Vendor Writing

More Affordable Housing

BY VICKY B.

We were once hailed as the, “richest country in the world,” and at one time we were. Today, one in seven Americans live in poverty. That’s 6.5 million people. Six and a half million people calling up a social worker and hearing the all too familiar, “There’s nothing we can do, if something comes up, we’ll call you.” Heard all too often and yet this is told to the poverty stricken, the homeless and the elderly many times a day.

It’s a cookie cutter comment that doesn’t fit every situation.

A well-known internet homeless advocate screams, “Services Don’t Work,” and some of them don’t. Many are strictly a referral agency that leaves the person feeling frustrated after busing it all over town knocking on every door with the batch of referrals. Days wasted. Bus passes spent. So now they’re going backward. Do these agencies not talk to each other or share information? It doesn’t seem like it.

Do services NOT work or do social workers lack the capacity to carefully listen? Far too often they have a million things running through their heads that makes it impossible to truly listen. You sit in their office and answer a million questions about yourself and your family and then, “There’s nothing we can do.” It’s probably as frustrating to say as it is to hear.

Services that don’t work need to be dissolved and ended. How many social workers have been homeless before? Lived experience should be in the job description

somewhere. How can book smart workers help street-smart people? One thing I’ve discovered this past year while attending the Homeless Planning Council meetings through Zoom, is that we really are learning from those with lived experience — homeless people. The council listens and implements actions based on some recommendations and conversations.

This past year, I've been sitting through meetings talking about solutions to ending homelessness and seeing the solutions implemented. Nashville is doing consistent work in housing it’s homeless population. Helping those living in encampments and working with the city to shut them down can feel like a double edged sword. Individuals and families are getting into housing through a wide variety of resources. Resources that take time to wait through the waitlist. Let’s be honest, we’re behind in affordable housing. All the committees, boards and meetings won’t change that. Action is being taken in talking with other communities and what’s working for them. Recently a program was implemented to work with landlords and to work through some fears that owners of rental property may have. We need more landlords to jump on board on this opportunity. Money is still needed to build more affordable housing. One thing is for sure and that’s affordable housing ends homelessness. I’ve said that so much that I feel like I should get it tattooed on me.

Unnamed

BY LOUM O.

In 2009, I had an opportunity to come to the United States of America from my homeland South Sudan, originally Pajok. The unending war and corruption forced me to move to Uganda as refugee. Then I moved to Kakuma, Kenya, where the great chance of coming to the U.S. knocked on my door. I felt so happy and excited because the U.S. is the greatest country owning everything for anyone in need.

So I did my high school and was accepted into Tennessee State University for a bachelor degree in Applied Mathematic with G.P.A. 3.01. My happiness being in America is indeed unexplainable. Even though there are plenty of jobs in Applied Mathematics, I worry too much about my height to teach and to reach the board, because I am only 2.5 feet. As a result, I had no job to fulfill my needs as others. However, I found an opportunity of selling newspapers at The Contributor, which earned me with some income (about $400 a month). For more story about me, email me at loumodwar1@yahoo.com.

The Contributor is a wonderful newspaper to sell, and it offers me chances to talk with great people who appreciate what I am doing and encourage me to keep going and helps me avoid those being mean haters to me. I got encouraged because my customers write their signatures on my papers. Without Contributor, I am nothing spiritually, friendly and building me with some financially. The biggest one is spiritual need. Look, now through Contributor, I have a church now worshipping God the most high.

Thank you and thank you The Contributor newspaper.