03 17 2010 by Street Sense Media

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Where the poor and homeless

March 17 - 30, 2010

earn and give their two cents

March 17 - 30, 2010

D STE GE ON G I S U N AT DO

Volume 7 Issue 10

65 cents for the Vendor

35 cents for production of the paper

A month ago, this i s where they slept.. . See page 5

Ken gives his two cents on health care reform Page 13

BEFORE AFTER

Coltrane is remembered by vendors



Page 10

See Page 4

We review “Night Train,” a novel written by a formerly homeless man Page 13

March 17 - 30, 2010

1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 347–2006 Fax: (202) 347–2166 info@streetsense.org www.streetsense.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristal DeKleer Lisa Estrada Ted Henson Mary Lynn Jones Sommer Mathis Brad Scriber John Snellgrove Michael Stoops Martin Walker David Walker Kathy Whelpley EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Abby Strunk EDITOR–IN–CHIEF Lisa Gillespie VENDOR MANAGER Gregory Martin INTERNS Sonja Doty & Mary Krulia FOUNDERS Ted Henson & Laura Thompson Osuri VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Robert Basler, Robert Blair, Jane Cave, Katie Edson, Robert Fulton, Jane Goforth, Cassandra Good, Joanne Goodwin, Roberta Haber, Erica Hall, Annie Hill, Dan Horner, Phillip Hoying, Maurice King, Brenda K. Lee-Wilson, Kim O’Connor, Gabriel Okolski, Sarah Birnie, Diane Rusignola, Jesse Smith, Denise Wilkins, Marian Wiseman, David Shere, J.L. Deveaux

VENDORS Jake Ashford, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Donna Barber, Cyril Belk, Kenneth Belkosky, Tommy Bennett, Phillip Black, Reginald Black, Corey Bridges, Melody Byrd, Cliff Carle, Peggy Cash, Conrad Cheek, Aaron Conner, Anthony Crawford, Louise Davenport, Charles Davis, James Davis, Jeffery Dennis, David Denny, Ricardo Dickerson, Muriel Dixon, Alvin Dixon-El, Roger Dove, Charles Eatmon, Deanna Elder, Richard Embden, James Featherson, Craig Fleming, Tanya Franklin, Roger Garner, David Ger, Barron Hall, Dwight Harris, Patricia Henry, Shakaye Henry, Shawn Herring, Phillip Howard, James Hughes, Patricia Jefferson, Margaret Jenkins, Donald Johnson, Jewell Johnson, Allen Jones, Mark Jones, Clinton Kilpatrick, Brenda Lee-Wilson, James Lott, Michael Lyons, Jonnie Malloy, Kina Mathis, John Matthews, John C. Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Herman Mayse, Robert McCray, Marvin McFadden, Davie McInally, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffery McNeil, Frank Mearns, Kenneth Middleton, Virginia Moore, L. Morrow, Tyrone Murray, Lester Myers, Charles Nelson, Sammy Ngatiri, Evelyn Nnam, Charity Ogbonnaya, Moyo Onibuje, Franklin Payne, Gregory Phillips, Tracey Powell, Ash-Shaheed Rabbil, Raymond Ragland, Jeanette Richardson, Sean-Christopher Riley, Lawrence Rogers, Ed Ross, Melania Scott, Chris Shaw, Ronald Simms, Veda Simpson, Gerald Smith, Patty Smith, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, Leroy Studevant, Beverly Sutton, Paul Taylor, Sybil Taylor, Eric Thompson, Larissa Thompson, Deborah Tibbs, Carl Turner, Joseph Walker, Robert Warren, Lawless Watson, Paul Watson, Edna Williams, Howard Williams, Brian Wills, Ivory Wilson, Charles Woods.

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Our Mission

Street Sense aims to serve as a vehicle for elevating voices and public debate on issues relating to poverty while also creating economic opportunities for people who are experiencing homelessness in our community.

The Story of Street Sense

Street Sense began in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions about starting a street newspaper in Washington, D.C. A street paper is defined as a newspaper about poverty, homelessness and other social issues that provides an income to the homeless individuals who sell it. About 28 street papers operate in the United States and Canada in places like Seattle, Chicago, Montreal and Boston, and dozens more exist throughout the world. After bringing together a core of dedicated volunteers and vendors, Street Sense came out with its first issue in November 2003, printing 5,000 copies. For the next three years the paper published on a monthly basis and greatly expanded its circulation and vendor network. For the first year, Street Sense operated as a

project of the National Coalition for the Homeless, but in October 2004, the organization incorporated and moved into its own office space. In March 2005, Street Sense received 501(c)3 status, becoming a nonprofit organization. In October 2005 Street Sense formed a full board of directors, and in November the organization hired its first employee, a full-time executive director. A year later in November 2006, the organization hired its first vendor coordinator and began partnering with several service providers. In February 2007, the paper started publishing twice a month and to support the increased production brought on its first full-time editor– in–chief in April. As of March 2010 the paper has 107 vendors

We are proud members of: North American Street Newspaper Association

International Network of Street Papers

and prints about 30,000 issues a month.

Vendor Code of Conduct

Do you want to continue to support Street Sense throughout the year? Order a subscription today! Not only will you receive 26 issues packed with all our latest news, poetry and photography, you will also help raise awareness about poverty in the D.C. area.

___ YES! I want to subscribe to Street Sense for just $40 a year for 26 issues. ___ YES! I want to give half of the cost of a subscription to my favorite vendor: ______________________________ Name:_________________________ Address:_______________________ City:____________State:__________ Zip: ___________________________ Phone: ________________________ E-mail: ________________________ Please make checks payable to: Street Sense.

1. Street Sense will be distributed for a voluntary donation of $1. I agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Street Sense by any other means. 2. I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense staff and will not sell papers to other vendors (outside of the office volunteers). 3. I agree to treat all others – customers, staff, other vendors – respectfully, and I will not “hard sell,” threaten or pressure customers. 4. I agree to stay off private property when selling Street Sense. 5. I understand that I am not a legal employee of Street Sense but a contracted worker responsible for my own well–being and income. 6. I agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper. 7. I will not sell Street Sense under the influence of drugs or alcohol. 8. I agree to stay a block away from another vendor and respect the space of all vendors. I understand that my badge is the property of Street Sense and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge and wear my vest when selling papers. 10. I understand that Street Sense strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word.

Last Month’s Donors

We appreciate you!

Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.

Thank You!

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March 17 - 30, 2010

Baltimore County sees uptick in homelessness During the past year, the number of homeless men and women in Baltimore County jumped 25 percent, according to the Associated Press. An annual survey, which was conducted at the end of January, showed that more than one third of the 890 people counted said they were homeless for the first time. Homeless advocates are planning a rally and march to the county’s council meeting to lobby for funding for homeless programs.

St. Louis offers homeless property protection City workers in St. Louis will now have to hand out homeless identification tags and silver bags for the homeless to place their possessions in, the St. Louis PostDispatch reports. The bags and tags will help the homeless retrieve their belongings if they get picked up during a routine park cleaning. Instead of being thrown away, as was previously done, the items will be brought to a storage facility for pick up.

“The city of St. Louis, specifically downtown, has the largest amount of homeless services in the St. Louis area. Homeless people come from all over the St. Louis area into downtown to get service,” said Mayor Francis Slay in a press conference. The changes come after the belongings of two homeless men were thrown away in November 2009. Among the items discarded were medication and tents. "That simply cannot happen again," Slay said.

Former D.C. hospital full of homeless families Officials from the District of Columbia have placed about 200 families into a space at the D.C. General shelter, The Washington Post reports. The area is better equipped to house about 135 families, which has led to significant overcrowding. The figures ballooned to as many as 242 adults and 390 children living in one place, though that number has dropped to about 175 families in total, the Post reports. The Department of Health and Human Services said that the overcrowding is due to the 12 percent unemployment in the city, along with a rise in evictions.

D.C. Council member Tommy Wells (DWard 6), who chairs of the Human Services Committee, told the Washington Post that the shelter "is clearly not where we want families to live." But the District faces a budget crunch, which is preventing the city from placing families in other places during hypothermia season.

Program helps get homeless pregnant women off Toronto streets Nurses with the Homeless At-Risk Prenatal Program, or HARP, work to get homeless pregnant women in Toronto off the street and into apartments, The Toronto Star reports. The program also helps teach the women how to care for their children. While the program acknowledges that not all women can be helped and that many fall back into old habits, the nurses said they count small successes, such as a woman coming to a shelter during her pregnancy or delivering her baby in a hospital instead of on the street. About 50 percent of homeless women get pregnant, many within the first 12 months of becoming homeless, according

to The Toronto Star. Women with a history of sexual abuse may not understand the need for constant contraception, which can be difficult to find while living on the streets.

Unemployment higher among young war veterans In 2009, 21.1 percent of young Afghanistan or Iraq veterans were unemployed, which was significantly higher than the 16.6 percent national average for 18-24 year olds, according to the Labor Department, as reported by the Associated Press. Many have struggled with addiction and homelessness since returning home, the AP reports. "It's a horrible environment because if you're a reservist and you're being deployed two or three times in a five-year period, you know you're less competitive," said Joseph Sharpe, director of the economic division at the American Legion. "Many companies that are already hurting are reluctant to hire you and time kind of moves on once you're deployed." Compiled by Dianna Heitz, from previously published reports.

Every homeless person has a name, a story and a hope for something better. Sybil, a lifelong Washingtonian, became homeless when she lost her job. While panhandling on the street, she ran into a Street Sense vendor who encouraged her to sell the paper. Sybil attributes the positive changes she’s made in her life to Street Sense. Sybil, who now has housing and a permanent smile on her face, hopes to start her own business in five years.

I want to donate:

Help Street Sense help people like Sybil restore their dignity, get back to work and improve their lives.

My information:

____ $60

With a $60 donation, we can provide food for six Writer’s Group meetings.

Name: __________________________________

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With a $100 donation, we can provide ofﬁce supplies for one month.

Address: ________________________________

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With a $300 donation, we can buy vendor badges for six months.

City, State, Zip: ___________________________

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With a $500 donation, we can make signiﬁcant improvements to the paper.

Phone: _________________________________

____ $1,000

With a $1,000 donation, we can have the space needed for vendor training.

Email: __________________________________

____ $1,500

With a $1,500 donation, we can print four issues of the paper.

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With a $5,000 donation, we can build signiﬁcant organizational capacity.

Another amount of _________ to support what Street Sense needs most.

Please make your check payable to “Street Sense” and mail to: 1317 G Street NW, Washington, DC 20005

The amount of _________ to go directly to vendor ____________________.

Donate online at www.streetsense.org

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March 17 - 30, 2010

District Receives $18 Million in Annual HUD Homeless Funding By Michael Ullman The McKinney-Vento Fund awarded more than $18 million to the District for transitional and permanent supportive housing. Existing transitional housing programs received $13.8 million and permanent supportive housing for disabled individuals received $4.7 million. The National Coalition for the Homeless received award letters totaling $375,000 to support two transitional housing projects. “We received the exact same amount of money we did five years ago to support these programs, but costs have risen and there is no annual cost of living adjustment,” NCH director Michael Ferrell said. Approximately $1.5 billion in HUD funds were distributed to nearly 500 municipalities throughout the country. The District is also awaiting word on a new two-year, $933,000 proposal that will fund a new permanent supportive housing project. Spring Road Apartments, operated by the Coalition for the Homeless, has received HUD funding since 1990 to support its 28-unit transitional housing project for families with children. “Last year was a good year for our program,” said Ferrell. His agency reported a housing placement rate of 79 percent, with 22 out of 28 successfully moving in to permanent housing. In May 2009, the HEARTH Act was signed, authorizing an annual increase in funding to $2.2 billion. The act also calls for changes in increased administrative funding eligibility and a greater proportion of funds for emergency shelter grants. However, advocates have said that authorization levels do not guarantee actual funding appropriations. Changes are not scheduled to take effect for two years. “McKinney-Vento funds are essential in advancing our efforts to help people experiencing homelessness,” said Laura Zeilinger, deputy director for program operations for the D.C. Department of Human Services. She added that while the District allocates significant local funding, HUD homeless funding is “critical in supporting the entire continuum of care for homeless services.”

Significant disparities exist between reported levels of homelessness and funding allocations across the country.

Key National Performance Measures D.C. Goal D.C. Perfor National Goal Permanent Housing Retention (7+ months) 88% 92% 75.50% 90% Employment Income at Program Exit 31% 34% 19% 80% Moving 45% 53% 63.50% 70% from Transitional to Permanent H 100%

Permanent Housing Retention (7+ months)

60% 50%

Employment Income at Program Exit

40% 30%

Moving from Transitional to Permanent Housing

20% 10% 0% D.C. Goal

D.C. Performance

Currently, no HUD mechanism exists for Supportive Housing Program renewal projects to receive additional funds beyond original levels. Significant disparities exist between reported levels of homelessness and funding allocations across the country. The District’s allocation represents approximately $2,800 per capita and is based on a homeless estimate of 6,228 from the 2009 point-in-time study. On average, HUD funds approximately $2,000 per capita using the D.C. Continuum of Care’s reported levels of homelessness. Countrywide, HUD funding ranges runs from more than $10,000 per individual in Pittsburgh and Cleveland to $1,000 or less in San Diego and Las Vegas. Homeless assistance applications are submitted by the Community Partnership for Homelessness, the applicant agency for the majority of projects and administrative coordinator for the D.C. Continuum of Care, a coalition of service providers, government agencies, community partners and advocates. Nearly 500 Continuum members nationwide compete for the limited pot of new funding The Maya Angelou House, operated by SOME as a provider of drug treatment for homeless women, receives 80 percent of its annual $600,000 budget from the McKinney-Vento dollars, according to Richard Gerlach, executive director of SOME. The program, which serves up to 15 women at a time, takes 90 days for strict treatment. The majority of the women suffer from both substance abuse and mental illness. It has an 80 percent completion rate, nearly double that of most homeless treatment programs. A parallel program for men, Exodus

National Goal

We received the exact same amount of money we did five years ago to support these programs, but costs have risen and ther is no annual cost of living adjustment. -NCH director, Michael Ferrell House, receives more than $500,000 annually from the homeless dollars. To receive annual funding, applications must detail planning efforts to reduce homelessness. Members also report progress on key national measures. The 2009 application for D.C. reported that performance exceeded national benchmarks for permanent housing retention and employment income while falling short in moving homeless persons from transitional to permanent housing. Gerlach noted that any reduction in annual funding would be disastrous for his agency’s three supported drug treatment programs. “It would be enormously harmful to people who are trying to take steps towards breaking bonds of addiction and becoming independent,” he said.

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March 17 - 30, 2010

Private Property Pushes out Homeless 1401 NY Ave no longer a sleeping place By Sonja Doty

PHOTO b y Sonja doty

As recently as late last month, area homeless people found shelter beneath an overhang at 1401 New York Avenue, Northwest. Now, after the intervention of management, the area is empty and shows no signs that 10 people once slept there. The homeless who sought refuge under the overhang have had a rocky relationship with the building owners and tenants, according to building manager Pierre Rahal. “It’s just getting worse and worse,” said Rahal. “It has been an ongoing struggle.” The ground level is occupied by a Quizno’s, Starbucks, Jem’s Optical and AT&T. In front, a wide overhang that runs the length of the block and around the side sheltered the homeless for at least the past few months. However, three weeks ago, building officials told people camping there to move. Pam Morrison was sleeping under the overhang at the time. “I hadn’t been sleeping there very long,” she said. “But it was long enough to be comfortable.” Morrison and some of the others moved to the side of the building, which still has an overhang, but no shop fronts. After this movement, a man went into Morrison’s belongings and threatened her The buildings overhang previously sheltered several homeless people before management intervened and had them move. before she yelled at him and he ran away. “Before, there were no problems with people,” she Former residents say the management of the private property at 1401 NY Ave. allowed them to stay as long as they cleaned up, however, the management denies this. said. “Now I feel a little bit unsafe.” According to Rahal, the owners of the building, was a man who sat in front of the door. Even that, Cheryl Holliday stated outright that they had nothing multinational company Wereldhave, Inc., “have according to him, was not a significant issue. to do with it. AT&T workers reported the same. “They’d have instructed a zero-tolerance policy [against “We would encourage them not to loiter,” she said, their little set-ups, which would get in the way of and to accede to the building manager’s wishes. vagrants].” “The tenants had written it in,” Rahal said. “It has end-of-the-night customers,” an employee said. She Currently, D.C. has no anti-loitering laws, although been sporadic, but has been happening for a long recalled no customer complaints or any management private property laws are in effect with the building. time.” He added that the building is private property requests to remove them. Parts of the sidewalk underneath the overhang are A Starbucks employee was in agreement, saying in use by the businesses, putting it in the building’s and that the homeless sleeping there were unsanitary to everyone on the premises. Rahal also said that that the homeless were there in the early morning, property. but there were no complaints that he knew of. tenants have been abused and yelled at by them. The building receptionist maintained that the Rahal said that the homeless were interfering with management was within its right to ask the homeless Morrison has denied this, although she reported rumors that someone from the shops had asked the building’s running. to leave. “In many ways, they dirty it up,” he said. for their removal. Workers from all four shops on Initially, some reports said that the homeless Morrison said that she and the others always under the overhang had encountered people who the ground level said they never had any serious cleaned up after themselves. problems. wanted them removed before, but that management “We’re gone during the day,” she said. “Everybody had interceded on their behalf, as long as they “They’re pretty nice,” said a Quizno’s employee. goes walking around.” “We never had any freak-outs.” cleaned up after themselves. A worker for the Downtown BID (Business The only problem, a Jem’s Optical employee said, Rahal denied the claim. Improvement District) who does maintenance and “I’ve never allowed it,” he said. safety for the streets, who wished to be referred to Currently no homeless people sleep under the only by the first name of Lorin, said that the homeless overhang. Morrison, however, says not everyone has often leave behind items. taken the displacement notice to heart. “They left cardboard and their other stuff,” she “There are some people who don’t want to abide -Pierre Rahal, 1401 NY Ave. buildsaid. by it,” she said. “But nothing’s happened to them.” ing manager, in reference to accuRumors swirled around the homeless community, The rejection of the homeless at 1401 New Morrison said, that Mayor Fenty had a role in the York Ave NW was a right for the building owners, sations that he sanctioned homeless displacement, although the mayor’s office did not according to Rahal. people sleeping in front of shops. respond to e-mails or phone calls. “We just cannot allow it for safety reasons,” he Department of Human Services spokeswoman said.

I’ve never allowed it.

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March 17 - 30, 2010

Being Homeless is Against the Law Economic profiling treats homeless people as criminals By Margo Pierce

ffluent college students set up tents, cardboard boxes and crates on private property, housed in their makeshift “shanty town,” protesting the plight of homeless people. Living outdoors for a night – food, toilets and police protection readily available – this camping offers protection for a night spent in full view of the public. A ragtag group of people huddles under a highway bridge, cars thundering overhead, setting up tents and a few belongings. They are waiting out a storm. It will likely be a few days before the rain finally stops, so they are grateful for the protection and a measure of privacy in a public place. The first group will pass the night in relative calm after the TV cameras leave. The second group will be invaded by police issuing citations before forcing them back into the storm to look for some other shelter, possibly leading to more tickets. Both situations describe people creating their own shelter. The reason they are treated so differently is economic profiling. Like other forms of profiling

Squeegee kids approach cars at stop lights to earn money. Photo from Denver VOICE.

– targeting individuals for suspicion because of their race, faith or nationality – economic profiling uses the appearance of poverty as a basis of suspicion. Economic profiling is also used to create laws and ordinances that intentionally target economically disadvantaged people, frequently homeless, for the stated reason of improving public safety. The problem is that this profiling doesn’t work, and it sanctions discrimination against people who are different, feeding an irrational fear of “homeless people.”

Beautiful people can be homeless, too If you saw David Letterman or Jim Carrey sleeping in a car, wrapped in a sleeping bag against the cold, would you call the police and complain that he made you feel unsafe while walking your dog? Would Halle Berry, dressed in jeans and a T-shirt on a bus-stop bench, prompt you to tell a cop that a prostitute was soliciting in a place where children gather? Would those people inspire feelings of fear, disgust or self-righteous indignation? Of course not. You’d look for a piece of paper for an autograph and get ready to take a photo. The only difference between Letterman, Carrey, Berry and other people on the street is that they managed to move beyond homelessness and become rich. When they were homeless, however, a call to the cops would have been a more likely outcome, because we treat homelessness as a crime. In 2007 approximately 3.6 million people were homeless at some time in North America, according to a number of non-profit organizations. “Homeless” is defined in a variety of ways, so it is impossible to paint a uniform picture of what this reality looks like. But the numbers show that homelessness has reached epidemic proportions. The popular response is punishment. “It’s illegal to be homeless in this country. We have a form of economic profiling similar to racial profiling,” says Michael Stoops, director of community organizing for the National Coalition for the Homeless in Washington, D.C. “It’s a major problem, and it’s not going to go away unless citizens demand that their cities do something about it in a positive manner.” This is true across all of North America. People who live on the street or rely on shelters for temporary housing are on the outside of society because they appear to do things that are inappropriate. The law treats certain necessary behaviors as “anti-social” when they are performed in public. Criminal citations are often issued to homeless people for activities that everyone else does indoors or on private property: earning income, sleeping, eating, going to the bathroom or sitting down to rest.

Stoops calls these “quality of life” behaviors. Some of the laws barring them are cited in Homes Not Handcuffs: The Criminalization of Homelessness in U.S. Cities, a 2009 report by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty. They include acts It’s illegal to be such as bathing, sleeping, and urihomeless in this nating in public as country. We have a well as panhandling and begging. form of economic Using a toilet is profiling similar to a universal need. You might think a racial profiling. person could just -Michael Stoops, Director use the facilities in of Community Organizing, a public place such National Coalition for the as a library or subway or a shelter. But Homeless that ignores facts that only become obvious when you are living on the street. Many public places can be too far away to walk to — assuming you can walk — and are locked much of the day. Many shelters have restricted access; not anyone can just wander in when they want. And businesses rarely allow people who are not customers to use their facilities.

Housing is cheaper There are no comprehensive studies proving that the criminalization approach to homelessness improves public safety. Advocates for the homeless, however, cite scientific research and anecdotal evidence to prove that addressing the root causes of homelessness — not the behaviors related to it — can have a positive long-term impact for the community as well as the individuals. Homes Not Handcuffs cites a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association in which Seattle researchers concluded that it’s “cheaper to provide supportive housing to chronically homeless individuals with severe alcohol problems than to have them live on the streets. Researchers designed a study to evaluate the effect of a Housing First intervention for chronically homeless individuals with severe alcohol problems on the use and costs of services,” the report says. “According to the study, the median costs of Housing First participants before the study were $4,066 per person per month. When participating in the Housing First program, median monthly costs decreased to $1,492 per person per month after six months and $958 after 12 months.” Some cities make an effort to balance the criminalization approach with efforts to assist individuals in connecting with service providers. The uneven application of (cont.)

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March 17 - 30, 2010

Being Homeless is Against the Law (continued) harsh enforcement is illustrated in Colorado. Denver’s Road Home — a 10-year plan to end homelessness — includes criminalization ordinances, but the city “adopted a policy of training officers on how to do outreach to the homeless,” says Tim Covi, editor of the Denver VOICE. Law enforcement is expected to direct people to assistance rather than issue tickets right away. While the homeless on the Downtown Business Improvement District say they have been treated with respect, others aren’t so fortunate. “Particularly along the Platte River and Cherry Creek areas, where the homeless often sleep at night and by law are not permitted to sleep, the Denver VOICE has received accounts of people’s possessions being discarded after they were roused in the morning and told to leave the area,” Covi says. “We have been told by at least five homeless people that the police make regular stops early in the morning on the Platte River and tell people to leave, and that if they’re found there again, they’ll be ticketed or arrested.” Scarce financial resources and public sentiment means advocates for the homeless have the added responsibility of educating the public about the steps necessary to end homelessness. Most large cities have more homeless people than shelter beds and even fewer services to address the root causes of the problem – mental health issues, addiction, job training, high unemployment rates, hiring practices that bar individuals with criminal records. Success stories are hard to come by.

Make them wear signs Unfortunately, failed programs tend to get the most attention. “What happens when a city proposes some new initiative to solve the homeless problem — and this is in a negative way, to criminalize homelessness — it passes,” says Stoops. “The

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and wellbeing of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services... -Article 25 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, signed by the United States and Canada

chamber of commerce, the police department, the business community will say that this new anti-panhandling program is working. And then other cities hear about it. Cities are actually very lazy. They will copy and pass this same, exact panhandling ordinance that was passed in Cincinnati.” Indianapolis, Ind., and other municipalities are currently considering the ordinance Stoops refers to. “In 2003 Cincinnati City Council passed an ordinance requiring panhandlers to obtain licenses from the health department,” says Gregory Flannery, editor of Streetvibes. “Teachers, nurses, activists and others registered as panhandlers in an expression of solidarity. The Greater Cincinnati Coalition for the Homeless (parent organization of Streetvibes) filed a civil rights lawsuit in federal court alleging the ordinance was a violation of the First Amendment, which guarantees the right to free speech. In settling the lawsuit, the city, the Homeless Coalition and Downtown Cincinnati Inc. (DCI) agreed to create an outreach position at DCI, whose job includes connecting panhandlers with social services.” Advocates are working to change the views of lawmakers while simultaneously finding ways to get around the laws until they are removed.

‘Everyone has the right’ At a time when millions are being donated by private citizens and government to offer relief to 1.9 million Haitians left homeless by the recent earthquake, North Americans turn a blind eye to the policies that punish almost twice that many people in the same circumstance. But change is possible. Both Canada and the United States have signed and ratified the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but both have failed to universally incorporate its principles into their laws. The non-binding United Nations (U.N.) declaration opens with a preamble recognizing “the inherent dignity and...equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world.” In 1948 the U.N. General Assembly adopted this declaration as a “common standard of achievement for all peoples and all nations.” The recognition that everyone — regardless of any distinction including an “other status,” such as homelessness — is “born free and equal in dignity and rights” of life, liberty and security of person, is detailed in admonitions to prohibit slavery, torture, arbitrary arrest and a host of other behaviors that the United States and Canada routinely condemn as deplorable in other countries. The problem is that we refuse to do as we say. Laws that criminalize homelessness routinely violate the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Restricting the movement of people in specific locations violates Article 13: “Everyone has the right to freedom of movement and residence within the borders of each state.” Confiscating and disposing of personal property because it happens to be on public land violates

Many cities, such as Cincinnati, have attempted to pass city ordinances making panhandling illegal. However those cities have had their ordinances overturned in a court of law. Photo from Flickr member Clairity.

Article 17: “Everyone has the right to own property alone as well as in association with others. No one shall be arbitrarily deprived of (his/her) property.” Perhaps the most egregious violation of all is the blatant disregard for Article 25: “Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.” Homelessness has become a crime, but homeless people are the victims, not the perpetrators. Laws that worsen their plight aggravate the offense. Just as mental illness, sexual abuse and addiction are conditions that call for help — not prosecuting victims — homelessness deserves a response rooted in compassion, fiscal sense and respect for international law. Helping homeless people is less expensive than jailing them. But more important, helping homeless people is the right thing to do. Jailing them for being homeless is wrong. Reprinted from NASNA © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org

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March 17 - 30, 2010

Blizzard the

From Back Side of

Poetry & Photos by Chris Sky Earnshaw

“Ice-O-Lation Ice-O-Lation Ice-O-Lation Oh God! WHEN vuh-vuh-vuh-vuh Will this blasted bus arrive And draw me into its rushing warmth … lift me away from the frosty breath of an almost certain death?” Oh, hi there, Ms. Driver. Sure am grateful to see you on such a frozen night Down here in chilly old McPherson Square! The small urban glacier recedes,

spoor.

Leaving plenty of muddy

Contained within the footprints are the detritus of “usura” And plenty of people’s crushed and foiled dreams. As the brown liquid bubbles up,

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March 17 - 30, 2010

Now itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so weird. Ahh, ughhh, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m sweating in my jersey.

D.C. Spring.

Old Sol has moved far too close for comfort. Or have we moved too far to the red planet? Time to check your Mayan calendars. Dear neighbors: The trampling has com menced, the grass will be pounded dry,

And rest ye aboard the park bench lest ye be scorched!

Eventually to form islets of future green tufts of grass, Hope shall grow anew

Till the trampling resumes

All over again.

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March 17 - 30, 2010 MUSIC REVIEW

Street Sudoku

John Coltrane: Still Rocking Souls

By David Rubin

4 9

2 8

5 7

1 9 6 5 7 3 8 2

8 7 2 3 1 9 4 6

6 7 1 3 4 5 2 9 8

9 5 8 7 6 2 4 3 1

1 9 2 4 7 6 8 5 3

This weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s answers

9 4

By Charles Lester Myers

Aâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Word Finder By Patrick Azarius

B T E R G L M D N

I S B A S B Y R O

O D X R V W S I I

G U O E W E T C T

R O H A F Z E H C

A L A U R A R M N

(1) BIOGRAPHY (2) CONJUNCTION (3) ADVERB (4) CLOUDS

P C D S H P Y O U

H Q V Q J V T N J

Y T E I O M Y D N

P K R C A Z X E O

(5) MYSTERY (6) LAURA (7) RICHMOND (8) MOIETY

M L B L H G F W C

John Coltrane (1926-1967) was an unsurpassable musician. He played with a warm soulful elegance that spoke of love from above. Each note had a magical theme that put you into another world, flowing like electricity. He'd say "fluid electricity," but electricity flows just fine as is. Coltrane's 9 song "Spiritual" sends you to another place and reminds me of a warm, refreshing summer day. The essence of that song transcends fury and passion to the core of your inner being. Yes, the master of the saxophone always sent a message of truth and reality. Coltrane will always be remembered for these characteristics that made him a great musician. His legacy will be with us for years to come. Rest in peace, Mr. Coltrane; we love you!

FOUNDRY A Reconciling Congregation Invites you to join us in worship on Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00 AM Homeless Outreach Hospitality: Fridays 9:00 AM

Foundry United Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 332-4010

www.foundryumc.org

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Will Write For Food:

Writer’s Group

March 17 - 30, 2010

meets every Wednesday from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Street Sense office.

The Writer's Group needs laptops; email: info@streetsense.org if you can help

St. Patrick’s day

We think of clovers pots of gold and drinks on St. Patrick’s Day but what about our homeless companions on our streets. take time out to reflect on what is the real meaning of St. Patricks day

Them

by Reginald Black The air feels like a deep gentle massage. Hundreds of creatures walking around created in god’s image. They stress and strain. They fuss and buss. But today they are all about clovers and cups. Wearing green, green like garbage of all things There are angles and demons, putting back shot after shot. All night until they heave up their guts. Through the boxes and carts, I see kind and mean spirited hearts. Those that won’t give in, those that will dumpster dive for din-din St. Patricks’s day is really about Them......

Paddies Day

by Robert Warren Days away from the first day of spring Lands east and west filled with Saint Patrick days green. What does it all mean? How does one become a saint living the message of God? there is a light. Marchers follow green beers with songs to sing Whisky toasts , while wearing Paddies Day green. Will peace ever come to the land of saints? Will catholic and prodestent churches ever get it right? Will the darkness of the world ever come to the light? Saint Paddies Day, More capitalist bull, yea thats right. Robert is a member of The People for Fairness Coalition. Contact: Robertwarren47@yahoo.com.

St. Patrick

by David Rubin Who framed Roger Rabbit? Well framed for habit. Potatoes named Carrot Bit. Patrick Deemed Truth hit. .....Med.......it.

Reggie’s Reflections- In-Reveiw By Reginald Black Leaving- After staying with a friend I was asked to depart. Invader- Upon my return to southeast, I picked up on an unwanted roommate. Appearances- While on an errand a friend and I were approached by two females. Towards Tomorrow- After encountering the females, I started to feel my social status was lost. Family- I tried to reconnect with a family member, only to be rejected. Evicted- I returned to an apartment I was staying in, only to find I was locked out. Final Destination- I returned to my boiler room hideout. only to find it also locked. Friendly Offer- After being locked out of my only to places of shelter, a friend offers me a home. Reggie hosts The Writer's Group Meetings. Contact: Rblackstreetreporter@ gmail.com.

Saint. Paddy’s Child By Joaquin M. Turley, Jr.

Born in 1937 a child of God and heaven. On the day the Chi-town river is dyed green. The mother of my mom She is Saint Paddy’s child who would do no harm Born on a day of selflessness never hogged her toys like the rest Of the children who acted as if they were pests. She is St. Paddy’s child The glue holding together a community of people. That would otherwise drift apart. In this green sea of life filled with shamrocks. In a sea of individuals she sheds light. Enough light that the water that once drowned people in uncertainty and grief becomes dry. And soon forms a rainbow of clarity. Taking after the lead of Saint Paddy She stands alone to provide serenity. Always knowing the answer to her children’s questions. Oh yes, a saint a saint she truly is indeed. A truly giving creature Giving to those who are in need So on the same day St. Paddy was born I also celebrate another. One of the strongest women I know The woman that has been a second mother to me A woman that loves me unconditionally Grateful to be able to say I met her, grateful to be in her presence How grateful are we To celebrate a life formed from the marrow of Saint Paddy. Joaquin also attends Morgan State University. Contact: Joaquin.Turley@ yahoo.com.

David volunteers and is working on his own novel contact: Stonepotts2000@ yahoo.com.

PRODUCTION, HOSTING, LAYOUT AND SUPPORT: Patty Smith, Reginald Black

S treetS ense.org

March 17 - 30, 2010

Free Talk on

Workers Left To Fend For Themselves By David Shere, Office Volunteer The Earned Income Tax Credit is one of the oldest and most successful federal antipoverty programs, a refundable tax credit given to low-wage workers to increase their standard of living, offset the burden of paying federal and local taxes and increase the incentive for people with lower incomes to work more. While the EITC has been a great success since its formation in the 1970s, it has a gaping hole in the form of support for childless workers. In 2009, workers with children were eligible for a tax credit of up to $5,657 (depending on the number of children). For workers without children, the maximum was $457. The Obama campaign promised to expand and strengthen the EITC, but the administration hasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t publicly pushed an expansion for childless workers â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a particularly high-need population that is underserved by the federal social safety net. The administration should fulfill its promise to offer assistance to this segment of the population by expanding the EITC for childless workers. The EITC is a wage subsidy that comes in the form of a refundable tax credit, which reduces, dollar for dollar, the amount of taxes you owe. For example, if you owe $1,000

of income tax and get a $600 credit, you will only owe $400. If the credit is worth more than a worker owes in taxes, he or she will receive the difference in the form of a check from the IRS. The size of your credit is determined by your level of income; families with children are ineligible if they make more than $35,000 to $48,000, depending on the number of children. Decades of research have shown that the diminished tax liability and additional disposable income significantly increase a workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s attachment to the labor force and standard of living. The effects are especially pronounced in young single mothers, a group with unacceptably high poverty rates. In other words, it is a very successful program. While the EITC has been effective, the fact that childless workers are only marginally covered is a glaring deficiency. A worker without children who makes slightly more than $13,000 is ineligible. In fact, childless low-income workers are the only segment of the population that can actually be taxed into poverty: a full-time minimum-wage workerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s before-tax income may be above the poverty line, while their after-tax income could be below it. The tax burden faced by low-wage workers has been steadily increasing in recent

years, with rising payroll, income, sales and excise taxes. For workers with children, these increases have been offset by the expansion of the EITC, while those without families are left to pay their full burden. This is especially relevant given the fact â&#x20AC;&#x201D; highlighted in a 2007 paper prepared for the Center on Poverty, Work and Opportunity at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill â&#x20AC;&#x201D; that in recent years, the ranks of those at the bottom of the income ladder have swelled, particularly among young men, a trend exacerbated by the recession. Our nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social safety net leaves a lot to be desired. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a hodgepodge of federal, state, local and hybrid programs that do a tremendous amount of good but are simply inadequate to the task at hand. The Recovery Act passed last year made great strides in filling some of the holes created by the recession, but there are still long-term issues that must be resolved. While not a flawless program, the EITC has been an example of effective social policy. Then-Senator Barack Obama was right to suggest that it be expanded, and President Obama was right to strengthen the program through the Recovery Act. Now Congress and the Administration should take the next step and fill in the childless worker gap.

VOICES FROM THE STREETS

LISTEN, TRUST, AND FOLLOW without fear Practical Spiritual Solutions to Financial, Employment, and Other Problems

Saturday, March 27 2 p.m. in English 4 p.m. in Spanish

All Souls Unitarian Church 1500 Harvard St NW Washington, DC

Questions and Answers Refreshments Child care provided Come and discover how: â&#x20AC;˘ Listening to God, trusting Him, and following His lead without fear will bring satisfaction, happiness, and peace. â&#x20AC;˘ Effective, powerful, prayer can transform lives through spiritual means.

MARCH 27 @ 7pm â&#x20AC;˘ POTTERâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S HOUSE .SMR YW JSV XLMW GSRGIVX FIRIÂżXMRK 7XVIIX 7IRWI

-J ]SY GERÂˇX QEOI XLI IZIRX HSREXI SRPMRI EX [[[ WXVIIXWIRWI SVK

%VX 1Y WMG WI Y E ' H S +S ,34)

'SPYQFME 6SEH 2; MR %HEQW 1SVKER 'SPYQFME 6SEH 2; MR %HEQW 1SVKER 'SPYQFME ,IMKLXW 1IXVS TQ XS TQ 0MQMXI H GETEGMX] ER H STIR WIEXMRK WS GSQI IEVP]

International speaker Lorenzo Rodriguez applies prayer-based healing to these and other problems. A practitioner, teacher, and member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship, Mr. Rodriguez is a native of Cuba, raised in Mexico, and lives in Miami. www.christianscience.com

S treetS ense.org

March 17 - 30, 2010

BOOK REVIEW

Author Pens ‘Night Train’: Story of Time on the Street By Robert Fulton As Donald O'Donovan tells it, it was the desire to finish a novel that led to his homelessness. And it's that period of living on the streets that eventually became a published novel. Talk about sacrificing for your art. “Night Train” is a fast-paced tale full of interesting characters. It is the story of Jerzy Mulvaney and his struggles on the streets of Los Angeles. There's a lot here, with Jerzy's adventures taking him all the way to North Carolina and back. The rapid Donald fire prose comes at breakneck speed, O’Donovan with various unique people entering and exiting Jerzy's life. While it is a fictionalized account of O'Donovan's first-hand experiences, this autobiographical novel offers a good insight into one man's experience of being homeless. Before setting out on this period of his life, O'Donovan says he had a day job but slowly neglected his work. He focused more on his writing, slept on friends' couches and eventually found himself hitting rock bottom.

Health Care for Everyone By Kenneth Belkosky, Vendor 225 It is time for the government to take over health care in this country. We are falling behind other countries that ensure that citizens remain healthy. In the United States, insurance companies charge too much for health care and pay doctors too little. If the government takes over health care, even homeless people could get the chance to receive care. Currently, the poor and the homeless are afraid to go to the hospital or to doctors when there is an emergency. When they do, they are often turned away because they lack health insurance. Medication costs are too high for people to get what they need to recover. I know many people who have been turned away from hospitals or from purchasing medications because of this problem. It is a big problem. We need the government to take over health care so that all people will get better care.

“That's a threat for a writer,” O'Donovan, 56, said during a recent phone interview from his home in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego. “Your day job will be more consuming. I'm not one for compartmentalizing.” His life on the street ultimately became the catalyst for “Night Train.” O'Donovan also had a period of homelessness in the mid-90s, and he incorporated those experiences as well. During his time on the streets, O'Donovan saw the homeless population increase. He met people who never thought they'd be in his situation, but they were poor and lower middle-class and the recession of the last year and a half sent them over the edge. “I feel especially sorry for the people dropping down from the middle class,” O'Donovan said. “They're not accustomed to it. It's difficult for them. They're not alcoholics or drug abusers. They lost their job, their home, their car, and bingo.” “Night Train” is available only as an e-book through www.smashwords.com. According to O'Donovan's bio on Smashwords, he's an optioned screenwriter and voice actor. Born in Cooperstown, N.Y., O'Donovan was a teenage runaway, traveled the county, joined the army and has had more than 200 occupations, including long-distance truck driver. He wrote “Night Train” on 23 yellow legal pads and, according to the Internet Movie Database, he

“Night Train” is a fast-paced tale, full of interesting characters. narrated the 2009 documentary “The Forgotten.” The author has an interesting take on homelessness in America: “If you're smart, you're not going to starve in America.” O'Donovan says he's now “dusting off ” five other novels he has in the works and doing some freelance technical writing for a newsletter. He's living in San Diego but still considers Los Angeles home. O ' D o n ov a n h o p e s t h a t readers of “Night Train” will have a better understanding of “what's it's like to be homeless or poor.” The most disturbing thing he took away from his experience was how those who weren't homeless treated him. “They look through you as a person. It's like you've lost your humanity.”

S treetS ense.org

March 17 - 30, 2010

March Vendor Birthdays

Help Us, Help Others

Ash-Shaheed Rabbil #250, 58

By Jeff McNeil

Are you looking to generate a larger ROI from your shows?

Aaron Conner #268, 52

Virginia Clegg # 252, 56

Vendors get their start by coming to the office and attending a training session, which generally lasts an hour, after which you get 10 free papers to sell. After they are sold, you can either pocket the profit or buy more papers to sell. I emphasize "buy more" because even though we have a solid customer base, many people still have stereotypes regarding those who are homeless. Street Sense helps change how people view homelessness. Selling newspapers isn't a form of panhandling or a sympathy play. We are not only independent contractors but also entrepreneurs who invest back into Street Sense when we buy more papers. When a vendor buys 10 papers and doesn't sell them, he loses the money he spent on papers. If he sells 10 papers, he makes a profit on whatever he bought. Even though helping your favorite vendor with a couple of bucks is good, your donation also enables vendors to reconnect to the community as a whole. Customers often help vendors with leads on job prospects, training, education, housing and general networking to find any information that will help vendors grow. Believe it or not, money is the least of all reasons for those who sell newspapers. One very important way that readers can support Street Sense, especially if they run a business or a nonprofit, is to place an ad in the paper. The Street Sense customer base includes 16,000 to 20,000 people, 62% female and 38% male, with the average income between $80,000 and $100,000. Placing an ad will not only give your organization exposure, it will also help Street Sense expand its mission to other areas where homelessness exists.

Gregory Wells #278, 52

Help Bring the Homeless in from the Cold

We design promotional programs that do just that! Call Jamie Cohen @ Sonic Promos today and ask how! 301-869-7800

THE CALL Call the

Shelter Hotline 1 800 535-7252

Corporate Branding â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Direct Marketing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Promotional Products

o r C a l l 3 11 Adrian M. Fenty, Mayor, Government of the District of Columbia

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WASHINGTON, D.C. SHELTER Calvary Women’s Services 110 Maryland Ave, NE (202) 289-0596 (office) (202) 289-2111 (shelter) www.calvaryservices.org

Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW (202) 745–7118 www.missiondc.org CCNV (Men and Women) 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 393–1909 users.erols.com/ccnv/ Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232–7356 www.communityofhopedc.org Covenant House Washington (Youth) 2001 Mississippi Ave SE (202) 610–9600 www.covenanthousedc.org Housing, education, job prep John Young Center (Women) 119 D Street, NW (202) 639–8469 www,catholiccharitiesdc.org My Sister’s Place PO Box 29596 Washington, DC 20017 office (202) 529-5261 24-hour hotline (202)-529-5991 shelter and other services for domestic violence victims N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060 www.nstreetvillage.org 801 East, St. Elizabeths Hospital (Men) 2700 MLK Avenue, SE (202) 561–4014 New York Ave Shelter (Men 18+) 1355–57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832–2359 Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 Mitch Snyder Place, NW (202) 639–8093

FOOD Charlie’s Place 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW (202) 232–3066 www.stmargaretsdc.org/charliesplace Church of the Pilgrims (Sundays only) 2201 P Street, NW (202) 387–6612 www.churchofthepilgrims.org

March 17 - 30, 2010 Dinner Program for Homeless Women; “9:30 Club” Breakfast Club (breakfast Mon-Fri, 9:3011, all are welcome/dinner for women and children, Mon-Fri, 3-6 pm); and Thrive DC St. Stephens Parish Church 1625 Newton St NW (202) 737–9311 www.dphw.org Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE (202) 269–2277 www.foodandfriends.org Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW (202) 452–8089 www.miriamskitchen.org The Welcome Table Church of the Epiphany 1317 G Street, NW (202) 347–2635 http://www.epiphanydc.org/ ministry/welcometbl.htm

MEDICAL RESOURCES Christ House 1717 Columbia Road, NW (202) 328–1100 www.christhouse.org Unity Health Care, Inc. 3020 14th Street, NW (202) 745–4300 www.unityhealthcare.org Whitman–Walker Clinic 1407 S Street, NW (202) 797–3500; www.wwc.org

OUTREACH CENTERS Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW (202) 265–2400 AND 1640 Good Hope Road, SE (202) 561–8587 www.breadforthecity.org food pantry, clothing, legal and social services, medical clinic Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 364–1419; www.cchfp.org housing, medical and psych care, substance abuse and job counseling Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060 http://www.nstreetvillage.org meals, hygiene, laundry, social activities, substance abuse treatment Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842–1112

Green Door (202) 464–9200 1221 Taylor Street NW www.greendoor.org housing, job training, supportive mental health services Friendship House 619 D Street, SE (202) 675–9050 www.friendshiphouse.net counseling, mentoring, education, youth services, clothing Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 338–8301 www.georgetownministrycenter. org laundry, counseling, psych care Martha’s Table 2114 14th Street, NW (202) 328–6608 www.marthastable.org dinner, education, recreation, clothing, child and family services Rachel’s Women’s Center 1222 11th Street, NW (202) 682–1005 http://www.ccdsd.org/howorwc. php hygiene, laundry, lunch, phone and mail, clothing, social events Sasha Bruce Youthwork 741 8th Street, SE (202) 675–9340 www.sashabruce.org counseling, housing, family services So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 “O” Street, NW (202) 797–8806; www.some.org lunch, medical and dental, job and housing counseling

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Academy of Hope GED Center 601 Edgewood St NE 202-269-6623 www.aohdc.org Bright Beginnings Inc. 128 M Street NW, Suite 150 Washington DC 20001 (202) 842–9090 www.brightbeginningsinc.org Child care, family services Catholic Community Services 924 G Street, NW (202) 772–4300 www.ccs–dc.org umbrella for a variety of services D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Avenue, NW (202) 347–8870; www.dccfh.org housing, substance abuse treatment, employment assistance

DC Food Finder Interactive online map of free and low cost resources. www.dcfoodfinder.org Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW (202) 347–0511 www.cflsdc.org housing, job and substance abuse counseling, clothes closet Foundry Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW (202) 332–4010 www.foundryumc.org ESL, lunch, clothing, IDs Gospel Rescue Ministries drug, alcohol program (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842–1731 www.grm.org Hermano Pedro Day Center 3211 Sacred Heart Way, NW (202) 332–2874 http://www.ccs–dc.org/find/services/ meals, hygiene, laundry, clothing JHP, Inc. 1526 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 544–9126 www.jobshavepriority.org training and employment Jubilee Jobs 1640 Columbia Road, NW (202) 667–8970 www.jubileejobs.org job preparation and placement National Coalition for the Homeless 2201 P Street, NW (202) 462–4822 www.nationalhomeless.org activists, speakers bureau National Student Partnerships (NSP) 128 M Street NW, Suite 320 (202) 289–2525 washingtondc@nspnet.org Job resource and referral agency Samaritan Ministry 1345 U Street, SE , AND 1516 Hamilton Street, NW (202)889–7702 www.samaritanministry.org HIV support, employment, drug/ alcohol addiction, healthcare St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 1514 15th Street, NW (202) 667–4394 http://stlukesdc.edow.org food, counseling St. Matthew’s Cathedral 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW (202) 347–3215 ext. 552

breakfast, clothing, hygiene Travelers Aid, Union Station 50 Mass. Avenue, NE (202) 371–1937 www.travelersaid.org/ta/dc.html emergency travel assistance Wash. Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U Street, NW (202) 328–5500 www.legalclinic.org

MARYLAND SHELTER Comm. Ministry of Montgomery Co. 114 W. Montgomery Avenue, Rockville (301) 762–8682 www.communityministrymc.org The Samaritan Group Inc. P.O. Box 934, Chestertown (443) 480–3564 Warm Night Shelter 311 68th Place, Seat Pleasant (301) 499–2319 www.cmpgc.org

FOOD Bethesda Cares 7728 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda (301) 907–9244 www.bethesdacares.com Community Place Café 311 68th Place, Seat Pleasant (301) 499–2319 www.cmpgc.org Manna Food Center 614–618 Lofstrand Lane, Rockville (301) 424–1130 www.mannafood.org

MEDICAL RESOURCES Community Clinic, Inc. 8210 Colonial Lane, Silver Spring (301) 585–1250 www.cciweb.org Mobile Medical Care, Inc. 9309 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda (301) 493–2400 www.mobilemedicalcare.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Catholic Charities, Maryland 12247 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring (301) 942–1790 www.catholiccharitiesdc.org shelter, substance abuse treatment, variety of other services Mission of Love

6180 Old Central Avenue, Capitol Heights (301)333–4440 www.molinc.org life skills classes, clothing, housewares Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless 600–B East Gude Drive, Rockville (301) 217–0314; www.mcch.net emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportive services

VIRGINIA SHELTER Alexandria Community Shelter 2355 B-Mill Road, Alexandria (703) 838–4239 Carpenter’s Shelter 930 N. Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548–7500 www.carpentersshelter.org The Arlington–Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless 3103 9th Road, North, Arlington (703) 525–7177 www.aachhomeless.org

FOOD ALIVE!, Inc. 2723 King Street, Alexandria (703) 836–2723 www.alive–inc.org Our Daily Bread 10777 Main Street #320, Fairfax (703) 273–8829 www.our–daily–bread.org

MEDICAL RESOURCES Arlington Free Clinic 3833 N Fairfax Drive, #400, Arlington (703) 979–1400 www.arlingtonfreeclinic.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Abundant Life Christian Outreach, 5154 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria (703) 823–4100 www.anchor–of–hope.net food, clothing, youth development, and medicines David’s Place Day Shelter 930 North Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548–7500

Shelter Hotline: 1–800– 535–7252

March 17 - 30, 2010

Vendor ProfiLe

Barron Hall

By Sonja Doty Barron Hall was born at the General Hospital in Washington, D.C., in 1948. He married, had three children and, at age 36, had a mental breakdown in an elevator. When he was 19, he began a two-year tour in Vietnam that would change his life forever, though that change wouldn’t happen for nearly 20 years. While working as an elevator operator at the National Institute of Health in 1984, he was accidentally locked in. He has simple words for what he now knows was an episode of post-traumatic stress disorder: “I believed I was in a combat situation.” Afterward, Hall refused to go to a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital - he was “too proud” — and began to drink and use street drugs. He occasionally found work painting and hanging drywall. Eventually, Hall found his way to a “gospel church” where he went from attending to preaching for six years. For three years he lived in Charlotte, N.C. seeking more religious education. During this period he was off drugs, but family problems came up and he began to use again. In 1994, Hall went to a VA hospital to resolve his addiction, anger and antisocial behavior. He spent two years in the psychiatric ward before being released. He tried compensated work therapy before falling into drugs again and starting to panhandle. “I found out I had a heart problem,” he

said. “But I went to Franklin Shelter, and some fellas told me to get on Street Sense and start working.” Hall says he found self-esteem and a sense of self-support without panhandling. His negativity, he said, was taken away. “I met a lot of positive people who have helped me,” he said. “Experience has taught me to be around positive people.” Though he and his wife divorced, he has restarted his relationships with his children and grandchildren and is “picking up his life.” “Street Sense has given me a sense of dignity,” says Hall.

THe LasT Word By Sonja Doty

Coming to Street Sense, I tried to ready myself for the change, for the day-to-day dealings with homeless people in an urban environment. I squared my shoulders and said to myself, “They’re people, same as you.” But it wasn’t the homeless people I work with or see who shocked me most, it was the educated, the housed and the employed. I heard stories about harassment. I took one phone call and was polite and sympathetic as a woman told me a vendor had verbally assaulted her. I was so sure this poor woman deserved my ear. And then the other vendors enlightened me when I told them about it: That vendor would never do such a thing. He’s quiet and polite. Other stories rolled out about people who think Street Sense is a crock or vendors getting demeaned and denigrated. Our homeless writers frequently write about what it’s like to be ignored day after day, night after night, eyes just slipping past you like you’re nothing. Walking home one night from a day of work at Street Sense back to my comfortable apartment, it hit me like a brick: That

S treetS ense.org was me. I was the person uncomfortably avoiding the panhandlers at Union Station, crossing the street when I thought I saw someone sleeping under an overhang. Sure I didn’t victimize them, but I sure didn’t humanize them either. We call it “dehumanizing” when someone is tortured, imprisoned and degraded beyond anything we can imagine. What’s the opposite, then? How do you “humanize”? From what I’ve learned here at Street Sense, it’s not about giving money or buying a paper. You don’t have to be ostentatiously generous to humanize someone. You can say “No” politely or “No, thank you” or just acknowledge someone’s existence by actually looking at them. Looking at people on a city street is a dangerously civil proposition, but a worthy one. It’s not dehumanizing to be afraid or to take a cautious path, but it is to take a path that goes right by the homeless without even glancing at their faces. Treat them like they’re human; recognize their presence and their situation. That’s the least we can do. Sonja is an editorial intern at Street Sense

CfC# 28233