09 14 2007

Ivory Wilson weaves a dark fable about power, betrayal and rats on Capitol Hill, page 10

$1.00 Suggested Donation

Where the Washington area's poor and homeless earn and give their two cents September 14, 2007 - September 30, 2007 • Volume 4, Issue 19

AN OPEN LETTER

Yours Truly, An Ex-Addict

By Eric Olander

D

Drugs, page 13

By Melanie Lidman Last fall, employees of the U.S. Department of Transportation donned outlandish costumes and colorful helmets, hoisted themselves onto tricycles and zoomed across L’Enfant Plaza in the First Annual Department of Transportation Tricycle Derby.

Around the same time, the undersecretary of commerce sat in a dunk tank and offered federal employees the opportunity to dunk him.

Other gover nment officials dressed as George Washington and rang bells like town criers.

Every fall, a little bit of craziness comes to the Washington area with the advent of the Combined Federal Campaign, a fundraising drive that encourages all government employees to donate money, pretax, to any charity they choose.

With such a high concentration of federal employees, the Washington area runs the nation’s largest campaign, according to the official

Web site of the Combined Federal Campaign of the National Capital Area. Last year, the drive raised more than $59 million for nonprofit organizations in the D.C. area.

Federal departments can get creative with how they encourage employees to participate in the campaign. The transportation department’s tricycle derby raised more than $800 for the campaign by providing the opportunity to see typically staid bureaucrats pedaling furiously on tricycles made for people half their size. And only employees who had donated through the campaign got a chance to dunk the undersecretary of commerce.

Despite the creative fundraising events organized by federal offices, charities in the Washington area still face an uphill battle making their organization stand out from among the thousands of others competing for funds from government workers.

With more than 3,600 charities

See

JEFF BROWN/CFCNCA

See

Federal Fundraiser Has Charities Hopping

A tricycle race by employees of the U.S. Department of Transportation raised $800 for Washington area charities last year. No word yet on an encore.

Charity, page 5

Rates of Mental Illness Higher in Women’s Shelters

By Robert Blair

COURTESY OF CALVARY SHELTER

ear drugs and alcohol, Yo u a r e p r o b a b l y expecting me to spew a venomous diatribe about how much I hate you for what you have done. I don’t hate you – I love you.

That’s the problem.

In the beginning, I was leery of you. I had heard the excited whisperings proclaiming your virtues, but I had also heard voices advising caution. You were new and exhilarating, attractive and sophisticated, and your peculiar attractiveness was even more alluring because you were forbidden. After getting to know you, I couldn’t help but fall in love. Just thinking about you made me feel groovy. You were cool incarnate. I was shy and insecure. But as long as I kept you close to me, I liked myself and took pleasure in the company of people. I was funny and charming and friendly.

I thank you for all that you did for me in those first years. You saved my life. Until you came along, I had no way to deal with the hatred I had for myself. You were what made my life bearable. This is why I couldn’t possibly ever hate you. Although I had been warned of your craftiness and the disease you bring to some of your relationships, I refused to listen. Some say that you are evil, or the work of the devil. I don’t share that view. You are not evil. You just are.

It was naive of me to think that I would be immune to your seduction. I thought that we could simply remain friends. And we did.

For a while. You helped me survive some emotionally taxing trials. You were my savior, my deliverer from a hellish existence. Thank you ever so much.

Young and foolish, I began to believe that I couldn’t live without you. My friends and family became concerned about the amount of energy I was putting into our affair.

To appease those who were closest to me, I separated from you.

www.streetsense.org

Although women are less likely to be homeless than men, data shows that residents of women’s shelters have a higher rate of mental illness.

Inside This Issue Focus on Mental Health LOCAL

Out of every five people who stay at a Washington emergency shelter, only one is a single woman.

Yet single women make up almost half of all emergency shelter clients with severe mental illness in Washington, according to an analysis of federally collected data. This finding of high rates of severe mental illness among single women confirms the empirical observations of mental health and social work professionals who work with the city’s homeless population.

“While overall the number of homeless women is smaller than the number of homeless men,

there does appear to be a large prevalence of (severe mental illness) among homeless women,” concluded Tom Fredericksen, a research analyst at the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness who sifted through data from the federally funded Homeless Management Information System, which collects information on the homeless across the country.

Women have a higher incidence of depression due to violence they have suffered, and many of them have a substance addiction because of efforts to cope with and

See Women, page 4

EDITORIAL

PROFILE

It’s Normal To Me

Calvary Shelter for Women

David Pirtle describes his journey through the world of schizophrenia, page 5

The facility offers case management and support services for 25 residents, page 3

A Shift in Strategy

FEATURES

POLITICS

A Fetid Swamp

The District awards a contract for on-site mental health services for the homeless for the first time, page 4

Veterans Corner

Poet David Harris finds even his psychiatrist can’t lift the murky mist from his mind, page 8

Several bills on the Hill focus on increasing housing options for veterans, page 7

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

2 ALL ABOUT US

Our Mission 1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 347-2006 Fax: (202) 347-2166 info@streetsense.org www.streetsense.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS James Davis Robert Egger Ted Henson Barbara Kagan David Pike John Snellgrove Michael Stoops Francine Triplett David Walker Kathy Whelpley

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Laura Thompson Osuri VENDOR MANAGER Jesse Smith Jr. EDITOR IN CHIEF Kaukab Jhumra Smith ASSOCIATE EDITOR David S. Hammond (volunteer) INTERNS Matt Johnson, Melanie Lidman, Desiree Perez VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Matt Allee, Robert Blair, Sonya Butler, Cliff Carle, Jason Corum, Diana Cosgrove, Mary Cunningham, Rebecca Curry, Rick Dahnke, Darcy Gallucio, Genevieve Gill, Joanne Goodwin, Carol Hannaford, David Harris, Dewayne Harrison, Annie Hill, Brooke Howell, Jo Ann Jackson, Kathy Jones, Mary Lynn Jones, Maurice King, Jessica LaGarde, Jeff Lambert, Karin Lee, August Mallory, Mandy McAnally, Sam McCormally, Kent Mitchell, Andrea Molino, Eric Olander, Mike O’Neill, Swinitha Osuri, David Pike, David Pirtle, Diane Rusignola, Katie Smith, Terry Snead, Francine Triplett, Dan Weingarten, Marian Wiseman, Corrine Yu VENDORS Willie Alexander, Michael Anderson, Jake Ashford, George Atwater, Patricia Benjamin, Tommy Bennett, Bobby Buggs, Cliff Carle, Alice Carter, Conrad Cheek Jr., Elena Cirpaci, Louise Davenport, James Davis, Bernard Dean, Muriel Dixon, Alvin Dixon El, Leo Gnawa, Stephanie Gooden, Barron Hall, David Harris, John Harrison, Donald Henry, Patricia Henry, Michael Higgs, Phillip Howard, Jo Ann Jackson, Michael Jefferson, Patricia Jefferson, Allen Jones, DeRutter Jones, Mark Jones, Brenda Karyl Lee-Wilson, Arthur Mathis, Charles Mayfield, Lee Mayse, Craig McKoy, Jermale McKnight, Jeffery McNeil, Charles Nelson, Synthia O’Donnell, Moyo Onibuje, Therese Onyemenon, Forrest Rainwater, Kevin Robinson, Gerald Smith, Patty Smith, Francine Triplett, Alexander Tutt, Martin Walker, Ivory Wilson, Jasper Witherspoon, Tina Wright

We are proud members of:

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.

Our Editorial Policy Editorials and features in Street Sense reflect the perspectives of the authors. We invite the submission of news, opinion, fiction and poetry, hoping to create a means in which a multitude of perspectives on poverty and homelessness can find expression. Street Sense reserves the right to edit any material.

North American Street Newspaper Association

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 25 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 consistently 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 an independent nonprofit organization.

In October 2005, Street Sense formed a 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.

In February 2007, the paper started publishing twice a month as the network of vendors expanded to more than 50 homeless men and women.

And to support the increased productin, Street Sense brought on its first full-time editor in chief in April.

International Network of Street Papers

Street Sense Vendor Code of Conduct 1.

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Aug. 31 – Sept. 13 Donors Mary and Jim Campbell Joe and Glennette Papovich

Thank You!

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.

I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense staff and will not sell papers to other vendors (outside of the office volunteers).

I agree to treat all others – customers, staff, other vendors – respectfully, and I will not “hard sell,” threaten or pressure customers.

I agree to stay off private property when selling Street Sense.

I understand that I am not a legal employee of Street Sense but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income.

I agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper.

I will not sell Street Sense under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

There are no territories among vendors.

I will respect the space of other vendors, particularly the space of vendors who have been at a spot longer.

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 when selling papers.

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.

WANNA HELP? If you are interested in becoming a volunteer, or have a great article or feature idea, please contact Koki Smith at 202-347-2006 or e-mail editor@streetsense.org.

If you are interested in becoming a vendor, contact Jesse Smith Jr. at the same number or come to a vendor training session on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 2 p.m. at our office (1317 G Street, NW - near Metro Center).

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

PROFILE 3

SERVICE PROFILE

Calvary Shelter Offers Women a Chance to Aim High

By Robert Blair

PHOTO COURTESY OF CALVARY SHELTER

Hazel, a homeless military veteran in her early 50s, has lived at Calvary Shelter, the 25bed low-barrier women’s shelter on 5th Street NW since early May. “This is a good one,” Hazel said, comparing Calvary Shelter to the larger women’s emergency shelters she has seen. “It offers lots of classes. The food is good. The counselors are good. And we [residents] get along together pretty well.”

Hazel got on Calvary’s waiting list with the help of a counselor at the Veterans Administration facility from which she was released.

The shelter offers Hazel and two dozen other homeless women, many of whom are coping with mental illness and substance abuse issues, a safe, clean and supportive living environment, nutritional meals, and a variety of on-site services to help them find a way out of homelessness.

Calvary Shelter is located on the upper floor of a large brick building near the corner of 5th and K streets, NW. A long stairway leads to an alcove that doubles as the residents’ designated smoking area.

The smoking area opens onto a narrow hallway and the shelter staff’s office area, a large, clean kitchen, and a common dining area with tables laid out in a large “U” and enough folding chairs for all residents to eat together.

At the end of the hallway, a spacious and well-lit common room holds a television, chairs and individual storage lockers for each

Calvary residents can relax together and watch TV or movies in this living room in the evening. The artwork on the walls was created by shelter residents.

resident and leads to a neat, Spartan sleeping area. In the sleeping area, partitions between beds allow women to hang their clothing and post pictures. There are shelves above the beds for personal belongings.

The major benefit of smaller Calvary-type “bridge” shelter programs, compared with those of larger emergency shelters, is access to case management assistance and referrals to outside services, according to Kris Thompson, executive director of Calvary Women’s

Services.

Calvary is low-barrier, like other emergency shelters, with no special criteria for entry. But it offers a greater level of support services, similar to those offered by transitional housing programs. With a relatively high staff-to-client ratio, Calvary’s case managers can work with each resident to develop an individual “case plan” with goals customized to her needs and motivation.

After a new resident has gone through the

intake process and has had time to adjust to the shelter’s routines – shelter hours, rules, chores, community meetings – she meets with her case manager to establish a focus and set goals, Calvary staff explained.

Goals vary with the resident’s situation and personality, and may focus on education (working for a high school equivalency degree), sobriety maintenance, physical or mental health services, or establishing qualification for transitional housing. Improvement requires a combination of self-motivation and a lot of support, staff members explained, although many women here have no family support.

Between 25% and 30% of residents have significant mental health issues, including mental illness combined with substance addiction, according to staff estimates. See related story on rates of mental illness among single homeless women on page 1.

“Because the system [of outside social service providers] is so fragmented, it can be like a maze,” a Calvary staff member said.

“It’s especially difficult because the homeless tend to be devalued, have limited access to services, and lack awareness or education about what help may be available to them.

So on-site support services are key.”

In addition to the Calvary Shelter, Calvary Women’s Services also operates Pathways, a transitional housing program for chronically homeless women, and Sister Circle, a permanent housing program with long-term support for women recovering from substance addiction.

Donate to Street Sense I will donate:

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Street Sense is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible.

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

You can also donate online at www.streetsense.org

Additional items that Street Sense needs: • Items for our silent auction on Sept. 27: Sports tickets; gift certificates to hotels, restaurants and spas; gift baskets; artwork; barware, vases, decorative rugs; home services like cleaning or landscaping

• • •

Tote bags and backpacks for vendors Bottled water to hand out to vendors Food for vendor meetings

• Laptop computers with at least Windows 2000 and 10 GB of storage space • Digital SLR camera

Please call 202-347-2006 or send an e-mail to info@streetsense.org if you have any of these items to donate.

4 LOCAL NEWS

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

City Targets Mental Health Services Toward Homeless

By Kathy Jones

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KATHY JONES/STREET SENSE

In a major shift toward improving services for the homeless, the District government has awarded a division of Catholic Charities a $2.2 million, five-year contract to provide mental health services at the 300-bed Franklin School Shelter on K and 13th streets, NW. The contract with Anchor Mental Health makes this the first such mental health project based at a D.C. shelter. Franklin is one of the largest emergency shelters for the homeless in downtown Washington. Catholic Charities has not announced when new mental health staff will begin working with shelter residents.

Part of the contract money will pay the salaries of a half-time psychiatrist and three fulltime case managers, said Luis Vasquez, the senior clinical manager with Anchor Mental Health and the person in charge of the Franklin project. Case managers will work staggered shifts so that mental health services staff remains available for shelter residents from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., Vasquez said.

Case managers will offer one-on-one or group counseling, help identify mental health problems among clients and ensure clients receive proper care, whether at the shelter or through another provider, Vasquez said. The staff psychiatrist will diagnose more severe

problems and dispense medication.

This is a major change from the way mental health services have been provided to the homeless community, said Phyllis Jones, spokeswoman for the D.C. Department of Mental Health Services.

Typically, people in the homeless population who need publicly funded mental health services access them in the same way as people in the housed population: they call the department’s help line at 1-888-793-4357 and get a referral to one of 40 service providers holding contracts with the District government, Jones said.

But that approach does not reach many homeless people, Jones said. With an estimated 30% to 35% of the homeless population in need of mental health care, the department needed to find a way to better target its efforts, she said.

Both Jones and Vasquez refuted the common concern among the homeless that receiving mental health care meant being hospitalized or committed to an institution.

Walking into the Anchor offices at the Franklin shelter would not be like walking into a clinic, Vasquez said. “We want people to know about the services but not hit them over the head with it,� he said.

In fact, Vasquez anticipates that case

Luis Vasquez leads the program to bring mental health services to Franklin Shelter

managers will mostly help residents with nonclinical needs, such as getting I.D. cards and food stamps.

George Jones, the program coordinator at the Franklin shelter, anticipates disruptive behavior at the shelter will decrease as people get the help they need. The new services would “greatly help the smooth running of the shelter,� he said.

They will also make it easier to identify shelter residents who need mental health assistance but whose good behavior had led them to “fall between the cracks,� Jones said.

Women, from page 1 mask the trauma, explained Kris Thompson, executive director of the nonprofit Calvary Women’s Services in Washington, D.C. Women are also more likely than men to self-report mental health problems and addictions, she said. See profile of Calvary Shelter on page 3. “There’s a very high prevalence of personality disorders and of very severe trauma,� said Luis Vasquez, program administrator for the Hermano Pedro Day Center, a 15bed shelter for women. “Many of the women have been physically and sexually abused, and homelessness just adds to the trauma.�

Vasquez also heads the new mental health services program at Franklin School Shelter for men. See story on page 4.

More than 50% and possibly as many as 70% of the women in the District’s emergency shelters suffer from mental illness or from a combination of mental illness and substance addiction, estimated Dr. Robert Keisling, former head of emergency psychiatric services in D.C. and now chief of psychiatry for Unity Health Care.

Women who cope with their circumstances well enough to keep their families together and move into facilities for homeless families are less likely to suffer from severe mental illness than single women living in emergency shelters, Keisling said.

Despite the data collected by the Community Partnership, the true extent of severe mental illness among the homeless is uncertain.

Most emergency shelters, whether for men or women, don’t offer much case management, Thompson said, so there’s no way to know the true incidence of severe mental illness or to conclude if there’s any significant difference between incidence rates for

The program is starting from scratch, Vasquez said: the space set aside for Anchor’s offices at the shelter didn’t even have electricity until he and volunteers from Catholic Charities put in wiring in late August.

Vasquez is already working with shelter staff to identify the people most in need of services. He wants to start off with a daily breakfast program for those scheduled to meet with the case managers and psychiatrists, so that clients get to know and trust the Anchor staff.

All Anchor employees are trained in mental health counseling and will work out of offices at the shelter. Two social work students from Howard University will also join Anchor staff for 20 hours a week.

Other programs in the works include group therapy sessions in the evenings, particularly for those dealing with mental health and addiction issues, and outreach work in Franklin Square Park across the street from the shelter.

If it all comes together as well as he hopes, Vasquez sees the Franklin Shelter program as a pilot program that could extend to other shelters. “It’s just a drop in the bucket,â€? Vasquez said. “But to have the opportunity to reach 300 people you haven’t been reaching‌that is big. It makes us part of the solution.â€?

men and women. “There’s likely underreporting in men’s shelters, too,� Thompson said.

In fact, the absence of on-site mental health services at emergency shelters is a common criticism. “We really need more intensified mental health services in the shelters themselves,� Vasquez said. “You can’t assume that clients can get themselves to the [off-site] clinics and keep their appointments.�

The current reimbursement system needs reform too, Keisling said. Currently, mental health professionals working with the homeless are reimbursed through “fee-for-service� payments limited to face-to-face services, he said. Some expenses such as time spent on jail visits, helping clients sign up for Social Security and Medicaid, and “no show� patients are non-reimbursable.

In Keisling’s view, it’s a system “designed to serve people who keep appointments, not the mentally ill homeless.�

He noted that between 40% and 50% of his homeless patients fail to appear for their appointments.

A preferable system, and one being adopted in other states, he said, combines “fee-for-service� payments with a per person allowance that could help cover presently nonreimbursable expenses. “The present approach,� he said, “discourages mental health practitioners from working with the homeless.�

Still, there are bright spots for homeless women and men with severe mental illness.

Some of D.C.’s smaller women’s emergency shelters, such as the 25-bed Calvary Shelter near Mount Vernon Square, do provide onsite case management, mental health assessment, life skills classes, substance abuse counseling, group therapy, and referrals to outside services.

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

LOCAL NEWS 5

Charity, from page 1

THROUGH MY EYES By David Pirtle

Yes, I Have Schizophrenia, But I’m Still a Normal Guy

I

n 2003, when I was 29, I had a good job and all the accoutrements of the middle class: a twobedroom apartment, a big screen television, a dog, the works. I also had the early symptoms of schizophrenia, an illness that afflicts one out of every 100 Americans.

I began experiencing auditory hallucinations, voices that I couldn’t control, which hampered my ability to function. Within months I had lost my job, my home, and found myself living on the street.

I began to travel the countryside, hopping trains to get from one place to another. Traveling throughout middle-America I found out what it meant to be homeless. Everywhere I went I was treated as if I were a disease to be shunned. During this time I didn’t understand why people reacted toward me the way they did.

Schizophrenics often have little insight into their illness. All I knew was that my world had been turned upside down.

In 2005 I made my way to Washington, D.C. Here I was to spend over a year sleeping on park benches, eating from garbage bins, and doing what I had to do to survive.

I never went to a shelter or a soup kitchen. I was far too unsettled to handle being around groups of people. I spent my days wandering the streets and my nights huddled wherever I could find someplace warm and dry to rest my head. Occasionally, someone would leave me a blanket or a bag of food as I slept, but no one ever asked me if I wanted help.

In November that year, I was caught shoplifting food from a museum gift shop and was placed on probation with a couple of stipulations on my freedom. I had to seek mental help, and I had to go to a shelter.

The D.C. Core Service Agency is where most homeless people are referred for treatment. Here I was assigned a case manager who I rarely met and a psychiatrist who put me on medication and saw me every three months. When I told him the meds weren’t working, he simply upped the dosage. Once I told him I was thinking about hurting myself. He noted my suicidal thoughts and told me he’d see me in three months.

However, soon I found a reason to keep from carrying through on my intentions.

The shelter where I was staying had been slated for closure. Mayor Williams leased the building to a developer whose intent was to build a hotel for upscale clients. Two women, Becky Sambol and Mary Ann Luby, visited the shelter to find out if anyone was willing to protest this outrage. Soon I was caught up in a struggle to save the facility, lobbying the candidates in the 2006 election. In October, the city threw in the towel and agreed to halt the development.

My personal circumstances also took a turn for the better. A housing program called Chronic Homeless Initiative One was looking for people to fill 25 housing slots. Mary Ann suggested that I apply, and soon I was in my first apartment in over 28 months. I was also transferred to Green Door, a private provider that helped me to secure my benefits and worked with me to find a medication that would control my symptoms.

Things are very different for me today. After leaving the shelter, I helped form an organization, Until We’re Home, comprised of currently and formerly homeless individuals who advocate for change in the way D.C. deals with homelessness. I also joined the Speakers Bureau of the National Coalition for the Homeless, and recently was elected to the board of directors of that organization.

I spend my private time writing and painting. In February, I was able to contact my family for the first time since 2004, and I have visited them a couple of times. I can tell they want to ask me about my illness and about my years on the street, but I think that they are afraid to bring it up. They are happy just to have me back in their lives, and the feeling is mutual.

I still struggle with my illness. There are times when I have to stop working and just try to maintain my sanity. I see a therapist once a week and I will probably take a number of medications for the rest of my life.

Schizophrenia is not, by and large, curable. However, if I take my pills and follow my doctor’s recommendations, I can still lead a fairly normal life. That’s the thing that I would want to stress to anyone who wanted to understand who the mentally ill are.

We’re normal men and women with normal lives, and that’s how we’d like to be treated.

David Pirtle has contributed regularly to Street Sense since 2006.

Discharge Planning Can Prevent Homelessness Discharge planning can prevent homelessness by helping people with substance abuse problems or mental illness readjust to their communities after leaving an institutional setting. With the right guidance, recently discharged people can enter stable housing and enjoy a better quality of life.

Alternatively, the lack of planning can leave recently discharged people without the support, resources and skills they need to fend for themselves in the real world. Often, they are left with little choice but to sleep on the street or in emergency shelters.

Discharge planning is often ignored because overworked service professionals lack the time and training to coordinate a plan and tailor it to different clients’ needs.

Academic experts recommend the following steps for service professionals responsible for discharge planning.

Professionals should: • begin assessment as soon as clients enter an institution and conduct evaluations throughout their stay • assume mentally ill clients have other health issues that compound their condition • examine their clients’ residential and economic backgrounds to better meet their future needs • integrate social service programs for the client after his or her release through a central service coordinator • create a written plan to be carried out by a team including the client, client’s family members, a community caseworker, resource specialists and representatives from community service providers.

• ensure the plan meets the cultural, belief and language needs of the client • ensure the plan provides options for medication and medication management, food and clothing, transportation, behavioral health services, medical care and in-home support.

Source: “The Role of Effective Discharge Planning in Preventing Homelessness,” Thomas E. Backer and Elizabeth A. Howard of the Human Interaction Research Institute and Garrett E. Moran of Westat.

– Matt Johnson

participating in the Combined Federal Campaign this fall, an increase of more than 200 organizations from last year, charities are doing everything from running ads in the newspaper, hanging signs on their buildings, handing out leaflets near federal buildings, and buying ad space on the Metro and airports. The Combined Federal Campaign assigns a five-digit number to each charity that passes a screening process, and a large part of organizations’ outreach is making that number widely known.

The Capital Area Food Bank, the area’s largest food bank, publicizes its organization by placing ads in small newspapers and including its identification number on all literature and publications from the organization. It also participates in events and fairs held in conjunction with federal departments.

“Every little bit of communication and outreach helps,” said Shamia Holloway, the food bank’s marketing and public relations assistant. “Federal employees are much more likely to donate to organizations they’re familiar with.”

Smaller organizations face more challenges trying to publicize their organization.

With tight budgets and small staff, they often can’t dedicate any more time or money towards raising awareness of their organization through the campaign.

The Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, for example, publicizes its campaign identification number just within its volunteer base, said Executive Director Patty Mullahy Fugere.

The Mary House, a transitional women’s shelter, publicizes its number through the Help the Homeless Walk in November.

To help promote these nonprofits, the campaign releases a catalogue with information about all participating charities and their assigned numbers, so government employees can choose how much money to donate and to which organization.

In 2006, nearly half of all federal employees in the region donated money to their favorite charities with an average gift of $359, according to the National Capital Area chapter of the campaign.

“Federal employees in this area are incredibly generous,” said Anthony DeCristofaro, executive director of the regional chapter. “They have already dedicated their lives to public service, so they’re predisposed to supporting public charities. The CFC becomes an extension of the mission they have every day on the job.”

Upcoming Events on Mental Health Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments presents: “Mental Illness, Substance Abuse, and Their Risks: Community Approaches to Severe Medical Problems.” Sept. 28, 8:30 a.m. to 3p.m. $40/person. Register online at www.mwcog/services/health/dualdiagnosis or call 202-962-3209 for more information.

The D.C. Department of Mental Health and the D.C. State Mental Health Planning Council present a Mental Health Conference: “Recovery Through the Ages: Trauma Informed Care.” Sept. 26, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Registration deadline Sept. 15. Contact 202-6737597 or juanita.reaves@dc.gov for details.

6 NEWS LOCALIN NEWS BRIEF

IN OTHER NEWS

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

By Mandy McAnally

California: State Cuts Grant for Homeless Youth California has reduced a $50,000 grant intended to help homeless children and youth in the Jamestown community in Toulomne County. The grant would have helped pay for a resource center to help families enroll children in school, find immunization records and get them permanent housing. Jamestown Elementary had about 60 homeless children during the 2006-2007 school year. Officials are waiting to hear how far the grant has been reduced before continuing with plans (Peterson, Sonora Union Democrat, 9/7).

Florida: $2M Awarded to Homeless Groups The Florida Department of Children and Families has awarded $2 million in state grants to help nearly 20,000 homeless persons, including veterans, families with children, youth too old to be in foster care, survivors of domestic violence and persons with mental illness or substance abuse problems. This year’s grant recipients will build transitional and emergency housing, help families at risk of being evicted stay in their homes, and provide food, clothing and transportation to the homeless (ABC ActionNews, 9/4).

MARYLAND IN BRIEF

Hawaii: Residents Want Homeless Problem Addressed Residents of Waianae in Honolulu County are calling on officials to address the area’s increasing homelessness problem. Waianae has one homeless shelter at near capacity, and the state has plans to transform empty land in nearby Maili into a transitional village. The 90-acre project will include 80 transitional housing units, with a shelter for abused or neglected youth and 240 affordable rental units. State officials say only one phase of the project would be public housing, with the completion date set for September 2008. Critics of the project say it could lower the property value in the area (David, KHNL, 9/4).

New York: Numbers Soar for Families in Need of Shelter The number of families requesting emergency one-night stays in New York City shelters rose to nearly 800 in July from fewer than 75 a month for most of 2006. Many of the families were denied regular spaces in shelters because they had alternative housing, such as crowded apartments with friends and family. Now officials are considering denying even a single overnight shelter stay to families who have

been evaluated more than once and told to return to the homes of relatives or friends. Advocates say the city needs to change its evaluation process (Chan, New York Times, 9/4).

Washington State: Gates Foundation Grants $4.5M The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is giving more than $4.5 million in new grants to provide housing and services for families who are homeless, or are at risk of becoming homeless, in King, Pierce and Snohomish counties. The grants will help create 180 mostly transitional housing units, with life-skills classes, counseling and job training for the residents. This is the final round of grants in the Gates Foundation’s seven-year, $40 million Sound Families Initiative, which prepares families for permanent housing and selfsufficiency. Sound Families has funded 1,445 new units and served more than 2,700 children and 1,500 families in the three-county region (Solomon, Seattle Times, 9/7)

By Capital News Service staff

Congress Increases Student Aid Funding WASHINGTON - Congress passed legislation Sept. 9 to increase grant money for college students and lower interest rates on student loans, which supporters say will create better access to higher education for students in Maryland. The Senate passed H.R. 2669, The College Cost Reduction and Access Act, by a 79-12 vote, while the House of Representatives approved it 292-97. Sen. Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.) was involved in drafting the legislation, which increases available student aid by cutting $20 billion from government subsidies to lenders. It also increases the Pell Grant maximum from $4,310 to $5,400 by 2012 and halves the interest rate on student loans – from 6.8 percent to 3.4 percent. “It’s a crucial first step,” said Andrew Friedson, student body president at the University of Maryland, College Park. “We need to continue to look at ways to make college more affordable, especially at the state level.”

In Maryland, tuition rates have risen by more than 40 percent since 2002. President Bush is expected to sign the legislation, the U.S. Department of Education said Thursday. The White House had threatened a veto in a July statement.

– Rob Tricchinelli After 9/11, Anne Arundel Leads Nation in Security Guards ANNAPOLIS - The number of private security guards employed in Anne Arundel County after 9/11 increased by nearly 170 percent – the highest percentage spike in the country, according to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report released last week. The number of people working as security guards in the county rose from 379 in 2001 to 1,019 in 2002, before falling back down to 643 in 2003. While that increase was dwarfed by raw numbers in other areas of the country – Los Angeles County, for example, added more than 5,000 security guards in the year after 9/11 – officials said it was easy to understand why Anne Arundel had the biggest percentage increase. “It’s on the water, it has the United States Naval Academy, and the state capital, so it’s a place where people have to be serious about security issues,” said David Hiles, an economist for the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Not just Annapolis, but the county as a whole demands a high level of security because it is home to the Baltimore/Washington International Airport, the National Security Agency headquarters, the Fort Meade military base, the Naval Academy, and eight of the 10 top defense contractors, said Alexis Henderson, spokeswoman for the Anne Arundel Economic Development Corp. – Kate Prahlad Montgomery County Adds Most New Housing in State WASHINGTON - Montgomery County saw more homes built than any other Maryland county in 2005-2006, according to a new census report, but it’s unclear whether the new development helps fill the county’s need for affordable places

to live. The latest U.S. Census Bureau data released to the public today showed the county added 3,022 new homes from July 2005 to July 2006. But that figure is a drop from 3,251 in the previous 12 months, and well below the 4,666 added between 2001 and 2002. Montgomery is an expensive place to live. The median home price there is $534,000, according to census figures, while the statewide median is $349,400. “Affordable housing is a challenge for our county and probably every other county in the state,” said Valerie Berton, media relations manager for the Montgomery County Planning Board.

“We continue to grapple with it,” she said. Richard Nelson, director of the Department of Housing and Community Affairs, agreed that the county needs more inexpensive housing options. – Danielle Ulman Unscrupulous Lenders Preyed on Minorities, Report Finds WASHINGTON - Maryland’s deluge of foreclosures has hit minority communities particularly hard, as lenders foisted high-cost loans on them more often than whites, according to a new report. Subprime mortgages, those with higher interest rates due to borrowers’ poor credit, have been handed out to minorities, even those with high incomes, according to the report released Wednesday by the Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now. More than 2,200 foreclosures were reported in Maryland in July and nearly half of those came from areas with the largest Latino populations: Prince George’s and Montgomery counties, according to RealtyTrac, a national foreclosure database. The current loan fallout resulted from aggressive mortgages offered in 2005, said Aracely Panameno, director of Latino Affairs at the Center for Responsible Lending. “The worst is yet to come,” she said. “The foreclosures we’re going to be seeing are related to the flawed nature of the mortgage products themselves.”

– Danielle Ulman Mental Health Services Face State Budget Cuts ANNAPOLIS - Community mental health organizations already face a serious staffing shortage and looming state budget cuts could make the situation even more dire, advocates told lawmakers Wednesday. “There’s a serious shortage in mental health overall,” said Herb Cromwell, executive director of Community Behavioral Health Association of Maryland. Some agencies in the state have gone several years without a child psychiatrist or have stopped taking psychiatric referrals for weeks, Cromwell told the committee. One organization lost five employees in the last year to state agencies. Now, with a budget shortfall of up to $1.5 billion looming, those organizations soon may have even less funds to hire and retain quality employees, he and others said. – Bernie Becker

CFC# 76258

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

VETERANS CORNER By David S. Hammond

NATIONAL LOCAL NEWS 7

STREET NEWS SERVICE

Housing Options Low-Income Housing on the Chopping Block

By Matthew Cardinal

Permanent Housing for Vets: Will it Come Through?

Existing veterans’ housing is tight at every level, from short– term stays in supportive environments to permanent homes for those who are disabled, elderly or in poor health. Public officials and advocates alike are calling for more permanent housing designated for veterans and supported by federal funds. While the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs funds many existing beds, new capacity can’t come too soon. “Creating permanent supportive housing for disabled veterans will increase the availability of existing transitional housing units for the men and women returning from Iraq and Afghanistan who become homeless� and are in need of services, according to a recent resolution by the U.S. Conference of Mayors.

With the mayors’ resolution, the nation’s largest cities echo the VA’s Homeless Veterans Advisory Committee, which has for several years now called for more permanent housing options. That’s expected to be among the top priorities in the committee’s 2007 annual recommendations, too, to be released soon.

The Capitol Hill Agenda Housing, health care and guidance are all important to homeless or at–risk vets. This sampling of issues under consideration on Capitol Hill shows a variety of approaches to helping veterans, especially those facing challenges that can lead to homelessness.

1) $ 1HZ 5HSRUW )URP WKH *RYHUQPHQW $FFRXQWDELOLW\ 2IÀFH: GAO Report GAO–07–1012, available at gao.gov, finds that veterans have somewhat less difficulty with rental affordability than non–veterans. The report was prompted by concerns about vets returning from service overseas, and interest in increasing HUD’s involvement with those veterans who do need help.

2) Fund More Section 8 Housing Vouchers for Vets: Under the HUD–VA Supported Housing program (HUD–VASH), the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development provides vets with housing rental vouchers and Veterans Affairs provides supportive services. The program is funded through the Transportation/HUD appropriations bills, H.R. 3074 (passed in July) and S. 1789, both of which strongly support HUD–VASH. 3) Have HUD Provide Veterans’ Housing: Under S. 1084 and H.R. 3329, the Homes for Heroes Act, HUD–VASH would be a permanent program with 20,000 vouchers a year and HUD would support vet–specific public housing. The bill would also create a special assistant for veterans’ affairs within HUD. 4) Improve Outreach for Vets Leaving the Service: Outreach, help with readjustment, help with transportation and access, and other health and mental health services are included in H.R. 2874, the Veterans’ Health Care Improvement Act. The House has approved the bill.

Help for Veterans U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 1–800–827–1000; va.gov ' & 2IÀFH RI 9HWHUDQV $IIDLUV

202–724–5454; ova.dc.gov Maryland Department of Veterans Affairs 1–800–446–4926; mdva.state.md.us Virginia Department of Veterans Services ² ² )DLUID[ RIÀFH YLUJLQLDIRUYHWHUDQV FRP National Coalition for Homeless Veterans 1–800–VET–HELP; nchv.org Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) 1–800–839–1899

ATLANTA – Government-subsidized housing has come under increasing attack by policymakers in the United States even as people around the country recall the horrors of Hurricane Katrina, which displaced tens of thousands of the Gulf Coast’s poorest residents two years ago, Starting in the 1990s, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) encouraged the demolition of 100,000 housing units, Linda Couch, deputy director of the National Low-Income Housing Coalition, told the Inter Press Service. Authorities across the country have destroyed at least 78,015 public housing apartments, with another 10,354 planned for demolition, accoring to HUD data, Crouch said.

There are currently about 1.2 million public housing units in the U.S., HUD spokesperson Donna White said.

Couch estimates the these demolitions, under a program called HOPE VI, account for only half of all demolitions.

Under HOPE VI, public housing communities were torn down and replaced with mixed-income communities. However, the mixed-income communities often include highpriced houses, luxury condos, upscale shopping, and very few housing units affordable to low-income families.

For instance, in 2002 in New Orleans, after the St. Thomas project was demolished, only 9% of the units in the redevelopment were affordable to the people who used to live there, even though the community was originally promised that half the new units would be affordable, according to Brod Bagert, Jr., a prominent New Orleans lawyer and politician.

The campaign to tear down public housing communities has employed an argument that came out of social science, called the “concentration of poverty.� Officials argued that having too many poor people living in close proximity to each other was the cause of unemployment, low school achievement, and neighborhood crime.

However, residents and advocates say it was the deliberate under-funding and mismanagement of public housing which allowed it to get run down. They say the real reason for the demolitions is to help private investors make money off the properties, to destroy the welfare state and to leave no alternative to the private rental market.

In 1998, the U.S. Congress did away with the one-to-one replacement rule, Couch said, which required rebuilding one unit for each unit torn down. “Demolishing the most severely distressed – that was their goal in 1996,� Couch said. Now, under a new program, Section 18, “They have the ability to demolish or sell off their housing by completing a simple application form.

They don’t have to seek a grant. They have to say this is what we think is best for our agency,� Couch said.

In Atlanta, the housing authorities are pursuing a plan that would destroy all low-income housing in the city, including high-rise apartments for the disabled and senior citizens. “Atlanta now wants to get rid of all of its public housing,� she said. “Atlanta definitely represents an extreme. We also think there is a lack of will on behalf of some communities to figure out ways to replace those units,� Couch said.

While Atlanta plans to offer vouchers to the residents they would displace, many serious problems with the vouchers have arisen.

First, the vouchers have to be renewed by the U.S. Congress every year. Between 2004 and 2006, the Republican-led Congress de-funded 150,000 vouchers. And with the welfare state on the Congressional chopping block, it may be politically easier to quietly de-fund vouchers than to tear down public housing and send people into the street all at once.

Local housing authorities also terminate people’s vouchers. One whistleblower who worked for the Atlanta Housing Authority told IPS that the agency attempts to terminate as many vouchers as possible.

For example, AHA terminates vouchers if people don’t

COURTESY OF ORLANDO HOUSING AUTHORITY

Nearly 200,000 veterans (about one in every four homeless adults) are homeless on any given day, and about twice that number experience homelessness each year, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

7KH ÀUVW SKDVH RI D PL[HG XVH GHYHORSPHQW LQ 2UODQGR PDGH SRVsible by a HOPE VI program.

pay their electricity bills, but does not provide the utility subsidies required by HUD, another AHA whistleblower said.

Atlanta is also disqualifying many public housing residents for vouchers even before tearing down their homes.

Atlanta won’t issue vouchers to residents with poor credit histories, and is telling residents they allowed in years ago that they can’t get a voucher because of a criminal background check, two local attorneys told IPS. In New Orleans, after the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, residents complained that officials with the Housing Authority of New Orleans used the calamity as an excuse to destroy public housing in the city. “Following Katrina, although this brought untold suffering, the majority of the elite saw this as an opportunity, the silver lining to cleanse New Orleans of the poor, change racial and class demographics, privatize everything,� said Dr. Jay Arena, a community activist in New Orleans. “Most of the public housing was closed. Iberville was reopened because of the agitation we had done before the hurricane and after. Four major developments remain closed: St. Bernard, the Lafitte – which barely got any water – the BW Cooper, only a few of those are open, and CJ Peete,� Arena said. “But there’s been a lot of struggle. We’ve marched and been arrested and protested and denounced what has happened,� he told IPS. “We broke in, we led people back into their homes. We broke through the police lines. We highlighted the contradictions of what the government was saying – people had a right to return, and the government was blocking people’s right to return. “HANO [Housing Authority of New Orleans] put fences around the development. At Lafitte, they spent millions of dollars putting these steel doors on there. A group of us from C3, people from Common Ground, we occupied. We went into the second story through a ladder. We knocked down the steel door from the inside. The cops came and they arrested nine of us, The Lafitte 9,� Arena said.

In June, advocates from public housing communities across the country met at the U.S. Social Forum in Atlanta to begin coordinating a national movement. This week, the groups will meet again in New Orleans for the second anniversary of Hurricane Katrina to formalize their plans. “In America, it’s urban and economic cleansing. [HUD Secretary] Alphonso Jackson should be tried for crimes against humanity. Is it not a crime to destroy the only tool to deal with homelessness?� asked J.R. Flemming of the Chicago-based Coalition to Protect Public Housing. “What’s going to happen to these other cities? They’re gonna fall as we fall? Right now we think we have a better chance fighting together than fighting as individuals,�

Flemming said.

This story appears courtesy of Inter Press Service through the Street News Service: www.streetnewsservice.org.

8 NEWS 8 LOCAL PHOTOS & POETRY

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

Doctor Visit We sit at a small round table in this quietly bustling room — wire mesh guards every window to keep bodies in, demons out Around us, babbling voices of fractured minds murmur to their memories Dr. Sara pulls up tall leather boots, prepared to wade through the sewer of my mind, a fetid swamp that teems with alligators & other toothy beasts She pokes & probes with her sharp stick, listening for piercing shrieks of wounded creatures I talk to her in poems written seconds after waking from nightmares of endless twisting tumbles She offers pills dropped in the roiling waters like Alka–Seltzers — they dissolve & blend with poisons in my blood — my eyes go blank guarding secrets, lurking like stunted sharks beneath my surface; she glimpses their bladelike dorsal fins yet plunges onward I wish to talk to her through an obscuring cloud of vaporized cocaine — Dr. Freud would approve; Dr. Sara does not

, IRXQG WKHVH DW 'XSRQW &LUFOH , MXVW OLNHG WKH FRORUV DQG WKH VKDGHV RI UHG OLNH LQ WKH à DJ ,W¡V DOPRVW JRW PXOWLSOH VKDGHV RI P

Cliff’s Pics: America the Beautiful

Street Sense vendor Cliff “Th finds beauty in unusual pla overlooked to the grand. Th captures the nation’s capita anniversary of the Sept. 11 a

Yet she offers other concoctions mixed by unseen shamans — she tosses them into the murky mist within my mind hoping for best results but she has no way to lift my fog.

— David Harris

This is the National Association of Realtors building between Union Station and the shelter where I stay. I’ve taken lots of shot day to catch the clouds like that. This picture shows spacious skies, like the line from “America the Beautiful.�

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

Dog Eat Dog World It’s a Dog Eat Dog World, who knows better than D.M.X. and Michael Vick, Six miners are left underground and Don Imus may be $30 million richer as Labor Day rollerblades by R. Kelly prepares for trial, Hurricane Dean was as mean as MS–13, as ambitious as Petey Green and bolder than O.J. Simpson’s new book,

A statue of Columbus at Union Station. He looked like he was looking into the morning sun as it rose when he saw the New World.

Look up in the sky it’s a bird it’s a plane, no it’s a burning balloon that said It’s a “Dog Eat Dog World,�

America loves Scooby Doo and Snoopy, Lassie even has a star on Hollywood’s Walk of Fame, Rin Tin Tin is praised and the homeless are treated like underdogs, like Cujo, Hip hop superstars Little Bow Wow and Snoop Dogg should record a song called “Stop the Violence,� let’s have a moment of silence for slain soldiers and this Dog Eat Dog World.

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he Moose� Carle aces, from the is month, he al on the sixth attacks.

ts of this building. I was waiting for a

PHOTOS & POETRY 9

Somebody call McGruff, the Crime Dog, for Mayor Fenty and Chief Lanier can’t stop the constant flow of body bags in the District, I’m just a poodle for barking out loud, reminds me of Elvis Presley’s “You Ain’t Nothing But A Hound Dog.�

I’ll be doggone, the administration is still in the doghouse over Iraq, it’s raining cats and dogs as bridges collapse.

A girl’s best friend, diamonds. That’s got to be at OHDVW D ÀYH FDUDW GLDPRQG IURP VHD WR VKLQLQJ VHD

Astro Jetson and Dino Flintstone both had homes, who will house the homeless in this Dog Eat Dog World?

The Bible says, “Ye are all God’s children of the most High God.�

What is D.O.G. spelled backwards?

It’s a Dog Eat Dog World.

— DeWayne Harrison

,W ORRNV OLNH WKDW WKH Ă DJ LV OHDQLQJ DQG IDOOLQJ GRZQ $IWHU 9/11, hopefully that does not represent the country.

10 FEATURES

PRETTY RED’S FICTION

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

By Ivory Wilson

The Big Fat Rat

T

he big fat rat and his crew lived in the sewer deep down under Union Station. He ran a big operation some people said was the largest in the nation. His name was Dean and he was very mean. By day, Dean sat on a comb that he made into a throne, sharpening his teeth on a brick and getting ready for his next big feast.

Dean and his crew were sitting around a table made out of a hubcap, on chairs made of matchboxes, discussing a heist they were planning on the mice.

“Boys, there is a big meal on Capitol Hill,” Dean said.

“But, Boss, Bill lives on Capitol Hill,” Rags, Dean’s second-in-command, said. “You remember what he did to that mouse at the White House?” Bill was a big tomcat.

Dean hit his fists against the table and shouted, “Bill! Bill! Bill! That’s all I’ve been hearing these days. I want Bill knocked off.”

“Boss, why don’t we have the Anacostia Crew knock him off?” asked Epidemic, Dean’s enforcer.

“No! That crew moves too much cheese through the city for their operation to be interrupted,” Dean shouted.

On the Hill, Bill sat in a tree and waited for his next meal. A mouse named Larry popped his head out of his hole to look for Bill. He didn’t see Bill and started running across the lawn. Bill grabbed Larry and gave him a big wide grin. He opened his mouth to drop Larry in.

“Wait! Wait, Bill! I have something to say,” Larry shouted.

“There’s nothing you can say that will stop me from eating you,” Bill replied.

“Dean and his crew are planning a hit on you,” Larry said.

Bill dropped Larry on the ground. “What is your name, mouse?”

“Larry,” the mouse answered.

“Where did you hear this from, Larry?”

“From Pee Wee the flea,” Larry replied.

“Isn’t Pee Wee working for Dean?” Bill asked.

“Not since Dean’s crew hosed him with pee.”

Bill looked at Larry, whose legs were shaking.

“Does this make us friends?” Larry asked.

Bill looked down at Larry, showing his teeth, and said, “For now, mouse.”

Larry took off back to his hole, running across the lawn like a rocket.

He ran into Mick the tick.

“Slow down, Larry, Bill is gone,” Mick said.

“I saw the whole thing. You are lucky that Bill didn’t eat you. Larry, your knees are shaking like a pair of craps.”

“I know, Mick. It’s my nerves. I can’t stop shaking. Why are you here on the Hill?” Larry asked.

“It’s Epidemic the rat,” Mick the tick answered. “He’s crazy. I’ve been working at Metro Station for many years and Dean the rat wants to take over my operation. His man Epidemic has killed 30 of my best ticks. That’s over half my crew; the rest are in hiding. I’ve been trying to find some high grass to hide in.”

“Have you seen Pee Wee?” Larry asked.

“Pee Wee is hiding also,” Mick said. “Epidemic is a mad-dog killer. He has killed all of Pee Wee’s crew. There’s no one left. I hear Pee Wee is planning on going to the Feds.”

Back at Union Station, Dean got up from the table and went to the bathroom. Rags told Epidemic that Dean wanted Bill the cat whacked with a bat.

“Why don’t we use that piece we found in the sewer?” Epidemic asked.

“No,” Rags said. “The sound of the shot will bring the Feds in on us.”

“I know,” Epidemic said. “We can use that AIDS-infected needle we stole from the bathroom at the Peter Pan Bus Station. It still has diseased blood in it.” They all started to laugh.

“No,” Rags said. “It will take too long for Bill to die.”

Dean walked back into the room, sat on his throne, put his hand on his chest and said, “Boys, I’ve got gas and indigestion from eating all that good rotting fish last night the crew from the Waterfront sent over.” Then, with a sinister grin, Dean said, “Tonight, I want Bill done in. Got it?”

Everyone around the table said, “Yes, Boss.”

Bill the cat was sitting in the sun on a bench on the lawn of the House of Representatives. “If Dean wants a war, I’m going to wipe him and

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his rat crew out,” he thought.

“I need a lookout posted for Dean’s crew of rats,” Bill thought. “Who can I get? I know. Willie the squirrel owes me a favor.”

Bill jumped off the bench and walked over to a large oak tree. He looked up and shouted, “Willie! Hey, Willie, are you up there?”

“I’m coming,” Willie shouted back. “Keep it down, Bill. My wife is ill.” He ran down the tree.

“What is it, Bill?”

“Willie, I need your help,” Bill said.

“OK Bill. Anything for you and the Hill.”

“What do you want me to do?” Willie asked.

“I need you and your crew to be lookouts for me,” said Bill the cat. “Dean’s crew is trying to kill me.”

Willie’s eyes got large and he said, “Oh no.

Now wait a minute, Bill. We could be killed.”

“Do you remember when I saved your wife’s life from that rat?” Bill asked.

“Okay, okay, Bill. I will help you.” Willie the squirrel went back up the tree.

It was an election year and the House of Representatives stocked up on groceries, filling the cabinets and the iceboxes with food.

Larry and his mouse crew had been planning that heist for months. They planned to store it in the tunnels behind some cracks in the walls of the kitchen.

Dean’s rat pack showed up to wait for the mice to move the goods out onto the lawn and catch them in the open, kill them and take it. Bill the cat, however, was planning on standing in the way.

It was a bright moonlit night. Bill reminded Larry to keep his mice out of sight. Larry let Mick the tick know to stay in the tall grass.

The rats arrived, carrying knives, chairs and

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a baseball bat. The squirrels were in the trees and signaled Bill that the rats were coming in for the kill.

Epidemic and his rat crew planned to attack Bill while he was sleeping on a sheet of concrete, but when they got there, Bill was gone. “I smell a rat,” Epidemic said. “It’s a set up, boys.”

Epidemic and his crew tried to retreat into the woods, but it was no good. Bill was around the corner, sharpening his teeth and the claws on his feet in the street. Bill jumped them from behind, biting and snapping arms and legs and tossing them everywhere, clawing them into bite-size pieces.

In a few minutes, the fight was over. Bill had killed all of them except Epidemic. He had Epidemic between his teeth, walking down the street on his way to Union Station.

Rags stood on a trash can near Union Station looking for the crew to return with some fresh cat meat to eat. He saw Bill coming off the Hill with Epidemic in his teeth.

Rags ran back to Union Station and jumped into the sewer.

“Boss! Boss!” Rags yelled. “Bill has Epidemic in his teeth.”

Dean turned the table over with his hands and kicked the chairs. “I want Bill dead,” he said. “Dead.”

Bill walked over to the sewer, opened his mouth and dropped Epidemic in. Bill looked down in the sewer and said, “Dean, if you want to live, you better stay off Capitol Hill.”

Then Bill walked away.

Epidemic lay there bleeding. His legs were broken and he was too weak to speak. Dean and Rags dragged him into a room and put him on a table.

Dean looked down at Epidemic. “Some day I will get Bill on the Hill and he will be a good meal. But today he got away.”

“Boss, we’ve got nothing to eat,” said Rags.

Dean smiled, looked down on the table.

“We’ve got rat meat. Dig in.”

They began to laugh and eat Epidemic.

Ivory Wilson is from Texas and can be found selling Street Sense at the corner of 7th and E streets, NW.

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Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

MY TURN AT THE TABLE

FEATURES & GAMES 11

By Jeffery McNeil

Seafood at DC Coast Makes It One Quality Restaurant

I

on to help me sell more papers and educate people.

For our main course, David had salmon and I had Carolina shrimp with grits. Let me tell you, I can’t imagine a better combination than these two lunches for the day.

The salmon had pesto sauce and a crispy basil leaf on top which David ate immediately. David’s salmon was cooked perfectly, and he said the vegetable medley that came with it was also cooked just right — he could taste the flavor of each one.

The shrimp came with a delicious sauce and a serving of grits, and I didn’t leave anything on my plate. I’ve worked as a cook, and I can tell when food is done right. Both dishes were absolute winners.

Then for dessert we had a sorbet, a light ice cream, and it was a delicious finish to lunch on a hot day. We shared a three–scoop serving, one each of blackberry–orange, pineapple–mango, and honey–apricot. I was so full I felt like taking a nap.

I can’t wait to make another visit to DC Coast at 14th and K streets Northwest — one quality restaurant!

Lunch entrees at DC Coast cost between $13 and $28. Call ahead for a reservation at (202) 216–5988.

DAVID HAMMOND/STREET SENSE

just got back from DC Coast restaurant and I’m overwhelmed by the experience. Coming to a four star restaurant after spending a few months living on the street left an impression on me.

I arrived there early and it was very quiet and comfortable while I relaxed in a big, easy chair near the front. Then David Hammond showed up. We were seated promptly and the service was top notch. They greeted us as if we were the only ones there and I was so impressed with the service — fast and prompt but with a touch of class.

I was amazed by the selection of choices. They all looked delicious, but I settled for pan–seared scallops as an appetizer, and my colleague got potato gnocchi, small potato dumplings served with royal trumpet mushrooms, grated padano cheese, and cherry tomatoes. We finally got served and let me tell you, I had a sample of the gnocchi and the combination was fabulous. I had the pan–seared scallops, and they were delicious, with bacon bits and spinach. It was a little spicy but I was full before the meal.

While we ate, David and I swapped fishing stories, and we talked about the places we’ve lived. We shared some ideas for the newspaper too, especially some projects I’m working

Jeffery enjoyed his savory Carolina shrimp at DC Coast. As a former cook, he knows good food when he eats it.

Cryptogram We cordially invite you

Solve the message below to discover a meaningful quote on poverty and homelessness.

To join vendors & staff in celebrating

Reception and Silent Auction On Thursday, September 27, 2007 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm At the Josephine Butler Parks Center 2437 15th Street, NW (Columbia Heights Metro)

Tickets

$25 - Standard: Auction access, hearty appetizers, beer, wine and soda $50 - Silver: In addition to standard benefits, your name listed in the event program. $100 - Gold: Standard benefits, name in the event program and in a thank you ad in the Oct. 1 issue.

Please note: Once purchased, tickets will be mailed directly to you and you will be added to the guest list.

Tickets available online at www.streetsense.org or by mailing a check for the appropriate amount to: 1317 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005

Tickets will be available at the door for an additional $5.00

JSPIA YM TICCIW CVXP RSZIWCA, YQ SPKA QSW QYPXPNYXK WIXMSPM. – LSSEA XKKIP Hint: F = Q

August Solution: In a country well governed poverty is something to be ashamed of. In a country badly governed wealth is something to be ashamed of. – Confucius

Street Su-Do-Ku August Solution

“The Many Faces of Street Sense”

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Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

12 EDITORIALS

LETTERS FROM SEATTLE By August Mallory

August was the first vendor for Street Sense and and was with the organization for three years. He now lives in Seattle, and is on the editorial board of the street paper there. You can reach August at: carriergroup2009@yahoo.com.

WHAT OUR READERS ARE SAYING...

Kudos to Jeff McNeil I recently met a fellow writer at Street Sense named Jeff McNeil. After speaking with the gentleman today for about an hour, I was truly inspired by not only his progress and story, but the efforts being made at your organization. I am currently a journalist for an e–zine, as well as a production assistant in a documentary film company, but I am very interested in freelancing for your bi–weekly.

Let me just say this: Jeff is doing a terrific job in Foggy Bottom. I have been talking with a lot of my peers and we all have noticed how different he is from other vendors: approachable, nice, and most importantly, he has respect for people’s privacy.

About myself: Senior at GW majoring in political science and journalism.

Sincerely, Craig R. Lee

Multiplied Support I just wanted to send my compliments to you and the staff and writers at Street Sense.

I think your publication plays an important role in helping solve the serious and growing problem of homelessness in America.

I started buying it in 2003 after I learned about it in The Washington Post and consistently find myself buying multiple copies of the same edition from multiple vendors to help support their efforts. I always look forward to the latest edition and the articles and points of view your contributors provide.

With warm regards, Paul Cummins

COURTESY OF VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY

I returned from Seattle to visit the Washington, D.C., area on Aug. 29. After flying into Richmond to visit a relative, I cruised into Washington by Greyhound. As I did, I recalled that day in September 1998 when I first arrived in D.C. My first experience was rather scary. I ran into all sorts of rude, arrogant and nasty–mannered people. When I asked about one of the local shelters, people gave me this odd look. I thought, “What planet did I just step onto?”

It is now September 2007, and things seem to have improved. The attitude of many Washingtonians has changed, and that’s a good thing. Street Sense has educated many people, but there is still a lot of work to be done.

Things have gone well for me since being involved with Street Sense. It all began with me introducing Street Sense to the public on radio station WOL–AM 1450, on the More Betterman Show. From that day on, things went and continue to go well for me. Even with eight months of absence from Street Sense, I am still a well–known personality.

As I sold Street Sense again, I met new friends. I have seen many of my old customers, and I am happy to be back. Many of my old friends have moved on to bigger and better things, and I wish them all the best in the world.

I would truly like to thank those many supporters who helped me get on my feet again. Thank you all, one billion times over.

Even though I now call Seattle home, I will always have D.C. in my heart. And I want to thank you for reading my “Marvin Hammerman” crime fiction series, still appearing in Street Sense and now getting nationwide attention. I am now getting offers from publishers to print it and I hope to make it a movie one day. Bringing Hammerman to life will be a long project, but I am sure it can be done.

One thing I want to do is meet with Rep. Jim McDermott (D–Wash.) and go over some matters of funding and services for the homeless in Seattle. The homeless in Seattle are suffering just as much as the homeless anywhere. I have brought matters to Seattle Mayor Greg Nichols, but it seems that his office is doing little to address the issues. I have even gone undercover to investigate allegations of police harassment and abuse of homeless people sleeping in Occidental Park in downtown Seattle.

When I return to Seattle, I will bring this matter before Washington State Rep. Mary Lou Dickerson. Seattle police are abusing their power, and this needs to stop. I also wrote about this for the newspaper Real Change and am becoming a well–known voice in the Seattle downtown area.

In closing, I am very happy to be back in the midst of my D.C. customers. I cannot thank you enough. Until next year, goodbye, D.C.

7KH 1DWLRQDO &RDOLWLRQ IRU WKH +RPHOHVV KDV LQYLWHG DOO SUHVLGHQWLDO FDQGLGDWHV WR GLVFRYHU ÀUVW KDQG what it is like to be homeless, if only for a few hours. Their letter of invitation is reprinted below.

AN OPEN INVITATION

By Michael Stoops

Take the Plunge

D

ear Presidential Candidate, Congratulations on your candidacy for public office. Between now and the 2008 elections, your run for national office will have you traveling thousands of miles at the mercy of the weather, eating all kinds of bizarre foods, kissing uncounted babies, shaking innumerable hands, and sleeping away from home in unfamiliar surroundings for weeks on end.

Much of this activity is essentially meaningless but deemed necessary if you are to succeed in your quest. Both you and I know that.

So I want you to consider a campaign activity that is, in fact, full of meaning and significance.

Minus the kissing babies and shaking hands, you might even say it’s not a lot different from what you are already doing. Let me explain.

A couple of months ago, the mayoral candidates in Nashville, Tenn., made history. After participating in a Homelessness and Housing Mayoral Candidate Forum, organized by the Nashville Homeless Power Project, all six agreed to “take the plunge.”

In this case, that means The Urban Plunge, a program devised by the National Coalition for the Homeless more than 20 years ago, to give economically privileged people the chance to dress down, do without showers or baths for a few days, empty their wallets, and try their hand living on the streets overnight.

Although many thousands of people from nearly all walks of life have participated in Urban Plunges since the 1980s, politicians running for office had not been among them.

Until Nashville.

In Nashville, the purpose was to provide all the candidates with a firsthand experience of homelessness, so they could more fully understand the impact of public policy decisions on those who live on the streets. They all committed to spending 10 hours on the streets of Nashville. That’s not the 48 hours the Plunge normally entails. But it’s a start.

In their short stints as faceless indigents, the candidates had a few simple goals, including: • Finding a legal place to sleep outdoors.

• Sleeping on a bench in a public place for

20 minutes or more.

• Entering a restaurant and asking if they could sweep the sidewalk or do some other menial work in exchange for food.

• Finding a place to eat breakfast.

• Asking for money (“panhandle”) in a place where they would be least–likely to be recognized.

• Finding a place where they can go to the bathroom when necessary.

One of our supporters has suggested that we invite all candidates running for national or statewide office in 2008 to take the same bold step as the mayoral hopefuls in Nashville.

So here’s your invitation, or a challenge, if you will: Take the opportunity to show your supporters — or even your opponents — that you really care about the downtrodden and want to help. Take the time to learn what life is like when the safety net of friends, family and community that most of us take for granted, has holes big enough to walk through.

I promise you an experience you won’t soon forget. And unlike those who are living there already, your sojourn will be completely safe.

You will be accompanied the whole time by an experienced homeless person who will serve as your guide.

I can send you the stories of hundreds of people whose lives have been enriched and ennobled by seeing what life is like without money, food, showers, or shelter. Yours will be too. And think of the power that will flow from your post–Plunge press conference.

I sincerely hope that all the candidates we contact—and we are writing to them all —will take us up on this offer. But why don’t you be the first?

Please contact me at your earliest convenience, so I can send you more details and information on the program, and reserve a place for you at a Plunge location in your home state, or here in our nation’s capital. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Michael Stoops, the acting executive director for the National Coalition for the Homeless, serves on the Street Sense board of directors.

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

MAURICE SPEAKS

EDITORIALS 13

By Maurice King

The Power of Advocacy

I

t isn’t often that I am asked to give input about the state of homelessness in the D.C. metro area. So when I was invited to join a research group by the D.C. Homeless Action Research Team, I was only too happy to attend.

The group I attended was one of six in which the participants, all homeless or formerly homeless persons, were asked which things had the greatest impact on their quality of life and which things could expedite their return into mainstream society.

Messrs. Michael McFadden and David Pirtle of Until We’re Home, Inc., acted as facilitators.

In addition to meeting with these six groups, the DC Homeless Action Research Team held a town hall meeting on Aug. 23 in which Messrs. McFadden and Pirtle were featured panelists with Katie Aldworth, Anna Bergdall and Street Sense Vendor Manager Jesse Smith Jr. The panel gave a 45–minute presentation of the various facets of homelessness: the exploitation of the homeless population, the quality of services offered to the homeless, the apathy shown by the government toward the homeless, the potential that lies in civic action, and the cycle of homelessness. An open dialogue for all the persons followed the panel’s presentation.

Despite an acute awareness of the obstacles that the homeless face, the atmosphere in the meetings remained positive and constructive. The panelists acknowledged outright that morale amongst the homeless is low, and that people remain skeptical of the effectiveness of any sort of civic action.

But there was no sign of defeatism present in the meeting.

If anything, the sentiment was that something could indeed be accomplished and that there was reason for hope.

David Pirtle spoke about the ways the homeless are kept in a homeless state and not given adequate services to return

Drugs, from page 1 “Don’t you remember all the good times we’ve had? We can have them again,” you said.

Ah yes! Love is blind. I mortgaged my dreams for your promise of perpetual rapture.

You began to demand more and more from me. More of my time. More of my money.

You demanded that I rely on you as the sole source of my contentment. I began to feel trapped. Desperate to rekindle the bliss of our early years, I worked even harder and spent even more on you. When I ran out of money, I stole. When I couldn’t steal, I sold my body. I was willing to hurt anyone who stood in our way. But you couldn’t be satisfied.

My wild obsession with you exacted a heavy toll from my spirit. I lost my conscience. My soul withered and shrunk like a baking worm on a blistering sidewalk in July. I lost the ability to love anyone but you. You demanded that I devote myself exclusively to you. And so I did, with almost religious fervor.

Eventually I became tired of trying to recapture the romance of our youth. I had grown weary of the constant struggle to keep you happy, and despaired of your ever becoming a loving partner. You were relentless with your increasingly

to mainstream society. This method of dispensing services guarantees service providers an income while depriving the homeless of what they really need — “pimping the poor” as Mr. Pirtle put it.

It explains the frequently heard accusation that homelessness has become a business run at the expense of the homeless. Regretfully, there is much truth to that accusation.

Too often the piecemeal approach to administering services loses sight of the big picture and the homeless make no progress at all.

Katie Aldworth spoke about the quality of homeless services. She has as her long–term plan the creation of a drop– in center for the homeless in northwest D.C. She intends to use the feedback from the project for planning her center.

This concept is most praiseworthy, as too often service providers seem to turn a deaf ear to homeless consumers when they express their needs and desires. An attentive ear is something that the homeless really appreciate because it is so rare.

Michael McFadden spoke about the apathy that exists in the government toward the plight of the homeless. This topic is especially important because without changes in attitude made at the government level, no significant policy changes can be expected.

Jesse Smith then spoke about civic potential and generated considerable input from the audience.

Anna Bergdall completed the panel discussion by speaking on the cycle of homelessness. She will be writing a full report of the project later this year.

The floor was then open to questions and comments from the attendees, of which there were many.

It will be most interesting to see the outcome of the suggestions made in the meetings, particularly the town hall meeting, which called for civil action. We will need to follow up to see such results. From what I saw, it seems that there is already a strong base for that. I’ll be interested in the developments.

Maurice King has been writing for Street Sense since January 2004, and is working on publishing his own book. Please e-mail him your comments at benadam@cyberdude.com. unreasonable demands. I did everything I knew how to do to make it work between us.

I moved us across the country and changed jobs for you.

I lived on the street so we could spend more time together. I realized that you were slowly snuffing out my life. In desperation, I tried to leave you many times, but I was never able to shake your grip.

My need for you was so deep, and my pain so great, that nothing else could bring me joy. But baby, I hadn’t felt joy in our relationship in many years.

I trusted you with my life, and you betrayed me.

Well, I’ve been sneaking around while you’ve been asleep, and I’ve been consulting with some of your former lovers. We have banded together and united in battle against a common foe. Unable to summon the strength necessary to leave you individually, we, acting as a force of one, have tapped a supply of power sufficient to overcome your enchantment.

From that power, we have learned to love each other and ourselves. So you see, hon, we no longer need you. We’ve moved on and we are healing. We’re becoming contributing members of the world of humans once again.

Please don’t be sad, my love. I’m certain that you’ll find multitudes of other pitiable, reckless souls eager to have you ply them with your magical elixirs.

Love, Eric the Painter Eric Olander, who is homeless, plays on the D.C. Street Soccer team, which is affiliated with Street Sense. He is also an army veteran, an avid juggler and the proud father of two.

Bitter Medicine

By Jo Ann Jackson

O

n Aug. 13, I went to my psychiatrist’s office for my monthly visit. Immediately he could tell something was wrong. He could detect it in my face. The way I was acting, he could tell I was very agitated and depressed. My psychiatrist wanted to know what was going on with me.

Well, I was worried and depressed about my mother, Edna Mills, because she was very ill, and I couldn’t get to the hospital because I was very sick myself.

My doctor also found out my ulcer was bothering me.

He called my medication in to my pharmacist, CVS, 1900 7th Street, NW, and spoke to the pharmacist on duty. My doctor was told he would have to fax the prescriptions in or give me the prescriptions. My psychiatrist explained to him he was very busy and wanted me to get my medication as soon as possible. The pharmacist took the order, but my psychiatrist said, “He didn’t sound too happy,” and said the pharmacist would probably take it out on me.

About two hours later, I walked into CVS and asked for my prescriptions. I was told by the pharmacist, “You tell your doctor from now on to fax them or write them on a prescription form.” “Why didn’t you tell him that on the phone?” I said. I was then told by the pharmacist my medications were not ready and I should come back in two hours. I tried to explain to him it was too hot for me to keep walking back and forth with the heat and my age. I am 60 years old. He ignored me, so I went to the manager and explained the situation to him. He said, “I understand, and you shouldn’t have to walk in this heat.

I’ll talk to him, but come back in two hours.”

I waited for three hours and it still wasn’t ready.

Now, this is where it becomes really ridiculous. I only received 25 of the 60 pills I was prescribed of one medication, and only 30 out of 60 out of another medication.

The pharmacist told me, “You only get 30.” I explained to him my doctor had increased the amount while he spoke with him over the phone. I was to receive 60 and the prescription was to be labeled to say, “One tab at bedtime and one tab as needed for (increased anxiety).”

Out of six prescriptions I only received three, and they were all wrong. I called my psychiatrist the next day and explained to him what happened and he said, “I’ll get on this right away.”

I waited until almost 7:50 p.m. before I went to get my medication. One of my neighbors was with me and was shocked when my medication wasn’t ready. I had to go back to the pharmacy three more times over the next three days before I got all my medications in the quantities prescribed. If a big pharmacy such as CVS can’t get six prescriptions straight in three days, something is really wrong.

I live in a senior citizen’s home, Le Droit Apartments, and a lot of our seniors take their prescriptions to CVS. A lot of them are not able to read or comprehend so suppose they get the wrong medication? They assume that it’s all right because the pharmacist filled it.

Another problem is that once the prescription is filled, Medicaid will not pay for it again until next month, even if I’m supposed to receive 60 pills and I only get 50.

So, a word to the wise: Count your pills before leaving the store.

Jo Ann is formerly homeless and has been a vendor for six months. When she is not writing or speaking with the National Coalition for the Homeless Speakers Bureau, she loves to spend time with her grandchildren.

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

14 STREET SENSE NEWS

VendorNotes

By Jesse Smith Jr.

In this issue of Street Sense, I will report what’s on the minds of our vendors because I believe our readers are interested in understanding our vendors’ lives, what they think and how they feel.

Thoughts from Bernard “Chino” Dean Bernard likes to identify himself to his customers as Bernard Dean. If they feel comfortable with him, he prefers that they call him Chino. He does this because a large number of his customers are corporate men and women.

He wishes to inject a sense of professionalism when some of them take the time to have conversations with him, discussions which usually revolve around business ideas.

He usually sells his paper around 12th and G streets. He is at this location Monday through Friday from 7:45 a.m. to noon, then takes a lunch break and returns at 1 p.m. for another three hours of sales.

I asked him why he returns to the same location as opposed to moving around like the majority of our vendors.

He responded, “I consider selling the paper as a full-time job, so I try to establish an area where my usual customers will be able to find me as well as new people they refer to the paper. With they money I make through the sales, I buy meals and save a large portion of my income to be able at some point to get a room. And hopefully, to make connections to get full-time permanent employment that offers benefits, and eventually get off the streets.”

He said he would like to get into advertising and soliciting for non-profits. He said that he had previous experience working for the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), the Police Benevolent Association (PBA) and the Make a Wish Foundation.

New Female Recruits Although most of our customers are used to seeing men sell Street Sense, we do have some veteran women in our ranks like Patricia Jefferson, Patty Smith, Brenda Karyl-Lee Wilson, and Francine Triplett, just to name a few.

I am happy to say that our female ranks have increased by six members in the last month.

These new vendors are Tina Wright, Nikyona Akinde, Emily Bowe, Alicia Jones, Angela Gordon and Mary Wan-

yama. These young ladies show great enthusiasm about what the paper represents and the opportunity to become vendors. I know our veteran vendors will help them get accustomed to selling the paper and will help them develop techniques in salesmanship.

Customers, look out for the many new faces that will soon appear selling Street Sense!

The Return of Hammerman It may be September, but August is here. We are happy to announce that our venerable Vendor No. 1 has paid us a visit. In Seattle, Wash., he may be Vendor No. 9797, and part of the editorial committee for the newspaper Real Change, but for us, he’ll always be No. 1. I speak of none other than August Mallory, the first person ever to sell Street Sense. He has finally found the time to return home to visit his family at Street Sense and to see some of his other friends and old customers. Don’t be surprised if you see him at some of his former locations — he is a Street Sense vendor for life. He says he will be here for approximately two weeks. August, we are glad you are here.

Children for Street Sense Occasionally, students or young members of church congregations join our vendors to learn about issues concerning poverty and homelessness. Recently, a group of 30 children between the ages of 10 to 14 and their chaperones from St. Mary’s Episcopal Church Outreach Program in Arlington, Va., experienced the art of selling Street Sense. This was the largest group we have ever had at one time to do this project. They were one of the most attentive groups we have had in quite a while. The vendors who worked with these kids were Cliff Carle, Jeffery McNeil, Ivory Wilson, Charles Nelson, Patricia Jefferson and Francine Triplett. Everyone said they had a great time. The children especially said they had an eye–opening experience and got great insight into the things other people go through in their daily lives. We received a letter from the members of the St. Mary’s Episcopal Church expressing their appreciation for the time Street Sense staff gave to the outreach program to help make this adventure a success.

Get Twice as Much Street Sense Each Month Delivered Right to Your Door!

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Order a subscription today.

Not only will you receive 24 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 24 issues. ___ YES! I want to give half of the cost of a subscription to my favorite vendor: ____________

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

Thanks for your support!

Top Vendor Sales: August 2007

Mark Jones took the lead this month

Mark Jones................................1050 Conrad Cheek Jr..........................866 James Davis.................................597 Jeffery McNeil .............................574 Charles Nelson............................532 Moyo Onibuje ............................522 Allen Jones .................................485 Phillip Howard...........................368

INTERN INSIGHT

By Melanie Lidman

A Curtain Lifts

W

hen I was accepted for an internship position at Street Sense, I was excited and terrified. Excited, because I truly believe in the mission of Street Sense and I was happy to be part of this incredible organization.

But I was also terrified of working here.

Though I consider myself open–minded, I had never talked with a homeless person beyond brief interactions at soup kitchens. My idea of homeless people was drunk, dirty, and depressed.

Homelessness was one of those issues I could push away from my daily life until I conveniently found a short feel–good volunteer opportunity. I never challenged the preconceptions that I had about the reasons people became homeless or the kind of people who stayed in shelters.

The first thing I realized at Street Sense is that I was horribly wrong. The people I work with at Street Sense are some of the most creative, articulate, and determined people I have ever met. Each one of them has had challenges which I can never begin to understand.

Though I’ve only been here a few days, I’ve learned I need to stop concentrating on the label “homeless.” Instead, I need to start seeing the individual histories and faces of people who faced some incredible obstacles and are now taking charge of their situation and truly creating a life for themselves.

Reading over old issues of Street Sense as I learned more about the organization, I was struck again and again by the poetry written by vendors. The honesty with which they express their feelings is beautiful: a glimpse straight into their souls. The poetry is so sincere, so frank, that you can’t help but feel as if you’re sitting right next to them on the bench, watching people pass by.

My first day on the job, I worked with Cliff, the photographer for Street Sense. I was simply blown away by Cliff’s photos. Aside from the aesthetic and artistic beauty of the photos, I felt I was truly looking at Washington, D.C., from a perspective I had never had before.

I believe that is the root of what I will learn about while working at Street Sense: to see the city, and the people, from a completely new perspective. And as readers of Street Sense, you’re able to see the city in this whole new light as well.

My favorite moment thus far was last week when a vendor, Gerald Smith, came into the office and flopped down on a chair while waiting for his papers.

“How are you doing?” Francine, one of the volunteers, asked him.

“I’ve got to tell you, I’m not good. But it’s got to get better.

I know it’s going to get better.”

Jesse, the vendor manager, chimed in, “I know it’s going to get better, too, because you’re going to make it better.”

“Yeah, I am,” Gerald said. “I really am.”

Melanie Lidman, a senior at the University of Maryland, College Park, is fluent in Spanish and Hebrew and writes for the Hyattsville Life & Times and for her school paper, The Diamondback. She is an intern with Street Sense this fall.

FEATURES 15 SERVICE PROVIDERS & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

Community Service Index WASHINGTON, D.C. SHELTER Calvary Women’s Services 928 5th Street, NW (202) 783-6651 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 DC Village (Family) 2-A DC Village Lane, SW (202) 561-8090 www.dccfh.org/DCVillage.html Franklin School (Men) 13th and K streets, NW (202) 638-7424 Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842-1731 www.grm.org John Young Center (Women) 117 D Street, NW (202) 639-8469 http://www.ccs-dc.org/find/services/ La Casa Bilingual Shelter (Men) 1436 Irving Street, NW (202) 673-3592 N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939-2060 www.nstreetvillage.org 801 East, St. Elizabeth Hospital (Men) 2700 MLK Avenue, SE (202) 561-4014 New York Ave Shelter (Men) 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 2201 P Street, NW (202) 387-6612 www.churchofthepilgrims.org Dinner Program for Homeless Women AND the “9:30 Club” Breakfast 309 E Street, NW (202) 737-9311 www.dphw.org Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842-1112

Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE (202) 269-2277 www.foodandfriends.org Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW (202) 452-8926 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 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 and 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

Shelter Hotline: 1-800-535-7252

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 activities 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

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 national emergency travel assistance

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 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 of D.C. 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 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 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 available

Wash. Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U Street, NW (202) 328-5500 www.legalclinic.org legal services

MARYLAND SHELTER Comm. Ministry of Montgomery Co. 114 W. Montgomery Avenue, Rockville (301) 762-8682 www.communityministrymc.org The Samaritan Group 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 Church, 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) 493-8553 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 supportiveservices

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 Arlington-Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless 3103 Ninth 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, Ste. 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 www.carpentersshelter.org laundry, shower, workshops, hypothermia shelter Legal Services of Northern Virginia 6066 Leesburg Pike, Ste. 500 (703) 778-6800 www.lsnv.org civil legal services Samaritan Ministry 2924 Columbia Pike, Arlington (703) 271-0938 www.samaritanministry.com social services, employment services, HIV/AIDS services

Street Sense . September 14 – 30, 2007

PHOTO FINISH

VENDOR PROFILE

Posing With the Crew

By Jesse Smith Jr.

By Patty Smith

Synthia North

LAURA THOMPSON OSURI/STREET SENSE

Synthia North was born March 22, 1948, in Middletown, Conn., and moved later to Piscataway, N.J., with her parents. She spent most of her childhood and adult life in New Jersey where she graduated from the Piscataway High School.

Synthia worked as a data entry technician for AT&T for five years and as a technician for Texas Instruments.

She also attended secretarial school in her spare time, in order to increase her value in the job market, she said.

She was employed with various other companies as a night auditor and a security officer.

Synthia is the proud mother of Shammah, 23, who lives in Florida.

According to Synthia, her daughter is nothing short of a genius! She said that her daughter was pronouncing words at eight months.

Synthia is a very religious person and stresses that she is guided by faith. She identifies as a born–again Christian and believes she has a calling that is yet to be revealed to her, but she does believe that it will lead to some position in a church. She is in Washington currently awaiting opportunities to display her gifts in the area of theology. At the moment she has no plans for permanent residency in the D.C. area, waiting instead for a calling. She has received a few invitations to various religious organizations, but she hasn’t found the right one so far.

DESIREE PEREZ/STREET SENSE

Vendor Patty Smith and actress Charlayne Woodard stand in the courtyard of the Church of the Epiphany where the Shakespeare Theatre Company is rehearsing for their production of “The Taming of the Shrew.” The play will run from Oct. 4 until Nov. 25. Woodard has appeared on the television show “E.R.” and on “Law & Order,” where she played a nun who ran a shelter. She told Street Sense that the paper is a great way to enlighten the public on issues concerning poverty.

StreetFact More than half of all women in emergency shelters are estimated to have some form of severe mental illness. See story on page 1.

SOURCE: DR. ROBERT KEISLING, FORMER HEAD OF D.C. EMERGENCY PSYCHIATRY SERVICES

September 14 – 30, 2007 • Volume 4 • Issue 19

Street Sense 1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Mail To:

Interested in a subscription? Go to page 14 for more information.

How did you become homeless?

When God tells me to move, I’ve got to get up and go. Because I have such faith, I know I’m not going to be in one place for very long, so I don’t settle any place on a permanent basis. I’ll know when it is time to stay put. Essentially, I heard the call to move in the direction of my faith so I left my possessions in New Jersey for a higher calling.

Why do you sell Street Sense?

I sell the paper to earn an income to support myself until something better comes along.

What is your favorite book?

The King James version of the Bible.

What is your favorite music?

Gospel What is your favorite movie? “ T h e Te n C o m m a n d m e n t s,” w i t h Charlton Heston

Synthia reminds customers to only buy from badged vendors and not to give to those panhandling with one paper.

What is your favorite food?

Fried chicken

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