10 28 2009 by Street Sense Media

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October 28 - November 11, 2009

Where Your Dollar Goes:

Where the poor and homeless October 28 - November 11 , 2009

earn and give their two cents

D STE GE ON G S U N AT I DO

Volume 6 Issue 26

65 cents for the Vendor

35 cents for production of the paper

Left out in the Cold Do you prefer Shelter or Street Life? Page 6

Budget shortfalls force cuts to the District winter plan Page 4

Former homeless man makes documentary Page 14

Turley takes a stance on library closing Page 12

October 28 - November 11, 2009

1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 347–2006 Fax: (202) 347–2166 info@streetsense.org www.streetsense.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristal DeKleer Lisa Estrada Ted Henson Mary Lynn Jones Sommer Mathis Brad Scriber John Snellgrove Michael Stoops Martin Walker David Walker Kathy Whelpley EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Laura Thompson Osuri EDITOR–IN–CHIEF Lisa V. Gillespie VENDOR MANAGER Gregory Martin Interns J.L. Deveaux, Caroline Hopper, Shivan Sarna VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Sherry Antoine, Laura Arico, Robert Basler, Robert Blair, John Brandt, Jane Cave, Carol Cummings, Rebecca Curry, Katie Edson, Andy Freeze, Lisa Gillespie, Cassandra Good, Joanne Goodwin, Roberta Haber, Erica Hall, Carol Hannaford, Justin Herman, Annie Hill, Dan Horner, Phillip Hoying, Kayne Karnbach, Michael Kelly, Maurice King, Geof Koss, Brenda K. LeeWilson, Starlett McNeill, Kim O’Connor, Gabriel Okolski, Robert Orifici, Michael O’Neill, Jon Pattee, Katinka Podmankzy, Sarah Pope, Diane Rusignola, Cara Schmidt, Jamie Schuman, Jesse Smith, Christna Studivant, Matthew Taylor, Robert Trautman, Eugene Versluysen, Linda Wang, Denise Wilkins, Marian Wiseman, Corrine Yu

VENDORS O’Jango Amen, Michael Anderson, Jake Ashford, Lawrence Autry, Daniel Ball, Ernest Ballard, Carlie Banks, Kenneth Belkosky, Tommy Bennett, Phillip Black, Reginald Black, Corey Bridges, Michael Brown, Melody Byrd, Cliff Carle, Percy Carter, Conrad Cheek, Aaron Conner, Pamela Cooper, Anthony Crawford, Louise Davenport, James Davis, Chino Dean, David Denny, Ricardo Dickerson, Muriel Dixon, Alvin Dixon El, Charles Eatmon, Eric Ellis, Richard Embden, Randy Evans, Craig Fleming, Tanya Franklin, Roger Garner, Robert Gregory, Barron Hall, Dwight Harris, John Harrison, Patricia Henry, Shakaye Henry, Shawn Herring, Michael Higgs, Phillip Howard, Lester Irby, Michael Jackson, Patricia Jefferson, Jewell Johnson, Carlton Johnson, Donald Johnson, Allen Jones, Mark Jones, DeRutter Jones, Clinton Kilpatrick, Kevin Lasister, Brenda Lee-Wilson, Michael Lyons, Kina Mathis, John Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Herman Mayse, Robert McCray, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffery McNeil, Frank Mearns, Virginia Moore, L. Morrow, Tyrone Murray, Lester Myers, Charles Nelson, Sammy Ngatiri, Evelyn Nnam, Charity Ogbonnaya, Moyo Onibuje, Gregory Phillips, Harry Powell, Ash-Shaheed Rabbil, Forrest Rainwater, Michael Reardon, Jeanette Richardson, Sean-Christopher Riley, Tyrone Rogers, Ed Ross, Denise Sanders, Melania Scott, Chris Shaw, Veda Simpson, Patty Smith, Gerald Smith, Yvette Smith, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, James Stewart, Garland Stroman, Leroy Studevant, Sybil Taylor, Steve Thomas, Eric Thompson, Deborah Tibbs, Carl Turner, Patsy Uzzell, Martin Walker, Joseph Walker, Robert Warren, Lawless Watson, Darrell Whitmyer, Edna Williams, Brian Wills, Ivory Wilson, Charles Woods

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Our Mission

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

The Story of Street Sense

Street Sense began in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions about starting a street newspaper in Washington, D.C. A street paper is defined as a newspaper about poverty, homelessness and other social issues that provides an income to the homeless individuals who sell it. About 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 on a monthly basis and greatly expanded its circulation and vendor network. For the first year, Street Sense operated as a

project of the National Coalition for the Homeless, but in October 2004, the organization incorporated and moved into its own office space. In March 2005, Street Sense received 501(c)3 status, becoming a nonprofit organization. In October 2005 Street Sense formed a full board of directors, and in November the organization hired its first employee, a fulltime executive director. A year later in November 2006 , the organization hired its first vendor coordinator, and began partnering with several service providers. In February 2007, the paper started publishing twice a month and to support the increased production, Street Sense brought on its first fulltime editor–in–chief in April. As of January 2009 the paper has 80 active vendors and prints about 30,000 issues a month.

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

___ YES! I want to subscribe to Street Sense for just $40 a year for 26 issues. ___ YES! I want to give half of the cost of a subscription to my favorite vendor: ______________________________ Name:_________________________ Address:_______________________ City:____________State:__________ Zip: ___________________________ Phone: ________________________ E-mail: ________________________ Please make checks payable to: Street Sense. Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.

We are proud members of:

North American Street Newspaper Association

International Network of Street Papers

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

Last Month’s Donors Maura Browning Faye S. Cooper Jason Corum Robert Egger Raymond Simmons Lara Thorely Hall Clare Hogg Valerie Lee Dan and Maia

Magder David Martin Michael Mavretic Melani McAlister Martin Thomas Katherine Haines Ane Powers Rachael Preston Atim Eneida George

Thank You!

Elizabeth Stein Ane Powers Raymond Watts A Special Thanks to: Philip H. Corboy Foundation Jennifer and Anthony. Park

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October 28 - November 11, 2009

Columbus Shelter Executive Moves to Federal Job Barbara Poppe, a shelter board chief in Ohio, will serve as the next executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness. The council coordinates the federal government’s homeless programs. Poppe, 51, previously headed a program called Rebuilding Lives, which places homeless individuals in long-term housing in Columbus, Ohio. The program also provides social services and counseling; it has matched 835 homeless people with apartments since its start in 1999, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Poppe will replace the council’s acting director, who was appointed after executive director Philip F. Mangano stepped down from his post earlier this year. In 2007, Mangano had high praise for Columbus’ response to homeless issues. “Columbus has a great legacy for doing more than providing a blanket and a bowl of soup to its homeless,” he said. Poppe is expected to start her new position in midNovember.

according to ABC News. The previous numbers were based upon a household income of below $22,050 for a family of four, a figure set by the White House’s Office of Budget and Management. The most recent data includes factors such as medical expenses and child care. By age group the figures break down to: about 7.1 million individuals age 65 and older; 27 million persons between ages 18 and 64; and 13.3 million children.

Homeless Student Numbers Skyrocket in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The number of homeless students in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, jumped 74% between 2003 and 2008, according to The Associated Press. For the current school year, 154 homeless students are attending Oshkosh Area Schools, school district official Patti Vickman said. The number was 56 for the 2007-2008 academic year. The state’s definition of homelessness includes those who are living in temporary situations, such as shelters.

Census Data Show 47.4 Million Americans Live Below Poverty Line

Tulsa Homeless Produce Documentary

New figures released from the U.S. Census Bureau indicate that about 47.4 million Americans, or one in six, live below the poverty line. The figure is about 7 million higher than the figures the bureau put out earlier this year. The difference between these two figures is due to a different way of defining poverty,

Four Oklahoma homeless men debuted their documentary film in Tulsa about living on the street, according to KOTV. The 17-minute film takes a look at how homelessness can happen to anybody. “What we’re trying to show is that we’re not too

far from the rest of the population of Tulsa. We are part of the city of Tulsa,” said Jerry Coleman, who worked on the documentary. The film is called “How Sally Changed My Life,” a nickname for The Salvation Army. The film made its debut on two screens in Tulsa. Coleman says he hopes to have it play in more theaters or on the Internet.

Study: A Third of Toronto’s Homeless are Immigrants About one-third of the homeless on the streets of Toronto, Canada, are immigrants, according to a new study. The St. Michael’s Hospital study surveyed 1,189 individuals utilizing shelters and meal plans in the city, according to the Toronto Star. About 32% of those individuals are immigrants, while 10% have been in Toronto for less than a decade. Many of the homeless immigrants have vocational training or some college education, the study says. “Immigrants who are homeless are very different in many ways from others who became homeless,” said study co-author Dr. Stephen Hwang of St. Michael’s Hospital, an associate professor at the University of Toronto. “The prevalence of alcohol and drug problems was dramatically lower among homeless immigrants. Yet, I’m somewhat surprised by the high prevalence of mental health issues among them.” The study is published in the November edition of the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Compiled by Dianna Heitz, from published reports.

Donate to Street Sense My Information

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Name:_______________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:_______________________________________________ Phone:_______________________E-mail:_________________________

___ $50 for two vendor awards each month

Please make checks payable to Street Sense Street Sense is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization. All donations are tax deductible. Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005. You can also donate online at www.streetsense.org

___ $70 for food for vendor meetings ___ $100 for postage each month ___ $200 for the vests of 15 new vendors ___ $500 for rent for vendor office ___ $1,200 for the printing of one issue ___ Another amount of $_______ ___ Another amount of $_______ for vendor: ________________

In Kind Donations Needed * Messenger and tote bags and backpacks for vendors

* Laptop computers with at least Windows 2000

* Bottled water to hand out to vendors

and 10 GB of storage space

* Food for vendor meetings

* Laser color printer

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October 28 - November 11, 2009

Cuts in Spending for Hypothermia Season At its public oversight roundtable on the winter plan, on October 14, 2009 in the Wilson Building, the DC Committee on Human Services heard testimony from the Department of Human Services (DHS), legal consultants, shelter providers and homeless individuals affected by budgeting for the upcoming hypothermia season, beginning in November 2009. The projected funding for programs that serve and house the homeless is lless than adequate, according to DC council member and chairman of the Committee on Human Services Tommy Wells . Wells estimated that the need for funding this year would exceed $50 million. However, the cap for this year is $38.5 million. In July, at another committee meeting on the capacity of shelters, Clarence Carter, director of DHS, said there would be only Tommy Wells a 2% reduction in funding for this hypothermia season; however, there is a $12.5 million reduction in spending. “It seems like you’re going to need $65 million,” Wells said. “DHS received $50 million from the federal government last year. Could you clarify what the $50 million was broken down into?” Carter said that DHS received $38.5 million from the federal government for general funding homeless services and $12.5 million in To Assist Needy Families (TANF) dollars. “The $12.5 million in TANF money can only be expended on cash payments to TANF families,” he said. In September DHS sent out a memo that notified shelters of possible budget cuts that would occur before hypothermia season started. Spending will be capped at $38.5 million Michael Brown this year, according to DHS, and the $12.5 million in TANF money will be allocated to spending for other things not associated with homeless services. If they find a way to get the TANF dollars back, which go to building capacity of families to get off TANF, they cannot spend more than $15 million. “This commitment is not going to

PHOTO by Lee Davis

By J. Deveaux

Hypothermia season, along with budget restraints will compound the adverse situation upon Washington D.C.’s homeless community this winter.

meet the needs of this year, even if DHS does find a way to fully meet the need this winter,” said Nassim Moshiree, staff attorney at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. “Come April 1 hundreds of people stand to lose services. It is important that the $12 million will be refunded to services.” Families in the District are unclear as to whether or not TANF dollars will be available this year and when they may be available, according to Wells. “We will know before hypothermia season starts.” Carter said, regarding the six week wait period to identify funds in sister agencies such as the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness. “First, we will have to identify funds in our sister agencies. We will know that within the next six weeks. Then we have to certify these amounts to the federal government and that certification process takes about 60 days.” According to Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese, funding for their emergency shelters and year-round shelters was put into question after the winter plan. They have been in negotiations with the Community Partnership about fulfilling shelter requirements over the past week. Spending for TANF dollars and the general budget for spending on homeless services is unclear, according to Michael Brown, at-large councilmem-

ber of the Committee on Human Services. “There are new issues with the budget for fiscal year 2010,” Brown said. “There are several places where it is ambiguous. What mechanisms are in place in case of an emergency? What mechanisms does the DHS use to get this money?” The Economic Recovery Act of 2009, a law that has put less restriction on what the DHS can do with government funding, created a TANF contingency fund. “These are one-time-use-only dollars given by the federal government to provide $46 million,” Carter said. A major concern with providers is capacity. Shelters have experienced an increase of 10% in the need for beds even before the beginning of hypothermia season. The overflow capacity anticipated by the DHS and the winter plan may not meet the need after November 1, according to Mary Ann Luby, outreach worker at the Washington Legal Clinic. “Homeless services and activities have been underfunded for years. We need money in the front end of the system in order to eliminate homelessness. We could have gotten rid of homelessness years ago, if this would have happened,” Luby said. According to Regine Clermont, the

division director of housing and support for the Catholic Charities, funding has been found for the emergency shelters during hypothermia season. Catholic Charities is working with the Community Partnership to negotiate the spending for the rest of the year and other emergency programs. “The most important thing is that the Community Partners responded so promptly to the outcry of the public,” Clermont said. In addition to concerns about the winter plan there are also questions about where money is going to come from for the rest of the year, if the entire year’s budget is spent on the five month span f ro m Nove m b e r 1 t o March 1, according to Patricia Mullahy Fugere, executive director of the Clarence Carter Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. “There is still a lot of confusing information coming from the District government,” says Fugere. “We are concerned that enough capacity will be added to the system for winter. I’m afraid that we will have a long string of days of cold later in November and there will not be enough room in the shelters. There seems to be no certainty.”

October 28 - November 11, 2009

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October 28 - November 11, 2009

A Personal Choice: Street or Shelter? By Caroline Hopper

PHOTO By Lee Davis

The streets of Dupont Circle are crowded as the sun slowly sets on a Thursday night. A group of young people toss money at their cab driver as they exit and make their way to the nearest club. Not too far off, a man helps a woman put on her warm jacket as they leave a fine Italian restaurant. As these people come and go, a man watches. Leaning against the cold concrete wall of a store, he nods graciously at the woman who drops a few coins in the paper cup, which lies between his feet. For many, the streets of Washington D.C. present the opportunities of excitement and success. However, for others, sidewalks offer what can only be described as some form of a home. The man’s “home” is vulnerable to harsh weather and strangers, neither of which provides any comfort. For some street residents living on the sidewalk presides over staying at a shelter. The homeless of D.C. have ended up on the streets, because of the problems that they have encountered at shelters, according to homeless people living on the streets. Bob (who does not want his surname disclosed) prefers life on the streets over life in a shelter, as he has experienced “tuberculosis…and stealing” during his time in shelters. Lindsey, who can often be found resting on his small black stool on the pavements of Dupont Circle, also favors life on the street. “People had too many bugs, and by bugs, I mean lice,” he said. “They need to do a lot of repair work.” The apparent threats of robbery and disease have led many homeless people, such as Bob and Lindsey to choose life on the streets rather than life under the roof of a shelter. For two years, from 1994 to 1996, Minyon Matthews, who now resides and works at the Community for Creative Non-Violence (CCNV) shelter lived beneath a highway pass. “You won’t be exposed to anything negative as long as you take care of yourself,” Minyon said, in regard to the spread of diseases in shelters. What is more, like many other shelters, at CCNV residents have access to daily showers, soap, and hand sanitizer. Despite the availability of these items, Lindsey said that shelters “need to make people take more showers and to make them clean up after themselves.” Shelters provide the basic facilities in order to promote sanitation; however, the residents are the ones whomust understand the threat of disease that they are presenting to others, by not being hygienic. “There is a lot of stealing that goes on in the shelter,” Matthews said. “I know because I’ve been stolen from quite a few times.” Even though Matthews admitted that theft is present within homeless shelters, she argued that “shelters do what they can…but it’s up to you. Shelters cannot do everything. [Residents] have to do some steps too.” In order to prevent theft, Matthews suggests to residents that if a homeless shelter provides lockers, the residents should “take five dollars of [their] money and go out and buy a lock.” She also suggests that residents keep their personal items “on their person” at all times. Although Matthews agrees that shelter life is not

According to some, the comfort of a shelter is undermined by unforseen problems such as disease and safety. ideal, due to the potential danger of catching a disease, and due to the looting that occurs, she argues that despite all of its problems, shelters offer the important gift of warmth. “I can understand the reasons for not living in a shelter, but I cannot understand reasons for not coming in to get out of the cold.” When asked if escaping cold weather outweighed the risk of theft and disease Matthews exclaimed, “Yes, yes, yes! Definitely, yes. I slept on a bridge in 10, 20, 30 degrees below zero. It is too cold to be outside.” Those homeless on the streets view shelters with apprehension, whereas those who live in shelters have come to overcome people’s concerns. It can be agreed upon that neither living on the street nor staying in shelters offer an idyllic lifestyle. Certain necessary steps must be taken in order to improve homeless shelters. Shelter owners should offer products that support personal hygiene and increase security in order to protect the residents’ belongings, like the locker system. Shelter residents also need to make use of what the shelter has to offer, according to both those living on the streets and in shelters.

Now Providing Quality Dental Services for D.C. Medically underserved and homeless persons

….We treat you well

For one of Unity Health Care’s Medical Homeless Service Sites Call (202) 255-3469 For an appointment at any of our Community Health Centers Call 1(866) 388388-6489

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October 28 - November 11, 2009

Israel a Major Destination for Human Trafficking Human trafficking is a worldwide problem, with 600,000 to 800,000 people trafficked annually across the globe. It is also big business, earning the criminals involved more than $6 billion a year. One country that we do not usually associate with trafficking is Israel. A recent report from the US State Department has found that Israel is a major destination for trafficked men and women, where they are used as forced labor or suffer sexual exploitation. Organized crime groups use the borders with Egypt to traffic hundreds of people, mainly women, from the former Soviet Union and as far away as China every year; once they are in the country they are forced to work as prostitutes in the sex market in both Israel and Cyprus. The problem is so great that in 2006 the US State Department and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime put Israel on their Tier 2 watch list, describing it as a ‘prime destination for trafficking. Testimonies from NGO’s working with trafficked women from countries like Belarus, Moldova and the Ukraine tell horrific stories of rape and abuse by traffickers on the journey from Egypt and further abuses once they arrived in Israel. Forced to work in the lucrative sex industry, often seven days a week, these young women are no better than bonded slaves, receiving no pay whatsoever until they pay off debts to their pimps; often these debts are so large there is no chance of re-payment for many years, if ever. There is also a huge voluntary migration of workers into Israel from countries like Romania, Turkey, Thailand, Nepal and Sri Lanka, who come into Israel to work legally as contract laborers in areas like construction and farming. They often face forced labor conditions on their arrival, with their passports confiscated, restrictions on their movements and non-payment of wages. These workers, while struggling to send money home to families who rely on them, also become victims of debt bondage, for the recruitment agencies who organized their jobs and visas often demand sums of money ranging from $1,000 to $10,000 as their fees; on a wage of just a few shekel an hour, this sum can take years to re-pay. But the real problem is the women who are trafficked into Israel illegally; with no papers and no rights they can find themselves unable to escape sexual slavery, for, although Israel has made some efforts in recent years, they still do not comply with

Photo by Kay Chernush via US State De-

By Jennifer May

Prostitution often involves human trafficking that goes undetected. minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking. However, Israel has now started to make real efforts to enforce trafficking laws and in March of this year police busted the largest ever trafficking gang in Israel, arresting 12 members of the gang after a two year under-cover operation. The main suspect, a man who is closely related to one of Israel’s Mafia families, sent scouts to poverty-stricken countries like Belarus, Moldova and Ukraine, looking for young victims who they then lured from home with promises of jobs; all were treated with violence and forced to work in the sex trade on their arrival. But arresting traffickers is only the tip of the ice-berg. Getting victims to testify and providing them with the support and security they require before (and after) court is the real problem, Israel seems to be failing in this respect. NGO’s working in the area of trafficking in Israel report that gangs will stop at nothing to prevent women from testifying; police have recordings of gang members ordering the murders of women who refuse to do what they are told and recently one woman, who had been repatriated to her home in Uzbekistan and was planning on testifying against her abductors, was killed in a hit and run ‘accident’ before she could make it to court. The US State Department report also

noted that the Israeli government did not provide most forced labor victims with protection services – safe shelter, medical and psychological aid – and recommended that it begin to do so. In 2008, the government did give $125 million to a local NGO, Ma’agan, which has provided shelter to foreign victims of sex trafficking since 2007, as well as rehabilitation services funded by the Israeli Ministry of Welfare and a one year work visa to enable them to work and pay back their smugglers the large sums of money demanded for their safe passage into the country. The Ma’agan Shelter may have gone some way towards alleviating the problems associated with trafficked women, and although rehabilitation and a oneyear visa do help, these are only temporary measures, as after the year is up, these women can find themselves deported back to their countries of origin where they are often re-trafficked within weeks. People on the ground, working in the area of sexual exploitation believe that, nothing has changed: “The prices for (sexual) services remain the same and the number of visits between sex worker and client remain the same, therefore we believe that the same level of trafficking is being maintained,” said Ronni Aloni Sadovnik of Azum, an NGO working to decrease human trafficking said.

So while Israel has made some moves in the right direction, there is clearly still a lot of work to be done. Attorney Adi Vilinger, human trafficking force coordinator at the Hot-line for Migrant Workers said in a statement to IRIN: Reprinted from Ireland’s Issues. © Street News Service: www.streetnewsservice.org

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

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

www.foundryumc.org

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October 28 - November10 , 2009

The Revealing by Joaquin M. Turley, Jr. Last night I saw a ghost We would embark on a night’s journey she being my evening host She trapped her shriving spirit inside my warm shell of a body Exposing her ghost to my human limbs She showed me a world I had never seen before. I saw her live life in fields of promise Growing up her surroundings were anything but modest Then she fell down life’s hill Making her fears of having no place to live quite real She showed me the job she lost for no reason How she asked for food, water and help How her constant cries fell on deaf ears How people walked past her as if she was less than a human Her fields of promise were now plowed through and became the gravel she slept on at night Her life was a midnight tragedy I was now living I was quickly saddened because she was just one of them It only seemed like yesterday that she was in her suit Ignoring the same person she had now become “If I could, I would go back and do it all over again.” She exclaimed She looked down on others during her fabulous existence Now she was in the rain clinging for her dear life She now understood the homeless were no different than her And for the first time she saw herself in them As if she was finally peering into life’s mirror for the first time She removed her spirit from my shell of a body Now facing in my direction, then I realized I saw a reflection And this was no ghost possession Just a mirror that revealed my human imperfection.

Halloween R by Chris “

Street Sense volunteer Jane Cave is an enthusiastic photographer who says that after a lifetime of writing, editing, and translating, she’s more than happy to abandon words in favor of images. Helping out at Street Sense is a logical continuation of her professional life, spent monitoring human rights violations in Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. “But now,” she says, “instead of working on behalf of people who live far away, I’m trying to make a modest contribution on behalf of people in my own city, people I’ve come to know personally. “ Photos by Jane Cave

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Reggae Poem “Sky” Shaw

AS to NAS orn over the night; it, friend eror and the Skatalites Drum, and n strong in the Land. was the cauldron own the crucible. the Israelites, pect is due. come on the scene, Marley, Bunny Tosh. e Nice Time, and you tch a fire. senger speak again of hiopia rcle come round? o Jah?

October 28 - November10 , 2009

Scum by Mikhail Douglas Like the filth building in the tub Crusting over and hard to rub Off; even something simple as a club Can’t get rid of them. But give them a sub And they’ll leave you alone. A bum; a broken stone. The streets are filled with so many. A lot lye, and a lot don’t see Them, because they search for something free, Or see you as that special little key To get them off the streets. A bum; so many feats. But they are the ones with so much love That is bright and warm, like that from above. And their spirit is pure like the lovely dove. They are called, by the Lord, his truly beloved. They inherit this earth; Goodness has given birth To them, which are precious stones.

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October 28 - November10 , 2009

street suduko: Puzzle

A’s wordmatch By Patrick Azarius Vendor and writers’ group regular Patrick has done extensive research. See if you can match these historical events with their inventors. A. Christopher Marlowe ______ B. Charles Babbage ______ C. Edward Goodrich ______ D. Donat Banki ______ E. James Stuart Blackton ______ 1. Designed the Analytical Engine 2. Wrote the famous line, “ Was this the Face that launched a thousand ships” 3. I was one of the founders of Vita graph

POETRY

11 Cell Phone Safety Tips By Waverly ‘China’ Brown

Studios 4. I invented carborundum 5. I invented the Carburetor

1. Be safe using a cell phone, when driving around. 2. Stay alert while approaching on new ground. 3. While moving quit looking, all around. 4. If the cell phone drops, don’t look down. 5. Excessive emergencies occur when driving. 6. Unalert drivers are frequently jiving. 7. Cell phones aid in serious situations.

9. Use your cell phone safely and be optimistic. 10. Neglect driving dangerous and becoming a statistic. 11. Focus on safety with your cell phone. That enhances your chances of a safe arrival home!

A’s wordmatch this week’s answers

street suduko: answers

8. These phones prevent unnecessary confrontations.

Christopher Marlowe _2_ Charles Babbage _1_ Edward Goodrich _4_ Donat Banki_5_ James Stuart Blackton_3_

A. B. C. D. E.

t ck!

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October 28 - November10 , 2009

Will write for food: Writer’s Group

Writer’s Group meets Wednesdays from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Street Sense office. The poetry after party is from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

The Writer's Group is in need of laptops email: info@streetsense.org if you can help

Halloween!!!!!!

Ghosts, witches, and goblins too.... Here are some scary stories from our lives to you. We hope that they fill you with fright, because for the homeless, every night has a scary sight.

A Ghost of a Bug by Patty Smith

This might make you laugh. I sleep on a couch and a makeshift table. One night I woke up feeling like the character from the nightmare on Elm Street. The guy was on all of these cars screaming. Well, I woke up screaming. Roaches and bedbugs god help me! Patty, a veteran vendor loves creative writing. Contact: Pattyscoffee@netzero. net

The Badgeless Officer by Reginald Black

One dark windy night. I was wandering about the city, looking for a place to chill for the night. Upon reaching a nice hole to crawl in, I soon felt comfortable. It was warm and I was supplied with food, but something was not right. I heard a noise like chain rattling. A metallic sound of as if a panhandler was heading in for the night with his pocket full of change. I looked around left, right, up the street and down, I saw nothing. I walked away from my hideout. Still nothing-not a soul in sight. I started to think “Am I going crazy?” I heard the keys again closer and closer they jingled. I began to panic. I knew I was hearing keys or something. I paced the pitch black alley. “Who are you!!” I yelled. “Show you’re self!!” At that moment, I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I turned suddenly. The keys sounded as if they were right behind me. In a traumatic trance, I bumped into a horrible sight. A police officer! He asked who I was. I gave him fake information but asked for his in return. He then pulled his Billy club and began attacking me. “ Why officer why!? “ I cried. I noticed his eyes glowing green and he smelled of death. There was a stain of blood around his chest. He bellowed, “Leave now!!!” Terrified I ran sightless through the darkness. Taking one look back, I observed the one detail that identifies this apparition, a huge hole where his badge should be. As I continued to run, I remember thinking “ O my God the Badgeless Officer almost killed me.“ I could still hear this ghastly officer’s ghost laughing as I vowed never to return to that alley ever again. Afraid of the Badgeless Officer.

The Booker T. Housing Complex by James Fetherson It was six weeks ago today, that young D-Love was killed on Bank Street near the Booker T. Housing Complex. Folks say he is still wandering around the complex. A restless soul, walking around the hood. James is also a veteran of the U.S. Army. Contact: James_Fethersen@yahoo.com

Reggie’s Reflections- The Talk. By Reginald Black I was comforting a friend who was most hospitable. We had been through a lot, from me falling ill, to having her child taken away by a member of the family. I did some thinking about the situation. I analyzed everything with a fine tooth comb. I decided I need to say something to the girl. I knew some of what I was going to say was going to be hurtful. Undaunted, I made moves on it. I tried to make sure that she heard me. At first, I didn’t know how my words would be received. She seemed to listen as I stated the pros, but when it came to the cons things went a little downhill. She seemed to go into a shell the more I talked. The worse it got I began to think, “ She is tuning me out.” I kept pressing the issue anyway. I felt like I could inspire her to do better. I didn’t know if it would work, but something inside told me to keep going. But why should I go to great lengths to help her? Why didn’t she want to hear the bad along with the good? Was she listening to me or was I wasting my breath? Not sure I waited to see if my efforts were in vain or not. Reggie hosts The Writers’ Group Meetings. Contact: Rblackstreetreporter@ gmail.com

Bloody Mary by Mikhail Douglas

Bloody Mary.... Blood Mary I have your baby...... Bloody Mary Bloody Mary I have your baby..... Bloody Mary....“ Forget it Trish, she’s not coming. Let’s just go. Come on girl. Turn the lights on. Oh hold up.“ I reached my right hand to turn on the bathroom light and to my surprise, they did not come on.”Again I flicked the switch and they still did not come on. “ What’s wrong Trish? The lights! They’re not coming on ! Just open the door! I can’t!! It’s stuck!!! ” I kept flicking the switch and turning the door knob in vain. My friend Jen was screaming and hollering at me to get the door open. Then, all of a sudden a face desecrated and disfigured appeared in the mirror. The face said to us.“ You’ll wish you did not have my baby. “ Mikhail loves to write poetry. Contact: Mikihal_79@msn.com

The Homeless Ghost Story by David Rubin

I happened to meet a long lost friend, and had a light drink to celebrate the reunion. Here is the weird part, as soon as I hit the bunker I felt like I was heavily inebriated that evening. The next day I still felt drunk,even after a good breakfast. It extended all day. Now that is what I call a scary storyDrunk over nothing. David volunteers & is writing his own novel. Contact: stonepotts2000@yahoo. com

The Writers Group meets Wednesdays at 2:30 the address is 1317 G street Nw the Street Sense Office and all are invited to participate. Also Street Sense is on Facebook and Twitter check our sites there for updates. We hope to see you at our next meeting.

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

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October 28 - November10 , 2009

Shortening MLK Library Hours Chills the Homeless By Joaquin M. Turley, Jr.

small thing like changing a library’s hours can have a big impact on D.C.’s homeless, especially as the weather gets colder. As most people should know by now, the Martin Luther King library recently changed their hours; before, on Monday through Thursday the building stayed open from 9 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. Now with the changes, Monday and Tuesday the library is open from noon to 9 p.m. On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday it is open from 9:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. The library is not only a refuge for the homeless in the cold and damp winter season. It is also a meeting place that is common ground for anyone to be able to come and relax, share stories and play games of chess. Some bring food wrapped in clear sandwich bags and eat to their hearts’ content and some doze off for a while. Since most do not have a residence of their own, the library is a place to commune and be together in a family atmosphere. While there are a few bad apples in the barrel, most come and act in a civilized manner, often using the library’s resources to better themselves. The change of the hours is due to a survey conducted by West End Library Friends (WELF), a neighborhood association that helps the West End Library, located in the Foggy Bottom area of the city. Foggy Bottom is one of the most beautiful and prestigious parts of the city where George Washington University, the largest college in D.C., stands and the median yearly income of a resident is $90,000, according to the West End Library Friends survey. We cannot assume these residents have never been homeless, but I wonder how many of them know what it feels like to stand out in the rain. Or, what it is like to be at the mercy of a committee making a decision that is life altering to a daily routine. I ask myself, why are these people making such a vital decision when they cannot be sensitive enough to look at the entire picture? I sat outside of Martin Luther King Library watching the scene unfold the other day and was disgusted at what I witnessed. The homeless men and women stood like a herd of cattle waiting for the rain to cease so they could travel to their various destinations. They stayed under the covering the library provided in order to be safe from the elements. The scene looked almost as if it were a type of modern day slavery as they waited in a straight line of hopelessness; as if they were waiting for the highest bidder to take them home. Some ate, some talked and others just stared at the rain. The one thing that was uniform was the look on their faces, a look of what to do next, now that the library was closed at 5:30 p.m. on a Saturday afternoon. My heart could only go out to them for living a life most are not brave enough to endure. On the streets I looked at the people running from the rain seeking the shelter of the train station. They quickly pulled out their umbrellas and other coverings, anything to save them from the sky’s water. I stood waiting at the light, my umbrella closed, because I wanted to feel what the homeless individuals felt on a daily basis. Then I wondered where the people serving on the WELF committee were at this moment. Certainly they weren’t witnessing the tragedy I was. I continued to stand at the light, even though it changed, looking back at the library because I wanted to see what it was like even for five minutes to be in the cold rain with little to no protection. On the way home I let my fingers free from the warmth of my coat and felt the wind tear through my skin. I thought about the constant cold outside and how it continuously affects the homeless day in and day out. We must do something as a community to help the homeless because we could just as easily be stuck in the rain with nowhere to go. Joaquin M. Turley, Jr. is a graduating senior attending Morgan State University studying English. He writes because it keeps him sane when the world is too crazy for him to handle. He enjoys all writing styles and hopes to become a journalist.

The 70% Ideology Structured Inequality in Homeless Service Funding By Michael Ullman

magine you’re a billion-dollar company, like Boeing, looking to do business with the U.S. government. You’re told they want to give you a contract… but you need to have a really good fundraising campaign, because they aren’t going to give you enough money to cover your costs. Or that you need to have a certain percentage of your workforce work for free as volunteers. Could we really feel confident about our roads and bridges or the safety of our troops and the security of our country? For the homeless services industry, this scenario is par for the course. While the defense industry provides for the security of our nation as a whole, aren’t homeless services supposed to ensure security for our nation’s individuals? Why must homeless assistance providers too often rely on donations, volunteer labor and underpaid and undertrained staff to carry out similarly important governmentpurchased services? Why do those who receive Federal homeless service contracts only get 70% of the money they really need to deliver services, while others get full freight--and then some? The recent announcement of funds available from the District of Columbia offers a perfect example of this structured inequality. Well-intentioned, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) will bring $4 million to D.C. to assist households with rental subsidies, utilities and rental arrears payments. The city plans to quickly get the money out to needy residents and made a public request for proposals to deliver this government service. So far, so good. But here’s the catch. The city contracts will only allow 12% for staffing and administrative costs related to the delivery of services. Twelve percent? Even for low-overhead non-profits, 12% is completely insufficient. We should expect high standards from non-profits, but they have to be given contracts with sufficient payment for these standards. While some non-profits will compete for the money, the bottom line is that this government service will end up being subsidized by donations, volunteer labor and under-skilled labor (students, interns, AmeriCorps volunteers).

To further complicate matters, all too many non-profits are loathe or downright scared to bring up these issues to potential funders, especially government officials. I’ve seen it here in D.C. I’ve seen it through the country in the world of non-profits. Non-profits seem so happy to get any money for services that they are reluctant to complain, let alone unite with other non-profits to change the system. For this one project in D.C., all it would take is an agreement by the 10 to 15 nonprofits that could possibly apply for the funds to agree not to submit any proposal that does not give 30 percent for administration and overhead. D.C. has to spend the money. A non-profit “strike” could force the hand. Virtually every homeless services contract from HUD is also structured in a similar fashion. Most HUD grants only allow 5% for administrative costs. Boeing’s contract negotiators would bust a gut if it had these financial limitations. Halliburton lives for administrative costs. The government counts on non-profits accepting these scraps in return for continued sainthood. But sainthood is generally achieved by leadership, not acquiescence. But the effect is more widespread. Just like the food service industry, the homeless, or more broadly, social service industry is hurt by this method of funding. Homeless service workers earn very low wages. Some still live in subsidized housing and sometimes even the very homeless housing they are providing to others. Why shouldn’t they get paid at least what a city worker makes for comparable work, let alone a private sector employee? It all starts with the contracts. And no offense to homeless sector workers, but you do “get what you pay for.” When people complain about the quality of services from these homeless funds, they should realize that this is the system they support –a system that says it is somehow O.K. to underpay non-profit workers. This attitude is even instilled in the workers themselves. This is the ideology that perpetuates this inequality. Michael is a Ph.D. researcher and recently moved to D.C. from Hawaii, where he had worked with homeless individuals.

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October 28 - November10 , 2009

Struggling with Addiction and Recovery By Jeffery McNeill

he most recent studies, according to the National Institute of Mental Health, have estimated that roughly 26% of all Americans have some form of mental illness. That means 1 out of 4 Americans suffers from mental illness. Every American who is diagnosed or not diagnosed, whether in the workplace or in the home, is in the presence of someone with a mental illness. We as Americans are a hurting, sad and sometimes miserable people. From my experience, if you let your mental illness go untreated, you will become your own therapist and self medicate. I can only speak from my own experience, which eventually left me homeless and destitute. My mental illness is Manic Depression, and Seasonal Affective Disorder (S.A.D). For 40 years I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have proper treatment, which led to numerous firings from jobs, friendlessness and isolation from relatives and homelessness. I drank and used narcotics heavily to relieve depression. I was ashamed to tell anyone, because I grew up in a generation that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand depression and mental illnesses. You were labeled crazy in my generation, so I tried to hide it. My depression went out of control when I got suspended for fighting a vendor. I became suicidal, miserable and a raging alcoholic. I truly believe if I continued like I did last May, I wouldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t be alive today. God has given me another chance. I truly believe in the power of grace and faith. I started getting treatment and going to AA meetings. Through that I also built a network of friends and started getting better. However, just because you try to clean yourself up and do the right things, the world doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t give you a parade for recovery. The first month I tried to get sober I started noticing women. That was something I never thought about when I was drunk. I was a selfish drunk. Women, to me, were only interested in using me. So when I got physically better, some women started noticing me. I felt I needed to cash in some chips and satisfy my desires. It led to a relapse and a trip to the emergency room. I started getting sober again. I was clean for about two months when temptation came at me again. I went to a small town in Ohio for a family reunion. Bored out of my mind, I found women and used

Your thoughts and editorials are welcome. Please eâ&#x20AC;&#x201C;mail content to editor@streetsense.org or mail to: 1317 G Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005.

again. I guess the moral of the story is stick to sobriety, because I have bad luck with women. Sometimes itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s depressing to be alone, especially when you see some people having girlfriends and wives and you feel you arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t worthy of happiness. Sobriety is my main concern right now. This is where I took my last drink and gave up smoking cigarettes. I also stopped smoking marijuana. My life has been a roller coaster. I started taking care of my body by doing exercise and drinking vitamin D. I have a therapist and take my medications as prescribed. I call people when I feel like a drink, so they can talk me out of it. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t let my mind think me to a drink. I was feeling good and exercising, when I noticed I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t stop going to the bathroom. I would go to the bathroom frequently. I went to the doctor and they checked me out for prostate cancer and HIV. All kinds of thoughts occurred. The doctor gave me a clean bill of health. I feel blessed that God has been looking out for me, even though I behave foolishly sometimes. My second blessing was being able to find temporary work, so I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have to be out selling papers all day. Selling papers all day allowed me to save a little money, so I could one day move out of the shelter. But with all these blessings, I still was feeling a little sad. I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know why I felt like crap. I blamed it on the weather. I hated being sober and wanted a cold one. I wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t feeling grateful my head said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m ugly, unattractive and a bad person.â&#x20AC;? Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what depression does. I moaned and groaned and was miserable, be-

cause I had to do what normal people do. I had to pay taxes, buy food, and do laundry. Doing the right thing can suck and be unrewarding, but sacrifice will lead to a better existence. If you have faith and believe in God, I believe you will get blessings beyond your dreams. My greatest blessing this month, was not wanting to live in a shelter. I hated it but I found gratitude for not sleeping outside and going to soup lines. I prayed, everyday, for God to put me in a position to find a place that was safe and convenient. I met a friend who practices sobriety. He told me he had an opening in an Oxford House, which is for people who practice sobriety. You have chores to do. You have to pay rent on time and you have to remain sober. I got accepted and am now living on M street, near Dupont Circle three blocks from Street Sense. I currently need a little assistance in getting furniture, sheets, clothing and other necessities. Even though I have a little income, I am overwhelmed with the process of moving. I pray on my knees and search for faith. As of now, I am clueless on what direction I want to pursue my career. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if I want to go into business or go to college and pursue writing. If anyone knows how to go back to school or how to get a grant, please contact me at 202-520-1969 or jeffery_mcneil2000@yahoo.com. Jeffery has been a vendor for Street Sense for two years and recently moved into his own place. He also works parttime for the Census Bureau.

Need Help?

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www.samaritanministry.org Samaritan Ministryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next Step Program helps people who are homeless, have HIV/AIDS, and others in need make changes for a better life. Program participants meet with staff members to set goals in employment, housing, health care and other areas. Goals are reached one step at a time with staff providing resources and offering encouragement and support. There are no religious requirements for participation.

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October 28 - November10 , 2009

New Documentary Focuses on Homelessness and the Economy STREET SENSE IN THE NEWS

Street Sense as a Pick Up Line From the DCist.com blog on October 23, 2009 Overheard remarks of the Week On the D2 bus to Glover Park: Two nerdy early-20s Hill staffer guys are talking. Filmmaker Eric Mosely produced the documentary to find solutions.

ric “Protein” Mosely has completed three films and is in the process of distributing the third, “A Cry Out to Obama,” being released in January 2010. Currently living in Washington State, Mosely made a film about how President Obama is directing economic stimulus and how it affects the homeless. “The documentary will focus on finding solutions and making drastic changes,” Mosely said. Being homeless while filming and distributing a documentary was not the only hardships he faced. The most difficult part of making these films was raising a daughter alone during the process, according to Mosely. “The hardest thing was being out there homeless with a child—a female child.” Mosely says, “I was trying to make a survival series on homelessness. Then I started making a documentary.” He bought his own camera after getting help from documentary filmmakers Jessie D. and the Force MD’s with his beginning efforts. They recorded the initial footage until he got his own camera. In April 2008 Mosely finished “Down But Not Out,” his first film, about homelessness in Columbia, South Carolina, which eventually turned into a special for ETV that aired in South Carolina. His second film, “Skid Ro Journey,” about homelessness in Los Angeles and New York, was distributed while he was still living on the streets. “The hardest obstacle in making the films was keeping up with the footage,” Mosely said. “While I was homeless and still traveling from city to city, the people that helped me film also helped me keep track of the footage.”

Guy #1: “I have a coupon to eHarmony.com. I think I’m going to do it, but just because I have the coupon.” Guy #2. “You can’t waste a coupon. How was your date on Saturday?” Guy #1: “I thought it went well, but in the end I just got the friend-hug goodnight. I even used my best move!” Guy #2: “What’s that?” Guy #1: “I bought a copy of Street Sense. She was so impressed when I told her that I like to help the homeless help themselves by supporting D.C.’s only newspaper written by the homeless.” Guy #2: “Oh man, that is so classy, I’m totally using that!”

Street Sense Needs Advertising Does your business want to place an ad in Street Sense? Are you an advertising professional who can mentor one of our vendor sales representatives? Do you have sales skills and want to put them to use for a good cause and earn a commission?

…..then we want to hear from you! If you are interested in helping Street Sense increase advertising through these or any other means, please contact executive director Laura Thompson Osuri at (202)347-2006 or info@streetsense.org.

S treetS ense.org WASHINGTON, D.C.

October 28 - November10 , 2009 (202) 387–6612 www.churchofthepilgrims.org

housing, job training, supportive mental health services

Calvary Women’s Services 928 5th Street, NW (202) 783–6651 www.calvaryservices.org

Dinner Program for Homeless Women AND the “9:30 Club” Breakfast 309 E Street, NW (202) 737–9311 www.dphw.org

Friendship House 619 D Street, SE (202) 675–9050 www.friendshiphouse.net counseling, mentoring, education, youth services, clothing

Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW (202) 745–7118 www.missiondc.org

Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE (202) 269–2277 www.foodandfriends.org

CCNV (Men and Women) 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 393–1909 users.erols.com/ccnv/

Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW (202) 452–8089 www.miriamskitchen.org

Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 338–8301 www.georgetownministrycenter. org laundry, counseling, psych care

Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232–7356 www.communityofhopedc.org

The Welcome Table Church of the Epiphany 1317 G Street, NW (202) 347–2635 http://www.epiphanydc.org/ ministry/welcometbl.htm

SHELTER

Covenant House Washington (Youth) 2001 Mississippi Ave SE (202) 610–9600 www.covenanthousedc.org Housing, education, job prep Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842–1731 www.grm.org John Young Center (Women) 119 D Street, NW (202) 639–8469 www,catholiccharitiesdc.org My Sister’s Place PO Box 29596 Washington, DC 20017 office (202) 529-5261 24-hour hotline (202)-529-5991 shelter and other services for domestic violence victims N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060 www.nstreetvillage.org 801 East, St. Elizabeths Hospital (Men) 2700 MLK Avenue, SE (202) 561–4014 New York Ave Shelter (Men 18+) 1355–57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832–2359 Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 Mitch Snyder Place, NW (202) 639–8093

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

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

OUTREACH CENTERS Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW (202) 265–2400 AND 1640 Good Hope Road, SE (202) 561–8587 www.breadforthecity.org food pantry, clothing, legal and social services, medical clinic Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 364–1419; www.cchfp.org housing, medical and psych care, substance abuse and job counseling Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060 http://www.nstreetvillage.org meals, hygiene, laundry, social activities, substance abuse treatment Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842–1112 Green Door (202) 464–9200 1221 Taylor Street NW www.greendoor.org

Martha’s Table 2114 14th Street, NW (202) 328–6608 www.marthastable.org dinner, education, recreation, clothing, child and family services Rachel’s Women’s Center 1222 11th Street, NW (202) 682–1005 http://www.ccdsd.org/howorwc. php hygiene, laundry, lunch, phone and mail, clothing, social events Sasha Bruce Youthwork 741 8th Street, SE (202) 675–9340 www.sashabruce.org counseling, housing, family services So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 “O” Street, NW (202) 797–8806; www.some.org lunch, medical and dental, job and housing counseling

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Academy of Hope GED Center 601 Edgewood St NE (202) 269-6623 www.aohdc.org Bright Beginnings Inc. 128 M Street NW, Suite 150 Washington DC 20001 (202) 842–9090 www.brightbeginningsinc.org Child care, family services Catholic Community Services 924 G Street, NW (202) 772–4300 www.ccs–dc.org umbrella for a variety of services D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Avenue, NW (202) 347–8870; www.dccfh.org housing, substance abuse treatment, employment assistance DC Food Finder Interactive online map of free and low cost resources. www.dcfoodfinder.org Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW

(202) 347–0511 www.cflsdc.org housing, job and substance abuse counseling, clothes closet Foundry Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW (202) 332–4010 www.foundryumc.org ESL, lunch, clothing, IDs Hermano Pedro Day Center 3211 Sacred Heart Way, NW (202) 332–2874 http://www.ccs–dc.org/find/ services/ meals, hygiene, laundry, clothing JHP, Inc. 1526 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 544–9126 www.jobshavepriority.org training and employment Jubilee Jobs 1640 Columbia Road, NW (202) 667–8970 www.jubileejobs.org job preparation and placement National Coalition for the Homeless 2201 P Street, NW (202) 462–4822 www.nationalhomeless.org activists, speakers bureau National Student Partnerships (NSP) 128 M Street NW, Suite 320 (202) 289–2525 washingtondc@nspnet.org Job resource and referral agency Samaritan Ministry 1345 U Street, SE , AND 1516 Hamilton Street, NW (202)889–7702 www.samaritanministry.org HIV support, employment, drug/ alcohol addiction, healthcare St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 1514 15th Street, NW (202) 667–4394 http://stlukesdc.edow.org food, counseling St. Matthew’s Cathedral 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW (202) 347–3215 ext. 552 breakfast, clothing, hygiene Travelers Aid, Union Station 50 Mass. Avenue, NE (202) 371–1937 www.travelersaid.org/ta/ dc.html emergency travel assistance Wash. Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U Street, NW (202) 328–5500 www.legalclinic.org

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

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

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

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Catholic Charities, Maryland 12247 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring (301) 942–1790 www.catholiccharitiesdc.org shelter, substance abuse treatment, variety of other services Mission of Love 6180 Old Central Avenue, Capitol Heights (301)333–4440 www.molinc.org life skills classes, clothing, housewares Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless 600–B East Gude Drive, Rockville (301) 217–0314; www.mcch.net emergency shelter, transitional

housing, and supportive services

VIRGINIA SHELTER

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

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

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

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Abundant Life Christian Outreach, 5154 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria (703) 823–4100 www.anchor–of–hope.net food, clothing, youth development, and medicines David’s Place Day Shelter 930 North Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548–7500 www.carpentersshelter.org laundry, shower, workshops, hypothermia shelter Legal Services of Northern Virginia 6066 Leesburg Pike, Suite 500, Falls Church (703) 778–6800; www.lsnv.org civil legal services only

Shelter Hotline: 1–800– 535–7252

28 Word - November10 , 2009 THeOctober Last By Marcus Williams

Welfare Queen

S treetScott S ense.org Melania

Vendor Profile By Robert Fulton

Born in Panama – her father was in the military - vendor Melania Angela Scott first came to the onald Reagan created the welfare queen in 1976. Thirty years later, my Washington, D.C. area when she was three years old. mother became one of these queens, but it was a far more grueling Because her family moved around a lot, she attended and humiliating process than the anecdotes Reagan told about women a number of local schools both in the city and the smoothly living off the government. suburbs, and has held a number of jobs, including Last April, my mother was discharged from the hospital with over $28,000 in at the Phyllis Wheatley YWCA. medical expenses. She did not feel like royalty. She had no insurance, no job, and Scott became homeless when she lost her home to no hope of paying her bills without help. As I applied for assistance on her behalf, redevelopment, and the situation at her following I thought that no reasonable person could deny her application. No reasonable apartment didn’t work out. She’s doing much better person ever judged her application. Instead, getting assistance meant navigating now, with a spot at a rooming house and prospects a maze of legal requirements that are most complicated for those most in need. of a place of her own. With all of her paperwork in front of me and my new degrees from Stanford Uni“Now, I am focusing on myself . . . I’m trying to get versuty behind me, I thought helping her apply for government assistance would (my life) in order again. God is blessing me.” be easy. The endless forms proved maddening. After six hours, I had answered over a thousand questions. Multiple visits to the emergency room multiplied into Do you have any family? endless questions about procedures and treatments and doctors. For each job she I’m the oldest out of six of us. My mom and dad had held, they asked “how many times in a work day did you reach over your head?” are deceased now, so I have to check on everybody. The forms were a labyrinth. For her, simply filling them out would have been an Do you have any children? impossible physical feat. I have two kids - a son that’s 29 and a daughter A week later, her application was rejected. We were told by hospital staff that that’s 27. every application is rejected at first and we were expected to appeal. Waiting for the How do you sell Street Sense? appeal meant that the hospital still refused to treat her late stage of cancer unless A lot of times when I got out to sell Street Sense, I got my spot, which is between 7th and 14th she had coverage. If she had health insurance before then, she might have had a St. on U Street, Northwest. A lot times I read my Street Sense paper, kind of get an idea of what’s routine check-up and uncovered her cancer early. But she was unemployed and, in the paper, for that particular week. A lot of times, people will ask me “Can you tell me about without insurance, put off hospital visits until her health deteriorated. Now, she the paper?” could not see an oncologist without proof she could pay and the hospital would Favorite food? only admit her to the emergency room. Hamburger and French fries. My mother’s health has improved dramatically, but what should have been the Favorite Movie? least of her concerns proved to be a harrowing, sometimes desperate process. She I like anything with Denzel Washington. was rejected for common reasons: to get social security disability or Medicare, one Shop | Eat |Where Explore miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | S do you see| yourself in five years? must have no savings or IRA and have reached one’s credit card limit. Over her Owning my own business. I like art. So, art Explore gallery slash something for the homeless, lifetime she had responsibly saved an IRA, which was still smaller|than her debt, Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop |having Eatan | | miDCity | Shop | as well as just helping people. and she had available credit. Despite an outstanding balance over $17,000, credit card companies had pushed up her limits after fifty years of paying Explore on time. Despite| miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | E being deep in debt, she could technically borrow more. | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | Even though it was obvious she was unable to work and could not pay her mediCityand | she Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDC cal bills, getting approval was not so simple. Asking for help was belittling felt punished for a lifetime of hard work. Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | S She could not get approved unless she took out her IRA, losing almost 30% to Eat | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | major penalties and taxes, and consolidated her debt into one | credit card|at Explore a higher interest rate. She had no assets left, but now there was a chance she could| miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | E Explore get treatment. She had to be approved within three months for her hospital bills |others miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | to be covered. We were persistent and she made the deadline. Many are not 1603 U Street so lucky. City | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity |NWShop |1736 Eat14th | Street Explore | miDC NW www.caramelfashion.com I had access to her complete medical and work history, a reliable internet conwww.circleboutique.com Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity |Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | S nection, and years of verifiable financial data. Applicants without a permanent address, let alone the hundreds of pages of documentation required,Eat must feel like | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Sisyphus, endlessly pushing paper only to be repeatedly rejected. Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | Explore | miDCity | Shop | Eat | E If welfare queens ever existed, they do not anymore.

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