One Step Away January 2018 Street Paper by Emily Taylor

Your Vendor: Suggeste d Donation$1 Get involved at www.osaphilly.org JANUARY 2018 87Q&A with PROFESSOR CULHANE LOcal bands at ardmore music hall 15VISIT PHILLY AFFORDABLE ATTRACTIONSGREATER PHILADELPHIA’S FIRST NEWSPAPER PRODUCED BY THOSE WITHOUT HOMES FOR THOSE WITH HOMES 300LIVESLOSTOnthelongestnightoftheyear,Philadelphiahonoredhomelessindividualswhopassedaway. Story on page 9

THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS! Because of you, we can achieve our goals. And this year, we have!

2 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 OUR 2018 GOALS A UN K O YH

Thank you, from the bottom of our heart, for making these opportunities possible and our success a reality. Thanks to your support, we have big plans for the year ahead. Will you join us and help make our 2018 vision a reality?

For vendors like Tammy, Joe, and Tiffany, achieving their goal meant securing their housing. In 2017, they joined the 55% of our vendors who are able to obtain or maintain housing by working with One Step Away Other vendors recounted more personal successes: Like Zachary who connected with his supporters through his writing, Brian who maintained another year of sobriety, and Howie who purchased a vehicle.

on our 2017 Vendor Assessments

AFFORD HOUSING

ESTABLISH6A DIGITAL PRESENCE, TO CONNECT WITH YOU AND EXPAND OUR AUDIENCES. 7 DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS,COMMUNITY AND EXPAND TO ALL NEIGHBORHOODS.PHILADELPHIA YOUR 2017 IMPACT Because of you, I can: SUPPORT MYSELF FEEL MORE CONFIDENT MAKE CONNECTIONS BUILD COMMUNITY TAKE CONTROL OF MY LIFE OVERCOME HARDSHIP 88 % 84 % 79 % 74 % 74 % 68 % % T THANK YOU Based

LETTER TO OUR SUPPORTERS! *

PROMOTE3VENDORS WITHIN ONE STEP AWAY AS TEAM LEADERS, VENDOR TRAINERS, AND REPRESENTATIVES.COMMUNITY 4 CREATE ADVANCEMENTECONOMICAND OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTH FOR OUR VENDORS AS THEY MOVE BEYOND HOMELESSNESS. 5 PUBLISH A MONTHLY PAPER, FOCUSED ON SOLUTIONS BASED JOURNALISM, ADVOCATING FOR THOSE WITHOUT A VOICE.

For the 82% of our vendors who rely on One Step Away as their only source of income, you help us achieve success

Because of you, we are able to create jobs and advocate for social change. Because of your support, we can provide opportunities for meaningful income and economic advancement And because of your dedication, we are looking into the next year with hope for even greater accomplishments.

YOU CAN HELP US ACHIEVE Our 2018 Goals 1 CREATE JOBS FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY. 2 PROVIDE OUTREACH AND MENTORS FOR PEOPLE LIVING ON THE STREETS AND IN SHELTERS.

As a nonprofit organization, 501(c)3, One Step Away relies on donations to fund our program. One Step Away is a program of the human services nonprofit Resources for Human Development, a registered 501(c)(3). All donations are tax deductible to the full extent allowed by law. The official registration and financial information of Resources for Human Development may be obtained from the Pennsylvania Department of State by calling toll-free, within Pennsylvania, 1-800-732-0999. Registration does not imply endorsement.

A VOICE AND A PLATFORM FOR PEOPLE TO BE HEARD. I SUPPORT ONE STEP AWAY BECAUSE I WANT TO: NAME: “INPHONE:EMAIL:ADDRESS:HONOR OF” MY VENDOR: $50 $250$150 $500 $ WHY DO YOU SUPPORT ONE STEP AWAY? ONLINE: WWW.OSAPHILLY.ORG MAIL: ONE STEP AWAY P.O. BOX 63703 PHILADELPHIA, PA 19147 EMAIL: OSA@RHD.ORG SOCIAL: @OSAPHILLY MAILING YOUR SURVEY TO US? TAKING IT ONLINE? PLEASE CONSIDER ADDING A TAX-DEDUCTIBLE DONATION TO SUPPORT OUR WORK! PLEASE TAKE OUR SURVEY SO WE GROW!CAN

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 3

TO GIVE

OUR MISSION : TO CREATE JOBS AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY.

13Please tell One Step

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or fundraisers

us why you choose to support our organization: PROGRAM 10I would describe

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11What is your familiarity with One Step Away? (Select all that apply) I support vendors on the street I donate to the One Step Away organization I read the newspaper I visit the website I volunteer with the organization I am subscribed to the e-newsletter I follow on social media (Facebook, Twitter, attend OSA events

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mission? ❑ Extremely

4From whom do you typically receive your paper? ❑ This is my first paper ❑ I have a paper or electronic subscription ❑ I am a vendor ❑ I buy from any vendor ❑ I buy from a few select vendors ❑ I buy from my vendor only, Vendor’s Name:

Away vendors as: (Please check each option)

4 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 ❑ In the newspaper ❑ E-mail link ❑ On the OneStepAway website ❑ Social Media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) ❑ From a Vendor, Name: 9If you donate more than $1, how much do you give? ❑ I only pay $1 ❑ $2 ❑ $3 ❑ $4 ❑ $5 ❑ $6 ❑ $7 ❑ $8 ❑ $9 ❑ $10 ❑ $20 5How often do you buy the One Step Away paper? ❑ This is my first paper ❑ Once a day ❑ Once a week ❑ Every time a new issue comes out ❑ Every few months Always Often Rarely Never Professional ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Polite and friendly ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Knowledgeable about the program ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Informed about the newspaper content ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Rude or aggressive ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Misleading about the program ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ 3When were you first introduced to One Step Away? ❑ This is my first paper ❑ Less than 1 year ago ❑ 1 year ago ❑ 2 years ago ❑ 3 years ago ❑ 4 years ago ❑ 5 years ago ❑ 6 years ago ❑ 7 years ago

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pattern: ❑ I pay $1 and take the paper ❑ I donate more than $1 and take the paper ❑ I donate money without taking the paper ❑ I buy one paper then donate the rest of the month ❑ I buy multiple papers at a time 1How did you find out about this survey? ❑ Saw a vendor on the street ❑ Word of mouth ❑ Through Philly.com blog ❑ Other media stories (The Inquirer, Daily News, KYW, CBS, Fox, Generocity) ❑ At a One Step Away event ❑ From an OSA staff member ❑ Another nonprofit organization ❑ From Resources for Human Development (RHD) ❑ 2Where did you first hear about One Step Away?

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What would make you more likely to buy the One Step Away paper?

Instagram) ❑ I

so familiar ❑ Not at all familiar

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7Why do you buy the One Step Away paper? (Select all that apply) To employ individuals who are homeless To support the One Step Away program To donate to charity To support a social enterprise To learn more about homelessness & poverty in my community support independent media & gain a different perspective on the To read about first-person experiences with poverty & homelessness

news ❑

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familiar ❑ Somewhat familiar ❑

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8Please describe your typical purchasing

12How familiar are you with our organization's familiar Very Not

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JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 5 Strongly Agree Agree Disagree Strongly Disagree Relevant ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Informative ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Community focused/driven ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Reputable news source ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Quality journalism ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Unique content ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ Biased reporting ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑ 14How much of an impact do you feel supporting One Step Away makes? ❑ A great deal ❑ A lot ❑ A moderate amount ❑ A little ❑ None at all 15Would you advocate for the homeless by liking, following, and sharing One Step Away on Facebook, Twitter, and/ or Instagram at @OSAphilly? ❑ Yes! ❑ No, thank you. ❑ I do not use social media 16How often do you think One Step Away should publish? ❑ Monthly ❑ Every 3 weeks ❑ Every 2 weeks ❑ Every week ❑ Television ❑ Radio ❑ Print Media ❑ Online ❑ Social Media ❑ Left-winged biased ❑ Neutral ❑ Right-winged biased ❑ Cover to cover ❑ I read half of the articles ❑ I glance through it and read what I like ❑ I do not read it ❑ Yes ❑ No Why? 18If you had one piece of advice for One Step Away, what would it be? 22What would make you read One Step Away more? EDITORIAL & NEWSPAPER 19Where do you currently get your news? (Select all that apply) 24I would best describe One Step Away's content as: 20How do you read the One Step Away paper? 21How long do you spend reading the One Step Away paper? (in minutes)17Would you still purchase One Step Away if the newspaper cost $2? (So each paper sale vendors would keep $1.50.) 23How would you describe the One Step Away newspaper?

6 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 ❑ Vendor profiles ❑ Vendor submitted pieces ❑ Philadelphia specific news ❑ International stories ❑ Homelessness and housing articles ❑ Nonprofit spotlights ❑ Social justice articles beyond homelessness ❑ Art features and photo spreads ❑ Community events ❑ Celebrity profiles ❑ Articles unrelated to social justice ❑ Currently a student ❑ Some high school ❑ High school graduate/GED ❑ VocationalTechnical/ certification ❑ Associate's Degree ❑ Bachelor's Degree ❑ Master's Degree ❑ DegreeProfessional ❑ Doctoral Degree 29Where do you live? ❑ Philadelphia ❑ Suburb of Philadelphia (Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, Delaware County) ❑ Pennsylvania ❑ New Jersey ❑ Delaware ❑ Other State/Country: ❑ 17 or younger ❑ 18-20 ❑ 21-29 ❑ 30-39 ❑ 40-49 ❑ 50-59 ❑ 60-69 ❑ 70+ 31What is your age? ❑ Less than $18,000 ❑ $18,000 - 29,000 ❑ $30,000 - 40,000 ❑ $41,000 - 65,000 ❑ $66,000 - 85,000 ❑ $86,000 - 100,000 ❑ $101,000 - 200,000 ❑ More than $201,000 37What is your household income? ❑ Once a week or more ❑ A few times a month ❑ Once a month ❑ A few times a year ❑ Less frequently than that 38How often do you want to hear from our organization? ❑ Organizational updates ❑ Vendor updates ❑ Volunteer opportunities ❑ How to donate ❑ Advertisement options ❑ Business sponsorships ❑ Subscriptions ❑ Events ❑ Information to become a vendor ❑ How to be an employment partner ❑ Other, please specify: 39What would you like to hear from our organization? (Select all that apply) ❑ The newspaper ❑ Social media ❑ E-mail ❑ Phone ❑ Mail 40I'd like to learn more about One Step Away through: (Select all that apply) ❑ Male ❑ Female ❑ Transgender 32What is your gender? 33What best describes your level of formal education? ❑ Employed, working full-time ❑ Employed, working part-time ❑ Not employed, looking for work ❑ Not employed, NOT looking for work ❑ Retired ❑ Disabled, not able to work 34What best describes your employment status?25Which topics do you prefer reading? (Select all that apply). 30In what ZIP code do you live? 35InZIPwhatcode do you work or attend school? 36What industry do you work in? ❑ Multiple page articles ❑ Single page articles ❑ Brief articles (shorter than a page) ❑ A variety of lengths 26What other content would you like to see in One Step Away's newspaper? HELP US GET TO KNOW YOU! 27What length of articles do you prefer? 28On a scale of 1-10, how likely are you to recommend One Step Away to a friend or colleague? Phone:Email:Company:State,City:Address:Name:ZIP:41Contact Information

HOLIDAY HELP FOR THE HOMELESS

I had to run into the city of Philly to meet a client and their child who I was writing a Life Care Plan for and on this particular day I decided to take the train. I don’t go to the city too often just because the drive is a killer (no pun intended). Because of all the current events with terrorist attacks over the past years, I have hesitated to get on a train. Silly, maybe. Cautious yes. Also, it had been years since I took the train so I was a little rusty at the process. My heightened anxiety kicked in when I arrived at the station out in the suburbs as I could not remember how to pay for parking, where to purchase my ticket as well as which ones I needed and the most important part, how to get to the other side of the tracks to get the right train. The old joke “Why did the chicken (me) cross the tracks?” Came to mind and hey, they had done renovations since the last time I was there…I told you it had been a while! Anyway, I made it to the right side of the tracks and got on the train without a hitch. Now the task of remembering where to get off came to my mind. Unbeknownst to me, some of the stops had different names. Market Street East was now Jefferson, which should not have frazzled me as I used to take the train and work at Jefferson, so what was my problem? My stop was Suburban Station for which I prayed they had not messed with that name and they didn’t. Whew. My focus was to get off the train, don’t make eye contact with anyone (like that would ever happen), get to my destination on time and then get out. As most are aware, Philadelphia does have a rather large homeless population.

By: Patty Kelly

With a beautiful “Bird Song,” J.P. Biondo showcased a rip-roaring mandolin solo as Dylan thumped his wooden framed upright bass. For avid fans of Jerry Garcia, this group of fine musicians did them justice. Bringing the set to a triumphant conclusion was a superb rendition of the JGB classic “Midnight Moonlight.”

With everyone glowing from spending time with their loved ones, Cabinet, brings family and friends together at their shows. You could hear the voices echoing off of the walls at 23 East Lancaster Avenue (Ardmore Music Hall address) as the sextet belted out a sweet, “Pennsylvania”, in honor of The Keystone State. The room started to really heat with a powerful, “Heavy Rain”, with guitarist Justin Mazer, that was proceeded by the ever popular, “Treesap”, that featured drummer, Josh Karis, going to town on his kit, and showcasing, fiddle player, Todd Kopec. For all the Deadheads, “Easy Wind” is a blues staple that many musicians have brought into rotation throughout the years; this version did not disappoint. Paying homage to the late great, Tom Petty, “It’s Good to Be King” was breathtaking in bluegrass form, and Mazer was simply brilliant filling in with his guitar riff. Hiding in the background next to Karis, John Kimock lent his drumming to a beautiful, “Nashville Blues” as Dylan Skursky and Mickey Coviello played their hearts out on their respective instruments. After 10 plus years of touring and song-writing, Cabinet has really come a long way from their early days. With their engaging live performances, they will continue to build steam into 2018.

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 7

No matter where you walk there appears to be someone on every corner either asking for money to buy food or clothes to keep warm. I remember once several years back there was a homeless man that I saw every day lying on one of the steam grates who covered himself with a blanket to keep himself warm, and it was the middle of winter. He didn’t bother anyone, but everyone had to walk around him as it was in the middle of the sidewalk. I went home that night thinking about him and feeling awful that I was in a warm, safe place while he laid on the side walk. I needed to do something to make a difference so I combed through my husband’s closet and drawers to find some warm clothes as well as a coat and shoes to bring to the man as I noticed he only had on a pair of holey socks. I stashed $20 in one of the coat pockets in hopes that the little amount of money might get him a hot meal. I dropped the bag at his feet the next day and told him I hoped it would help. This particular day however I was in a hurry, and I passed several people who were in need. I rushed by thinking “I just don’t have time for this” and ran to my appointment. However, on my way back to the train later that day, I thought better. It was a cold day, and I looked at the people struggling to keep warm and definitely in need of charity to help them through the day. I handed a dollar to the man who was looking for a hot drink, and I ran into a lovely man who was asking for donations while handing out One Step Away newspapers. He asked me if I had ever heard of the paper and I timidly said no. He explained the purpose and the need for people to help support the newspaper. I quickly pulled out my change purse and supplied the gentleman with all the $1 bills I could spare, leaving just enough for me to get on the train. After all was said and done, I hopped on the train. Suddenly as I found a warm cozy seat, I felt the Christmas spirit slowly enfolding me in its brace. It was then that I decided to make this the season of giving. I don’t need anything, I don’t want anything (except peace), and I don’t expect anything.

On Wednesday the 22nd the crowd was treated to two stellar opening groups: Man About A Horse and a special set of Grateful Dead and Old & The Way tunes performed by Cris Jacobs backed by Cabinet. Man About A Horse, a Philadelphia-based bluegrass band, got the crowd warmed up with a nice set of footstomping bluegrass and folk tunes. Then, Cris Jacobs, singer songwriter extraordinaire hailing from Charm City (Baltimore), took the stage, backed by Northeast Pennsylvania’s Cabinet. The hour-long set was slated as “Dead & In The Way.” Jacobs along with Patrick “Pappy” Biondo, Mickey Coviello, Dylan Skursky, and J.P. Biondo were greeted by the Ardmore crowd with open arms. “Going to the Races” opened the set “out of the gates” quickly. With Cris’ quick guitar picking and Pappy’s swift banjo work, the group was feeling the groove early on. Mickey Coviello, really shined with the acoustic in the opening numbers of the set, playing off of Jacobs playing without missing a beat.

Cabinet has been a force in the bluegrass scene for over a decade. It has been great to see how the band has evolved over the years to where they are today. After a deep opening jam, the gentlemen dove into fan favorite “Caroline” to kick things off. As cousins J.P. and Pappy played off each other effortlessly as the rest of the group nestled to what was sure to be a fine evening of tunes. A high energetic “Celebration” was just what the doctor ordered, which was followed up by a true form rendition of “The Tower.”

Ardmore Music Hall was illuminated with smiling faces as Cabinet really kicked it into high gear with “Dirt.” The bluegrass veterans showed why they can change things up at a drop of a hat with a slowed rendition of “The Dove” and a spacey “Arco Arena.” The fans left the venue buzzing and excited for Friday evening. With people enjoying the holiday weekend, Cabinet geared up for their second night at Ardmore Music Hall. Joining them on the bill was Gatos Blancos and Mason Porter.

It’s that time of year to be thankful for the friends and family in your life. Fans gathered at Ardmore Music Hall on Wednesday, November 22 and Friday, November 24 evening to celebrate the holiday season with a nice dose of live music.

The only thing I will be putting on my Christmas wish list is for my family and friends to send my monetary present to One Step Away. My other wish if for everyone else to consider the same idea and have a wonderful holiday season.

By: Chris Snyder, livemusicdaily.com

LOCAL MUSIC JAMS & COMMUNITY VOICES CABINET SALES AT ARDMORE MUSIC HALL

Starting off the evening at 8 PM sharp, Gatos Blancos eased the crowd into the hall with their inspirational jamming. This young group features longtime friends Patrick Biondo (Banjo/Pedal Steel), Dylan Skursky (Upright Bass), Al Smith (Keyboards), Justin Mazer (Guitar), John Kimock (Drums). The six song set gave a chance for the musicians to let loose and really dial into each other’s skills. Mason Porter followed up with a superb set of folk and bluegrass numbers, that brought new fans to their merchandise table. It’s great to see opening groups with stellar original music, and giving 100% of their heart into the music.

That’s $8,400 a year and the poverty level is $14,000. We should not be locking people into an almost-40 percent below-poverty income just because they have a disability.

You’ve previously said that the disability system is failing. Would you care to elaborate?

We have a disability insurance system in this country that does work. It’s called Social Security Disability Insurance. But it’s only for people who have a work history of enough years of full-time work. Unfortunately, for people who have a mental illness, the onset of that disease is between 18 and 27. So they are unlikely to have accrued enough semesters of work to qualify for SSDI. When SSDI was designed in the 1930s, it was basically a welfare program for elderly people who didn’t have a work history. Then it was extended to people who were working-age with a disability, and the most common working-age disability is a severe mental illness. If severe mental illness had its onset at age 40, then it would not be the same issue.

How would you describe the cause and eﬀect relationship between homelessness and mental illness?

Sometimes people have serious psychotic symptoms and other times they go into remission, go on medication, and are able to manage the disease. If that isn’t sustained, then they have crises—it’s the nature of the disease. And so they get hospitalized often for long periods of time. It’s very disruptive. You lose your social connections, your job, your apartment. That often triggers homelessness.

People with mental illness or other disabilities have a harder time competing in that marketplace because it's harder to identify places to live, to get landlords to accept them, and to access treatment, so they are at multiple disadvantages.Mentalillness is an episodic condition. Their homelessness is occurring usually as a part of a psychiatric crisis.

Culhane: We now see two types of homelessness: a small group of people who are homeless for long periods of time — a year or more — and a large group of people, about 85 percent of the population, that is homeless for relatively brief periods of time. We call these types chronic homeless population vs. crisis homeless population. Over time, we’ve figured out that we have interventions that are well-suited to each of these populations.

What eﬀect has the (Housing and Urban Development) HUDmandated data collection had on the study of homelessness?

experiencing crisis homelessness, we’ve developed a new intervention called rapid rehousing that helps people negotiate the crisis they are in; they may have had family conflict, a hospitalization, or a sudden loss of a job. Rapid rehousing is intended to be a crisis intervention program that helps get people back into an apartment or shared living arrangement as quickly as possible. Rapid rehousing is controversial in D.C. The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless is very much questioning whether it works. Is it hard to keep getting funding for it when some of the advocates aren't promoting it?

For the folks that are experiencing chronic homelessness, the supportive housing programs are pretty successful. They run at about an 85 percent retention rate. They’re basically providing a permanent housing voucher plus support services that help people find housing, move in and get integrated with theForcommunity.thepeople

The point of the rapid rehousing program is to get people out of homelessness as fast as possible so they don’t get stuck there. It’s like the emergency room of the homeless system—a crisis intervention program intended to stabilize people.

Culhane: Totally. It’s an absolute crime that we have 50 percent of the homeless population self-report to having a disability. That means there’s something wrong with your disability insurance system. Our social insurance programs for disability are simply inadequate. Basically, you get $700 a month if you’re relying on disability.

PROVEN SOLUTIONS TO END HOMELESSNESS Q Aand DENNIS CULHANE with If someone is coming to you in a crisis, you have to help them. It has to be done in a timely way because every day that a person is homeless they’re exposed to victimization and all the hazards of living an unprotected life on the street. It’s not a long-term intervention, but it’s an intervention that is in reach in terms of the funding available.

It's not a sound actuarial perspective to focus on the expensive people once they become expensive. We really should be targeting the people who are at risk of being a life-long, high-cost burden on society because they’re not housed. If we have to make the economic argument to persuade people that this is a morally important obligation, so be it. But obviously, it’s more than money. It’s about valuing life. What's going to bear watching is the politics that emerge around autism. The number of people coming into young adulthood with autism is growing dramatically. These are folks who are quite similar to people with severe mental illness in the sense that they have cognitive challenges. In a place like Pennsylvania, the number of autistic adults in their 20s is going to go from about 7,000 to over 20,000 in the next ten years. There’s a huge housing component to that.

Culhane: It’s an affordable housing problem. When there is competition for scarce resources, the people who are the most vulnerable are the ones who are going to lose out.

Culhane: Advocates are right in arguing that these are poor people that really need a housing voucher. The problem is that we don’t have housing vouchers in enough supply to support this crisis homeless population.

Culhane: The field has gone in the wrong direction. They want to only serve expensive homeless people so that we can save Medicaid money. And I don’t think that the public is as interested in saving Medicaid money as they are in more efficiently using the money to serve more people effectively. From an insurance perspective, you don't want to have only sick people enrolled in your program. You want to spread the savings over a larger group so that you're pooling the benefit just like you pool the risk.

Article from INSP.ngo

8 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018

Where is the ﬁeld of homelessness heading?

Away Staﬀ REMEMBERED IN 2017 LIVES LOST DUE

HOMELESSNESSTO

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JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 9 003

As twilight faded on the longest night of the year, Philadelphians gathered to hold a vigil and remember the lives of homeless and formerly homeless individuals who passed away in the last year. Recognized in more than 150 cities around the country, this year’s Homeless Memorial Day honored thousands of individuals who lost their lives after an experience with homelessness. Since it began in 1990, Homeless Memorial Day has unified calls from cities and communities to end homelessness and to address the health disparities that make mortality rates so much higher amongst individuals with a current or past experience of homelessness. & Words: Step

One

Lifespan Inequality

Heightened Health Risks

Homeless Memorial Day The temperature hovered just above freezing but Carol Rostucher and Barbara Peahota Burns of Angels in Motion recalled the summertime, warm air pushing through a car as their friend Justin listened to the radio. “When he smiled, everyone smiled with him,” said Rostucher. “If you were lucky enough to know him, he changed your life in a positive way.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), individuals experiencing homelessness are four to nine times more likely to die in any given year than the general population. For people experiencing homelessness, this means the average life expectancy is around 47 years, three decades less than the U.S. average, and lower than the life expectancy of any nation on earth. This gap in life expectancy between citizens of the same city or even of the same block—those on the inside of a wall, versus those on the outside—stands as a glaring example of how social and economic factors determine health outcomes and quality of life.

Justin Lee Tragesser was just one of nearly 300 names read aloud at the 2017 Homeless Memorial, the 23rd of its kind in Philadelphia. The vigil served as an opportunity to not only celebrate those loved and remember those lost, but as a chance to rally together and bring an end to poverty and homelessness.Otherfigures from around the community came forward to share their stories, grief and hope for the homeless community in the city as leaders such as Sister Mary Scullion, the CoFounder and Executive Director of Project HOME, called for action as she also remembered her dear friends, Sam and Hyacinth, who passed this past year, .

The National Health Care for the Homeless Council (NHCHC) describes many of the health risks that individuals experiencing homelessness face: exposure to communicable disease in crowded shelters, violence, malnutrition, and extreme weather. Similarly, the CDC reports that individuals experiencing homelessness are at higher risk for infectious and chronic illness, poor mental health, substance abuse, and violence. These risks are a direct effect of the homeless condition which involves high stress, close contact with many others, inconsistent access to hygiene needs, and often a poor diet. The NHCHC points

“Will we fight to make sure that housing and services are there for everyone who needs them,” said Scullion. “This is the way to honor Sam, Hyacinth, and so many others, by recommitting ourselves to this critical work of ending homelessness.” The fact still remains that so many souls were lost on the streets in 2017, and not all of them have loved ones remembering and honoring them as nine “unknowns” were listed at the reading of the names portion of the evening. In a city where poverty is at some of its highest rates in the country, there will still much work, and hope needed to solve this crisis.

RamonMelvynJonathanJosephDeborahHoraceC.A.Abia-OkonR.A.J.A.AllenAlstonAndersonS.A.J.A.ArmstrongRobertJ.ArringtonL.A.LaurenAunkeM.B.A.B.J.B.TimothyBaggotJafarBasheerE.B."Mel"BaynardRobert"Bob"BechlerA.BJamesBloodAntonioBorrero-LugoW.BounasissS.B.ClaireBrandauD.BraunZ.B.AnnBroderickCarolBrownC.BrownGunnarBrownChristineBurgessJerome"Reds"ButtonsA.B.AnthonyCaldwellS.C.D.C.JamesCarterCarltonCaseySolMarieCastroSotoBernardChandlerDebraCioccoL.C.FranklinClarkShirleyM.ClinkscalesJefferyCoachK.C.W.C.JeromeCostaR.CrawfordC.C.M.CroulKevinGerardCullenAngieLeeDanielsWilliamMatthewDarrahD.DavidTinaMarieDavidIrvinDavisD.D.N.D.R.D.M.D.ScottJamesDiaforliMamadouDiallaB.D.N.D.MattDiBlasioAngelinaMariaDiDonato

10 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 THOSE REMEMBEREDWEIN 2017 Edwin "Eddie"

Individuals experiencing homelessness are not only more likely to face increased risk of exposure to health and safety threats, but they are also more likely to experience both socioeconomic risk factors (like poverty, food insecurity, and lack of access to healthcare) and health risk factors (like preexisting chronic conditions and poor mental health) that may have caused their homelessness to begin with.

The solution to the issue of homeless mortality lies necessarily at the intersection of housing and healthcare, and it must begin with prevention. In short, the best way to prevent the detrimental effects that homelessness has on health and safety is to prevent homelessness from occurring, and in many cases, preventing homelessness means addressing a healthcare system that leaves those with chronic conditions vulnerable to bankruptcy and eviction.

Even After Housing, the Risk Persists

For those experiencing homelessness, the risk is not just that they will become unhealthy; rather for many people, health challenges have long been a part of their life. In fact, the NHCHC reports that “poor health is a major cause of homelessness.” When illness or injury keeps someone from working, it can cause them to lose their health insurance plan. As medical debt, responsible for 62% of all bankruptcy, piles up, homelessness can be hard to avoid. Thus according to the NHCHC, individuals experiencing homelessness are three times as likely to have a liver condition and twice as likely to have a severe mental illness when compared to other low-income populations; moreover, 38% of homeless individual report multiple chronic conditions. While treating these conditions becomes more difficult when homeless, lack of housing can become a symptom of poor health, rather than the cause; making those on the street both disproportionately vulnerable to health hazards, and disproportionately in need of consistent care.

William Henderson Commons, Jr. MarvinD.H.E. Hill

out that these conditions can make it harder to recover once sick, injured, or put under psychological stress. Without proper care and rest, cuts and colds can turn into infections and pneumonia, and depression or addictive issues can get worse. Inability to rest, properly store and use medications, and stay at a comfortable temperature can make illness more severe.

As concerned citizens gathered around the country to mourn, to pray, and to remember, they held close those who had passed away; while in each of those cities, many others persist, struggling against the same odds to secure health and home. As we remember, we continue to fight—to advocate, volunteer, donate, and build relationships—and we continue to push for solutions so that next year the list of names will be shorter.

Poor Health: a Cause of Homelessness

As we call for an end to homelessness, we must call for a healthcare system that can adequately meet the needs of those without housing, and those at risk of losing their homes. We must focus on keeping people in their homes—as the NHCHC writes, “no amount of healthcare can substitute for stable housing”—and securing permanent housing for those who seek it.

Tom EileenJustinCurtisDoughertyD.E.EasleyV.EastK.E.EdwardsM.E.K.E.J.E.M.FaulkJ.F.J.F.D.F.DavidFordPedroFuentesGallagherRonaldGambleA.G.E.GatesRamonaGayC.G.PercyGilmoreValerieGilmoreJ.G.D.GulliverJ.G.EugeneHahnSpencerHaltonD.H.S.H.YvonneHarrisF.H.MariaHaymanA.H.LawrenceHeardEdnaHelem

Solutions?

MichelleJohnRasheedAsiaM.H.HollandHughesT.H.CarltonHunterM.I.A.I."Yaya"JacksonO.JacobsCliffordJohnsonAlfredJonesAnthonyJonesCarlAlvinJonesEileenJonesElizabeth"MJ"JonesRosalynJonesT.J.A.J.A.J.RobertJordanJohnettaKellyHyacinthKingJ.K.J.KnoxDavidKopenaN.K.D.K.L.K.R.L.GradyLawrenceJosephLeBlancC.L.

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 11 JamesA.D.Diego Larry Doctorovitz

Since homelessness makes treating chronic illness so much more difficult, lowering homeless mortality requires supporting individuals in their access to housing. But while getting proper rest and treatment is undoubtedly easier with stable shelter, a 2015 study in BioMed Central Public Health showed that it is not enough. According to the study “adverse health outcomes associated with homelessness persist even after individuals obtain housing.”

12 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 John BruceCourtneyEdwardLewisLoweS.L.AnneLyonsMarleneMadisonG.M.R.M.B.MarshallD.M.R.MasonC.M."TheFunkster"MaysJanetMarieMcGuireR.M.PaulMedwidD.M.GaryMezzanoTheresaMichellKarlMillerMarkMilliganH.MingJ.M.R.M.JoannMorrisonZ.M.J.M.K.MullenW.M.ErinNagleJ.N.T.N.A.N.L.N.L.N.E.N.A.O.J.O.J.P.N.P.R.P.JuanitaPattersonJ.P.AngelaPerryNeequayeT.PetersenE.PetersonRosaleePinerYolandaPinkneyL.P.SamuelPowersW.P.DouglassPughJ.Q.R.Q.ChristineA.RamboR.R.J.R.LizandraRamos-PerezM.R.FarrisRavenellMichelleRaysikJ.R.BeverlyRhodanMitchellR.R.K.R.W.R.RobertRochowAnn-MarieRockenbachManuelRodriguezB.R.EddieRollaM.R.L.R.M.R. "If you want to help the homeless, get -Volunteerinvolved.anddonate."Michelle,ProjectHome

"Jay" M.S. Donald Preston Socks Melanie Sommers

William

Gary

"When they start calling out the names, it is a reality that sets in, and it really hits home that these people were people. They were living, and now they're not. It brings a sadness but there is also a sense that they're being recognized now. People are recognizing that they had identities."

"I know that the homeless live on the streets here, and they live and die without the services they need. And I don't want that to happen without showing up to advocate for better services. I brought my sons because I wanted them to be a part of it - just to know that it's a thing, and that people die and it matters. It's not an invisIible problem even for them." - Ben White

EdwardDarrylRooseveltT.R.C.S.SaundersGuySeltzerJohnRobertShawMichaelShawTrentShermanTanyaSingletaryRaeSmithStevenSmith"Eddie"D.Smith,Jr.,

...andMartyStephenAlfredShaunH.SouthreySteinR.S.SweetL.T.TaylorTelenkoR.TilleryTindell,AKAMustafaMuhammedJustinLeeTragesserF.TurnerJ.V.SamuelVazquezV.V.RobertWallaceDanielleWashingtonMorrisWashingtonV.W.RalphWestF.W.N.W.D.W.JeromeWickmanAnthony"Tony"WilliamsC.W.JamesWilliamsPatriciaWilliamsRobertWilsonT.W.MikeWoodsFaithWoodsPaulYaborDarrenYoungD.YoungN.Y.DominiqueErockMikeNJWillUnknownthosewhowerehomelesswhosedeathshavegoneunnoticed.Andtothebelovedfriendsofourcommunity,whoworkedtirelesslytohelpthoseinneedandalleviatethesufferingofthoseexperiencinghomelessness:MaryCarrollGeraldGrazolSamJanneyBrigitteMoulinetMcCahill

N.R.Royster

Rest in Peace

Vernon Delhart Ruffin, Jr.

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 13

“It’s cheap,” said Adam Proctor, one of the three managers. “Anyone can afford it.”

After braving the harsh bite of Jack Frost, while she turns her nose up at just about every store you’ve gone to, you begin to wonder if this was even a good idea. Then, suddenly, something catches her eye in the window of a store neither of you had ever noticed before. Was it the faux fireplaces? Sure, it feels inviting on a cold January afternoon. The human skull perhaps? Please Lord, don’t let her pick that out. Without words, the two of you decide to go inside – she: because of the display you’ve just seen fascinates her; you: because your aching bones are reminding you that you’re not as resilient as you were in your teens. Ten paces after crossing the threshold you realize that this store, Philly AID Thrift, located at 710 S. 5th Street, has plenty of knick-knacks. Some are like the ones your Grandmom had in her china cabinet, and some are the kind of thing you’d see in most stores today.

There are also a few bins outside, filled with items that did not sell; the stuff is offered in these bins for free.

Philly AIDS Thrift was founded by Tom Brennon and Christina Calas twelve years ago, and benefits people living with HIV right here in Philly via local organizations that help with housing, clothes, medication, etc. When Proctor first joined the store, they were donating $700 a month to these organizations, and now the store donates $20,000 a month.Three rooms wide, and three stories high, it encompasses a wide range of goods. Everything from clothing to dishes to children’s toys, and yes, books — thousands of books and DVDs. This store promises something for everyone. They literally have everything but the kitchen sink. “We get furniture almost daily,” said Proctor. People will clean house, at the beginning or end of the month they move, and instead of dumping the stuff, they bring it here. I’ve seen adult tricycles come in, a woman who worked at a museum donated a human skull (note: they cannot sell the human skull, but you can see it in the store window), even ninja swords and throwing stars. We get skis. Someone donated a truck, a car — if you work here long enough you see the most bizarre stuff come through the door.”

Customers range from people who have to shop at thrift stores — because they cannot afford anything else — to wealthy people — who think it’s trendy to shop at thrift stores. “We’re going to have actual gift cards,” Proctor said proudly, “the ones you swipe, but right now it’s gift certificates. We sell a lot of gift certificates.”

By: Tammy Mitchell, One Step Away Vendor

Don’t be surprised if you see a punker eyeing something right next to a conservative rich man.

PHILLY AIDS THRIFT & GIOVANNI’S ROOM

Philly AIDS Thrift has 120 volunteers. They accept donations during their normal business hours: Monday – Thursday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday & Saturday 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. They cannot take baby cribs because of a safety issue, but they can take torn clothes, even if the buttons are missing; and they sell unsalvageable clothes for $0.07 a pound to a recycling company.

If you have any questions, want to volunteer, or wish to inquire about their satellite store — Giovanni’s Room, at 12th and Pine — you can call the store at 215–922–3186. Giovanni’s Room is the oldest, LGBTQ & Feminist bookstore in the country which stocks LGBTQ fiction & non–fiction books.

& Author SHOP LOCAL, & DO GOOD 1 2 © Associated Press

14 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018

If it seems that Adam Proctor is happy far too often, it’s because he loves his job. “Not a lot of people can say that they love going to their jobs, but I love coming into work.”

The third floor is only open on the first Saturday of every month, filled with clothing – usually off-season clothing — all of which is a dollar, or you can fill a bag they provide for ten bucks. “I’ve seen people walk out of here with a whole suit for fifteen dollars.”

Your teenage daughter has outgrown the My Little Pony theme in her bedroom, and you promised her the two of you would redecorate. But you’ve spent so much on Christmas, and now you’re not sure you can afford it. What do you do? You could go on one of those discount websites that promise a 23’ HD television for $23.50 in the hopes of finding a good deal, wade through all the photos, try and size it up . . . (sigh) . . . or you could make it a mother-daughter day out, take a pleasant walk downtown and, enjoy time with the young lady you hardly know anymore.

2 The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts at Broad and Spruce

Things to do in Philly, Without Breaking the Bank

By: Craig, One Step Away Vendor & Author

This is an amazing bike-sharing program that started in 2015. It began with 60 stations and 600 bikes and continues to grow. Stations are located from the Delaware River, across the Schuylkill into West Philadelphia and includes Temple University MainThereCampus.areavariety of payment options including a monthly fee of twelve dollars (or five with the ACCESS Card) for unlimited one hour bike trips. Options are available 24/7, and there are ways to join without a credit card. For all possibilities, contact Indego at 844–4–INDEGO or support@rideindego.com. Please follow all safety rules and remember Philadelphia is one of the most green and bike-friendly of cities. Studies show biking can help with weight loss, gain in intelligence, and improved sleep. You are helping the environment and might find yourself with more free time.

• One hour FREE tours are offered at 1 p.m. daily, on a first-come, first-served basis. Specialty Art & Architecture tours are offered at 10:30 a.m. one Saturday a month.

• An organ demonstration, 1/1/18 at 1 p.m.

1 Indego: Bike Share

Many of the readers of this paper are homeless and facing economic challenges. Still this writer feels all of us deserve the chance to have a good time and do something for the self. This column will introduce things you can do either for free or inexpensively in the Philadelphia area. Indeed, it is hoped that the items that are mentioned will help to improve your situation overall. The following is humbly suggested: these opportunities are open for everyone, but please make sure you follow all the rules and that you are clean and without baggage. As has been written, please treat others just the way you want to be treated. Hopefully you will be busy having fun with the following suggestions.

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 15

Additionally, the Kimmel has many free events. In January, these include:

• La Noche: A Latin Music Concert, 1/8/18 at 8 p.m.•Sitting In: Live Sessions, 1/17/18 at 9 p.m.

• Sign up at Phillyfunguide.com: Each week you will learn about shows at the Kimmel and elsewhere.•ManyKimmel shows have “rush tickets,” a great way to see shows for cheaper. Check the Kimmel for which shows have rush and the exact hours you need to be there. You usually have to stand in line.

The building features a vaulted glass ceiling that encloses the whole structure and provides a large common lobby. The center includes multiple theaters including Verizon Hall, which is built in the shape of a cello and has the largest mechanical pipe organ in the country, and the Perelman Theater which is a venue for recitals and some theater, and seats 650.

• A Free New Year’s Celebration: A great place to watch the Mummers, 1/1/18 at 10 a.m.

3 The Philadelphia Museum of Art Finally, we have a world-class art museum located at 2600 Ben Franklin Parkway. It features period rooms and exhibits from around the world, and includes the work of Van Gogh, Monet, Renoir, and others, along with sculptures and other works of art. The edifice is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Monday; and it stays open until 8:45 p.m. on Wednesday and Friday. They offer Pay–What–You–Can options on the first Sundays of each month and on Wednesday from 5–8:45 p.m. There is also $2 admission for holders of an ACCESS card. Don’t forget the Rocky Steps and statue leading up to the building. Find out more at philamuseum.org or by calling 715–763–8100. Have fun!

CULTURE CORNER: CHEAP THRILLS

Check for exact times and any changes in schedule online at kimmelcenter.org or phone 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. at 215–893–1999.

The Kimmel Center has a wide variety of programs including musicals, classical music, jazz, and more. There are many inexpensive ways to go to the Kimmel:

The biggest moment of 2017 for me was when one of the Big Issue Taiwan team responsible for distribution left her job because of her marriage and career plan. I feel a bit sad because we’ve known each other for quite a long time. She treats me as if I was her family member, and her age is just the same of my daughter’s age. My biggest achievement was that I once sold more than 300+ magazines a day and that made me feel very excited and proud. My selling amount has dropped 60% this year, so right now every day is just like a challenge for me. I kept thinking about how to solve this condition. Even though I stand under the scorching sun for such a long time, nothing has changed still. Despite this, nothing has really come as a surprise this past year.

MAKOTO The Big Issue Japan, Tokyo

My most memorable moment of 2017 was taking part in the Aboriginal march on ‘Invasion Day’, that’s Australia Day (January 26), down the main streets of Melbourne’s CBD. I met one of my cousins who’s Aboriginal, and I’ve never met him before. And I’m starting to meet other cousins and making connections. It was a proud moment walking down Bourke St, you’ve got 10,000 people around you. I’m hoping the Referendum (for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander recognition in the Australian Constitution) will be held*. I’m Wurundjeri born. This is my people’s country, this is my country, and I don’t understand why we haven’t got it yet. We can sit down with the Government and decide, they can have their say, we can have our say, and we can compromise. And we both agree. And then it’s*Asfair.it stands, the Australian Constitution, the nation’s founding document, makes no mention of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The Constitution can only be changed through a Referendum – a national vote by all Australians.

AN INTERNATIONAL YEAR IN REVIEW STREET VENDOR STYLE

My most memorable moment of 2017 was attending the Homeless World Cup in Oslo. The achievement I am most proud of is graduating from the Hope Studio Photo Academy. Perhaps the most surprising thing has been how steadily I have dealt with customers and how much attention customers have given me while selling the magazine. I am always grateful toThisthem.year I started a calligraphy class. If I can make letters look beautiful through my studying of this subject, I want to be able to make my own Christmas and New Year cards. My motto for 2017 has been engraved on my mind: “Let’s not forget our original resolution”. Next year I am looking forward to a very new year. I’d like to have a better year than this one. I want to sell our magazine more and learn something to make me happier.

I was able to move into temporary accommodation that is run by The Big Issue Japan where I can prepare for life in more reallyaccommodation.stableIneverwantedtomoveinto an apartment before, so this is a surprise to me. It feels like I moved one step up the stairs, a step away from the street life. I will live here for 6 months. I am looking forward to being able to move into my own flat next year!

16 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018

LONG-ZHU The Big Issue Taiwan, Taipei

MOON The Big Issue Korea, Seoul

ALLAN The Big Issue Australia, Melbourne

My most memorable moment of 2017 was when my favorite pop group retired from their singing career. I had never cooked much in my life and had always been kind of a loner. But for the first time in my life, I cooked curry with my fellow vendors as a team. We then shared the curry with others. It was good. This was my biggest achievement.Changingmy sales pitch has been a challenge but I am trying to get used to it.

I’m getting older and older now and I only hope for good health and stable selling. To be frank, I didn’t obviously feel accomplishment in this position, but at least the job makes me feel like a normal person. I don’t have to sleep on the street and cover my face anymore.

I’m totally in awe with being a vendor now-a-days.

PAULETTE Street Roots, Portland, Oregon

What came as a surprise is that I had to recognize that some of my customers chose to wait until the Christmas wrapping paper was on sale. They can’t wait for it to come out, but they are also holding off on purchasing papers because they are waiting for the Christmas wrapping paper. Another surprise is that I have been able to maintain the possibility of living in a motel and not being put out on the street. The papers have been able to help me manage those finances.

AN INTERNATIONAL YEAR IN REVIEW STREET VENDOR STYLE

MAURICE B. The Contributor, Nashville, Tennessee I’m most proud of being able to not only have a mapped corner, but to constantly, on a repetitive basis, fulfill the requirements of keeping my map badge. To be able to deal with all of the rigmarole of individuals who are flying signs and panhandling and those who are just new vendors coming to my spot, and having the understanding that I have the right to be there first. Earning that right to have my map and keep my spot, is my greatest achievement thisMyyear.most memorable moment in 2017 was the time that a vendor told me that he had a mapped spot, and he chased me off one of his corners! But because of that I turned around and got my own corner. That was the most important thing for me: to get my own corner. In actuality, ever since I became a vendor, it’s a thing of me having to strive every day to make it and offer papers to my customers.

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 17

GUSTAVO Factor S, Uruguay The most memorable moment in 2017 was going back home for 2 months, seeing my mother and knowing that she’s well. It was also near my birthday and spending it at home, with my mother, was really good.Iam most proud of overcoming my fears. I felt very alone and I was really losing hope. Now, thanks to a lot of people that helped me, I’m excited to continue bettering myself. I am no longer afraid. I am surprised that humanity still has a chance (laughs). Meaning that last year and part of this one I happened to meet people who helped me a lot and I started to connect with society again. Because of this I think that so long as there are people who think of others, humanity has a chance. Starting my education again and going back to work as a sailor was a challenge this year. In the new year, I am most looking forward to going home Definitely.

CARLOS CAIS, Lisbon, Portugal

This year, I kept working in CAIS with all my sincerity and transparency, always smiling to the customers. It was the best part of 2017 and what I have liked to do since 1998. Life has been very hard to me since I was 14 years old, and I am not stable yet... In this year 2017, I am still fighting for better conditions, but I am proud of myself because I have gotten more work opportunities. I do not give surprisesPeople’sup!understandingmeeveryday.It is so good to see how they touch us with a simple smile or an act of kindness... they are always available for whatever it takes. Despite difficulties all over the world people show us compassion, and it makes me stronger and motivated to keep going.Mybiggest challenge is to get a house to live. Currently, I am living in a hostel, which is increasingly expensive. Time goes by and nothing has changed. I really need a house, otherwise I can inevitably go back to the street and become homeless again. However, I still have not given up hope to have a decent and honest life. Unfortunately, I could not find a house yet. I hope that 2018 brings me the house that I need so much, because I am not afraid of work, I do not like being stopped. I want to be useful to society.

Just every day of 2017 was memorable. Meeting all the good people I meet. I have quite a few regulars. That helps. We talk about their jobs, how I’m doing and about my kitty cat, P.K. Stuff like that. I’m proudest of not being homeless anymore. I live in Park Towers. I’ve been there three years. I was homeless when I got in there.It’sasurprise at my age waking up every day, taking care of my kitty and still being able to work. I like selling. And now I’ve got this church on Sundays thanks to Cole. It’s close to home, 2 blocks, so that helps.Mychallenge was when my kitty P.K. — she got sick. The guy that had her kind of made her scared of people and she went into what they call a kitty stroke. Her mind wanted to die but her body wanted to live. It was a toss-up. And she’s doing real good now.In2018, I’m looking forward to meeting more good people, being able to save more money. I want to get my health back in order again. When you get older, a lot of things go wrong.Everybody’s great here that I talk to and I have a couple regulars that are really nice and sweet.

DWAYNE The Denver Voice, Colorado Celebrating my birthday this year was what was most memorable for me, but reaching out to people in the local community to talk about their needs is certainly my drama.There’sstreetstoI’mitafterwasoverchargedonTheybeenstoragerun-around.eitherandliststohelpssellingachievement.biggestMyjobtheVOICEmetoconnectpeople.Iwasontwowaitingforapartmentsstilldidnotgetofthem.There’stoomuchPayingformyspacehasachallenge.putalienit,thentheyme.Iabletokeepitstrugglingtogetback.Godisgood!Inthenewyear,lookingforwardnotlivingontheanymore.toomuchButit’sover!

The only challenges that I have really had was with respect to differentiating myself from those who are panhandling with signs and those who have papers and badges. Those are the only challenges. But the best challenge that I’ve had is being able to pay my daily rent at $65 a day. By selling these papers. They allow me to pay my daily rent and buy food and other things that I need. Selling papers has helped me overcome that challenge of not having what I need. In the new year, the goal is to get a place to stay, and a vehicle. What we’re looking to do is manage finances from the paper to help us have a place to stay besides a motel.

Next year, I am looking forward to pursuing my dreams.Ivisualize myself working and making enough money to be able to go travelling, to see other European countries. And I hope I’ll be accompanied by someone else, someone special. It sucks to be alone. All you need is love. A simple dream.

This year was like heaven and hell. I was in heaven when my wife came back to me. Hell was being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and a serious lung disease in summer. Despite my ill health, I was rejected for the pension scheme three times, and so I only received very little support as an unemployed person.Having been diagnosed with Parkinson’s, I can no longer find work, and so without Kupfermuckn I would lose my flat and everything that I’ve accomplished again. It was the social workers at the hospital who told me about Kupfermuckn. Due to the home support, I then got temporary accommodation.

ARNO FiftyFifty, Düsseldorf, Germany There were several memorable moments this year. I would say a negative moment was an experience I had selling newspapers. A man came up to me, spat at my feet and demanded that I clean his shoes. I didn’t, of course! A nicer moment was recently when my dog had puppies. I obviously can’t keep them! I managed to find my own flat. I was able to do it because I just made a real effort. Lots of people think that sort of thing just happens. But you really have to put in the effort. What I hadn’t expected was a pension back-payment of around €1,000. I still don’t know how that came about. But I am of course delighted with the Balancingpayment.myhealth and my work was a real challenge this year.Itdefinitely wasn’t easy to juggle my health and work. But I did it and didn’t miss a single day, let alone a single hour. Only on my last day of work did I hurt myself. I’ve applied for a new full–time job. It would be wonderful if that came through and I stay in good health.

I’ve been living with Anna-Maria again since May in a little flat that I got after two years of being homeless thanks to the Kupfermuckn street newspaper. I’m very proud that I have a roof over my head again after such a low point.

AN INTERNATIONAL YEAR IN REVIEW STREET VENDOR STYLE

The best moment of this year was when I got back together with my ex-wife after ten years of being separated and problems with alcohol, unemployment and homelessness.

I don’t meet their standards, I’m just an ordinary guy from Bulgaria. You get that feeling of being useless. I came here to try to work.

BUDIMIR Kralji Ulice, Ljubljana, Slovenia

I’ve been told I cannot just wake up one day and decide to come here and work. Why not? That’s the idea of the European Union. I feel discriminated against. I just feel useless. I don’t want to talk about strategies, I want to work. So, I try to motivate myself, believe in myself, believe in my capabilities. Where I came from it is very important to succeed, just to be able to live. Otherwise the poverty will kill you, literally. Poverty kills people. Most don’t understand that. You have to be self-motivated, think fast, adapt fast.

18 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018

The most important things next year will also be my health and my relationship. I require therapy to be able to live with Parkinson’s. I also write lots of articles for Kupfermuckn and the editorial team are like family to me. In Austria, we are fortunate to have peace and prosperity, which I also wish to everyone all over the world.

HELMUT Kupfermuckn, Steyr, Austria

This year I got quite a large amount of money, a kind of a financial compensation for political mistreating. I pressed charges on the Republic of Slovenia. After the war in former Yugoslavia, I became a person without any status, unable to get valid documents, a residency or any kind of help for 25 years. Kralji UIice and its kind employees helped me a lot with all the things I had to arrange. It was a challenge; a constant knocking on different doors to get all the documents I needed. I got the compensationfinancialIwas striving to get. I succeeded with all the perseverance that I have and thanks to my stubbornness, but also with the help of a fine lawyer and my personal engagement. Next year, I am looking forward to a permanent solution to my extremely complex problem.

HRISTO Faktum, Malmo, Sweden

I haven’t had a particularly memorable moment so far this year. I have been so focused on looking for a job, I have not much time left over for other things. One experience I had was when I was out of town, outside of Malmö. It was a nice day and I took pictures on my phone. It was a kind of nature experience, a moment for myself. A moment for just enjoying that you are part of something bigger and to realize how small you are. My proudest achievement is probably getting closer to getting a job, because it’s an important thing. I’ve been working on my CV, it’s a representation of who I I’veam.felt challenged when dealing with the employment office. It is a heavy bureaucratic machine here in Sweden. Most challenging is when you come from another country as an immigrant. The Swedish system for finding a job is overwhelmed with a lot a people at the moment. So they are looking for specific people with a high level of education.

During the municipal election campaign, in September, I did an interview, along with two other vendors, with the mayor of Montréal, Denis Coderre, and the head of the opposition party, Valerie Plante. This is my most memorable moment of 2017. It was the first time I had ever been to the mayor’s office. I felt like Elvis Presley when he visited Richard Nixon at the White House. It was quite an honor for me! I was pleased to learn that lowcost housing was an important issue for both candidates.Also,Iwas really touched by the present the mayor gave me: a Montréal Expos baseball cap. The team was sold and left the city in 2004. Like the mayor, I would like to see the return of a professional baseball team in Montréal.Iwasinvited to perform at L’Itinéraire’s Christmas party last year and I sang with real musicians from the group L’Itinérock (the band members were part of the staff). I am an Elvis impersonator and I sang ‘Blue Suede Shoes’, ‘Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’, and ‘Suspicious Minds’. My goal for the coming year is to be admitted to the Québec Artists Union as an impersonator and actor.

SUHAMET Lice v Lice, Leptokarija, Macedonia

AN INTERNATIONAL YEAR IN REVIEW STREET VENDOR STYLE

SLOBODAN Liceulice, Belgrade, Serbia For me, the most ableproudbetter.supportandpositiveainyearveryShemywasmomentmemorableof2017whenImetgirlfriend.hasbeensickthisandshewasahospitalforwhile.ButwiththinkingmutualshegotIammostthatIwastosell25of

This year my daughter Ajlin was born. She is now six months old, and she is the most adorable little baby. I am proud of the work that I have done regarding my house. I managed to build a second floor and to adjust it to the needs of my family. And I have done all that only with the money from selling Lice v Lice and with the help of my mother, who gave me her savings.Thebiggest surprise has been my daughter. For nine months we thought that we will have another boy, but when my wife gave birth, it turned out that it’s a girl. The biggest challenge I faced was to save money for my house. I am struggling to feed my family, and now it is even harder with a baby and a small child, but I manage somehow. I worked a lot. Every day, I was on my pitch selling the street paper. Also, I had a lot of help from my mother who supported me. I hope that everything will be fine. I want to have a job, to be employed full time and to have a regular salary. It is stressful for me to go on the streets every day not knowing if I will earn enough money.

MILUTIN Liceulice, Belgrade, Serbia For me the most forfewmusicwhenpastmomentmemorableintheyearwasIplayedasaDJatevents.I’mproudtheaward

ISAIAS Mi Valedor, Mexico City

L’Itinéraire, Montréal, Canada

JEAN-CLAUDE

I also faced some challenges this year. The death of my friend and co-vendor Élisabèthe at 61 years-old. She was in the process of having a sex-change operation to become a woman. I tried to encourage her, as her family had rejected her. I went to a service where she was commemorated along with a hundred other people whose remains were never claimed. I cried a lot. I wish all the vendors of the world the courage to not get discouraged. The courage to improve your life. I wish that all people would take each other by the hand. Je vous souhaite à tous et à toutes un très Joyeux Noël et une Bonne année 2018! I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year in 2018!

Liceulice issues in one day. I was surprised that I got the most perwillhopingBelgrade.locationrequestedfrequentlyinNextyear,I’mthatIsell35issuesday.

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 19

Liceulice gave me for being most alivehopingIthosetohowmyself.Iinphobias.mydealingindependently.startedwhenpastvendorsuccessfulintheyear.IwassurprisedIlivingIhavebeenwithpersonalIwaspersistentthesensethattriedtoopenThisisIhavetriedovercomephobias.Inthenewyear,amsimplyI’llbeandwell.

A couple of days ago I got the opportunity to present a magazine project in front of a big audience. It caught me by surprise, because I didn’t know I was going to be invited to the stand and talk about my experience to all of these people. My heart was filled with pride, I felt heard, grateful, and honored to be part of it all. I was very proud when I completed a whole year being an official vendor for Mi Valedor. To be able to gain a living with hard work for a year makes me very proud.When Ricardo Raphael, a famous TV journalist, came to Mi Valedor and sat with us for a conversation: it was a big surprise. We sang and talked about our lives and experiences with him, I was sitting next to him. He interviewed us, and we were featured on TV. After that happened, people on the streets were telling me they recognized me from the show. It was a very nice surprise. This year I’ve been struggling with my knee, it hurts and it keeps me from walking properly and without pain, so I have to use a cane. I’ve been saving money so I’ve been paying a private doctor to help me out with the pain and the treatment I need, and also saving money so I can afford my medicine and be better at taking care of myself. It’s important. I want to continue working here. I love my job, and I’m excited to get better at my selling. Also, I am very keen on all the knowledge we will get from the workshops that we have at Mi Valedor, I enjoy learning new things.

The words I’ve spoken in the past, were weak with no love.

A mighty voice roared, saying this thing to do.

And my old life has died, for the new to rejoice.

A dying tree to die, to place me among the living.

Hope (Part 3 of 3: The Time And Arrival Of Hope)

· By Slobodon Mrkojevic · The last wizard Big Fate Sat in his stronghold of TimeHope.was leaking out of Hehim.knew he was aging Andagainhe felt it was unfair. He slightly raised himself, Passed long wind, Licked his lips, Enjoyed it As always In the silence of all the Downnonsense.there, river Jasmine flowed quietly, And he scratched his face And thought, my life is a stream of nonsense. He looked at his crystal ball of life, Saw a woman walking along the river Jasmine. He Knewsmiled,ithas begun, Has Downbegun.there a woman was walking along the river AloneJasminebetween heaven and Onlyearth.WHITE clouds Andmovedfollowed her Thefootsteps.thought came to her, Today is my day to die. She knew, Did not know how. Today I’m gonna die, next to the river Jasmine, Next to the river Jasmine. She felt it funny Not even knowing why. It made her Theaffectionate,feelthought,my time has I’vecome.changed my clothes And all is clean. Blue dress I wear The same in which I first met Affectionatelyhim,to herself she said. A letter I had written, It is here in the bag, And everything is fine. With her left hand, she scratched under the right Broughtbreast, fingers to the Andnose though they smell of freedom and Hope. There is still spring in I’vethem.only been loved once. I’ve only been loved once. And she thought it was Sheunfair.knew she was to die Somehow,today, she felt Nearsatisfied.great bend Where a big willow stands There she stopped To Then,pray.the gunfire echoed through the morning. It came from who knows Thewhere.bullet went under the left Piercedbreast,the mitral Andchamberstopped there. The heart was trying to Andpumpthe blood was gushing out. It did not hurt. She smiled Because inside of her she heard his voice. His Arisevoice.you motherfuckers! Arise you motherfuckers! Arise and be men. With hands wide, she fell On her HuggingLaughing.back,something on the other side of life Fate thought fuck this life. Fuck Leakingtimeout of me, Because it always brings an end to all. They found her lying with arms wide, Blue eyes open. From the mouth, her tongue fell out Sticking it up to the sky, Sticking it up to all up Onthere.the hand, she had a Everyonebracelet. knew that Starbracelet:and the cross of freedom and hope, Star of red ruby, A cross of gold. They carried her away And laid on white sheets, Put a pillow under the Puthead,the tongue in, Closed her eyes. They opened again. Again, the tongue came Theyout. glued her eyelids. It didn’t Whispershelp.started: She’s mocking us. They took off her bra not knowing he was the only one who took it off from her doves. It all started smelling of the Closedspring.the hole in the Washedchest, her. Women have opened the Therebag, was a letter and his Blackgun, handles of walnut wood and one black glove. The letter they opened. In delicate handwriting,feminine The letter had two pages. Later they called it The Return of Hope: I never had a time to tell you it started beating in me, a new heart, A new heart. You left for the castle with my YouForgivecurse,me.saidIgo because of Ihope,have to, I don’t want people to die. You got the mask of bronze and not her. I gave birth to a son, He is the same as you. Yesterday he turned Hetwenty.threw onto his back a sword he’d found, Pulled it out of his heart, Raised his sword up. Imprudently he laughed at Andmesaid this is my heart. I’m going, to get Hope I’llback.be back when Hope First,returns.Ineed to find a poet from the mount Kukavlija: Mad Mrkojevic. I shed a Imprudentlytear, I laughed, Aren’tGo.Clearly.I his mother? Go to get it back, go. My heart was bleeding. Go and say AndredAndbeAndriverToMadePeopleAriseYoumotherfuckers,youmotherfuckers!andbemen!inourvillageadecisionburyhernexttotheJasmine,sothatherfacewillcoveredwithwhitesilk,thereshallbeabigstarembroideredacrossinit.

It told me that every word my mouth should speak, A leaf would fall from the mercy seat. So I went about life without uttering a word.

And said, Son all you need to do is show others more love.

Turn to your neighbor, and utter I love you.

I tried to explain, to the mothers of my kids. Of this awful tree deal, for the things that I did. I wanted to make it all up, in just one day. But this particular tree, told me there wasn’t no way. So on my lips went the uttering of words. So many words the people never heard. I tried to explain, if I talk I could die.

I thank you Lord, for my life, family, and friends.

The Dying Tree

A couple of leaves fell from the tree, and then some more.

My final three words, were Father what could they be.

I spoke no more, I was afraid to die.

Cause when you love others, you’re really loving me.

Society thought that this was so absurd. They couldn’t understand the words I didn’t say. They thought that this was some sort of play.

Three words, three leaves, I’ll obey His voice.

So I spoke one word, two, three, or maybe four.

My family and friends couldn’t understand why.

Women did everything Her eyes are not closed And her tongue was still out of her mouth sticking out to us. We dug near the river BigJasminehole, put the coffin of walnut tree in, Closed it and let her Weinside.piled dirt And put on the grave the big star with a cross, The symbol of new hope and ThenWentfreedom,home.thethunders started. Rain was pouring down and down. The sky went mad, The river Jasmine spilled. When everything had Herstopped,grave was there no Justmore.on top of high willow near the bend the star with cross stood. She stuck her tongue out to us no more. We knew a time of swords was near. Her time. She gave birth to it. Wind started whispering arise you motherfuckers, Arise you motherfuckers! Be Themen.great wizard smiled, glanced through the Andwindow,noticed white clouds so AndLickedtender,lips,saidto himself: The time is near. The time is near!

20 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 mn POETRY

An enemy of theirs, a darkened old foe. I wish I could explain, and share much insight. Of my life in the past, the things that wasn’t right. But no one could understand, they thought I lost my mind.

· By Bryant Culpepper ·

It was all about me, with no love from above.

Three leaves that’s all God, that’s left on this tree.

There was once a tree that was full of leaves. A tree that was dear and hard to please.

I just couldn’t die now, and leave loved ones behind. Oh please Lord forgive me, for all of my wrongs. Bless me once more, and give me a life to live long.

I did my best, with a tear in my eye. But they thought of me as shallow, selfish, and low.

So God reached out, with power from above.

I’m opening your eyes, so that now you can see. But this time, only three leaves were left. My previous talking, had fallen all the rest.

Oh what goodness, the Lord has given.

To learn a lesson like this, is worth being in you again.

KEITH BARBOUR Keith is a poet and regular One Step Away contributor. His poetry draws from the good times and the struggles.

P X B D A N D Y B I R E M E T F T E H Y T A O B E S U O H E M E U B O Y L F R J G R G T K R F A K E O P R A M E I U A C W U R R D C K N F T L P R O A K N P A U G E E T A S L A B P V N W B H Q T U R O K T F U D A Y I S A I C K E B N A F H R L R K P R O H B O P U C O E F G I G S P D H O Y M J W K F T P Z N O B O T A A I Q W I N B W O B E S R U T W R O K U H U W O M C R Y G U L H S P I H S C O O F C A N O E S M A C K S Y W D R E D G E R R O W I N G December'S PUZZLE SOLUTIONS Word Search Solution Sudoku Solution One Step Away is a community newspaper, accepting submissions from anyone who would like to lend their voice to the conversation. Submit articles to OSA@rhd.org. 1 5 9 8 7 2 3 4 6 8 3 6 1 9 4 2 7 5 4 7 2 3 5 6 1 8 9 3 6 1 5 8 9 4 2 7 7 8 4 6 2 1 5 9 3 9 2 5 4 3 7 6 1 8 5 9 3 2 4 8 7 6 1 2 1 8 7 6 3 9 5 4 6 4 7 9 1 5 8 3 2 mnPOETRY In the (Now) · By Keith Barbour · Submit to OSA@RHD.ORG POETSFEATUREDOUR ZACHARY CALDWELL Zachary is a One Step Away vendor & writer who studied history at Temple University. RICHARD “RAM” Ram is a One Step Away poet and vendor. He likes the healing powers of spoken word, and records on YouTube under *Ram Riches*. BRYANT

DELILAH’S HAND

SLOBODAN MRKOJEVIC

Searching and researching all possibilities, Of memorabilia and memories, With pictures of selfies, Surrounded by certificates and poetry, And drawings of art that inspired me, Collectively they all helped me to reach a level of a higher degree, Expanding my Horizon right before me, As my mind reaches out further than my eyes can see, Surveying a new way of life and Destiny, Although my future is before me and my past is behind me, In the now is where I’d rather be. CULPEPPER

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 21

Physical love that’s too easy You’ve got to love my soul Now that... is not easy because in order to love my soul you’ve got to love yours You’ve got to love yourself as deep as the ocean loves itself Now that’s deep but that’s the kind of love my heart seeks I’ve loved myself enough to do the soul work and now I live in my soul In order for you to even love me in that space you must do the same And then... only then will we experience the unconditional love each soul seeks... together as one Soul to Soul Soulmate

· By Ram ·

Delilah was a woman fair and fine Her black hair was like deep dark wine Her face an amazing grace The sweetest of the sweet amongst the Philistine race. They came together and formed a plan To deceive Samson the Nazarite and make him a natural man. To form this plan and fulfill a plot that surely would never miss They would dull his mind with a wicked kiss. Samson the Nazarite was the strongest man And whom they jealously despised Until they found the one who bring his demise With only her hand. Delilah was a woman fair and fine.

As I scoured the days and nights before me, Pondering that they might be Full of bliss and glee, Because the past was negative and appalling to me, Still reaching out trying to greet me With its deceiving eyes, And tongues that tell lies, Gives me no excuse or alibis, So I realize, It’s not the tongue or the eyes, It’s the mind and the heart, Where true Paradise starts. Peace and Tranquility have to dwell from within thee, Because if you let things of a nefarious nature in, tumult will Asbegin!!!Iscoured the nights and days after me,

Bryant is a poet an author whose work examines his own journey with homelessness, and the state of the world around him.

Slobodan is a One Step Away vendor and poet. A book of his poems was published and distributed in his home town of Slatina, Croatia.

· By Zachary Caldwell ·

By: Charles Sarazin

LIVING LIFE, ON LIFE'S TERMS

AUTHORSVENDORFEATUREDOUR

UNCOVERED ISSUES FROM THE STREETS

As some of you are aware I am the self-proclaimed “King of Useless Knowledge” and that fact will not change anytime soon. If anything, I will most likely pursue more useless knowledge and mundane facts.

I grew up with a grandfather who was an alcoholic and whose daughter, my mother, was addicted to pain medication. Sure, I experimented with pot and alcohol. It wasn't until I had a serious injury at work, though, that things began to spiral out of control.

UPDATE By: William Powell

22 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018

Okay that will be it for this month. Hope you’ve enjoyed this edition of One Step Away. Good night, Charles, casrzn8005@yahoo.com

Hey folks. If you’re reading this, congratulations are certainly in order because you as well as I have survived yet another challenging and event-filled year and are ready for another one. So, at this point it’s time to say goodbye to 2017 and welcome 2018.

SO, WHO IS JAYNE MANSFIELD?

Everyone likes to think having financial comfort somehow makes life easier. And it does make some needs more easily accomplished. But there's more to life than financial security. Unfortunately, not everyone's born into a financially stable family. Yet money won't solve problems; in some cases it may even mask them or cause a person to believe things are better than they are.

We as a nation like to think we prepare children for their future. Yet what do we really teach children in school to prepare them for their future? Not everyone needs algebra, trigonometry, or calculus, etc. Yet we treat children like failure will come if they don’t master it, or at least get an average grade to pass.

Hello, and how are you, everyone from One Step Away? This is William and happy holidays to you. I guess you found out when my birthday was in December, and it was all the way back in November, and I am sorry about that! I don’t want to miss anything this year for my birthday. I am happy about my 43rd birthday, and I am very grateful for that. I am getting younger and I can tell, things seem to get better and better. We have some awesome things coming up in the new year and I am looking forward to all of that. You wouldn’t believe it, wait until you see what I am talking about. It will be a surprise for everyone. So if I don’t see you until then, have a happy Christmas and a new year!

CHARLES SARAZIN Charles is a One Step Away vendor and writer. He likes to use his writing to entertain his readers, and provide a refreshing distraction from current events.

One of my favorite movies of all time is the Quentin Tarantino film, “Kill Bill,” starring Uma Thurman and David Carradine. It’s a classic tale of revenge that takes many twists and turns. As many of you who have seen the movie remember, one of the twists sees the character played by Uma taken to a private club in Japan to square off with one of her nemeses who tried but failed to kill her many years earlier. One thing that stuck out in my mind before the inevitable throw down was that Japanese all-girl band, the 5 6 7 8’s who were entertaining the crowd that night. At first their brand of music wasn’t exactly my cup of tea so to speak. But after watching the movie multiple times they started to grow on me. One song in particular that stuck out in my mind was, “I Walk like Jayne Mansfield.” Of course, this begged the question, who is Jayne Mansfield? Eventually my curiosity got the better of me and felt the need to do some research. At first, I Googled the lyrics to the song but discovered the lyrics were filled with mostly “Uh yeeeeeeahhh” and “Ya ya ya ya ya ya ya’s.” Not very helpful in my quest I must say. So I had to go to good old Wikipedia to find my answer. Well I have heard her name before but never really who she was. According to Wikipedia she was born Vera Jayne Palmer and lived quite the life for someone who only lived for 34 years. She was one of the original Hollywood sex symbols of the 50’s and 60’s which eventually and not surprisingly led her to star in several films as well as being a Playboy Playmate. Not unlike Marilyn Monroe, her personal life was well publicized. She was married three times and had five children, the most well-known of them being Mariska Hargitay, whom I’m sure many of you know is famous for playing Detective Olivia Benson in the long running crime series Law and Order. It’s pretty surprising the things you find out when you do a little research.

WILLIAM POWELL William is a One Step Away writer and vendor. He likes to use his articles to stay in touch with his customers and regulars.

BRIAN CURRY Brian is a One Step Away vendor and Team Captain of Center City SouthWest Zone. This is his first article in One Step Away

By: Brian Curry

Focus should be more about what we as humans will have to deal with as we're going through the process of living life, on life's terms. That knowledge is all but neglected. Yet it's what matters most to each and every one of us. We don't teach children about saving money, balancing a checkbook, or simply how to raise children — the responsibility and sacrifices necessary to raise children that are better off than ourselves.

The public education system needs to be overhauled. Kids need to learn more about life and less about trigonometry if that's not their thing. Basic science, sure.The problems I've come across originate from what I've learned through the dysfunctional elements of my upbringing. I was destined to abuse drugs and alcohol if you subscribe to the belief that addiction is hereditary. From my experiences, it seems to be. Yet being in a recovery program has taught me a better way to deal with issues that have appeared in my life. With the opioid epidemic, it should be mandatory to change the thinking of the educational system and most importantly of the students who will become its leaders generations later.

I've had three back surgeries and was told addiction wasn't an issue—it was all about pain management. And to some extent that was, and continues to be, true.The pharmaceutical industry, along with doctors and the government, has created a nightmare for our nation. Yet the industry that created the problem relies on taxpayers to fund the solutions. What's wrong with us Americans and our thinking? Shouldn't the industry that created the opioid epidemic help fund theThesolution?pharmaceutical industry has accrued enormous profits while taking a toll on our nation's taxpayers, a problem which should be met by those who have created it. The tobacco industry got off far too easy and for too long. Isn't it time to solve this epidemic before it becomes even more of a crisis for the nation?

COMICS CAN YOU SOLVE MY -SEARCHES?WORDMARIA

JANUARY 2018 ● One Step Away 23 MUSIC ON MY MIND F F M M E M J T P G U E G C C K O Y W R X Z X N D A L C J S O Z W X W X M F X C S J H R R S W I N G D T B S H F E X I I B K P I P X C M S E E L K E J F C F A A P Y O B P C W J T C I N R P A Z H K C V G N C Z F H T H I O F N N A W C O C Q O U B X E O R O D O U I U U C L N E O C N H P W N V I Y P Z N S B B S E I S R W P L K V F Z S Y H S T S C L D P J F T Z O M J H O H T K W H R A O U N S H Z F F P T O Z L P I Y C R Y L U E U O B O O F W C P K K I A G T O N C Z S O G R T S L J T D N B P N Q Z M Z I D Y S B J V D A L M D G K A E P S P F P D K F U N K N P E I L Z D Q X U J T J Y B H X P Y C N U P W Z Z Z G N C H F P S M O O T H J A Z Z L A A M E T A L S O U L S R G P P Z U H V Z J K P K S C W N I R K R E G G A E Z S I C V I Z V E A D L O P E R A T E H K X Q I O P I X S H V M A Z L K Q Z G U G swing jazz smoothjazz reggae echoes blues soundscapes gospel christian folk softrock hiphop pop country classified opera metal soul funk SearchWord RIVERS AROUND THE WORLD J M M O F J A J T X S R A N J E N D W M O Q G Q M Q S I C G M T F L I O R E X F G C R I L F K W P K C E A Y O U W L O E O G R A N D E U Q W J C Y Y A J C A L P C C J O A M A Z O N R C C A T U I W W H U L P M N Q N K O I I D O W L M E A W I W T K X Y D G S G F O M A F W I E R N M I G T I W O O R N R E S H X Z S L E W Z I W H Q U L L Q O A U U J K I S I N C P F B Q Y H J A M C N M U A E G O N X V M O U I N G T W L I C O I L P T U E J F E N R F K U Z A W U I A K E P Y R B Q S K R U Q U K A I Y L S S J Q X I I P E C O A N W G O M B B A C E J A P U R A K U N A D M J T B M G X O M E E N Z H G E F G P I J V N E A L U Z A W S A L W E E N V A G L Q I Z Z L M H H X X B Y J O S C C E A X R K I H U F Z T T A N Z A N I A G S V V L J Z F R D P N B A H V I N E B X V P R D D H B F Z A V D B S W V C V B F AMAZON MEKONG SALWEEN CONGO ANGOLA ZAMBEZI FRANCISCO NILE THAMES TAY DELAWARE BURUNDI TANZANIA ZAMBIA JAPURA RIO GRANDE MISSOURI SEE February’s issue FOR ANSWERS TO THE Word Searches PUZZLECOMICS

About the artist:

Douglas Pope Wilson, resident of the city of Wilmington, Delaware, and self taught artist, has illustrated for a variety of publications. His interests are world events, classic films, British comedy, science fiction, jazz, manga and good books. Presently Douglas is writing and illustrating a graphic novel. The artist is currently blessed to be a part of the One Step Away family!

24 One Step Away ● JANUARY 2018 #VendorWeek 2018 February 5 —11 across the globe! 110 street papers in 35 countries, printed in 24 languages, with 10,000 street paper vendors, and 5.6 million readers worldwide. globe!INTERNATIONALWEEKVENDORFebruary2018