serving our community since 1997
Part of the North American Street Newspaper Association
If you received this issue of the Homeless Voice in your mailbox please go to pg 4 We have an Emergency!
COSAC Foundation | PO Box 292-577 Davie, FL 33329 | 954-924-3571
Narcan Needs to be Legal to Anyone who can Save a Life Sometimes in our society we just do not think the best way we can. In this country a person overdoses every 19 minutes. When it comes to heart attacks the doctors came up with the plan known as (MONA). An acronym for (Morphine, Oxygen, Nitro, and Aspirin.) Later the doctors and researchers said lets develop a protocol for anyone to be able to save someone if they were having a heart attack. They came up with Aspirin, Oxygen, and CPR and if it is a sudden heart attack we need to make an AED, (Automated External Defibrillator.) Now many people each year are saved by the tools that were only used in a local emergency room. From experience at the shelter I have worked about 30 heart attacks where we did CPR or used the AED and you know what it feels great when you save that person. Aspirin has saved many here as well. On the subject of overdoses we have saved many people as well but many more could have been saved if we would have used a substance called Narcan. Narcan is a simple drug that is in a needle and if a person overdosed on heroin or a person took too much pain medication and was almost dead, the bystander could give them a shot of Narcan and then they wake up in just a few minutes. Think of an EPI Pen that is used for bee stings and other allergic reactions. Some states passed laws that states Narcan can be passed out to known opiate abusers. Most overdoses occur at home and if Narcan was in the house maybe many moms and dads would not have lost their son or
daughter. Florida is still dragging their feet on allowing Narcan to be passed out. Florida has made some steps but is still behind in time. Some states won’t even budge where as other states believe in harm reduction and push for Narcan to be passed out to stop overdoses. Of course Canada is way ahead of the game on their Harm reduction feelings. OK what is Harm Reduction? Instead of defining it let me give you an example. We all know that Aids and Hepatitis is spread in large numbers by drug users who shoot drugs inside dirty needles. Many people thought it was smarter States with naloxone access and drug overdose Good Sam laws to stop the spread of Aids and States with drug overdose Good Sam laws only other diseases by giving away States with naloxone access laws only clean needles. Others would dying. Every state should allow access to Narcan. say that you are encouraging people to use drugs. The smart Come on Florida, get it right. We need to be ahead people would say if we use clean needles we are stopping the of the game and not way behind in years. There is no spread of deadly diseases. The theory is giving away clean excuse. We call our Nation the best nation there is. needles would cause less harm. Yes it is but we fail a lot of the time when it comes to It is time that every State in our nation allows Narcan to be healthcare and the time it takes to get approvals and in used by just about anyone who is trying to help someone form the meantime many people die.
Attacks on homeless worry advocates; safety campaign planned September 8, 2013|By Mike Clary, Sun Sentinel ficer assigned to homeless outreach, said many homeless are Alarmed by the number of homeless people who say reluctant to report crimes. But violence is a constant, “the price they’ve been violently attacked, a coalition of advoof living on the streets,” Downs-Keesling said. cacy groups is planning an education campaign aimed She and Wilby said they know of two homeless women who at improving safety for the thousands of men and were raped in July. women who sleep nightly on South Florida streets. “We don’t hear about attacks because people are afraid of reThe campaign, spearheaded by the county’s Task taliation,” said Lilly Gallardo, director of social services at the Force Fore Ending Homelessness, will include tips Salvation Army. “But we observe. We see the busted lips, the on the safest types of places bruises, the women who are black and to sleep, how to safeguard blue. There is a lot of violence among personal belongings and a the homeless themselves.” Those who do want to quit the plea for more cooperation The task force’s survey, designed by among area homeless, said the streets and enter a rehabilitation or the Boston’s Healthcare for the Homegroup’s CEO Lorraine Wilby. less organization, was intended to Between March and June job training program often have to identify those most at risk of dying if this year, the task force contheir living conditions go unchanged. wait ducted a survey of 250 homeBut getting even the most vulnerless in Broward that found able off the street is not simple. Many 44 percent of women and 34 don’t want to live in a shelter or in percent of men reported being the victim of a violent subsidized housing, even when space is available, according attack since taking up life on the streets. to experts. Those who do want to quit the streets and enter a “I have heard more reports of assaults in the last six rehabilitation or job training program often have to wait. months than I ever have,” said Wilby, who has spent “We have a waiting list of 34 women waiting to get into the 10 years directing the homeless into shelters and rehaHAC (the three Homeless Assistance Centers in Broward), and bilitation programs. “These are not beatings for beatit’s taking five to seven weeks to get someone off the streets,” ings sake, but for robbery of cell phones, medications Wilby said. and food stamp cards.” Janet Montague, 50, said she has been assaulted four times in Too often, said Wilby, “homeless folks don’t help the past few years, including the most recent incident in June each other out when they hear something going on. when she was punched in the face while walking down a HolThere needs to be more camaraderie.” lywood street in the late afternoon. Knocked down, her two Despite the survey, statistics are hard to come by. assailants made off with a bag containing all she owned, inSandi Downs-Keesling, a Fort Lauderdale police ofcluding her identification, medicines and cellphone, she said.
“Doctors told me my jaw was not broken, but it still doesn’t move right,” said Montague, who is trying to get into a rehab program. Montague said she drifted into homelessness after a divorce and now struggles with depression. She said she understands the wisdom of homeless people protecting one another. But among people who are poor and desperate, trust is often betrayed. “On the street, you hope there is one person who has your back,” Montague said. “But you learn that even that person will steal from you.” James Jessmon, 28, who said he has been homeless off and on the past three years, said he has been beaten and robbed several times. Although he now has a restaurant job, he has no permanent place to stay, he said. When he can get a bed at a shelter — the Salvation Army, for example — he takes it; if not, he sleeps behind bushes or in an abandoned house, he said. “I’m afraid most of the time,” said Jessmon, a native of Puerto Rico. “But you can’t show it. I’m a sheep, but I have to play the wolf to survive.” Among organizations in the coalition are the Salvation Army of Broward County, Operation Sacred Trust, Broward Health’s Health Care for the Homeless, Broward 211, Women in Distress of Broward County, Henderson Behavioral Health and Broward House, Wilby said. The coalition will meet again Thursday to map out details of the education plan. For information, the task force can be reached at 954-525-3494.
Our Purpose: To Help the Homeless Learn How to Help Themselves
The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
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Addias Eugene Alena Kalisnikow Amparo Penuela Angel Porras Angela Martinez Awake Inc. Barbara DeSanto Barbara Robinson Basil & Sonja Gonsalves Bill & Laura Fash Bobbie Given Charles & Tracy Rice Christopher Caswell Cypress Trace Security, Inc. Dalal Almeida
~Monthly Angels~
Daniel Guevara David Paradise David Summers Donna Galloway Donna Jesudowich Eduardo Bovea Eileen Rapp Ellen Heron Erica Johnson Euridice Losada Eva & George Gorzkowski Evelyn Correa Evelyn Giarnella Evelyn Salerno Geoffrey & Jennie Falbey Gerard Moraly Greentree Financial Group Heather Uccellini Isabel Rosenthal
Jack & Anna Hadley Jacob Slebodnik Jacqueline Levine Jaime Alustiza James & Bonnie Jean Lide John Dinielli John & Linda Evans John Rahael Jonathan Fernandez Jorge Herrera Jorge Sanchez Joseph Maiuro Juan Isasi Juan & Antonieta Bofill Judith Temple Judith Tozzi Julio Fernandez Karen Povlock Laina Lamb
Lois Cross Maria Ortega Maria’s Birthday Wishes for The Homeless Mark Duske Mark Targett Mary Parish Messan Benissan Michael Prokop Miguel & Mariana Mujica Mindful Music Movement Nicholas David Omar & IElizabeth Miguel Oswaldo aramillo Patrice & George Shurland Paul & Rosalie Pierce Phyllis Bebko Pin Osuji Presbyterian Women In
The Congregation Primrose McKie R K Campbell R T Shankweiler Ralph Hill Ralph Wickham Richard Sczykutowicz Roanne Cobuzio Robert & Ingrid Parnell Rufino Garcia Sahily Castro Sandra Beach Scott Morey Sean Campbell Sean Cononie Shahwata Roy Barman Suzanne & Joe Matsuura Tatiana Da Cunha Temple Aron Hakodesh
Timothy Osborn Tom Thumb Food Stores Inc. Vanneza Romero Village Quick Pick INC. Victor Lanza Virginia Bailey Walton Brown William & Barbara Gentzsch Yasmin Leiva
Thank you for your support Angels! Your support keeps our doors open! This year my wish for a good year is that we all pray for the Lord to send a cure down for all Cancers. Lord we ask you to give wisdom to all cancer researchers and scientists so they can come up with a cure. Lord allow the elected officials to declare war on cancer and make it a goal of the President to rid the earth of all cancer in the next three years. Lord we ask that you heal all people who are dying of cancer. Lord we ask this in Your name and we ask that it happen in the next three years. In Jesus’s name Amen
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Donations are tax deductable & help South Floridas Homeless
3
The COSAC Foundation was originally established in May 1997 to partner with other social service agencies, in the area, that provided help to the homeless population. COSAC also independently feeds the homeless. We have grown into a multifaceted agency that feeds, shelters, and arranges for each homeless person to receive the necessary access to social and noncompulsory religious services to enable a return to a self-reliant lifestyle. And for the small percentage of people incapable of living independent lives, we provide a caring and supportive environment for their long-term residency. Our Vision To end discrimination against the homeless population and to develop such an effective network of services that we greatly reduce the time a person or family emerges out of homelessness back into self-reliance. Come in and visit us today!
If you received this issue of the Homeless Voice in your mailbox please go to pg 4 We have an Emergency!
Homeless Voice Newspaper Staff Publisher Sean Cononie Editor in Chief Mark Targett
~ Cathy’s Prayer List ~ *Josh Wynn *Bianca * James * Lois * Robert Tansey * Veronica & John * Carmen Cononie * Mary Summers * Cassandra Wilson * Charlene Duarte * Rusty Columbo * Devon Bailey & Family * Maria Dragon * Vemonda Lane & Family * Charlie
Executive Editor
* Mr. Mike * Tiffany * Dvora * Ed Giampietro * Kristan David Perez * Tommy & Joe * Geralyn * Little Ryan * Earnest Bowens & Family
Sara Targett Contributing Editor Lois Cross www.HomelessVoice.org/contact
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The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
About the COSAC Foundation
The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
4
We have an Emergency!
Dear Homeless Voice Readers: We are the small non-profit that runs the #1 emergency and response shelter in South Florida. We serve, house, and care for 500 homeless every day, and have costs like any other business: water, power, rent, programs, staff and legal help. The Homeless Voice is extremely effective. It is a place where anyone in need will get help. It is a safe place for people to go when they have nowhere else to turn. We take no government funds. We run on donations averaging about 33 cents. If everyone reading this paper gave the price of a cup of coffee, our fundraising would be done. If helping people is important to you as it is important for us, take one minute to go online to www.hvoice.org and become a monthly angel. $15 per month is what we need from You. Please help us forget fundraising and get back to Serving the Homeless. Thank you. Please visit: www.hvoice.org/member
We Have Been Removed From The Streets... For any new readers to our paper, I’d like to explain a little on how we support ourselves. We run on 100 % generosity of our readers. We are not funded through the government and depend solely on the communities we serve. Distributing the free Homeless Voice newspaper has been our way over the last ten years to collect donations while providing a job and money to the transients of South Florida. By not accepting government funding we are able to accept people of every age, race, criminal and mental background with no limitations on how long they can stay or how much we can help them. It is very important for us to bring the news to you as well so we can reduce the number of homeless people in the community. The more people who read our newspaper, the more we can educate and then help fix the problem of homelessness. However we are in serious danger of losing that freedom. More and more cities are taking our vending rights away while sending more people to our shelters. Our supplies are running low and our bills are piling up. If you have received this free issue in your mailbox, thank you for taking the time to read about us and the people who live here. We are a full service shelter and offer three meals a day, a bed to sleep in and the opportunity for counseling and assistance in applying for benefits and jobs. We offer much more and when the opportunity allows we often provide emergency assistance and aid in the surrounding area.We are in desperate need of people who can donate every month. We love vistors to come by and see what we are all about.
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On Spirituality... Sword of Prayer
5 The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
Isn’t it amazing that the birth of one small boy could have so much impact on the world? There has never been a birth in all of history that has brought about so much joy and so much sorrow. Jesus is the prince of peace, but not without cost. Patriots will tell us that freedom is not free, lives will be sacrificed to defend our borders and interests abroad, and while I personally detest war, I’ve spent my whole life living in the freest nation in the world because we fought them. Jesus said he did not come to bring peace but division. Aligning ourselves with Him was going to mean setting ourselves apart from the crowd. It meant we would have to make sacrifices for our beliefs, not by waging war in the traditional sense but by the sword of prayer. The sword of prayer is the weapon we use to combat the ills of our society. The sword of prayer is where the power of God is made manifest in our world today. There are Benedictine monks and other religious orders of men and women who devote their entire day to prayer. It may begin at 3 or 4 in the morning and again at 6am and continue through the day, into the late evening, every day. Their prayer is a mighty sword for peace and justice in our world. They could leave the monastery and work in a soup kitchen, or hospital, or in many places to help the poor but they believe their prayer moves the hand of God. The mighty sword of prayer moving the all mighty hand of God for Gods purpose that we might have a more perfect world. One day I am sure we will know how much better our world is because of the effort and dedication of these holy men and women. How can we ever show our gratitude to that little child born on Christmas morning, the one who taught us to pray Our Father? Peace and blessings, Deacon Bob
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FDA moves to make generic drugmakers more accountable EDITORS NOTE: Periodically at times I write stories about things that may make you homeless. In the below story written by another reporter, he states that a woman became very sick because of a side effect of a generic medication. If you get sick, you can’t go to work. If you get sick and have no disability benefits, the chance of becoming homeless is great. When you’re poor, or when our health insurance says you must take a generic drug, did it ever occur to you if that generic drug causes a side effect that causes you to become disabled and you can’t work, you cannot go after the generic manufacture? You can’t sue them for your damages. You can only sue the brand name drug companies. However you can’t do that if you’re not taking the brand name. Please read the below story and just look how sad it is when million dollar companies can mess you up and you can’t take them to court.
Jeff Rossen and Avni Patel TODAY
Viola Purcell can’t even drink a bottle of water without choking. She twitches uncontrollably and has trouble breathing and eating. She says it all started after her doctor prescribed a generic drug for acid reflux. “I was a happy person and I liked to smile, and I can’t smile now,” she said, breaking into tears. “There’s no smile in there.” She took the prescription drug, metoclopramide, for more than five years, thinking it was safe. “The doctor told me that ‘this is going to make you feel better,’” Purcell said. “But it didn’t; it only got worse.” She stopped taking the drug in 2009 after the FDA issued a warning that long-term use of metoclopramide can cause a neurological disorder called tardive dyskinesia, the same condition Purcell now suffers from. So she tried to sue the drugmakers, saying the warning label for her pills was “misleading” and “inadequate”. But the court threw out her case based on a 2011 Supreme Court ruling. In a 5-4 decision, the justices found generic drugmakers can’t be sued because, under current FDA rules, only name-brand drugmakers are responsible for safety warnings. Generics are required to copy the label from the name brand and have
Pharmaceutical Association: no control over what’s on it, so as a result, they can’t be held “Patient safety is the foremost concern for manufacliable. turers of generic medicines, which is why both brand “If you take a brand-name drug, you still have your rights to and generic companies comply with federal law and go to court and hold them accountable,” said Purcell’s attorney, strict FDA labeling rules and regulations. Larry Jones. “If you take a generic drug, you have no rights. To avoid confusion for patients and their doctors and And most people don’t realize that.” pharmacists, generics manufacturers are required by But a new FDA proposal could change that in the future. On law to have the exact same label as the brand or ReferFriday the agency announced a proposed rule that would alenced Listed Drug. Providing identical language that low generic drugmakers to update labels with new information, includes uniform safety information assures practitiojust like brand manufacturers, and potentially open them up to ners that they are receiving consistent labeling they liability. The proposed rule comes more than two years after can rely on when prescribing medicines for patients. the watchdog group Public Citizen first petitioned the FDA to This underscores a critical point — once generic close what it called a dangerous safety gap. medicines pass through extensive FDA review, and “Ultimately, we believe that the generic companies need to be they are proven scientifically equal to the brand medithe ones who are primarily responsible for ensuring the safety cine in terms of safety, efficacy and quality, they are of their products,” said Dr. Michael Carome of Public Citizen. approved by the FDA and required by law to have the “Right now, no one’s doing it adequately.” identical label. With more than 80 percent of the prescriptions in the U.S. Multiple, different versions of critical data would filled with generic drugs, the FDA said it is important for gelead to unnecessary confusion and uncertainty for neric manufacturers to be actively involved in making sure prescribers, with potentially harmful consequences drug labels are up-to-date and accurate. for patients. Indeed, the Supreme Court has repeated“This proposal will help ensure that health-care professionly held that generic manufacturers must duplicate the als and consumers have access to the latest safety information language on brand labels and cannot make changes to for medications they use,” said Janet Woodcock, M.D., director a label without FDA approval. of the FDA’S Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a As the FDA considers a rule change for labeling, our statement. member companies support the rational communicaThe Generic Pharmaceutical Association told us “patient tion of important safety information to health care safety is the foremost concern” and that their products are just practitioners. While it is premature to discuss what as safe as name brands, and that a change in rules would create these changes may be, it is important to note that the “unnecessary confusion” and “could drive up costs.” impact of such a change could In Purcell’s case, the drugmaker said it create chaos if multiple sponsors provided a detailed warning about the possible risks of tardive dyskinesia going back “I was a happy person and I liked for the same product are expectto 1985, with the same language as the to smile, and I can’t smile now,” ed to distribute revised labeling to reflect new safety information. brand-name drug. she said, breaking into tears. Generics currently make up But Purcell says that wasn’t enough to 84% of prescriptions dispensed protect her. Her condition is irreversible “There’s no smile in there.” in the United States and save the and she’s still unable to have her day in health care system $200 billion court even if the FDA rule goes into effect. annually. In a time when the public and private sectors “I don’t want anybody else to have to go through this,” she are seeking out health savings, regulatory changes said. “It’s just not right.” that could drive up costs should be approached very The proposed change will now go through a public comment carefully. period before it can be finalized. The FDA also announced that The generic pharmaceutical industry continues to it plans to create a new web page where safety-related changes work with the FDA and other stakeholders to make proposed by all manufacturers would be made available. sure that any changes to labeling rules and regulations Of course, when your doctor writes you a prescription, be sure align with federal laws, protect patient safety, and do to ask about all the side effects. And when you pick it up from not hinder patient access to more affordable generic the pharmacy, find out if it’s the name brand or a generic. medicines.” Statement from Ralph G. Neas, president and CEO, Generic
Happy Holidays!
7
I look at these
What Sean Would Like for Christmas
faces, these are
faces of homeless people who I
love and who I
have made part What do I want for Christmas? Believe me, there is a long list of things but let’s just for the minute focus on the shelter. Don’t worry; there will be many presents I want. Anyone who has followed us over the years knows I am a person who will go to court if necessary to protect the rights of this shelter and the people we serve. We not only had to fight to stay in the city of Hollywood, but we had to go to court for the judge to finally say, Hollywood you lost and COSAC you are a homeless shelter and you don’t have to move. Then of course we have fought many cities on the right to sell our paper on the street corners. These politicians have some nerve; they send their homeless to us in Hollywood and expect us to pay the price because they made laws to outlaw us from selling our Homeless Voice to make money to pay for the homeless. Not only did they make laws and claimed it was about safety, when we all knew it was not. The same laws that outlawed us from selling the paper protected them so they could hold signs up at the same corners
asking people to vote for them. That case went to court and the judge said it was unsafe to sell a paper but she said it was safe to hold a sign at the same corner. I just do not get it. We are not done with that case as of yet. So getting back to what I want for Christmas is for me to still have the spunk to fight for the rights of the poor. I look at these faces, these are faces of homeless people who I love and who I have made part of my family. These are the same faces that I need to protect and no city is going to bring us down. If we lose every street corner it is I who will work even harder to keep us open. So now you have learned that I still need the spunk to fight so how do I get the spunk? It is simple; for this Christmas my gift from you would be that you pray for me and my staff. Some of these people have been here for 15 years and this is their home. I can’t believe there are actual elected officials that have no idea of this impact on a shelter system we have created. How do I take care of their homeless that they drop off here when they make laws that stop us from selling the Homeless Voice newspaper which then takes away our funds to serve their homeless? If you looked at the history of what
has happened in the shelter system in Broward and even parts of Dade you would see that the public funded shelters won’t take in a person that is not functional. Now let’s remember there are reasons why people become homeless and the main reason is they are just not functional because of underlying issues we call barriers. Let me explain it like this. A person who suffers from seizures does not make them homeless. What makes them homeless is that because a person has seizures they can’t stay employed which
causes them to be poor which then causes them to be homeless. After they have their seizures they appear to be impaired because of a postictal state of confusion and being sluggish and people, family members, bosses and even doctors sometimes misdiagnose a person and accuse them of being on drugs. Where does a person like this go for shelter? They come here to our shelter and they become the next present God has given us. It is a present to us because we say we want these types of people because no one
else wants to house them. There are two shelter systems in South Florida, the first being the funded and public system and then the system created by people who think outside the box like the Homeless Voice. If you looked at Browards’ system you would see that it was just the Salvation Army and us that did the job of the government for many years. Then the government came up with their shelter system and this system was a flop for many years. They did a great job for functional homeless people but still the chronic homeless were left in the streets. How could our leaders open up a shelter system they knew would never work for the chronic homeless when they knew the majority of the homeless were dysfunctional and could never get a job and for sure they would not be able to follow the rules of a public funded shelter? What were they thinking? For years their systems took one person to the 12 people we took in for the week. Because their rules were so strict there were times that there were hundreds in the streets and the government shelters had half their beds empty. Basically your tax dollars were paying for empty beds when there were scores of homeless still in the streets.
Until We Meet Again...
The first four pictures are of James’ life before the shelter-happy times with his son and sailing. The last is of his days at the shelter. There are some people that end up here and we never get the whole picture of what landed them to our doors. You find them interesting by their vocabulary. You end up asking yourself, what happened to this person’s life that got them to become homeless? These are the same people you fall in love with and no matter how bad their life skills
are going and even when they get to the point of just maybe needing a nursing home but you never get them there because you know they will fall deeper and deeper and die faster. So you just end up taking care of them as if they were family. My friend James was a man like the above. As he got older and his illness got worse he would sometimes stop
me and say, “Robert it is a shame they killed your brother Jack like they did, he was a good president.” I became Robert Kennedy to him. I did not find out why until I spoke to his son. James was a big time Kennedy Assassination expert. He even was asked by Larry Flint to write a story about the conspiracy. He even came to South Florida to interview some people for the Cuban connection to the Presidents death. Wow, this man- a homeless man was more than met the eyes. After working 7 days a week most of the time of about 18 to 20 hours a day for over 17 years I have seen many families that did not ever want to be a part of their loved ones life. Only a handful have come to their funeral services and even some would say, why are you calling me to tell me my son has died? I don’t really care. However when it came to James, his family stayed in touch with us over the years. I was James health care surrogate; this meant I made the choices for James on any medical treatment. However I stilled stayed in
touch with his son to let him know the condition of his dad and told him my game plan. James was very proud of his son who served in the Coast Guard and often he would brag and say things that a proud parent would say about their children who served and it was always nice to hear James say those comments. James was a flirt and no matter how much he aged, he always wanted a pretty girl by his side. He would continue to sneak his sugar each and every day and yes we had to make that famous page
of my family.
These are the same faces that I need to
protect and no city is going to bring us down.
(Continued on pg 8)
over the PA system when James got up from his frequent naps saying, “Time for Mr. Dessert to go Home.” The staff knew James was up and it was time to hide the muffins, cake and pie that we left down stairs most of the day for our clients to enjoy. Our dear friend James died in mid November. Many of the people who loved him came up to the office crying after I made the page over the PA system asking for the others to say some prayers for his soul. I ended the announcement with a prayer asking God to forgive James for his sins. When most of the world thinks homeless people are bums
I am here to say, how could that be true? They are just people like the rest of us who have some issues like the rest of us. They cry, they take care of others, they mourn and they love. James was someone, and the people who mourned his death are somebody as well and they are not bums. I’ll go one step further, these same homeless people would go and visit James when he was in the hospital just to talk to him and give him some hope and prayers. James you are in Heaven now and you finally found out who killed Kennedy. God Bless you and keep an eye on us from above. Love Sean
The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
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The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
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What Sean Would Like for Christmas (Continued from pg 7)
When we take a person who can’t work, can’t pay, can’t get disability because we can’t get them to understand they need to follow up with the social security appointments, they have become my Christmas Present. They now have become part of a family that we call Mother Theresa Population. When we take a person that the government shelters turn away they too have become an early Christmas present for me. It is like the night Mother Mary and Joseph were looking for a place to have their little baby “Jesus.” They went from place to place when finally a nice man said you can stay out there with the animals. There was no room at any of the inns and suddenly a miracle happened and they were given a place to stay. They too were homeless but this man made it his business to open up a shelter that took them in and now we have a little Baby who is the Savior of the world. The number one reason why homeless cannot be cured is because 90 percent of the homeless shelters in America only get funding for short term beds. The county beds of Broward and Dade only offer shelter beds for short periods, and when your time is done they say “get out.” There are only a handful of shelters in America that say if you will always be homeless then you can stay here. These are the same people that I consider to be part of my family. You can’t help but to fall in love with them and their little cute personalities. These are the people that the county has forgotten about, these are the people that the president has forgotten about, but these are not the people that you the supporters have forgotten about. Because you did not forget about them. In fact you remembered them all year long by giving me my Christmas presents thought-out the year. Your donations have been gifts from the heart, and I thank you for these gifts. Actually you have given me two gifts, the first being the actual person and the second is the funds to take care of them. So let me say right now… “THANK YOU!” What could be a future gift? This is where you come in once again. We need you to help us come
so I do not have to continue to work the seven days up with funds where we are short because of the cities remova week at those 18 to 20 hours a day. I need a rest ing our paper from the streets. I have said this over the years my friends, I am getting very tired. but I need to stress it more and more in the Now if we took it one step further I next 12 months. About 80,000 to 100,000 people a month buy our paper each month. These are the people that the would ask for this small little presThere are about another 400,000 people who county has forgotten about, but ent that would end up being a very large present. If you took my plea just give us money in the buckets and say these are not the people that you to your friends and families and they already got their paper. These figures they also gave a little present each have forgotten about have declined over the last few years bemonth, what would this amount cause we are not on the same streets. Here to? More shelters, more space and we go… We need your checks once a month more programs for the poor of our community. so we can plan our future. If just the 80,000 people made a You can send in your checks to: COSAC pledge of $5 per month we would not only pay our bills but P.O. Box 292-577 we would cover up what we are losing in the streets. Now that Davie Florida 33329 would be a perfect gift because then I could hire some people
Each day at 3pm, say this prayer
Anna Pan
A Boston homeless man is feeling the admiration of almost 3,000 strangers who have donated money to him after he handed in a backpack that he found containing over $40,000 in cash and travelers checks. The Good Samaritan’s cause has raised more than $72,287 since Monday — nearly double what the backpack’s contents were worth. Glen James found the black backpack with $2,400 in cash, $39,500 in travelers’ checks and a passport at the South Bay Mall in Dorchester on Saturday evening. He promptly reported it to police. Officers then returned the bag to the owner, a student visiting from China, and Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis presented a special citation to James for his “extraordinary show of character and honesty.” That touched off a campaign to benefit James. “When I saw an update on the article that mentioned the [student] received his bag back and didn’t mention anything about what James got besides a plaque, I thought, ‘Is a plaque really gonna benefit a guy like that?’” said Ethan Whittington, the person who organized the fundraiser. “I heard about GoFundMe, Tweeted it out to my five followers on Twitter,” said Whittington, who was then inundated with donations. “It says a lot about Boston, the way everyone responded to that thing.” “Let’s all chip in and help this man change his life. Every little donation helps,” Whittington wrote on the fundraising website. “Let’s be reassured that there is still hope and humanity in our great nation.” Many people have contacted Whittington about do-
Donating Time vs. Donating Money Staff Writer
nating computers to James or helping him find a job. “A dental association even said they’d provide him dental care for the rest of his life,” he said. “He has my cell phone number. I told him he can call me anytime he needs anything.” Whittington said James was ecstatic about the outpouring of good will and has opened a bank account in the past couple days. “He is the one who deserves to be thanked,” Whittington said.
Looking for organized, energetic volunteers For more details please go online. Sign up at hvoice. org/volunteer
In terms of the homeless problem of today, there is really no wrong way to help and assist. Any help is beneficial and wonderfully amazing for the community in general. It has long been debated on what is better, giving money to the homeless or giving your time to the homeless. And, the answer still remains that both are important in their own way. Giving money to the homeless will provide them with clothing, education, food, and shelter. It will take care of the homeless in more ways than you even realize and the more money that is given, the more services and help can be provided. But, giving money is not the only way to help. You and your friends and family can also give your time to the homeless. Giving time can be just as valuable as giving money. Volunteers are able to feed the homeless, work on projects that will benefit the homeless and overall, be there as a support and anchor when times get tough. During the holidays, many people love to feed the homeless and assist with meals. Many people look past the homeless and don’t find it their duty to help with their time or their money. The reality is that we are all different and we are entitled to do as we please. You as an individual don’t have to sit back and do nothing. If you feel a plight or just a feeling of love, then give to the homeless, be it money or your time. It will help in more ways than you even know and you will be providing an inkling of hope to so many and to yourself.
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9 The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
Homeless Man Will Receive Over $72,000 After Being Good Samaritan
The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
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Be happy for who you are, God made you that way. Thanksgiving, Hanukah, Christmas, Give thanks every day. The year is coming to an end, Have an awesome day! Love the Lord with all your heart, He will show you the way! ~Lily Targett, 10
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The Homeless Voice Nov.-Dec. 2013
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