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
www.homelessvoice.org
COSAC Foundation | PO Box 292-577 Davie, FL 33329 | 954-924-3571
The National Coalition for the Homeless dedicates this report to the thousands of homeless men, women and children
Florida Ranked #1 Most Dangerous State
whose lives were changed by violence and hatred. To those who have died,
15 reported Violent Acts
may they rest in peace. To those who continue to live
committed against the Homeless including:
among us, may their wounds begin to heal
-3 Murders
and their pains lessen.
-1 Police brutality -3 Assaults with a deadly weapon
And may we, as a nation,
-4 Beatings
work toward rejecting hatred and eradicating
-2 Multi Media Exploitations
The Senseless Violence.
The NCH Hate Crimes Report: Sean Cononie
Attacks on the homeless seem to increase or even in some cases they seem to maybe decrease a little as we go from year to year on these annual reports done out of Washington DC. What we do know is that the incidents are severely under reported by the police and the victims. The homeless may have minor warrants for cases of open containers or trespassing cases where they did not get their court date because they have no address so they may not call the police even when they were beat up pretty bad. Even when someone else calls the police for the person beat up the homeless person may say I am not making a police report because of the warrant. Not cutting down the police but in some of these cases it becomes almost impossible to prosecute because the homeless person is intoxicated and they don’t make good witnesses. The same goes for the other witnesses who may be homeless and have a warrant and say they did not see anything or maybe they are so intoxicated where it is hard to get the truth out of them. I have seen this first hand. Talk about under reporting, the police are not required to keep track or report acts of violence when the homeless are attacked like other protected classes of people who are protected under the federal hate crimes statue. I am not saying that all attacks on the homeless are the attackers fault because in some cases
Note from the Editor
“the NCH report on attacks and murders on homeless people does not count homeless on homeless or other incidents where a homeless person might have started the incident” the homeless do start it and we may soon see some “Stand your ground” cases in Florida. As you all know by now South Florida is the most dangerous area in the country for a homeless person to live on the streets. There are no doors, windows or alarms protecting them from the bad guys. That alone makes them a target. This month we have seen six attacks and two of them resulting in murder. We don’t know what really happened as of yet on the case of Scott Shorkey. All I know is that after he got stabbed at the bus bench he ran into our shelter a block away and I tried to work on him but it was too late. It looked like he was stabbed in the heart. He died in just a few minutes. The other two gentlemen that were with Scott suffered injuries. One is still in ICU and the other man’s injuries were not too severe. Then we had Lacy Michelle Woolridge who was killed and her body was found in Dania. This time there is a suspect. Raul Armando Serrano, 28, was charged with first-degree murder after the woman’s body was discovered on the 3100 Block of State Road 84, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office. Over the years homeless people have become the focus of a
few serial killers. In this case the authorities are looking at the subject to see if he has killed or attacked any other person on his travels as a truck driver. The other two attacks are smaller cases. It is always hard to tell what happened and it is way too early on the case of Scott Shorkey but soon we shall see if they catch the bad guy. Bottom line is living on the streets is very dangerous. Deaths and attacks happen between kids who are not homeless and the homeless where the teens hunt the homeless as a sport where they viciously attack the homeless person that ends up becoming a murder. Then we have homeless on homeless deaths, these are fights between homeless people that usually start off as a little incident and then something goes wrong and ends up resulting in a murder. Then you have the drunken homeless person who may be so drunk or even a mental health consumer who says something rude or threatening to a passerby and that passerby responds with force and then that force turns into murder all by accident. It is important to understand that the report on attacks and murders on homeless people done by the National Coalition for The Homeless does not count homeless on homeless or other incidents where a homeless person might have started the incident. Turn to pg 6 for more on the NCH report
Our Purpose: To Help the Homeless Learn How to Help Themselves
The Homeless Voice January 2014
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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 Coco Mindreau Corinna FrankSanchez Cypress Trace
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Thank you for your support Angels! Your support keeps our doors open! 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
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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 or anyone in need of food. The COSAC Foundation opened it’s first homeless shelter in 1999 and named it COSAC Quarters (the shelter money was raised by spare change). 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 is 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.
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
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The Homeless Voice January 2014
About the COSAC Foundation
The Homeless Voice January 2014
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We have an Emergency!
Missing Andrea Dear Sean Cononie, Staff & Residents, You may or may not remember me as the lady who used to bring in toiletry bags with soap, shampoo, toothpaste, etc. Haven’t been doing that for the past few years but my husband and I have been to the Hollywood residence to bring in coffee and whatever we can from time to time. We admire your dedication to the unfortunate and the homeless and pray for your continued success. Thank you for all you do. We enjoy your publication & always buy from vendors. Enclosed is a poem written by our daughter Andrea. She was bi-polar and a very troubled individual who was homeless in the end. She wandered Hollywood and we kept after her to go to you for help but she resisted. She is now deceased. Died much too young from an “accidental overdose.” You may consider publishing the poem in the “Homeless Voice” as Andrea had written it with that intention. She had some artistic talent and has books of her writings. Therapy I suppose. Unfortunately she also tried self-medicating to ease her troubled mind. It’s taken me over 2 years to finally send this off to you. Her death was a tragic event in our lives I doubt we will ever fully recover. Missing Andrea, Sandra & Ernie Loving is the art of caring Caring is art of sharing Sharing is the art of living Living is the art of loving Live, share your loving care with the needy by your contributions to the COSAC
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Homeless Voice Shelter 1203 N. Federal Highway, Hollywood FL Register Online hvoice.org/poetry
Come join us at COSAC Quarters Homeless Shelter for a night of spoken word, poetry, musicians, and “other” performers... all coming together to talk about homelessness, addiction, recovery, hardships, pain, loss and the need for community. If you would like to participate by sharing your talent... Spoken word, music, comedy, storytelling, other...please contact Sabrina Diz
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5
Homeless helping clean up Daytona in exchange for food, shelter A new program in Volusia County is empowering the homeless and cleaning up Daytona Beach at the same time. Those who participate get a free place to stay and warm meals in exchange for their time cleaning up the area. Edna Hirsh lost her job three years ago and went of food stamps and unemployment, but the help ran out and she was forced to live on the street. Now, Hirsh and others are working in the very same area they once called home. It’s a program that has been set up to help the homeless get back on their feet and keep Daytona clean in the process. “Part of the program is get up in the And when those who participate aren’t pickmorning and help clean up the streets,” ing up trash, they’re busy searching for jobs. said Hirsh. “I go to Goodwill every day and hopefully “People would come down, get ha- one day it will pan out,” said Hirsh. rassed by homeless and “Once they get a job, they’re panhandlers,” said An- Those who participate required to put 85 percent of thony Deobil, director the money away and we will of social services at the get a free place to stay then help them with their rent and warm meals in to help them get a place,” said Salvation Army. The program is called exchange for their time Deobil. “This whole location, the Streets Team of cleaning up the area. streets, years ago were very downtown Daytona dangerous.” Beach. It’s now an area of Daytona “This is a joint efthat officials are trying to bring back to life fort by the Salvation Army, the city while helping others get their own lives back. of Daytona and federal grant money,” The program has had such success that fundsaid Deobil. ing was just approved to add a fourth team in “The streets are cleaner than before,” the coming weeks. said Hirsh.
The Homeless Voice January 2014
Peace and blessings to all on this new year, wishing you joy and all good from the spirituality corner of the homeless voice. Deacon Bob
~
The Homeless Voice has reduced the rate of chronic homelessness for almost 20 years.
We do not rely on the government to help us. We rely on you to help make a difference. ~
Senseless Violence: 2012 National Coalition for the Homeless Report Stabbed homeless man ran to shelter for help before dying, officials say
ME WA
By Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel
VT
ND
MT
MN
NH
OR
WI
SD
ID
NY MI
RI
WY
PA
IA
NE
CA
UT
MD DC
OH IN
IL NV
WV
CO
MA CT
KS
MO
NJ DE
VA
KY NC TN
OK AZ
NM
AR
SC
MS
AL
GA
TX
15 + Violent Acts 5-9
LA
2-4
FL
1 No Incidents Reported
AK
HI
Florida 15 California 7 Pennsylvania 6 Oregon 5 Tennessee 5 Texas 5 Virginia 4 Washington 4 Arizona 3 Arkansas 3 Illinois 3
Louisiana 3 Michigan 3 Puerto Rico 3 Coloroda 2 Washington DC 2 Iowa 2 Massachusetts 2 Minnesota 2 New York 2 Ohio 2 South Dakota 2
Indiana 1 Missouri 1 Montana 1 North Carolina 1 South Carolina 1 Wisconsin 1 No Incidents Reported
79% of the perpetrators were below thirty years old. This year, the youngest known perpetrator was thirteen years old. Purpose Statement
Florida Attacks on the Homeless
The main objective of this report is to educate lawmakers, advocates and the general public about the problem of hate crimes and violence against homeless people in order to bring about change and ensure protection of civil rights for everyone, regardless of their economic circumstances or housing status. As part of its mission, the NCH is committed to creating the systemic and attitudinal changes necessary to end homelessness. A major component of these changes must include the societal guarantee of safety and protection, as well as a commitment by lawmakers to combat hate crimes and violent acts against people who experience homelessness.
Deerfield Beach, Florida Man confesses to murder Dec. 1: John Stabile, 23, reported the murder he had committed minutes afterward. While he did not have any ties to the victim, Stabile admits he had been thinking about killing the stranger for a few weeks. The victim was a 43-year-old man. Stabile has admitted fully to the murder and awaits sentencing. Hallandale Beach, Florida Teens murder homeless man Dec. 12: Two teenagers, ages 14 and 17, have been charged with the murder of a homeless man, age 40. The teenagers sought out a prostitute and asked the homeless man to set up the exchange. The prostitute did not think the boys had enough cash so she denied them. The homeless man then demanded the fee they promised him. What began as an argument soon became physical. One teen choked the older man while the other punched, kicked, and stabbed him with a pen. The teenagers have been charged with murder in the second degree.
Sarasota, Florida Police Officials are under Investigation Oct. 6: Sarasota police officer Derrick Gilbert was caught on tape slamming a homeless man into a wall. The victim’s head was split open and prompted a trip to the hospital. Afterwards, Gilbert, as well as the police department, underwent an investigation for causing serious injuries while arresting a homeless individuals and cultivating a new attitude towards homeless individuals. There is documented evidence police officer sending text messages stating: “I am bum hunting,” “I should dress like one,” and refer to themselves as “bum hunters.” Since then, the new police commissioner has vowed to make the treatment of homeless persons a priority. Miami, Florida Miami Reality Star’s Son Could Face Charges of Battery on a Homeless Person Oct. 2: The son of Real Housewives of Miami star Alexia Echevarria, Peter Rosello, attacked an unsuspecting homeless man. Rosello, 25, posted a video to his Facebook page
and his YouTube account the depicted him walking up to a homeless man, taunting him, and then punching him in the genitals and running away. Within days of the video being posted, it was removed from his social networking accounts. However, TMZ had already passed the video along to the Miami-Dade Police, who positively identified Rosello in the video. The victim in the video, Gary Lee Brown, wanted to press charges. Rosello was charged with battery on a homeless person, a third degree felony in Florida, and turned himself in. He bonded out of jail the same day and agreed to a deal that will seal his record if he agrees to complete a firsttime offenders’ program. Vero Beach, Florida Paying for free hits Dec. 12: Nicholas Marr and William Gregory were placed under arrest after a friend had reported the gentlemen after viewing the video they posted on their social network Facebook page. The video was of the two gentlemen hitting a homeless male in the face after paying him twenty dollars for letting them do it.
A homeless man stabbed during a nighttime dispute ran to a nearby shelter for help but still died from his injuries, officials say. The victim was identified Sunday by police as Scott Anthony Shorkey, 43. He had no fixed addresss. Now, police detectives are investigating, hoping to retrieve surveillance videos from nearby businesses to help solve the slaying, Police Chief Frank Fernandez said Saturday. “We had three homeless individuals who were intoxicated sitting at a bus bench,” Fernandez said. “They had a verbal dispute with other subjects. We don’t know how many.” The argument escalated into a fight Friday, resulting in the man’s stabbing near a bus bench along Hollywood’s Federal Highway, Fernandez said. It was unclear Saturday what sparked the argument, Fernandez said. Sean Cononie, who runs the Homeless Voice shelter at 1203 N. Federal Highway, said the man collapsed outside the shelter at “As hard as he tried, he could not get the demons off about 11:20 p.m. his back,” said his sister, Sheli Peplinski, of Bay City, Shorkey was given CPR and taken to the hospital by Hollywood Mich. “But he was a wonderful person.” paramedics. Shorkey and two companions got into a fight with “I turned him over,” Cononie said. “He had a knife wound on the others who encountered them on North Federal Highleft side of his chest.” way, police said. Shorkey died at Memorial Regional Hospital in Hollywood. Wounded and bleeding, Shorkey was able to make it “I thought he was going to make it,” Cononie said. “It looked to a shelter run by the Homeless Voice at 1203 N. Fedlike he had one laceration on his chest, but I guess it went to his eral Highway, where he collapsed about 11:20 p.m., heart.” said police. Shorkey was sitting on a bus bench in front of Lee’s Bicycle Sean Cononie, who runs the shelter, said Shorkey Shop at 1101 N. Federal Highway when he was attacked, Fernan“was barely conscious with shallow breathing” when dez said. he saw him in the minutes before The death is Hollywood’s 15th homicide this paramedics arrived. He was bleeding year, Fernandez said. That number excludes two “As hard as he tried, he from a wound to his upper chest, said killings that were ruled to have been cases of Cononie. self-defense, he said, adding that, last year, Hol- could not get the demons One of Shorkey’s companions was lywood had seven homicides. off his back, but he was a also injured in the fight and remains Last week, the chief assured commissioners wonderful person.” hospitalized, Hollywood Police Lt. that detectives were working around the clock Osvaldo Perez said Monday. His to tackle crime in Hollywood. “We are looking name and condition were not refor trends and patterns and are increasing our paleased. trols,” Fernandez told the commission. “I share your concern. I Cononie said he knew Shorkey as a regular at the want you to know we are on top of the issue.” shelter and in the neighborhood. “He was a good guy On Saturday, Hollywood Commissioner Peter Hernandez said when he was sober,” he said. “Very clean-cut.” the chief called to brief him on the latest homicide. Hernandez Shorkey came to South Florida about two years ago said the chief told him several of the men involved appeared to to take part in an alcohol treatment program, said Pepbe drunk. linski. “One pulled a knife and stabbed the other guy in the chest,” HerFor a while he worked here in construction, a trade nandez said. “Another fell and hit his head. The man who was he learned with the family business in Michigan, she stabbed was alive when they transported him, and he died at Holsaid. lywood Memorial.” His latest stay in rehab ended just a month and a half If the suspect was homeless at the time of the attack, the slaying ago, said Peplinski. “The day he got out, he chose to would not be classified as a hate crime under state law, Cononie get some alcohol, and that same day he got hit by a said. car,” she said. “It’s important to find out the motive and whether it was a hate Treated for a fractured leg, Shorkey was released crime,” Cononie said. “But there’s a lot of conflict on the street. It from the hospital Friday, hours before he died, Pepwasn’t necessarily a hate crime.” linski said. In addition to his sister, Shorkey leaves his parents, Stabbing victim was ‘wonderful person,’ sister Ron and Dot Shorkey; a son, Qwinn, 22, grandmothsays, despite ‘demons’ of alcoholism er, Bessie Houghteling; brother-in-law, Todd PeplinMike Clary ski; and nieces, Faith and Lexie; all of Michigan. Police continued to hunt Monday for the knife-wielding assailCononie said he will conduct a memorial service for ant who fatally stabbed a homeless man, as the victim’s relatives Shorkey on Saturday at the Homeless Voice. mourned a good man in a long-running battle for sobriety. His remains were to be shipped to Michigan on Scott Shorkey, 43, was attacked late Friday as he and two other Monday. homeless men sat on a bus bench on North Federal Highway, HolVisit Hvoice.org for video footage and updated news lywood police said. on this story.
7 The Homeless Voice January 2014
The Homeless Voice January 2014
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The Homeless Voice January 2014
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Homeless and Unwanted:
The Decrease in Compassion in America tions but the fear the citizens of the community feel of this Homelessness is a problem. Everywhere you walk, disorder. Feldman goes on to argue that urban dwellers should you see a homeless person sleeping on the street, takabandon the desire for “complete control and certainty” in their ing up public space and making the streets of our citcommunity and become more receptive to “disorder, unceries less safe. This is what many people think when tainty, and difference.” He argues that urban planning “should they see a homeless person peacefully sitting on the be oriented toward fostering unplanned encounters between street. strangers to help them overcome their fears of disorder and difEarlier this year, police began arresting homeless ference.” Our fear of the possible crimes that may result from people in Tampa, Florida for sleeping or storing their one homeless person on the street is a reason for real criminals belongings in public spaces of the city. This was in to take advantage of us and make crimes that we later blame on response to claims that the homeless are dangerous the unfortunate homeless on the street, whose only real desire people with drug problems. is to sleep in a warm bed with warm food. With the constant However, most homeless people are far from this exposure to the homeless, residents of the community will be common stereotype. The biggest cause of homelessable to obtain a realistic image of the struggles the homeless ness in the United States is not have to go through every day. drugs but the lack of affordable The homeless were punished for simply housing, with tragic life alterbeing present in the Florida community ...in order to maintain an and trying to keep their belongings someing events, and physical impairments, like depression or un- apartment a renter must make where. Where else are they supposed to treated mental illness, as lesser leave their belongings? Homeless shel$18.79 an hour, “exceeding the ters currently cannot hold the amount known causes. As the gap between the poor $14.32 hourly wage earned by of homeless people in the country. Staand rich gets bigger, people are tistics show that approximately 3.5 milthe average renter.” suffering because they can’t aflion Americans experience homelessford a home. City governments ness every year. Shelters can only house across the country are raising a small fraction of that. So, a great deal the cost of homes, resulting in wealthier individuals of the homeless must find somewhere else to sleep and keep taking over what used to be communities for low intheir belongings. And for those that are given a chance to stay come housing. These individuals displace the original at a homeless shelter most must leave in the morning. Homepeople living there and force them to either move to less shelters often close during the day, forcing the homeless to a community they can afford to live in or live on the carry their belongings everywhere they go. streets, known as gentrification. The National Low So what can be the answer to what many residents around the Income Housing Coalition estimates that in order to country think is a nuisance? We need to regain our compassion maintain an apartment a renter must make $18.79 an for the homeless in order to have a safe environment for all hour, “exceeding the $14.32 hourly wage earned by members of society. the average renter.” After regaining our compassion, we can urge our local leaders So why all the lack of compassion towards our felto lower the cost of housing in this country. We need to create low neighbors that simply want a place to leave their housing that the low income members of the community can possessions? In Leonard C. Feldman’s book, Citizens afford by lowering the rent to what a person working minimum Without Shelter, the author explains that the cause of wage would make. disorder in communities with homeless people is not the presence of those homeless people and their ac-
Truck driver Murdered Homeless Woman in Dania Beach
By Lizzette Delgadillo
By Mike Clary, Sun Sentinel
A 28-year-old truck driver has been charged with premeditated murder in the death of a woman whose body was found Saturday along the side of a road in Dania Beach. Raul Armando Serrano was arrested after detectives with the Broward Sheriff’s Office found inside his truck a bag of clothing, a purse and a cellphone belonging to Lacy Michelle Woolridge, 49, police said. Woolridge’s partially clothed body was discovered Saturday morning in the 3100 block of State Road 84, police said. Her face showed injuries and she appeared to have been dead for some time, police said. Employees of a nearby marina discovered the body as they arrived for work just before 6 a.m. Saturday, according to BSO. Woolridge was identified through fingerprints, and the medical examiner found that she died of a broken neck, according to BSO spokeswoman Keyla Concepcion. Woolridge had recently been released after serving jail time for fraud, said Concepcion. Homicide detectives contacted her parole officer, who provided information that led to Serrano, Concepcion said. Serrano, a truck driver with Prime Incorporated, a trucking company based out of Springfield, Mo., claimed he had picked up four different women in Miami-Dade and Broward the 24 hours prior to his contact with investigators. He claimed not to know Woolridge despite the items linked to her found in his truck, said detectives. Serrano was transported to the BSO Main Jail booked on one count of first-degree murder. Due to the suspect’s line of work, BSO detectives will share the details of this case with state and federal agencies, Concepcion said.
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Senseless Violence: 2012 NCH Conclusion In the past 14 years the National Coalition for the rather than enact poliHomeless (NCH) has documented over 1,328 crimes cies that criminalize committed against homeless people by housed indithe homeless simply viduals. These violent attacks have cost three hundred for existing. Florida and fifty-seven homeless people their lives. did just this when it In this 2012 annual report, NCH has documented 88 chose to adopt legislaviolent attacks against the homeless. Eighteen of these tion that incorporates incidents resulted in death, a significant decrease comthe homeless populapared to the thirty-two lives taken the previous year. tion into its hate crime In fact, 20% of attacks against the homeless resulted law. As a direct result in death in 2012 compared to 30 percent in 2011. This of this legislation, a signals a decrease in the brutality of crimes. decrease in attacks Yet perpetrators are becoming younger in age. This can be seen. year, 79% of perpetrators were under the age of 30. Senseless Violence: More commonly, it is a teenage boy that leads the atA Survey of Hate tack. A teenager is more likely to be caught due to Crimes/ Violence the fact they often document their attacks or do not against the Homeless take measures to eradicate evidence in 2012 report has the main objective of eduthat would lead back to him and/ or cating lawmakers, advocates, and the general his group of friends. In most states, In most states, a teenager public about the problem of hate crimes and a teenager will be tried as an adult if against homeless people. The hope will be tried as an adult... violence the homeless person is in poor conis to instigate change and ensure protecdition or dead. That leads to many that leads to many young tion of civil rights for everyone, regardless young lives in prison that could lives in prison that could of their economic circumstances or housing have been saved with effective edustatus. Although some communities are takhave been saved with ing positive steps toward protecting homecation. Any curriculum that teaches young adults the rights and human less individuals, NCH believes that violence effective education. qualities of a homeless person could against the homeless is a trend that will condecrease the amount to which the tinue to grow unless there is true accounthomeless community is victimized by teenagers and ability for crimes committed, established effective methods of young adults. prevention, and positive action taken by advocates, legislators, In light of these recent trends, it is important that and community members. the government focus on how to prevent such attacks,
Donating Time vs. Donating Money Staff Writer
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. visit hvoice.org/donate on ways to help!
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9 The Homeless Voice January 2014
Thank you Alicia!
The Homeless Voice January 2014
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YOU MUST READ THIS.... IT IS CRITICAL You all have been hearing that we are being telling them if they want us to continue to take the taken off the streets and can’t sell our news- homeless they need to help us. That is not going so paper any longer. The cities said that they good. I have to tell you that any city that takes away care about the vendors and not getting in ac- our funding but still sends their homeless to us is a cidents. They claim it is all about safety but pretty sad thing. The cities claim that we still have when you look at the safety report they used some streets and they did not outlaw every street. to make these laws selling a newspaper on That is correct but the majority of the streets we can the side of the street is the least dangerous do are very slow and in most cases the median can’t behavior compared to all the other types of be walked on because it is slanted. On some of the accidents. In fact riding a bike in the middle corners there is no rest room for a mile or two. The of the community is much more dangerous other corners have no median where you can’t even than selling a newspaper. However the city stand because that violates another law. did not make any laws to protect biker ridWe filed a federal law suit and the judge said there ers, they did not say a bike can’t be driven are other places we can vend our paper. So we lost on the side of street. Crossing the street at the case. So we are hitting those spots such as a a cross walk is more dangerous than selling county park, city halls, or the airports. Those have a newspaper but they have not made cross- been pretty good but we are still way behind in our walks like bridges over certain corners like budgets. The sad part of this is almost every city is they have done in the past because it is way going to pass the same city code. When that haptoo expensive to do that but yet those bridg- pens we may have to close our overnight beds which es save lives. When you compare selling a are the most important beds we have. These are the newspaper to high school sports you will see beds that the city uses. These are the beds that clean that many more kids are hurt or killed than us their city streets of homeless people. We are going selling a newspaper. I’m not saying I would to try everything possible to save these beds. We want them to make sports illegal. In our 17 have to…. If God wants us in business then we canyear history we have never lost a newspa- not break the bank. per vendor do to an accident. Is it dangerWe still have some cities. But this month we lost ous, yes it can be like any other occupation. another two cities. For now we have half the cities They claim it is about safety but when you we use to have. We are getting more check donations get copies of the city commission emails at this time which is allowing us to cover some of that are public record you can see it is not our budget and with the use of our emergency funds about safety it is about not we are holding on but that all stops wanting a homeless person in a few months. Of course we are coming up to their cars. We are going to try everything going to try to continue to distribIt’s about a person not possible to save these beds. We ute the Homeless Voice in any area wanting to be bothered by we can. However it may become have to…. If God wants us in a homeless person. Some too expensive for us to distribute even say it is not the stan- business then we cannot break the paper if we have to drive all the bank. dards of our community. over the place because our corIf they were so concerned ners are all over the place. Plus about the homeless why do we have to keep a driver out there the cites outlaw homeless shelters, feeding all day long for bathroom breaks. That means four the homeless, or arrest them when they are new staff members and four more vans, insurance sleeping on a bus bench? Why would a city and gas. For the places like city hall we would never arrest a person feeding the homeless? be able to get each vendor out in time because we These same cities that outlaw us from sell- have to go to one city hall and then the next then the ing a paper did care about the homeless in a next and we would never be able to do that unless we way … How did they care? They have their bought more vans. We will try using busses and that homeless taken to our homeless shelter and will work but the poor vendor has to add about four expect us to figure out how we can pay for hours to their day. Then we would have to add more all of this. That is correct, these same cities staff to audit and count the sales for the day because that outlaw us from selling a newspaper still of the longer day. take their homeless to our shelter. We have Here is what we need to do. You all have supportbeen still taking the homeless from these cited us throughout the years. Yes we do thank you for ies because it is not the homeless persons also sending in those big checks because that allows fault. We are putting it back to the cities and us more time to convert from street side vending to
If everyone who bought our paper would just send in a check each and every month we would not only stay in business but we would become even bigger and better. monthly pledges. More people are sending in checks now than before. But we need more of you to help us in the mail instead of in the street. If everyone who bought our paper would just send in a check each and every month we would not only stay in business but we would become even bigger and better. I spend most of my day trying to figure out where to get all this money that is needed. The future can be spending time on serving the people we all love. You can still buy your paper when you see us in limited locations or we can even send you a paper in the mail or you can download a free paper online. If this plan works we will make the paper bigger and train some of the vendors to sell advertisement where we can bring in more money and they can keep their jobs. If everyone just sent in $1 a month we would be ok. If some sent in more we would become bigger and some of you may want to become a Monthly Angel where we would be the best there is. The time is critical … we need you now more now than ever. I can’t stress it any other way than how I am saying it…it is critical. How do you send in your monthly donations? COSAC HOMELESS SHELTER P.O. Box 292-577 Davie, Florida 33329 Or go to our web site and become a monthly partner at www.homelessvoice.org
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The Homeless Voice January 2014
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