Division’s Ambulance proudly displays the original disaster agencies name, Helping People In America, founded in 1996. Almost ten years later and we are still at it, thanks to you the public who bought this disaster ambulance. The unit was filled with medical supplies and was handed to the Red Cross at an evacuee shelter.

suspicious news reporters. It's amazing to find out that these people are far from homeless and are usually living better than you and me. Many have been followed back to $250,000 homes with a Jaguar and a BMW in the driveway. These cons actually get dirty for work instead taking a shower like the rest of us.

Unfortunately for the real homeless folks out there who would be very thankful for that half eaten Big Mac, these cons are very real. Which leads me to recall my experience during the Christmas season a few years back.

Awakening awareness We had only lived here for six months, but had learned very quickly never to take a socalled "homeless" person on his

It's universal. We look at those who are disadvantaged and think it could never happen to us -- we'll never be on the streets; our children will always be warm, protected and well-fed.

One mom shares how her holiday shopping spree turned into a lesson of awareness, gratitude and humility. or her word.

That changed one special day, a day when my husband and I had been out Christmas shopping at Toys-R-Us. We had just spent well over $200 on tons of (Continued on page 12)

The Voice of the Homeless

Page 2

HOMELESS VOICE

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Volume VII, Issue 1

HOMELESS VOICE When a disaster hit us; and it hits us hard, we have to regroup as a team. As a father of two beautiful daughters, I would not know what we would have done being in the middle of the situation. But what I do know is we need to be grateful each and every day for what we have; and for what we don’t have.

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The Voice of the Homeless

Page 4

NEW LIFESTYLES

H

omelessness can happen to any- happy.

Then everything changed, I got one. It is what I hope for you the reader to understand. I am not that old, falsely arrested for crimes I did not indeed only 22. I have many dreams commit. I spent 100 days incarcerated in Orange County, and goals. I have hopes and professing my innodesires just like anyone else “If you got cence the whole my age. I strive to succeed in anything out of this, time, before they life and to make a difference in finally realized their society. I am a normal person, I hope it is the mistake and dropped with normal thoughts and norawareness that the charges. But, the mal feelings. Indeed there is probably not much difference homelessness could damage was already Unable to pay between myself and anyone happen to anyone. done. my rent, attend else my age except for one And that maybe the school, or even thing, I am homeless.

Drugs or alcohol did- homeless are not so work; I lost everything. n’t cause it. Committing crimes didn’t cause it. Gam- different than you.” But, I hold no grudges. I do not bling or other dependencies didn’t lead me to homelessness. I didn’t seek revenge or financial retribution. I grow up in a dysfunctional family, or a did not lose faith or give up. In fact, the crime ridden area. I wasn’t in a gang or whole situation has reinforced my goals. involved in any illegal activities. I had Aware firsthand of the shortcomings of friends just like a normal kid. I was not the Justice system, I strive even more to under financial stress or strain. I had a complete my degree in criminal justice good job, I was going to school and I and to make a difference. To help othwas pursuing my dream of helping soci- ers, to better people’s lives, and to serve ety by obtaining a degree in criminal my country is my ideal life. I will acjustice. But most important of all, I was complish this. I will succeed in life.

And I will not let homelessness Sometimes Home Is A Cardboard Box coldwaterstop me. hobo@netscape.net If you got anything out of this, I Today I feel sad please don't watch me cry hope it is the awareness that My Hobo hat's pulled low to hide my eyes homelessness could happen to You don't see my tears anyway anyone. And that maybe the everything I had's been taken away homeless are not so different than Even my name has been lost you. That they have hopes and scary how much life costs dreams just like you. And just doesn't matter what's in a name? like you, they need help somewhen nothing about me is the same times.

I've been kicked out of the store’s parking lot Robert Servis The man there hates the homeless, that's the thanks I got who knows he may be two steps from my spot and sometimes home is a cardboard box.

Copyright ©2005 Paul Millard

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Volume VII, Issue 1

NATIONAL NEWS

I

remember watching CNN and that I once thought I had cherished hearing the reports that we so much became so insignificant in needed to evacuate. At first I had the face of knowing what pending not taken those reports seriously but doom and survival means. as I watched the steady stream of Promptly at 2:30 I was in front of cars crawling along the highway my building with suitcase in hand and out away from the city, my waiting for Alice to arrive. As I concerns began to escalate. Having waited there, for what seemed like no car of my own I called my best hours but were actually only minfriend, Alice, to see if she would utes, I noticed a bag lady on the ride with me to my mom’s home in corner across the street. What I South Carolina.

But also noticed, was “Everything that I that in the past I when I called her she just kept telling me not once thought I had would simply just to panic and that it was by her. I cherished so much walk just another hurricane. remember in the She convinced me that became so insignificant past making comthe media frequently in the face of knowing ments to myself exaggerates and blows that this woman things out of proportion what pending doom was homeless and that I had become a and survival means.” because she victim of the newscastwanted to be and ers alarming reports. Satisfied by that she was a lazy bum. As I her answers I hung up and didn’t stated, it was not the first time that I give it much more thought. had seen her standing there, in fact Then my mom telephoned I saw her just last night eating from me. I can still hear the desperation a garbage can. Last night I could in her voice as she said, “Honey have fed her with left overs instead please come home, I’ve been of watching her pick old spoiled watching the news and you need to food from someone's garbage. Toleave that place”. I told her I would day, knowing that, this woman see what I could do and that I could be me after the storm hits it would call her back. I immediately shined light on me and this became called Alice but this time when she the first time I saw homelessness in answered the telephone she said, a different light.

“I’ve been watching the news and With the uncertainty of my now realize that we need to get out own destiny so close at hand, I of here”. Alice lives about 12 miles broke down right there in the street from me so we agreed to put some thinking about the nameless woman belongings together quickly and standing across the street from me. that I would wait for her in front of Who was she? Where did she come my apartment in an hour and a half. from? How did she become homeWithin that hour and a half less? Could she have been a victim I realized there was a big difference of a previous hurricane who had in what I wanted to bring along waited for a friend that never with me and what I really needed to showed up? Hundreds of questions bring along with me. Everything cluttered my mind until I was star-

The Cooperative Feeding Program is in desperate need of food for the community food pantry.

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Please get with your church, optimist clubs, schools, or social clubs and do a food drive so our little ones, seniors and individuals get some food in their bellies.

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tled by the sound of Alice’s car horn going beep, beep. I told Alice what I had been thinking about and we both agreed to help the nameless bag lady. Needless so say the women was apprehensive at first but then agreed for us to take her to a church that had helped her many times in the past.

Along the way we learned about Susan and her life of homelessness. She was not the sufferer of alcohol, drugs, or some sort of mental handicap. Rather life had thrown her a fast ball when she lost her husband and only son in an auto accident. That day turned out to be the deep pit that she has not been able to climb out of because her age, education, financial difficulties and poor health condition. Susan said many things but what stood out most in my mind was when she said, “I don’t think about what I don’t have I just thank God for what I do have”.

Susan taught me many valuable lessons that day. But most of all I learned that many times homelessness in not a loss of pride or lack of interest in oneself, it’s a condition that we can help people with, if we take the time to understand its causes. My apartment is gone and so is Alice’s but we are planning to go back and start anew.

That is new in the sense of not only rebuilding our lives but also sharing them with the homeless victims of circumstance. I learned two impor-

tant life long lessons from this disaster. The first is that homelessness can really happen to anyone, and the second, is that homelessness can happen to anyone. To all you homeless out there, please forgive us who judge you, because right now there are about three hundred thousand more homeless people in the USA because of a hurricane named Katrina.

-Anonymous Victim of Hurricane Katrina

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9-11

When people who are poor or homeless live in a shelter they are sometimes referred to as “not like everyone else.� In fact some people look at them as a person who just sponges off of society. Some people also feel that the homeless do not know what is going on in the world and that they really don't care about anything but getting their next beer. Sometimes even the homeless feel that they are worthless because of the stereotyping people give them. For this reason we try to involve them in everything on a national level. For the last five years we have held flags on the anniversary of September 11th. The first time we held flags was the actual day of 911. We had half of our vendors put their buckets away and hold flags instead. Then every year after the 2001 attacks we the homeless would line up in front of our shelter with our homeless voice shirts proudly waving flags to the traffic. The passersby's beep their horns and the homeless have the biggest smiles on their face. The upper staff also joins in and it becomes an annual event. When speaking to some of them, especially the vets, the comments they make confirm that this is a good thing. One of them said to me, I saw it on TV and all I could think about was the loss of life and I am glad that I can remember them all including the police who have arrested me in the past for trespassing when I had no place to sleep. He added that the police should have never arrested me for being poor but these firemen and police officers lost their life trying to save others who needed help. That really made me feel good. These pictures show that the homeless are just like everyone else and they feel the same pain we all felt on September 11th 2001. May God Bless all who lost their lives and may God forgive them all for their sins.

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Volume VII, Issue 1

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case of bacterial meningitis. I knew uled and hurricane Katrina had left being in the condition I was in, it our shelter with no electrical power meant I could not go to a disaster for days. Considering my condition area that had no medical supplies or and the fact that we had no power; take a chance of having to take most of our staff were either re- medical supplies from others who quired to be on call or were needed were in desperate need. You may to become human smoke detectors not be aware of this but when a perand a fire alarm system. Basically son gets meningitis they can die without power our fire system will within 3 to 24 hours after infection only work for about 24 hours and gets into their central nervous systhe fact that we have lots of slow tem and brain. moving people here was of much Regardless of all we were concern because if a fire would dealing with we still made plans to have taken place, we would have help out in some way. The first had to shut down the assistance we elevator and that would “We knew the Feds were gave was with an mean we would need as starting to bring in more outreach worker many people as possible Daren services, so we emailed named to take people safely Frankel; he downstairs. So we went the state of Mississippi hooked up with into an emergency man- updated them about our others from the agement mode and dilemma and advised Fort Lauderdale placed all of our staff on them that if they still area to help out duty. They needed to go along the border from room to room con- needed the ambulance, of Florida and they could email us stantly to make sure that Alabama; areas the clients were not using that had thouback…” candles. As soon as we sands of evactook the lighted candles away from uee’s pre and post Katrina. Keep in them, ten minutes later we found mind the Red Cross was servicing the same people with candles once people that had evacuated to Florida again. With no fire or smoke alarm because thousands that chose to staff had to go room to room every leave on their own during pre20 minutes to make sure there was- Katrina ended up at hotels in the n’t any fire present in the building. panhandle as well as Tallahassee.

This is routine when you house peo- When they ran out of funds they ple with disabilities. So that’s what went to Red Cross shelters in those our staff did, they monitored the areas. Most people staying in hotels rooms 24 hours a day to ensure that were easy to help service during our own people, who are frail, did this time because they only needed not become a victims of a fire and simple services such as the use of die in our own building. As I stated cell phones to call their families due earlier I also had several surgeries to a lack of long distance service at scheduled because my ears were hotels. Daren played social worker infected again, which meant I had to with these people and also helped be monitored every 30 minutes to families that wanted to relocate, got make sure I did not get a high tem- funds to those that needed resources perature and that my antibiotic and assisted people who wanted to treatment would be closely con- relocate to South Florida.

(Continued on page 8) trolled to prevent me from another (Continued from page 1)

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Most people are unaware that many homeless agencies are at disasters prior to any other social service agency. The Salvation Army responds to most disasters on a national level. This picture demonstrates a Salvation Army Shower Unit. The Homeless Voice Bus is always on stand by for evacuations of Special Needs People and it equipped with oxygen for people who may be short of breath. It has been used any time there is a Bad Weather Night or Cold Weather Night when the county allows all homeless to sleep in doors no matter if they are drunk, on drugs. The County as well as The Homeless Voice Center expands all their beds. Last storm we took an additional 81 people for the three days. It was crowed especially with no lights and power for days.

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HOMELESS VOICE

would be needed at a nursing home on Wiggins Ave that was being used as a triage and regular hospital. We decided we could do that trip because it was not in an area that had outbreaks of infection and disease and it would be safe for me.

After receiving directions to the nursing home and instructions for where we would be able to Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue from the city of fuel up with diesel, we took off Oakland Park was very active by working with Darfor Mississippi. We soon found ren trying to relocate evacuees from the effected area to homes in South Florida she got donated. out that there were major difficulties getting diesel fuel.

(Continued from page 7) Knowing that the nursing home In the meantime, we were was in need of supplies, the comwaiting for official orders from the munity was in need of our ambustate of Mississippi to help out in lance (for long term use) and that that area; we did not want to inter- we would run out of fuel before fere with their medical service and arriving at the Logistic Center, we supply plan because it is our policy made our decision to turn around. to email the emergency operations It was quite difficult but we knew center prior to the storm touching we had to do it. This was the same ground, this way we would know if time the Feds were trying to get we were really needed and we their act together and we did not would not be duplicating services. want to run out of gas like several When we finally received permis- other EMS agencies that had resion from the Department of Health sponded from other states; we actuto help in Mississippi we were told ally saw several of them stranded medical supplies and long term use and waiting for gas. We felt that if of our basic life support ambulance we just left our ambulance in the

middle of some town with no police and a town that was completely without power, it would not be there in the future. We knew the Feds were starting to bring in more services, so we emailed the state of Mississippi and updated them about our dilemma and advised them that if they still Darren form our outreach team was at the Katrina needed the ambulance, they Evacuees Red Cross Shelters trying to relocate could email us back and we people who were homeless. He claims most of the work he did was having an ear to the people who would make arrangements to were affected by Katrina's fury. Just telling somehave the National Guard fly the one that it will be "OK" does a world of good. In ambulance on over. The good most cases he reminded them to be thankful for news is that on the way back their life and reminded them that it could have been Darren was the first person from our team to we hit a few shelters that the worse. respond. He has a computer business in South Red Cross set up in Tallahassee Florida and left his business to volunteer for us and eventually met up with because he wanted to help people. We commend evacuees. We felt better being you Darren for filling in for us until our shelter got power back. able to use the money raised by the Homeless Voice teams for our many volunteers creates a burden trip and the generous medical sup- on supplies being used for the volplies and donations given by sev- unteers, when in fact they should eral local hospitals and others to be used for the actual victims. So help the evacuees and Red Cross. waiting for official orders is always Do you remember seeing best when making an attempt to the ads in the Homeless Voice re- assist. Also, I have several emails questing donations for boats and in my hands from different governRV’s over the last year? Well, our ment bureaus telling other agencies disaster agency has been requesting to stay back until Logistics asks donations for RV’s and especially them to show up. Even with our old boats because I have studied policy to wait for orders, now emergency management over the thinking things over, I realize I years and found after going from should have had a press conference one disaster to the next that most in the tri state area within the first communities do not cover floods 24 hours of Katrina hitting and ask the way they should. If I am aware people who own boats to join a of this I’m sure our government convoy and head to Louisiana. We also knows that communities are could have provided our boats to falling short when it comes to the state of Louisiana and asked search and rescue during floods. them if they wanted to use the Let’s keep in mind that hurricanes boats or if they wanted us to rescue are pretty easy to deal with because people ourselves. I will no longer of the warning systems that are in allow myself or this agency to ever place. But it is the potential of sit back again when something as other disasters that hit that we need severe as Katrina strikes us. If we to keep in mind; like major torna- would have done things more dos that destroy whole towns and quickly, we may have been able to keep our EMS workers busy for save just one more person. And if days or the need for preparation we would have gotten a convoy of against a catastrophe that may oc- 50 boats together and spent cur from a terrorist attack such as a $20,000 on fuel expenses to save dam being blown up and a flash just one more, it would have been flood occurring. More search and well worth it. I am not saying that rescue would definitely help. I can we here at the Homeless Voice tell you for sure that our govern- would have been the saviors of ment is not prepared for other natu- Louisiana, but we could have gotral disasters like we should be and ten some boats out to rescue people if we were hit with a terrorist at- if we thought this out a little better tack; we are way behind on both than we did. Even though we had no electrical power I still feel we services and supplies.

There are many other could have done more.

I am writing this article to things that also need to be ad(Continued on page 9) dressed. For instance, having too

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Volume VII, Issue 1

HOMELESS VOICE

(Continued from page 8)

the flood unless water came in give others ideas to help in the fu- from the outside due to the roof ture and not just panic and give coming off from wind damage. cash when disasters occur. Even The government is responsible for when we at the Homeless Voice setting up low interest, easy mortcollected donations to pay for the gages, for people who want to remoney we laid out or will lay out in build. But the owner may have no the future for Katrina money available, bad victims we only col- “I have no idea how credit, live on a fixed lected in the streets for it feels being a vic- income such as retirefive days. This way we ment, or have no job tim waiting for help and not be able to aflimited the amount of what we actually col- but I certainly know ford a new mortgage. lected to make sure that what it feels like to People, who have lost we did not collect more watch that pain.” their home, and are than we needed. During living under these 911 times a lot of agencies col- types of circumstances, will defilected more than they used. When nitely be in need of lots of money. disasters strike we all panic and So any money that you may be start collecting supplies for others thinking of giving now, may be but trust me I have worked so best to give to the local government many disasters and know that es- of New Orleans because the locals sential supplies like water comes in will know who needs the money from the government just a few the most. I would hope that the days later. That is, when they do city of New Orleans has set up a their job correctly. fund to help people to rebuild beFEMA and local authori- cause I believe no matter how ties always advise people to have much we all might try to help; supplies on hand for at least 3 days many won’t get what they deserve. because they know it takes about 3 Therefore, giving to the local govdays to get set up in a community, ernment may be the best possible after a disaster strikes. My personal solution. The Red Cross is great suggestion is that you have sup- but when I called them they told plies set aside for at least 30 days. me that they do not rebuild peoActually this is not as difficult as ple’s homes. What they do is place you think because you don’t need them in a hotel for a few weeks and to have gourmet meals. Granola will help by giving funds for the bars, ensure or boost shakes, water first and last months rent and secuand medical supplies are enough to rity deposit. keep you going.

Some people say we need Now let me get back to to send cash, others say send supgiving cash. If you want to give plies, while still others say we need cash you don’t have to give right volunteers. We all have seen this now because there will be many agency and that one, along with people who will be left without private individuals loading up enough money from FEMA to re- trucks. But are these truckloads of build their homes, especially those items being duplicated over and who had no flood insurance. You over again? Each time items are need to realize that the government duplicated it is a waste of time, will put caps on what they will give manpower and fuel which means for homes destroyed by the flood; lots of money being wasted. This this happens when a homeowner money can best be used for other has no flood insurance or home- resources. It is such an act of kindowners insurance does not cover ness that people come from all over

Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue from the city of Oakland Park met with many officials to start her work of relocating individuals from Louisiana to South Florida. Meeting with the National Guard was an important feature to a good recovery.

with supplies. Yet, I believe the government needs to set up eight strategically placed warehouses filled with all the emergency supplies that might be needed. Then supplies would reach people quicker. The warehouse would also work more effectively if we had an unexpected disaster such as a terrorist attack. Each of the 8 sectors would be positioned so that it would only take 12 hours to drive, 2 hours for a plane trip, or 6 hours by chopper to bring supplies to an area in need. If a plan like this were followed supplies can be brought to a community in a matter of hours. The war department, meaning the Department of Defense can plan for just about anything. This would mean that all the money that is now being spent by us, other agencies and private people would be utilized more effectively because services would not be duplicated and if a proper needs assessment were conducted we wouldn’t have a waste of supplies.

I promise you if the government would have a system like this in place, disasters would be less expensive and more people would be helped. Are you aware that many times donations don’t get to where they need to go, sit in the wrong place for days, or are sold by dishonest people? Figure it out, if the government became more effective, responded better and

handled the distribution of supplies all the money we donate could go to rebuilding people’s homes. Instead of us sending money to charities that don’t use one dollar to rebuild homes. Check it out; some of the agencies the government endorses will not rebuild a single home! We had an ugly experience during the Tsunami disaster after receiving a whole truck load of baby wipes that were donated by a company. Yes, we got the baby wipes but we couldn’t get them to the victims because the weight of the baby wipes was too costly to ship.

We got $28,000 dollars worth of baby wipes but it would have cost us $45,000 to ship them by plane. We contacted both Fed Ex and UPS but they wouldn’t ship the baby wipes for us for free.

That’s why we ended up buying and sending medication to send instead of trying to get supplies to the countries that were affected. It was a hassle storing the baby wipes all this time but they come in handy now when we donated them to babies of the Katrina disaster… so some good experiences do come out of bad ones. Even our disaster emergency agency has learned that we need to get more training in search and rescue. That’s why we are trying to join the coast guard auxiliary; it will help us to respond better in the future. We also will be buying some small boats at a cost of $4,500.00. These boats can (Continued on page 10)

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hold 1200 lbs and will have oars as well as two motors, one small one and a larger one that run on gas.

The smaller motor would be used to conserve gas when fast speed is not needed. On the back of the boat there is one engine that runs on the power of a battery; this keeps it charged from gas motors running. Purchasing these will help us to be more prepared and will help us to rescue people rather than watch the faces of frighten people waiting to be rescued.

I have no idea how it feels being a victim waiting for help but I certainly know what it feels like to watch that pain. Especially when I saw the story of a mom and dad handing their infant to a total stranger because there was no more room on the boat they were being rescued by. As I have stated in many different articles the loss of a child or even separation from one must be the worst feeling in the world. All I kept thinking about was what it would have felt like if one of my little granddaughter’s, Lily or Autumn would have been passed to a total stranger and more importantly what would their parents, Mark and Sara feel like having to do that? Thinking about this brought tears to my eyes. When you feel this kind of pain even though you know it does not affect you directly it helps to acknowledge it and react in a positive way.

So just go with your emotions and do something to make things better and help save as many as you possibly can.

I hope this disaster has taught us to prepare and strive to have our government do more to protect us because our CERT community emergency response teams, now established in most cities, need additional training to respond to actual search and rescue. We also need to have the communities re-establish the civil defense system that we used years ago when we were threatened with nuclear attacks. Keep in mind hurricanes can be a lot easier to deal with than other natural disasters or terrorist attacks and that is why we need to be prepared. I believe that reestablishing our old civil defense system and having people from all blocks in local communities meet

regularly to set up their own disaster planning, would be a way to assure safe communities. Things like having one person for each block certified in first aid would prevent as much death as possible.

We also need to take advantage of the common sense other countries have. For instance, our government has learned a lot from Israel about protecting our aircraft from a terrorist attack. Israel also issued their citizens gas masks for an attack. The USA has a lot to learn, we think we are the best but we forget we are one of the youngest countries and still have a lot to learn.

I can’t understand why an agency like the Homeless Voice has a disaster team outfitted with a two way radio system for local disasters that can work on a repeater system for extended coverage and cover all of South Florida and also independently of any other system off of a repeater that can cover a 64 square mile area. This means they don’t have to depend on a system of repeaters or a cell system, they have the ability to work radio to radio. Yet some of our local cities can’t operate their communications if they get hit or lose power. Look at what happened with Katrina, agencies could not do something as simple as communicate with one another. I ask you, what’s wrong with this picture?

Another thing that most people don’t realize is that when power goes out so do cell phones because the generators that start them up during power failures only last a short time which means you can be without service for days.

The FCC should allow CB radios to expand their wattage for people who work in volunteer disaster agencies and emergency services, such as the police and ambulance personal. Citizens as well as some of the block captains could have CB’s in their cars to call for emergency search and rescue crews to certain areas when needed instead of going door-to-door looking at a bunch of empty houses. Again; using your services more effectively instead of wasting the time on non emergencies because you don’t have communications. If all communications are down, how are citizens suppose to be able to talk

Commissioner Suzanne Boisvenue form Oakland Park did what ever she could do to help people. (Seen here helping a person put up a tent for shade.) Darren and the Commissioner went with the rent a car from place to place to help and learn for the future.

directly to the police and fire rescue personnel during real emergencies? Also, HAM Radios need to be returned to police dispatch centers and different centers in communities, along with satellite communications. The CB’s could be set up for different needs. For example one channel could be for supplies, another for medical requests, and still another for lost children and so forth and so on. I don’t believe people who would have access to these CB’s would take advantage because they would be genuinely interested citizens who are concerned about public safety. Doing something like this would make our government understand that this land is our land and not just their land and that we all need to take part in our country’s safety.

I also believe citizens

should be able to protect their neighbors by acting as specialized pre-trained police officers that will only be called on during a disaster.

We also can use these individuals to volunteer for Homeland Security to cut down on funds being used for anti terrorism projects. They can guard nuclear plants as well as our ports and borders. Almost every expert in terrorism states that we are still not prepared and the government states it is too costly to do the complete job. As some of you may remember a few years prior to 911 we at the Cosac Foundation stated in a public interview that airport security was the lowest it had been in years. There are many fine people that will donate their time to protect their homeland therefore increasing our levels of protection and costing the govern-

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ment nothing. If an event breaks out the full time law enforcement can do heavier forms of law enforcement as well as devoting more time on investigating and let the special reserve homeland security officers do the minimal levels of protection. Instead of using private security officers who don’t even carry a gun to protect the ports there can also be other people who could be specialized pre-trained homeland security police officers that would be called in during a terrorist attack or a natural disaster.

Look at what happened after 911, pilots were given a one week training class that gave them a federal position as a deck sky marshal and they were trained to carry a firearm while they were in the air. We could do something similar by setting up 5 or 6 weekend training classes that would include background checks, mental health evaluations and physicals to prescreen concerned citizens that wish to become specialized police. They could also be assigned certain areas and trained as first responders and members of search and rescue to assist even more. By doing this we would also save on taxes because it would allow full time police officers to respond to major events or just handle normal police issues more efficiently. Look what happened with police officers in New Orleans who lost everything. Some of them walked off their job to protect their own family. Do you blame them? After all these guys and gals in uniform need breaks too! So why not help out by having concerned citizens fill in?

Some government leaders might say, well we can call in cops from other cities. Sure we can but what would happen if two or three hurricanes, a few tornados and some terrorist attacks occur in a short period of time? The answer… we would not be prepared.

And when you call in others from communities there are fees associated with that, we all must remember to make the best possible community and that means provide the best level of services (more than we do now) at the least expensive cost so when there is a need to spend real money on a major problem congress won’t have fist fights trying to figure out what to do.

Therefore the government can work faster and do a much better job.

If communities had block captains then block captains would know who needs help with evacuation and who needs special assistance. Telephones could be set to automatically dial with a prerecorded message or telephone chains could be set up to let people know there is a possible disaster.

People could also walk door to door for those who have no phones.

The Phone Company can provide law enforcement a list of addresses that don’t have phone service and law enforcement can go to those addresses and warn those people.

Another thing that cities can do is make their traffic lights work when power is out by putting up portable signs or investing in solar powered/ battery back up lights at major intersections. Communities all use traffic lights that hang over the intersection because they can be seen easier then ones on the side of the street. However, many blow down at only 50 MPH and lots and lots blow down at winds greater. Look how many blew down locally in Katrina when she did not even hit us directly. If we cement smaller traffic lights closer to the ground along corners, we could use them as an alternative backup system that would operate if a corner loses power. A law should also be passed that states when we are under emergency situations speed limits should be reduced to a minimum set speed such as 30 mph. I believe the alternative traffic lights and speed reduction would definitely decrease the number of accidents and fatalities that occur because there are no traffic devices. I am not an expert but I can assure you that we spend a lot of money over and over because we don’t do things right the first time. Look at FPL and how much money they spend after storms. Have they ever thought about just putting the power lines under the ground like they do in new communities? Underground construction would save millions in the future. Then of course there are the insurance companies that continually pay out.

You would think that they would learn to donate money to universities and invest some money to hire scientists to see if we can do something to slow down storms so they would cause less damage. Pretty soon there will be no insurance companies and people won’t have any coverage to rebuild if the insurance companies don’t wise up because they are taking some really big hits. Or maybe they should figure out how to build better homes, like a home of the future that can withstand natural elements better. I like space and the space shuttle but I think the government spends an awful lot of money on it.

If they can get a man to the moon they can sure spend more money on trying to divert or lessen natural disasters, after all we have to live on this earth. We can do it, we can do anything. 100 years ago if you said you would fly to the moon or take a private space shuttle (if you have enough money for it) they would have locked you up. We

The Homeless Voice Disaster Ambulance seen with the word first responders on the rear.

Why First Responders and who are they? These were formally homeless people who took an advanced medical emergency course on a Saturday and Sunday for eight hours each day for ten weeks on how to treat disaster victims. It is our goal to set up ten teams of six individuals with ten units as well as at least ten boats so we can respond within 12 hours to any place in Florida or 20 hours in the South Eastern United States. God willing it will happen. The First Responders will be advancing their medical training this winter to become full fledge EMT's and some will become paramedics. We are in the process of meeting with local cities to be a back up to the cities if needed for a natural Disaster or a terrorist attack. The plan is to save lives because it is way too sad to loose someone over confusion and chaos. Thank you for buying our paper because you have bought all this for the people, we serve now and will serve in the future. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

control avalanches by blowing them up when we want to do it so it is a controlled avalanche instead of just letting Mother Nature have her way. So I’m sure we can figure out a way to do something about other natural disasters.

Name Blaming …. This will be short, but we need to blame the people who could and should have evacuated but chose not to, they took services away from the people who were trapped because they could not afford to evacuate.

Then of course we have the local/ state authorities and President Bush, who are all at fault. My democrat friends and republicans all made mistakes but they better figure out what went wrong and correct it and do it fast.

I’m not an expert in the area of emergency management but I have worked about 20 major disasters and I know I would have done a much better job than the FEMA director. Here are some of my thoughts on how I would make a better plan. Instead of focusing on rebuilding New Orleans just the way it was we should be thinking of ways to do the job right and bring the area above sea level.

Like I said I am not an expert but who wants sea walls that can be blown away by some crazed terrorist.

I can even acknowledge disasters that are caused by nature but it’s the ones caused by man that

are unacceptable to me. Think about this. America is the richest and most powerful country in the world yet we need other countries when tragedies such as hurricane Katrina and 911 hit. But when times are good few Americans come together to even try to make an attempt to solve age old world problems like homelessness in third world countries, 30,000 children dying daily due to hunger, and the lack of medication worldwide that can easily save thousands yearly.

When is it that we are going to come down from our high horses and work together to make this world a better place?! I am to blame just as much as the next person but we all know we need to do more, all of us.

As some of you may remember from reading my past stories in The Homeless Voice, the 911 incidents did not hit me hard until after I witnessed it first hand a few days after the attacks while in New York with our disaster crew.

The crew was made up of our Homeless people who wanted to help. These are the same Homeless people who helped the west coast of Florida last year when we got three hurricanes. These are also the same clients that have increased their disaster medical training.

Ground zero did not upset me as much as the people putting up the pictures of their lost ones… Have (Continued on page 14)

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that

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toys for our two children. It would be an awesome Christmas this year as work was going extremely well for my husband and I had just started my new job.

As we walked out of the store, there on the curb, begging for a handout, sat a man in his mid30s, our age. The weather was beautiful, it was 70some degrees and the sun was high in the sky. Yet this man had on a coat and a sweater and what appeared to be several layers of shirts. His face was sad looking, tattered from the harsh desert winds.

All pride had left him, it was apparent. Beside him sat his teenage daughter, probably 15. She held a cardboard sign that said "HOMELESS - PLEASE HELP - HUNGRY".

The thing that really caught my eye though was the shopping cart filled with all their worldly possessions. It was overflowing with blankets, coats, shoes, pants. Amongst all that dirty and shabby clothing was a teddy bear. Its face was peeking out from the cart underneath a dirty brown jacket. One of its eyes was missing and it appeared to have lost some of its stuffing. My guess was this teddy belonged to the young girl sitting on the curb, sign in hand. I imagined that it probably used to sit proudly upon a frilly lace pillow amongst other stuffed animals in a young girl's yellow & white bedroom. One

was only a memory now.

Gratitude I watched shopper after shopper walk by this humble man and his tired child.

But not my husband. He stopped and handed the man a $20 bill. The man got to his feet and shook my husband's hand and said "Thank you. Thank you so much.This is very generous of you. You have no idea how many people walk by and whip nickels at me and tell me to get a job and get a life. I can't thank you enough." He had a tear in his eye as he smiled at my knight in shining armor.

He went on to tell my husband that he had only been homeless for a few months. Him and his wife and daughter had moved to Las Vegas because they were told the work was plentiful. Unfortunately things didn't work out for him. He said that when things got tough his wife took off and things just went downhill from there.

There are many lessons I have learned in this world. One is to be thankful for what you have. I don't know whatever happened to that man, his daughter and her tattered teddy bear, but I can only hope that things worked out for them. I am thankful for our healthy, happy family and will never forget that day.

Amanda Formaro

“There are many lessons I have learned in this world. One is to be thankful for what you have.�

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Volume VII, Issue 1

HOMELESS VOICE

I

just left New Orleans a couple hours ago. I traveled from the apartment I was staying in by boat to a helicopter to a refugee camp.

If anyone wants to examine the attitude of federal and state officials towards the victims of hurricane Katrina, I advise you to visit one of the refugee camps.

In the refugee camp I just left, ! on the I-10 freeway near Causeway, thousands of people (at least 90% black and poor) stood and squatted in mud and trash behind metal barricades, under an unforgiving sun, with heavily armed soldiers standing guard over them. When a bus would come through, it would stop at a random spot, state police would open a gap in one of the barricades, and people would rush for the bus, with no information given about where the bus was going.

Once inside (we were told) evacuees would be told where the bus was taking them - Baton Rouge, Houston, Arkansas, Dallas, or other locations. I was told that if you boarded a bus bound for Arkansas (for example), even people with family and a place to stay in Baton Rouge would not be allowed to get out of the bus as it passed through Baton Rouge. You had no choice but to go to the shelter in Arkansas.

If you had people willing to come to New Orleans to pick you up, they could not come within 17 miles of the camp.

I traveled throughout the camp and spoke to Red Cross workers, Salvation Army workers, National Guard, and state police, and although they were friendly, no one could give me any details on when buses would arrive, how many, where they would go to, or any other information. I spoke to the several teams of journalists nearby, and asked if any of them had been able to get any information from any federal or state officials on any of these questions, and all of them, from Australian TV to local Fox affiliates complained of an unorganized, noncommunicative, mess. One cameraman told me "as someone who's been here in this camp for two days, the only information I can give you is this: get out by nightfall. You don't want to be here at night."

There was also no visible attempt by any of those running the camp to set up any sort of transparent and consistent system, for instance, a line to get on buses, a way to register contact information or find family members, special needs services for children and infirm, phone services, treatment for possible disease exposure, nor even a single trash can.

To understand this tragedy, its important to look at New Orleans itself.

For those who have not lived in New Orleans, you have missed a incredible, glorious, vital, city. A place with a culture and energy unlike anywhere else in the world. A 70% African-American city where resistance to white supremecy has supported a generous, subversive and unique culture of vivid

beauty. From jazz, blues and hiphop, was the inevitable to secondlines, Mardi Gras Indians, spark igniting the Parades, Beads, Jazz Funerals, and gasoline of cruelty red beans and rice on Monday and corruption. nights, New Orleans is a place of art From the and music and dance and sexuality neighborhoods left and liberation unlike anywhere else most at risk, to the in the world. treatment of the It is a city of kindness and refugees to the the hospitality, where walking down the media portayal of block can take two hours because the victims, this disaster is shaped by you stop and talk to someone on race. every porch, and where a community Louisiana politics is fapulls together when someone is in mously corrupt, but with the trageneed. It is a city of extended families dies of this week our political leadand social networks filling the gaps ers have defined a new level of inleft by city, state and federal govercompetence. As hurricane Katrina ments that have abdicated their reapproached, our Governor urged us sponsibility for the public welfare. It to "Pray the hurricane down" to a is a city where someone you walk level two. Trapped in a building two past on the street not only asks how days after the hurricane, we tuned you are, they wait for an answer. our battery-operated radio into local It is also a city of exploitaradio and tv stations, hoping for vital tion and segregation and fear. The news, and were told that our govercity of New Orleans has a population nor had called for a day of prayer. of just over 500,000 and was expectAs rumors and panic began to rule, ing 300 murders this year, most of they was no source of solid dependthem centered on just a few, overable information. Tuesday night, whelmingly black, neighborhoods. politicians and reporters said the Police have been quoted as saying water level would rise another 12 that they don't need to search out the feet - instead it stabilized. Rumors perpetrators, because usually a few spread like wildfire, and the politidays after a shooting, cians and me“The city has a 40% the attacker is shot in dia only made revenge. worse. illiteracy rate, and over itWhile There is an the rich 50% of black ninth atmosphere of inescaped New tense hostility and Orleans, those graders will not distrust between with nowhere graduate in four years. to go and no much of Black New Orleans and the N.O. way to get Louisiana spends on Police Department. there were left In recent months, average $4,724 per child's behind. Adding officers have been to the education and ranks 48th salt accused of everywound, the thing from drug run- in the country for lowest local and national media ning to corruption to teacher salaries.� have spent the theft. In seperate last week deincidents, two New monizing those left behind. As Orleans police officers were recently someone that loves New Orleans and charged with rape (while in unithe people in it, this is the part of this form), and there have been several tragedy that hurts me the most, and it high profile police killings of unhurts me deeply. armed youth, including the murder No sane person should clasof Jenard Thomas, which has insify someone who takes food from spired ongoing weekly protests for indefinitely closed stores in a desperseveral months. ate, starving city as a "looter," but The city has a 40% illiterthats just what the media did over acy rate, and over 50% of black and over again. Sherrifs and politininth graders will not graduate in cians talked of having troops protect four years. Louisiana spends on avstores instead of perform rescue operage $4,724 per child's education erations. and ranks 48th in the country for Images of New Orleans' lowest teacher salaries. The equivahurricane-ravaged population were lent of more than two classrooms of transformed into black, out-ofyoung people drop out of Louisiana control, criminals. As if taking a schools every day and about 50,000 stereo from a store that will clearly students are absent from school on be insured against loss is a greater any given day. Far too many young crime than the governmental neglect black men from New Orleans end up and incompetence that did billions of enslaved in Angola Prison, a former dollars of damage and destroyed a slave plantation where inmates still city. This media focus is a tactic, just do manual farm labor, and over 90% as the eighties focus on "welfare of inmates eventually spend their queens" and "super-predators" oblives and die in the prison. It is a city scured the simultaneous and much where industry has left, and most larger crimes of the Savings and remaining jobs are are low-paying, Loan scams and mass layoffs, the transient, insecure jobs in the service hyper-exploited people of New Oreconomy. leans are being used as a scapegoat Race has always been the to cover up much larger crimes. undercurrent of Louisiana politics.

City, state and national This disaster is one that was conpoliticians are the real criminals structed out of racism, neglect and here. Since at least the mid-1800s, incompetence. Hurricane Katrina

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For COSAC Disaster Relief.

Call 954-920-1277 its been widely known the danger faced by flooding to New Orleans.

The flood of 1927, which, like this week's events, was more about politics and racism than any kind of natural disaster, illustrated exactly the danger faced. Yet government officials have consistently refused to spend the money to protect this poor, overwhelmingly black, city. While FEMA and others warned of the urgent impending danger to New Orleans and put forward proposals for funding to reinforce and protect the city, the Bush administration, in every year since 2001, has cut or refused to fund New Orleans flood control, and ignored scientists warnings of increased hurricanes as a result of global warming. And, as the dangers rose with the floodlines, the lack of coordinated response dramatized vividly the callous disregard of our elected leaders.

The aftermath from the 1927 flood helped shape the elections of both a US President and a Governor, and ushered in the southern populist politics of Huey Long.

In the coming months, billions of dollars will likely flood into New Orleans. This money can either be spent to usher in a "New Deal" for the city, with public investment, creation of stable union jobs, new schools, cultural programs and housing restoration, or the city can be "rebuilt and revitalized" to a shell of its former self, with newer hotels, more casinos, and with chain stores and theme parks replacing the former neighborhoods, cultural centers and corner jazz clubs.

Long before Katrina, New Orleans was hit by a hurricane of poverty, racism, disinvestment, deindustrialization and corruption.

Simply the damage from this preKatrina hurricane will take billions to repair.

Now that the money is flowing in, and the world's eyes are focused on Katrina, its vital that progressive-minded people take this opportunity to fight for a rebuilding with justice. New Orleans is a special place, and we need to fight for its rebirth.

Jordan Flaherty Š Left Turn Magazine Reprinted from Street News Service: www.streetnewsservice.org

The Voice of the Homeless

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HOMELESS VOICE

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you seen this person? Have you seen my dad? Have you seen my son? Pictures everywhere! Moms falling asleep on the ground holding a picture of a lost child hoping for a sign of survivors!

This was the worst time I have ever had when dealing with disasters. My years of working as a volunteer for the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team and going through many disasters never had an impact on me like the one I had seeing all the pictures of families loved ones plastered everywhere in New York. To see so many people waiting to find out if their loved ones were alive or dead was so heart wrenching, it even made a big, burley, husky, some say fat guy cry. (This is me) I never thought I would see a slew of pictures like that again, but I did when the Tsunami struck and then again with hurricane Katrina. How devastating to see all those parents looking for their kids. The tsunami disaster and now the Katrina disaster and those pictures of lost friends, relatives, parents and children, again made me feel real sad.

I do not want to see it ever again, I don’t want to see pictures of lost family members, to see the look into their faces is really bad, we all must do more. Please understand the families in third world countries have the same looks, the moms and dads who lose half of their children by the age of five because they can’t feed them have the same feelings as us here in America.

Well with all disasters the “what can we do” is probably the common question you hear. Even our homeless who have nothing to call their own wanted to help in some way. That is why I sometimes refer to them as “Heroes” because they are the ones with so little who give so much.

They raise money to help put disaster teams together as well as help providing money to send medicine to families in third world countries.

I sometimes wonder if having less means people give so much more, especially when it comes to children. Now, put your mind in a different realm. If you have children I want to vision your own flesh and blood not having food, not having a roof over their head and not being able to get a $3.00 dollar prescription for strep throat or a 5 cent pill to get rid of worms that are causing their belly to protrude. Now picture yourself with your child knowing there is nothing you can do to help them. Multiply this thought by 30,000 times and then picture death. Now do that daily to see the children’s bodies pile up. Why death, because 30,000 children die

of starvation or from a lack of medication each day. I ask you which disaster is worse, the ones we talked about that are caused by Mother Nature or the one I just mentioned? Why haven’t presidents and leaders of great nations addressed the fact that 30,000 children die nightly from hunger? It seems like such a simple thing to fix. So why do we all, and again I say all, in- This unit is a Basic Life Support Unit that was going to Mississippi, in the unit was medical supplies that they needed. Normally the units have Oxygen, Automatic External Defibrillators as well as bandages for up to 400 cluding myself stand by and people who suffer each from one laceration. It has three back boards for trauma victims as well as suction ability, allow innocent children to advanced airway tools and blood pressure cuffs, emergency communications to report back to base as well as starve to death? It is a dis- three cellular phone carrier phones in case one system goes dead. A Citizen band Radio as well as being able to in the outside compartments water for 300 people and protein bars. The units can go live back to base with a grace and a hard one to carry lap top web cam and GPS in case the First Responders get stuck or break down or in need to report our exact swallow knowing that we location in case they run into someone who has to be airlifted. Street signs blow down and it is important to give waste so much, eat so much exact locations to authorities especially when you don't know your way around in a far away disaster area. The unit can be turned into a medical outreach van for regular homeless outreach staffed by a doctor and a nurse as and have so much of an well as turning in to a command center when a mental health person is missing and searches are being conducted. abundance of medication We at the Homeless Voice merge projects and equipment so all our agencies can use the same equipment, It helps keep cost down. but we can’t get water, food, or medicine to a child, so they can stay alive because they me that they had plans in live in a third world country. Are place and that they would make sure something like they not worth it?

Have we just become so that would never happen accustomed to seeing and hearing again. In our letter we also about it that we just think there is offered to fly there, at our nothing we can do about it? Hear own expense and help the me out. And hear me loud! And city make plans for the Sean, you listen too, because I homeless. When I realized know personally I must do more. I that I received a response as have always written about, “There quickly as I did I contacted is no excuse.” I have lobbied the a few attorneys and they Pope and I have lobbied many gov- told me that life sustaining needs their back on us. So why not help ernment leaders and I still have are not a privilege they are a neces- other countries? America does received no response. At this time sity and someone needs to be held help but in most cases when we for unnecessary give money to starving nation’s it we are starting a campaign to look accountable for ways to try international leaders deaths, so the leaders could be held is a loan and there is interest and for criminal neglect homicide in responsible. What is the differ- because there is interest on the loan the international court system. If a ence, crimes that Saddam did and the third world county never can government has the ability to feed killed his people or ignoring your become a thriving nation and there we have it, world hunger. their people then they better do it poor so they die fast?

Again picture 30,000 dead At this point it does not or they may be facing criminal charges in an international court of infants, this happens every day. matter who is wrong; the governlaw. For the first time in the his- You know for me it makes no ment, civic leaders, social service tory of our agency we chose to do sense whatsoever to allow this to agencies, the people themselves. this but our choice was made to do happen. We worry about so many What matters is that all people reso in our own country. This year hard things to fix when the impact gardless of race, economic status, when a heat wave hit the Phoenix is not that great, but simple things age, gender, social class or disabilarea they did not open up cooling like feeding the starving people of ity are treated the same.

President Bush and former stations for the homeless nor did the world which is so easily comthey do outreach at campsites or pared to figuring out ways to stop President Clinton have set a good other areas where homeless people another problem that has less im- example by saying that we all must live. Yet, they had places for pact, like bringing democracy to a help each other, no matter what working people who needed to foreign country. Please, under- part of the world we live in. But stand in the heat to catch a bus to stand that these babies in third we just can’t talk about it we must stay cool. Approximately 20 peo- world countries should eat every- take action. Please come up with ple died and around 80 percent of thing their little hearts desire, food ways to help. We are all God’s them were homeless.

Usually, shouldn’t be a privilege. They are people and yes, we should pour our when I write a letter to the govern- no different than our own little hearts out to all who are in need of help, especially the people sufferment it takes months before I re- ones they are God’s little ones too.

Why can’t we all figure ing from the hurricanes but we also ceive a response. If they even send one back. But this time I wrote the out how to stop this from happen- must help with the daily disaster of letter differently. This letter that ing? I repeat these words, “There 30,000 little ones dying every day went out to the mayor said that is no excuse.” What I mean is: no because they just can’t get food, plans need to be made right now, longer can world leaders and peo- water and medicine. We can’t not tomorrow to provide water, ple like me allow this to happen change the past but we sure can do No longer can the something to help build a better cooling stations and immediate anymore. outreach to the homeless and poor United Nations allow this to hap- future.

Every holiday season, esor we would make an attempt to pen. I know that some people say convict the city council of criminal we should only help our own. But pecially during Christmas time I negligence and homicide. I receive other countries came to and are ask that some nice individual, busia letter back from the city attorney continuing to support us from hur- ness or church pay off our mort(Continued on page 15) within a few days. They assured ricane Katrina; they didn’t turn

Page 15

Volume VII, Issue 1

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(Continued from page 14)

gage. I tell you that our lives would be better and less stressful. But there is another good reason why we need to get it paid off, it’s because we know we can help so many more people and do so much more. We would make the best attempt possible to solve the problem of world hunger if we had the peace of mind to work on that issue. But always having to worry about how to pay off our mortgage does not leave us with time to do the things we want to do. So, once again I ask that you please send in your checks to burn that mortgage. If you happen to win the lotto we would be glad to take your donation. Or if you can only send in a few dollars then go for it. If you can’t send any money, pray for us and help lobby governments so little ones won’t die.

Dear Lord, bless the people around the world and God bless the poor of all nations. God bless the decision makers so they do their job better than ever and God bless the people of the 2005 hurricane season that lost everything.

By the way. Think about this one, is there a difference, between disaster victims and the 260 kids in third world countries that just died while you were reading this article?

Sean Anthony Cononie The Homeless Voice You can respond to this story by emailing Sean at sacacon@aol.com

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