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Volume XII, Issue 2

Lois Lane

Lois Cross

It’s funny how three of your children can have such varying opinions or thoughts on what their parents do. I called my kids each; from the Commercial Airliner we were flying to Haiti to bring medical supplies and food.

I explained to them that the journey would be safe, that we were not leaving the airport in Port Au Prince and that we had military presence there anyway. One was worried but ok with my choice.

One was actually happy that I was going and the third simply said, “Ohh, Mommm!!!”

I knew this would be a rough trip for me because I have a very hard time sitting still for long periods of time and then when I do move again, I can hardly walk.

So I was undecided whether or not to go but at the last minute I said, yes. It may sound strange but I felt that if I could be close to and somewhat involved in helping out in this whole tragedy of the earthquake, that it would help my prayers for Haiti and its people and all who were helping to become stronger. I found a good book for the trip, buried my nose in it and sat still for the duration of flight time. I hope nobody thought I was distancing myself.

There is no sense in repeating all the things that happened along the way. The changes in flight plans, the changes in allowable weight of cargo, the supplies that didn’t

(Continued on pg 5)

* Geralyn * Little Ryan * Earnest Bowens & Family * Ed & Ruth * Rudy * Lisa * John McLean * Darren * Jan Cerrito * Rev. Patrick O’Shen * Angela Forrest & Family * Angelo * Maria Dragon * Blanch Lake * Dave Nerau * Megan * Theresa * Allen Rosenthal * Gloria Parker * Carlos

We all knew it was going to be bad

The Road to Haiti...

Sean Cononie

As most of you know we have been in Haiti on and off for about seven years. Our first involvement was me writing a series of stories about Haiti after we made our first visit to a place called Cite Soleil. This is the worst poverty-stricken area of the Western world. Children play in the sewer water in Cite Soleil.

The stories I wrote were about there being no excuse for a child to starve. We can place a man on the moon yet we can’t figure out how to bring a granola bar to a starving kid here on earth. When we went to Cite Soleil it was a heart wrenching experience. We brought a doctor there and loads of medication for a series of medical missions. We even found a little girl maybe two maybe three years of age who was hours to days from death.

We put her in the hospital and she survived. As the years went by in a joint project we opened up several orphanages for children who have HIV. Our second major mission back then in Haiti was to remove the worms from the children’s bodies. When it comes to world hunger we sometimes look at the little bellies of starving children in reality they are not so little, the stomachs are usually protruding and the kids look like they are pregnant or severely fat. You ask yourself if they are starving why are they so fat? My friends the answer is simple. Their stomachs are filled with worms/parasites. How do you get rid of these worms? You give the medication that only costs a few cents and before you know it the worms come out when they go to the

bathroom.

These same worms eat 30% of the small amounts of food they do get to eat. They already are starving and these worms just take 30% of the nutritional intake away from the human. So getting rid of worms is a way to help replace some of the food that the human does not get. We went back into Cite Soleil with the help of Aaron from a sister agency and paid to have the whole city and its population de-wormed. Over the next three years we would continue to help other orphanages as well as schools. And yes getting rid of the worms, again and again because the kids get reinfected because of no clean water.

How it All Started the Day of the Earthquake I was on my AOL, and I got an IM, instant message, “Sean did you see what happened in Haiti? Put on CNN, they’re all over it.” I put the TV on, and there I saw the CNN people talking about the damage, the shaking and they started to broadcast via Skype as well as normal ways.

We immediately called our Disaster Team and said to ourselves, “they have never recovered from the Hurricanes, now this.” We all knew it was going to be bad. Within a few hours we developed our response, we knew the USA and others would be sending over the SAR Teams (Search and Rescue Teams) and we knew medical supplies, Medicine, and doctors would need to get there ASAP. We also tried to find out where the US Comfort ship was and it’s ETA. We also knew

“Sean did you see what happened in Haiti? Put on CNN, they’re all over it.”

Cathy’s Prayer List To add a name please call 954-410-6275, no monetary donations needed

(Continued on pg 6)

Conflict on How to Stay Safe at the Time of an Earthquake

Sean Cononie

There is a lot of conflict on what to really do at the time of an Earthquake. There is a lot written on the subject and a man named Doug Copp claims that the “Triangle of Life” is what to do instead of getting under a desk or a door way. He recommends getting next to a desk or a couch and lay next to it and do not get under it.

Some people say to leave your home but the US government says “no” first take cover. I would strongly get to know your house, your roof, and your building and then go back and study what Fema says. If your roof is cement there is a chance that roof will fall down on you. However still our experts say to duck and get under something for protection, just the opposite of what Doug Copp states.

Me personally, I am doing what Doug Copp says, but then on the other hand if I am home, I know my roof coming down on me is not such a problem. A few two by fours falling on me may not kill me so maybe getting under my dining table may be beneficial to protect my head. Like all emails, check on the internet to see if they are credible or not. This is very confusing to me. This is why I say, “Get to know your home like it is your best friend or lover, it may just save your life.” Again always check emails for things like this to make sure it is true. In this case, there are good arguments on both sides of the fence.

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Volume XII, Issue 2

Page 3

Our Homeless Voice readers: THANK YOU AGAIN LORD FOR SUCH A WEAK FLU! I know we have emergency plans some people were killed. for all kinds of disasters, such as The next tremor to be felt by Floridians hurricanes, tornados, fires, floods also centered outside the State. It was and even lately for pandemics the famous Charleston, South Carolina, such as a Bird Flu plan. But, do shock in August 1886. The shock was you have a plan at your home or felt throughout northern Florida, ringing work place for an earthquake? I church bells at St. Augustine and severely know some of you may be sayjolting other towns along that section of ing, “we don’t have earthquakes Florida’s east coast. Jacksonville residents in Florida.” So I thought I would felt many of the strong aftershocks that start off by giving you a little occurred in September, October, and Nosummary of Florida’s earthquake vember 1886. history. Hold on for a bumpy On June 20, 1893, Jacksonville experiride because I think you will be enced another slight shock, apparently loshocked and then after the initial cal, that lasted about 10 seconds. Another shock we will give you the latminor earthquake shook Jacksonville at est shock that just occurred just a 11:15 a.m., October 31, 1900. It caused no few years ago. In fact there was damage. concern if they needed to raise the A sudden jar caused doors and windows “tsunami alert” from that Earthto rattle at Captiva in November 1948. The quake. apparent earthquake was accompanied by Florida Earthsounds like distant heavy “three Florida shocks quake History: explosions. Captiva is loUSGS Science cated on Captiva Island, of doubtful seismic for a changing origin rumbled through in the Gulf west of Fort World Myers. the Everglades” Although FloriOn November 18, 1952, da is not usually a slight tremor was felt considered to be a state subject to by many at Quincy, a small town about earthquakes, several minor shocks 20 miles northwest of Tallahassee. Winhave occurred there. Only one of dows and doors rattled, but no serious efthese caused damage. Additional fects were noted. One source notes, “The shocks of doubtful seismic origin shock interfered with writing of a parking also are listed in earthquake docuticket.” It didn’t say in what way. ments.

The three Florida shocks of doubtful A shock occurred near St. Auseismic origin rumbled through the Evergustine, in the northeast part glades - La Belle - Fort Myers area in July of the State, in January 1879.

1930, Tampa in December 1940, and the The Nation’s oldest permanent Miami - Everglades - Fort Myers area in settlement, founded by Spain in January 1942. Most authorities attribute 1565, reported that heavy shakthese incidents to blasting, but a few coning knocked plaster from walls tend they were seismic. and articles from shelves. SimiThen the September 10, 2006 quake oclar effects were noted at Daytona curred. The quake was powerful but did Beach, 50 miles south. At Tampa, not trigger a tsunami warning. People the southernmost point of the felt from as far away as Atlanta, 530 miles, felt area, the trembling was preceded some of the tremors. As soon as an hour by a rumbling sound at 11:30 p.m. after the quake, people from 904 different Two shocks were reported in othzip codes had filed reports of feeling the er areas, at 11:45 p.m. and 11:55 quake with the United States Geological p.m. The tremor was felt through Survey, USGS. So while many may not north and central Florida, and in think of Florida and earthquakes going Savannah, Georgia. hand-in-hand, history does show the area In January 1880, Cuba was the has had a few tremors. center of two strong earthquakes So with all this info would it be wise for that sent severe shock waves you today to develop a family or work site through the town of Key West, plan to cover earthquakes?

Florida. The tremors occurred at Please go to page 10 for tips on earth11 p.m. on January 22 and at 4 quake evacuation, and other disaster ada.m. on the 23rd. At Buelta Abajo vice or you can also go to our web site for and San Christobal, Cuba, many a link for earthquake evacuation. buildings were thrown down and

-Sean Anthony Cononie

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Publisher (middle) Sean Cononie meeting with Rain Wilson and his wife discussing poverty in America and the continued world hunger problems and the efforts the Homeless Voice is making in Haiti.

Members of the Florida based band Creed with Homeless Voice Staff Mark and Sara Targett

Homeless Voice Newspaper Staff Publisher

Editor in Chief

Executive Editor

Mark Targett

Sara Targett

Sean Cononie

Assistant Editor Lois Cross

Photos Christopher Bombery

Contributing Editors

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The Voice of the Homeless

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On Spirituality

Deacon Bob This month with Valentine’s Day all the love stories and romance of our lives come into focus. If we are married we may try to think of something new to impress our spouses with, if we are with a new love, or someone we would hope to become more intimate with, we may try to win them over with a box of sweets or a cupid that they might be reminded of us.

For some of us though, this day will serve as a stark reminder of loss. Lost lovers, lost opportunities to have experienced love, and the severe losses that constitute our lives. Homelessness is painful. It is dangerous; it carries shame and oftentimes harsh judgment from others. Finding a way to celebrate the warmth of love in the cold recesses of our lives is challenging indeed. God is love. All people who have love have a gift from God, whether they believe or not. To have all the comforts that money can buy, but have no love is to have nothing.

Valentines’ Day continues to be a favorite holiday because we all recognize this need for love. One of my favorite teachers on the subject of love is Mother Theresa. Taking a few lines from the gospel of Luke, where it says, “bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you and give to all who ask.” She gave her whole life and led many others to give their lives to the service of the poorest of the poor. For Mother Theresa saw that one of the consequenc-

U.S. to Expedite Haitian Adoptions

es of being one of these poor ones was that they often died alone, and on the street. She made it her mission, that on the hard streets of Calcutta, India, she would seek out the poorest of the poor and hold them in her arms that they would know that someone cared, that someone loved them. She gave them dignity in their dying. On this Valentine’s Day, with so much of loves’ work to do, so much need in our world, perhaps we can reflect on those many blessings we have received and seek out someone who love forgot. Until next time DEACON BOB

Gates to Donate $10B for Vaccines, But Will It Help?

Katie Drummond

at the end of the bureaucratic process The U.S. government announced Monday before the 7.0-magnitude earthquake that it has eased the requirements for orphaned struck Haiti last Tuesday. children from Haiti to enter the United States Allegheny County spokesman Kevon a temporary basis. in Evanto told CNN that the children The move is being made to ensure they get will be placed in foster homes until needed care after last week’s earthquake in details of their adoptions are finalHaiti, said Department of Homeland Security ized.

Secretary Janet Napolitano, who made the anIn Florida, where evacuees have nouncement in coordination with the U.S. Debeen ferried in since Saturday, more partment of State. flights from Haiti were scheduled for “We are committed to doing everything we Tuesday. Officials at Orlando Sancan to help reunite families in Haiti during ford International Airport expect arthis very difficult time,” said Napolitano in a rivals for the next two weeks. news release. “While we remain focused on Before last week’s quake, Haiti was family reunification in Haiti, authorizing the home to about 380,000 orphans, acuse of humanitarian parole for orphans who cording to the United Nations Chilare eligible for adoption in the United States dren’s Fund. Many of them may be will allow them to receive the care they need homeless now, since a number of orhere.” phanages are reported to have been Napolitano can grant humanitarian parole among the buildings that were deinto the United States to bring otherwise instroyed in the earthquake. admissible individuals into the country for The family status of many children urgent humanitarian reasons or other emermay not yet be known, so adoption gencies. is not the first solution, Bond of the The State Department said earlier Monday it American citizen services said. The is working with DHS and the Haitian governfocus is on getting the children aid ment to process nearly 300 cases of Ameriand reuniting them with their famicans who are waiting to lies, she said. adopt Haitian children.

That total is We are committed to doing Of those, 200 cases are expected to being accelerated. Twen- everything we can to help reunite grow once the families in Haiti ty-four of those children, dead and misswhose cases “were at the ing from last very end of the process” week’s disaster before the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that have been accounted for. struck Haiti nearly a week ago, have departed Some children who lost parents in Haiti and joined their new families after the the quake or were separated from embassy expedited processing for immigrant parents are being relocated to the visas, said Michele Bond, deputy assistant Dominican Republic, a child advosecretary for American citizen services. cacy group said.

Officials are reviewing every case individuAbout 50 orphaned and abandoned ally to see where they are in the process, what children will arrive in the border actions have been taken in the case and whethtown of Jimani on Wednesday, Kids er the case can be accelerated, Bond said.

Alive International said. The efforts, If an American adoption case was early in the coordinated with the governments of process, there is no guarantee of an accelerated both countries, will eventually take adoption, Bond said. Examples of being early the children back to Haiti. Some will in the process would be if prospective parents be reunited with parents who lost have not been properly vetted; have not been communication with their children matched with a specific child; or have been in the quake’s aftermath, the group matched with a child but the Haitian governsaid. ment is still attempting to prove absolutely the The Dutch Ministry of Foreign Afchild is an orphan. fairs has chartered a plane to pick up The State Department is working with DHS about 100 children Monday, spokesto examine the documents in each case and man Aad Meijer said Sunday. show some flexibility, but this also requires Dutch Justice Minister Ernst Hirsch the agreement of the Haitian government, she Ballin over the weekend granted the said. children entry into the country, al“It’s important to remember that the best inthough their paperwork, including terests of the child are at the heart of all this,” travel and adoption documents, was Bond said. “We want them to be well caredincomplete, Justice Ministry spokesfor.” man Patrick Mikkelsen said.

About 50 Haitian orphans arrived Tuesday at About 44 of the orphans’ adoptions a Pittsburgh airport and will be taken to Chilhad yet to be approved by a Haidren’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, where adoptive tian judge, even though they were parents are expected to greet them. matched to Dutch parents, MikkelsThe first children to leave the plane were inen said. Dutch officials may seek the fants wrapped in blankets. remaining approvals from Haiti once The children were accompanied on the flight the children have already settled in

by Pennsylvania Gov. Edward Rendell, sevthe Netherlands, he said. eral doctors and a few members of Congress.

These are children whose adoption cases were CNN

In the largest donation yet by his private charitable foundation, Bill Gates has announced he’ll donate $10 billion for the development of new vaccines and their distribution in developing countries.

“We must make this the decade of vaccines,” Gates said in a statement.

“Vaccines already save and improve millions of lives in developing countries. Innovation will make it possible to save more children than ever before.” basic needs, like clean water and food, which, Gates and his wife, Melinda, called ironically, are necessary for the proper digesupon businesses and international tion of AIDS medications provided by the governments to add to the contribufoundation’s dollars. tion, which they estimate could save And while there’s no doubt that more money, the lives of 7.6 million children unand more attention, are fundamentally imporder the age of 5 by 2019. Among the tant in saving the lives of vulnerable children, vaccines they hope to develop and health experts have cautioned against overdistribute are those for malaria and celebrating large-scale donations like this tuberculosis, ailone. ments that have Dr. Peter Poore, a pebeen all but eradiresources were diverted diatrician who works as a cated in the U.S. away from basic needs, consultant to the Global but still plague Alliance for Vaccines and poorer nations. like clean Immunization (GAVI), The World one of the overseas health water and food Health Organizaoperatives that’s received tion is enthusiGates money in the past, astically behind the initiative, with warned that overstating the impact of donor Margaret Chan, head of the WHO, programs can actually stall foreign health calling it “unprecedented.” care. “They can also do dangerous things,” he Global health is one of the priorities told the Times. “They can be very disruptive of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundato health systems -- the very things they claim tion, but this new donation eclipses they are trying to improve.” its average health-related donations No matter how many vaccines the foundaof years past -- about $800 million tion pays for, its aid isn’t sustainable unless it annually, which approaches the total also pays to train foreign doctors and equip a yearly budget for the United Nations’ nation’s hospitals and medical centers. Dr. TaWHO. dataka Yamada, president of the Gates FounThe $10 billion donation is being dation’s global health program, has said that lauded by the international commuits money can only be “a catalyst” and urged nity, but a 2007 investigation by the African governments to fill the gaps. But with Los Angeles Times concluded that even doctors in Africa succumbing to AIDS, the Gates’ international medical aid the narrow focus of the Gates Foundation was actually putting children at risk. might only compound the problem.

At the time, efforts to fight AIDS, tuWith an endowment exceeding $35 billion, berculosis and malaria led to highly there’s no doubt that Gates and his family will specialized medical training and a be in the business of donations for years to subsequent shortage of basic-care come. Surely, those billions will save lives. doctors. In turn, more children died But with a philanthropist who advocates “recof common ailments like sepsis and ognition as an added incentive” for generosity, diarrhea. here’s hoping that countries on the receiving The disproportionate focus on cerend can - somehow - do what’s needed behind tain illnesses has also meant that the scenes to take that money and make susresources were diverted away from tainable changes.

Volume XII, Issue 2

Page 5

Cow power

by Cami Mountain A Clark County man is turning waste from his farm into enough electricity to power nearly 250 nearby homes.

Steve Bach’s family dairy farm sits just outside the Village of Dorchester.

His herd has 2,600 herd of cattle. Also on his farm is a complex machine that takes cattle waste and turns it into power. It literally separates cow manure, removing the solid from the methane gas. That gas goes into a 500 horsepower engine. It powers close to Dorchester. So, by putting this in, a generator that produces the elecit should take all the odor out of the manure tricity. The energy is then pumped when we spread the manure in the fields in the into power lines and into hundreds of spring and fall.” rural Dorchester The electricity is pumped homes. to homes through Taylor It’s a process renewable energy, of Electric Cooperative. that’s making use President and CEO, Mike course, helps us reduce of a smelly prodSchaefer says, “It’s using that dependency on uct and making that waste and it’s helpBach money. foreign oil ing reduce the amount of “I think for methane being released the sale of the and renewable energy, of electricity and getting better usage course, helps us reduce that dependency on of the manure coming out of the foreign oil.” cows.” Bach says, “I put it mostly About 90% of Taylor Electric’s power comes in bedding, to bed my cattle and cut from coal. Now, by using a resource found my manure odor for the local comon hundreds of farms in the area, that depenmunity.” dency is greatly reduced.

Bach’s herd produces about 30,000 “We’re the dairy state.” Schaefer adds, “We gallons of waste daily. Before he should be able to get more of these and prostarted digesting it, that waste was duce energy out of it. I think it’s just a great stored in pits and spread on fields for thing.” fertilizer. It’s still put on fields now, The solid part of the waste is used for cow but without methane gas, it’s far less bedding. Bach uses about half for his own stinky. herd and sells the other half to other area “The methane is what gives the farmers. odor to the manure and I live really

Black History Month History.com February is Black History Month and to honor those who did so much for the African American community we have some of the time line of North America’s events and heroes that shaped our country into what it is today.

1619 Slavery comes to North America To satisfy the labor needs of the rapidly growing North American colonies, white European settlers turned in the early 17th century from indentured servants (mostly poorer Europeans) to a cheaper, more plentiful labor source: African slaves. Beginning around 1619, when a Dutch ship brought 20 Africans ashore at the British colony of Jamestown, Virginia, slavery spread quickly through the American colonies. Though it is impossible to give accurate figures, some historians have estimated that 6 to 7 million slaves were imported to the New World during the 18th century alone, depriving the African continent of its most valuable

resource—its healthiest and ablest men and women.

After the American Revolution, many colonists (particularly in the North, where slavery was relatively unimportant to the economy) began to link the oppression of black slaves to their own oppression by the British. Though leaders such as George Washington and Thomas Jefferson—both slaveholders from Virginia—took cautious steps towards limiting slavery in the newly independent nation, the Constitution tacitly acknowledged the institution, guaranteeing the right to repossess any “person held to service or labor” (an obvious euphemism for slavery). Many northern states had abolished slavery by the end of the 18th century, but the institution was absolutely vital to the South, where blacks constituted a large minority of the population and the economy relied on the production of crops like tobacco and cotton. Congress outlawed the import of new slaves in 1808, but the slave population in the U.S. nearly tripled over the next 50 years, and by 1860 it had reached nearly 4 million, with more than half living in the cotton–producing states of the South.

Image: North Wind Picture Archives 1793 Rise of the cotton industry (Continued on pg 9)

Lois Lane (Continued from pg 1)

get put on board but really were and even the fact that press wouldn’t be allowed on board...I’m sure Sean will write about it. It was seen on TV and can be read at length on our website. When we arrived at Port Au Prince airport, we were one of many planes lined up like pairs of shoes against the wall. But against that “wall” were stacks of cargo, still netted like they had been winced off a cargo ship. It didn’t take long to unload the supplies. I heard Sean comment that some of the supplies were already missing and as I stood with Lois Cross one of the press people and was talking kids all like…thank you, (I didn’t with him, I realized the camera light was want to be rude and not accept on and aimed at me. I said, you’re not! he their graciousness). Oh dear, now said, we are! Not to worry. I don’t speak comes the yogurt! Thank you. I out, I prefer to stay in the background, was hungry so I started to eat it unheard and unseen. But there I was on and all the while juggling everyTV the next day, saying that “stuff” was thing I had in my lap. Would you missing. I took such a ribbing from some like some rolls? The bag was the of the staff at the shelter, well really just size of a gallon zippie bag, but I one person who imitated doing “take 1, had to say, no thank you. I was take 2” one my one liners…complete told later that there were differwith animation. I walked around with ent flavors of spread to go on all Mark as he took vidthe variety of eos for the website, rolls. Well, one of which was the “We brought people home here I am sitloading of a US call alone something transport from Haiti; we had become ting and another plane with luggage a rescue operation also.” person comes and people. They not over, now only were lucky to be this one is alive, but they were military, and starts to take all my going to the United States…to Orlando. information again. OH!!..........

Our plane would be heading out to CuraNo…We brought them here, we cao, NA, but we didn’t know the real reaaren’t the refugees! Meanwhile, son why our plane had been “borrowed”.

I am being filmed again, this time Sean wouldn’t consider taking space away

by Mark. And again I had everyfrom a refugee on the transport just so we one laughing. Actually to look at could get home sooner, so we were off to the look on my face and my body a new port of call. As we were taxiing language, I could have been put in there I saw out on the tarmac, flashes on AFV’s. going off and wondered, what now? As But enough of me, this is supwe deplaned, we were greeted by a numposed to be about our relief trip to ber of “official” looking people who were Haiti. I have to say that none of this thanking us and we of course are thanking could have been accomplished if them for the use of their airport. Dummy it wasn’t for the homeless people, me, I still didn’t realize what was going the vendors that sell the Homeon until I happened to look over and see less Voice on street corners. They the camera focused on a man and woman raise enough money not only to and she looked so happy. I read her lips, support the shelter they live in; “I am so happy”, as she looked up into and over and above the 20K that his face. Then I/we realized what we had was spent on medical supplies done. We brought people home from Haiwe were bringing to earthquaketi; we had become a rescue operation also. struck Haiti, but also enough to And then I found out that the lady who pay our share of chartering this welcomed me and thanked me and shook air vehicle. My heart says thank my hand was the Prime Minister. This you, Lord, for all the people who was a military airport we were at, and as are once again gathering together I was checked in and identified I was told to help in disaster…we always sit in that chair, as it was pointed out bedo, don’t we? I wish we could hind me. I sat…I sat in my red Homeless do this during normal circumVoice Disaster Services jacket. I wasn’t stances of life. But here this time moving anywhere. Someone comes over we had the homeless helping the with bottled water, yes, thank you….I was homeless. And you know, people thirsty. Then comes a juice pack like the still criticize our vendors and our agency as being something less than acceptable, less than your normal neighbor. It hurts when I hear things like this and see our existence being threatened because of selective persecutions. I am so proud of what our homeless people did and continue to do, and to those who ridicule… someday YOU WILL HAVE TO EXPLAIN YOURSELVES. But maybe in the meantime, their minds will soften and change and they will realize that, “There but for the Grace of God, go I.”

The Voice of the Homeless

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Volume XII, Issue 2

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from previous disasters there that water would have to come from the military because it is just not a good thing to transport when you have limited funds.

We already knew of the health issues in Haiti because we have been there for a long time. We knew trauma would be the number one thing to treat after the SAR teams got to the people. We knew from previous earthquakes, amputations would be done to rescue the people and we knew the history of all kinds of trauma by going back in time. We knew that in the older days one would treat infections with amputations of the infected limb. We also know in today’s time even with medication such as antibiotics a lot of times the doctor has to go in and get rid of the infected tissue. We already knew Haiti was short on lots of meds so our plan was to buy antibiotics and get the meds there fast. And fast it was. It seemed everything came in to place but getting the aircraft to take us there in a fast manner was going to be a hard task.

And A Hard Task It Was After we got everything in place that took a few days we went to get the planes. At first I had gotten three Boeing 727’s all on the same day, food, meds, supplies, and us first responders were ready to go. However, the charter company canceled out because they were unsure about fuel and the circling of the airport that had to be done in Port of Prince because the airport only normally took in 12 flights per day but now was up to over 120 per day. We went back and forth for a few more days, each time we got a plane and a landing slot from United States Southern Command (SOUTHCOM) something would change. For one thing, each delivery had to have people on the ground to pick up the supplies. Then at other times after getting a slot to land SouthCom would change it based on priority needs.

Although we were a priority aircraft

the warehouse in Jacksonville to get thousands

by SouthCom, others were also coming and and thousands of doses of antibiotics. Then of some of them traveled a long way from other course my buddy I went to high school with nations with doctors and medicine as well as who works alongside of me Michael O’hara SAR teams. Then if you were lucky to be who drove halfway up the state to then meet able to get a plane and everything was in order my sister and mom and dad in a parking lot at to finally be able to hear the words “wheels a gas station to pick up the meds. up at 0800” something else would go wrong, There were thousands of people across the nothing that was done on purpose but always United States and probably hundreds of thousomething. Well of course we could not ask sands of people across the world who were charter companies to please keep their plane at home trying to help the nation in need. It on the ground here in Miami for days waiting was totally amazing to be talking to a person to hear from us unless we would pay them for that you just met an hour ago who was flipflights they could have taken elsewhere but ping hamburgers at Burger King and now could not while they waited for us. playing disaster worker.

I am quite sure that During this 72 hour period I would be on Jesus had tears of joy seeing mankind from all the phone with five people at once talking to over the world helping these poor people in the group of doctors that had to come in from Haiti.

I’m sure many more not for profits will Colorado, Texas, Tampa, and then New York. now open up to Then of course, help rebuild Haiti. we still have to I can’t stress the communicate with the airport only normally took fact anymore than doctors already saying it like this. on the ground in in 12 flights per day but now It was just totally, Haiti. Thanks to was up to over 120 per day totally amazing you supporters we that people formed already had own networks and got Satellite commuextra telephone lines installed in their homes nications system on the ground to be used for and now they were up all hours of the night this type of disaster. We had to coordinate to get one box of medication on a plane 2500 medicine pickups, what clinic was going to miles away. It just blew my mind. It was a get what med, what clinic had more critical major miracle that took place on the response care patients, and shifting around doctors. Just in people’s heart. I was so happy to see the rewhen you thought things were in order a plane sponse; you have no idea of how many people coming from Texas with 10 surgeons onboard were behind the scene. was delayed. I have to tell you I was so busy We got to the airport via police escort. When I wore the same clothes for three days and my we got there we started to unload the boxes bedroom in my office is just 25 feet from my and before you knew it passengers, captains, desk. Well finally it even a taxi driver got out of his car and we all came to place. formed a human assembly line to empty the I met some great U-Haul truck. Of course the baggage hanpeople especially dlers came over and assisted. When we were Dr. Jim Smith out of done I went to give them a tip. They handed Colorado, a military the money back to me and said “we can’t take surgeon for years but your money, we just want to help.” I actually now in private pracgot goose bumps on my arms. I knew these tice. He had landed guys worked for tips and with the economy in West Palm Beach and my plane was in Mibeing so bad and with so many boxes and the ami. I had to keep in touch with Jim in case his other tips they were missing by helping us, I airplane in Palm Beach was not going to get a really felt so great. “wheels up at 8 AM” order. I wanted to make We got inside the terminal and the doctors sure that if he did not get out we would get poured in for we were off to Haiti. When him on our plane. I owed it to him because he I got on the airplane I sat in the small area with the help of Airline ambassadors, another at the back of the plane and made it my ofnot-for-profit agency, helped make this joint fice, I needed to be by myself. My brain was flight between Airline ambassadors and the majorly fried and needed a break. In 4 1/2 Homeless Voice possible. Jim is an awesome hours we landed in Port-au-Prince Haiti of guy, you have no idea how many housewives, course the flight took longer because yes we kids of doctors, kids of nurses, John Doe down had to circle the airport over and over. When the street, and we can’t forget about Jane Doe we landed our people were in place and once up the street, and then my brother who went to

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Photos: From far left

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“we can’t take your money, we just want to help.”

(Continued on pg 9)

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to right 1) Homeless Voice staff unloading at MIA 2) Mark Targett en route to Haiti 3) Sean and pilots 4) Sean helping someone onto the plane 5) Military plane 6) Sean and Lois surveying the scene at the airport in Haiti 7) Friend of the HV guarding the boxes 8) HV Staff smiling for the camera 9) Sean and Lois transporting medicine 10) Waiting to move out 11) Curacao, where a people met up with loved ones 12) Live report

And then This...

Mark Targett

10, 000 lb of food and medicine, 70 doctors, 1 chartered plane to Haiti, and then this…

We need to get these people out of here; we overheard someone telling the pilot.

We had plans to be home in Miami tonight, but sometimes plans need to be modified.

We quickly agreed to fly everyone home to South America. To us it wasn’t even a question. It was an honor to be able to help.

The front half of our plane was filled with father and daughters, mothers and sons, and families of all assorted sizes. All of them had one common look on their faces.

The airplane doors shut and the pilot made his announcement. A sigh of relief came over the cabin as you heard the sound of the seatbelts click.

Haiti has only one runway and because of the awkward setup for takeoffs and landings, it took us just under an hour to be in the clouds.

Most of the children were peacefully sleeping. There was one particular father I saw with his arm around his child, leaning with his arm around her.

I am sure he was exhausted. Not knowing when you are going to get home. Wondering how? Where will we eat next? Those are the thoughts that would be going through my mind in that situation. Just thinking about it can lead to a migraine.

What would have happened if Sean Cononie from the COSAC Foundation (www. cosacfoundation.org) decided to do nothing? Sean Cononie decided to send over supplies to Haiti. He did not plan to fly those doctors over and there was no set plan for a rescue mission. Sometimes we set things in motion that cannot be explained.

Coincidence?

We want to thank everyone in South Florida for his or her donations. We want everyone to know who was affected by his or her spare change. We did spend more than expected. Help us replenish our funds.

TEXT GIVELOVE to 85944

The Voice of the Homeless

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Black History Month (Continued from pg 5)

In the years immediately followof safe houses as early as the 1780s. Known ing the Revolutionary War, the rural as the Underground Railroad, the organizaSouth—the region where slavery tion gained real momentum in the 1830s and had taken the strongest hold in North eventually helped anywhere from 40,000 to America—faced an economic crisis.

100,000 slaves reach freedom. Harriet TubThe soil used to grow tobacco, then man, its most celebrated —conductor,” was the leading cash crop, was exhausta former slave who married a free black man ed, while products such as rice and and escaped from Maryland to Philadelphia indigo failed to generate much profit. in 1849. On numerous risky trips south, she As a result, the price of slaves was helped some 300 other slaves escape before dropping, and the continued growth serving as a scout and spy for Union forces of slavery seemed in doubt. Around in South Carolina during the Civil War. The the same success of the Untime, the derground Railroad mechanizahelped spread abotion of spinlitionist feelings in “Yes We Can”—inspired ning and the North; it also unweaving had thousands of new voters, many doubtedly increased revolutionyoung and black, to cast their sectional tensions, ized the texconvincing pro–slavvote for the first time in the tile industry ery southerners of in England, historic election. their northern counand the detrymen’s determimand for nation to defeat the American institution that suscotton soon tained them. became insatiable. Production was 1861Civil War and emancipation limited, however, by the laboriIn the spring of 1861, the bitter sectional ous process of removing the seeds conflicts that had been intensifying between from raw cotton fibers, which had North and South over the course of four deto be completed by hand. In 1793, a cades erupted into civil war, with 11 southern young Yankee schoolteacher named states seceding from the Union and forming Eli Whitney came up with a soluthe Confederate States of America. Though tion to the problem: The cotton gin, President Abraham Lincoln’s antislavery a simple mechanized device that efviews were well established, and his election ficiently removed the seeds, could be as the nation’s first Republican president had hand–powered or, on a large scale, been the catalyst that pushed the first southharnessed to a horse or powered by ern states to secede in late 1860, the Civil War water. The cotton gin was widely at its outset was not a war to abolish slavery. copied, and within a few years the Lincoln sought first and foremost to preserve South would transition from a depenthe Union, and he knew that few people even dence on the cultivation of tobacco in the North—let alone the border slave states to that of cotton. As the growth of the still loyal to Washington—would have supcotton industry led inexorably to an increased demand for black slaves, the prospect of slave rebellion—such as the one that triumphed in Haiti in 1791—drove slaveholders to make increased efforts to protect their property rights. Also in 1793, Congress passed the Fugitive Slave Act, which made it a federal crime to assist a slave trying to escape. Though it was difficult to enforce from state to state, especially with the growth of abolitionist feeling in the North, the law helped enshrine and legitimize slavery as an enduring American institution.

1831Abolitionism and the Underground Railroad The early abolition movement in North America was fueled both by slaves’ efforts to liberate themselves and by groups of white settlers, such as the Quakers, who opposed slavery on religious or moral grounds. Though the lofty ideals of the Revolutionary era invigorated the movement, by the late 1780s it was in decline, as the growing southern cotton industry made slavery an ever more vital part of the national economy. In the early 19th century, however, a new brand ported a war against slavery in 1861. By the of radical abolitionism emerged in summer of 1862, however, Lincoln had come the North, partly in reaction to Conto believe he could not avoid the slavery quesgress’ passage of the Fugitive Slave tion much longer. Five days after the bloody Act of 1793 and the tightening of Union victory at Antietam in September, he slave codes in most southern states. issued a preliminary emancipation proclamaOne of its most eloquent voices was tion; on January 1, 1863, he made it official William Lloyd Garrison, a crusading that —slaves within any State, or designated journalist from Massachusetts, who part of a State in rebellion, shall be then, founded the abolitionist newspaper thenceforward, and forever free.” Lincoln The Liberator in 1831 and became justified his decision as a wartime measure, known as the most radical of Amerand as such he did not go so far as to free the ica’s antislavery activists. Antislavslaves in the border states loyal to the Union, ery northerners—many of them free an omission that angered many abolitionists. blacks—had begun helping fugitive By freeing some 3 million black slaves in the slaves escape from southern plantarebel states, the Emancipation Proclamation tions to the North via a loose network deprived the Confederacy of the bulk of its

labor forces and put international public opinion strongly on the Union side. Some 186,000 black soldiers would join the Union Army by the time the war ended in 1865, and 38,000 lost their lives. The total number of dead at war’s end was 620,000 (out of a population of some 35 million), making it the costliest conflict in American history.

1896 “Separate But Equal” As Reconstruction drew to a close and the forces of white supremacy regained control from carpetbaggers (northerners who moved South) and freed blacks, Southern state legislatures began enacting the first segregation laws, known as the —Jim Crow” laws. Taken from a much–copied minstrel routine written by a white actor who performed often in blackface, the name —Jim Crow” came to serve as a general derogatory term for African Americans in the post–Reconstruction South. By 1885, most southern states had laws requiring separate schools for blacks and whites, and by 1900, —persons of color” were required to be separated from whites in railroad cars and depots, hotels, theaters, restaurants, barber shops and other establishments.

On May 18, 1896, the U.S. Supreme Court issued its verdict in Plessy vs. Ferguson, a case that represented the first major test of the meaning of the 14th Amendment’s provision of full and equal citizenship to African Americans. By an 8–1 majority, the Court upheld a Louisiana law that required the segregation of passengers on railroad cars. By asserting that the equal protection clause was not violated as long as reasonably equal conditions were provided to both groups, the Court established the —separate but equal” doctrine that would thereafter be used for assessing the constitutionality of racial segregation laws. Plessy v.

Ferguson stood as the overriding judicial precedent in civil rights cases until 1954, when it was reversed by the Court’s verdict in Brown v. Board of Education.

1941 African–Americans in WWII

During World War II, many African Americans were ready to fight for what President Franklin D. Roosevelt called the —Four Freedoms”— freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want and freedom from fear—even while they themselves lacked those freedoms at home. More than 3 million blacks would register for service during the war, with some 500,000 seeing action overseas. According to War Department policy, enlisted blacks and whites were organized into separate units. Frustrated black servicemen were forced to combat racism even as they sought to further U.S. war aims; this became known as the —Double V” strategy, for the two victories they sought to win. The war’s first African–American hero emerged

from the attack on Pearl Harbor, when Dorie Miller, a young Navy steward on the U.S.S. West Virginia, carried wounded crewmembers to safety and manned a machine gun post, shooting down several Japanese planes. In the spring of 1943, graduates of the first all–black military aviation program, created at the Tuskegee Institute in 1941, headed to North Africa as the 99th Pursuit Squadron. Their commander, Captain Benjamin O. Davis Jr., later became the first African–American general. The Tuskegee Airmen saw combat against German and Italian troops, flew more than 3,000 missions, and served as a great source of pride for many blacks in America.

Aside from celebrated accomplishments like these, overall gains were slow, and maintaining high morale among black forces was difficult due to the continued discrimination they faced. In July 1948, President Harry S. Truman finally integrated the U.S. Armed Forces under an executive order mandating that —there shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the armed services without regard to race, color, religion or national origin.”

1955 Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott - December 1955 On December 1, 1955, an African– American woman named Rosa Parks was riding a city bus in Montgomery, Alabama when the driver told her to give up her seat to a white man.

Parks refused, and was arrested for violating the city’s racial segregation ordinances, which mandated that blacks sit in the back of public buses and give up their seats for white riders if the front seats were full. Parks, a 42–year–old seamstress, was also the secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP. As she later explained: —I had been pushed as far as I could stand to be pushed.I had decided that I would have to know once and for all what rights I had as a human being and a citizen.” Four days after Parks’ arrest, an activist organization called the Montgomery Improvement Association—led by a young pastor named Martin Luther King, Jr.—spearheaded a boycott of the city’s municipal bus company.

Because African Americans made up some 70 percent of the bus company’s riders at the time, and the great majority of Montgomery’s black citizens supported the bus boycott, its impact was immediate.

About 90 boycotters, including King, were indicted under a law forbidding conspiracy to obstruct the operation of a business. Found guilty, King immediately appealed (Continued on pg 9)

Volume XII, Issue 2

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Black History Month

(Continued from pg 8)

condition. It would also, organizers believed, the decision. Meanwhile, the boydisprove some of the stereotypical negative cott stretched on for more than a images of black men that existed in American year, and the bus company struggled society. By that time, the U.S. government’s to avoid bankruptcy. On November —war on drugs” had sent a disproportionate 13, 1956, in Browder v. Gayle, the number of African Americans to prison, and U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower by 2000, more black men were incarcerated court’s decision declaring the bus than in college. Estimates of the number of company’s segregation seating polparticipants in the Million Man March ranged icy unconstitutional under the equal from 400,000 to more than 1 million, and its protection clause of the 14th Amendsuccess spurred the organization of a Million ment. King, called off the boycott Woman March, which took place in 1997 in on December 20, and Rosa Parks— Philadelphia. known as the —mother of the civil 2009 Barack Obama becomes 44th U.S. rights movement”—would be one of president – 2008 the first to ride the newly desegreOn January 20, 2009, Barack Obama was ingated buses. augurated as the 44th president of the United 1963 “I Have a Dream” States; he is the first African American to hold On August 28, 1963, some 250,000 that office. The product of an interracial marpeople—both black and white— riage—his father grew up in a small village in participated in the March on WashKenya, his mother in Kansas—Obama grew ington for Jobs and Freedom, the up in Hawaii but discovered his civic calling largest demonstration in the history in Chicago, where he worked for several years of the nation’s capital and the most as a community organizer on the city’s largely significant display of the civil rights black South Side. After studying at Harvard movement’s growing strength. After Law School and practicing constitutional law marching from the Washington Monin Chicago, he began his political career in ument, the demonstrators gathered 1996 in the Illinois State near the Lincoln Senate and in 2004 anMemorial, where “whites and blacks would nounced his candidacy for a number of civil a newly vacant seat in the rights leaders stand together as equals, addressed the and there would be harmony U.S. Senate. He delivered a rousing keynote speech crowd, calling between the races” at that year’s Democratic for voting rights, National Convention, atequal employtracting national attention with his eloquent ment opportunities for blacks and call for national unity and cooperation across an end to racial segregation. The party lines. In February 2007, just months aflast leader to appear was the Baptist ter he became only the third African American preacher Martin Luther King Jr. of elected to the U.S. Senate since Reconstructhe Southern Christian Leadership tion, Obama announced his candidacy for Conference (SCLC), who spoke elothe 2008 Democratic presidential nominaquently of the struggle facing black tion. After withstanding a tight Democratic Americans and the need for continprimary battle with Hillary Clinton, the New ued action and nonviolent resistance.

York senator and former first lady, Obama —I have a dream,” King intoned, exdefeated Senator John McCain of Arizona in pressing his faith that one day whites the general election that November. Obama’s and blacks would stand together as appearances in both the primaries and the genequals, and there would be harmony eral election drew impressive crowds, and his between the races: —I have a dream message of hope and change—embodied by that my four little children will one the slogan — “Yes We Can”—inspired thouday live in a nation where they will sands of new voters, many young and black, not be judged by the color of their to cast their vote for the first time in the hisskin but by the content of their chartoric election. acter.” King’s improvised sermon continued for nine minutes after the end of his prepared remarks, and his stirring words would be remembered (Continued from pg 6) as undoubtedly one of the greatest again we formed a human assembly line and speeches in American history. At its unloaded the plane. Part of our team stayed conclusion, King quoted an —old in Haiti- Lois Cross, Mark Targett, and I were Negro spiritual: Free at last! Free at to look at the airport statistically speaking so last! Thank God Almighty, we are we could make future plans for future arrivals free at last!’” King’s speech served as and make sure logistics were what we thought a defining moment for the civil rights they were. We had to see the process in order movement, and he soon emerged as to have future success. its most prominent figure.

Next to our airplane was many other planes 1995 Million Man March and I soon realized just how pretty America In October 1995, hundreds of really was. I saw one Air Force plane after thousands of black men gathered in another and on the fuselage I saw the words Washington, D.C. for the Million United States Air Force but in my mind those Man March, one of the largest demwords changed to, “We are here to help.” Our onstrations of its kind in the capital’s service men and women were taking evacuees history. Its organizer, Minister Louis out of Haiti and bringing them to other parts Farrakhan, had called for —a million of the world. sober, disciplined, committed, dediOur plane soon had the same task because cated, inspired black men to meet in we were asked to make a rescue flight by the Washington on a day of atonement.”

United States Air Force to take evacuees to Farrakhan, who had asserted control the island of Curacao in South America. An over the Nation of Islam (commonly hour later after our departure we landed at a known as the Black Muslims) in the Dutch military base and were greeted by the late 1970s and reasserted its original Dutch authorities as well as the prime minisprinciples of black separatism, may ter of Curacao. She thanked us. At first, we have been an incendiary figure, but did not know why, we had an idea but to us it the idea behind the Million Man was something that had to be done. It was not March was one most blacks—and until we saw the tears in the eyes as they saw many whites—could get behind. The their loved ones walk off our plane who were march was intended to bring about worried about their families, their kids, their a kind of spiritual renewal among mom and dad’s who were in Haiti trying to get black men, and to instill them with out after that horrible day when the earth tore a sense of solidarity and of personal apart a place called Haiti. responsibility to improve their own

The Road to Haiti...

Federal law barring lies about medals is tested

By DAN ELLIOTT The federal courts are wrestling with a question of both liberty and patriotism: Does the First Amendment right to free speech protect people who lie about being war heroes?

At issue is a three-year-old federal law called the Stolen Valor Act that makes it a crime punishable by up to a year in jail to falsely claim to have received a medal from the U.S. military. It is a crime even if the liar makes no effort to profit from his stolen glory.

Attorneys in Colorado and California are challenging the law on behalf of two men charged, saying the First Amendment protects almost all speech that doesn’t hurt someone else. Neither man has been accused by prosecutors of seeking financial gain for himself.

Jonathan Turley, a professor at George Washington University Law School who is not involved in the two cases, said the Stolen Valor Act raises serious constitutional questions because it in effect bans bragging or exaggerating about yourself.

“Half the pickup lines in bars across the country could be criminalized under that concept,” he said.

Craig Missakian, a federal prosecutor in the California case, argued that deliberate lies are not protected. He also said the Constitution gives Congress the authority to raise and support an army, and that includes, by extension, “protecting the worth and value of these medals.”

The Stolen Valor Act revised and toughened a law that forbids anyone to wear a military medal that was not earned. The revised measure sailed through Congress in late 2006, receiving unanimous approval in the Senate.

Dozens of people have been arrested under the law at a time when veterans coming home from wars in Afghanistan and Iraq are being embraced as heroes. Many of the cases involve men who simply got caught living a lie without profiting from it.

Virtually all the impostors were ordered to perform community service.

In one case, a man posing as a Marine war hero was accused of using his hero status to receive discount airline tickets and a free place to stay near Phoenix.

Defense attorneys say the law is problematic in the way it does not require the lie to be part of a scheme for gain. Turley said someone lying about having a medal to profit financially should instead be charged with fraud.

One of the men challenging the law is Xavier Alvarez of Pomona, Calif. He had just been elected to a water district board in 2007 when he said at a public meeting that he was a retired Marine who received the Medal of Honor, the nation’s highest military decoration.

His claim aroused suspicion, and he was indicted 2007. Alvarez, who apparently never served in the military, pleaded guilty on condition that he be allowed to appeal on the First Amendment question. He was sentenced to more than 400 hours of community service at a veterans hospital and fined $5,000. The case is now before a federal appeals court.

The other person challenging the law is Rick Glen Strandlof, who claimed he was an ex-Marine

wounded in Iraq and received the Purple Heart and Silver Star. He founded an organization in Colorado Springs that helped homeless veterans.

Military officials said they had no record that he ever served. He has pleaded not guilty, and a judge is considering whether to throw out the charge.

The Inland Valley Daily Bulletin in California quoted Alvarez as saying in 2007, “I must have mis-said things. It wasn’t supposed to go that way.” Strandlof’s lawyer has said his client may suffer from bipolar disorder or other problems.

Attorneys challenging the law say that lying about getting a medal doesn’t fit any of the categories of speech that the U.S. Supreme Court has said can be banned: lewd, obscene, profane, libelous or creating imminent danger to others, such as yelling fire in a crowded theater.

Army veteran Pete Lemon of Colorado Springs, who received the Medal of Honor for turning back an enemy assault and rescuing wounded comrades in Vietnam while injured himself, supports the law, saying that pretending to have a medal can bring undeserved rewards.

“It gives you the power to entice somebody into marriage,” he said. “It could give you the power to be able to join an organization, get special treatment with regards to getting tickets to a football game, getting license plates, getting preferential treatment in a job situation.”

Doug Sterner, a military historian, said the law embodies the wishes of the nation’s first commander in chief, George Washington. Sterner noted that Washington created the Purple Heart, the nation’s first military decoration, and wrote: “Should any who are not entitled to these honors have the insolence to assume the badges of them, they shall be severely punished.”

“I think that speaks to the intent of the framers,” Sterner said, “that George Washington saw this kind of lie outside the scope of this freedom-of-speech issue.”

Haiti Relief Donations Qualify for Immediate Tax Relief U.S. Internal Revenue Service People who give to charities providing earthquake relief in Haiti can claim these donations on the tax return they are completing this season, according to the Internal Revenue Service.

Taxpayers who itemize deductions on their 2009 return qualify for this special tax relief provision, enacted January 22. Only cash contributions made to these charities after January 11, 2010, and before March 1, 2010, are eligible. This includes contributions made by text message, check, credit card, or debit card.

“Americans have opened their hearts to help those affected by the Haiti earthquake,” said IRS commissioner Doug Shulman. “This new law provides an immediate tax benefit for the many taxpayers who have made generous donations.”

Taxpayers can benefit from their donations, almost immediately, by filing their 2009 returns early, filing electronically, and choosing direct deposit. Refunds take as few as 10 days and can be directly deposited into a savings, checking, or brokerage account, or used to purchase Series I U.S. savings bonds.

The new law only applies to cash (as opposed to property) contributions. The contributions must be made specifically for the relief of victims in areas affected by the January 12 earthquake in Haiti. Taxpayers have the option of deducting these contributions on either their 2009 or 2010 returns, but not both.

To get a tax benefit, taxpayers must itemize their deductions on Schedule A. Those who claim the standard deduction, including all short-form filers, are not eligible.

Taxpayers should be sure their contributions go to qualified charities. Most organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible donations are listed in a searchable online database available on IRS.gov under Search for Charities. [Editor’s note: Donations made through GuideStar’s online giving system also qualify for the deduction, as only eligible nonprofits have “Donate Now” buttons on GuideStar.] Some organizations, such as churches or governments, may be qualified even though they are not listed on IRS.gov. Donors can find out more about organizations helping Haitian earthquake victims from agencies such as USAID. The IRS reminds donors that contributions to foreign organizations generally are not deductible.

IRS Publication 526, Charitable Contributions, provides information on making contributions to charities.

Federal law requires that taxpayers keep a record of any deductible donations they make. For donations by text message, a telephone bill will meet the recordkeeping requirement if it shows the name of the donee organization, the date of the contribution, and the amount of the contribution.

For cash contributions made by other means, be sure to keep a bank record, such as a cancelled check, or a receipt from the charity showing the name of the charity and the date and amount of the contribution. Publication 526 has further details on the recordkeeping rules for cash contributions.

This year’s special Haiti relief provision is modeled on a 2005 law that, in the wake of the December 26, 2004, Indian Ocean tsunami, allowed taxpayers to deduct donations they made during January 2005 as if they made the donations in 2004.

The Voice of the Homeless

Page 10

Tips for an Earthquake LAFD

When you feel an earthquake, duck under a desk or sturdy table. Stay away from windows, bookcases, file cabinets, heavy mirrors, hanging plants, and other heavy objects that could fall. Watch out for falling plaster and ceiling tiles. Stay under cover until the shaking stops. Hold onto your cover. If it moves, move with it. Here are some additional tips for specific locations. LAFD - Emergency Preparedness Booklet If you’re in a HIGHRISE BUILDING, and you are not near a desk or table, move against an interior wall, and protect your head with your arms. Do not use the elevators. Do not be surprised if the alarm or sprinkler systems come on. Stay indoors, glass windows can dislodge during the quake and sail for hundreds of feet.

If you’re OUTDOORS, move to a clear area, away from trees, signs, buildings, or electrical wires and poles.

If you’re on a SIDEWALK NEAR BUILDINGS, duck into a doorway to protect yourself from falling bricks, glass, plaster, and other debris.

If you’re DRIVING, pull over to the side of the road and stop. Avoid overpasses, power lines, and other hazards.

Stay inside the vehicle until the shaking is over.

If you’re in a CROWDED STORE OR OTHER PUBLIC PLACE, do not rush for exits. Move away from display shelves containing objects that could fall.

If you’re in a WHEELCHAIR, stay in it. Move to cover, if possible, lock your wheels, and protect your head with your arms.

If you’re in the KITCHEN, move away from the refrigerator, stove, and overhead cupboards. (Take time NOW to anchor appliances and install security latches on cupboard doors to reduce hazards.)

If you’re in a STADIUM OR THEATER, stay in your seat and protect your head with your arms. Do not try to leave until the shaking is over. Then leave in a calm, orderly manner. Avoid rushing toward exits.

After the Earthquake Checklist Be prepared for aftershocks, and plan where you will take cover when they occur.

Check for injuries. Give first aid as necessary.

Remain calm and reassure others.

Avoid broken glass.

Check for fire. Take appropriate actions and precautions.

Check gas, water and electric lines. If damaged, shut off service. If gas is leaking, don’t use matches, flashlights, appliances or electric switches. Open windows, leave building and report to the gas company.

Replace all telephone receivers and use for emergency calls only.

Tune to the emergency broadcast station on radio or television. Listen for emergency bulletins.

Stay out of damaged buildings.

FAMILY & HOME PLANNING Create a Family Earthquake Plan.

Know the safe spot in each room: under

sturdy tables, desks, or against inside walls.

Know the danger spots: windows, mirrors, hanging objects, fireplaces, and tall furniture.

Conduct practice drills. Physically place yourself and your children in safe locations.

Learn first aid and CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) from your local Red Cross or other community organization.

Decide where your family will reunite if separated.

Keep a list of emergency phone numbers.

Choose an out-of-state friend or relative whom family members can call after the quake to report your condition.

HOME PREPAREDNESS Learn how to shut off gas, water, and electricity in case the lines are damaged.

C h e c k chimneys, roofs and wall foundations for stability.

Note: If your home was built before 1935, make sure your house is bolted to its foundation.

If your home is on a raised foundation make sure the cripple walls have been made into shear walls. Call a licensed contractor if you have any questions.

Secure water heater and appliances that could move enough to rupture utility lines.

Keep breakable and heavy objects on lower shelves.

Put latches on cabinet doors to keep them closed during shaking.

Keep flammable or hazardous liquids such as paints, pest sprays or cleaning products in cabinets or secured on lower shelves.

Maintain emergency food, water, medicine, first aid kit, tools and clothing.

COMMUNITY PREPAREDNESS Suggest that local organizations of which you are a member undertake a specific preparedness program or acquire special training to be of assistance in the event of a damaging earthquake.

Participate in neighborhood earthquake preparedness programs.

Attend training for neighborhood residents in preparedness, first aid, fire suppression, damage assessment and search & rescue.

Develop self-help networks between families and your neighborhood through a skills and resources bank which includes a listing of tools, equipment, materials and neighborhood members who have special skills and resources to share.

Identify neighbors who have special needs or will require special assistance.

Have your neighborhood develop a secret signal to notify friends if everyone and everything is OK. Don’t use obvious signals. This could identify vacant houses to criminals.- LAPD

Earthquakes and Tsunamis First and foremost each home and each work place must have an evacuation plan for earthquakes and recently we have learned that we might as well also be prepared for tsunamis.

For starters please go to our web site by entering our address www.homelessvoice.org/disasterprep and you will be directed to the Los Angeles California Handbook on Disaster preparations.

It is also very important to limit the stress and understand that you should have a predetermined place to meet such as the place you have for fires at your home once your family evacuates your home.

Do you have a fire evacuation for your home? If not, right now go and make one for your family and pick a place where everyone meets once they leave the house.

I know the first thing one thinks about is to leave your home but please keep in mind that our roofs are mostly made of wood so if the roof falls on your it won’t be as bad as one thinks.

Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave. I know your first thought may be for you to leave but the experts at FEMA are saying to take cover right when the earthquake starts.

You must also teach your kids what to do. Play fun games with them and recreate your disaster evacuation plan for fires and for other types of disasters such as earthquakes when the shaking starts and when it stops. Also please remember to teach them Stop, Drop and Roll in case they should ever catch fire or how to put out a fire of a loved one using other materials to extinguish the fire.

If you go outside there is a chance the power lines may fall down and you may just get electrocuted.

During an Earthquake Minimize your movements during an earthquake to a few steps to a nearby safe place. Stay indoors until the shaking has stopped and you are sure exiting is safe.

Indoors: Take cover under a sturdy desk, table, or bench or against an inside wall, and hold on. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch in an inside corner of the building.

Stay away from glass, windows, outside doors and walls, and anything that could fall, such as lighting fixtures or furniture.

Stay in bed: if you are there when the earthquake strikes - hold on and protect your head with a pillow, unless you are under a heavy light fixture that could fall. In that case, move to the nearest safe place.

Use a doorway for shelter only if it is in close proximity to you and if you know it is a strongly supported, load bearing doorway.

Stay inside until shaking stops and it is safe to

go outside. Most injuries during earthquakes occur when people are hit by falling objects when entering into or exiting from buildings.

Be aware that the electricity may go out or the sprinkler systems or fire alarms may turn on. DO NOT use the elevators.

Outdoors: Stay there. Move away from buildings, streetlights, and utility wires.

In a moving vehicle: Stop as quickly as safety permits and stay in the vehicle.

Avoid stopping near or under buildings, trees, overpasses, and utility wires. If there is an electrical wire on your car stay in the car if there are not other hazards.

Proceed cautiously once the earthquake has stopped, watching for road and bridge damage.

Trapped under debris: Do not light a match.· Do not move about or kick up dust. Cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing. Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can locate you. Use a whistle if one is available. Shout only as a last resort - shouting can cause you to inhale dangerous amounts of dust.

A lot of us had never heard the term Tsunami before until just a few years ago when all those poor people got killed off of the Indian Ocean, India, Indonesia, Coast of Africa, and many more countries Christmas time in 2004. Tsunami’s are deadly and can affect many different land masses. They can travel over a thousand miles. Could the earthquake in Haiti have caused a Tsunami that reached the United States? Most likely not this one because this earthquake occurred under the land not under the ocean floor. If this would have been one that occurred under the ocean then yes there would have been a chance of a Tsunami.

Yes we could have had a very bad one affecting our South Florida area. The good thing about Tsunamis is that we do have a warning system out there in the ocean that can pretty much detect where it is heading and when it will arrive on shore.

The next thing that is important to fully understand is that you must get away from beaches, shorelines, and coastal properties. The next good thing is that they do not go far inland and this gives us plenty of time to get away from an area that will have powerful waves able to destruct a large building. You must remember to evacuate the area quickly and sometimes this does not mean getting in your car and getting stuck in traffic. You should be able to simply walk or run to safety because it does take some time for the first wave to hit you. Ride, walk, or run a mile or two inland. Mother Nature also gives us a warning. If you are at the beach and suddenly you see the water pull back and you start to see the ocean floor where normally it is our beautiful shore line run like hell in the opposite direction of the water Ten Tsunami Facts 1. Tsunamis that strike coastal locations in the Pacific Ocean Basin are almost always caused by earthquakes. These earthquakes might occur far away or near where you live.

(Continued on pg 11)

Volume XII, Issue 2

Earthquakes and Tsunamis (Continued from pg 10) 2. Some tsunamis can be very large. In coastal areas their height can be as great as 10 m or more (30 m in extreme cases), and they can move inland several hundred meters.

3. All low lying coastal areas can be struck by tsunamis.

4. A tsunami consists of a series of waves with crests arriving every 10 to 60 minutes. Often the first wave may not be the largest. The danger from a tsunami can last for several hours after the arrival of the first wave. Tsunami waves typically do not curl and break, so do not try to surf a tsunami!

5. Tsunamis can move faster than a person can run.

6. Sometimes a tsunami initially causes the water near shore to recede, exposing the ocean floor.

7. The force of some tsunamis is enormous. Large rocks weighing several tons, along with boats and other debris, can be moved inland hundreds of meters by tsunami wave activity, and homes and buildings destroyed. All this material and water move with great force, and can kill or injure people.

8. Tsunamis can occur at any time, day or night.

9. Tsunamis can travel up rivers and streams from the ocean.

10. Tsunami can easily wrap around islands and be just as dangerous on coasts not facing the source of the tsunami We have been lucky that we have not had a Tsunami on South Florida land.

What to do Before and During a Tsunami The following are guidelines for what you should do if a tsunami is likely in your area: Turn on your radio to learn if there is a tsunami warning if an earthquake occurs and you are in a coastal area.

Move inland to higher ground immediately and stay there.

Stay away from the beach. Never go down to the beach to watch a tsunami come in. If you can see the wave you are too close to escape it.

CAUTION - If there is noticeable recession in water away from the shoreline this is nature’s tsunami warning and it should be heeded. You should move away immediately What to Do After a Tsunami The following are guidelines for the period following a tsunami: Stay away from flooded and damaged areas until officials say it is safe to return.

Stay away from debris in the water; it may pose a safety hazard to boats and people.

Save yourself - not your possessions.

Page 11

We Need Your Help!

I am happy to say I can thank each and every one of you for the help you have given us over the years. I am sad to say that prejudice by city commissioners who hate the homeless are going out of their way to destroy our agency and many more who do street side solicitation. Now cities like North Miami Beach have passed a new city ordinance that is an attack on poor and homeless people. They claim it is about safety; however their own research they used on traffic accidents plainly indicated that about 99% more accidents occur with pedestrians and bicycles riders than street side solicitation. Again claiming safety yet their comments had really nothing to do about safety. Our argument is that if it was about safety you should be outlawing pedestrian traffic and riding bicycles in their city. Of course we would not want them to outlaw this behavior because a lot of people don’t have cars, however citing safety would surely include getting rid of pedestrians and bikers.

In the audience of the city commission there were three or four people in favor of getting rid of the street vendorssafety was not really a concern however just because it is a homeless person asking for money it should be outlawed. It is okay for a fireman to ask me for money but a homeless person, forget about it according to some of the comments. Then of course we had those who are for God, who are for Jesus Christ therefore they are for the homeless. To you I thank you because you stood up for basic human needs. I can’t tell you how sad I was when I found out that North Miami Beach was going to remove our vendors, the homeless from the streets, and other hard working individuals who sold their fruit and water from the medians. I explained this to the commission that last week I was on the tarmac in Port-au-Prince, Haiti unloading a commercial jet we rented so we could take medicine and MRE, Meals Ready To Eat and I got a call saying “Sean, North Miami Beach is trying to pass a law to get us off the streets.” I felt very sad because I looked up at the jet airplane and all the emergency medical equipment and meds being unloaded from the airplane.

I said to myself “if it was not for those streets, and the lovely people who give us donations this airplane would not be here.” I explained to the city commission that because we use street corners we were able to bring over about 70 doctors, almost 100,000 doses of antibiotics, and enough food to feed 5,000 people for three days. I asked them, why would you want to stop this type of solicitation? Again they cited safety, we argued your own research showed and proved that selling a newspaper was a lot safer than riding a bike or crossing the street. They simply did not care.

Even their own city attorney admitted to me that this was an effort to get the homeless to move out of their city by taking them off the busier streets they would make less money, then move on. What a sad world we live in when the city

commission unfairly targets the homeless and the poor. Although their new ordinance is very hard to understand, it is our opinion that their new ordinance will allow them to hold a sign at election time asking people to vote for them. Does this seem selective? Doesn’t seem unfair? Actually I could see their hate coming from their minds.

My friends the city of North Miami Beach and its commissioners have targeted the homeless and poor. We cannot let them get away with this behavior. We soon will be off the streets until we challenge their case in a court of law.

In the meantime I must stress the fact we need your help. I know many of you have blessed us over the years. You the supporters have provided medical outreach teams, swine flu vaccinations, emergency cold weather outreach, you also responded to all the hurricanes on the West Coast by bringing over tens of thousands of gallons of water to them when they got hit with one hurricane after another.

You directly responded to Hurricane Katrina. You brought doctors to Haiti for the last seven years; you have taken the worms out of kid’s stomachs in Haiti for the last few years. You saved a little Haitian toddler just a year or two when she was about to die when we found her in Haiti dying of starvation.

You have provided beds for HIV orphans in the last five years. You have fed many hungry families who were just poor but not homeless in South Florida. You have provided emergency housing to those in South Florida who were denied beds by governmental shelters because of severe mental health issues. You directly rented a jet and brought over 70 doctors and surgeons as well as saving thousands of lives by getting antibiotics on a jet in just a few days after the earthquake.

I, Sean Cononie have not done this; it has been you who allowed us to do these miracles and God’s work. You have paid for all of this by buying our newspaper and now because a few city commissioners have gone out of their way to at-

“it has been you who allowed us to do these miracles and God’s work”

tack the poor and homeless this may all stop.

We sell between 80,000 to 100,000 papers per month and in the near future we may not be allowed in any city. Of course we will fight every city with the help of our attorneys and we are now attempting to get the ACLU to assist us.

We will take this to the Supreme Court if necessary. We have been here for 15 years but we are not allowing the cities to bring us down based on hatred towards the poor. However doing this process we want to keep services the same and this is where you come in. Again you all have put money in those buckets by buying our newspapers and other periodicals such as our small cards. You’ve done all the above miracles and now we need your help even more. Some of our vendors will be vanishing from your street corners until we get into the court system. We are now asking that each one of you who support us to now help us monthly by the below three ways.

We are asking for a monthly donation of $10, $15, or $20. If you can’t give money, then please pray for us! Please send in your monthly check to: COSAC HOMELESS ASSISTANCE CENTER P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, Florida 33329 You can also go to our web site and go to paypal to donate Donations by Texting from your cellular phone.

I do ask each and every one of you to please come see where your money goes. Please call 954-924-3571, ask for Ginny to take a tour of your shelter, the one you created and paid for.

Love as always between all, the world can be good when she wants to, all we have to do is love all. -Sean Anthony Cononie

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Rabbi Joe Vitkus

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4761 N.W. 24th Court * Fort Lauderdale, FL 33313 (954) 485-8491

Advantage Communications, INC. Commercial, Industrial, and Government 2-way Radio * ACI supports the Homeless Voice and the Cosac Foundation in raising awareness and providing solutions to homelessness in our neighborhoods. * ACI knows that lending aid to human beings in need is good for our souls, our communities and is simply the right thing to do. * ACI would like to thank all people who are actively engaged in helping humanity here on the blue planet. God bless the Cosac Foundation

Mark Lavallee, President 954-961-2642 www. advantage-com.com Excellence in Radio