tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-61508505498532487902024-03-13T08:34:46.196-07:00invisible homeless kidsDiane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.comBlogger194125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-50930033177210532112017-06-30T10:02:00.000-07:002017-06-30T10:04:57.818-07:00Happy Birthday, HEAR US! True Confessions<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2cq6ZAuAhg/WVaAKDHUh5I/AAAAAAAAMpk/rs_KaZNxVI8kKfShZH8G86eMbwVrY8NtQCK4BGAYYCw/s1600/DDN-RV-CTL%2B11-05.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="140" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x2cq6ZAuAhg/WVaAKDHUh5I/AAAAAAAAMpk/rs_KaZNxVI8kKfShZH8G86eMbwVrY8NtQCK4BGAYYCw/s200/DDN-RV-CTL%2B11-05.JPG" width="200" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">All I can remember about 12 years ago was scrambling. And anxiety. And plenty of stifled doubt.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I was in the process of giving birth to HEAR US Inc., the incorporation took place on July 1, 2005, overseen by our attorney-friend Judd Lofchie. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Now I can admit: I had no clue what I was getting into. I had decided to sell my townhome, my SUV, most of my stuff to buy a small RV that would become my home-office-wheels. I had never been in an RV before. I had to buy a pro video camera, with mics and paraphernalia. I had never filmed video before. I figured I’d travel to non-urban places where families and youth experiencing homelessness would hopefully speak with me on camera for a documentary which I had no clue about how to produce.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Amazing things happened! Help came in all sorts of ways. My friends Betsy and Francois held a massive fundraiser dinner (over $7,000 raised, enough to give me courage to proceed). A generous $5,000 grant from the Aurora Foundation allowed me to buy video equipment. Immeasurable donations large and modest bolstered my courage. Prayers and well-wishes continue to pave my route.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My friends agreed to serve on the board of directors for this venture which I could only vaguely explain. They kept their doubts to themselves. Incredibly, most of them are with me still! </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">July 1, 2005 was the birth of this unimaginable journey called <a href="http://www.hearus.us/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>HEAR US Inc.</b></span></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve met courageous kids and parents who’ve compellingly articulated their plight and promise. School personnel, including selfless McKinney-Vento liaisons doing the impossible, trusted me enough to connect me with their students and families. Donors generously filled the coffers as I nervously checked the bank balance, calculating how few months remained if money didn’t come in. Friendly strangers became friends, eventually strengthened by the unimaginable social media <a href="https://www.facebook.com/diane.nilan"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>Facebook</b></span></a><b>.</b> Media folks poked into this weird story and managed to report honestly which gave me cred. Willing homeowners let me park in their driveways and plug into their outlets. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The hundreds of interviews I’ve done are real life films thanks to my video guru and friend<b> </b><a href="http://www.comm.niu.edu/comm/about/facultystaff/laura-vazquez.shtml"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>Laura Vazquez</b></span></a>, professor at Northern Illinois University who taught me all things I now know about documentary making. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Daniel Riefstahl</b>, <a href="https://pixelpointcreative.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>PixelPoint Creative</b></span></a><b>,</b> stepped up when a friend asked, becoming my web guy, designing the HEAR US website and providing much-needed tech assistance over the years. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Jim Robbs</b>, <a href="http://sassetti.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><b>Sassetti Inc.</b></span></a>, agreed to provide the financial management and reporting tasks to keep HEAR US in good standing with the IRS. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Oh yeah, they do this stuff free. Good, because HEAR US never had the kind of money that would have been needed to do what they’ve done. (And so many more people did so much more...I'll never be able to list everyone!) </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Flipping through my journal (yes, I’d love to write a book about this adventure), I laughed out loud about tech issues (getting cellphone signal, much less connecting to the internet). My naiveté about all things RV made life interesting, and a few times scary, especially as I encountered storms or had mechanical issues. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I won’t bore you with the details. I get nostalgic on these milestone occasions. Besides the nostalgia, I have a deep sense of gratitude that I am inadequately expressing. </span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SuW53rTsvvE/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/SuW53rTsvvE?feature=player_embedded" style="clear: right; float: right;" width="320"></iframe><span style="font-kerning: none;">The focus of my efforts has been, and continues to be, giving voice and visibility to families and youth experiencing homelessness. My purpose is to raise awareness of and sensitivity to these kids and parents without homes who try gallantly to get an education and to have a life beyond homelessness. My commitment to them is to get their stories in front of as many eyes as possible. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">You, dear reader, friend or stranger, are the one who can make this possible. I’m not asking for your money (although that’s always welcomed and needed in this frugal operation). I need your time, your networks, your energy to get the word out about this problem we’ve yet to address as a nation. </span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gRHNJQeakjE/WVZ_aRpHTZI/AAAAAAAAMpc/GtttCbFX3B031DDW7cpNoDPFzEwh_XHBQCLcBGAs/s1600/DDN_T2_tx_side_crop.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="507" data-original-width="909" height="112" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gRHNJQeakjE/WVZ_aRpHTZI/AAAAAAAAMpc/GtttCbFX3B031DDW7cpNoDPFzEwh_XHBQCLcBGAs/s200/DDN_T2_tx_side_crop.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m on RV #2, a smaller rig that gets double gas mileage. I’ve got at least 300,000 miles of mostly backroads travel through 48 states under my belt. I have no idea how long I’ll continue this unique mission. My health and determination are solid. Family and youth homelessness soars. More states are asking me to film families and youth experiencing homelessness. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This adventure is beyond my wildest dreams. Thank you. </span></div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-36029826888263409582016-12-24T18:13:00.000-08:002016-12-24T18:13:38.919-08:00Beyond the Obvious, Reasons to Fear for Homeless Families<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5L1C-CLlI2o/WF8qodOIgYI/AAAAAAAAMfU/R2sHsF_78FQ9i5yJFAIl1MVYAqwNbDmjACLcB/s1600/light-lake-leaves.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5L1C-CLlI2o/WF8qodOIgYI/AAAAAAAAMfU/R2sHsF_78FQ9i5yJFAIl1MVYAqwNbDmjACLcB/s320/light-lake-leaves.jpg" width="240" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">Most enlightened people can grasp the common concepts of why homeless families become and remain homeless </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">so long. Realities like:</span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">An appalling shortage of decent affordable market-rate housing; </span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">An even worse dearth of subsidized housing, with wait-lists of 5 years and more;</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Stringent, some would say impossible, credit requirements filtering out people in poverty (those with tainted credit tend to be the most impoverished);</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Harsh penalties for those who’ve done time in prison—banning them from even stepping onto public housing projects, excluding them from consideration as tenants in the private market.</span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Exorbitant application fees that don’t get refunded if an applicant is denied. </span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(40, 55, 105); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; color: #283769; font-family: Verdana; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;">Steep deposits, for housing and utilities, which often get kissed goodbye when the tenant moves out.</span></li>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">(Read Matt Desmond’s excellent expose on this topic, <a href="http://www.evictedbook.com/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Evicted</span></a><i>. </i>Or my 1-page "<a href="http://www.hearus.us/pdf/CTL-homelessness_causes-1pg.pdf" target="_blank">Causes of Homelessness</a>" from my book, <b><i>Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness.</i></b></span><i style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial;">)</i></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That's tough enough, as exemplified by our nation’s record high number of families in homeless situations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">HUD’s (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Human Development) policies and their continuing refusal to acknowledge the horrifying level of homelessness among families and youth, will only get worse with an incoming clueless HUD Secretary.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">While HUD is dancing around the Washington Monument waving banners proclaiming “<a href="http://sparechangenews.net/2016/12/hud-reports-homelessness-u-s-declines-14-percent/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Homelessness Is Ending!</span></a>” the U.S. Department of Education grimly points to the doubling of homeless students identified since schools began seriously counting back in 2006. The number of students—not parents, older/younger siblings, nor those still unidentified—has doubled, from about 600,000 to more than <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/number-of-us-homeless-students-has-doubled-since-before-the-recession/2015/09/14/0c1fadb6-58c2-11e5-8bb1-b488d231bba2_story.html?utm_term=.8c259b366354"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">1.3 million in 2015</span></a>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That's bad enough, but another barrier exists that causes, perpetuates and prevents homelessness from ending. It doesn’t get discussed much publicly. But it needs to be addressed. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b>Trauma</b>. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That one word encompasses physical, mental, sexual abuse that creates a sense of panic, dread, and immobility, to name a few manifestations. This affliction often sabotages a person’s return to self-sufficiency. It’s the invisible demon that lingers in the background, waiting for the opportune moment to shatter any chance of progress. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve seen it time and time again. Depending on the damage the trauma has inflicted, some are rendered pathetically, frustratingly immobile when it surfaces.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">We’ve heard “PTSD” referring to soldiers exposed to horrors of war. Post traumatic stress disorder. It’s not just a way of explaining away unacceptable behaviors of our troops. Or our citizens. <a href="https://themighty.com/2016/12/lady-gaga-letter-mental-illness-ptsd/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Lady Gaga’s admission of her PTSD</span></a> recently rocked her fandom. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s far past time to acknowledge that those exposed to violence—mental, physical and/or sexual—are vulnerable to PTSD. Their trauma is real. As I’m witnessing now.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The mother who, after 3 long years of enduring and surviving incomprehensible abuse and hardships, including homelessness that resulted in her family being split up for survival’s sake, has an opportunity to move out of her (and her daughter’s) hell-hole of indentured servitude and homelessness into a decent, affordable place of their own. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I suspect the demon is circling, pushing her vulnerable self-esteem against the wall, shouting the abusive chant that she’s unworthy, that she’ll fail, so why should she try. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">She texted me to ask how soon she should tell her sinister employer/housing provider that she and her daughter are moving. Reading between the lines of this short text, she wants to, understandably, tell him to “f-ck off,” a satisfying response to a hated bully. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Her justifiable anger is ready to spew, amassed over years of abusive, demeaning, brutal experiences that have threatened her wellbeing, and worse, that of her children, just as she’s about to break out of this prison. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Not now, I uncharacteristically advised. He can kick you to the curb, or make your lives even more miserable while we’re waiting for the languid housing authority to hand her the keys. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">She thanked me for my counsel and said this will be, next to the birth of her kids, the best Christmas ever (we agreed to postpone the celebration of Christmas by a month, figuring they’ll be in their new home). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">This can be my best Christmas, with my fingers crossed that she can hang in and make this happen. Selfishly, I could use a reason to cheer 2017’s <a href="http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2016/12/trump-effect-efforts-combat-homelessness"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">inauspicious arrival. Demon</span></a>, be gone!</span></div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-36425761161567075882016-12-13T07:25:00.000-08:002016-12-13T07:25:04.744-08:00A Homeless Family's Christmas Tale: From Ogre to Oh My God!<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Melissa kept sobbing “Oh my God!” Probably 50 times. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Then she said the phrase that caused me to cringe. “We don’t have to worry about The Man anymore.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Spoken by the absolutely desperate mother of a young girl. They, by virtue of desperate poverty and homelessness, were doubled up in a hardscrabble Kansas town. This Mom and her 9-year-old daughter share a small, dark room in return for the mother’s providing in-home health services to the disabled wheelchair-bound, obese and allegedly perverted homeowner, a man whose 2 teens who also live in this menagerie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve known this mother for over 2 years. I’ve known others who’ve known her longer. So I know her story rings true. <a href="https://youtu.be/jvgLH6H-cho"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">She’s allowed me to share it</span></a> (4-min. video) hoping it would enlighten or embolden other women (and maybe men) in similar situations. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">As with far too many women, she found herself and her 2 daughters bouncing from couch to motel to basement floor and around again after her marriage broke up—shattering both her jaw and self-esteem. She worked the jobs mothers can work when juggling child care, school obligations, and pernicious poverty. Instability was their constant companion. So was violence, sexual abuse, and hopelessness.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The one insurmountable barrier to returning to any kind of normal living was a $2500 debt to the local housing authority. It’s a long story, but trust me when I say this mom found herself doing something most of us would have done, and she was “sentenced” to 5 years of hard time (homelessness), barred from the only affordable housing in Kansas—subsidized by the federal government via HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development). </span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I kept in contact with her for reasons I cannot explain. Maybe because she was the one mother I interviewed who had no one. I encouraged her when my normally optimistic self was cringing at the hopelessness of her situation. I suggested that she apply for a housing voucher before the new HUD administration takes over. She did, and was told that she’d be eligible (strict guidelines) as long as she was able to pay her arrearage. I personally tried to get them to waive all/part, to no avail.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Through a lot of luck, I was able to find donors to clear her debt. She meets with the housing authority person next week. They evidently have a unit ready for her and her family. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Families (and individuals) who live in these horrible conditions for so long need time to adjust to having their own place. The trauma they’ve experienced for so long follows them like a vicious tornado cloud ready to tear their fragile lives to shreds. And too often, the earlier experience of <a href="http://www.icphusa.org/national/are-we-creating-chronic-homelessness-the-past-present-and-future-of-federal-homelessness-policy/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">homelessness often leads to homelessness as an adult</span></a>. All is not “happily ever after” yet, and maybe ever.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Imagine yourself as a parent in this situation, what would it mean to have your own place? And try to imagine Melissa’s relief when she realizes, “We don’t have to worry about The Man anymore.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: helvetica; font-size: 11px;">Be assured—she’s not the only parent in this situation.</span><br />
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-60620058018308182872016-11-22T18:18:00.000-08:002016-11-22T18:18:18.669-08:00Babies Beware! Billionaire Blathering <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNBJZOYAAcs/WDT3oEUHRsI/AAAAAAAAMdY/_QsVhW9Pf1glI-3IKwLxX0NffaEz1japgCLcB/s1600/PLM_PaulRyan.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZNBJZOYAAcs/WDT3oEUHRsI/AAAAAAAAMdY/_QsVhW9Pf1glI-3IKwLxX0NffaEz1japgCLcB/s400/PLM_PaulRyan.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 12.800000190734863px; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/BabesofWrath/" target="_blank">Babe of Wrath</a> Pat LaMarche stood with her sign outside<br />
the Janesville, WI office of Speaker Paul Ryan. The police were<br />
summoned. She collected $6.79, and donated it to HEAR US. </td></tr>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">It’s not easy to stand on a street corner with a sign—asking for money or demanding justice. Between hecklers and honkers, and those who pass you by like litter, it takes a hefty dose of chutzpah to put yourself out there. Three good-hearted women in Greenville, MI discovered <a href="http://thedailynews.cc/2016/11/21/have-mercy-agency-spreads-awareness-of-homelessness/" target="_blank">the perils of panhandling</a> last Friday.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Panhandling is one of the least popular “professions” in America, aside from politicians and plumbers. That loaded term demeans those standing on street corners asking for money. Think of it as people trying to earn money honestly since they’ve been shut out of the brutal employment market.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The women who stood with their cardboard signs in this nondescript Michigan town were calling attention to homeless babies and children. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b style="font-style: italic;">What?</b><i><b> Babies and children are homeless?</b></i> It never ceases to surprise me how many are, and how few know. Using numbers of actually identified homeless students, I’ve estimated that probably <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/ybyk/charliebook/howmany.html" target="_blank">3 million kids in America</a>—from infants to youth approaching adulthood—are homeless. That number shocks me. And I’ve been doing this work for over 3 decades. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">A couple years ago I visited with Becky, an astute mom in central Michigan, not far from Greenville. She, along with her family, had experienced homelessness, including a brutal winter in a pop-up camper. In 3 minutes <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekaMWrONAHE"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">she can enlighten and maybe inspire you.</span></a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My national nonprofit, <a href="http://www.hearus.us/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">HEAR US Inc.,</span></a> “specializes” in raising awareness of homeless children and youth. For the past 11 years I’ve traveled more than 300,000 miles of mostly backroads to chronicle the kind of homelessness the press, politicians and the public fail to see. It’s not a pretty picture. And it’s about to get worse. </span></div>
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<b><i>My prediction isn’t based on partisan politics. It’s based on how a billionaire buffoon’s blathering bamboozled bubbleheads’ beliefs. </i></b></blockquote>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Enough alliteration. For now. </span></div>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZqoPftNhEE/WDT4OUWXXSI/AAAAAAAAMdc/xyBu53UJm5kIsQVt_P7RndTRyWLmUCyfQCLcB/s1600/Charlie-book_cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-nZqoPftNhEE/WDT4OUWXXSI/AAAAAAAAMdc/xyBu53UJm5kIsQVt_P7RndTRyWLmUCyfQCLcB/s320/Charlie-book_cover.jpg" width="264" /></a><span style="font-kerning: none;">Having been around the block a few times during presidential elections, and being fascinated by media, <b><i>I’ve witnessed the power of the idiotic overpowering the essential</i></b>. I knew it was coming in this incessant election "news" cycle that had millions wanting to stick our heads into pencil sharpeners. And it’s not over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">That doesn’t bode well for vulnerable populations, homeless babies and children for example. HEAR US worked hard to create a catchy project, <b><i><a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/ybyk.html" target="_blank">Yay Babies! Yay Kids!</a></i></b>, to call positive attention to the millions of little and bigger kids without homes. Our effort offers free materials—a catchy short PSA (Public Service Announcement) video about babies, and a simple flyer with 3 action steps to help babies in local communities—and a modestly-priced ($10) guide, <b><i><a href="http://www.hearus.us/understanding-homelessnses/books/cb.html" target="_blank">The Charlie Book: 60 Ways to Help Homeless Kids,</a></i></b> to, well, you know. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Despite my cogent nature, I had hoped these tools would light the world on fire, or at least generate a sizable and viral ripple that would make sure we are at least caring for the basic needs of babies and kids without homes. Um, well, no. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">But it’s not too late. The tools stand ready:</span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Yay Babies!</i></b> <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=askYMSEQMBM" target="_blank">video</a></span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Yay Babies!</i></b> <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/ybyk/ybyk-resources/yb-flyer.html" target="_blank">flyer</a></span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><i><b>Yay Kids!</b></i> <b><i><a href="http://www.hearus.us/understanding-homelessnses/books/cb.html" target="_blank">The Charlie Book: 60 Ways to Help Homeless Kids</a></i></b></span></li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Yay Babies! Yay Kids!</i> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YayBabiesYayKids/" target="_blank">Facebook page</a></b></span></li>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">All that’s needed is you. </span></div>
Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-11108740146086083292016-09-13T20:36:00.000-07:002016-09-13T20:40:20.335-07:004G Means 4 Generations, Homeless<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"><i><b>4 generations of homeless families in one camper. That almost seems impossible. But I saw them with my own eyes.</b></i></span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span></span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">Their ancient camper belonged to the great grandparents. Great grandpa died, and when things fell apart for his widow (Gen1), her daughter (Gen2) and their 4 dogs—eviction. The mother (Gen3) and her family—husband (who works), 3 kids and their dog also lost their housing. Eventually all the families moved into this little home on wheels. It’s safe to say they didn’t choose this cramped lifestyle because they like the togetherness of a 32’ camper.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When I met them, they were in a Washington state park. These parks aren't cheap and have time limits, usually 10-14 days, I suspect to keep the “riffraff" from moving in and not moving out. I could be among the riffraff on my <a href="http://www.hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US </a>journey, but that’s another story for another day. This conglomeration of campers discovered that old RVs are not allowed in some parks, though state parks haven’t gotten that fussy, yet. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Dad works, 2 part-time jobs, lots of hours, but at $10 an hour, with no benefits and lots of schedule juggling, he doesn’t make that much. What he does make gets scarfed up by the sleazy auto loan people who enticed him into financing a beater van. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">When the family's stability crumbled, they fell behind on the payments and it was repossessed. But they still must pay the loan, so his paychecks are garnished, $200 a week! This leaves very little to live on and the insult of paying on a vehicle they’ll never see again. One more big thing. Because of this ding on their credit, landlords won’t rent to them, and they can’t get into subsidized housing. </span></span></div>
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<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xxRt7PQPEL0/V9i-ew3GNtI/AAAAAAAAMX4/ZRJ6ZFaWfGgXdpUEJmuDPnOYh30uRu5fgCLcB/s1600/DDN1.camper-girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xxRt7PQPEL0/V9i-ew3GNtI/AAAAAAAAMX4/ZRJ6ZFaWfGgXdpUEJmuDPnOYh30uRu5fgCLcB/s200/DDN1.camper-girl.jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-kerning: none;">Their RV furnace isn’t working, and as cooler temps become the norm, that will be an issue. Everyone in this crowd has </span></span><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 11px;">serious health issues, a byproduct of poverty. With my 11 years of full-time camping, I cannot imagine being in a camper with this many folks and having anyone sick, much less everyone.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Evidently the 2 grandmas will be moving out in a couple weeks, hopefully to an adequate place. That will give the family some breathing room, maybe easing the naturally-occurring stress when you have too many people in too small of a space with too many things going wrong.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As strange as it seems, the kids are being “home-schooled,” or “homeless-schooled.” I’ve encountered other families in similar situations trying this approach. Gallant efforts not withstanding, it’s not a good thing. But I understand why the families do it. Logistics are daunting, and sometimes schools aren’t that homeless-friendly. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The obstacles in front of this family are complicated. Their prospects for escaping this nomadic lifestyle are slim. They’re not alone. In one day I heard 3 stories from 3 Vancouver area families that made me so very sad, for them, and for the invisible families all over with stories like this and worse. </span></span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I’m not new to this horrible reality. For over 3 decades I’ve worked on homelessness issues. I ran shelters. I’ve interviewed countless families and kids who’ve experienced every form of homelessness possible. I’ve seen multi-generations, but never 4. Our country has yet to put enough effort into reducing family homelessness for one generation. Now we're up to 4G.</span><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica";">(HEAR US is working on a statewide film of family/youth homelessness in Washington, contracted by the Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, McKinney-Vento program)</span></span></blockquote>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-50762439352535387472016-08-22T12:38:00.000-07:002016-08-22T12:39:26.429-07:00I'm No Wuss, But...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eJbOIaQLgP0/V7tFuNCxwmI/AAAAAAAAMV4/lUqenpByYlMHyZ1-iZhkwcLiD2GytxifQCEw/s1600/make_america_kind_again_bumper_sticker2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eJbOIaQLgP0/V7tFuNCxwmI/AAAAAAAAMV4/lUqenpByYlMHyZ1-iZhkwcLiD2GytxifQCEw/s640/make_america_kind_again_bumper_sticker2.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve been living in a van/RV for the past 11 years. I’ve traveled to 48 states, over 300,000 mostly backroads miles chronicling homelessness of families/youth under my HEAR US Inc. (</span><span style="color: #355899; text-decoration: underline;">www.hearus.us</span><span style="font-kerning: none;">) banner.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve been in blizzards (<a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DcndYpU-6jdk&h=1AQGF0zSK"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(53, 88, 153); color: #355899;">Snowzilla</span></a> is the latest), dust storms, powerful wind and rain storms, and have lucked out avoiding hurricanes, tornadoes, and wildfires, with close calls. I’ve been in places cold enough to freeze all my water systems (thawing in a fire barn once) and in places hot and humid enough to scare me from any hell-earning behavior. I’m no wuss, but I’ve come to accept that cold is better than heat--not by much. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">My latest projects is a trifecta--filming in Oregon, Washington, then Idaho--three separate projects focused on how schools work with homeless families/youth. I’ve been hired because, I’d like to think, I’ve gotten pretty darn good at making <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fplaylist%3Flist%3DPLcyzxfZMQBZIGYxDLzYJmQDy9Vf0uRzWk&h=1AQGF0zSK"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none; -webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(53, 88, 153); color: #355899;">documentaries</span></a> of this topic, perhaps a product of my 3+ decades of homelessness work. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">When I made arrangements for this trip I naively thought “Great! A nice time to be in this part of the country!” Silly me. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’m in the middle of my first heatwave, with temps hitting 105. Fortunately it cools off dramatically at night. I naively thought since this round of scorching temperatures is supposed to abate tomorrow, that I was done with the heat. But not so fast. Give it a few days and we’re right back up to the 100s again.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">For me, the heat is inconvenient. I need to either sweat and film during the hottest part of the day or find a place to stay cool during the afternoon/early evening hours. It’s a challenge, but I’ve got resources so I can make stuff work.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">What has been painfully evident to me--because I see it with my own eyes--is the number of infirm adults without homes, some very obviously seniors, who are out in this heat with no relief. In many cases, they have no place to go--few shelters, especially in the smaller cities and towns, much less rural areas. Oh yeah, they’re probably all hungry and quite thirsty, and often scorned.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">The other reality--unlike my previous northwest area trips--is the absolute ban on anyone sleeping anywhere but a motel or expensive campground (most of which have been at capacity) or shelter (not always an option). I’ve joined the ranks of people without homes--though, again, I have resources--who are not wanted. For me it’s a good, albeit painful, experience. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I’ve scrambled to find places, tapping resources of friends and friends of friends (thanks Facebook!) who might let me park stealthily in a driveway. I’ve drifted into a restless sleep, pretty sure I’d be disturbed by the authorities (or booted, like I was in Atlanta a couple years ago). </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Those not as lucky as me tough it out in a variety of abysmal situations--in the woods, in storage units, in vehicles that will often get ticketed or impounded--and all of those “solutions” are horrible for any number of reasons. Families often double up (or worse). Youth commonly “couch surf” or find abandoned buildings.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Homelessness is out of control--an assessment I don’t make lightly. Despite the gallant efforts of both those in this quicksand-like situation and those truly trying helping them escape, it’s getting worse, not better. I see far too many people on street corners or in doorways--way more than I’ve seen in previous treks through these same areas--to think we’re making progress. (My anecdotal observations are at least as valid as the inaccurate federal census of this nomadic population.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">I suppose it’s too much to expect that we’ll make any significant dent easing homelessness. It’s not part of the political priorities of either party. So our best bet is to build an underground railroad. It worked once. I’m sure it will again--if we can maintain some level of humanity. Let’s <b>Make America Kind Again</b>. Or something.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">(Thanks to </span><span style="background-color: #dce6f8; font-kerning: none;">Mary Ann Parks</span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> for the design of this bumper sticker which you can actually <a href="http://www.zazzle.com/make_america_kind_again_bumper_sticker-128298383894808557"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">order</span></a> (for only $5 + shipping)!</span></div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-85268852461594396012016-07-22T10:37:00.000-07:002016-07-22T10:38:16.571-07:00Let Yay Babies! Work For You—Locally!<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-kerning: none;">Leave it to the littlest ones to get attention about homeless families. HEAR US launched <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/ybyk.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Yay Babies! Yay Kids! </span></a>in July and received an unprecedented response!</span></div>
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/askYMSEQMBM/0.jpg" frameborder="0" height="266" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/askYMSEQMBM?feature=player_embedded" width="320"></iframe></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Our cutest video ever was viewed over 2,000 times in less than a week! With lots of shares! And plenty of kudos! </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none; text-decoration: underline;"><a href="https://www.facebook.com/YayBabiesYayKids/videos/1711958802410939/">Yay Babies!</a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"> video focuses on the youngest segment of this almost invisible population. It’s designed to be used by as many people as possible to share in their <b>LOCAL</b> circles to generate support for <b>LOCAL</b> babies—collecting diapers, baby food, formula, etc.— to donate to a <b>LOCAL</b> program serving <b>LOCAL</b> babies.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Yay Babies!</i></b> <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YayBabiesYayKids/"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Facebook Page</span></a></span><span style="font-kerning: none;"><b><i>Yay Babies! Yay Kids! </i></b><a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/ybyk.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">HEAR US Page</span></a></span></blockquote>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">Get it? </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">LOCAL</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">. HEAR US created this awesomely cute short (less than 2 min.) video for you to use </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">locally</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">. It’s that cute. It will generate response—and you’ll be able to collect items—diapers, formula, baby food, etc.—for the </span><b style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">LOCAL</b><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> babies whose families struggle to survive. And, most importantly it will generate awareness of the massive number of homeless babies, toddlers, kids, youth, and parents that seems to be a surprise to most.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span><span style="font-kerning: none;"></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">HEAR US also generated a simple flyer to go along with your local campaign. And it has room for <b>LOCAL</b> contact info. <a href="mailto:diane@hearus.us?subject=YB%20flyer"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">Email Diane </span></a>for the PDF file.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Thanks to the <a href="http://www.jolietfranciscans.org/jpic/" target="_blank">Justice Peace and Integrity of Creation commission of the Joliet Franciscan Sisters </a>for the grant to film, produce and promote the <b><i>Yay Babies! </i></b>film. </span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">Oh yeah. All of this is free. HEAR US relies on donations and occasional grants or speaker’s fees. So we encourage those who can to become <a href="http://www.hearus.us/about-us/donate.html"><span style="-webkit-font-kerning: none;">monthly supporters </span></a>so we can keep these babies and other young ‘uns in the faces of those who need to have their consciences poked.</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;">And very soon we’ll launch a powerful tool for Yay Kids! Stay tuned!</span></div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-38064090747734579852016-05-23T17:28:00.000-07:002016-05-23T17:30:22.819-07:00Diane's Gettysburg NO Address<div class="_2cuy _3dgx" data-block="true" data-editor="4hjh1" data-offset-key="2r2pe-0-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #1d2129; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 17px; margin: 0px auto 28px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 700px; word-wrap: break-word;">
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<span data-offset-key="2r2pe-0-0">(Title credit, </span><span class="_5u8u" data-offset-key="2r2pe-1-0" spellcheck="false" style="background-color: #dce6f8;"><span data-offset-key="2r2pe-1-0"><span data-text="true">Mary Ann Parks</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="2r2pe-2-0">)</span></div>
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7fAmYhn1DDk/V0OdpUXnisI/AAAAAAAAMTk/gGgSXWvrL1UMjilbZooWVD1g6RYnyaMmgCKgB/s1600/IMG_4504.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7fAmYhn1DDk/V0OdpUXnisI/AAAAAAAAMTk/gGgSXWvrL1UMjilbZooWVD1g6RYnyaMmgCKgB/s320/IMG_4504.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span data-offset-key="ftrpb-0-0">“FOUR score and seven years ago, our forefathers could not have imagined the nation they </span><span data-offset-key="55cbv-0-0">founded (conceived in liberty) would turn their collective backs on their brothers and sisters who are without shelter and comfort.” (Thanks to </span><span class="_5u8u" data-offset-key="55cbv-1-0" spellcheck="false" style="background-color: #dce6f8;"><span data-offset-key="55cbv-1-0"><span data-text="true">Deborah Cooper Harding</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="55cbv-2-0"> for the adaptation)</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="flv17-0-0">I’m scheduled to give a keynote to a group in Gettysburg on June 9. The topic is affordable housing and homeless families. My FB friends have great faith in my ability to deliver a stem-winder. Sure hope so. Sure don't know what to say.</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="f52ib-0-0">Having tracked and posted news on FB about homelessness of families and youth for the past 11 years as part of my </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="f52ib-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="http://www.hearus.us/" href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hearus.us%2F&h=-AQG1oH2b" id="js_ir" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="f52ib-1-0">HEAR US</span></a><span data-offset-key="f52ib-2-0"> endeavors, I’ve noticed that we’re not seeming to make progress on this essential issue. In fact, the numbers of homeless students identified by public schools has continued to skyrocket, over 1.3 million, more than double since I started driving around the country chronicling this epidemic. And attitudes of a seemingly growing number of people appear, well, </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="f52ib-3-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="http://www.press-citizen.com/story/news/education/k-12/2016/05/17/schools-homeless-liaison-files-injunction-prevent-firing/84497558/" href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.press-citizen.com%2Fstory%2Fnews%2Feducation%2Fk-12%2F2016%2F05%2F17%2Fschools-homeless-liaison-files-injunction-prevent-firing%2F84497558%2F&h=-AQG1oH2b" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="f52ib-3-0">snarly</span></a><span data-offset-key="f52ib-4-0"> when it comes to kids. Like it’s their fault.</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="hoce-0-0">A few recent stories demonstrated worthwhile journalism. The Eugene, OR Register-Guard shared a poignant and thorough </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="hoce-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="http://registerguard.com/rg/news/local/34363867-75/no-place-like-home.html.csp" href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fregisterguard.com%2Frg%2Fnews%2Flocal%2F34363867-75%2Fno-place-like-home.html.csp&h=-AQG1oH2b" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="hoce-1-0">look</span></a><span data-offset-key="hoce-2-0"> at what I’m sure I’ll see when I’m out there later this summer. Not pretty, despite best efforts of my friends out there working in the schools.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SksyU8QRB28/V0Od0iSygMI/AAAAAAAAMTk/trvdPtw7Ey8aXj1N1Ij-CizwESsOsEkIgCKgB/s1600/IMG_4510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SksyU8QRB28/V0Od0iSygMI/AAAAAAAAMTk/trvdPtw7Ey8aXj1N1Ij-CizwESsOsEkIgCKgB/s320/IMG_4510.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I get what Abe was saying here. Three decades of working<br />
on homelessness issues makes me feel like<br />
an Old Woman!</td></tr>
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<span data-offset-key="59n9j-0-0">Perusing family/youth homelessness stories with today’s news cycle is damn depressing. Mainstream </span>media seems intent to portray the worst of the nation and world--ignoring the plight of vulnerable children in the process. And as Debbie paraphrased, it seems like we’ve turned our collective backs on our brothers and sisters without shelter and comfort. </div>
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<span data-offset-key="4tedj-0-0">I don’t know what kind of human could read the OR story and not feel agony for these families. I’m baffled that this national plight has yet to stir any significant movement. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="drdpl-0-0">Another </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="drdpl-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="https://psmag.com/why-work-for-welfare-doesnt-work-d6d9d7fb2a88#.moh7oo6md" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fpsmag.com%2Fwhy-work-for-welfare-doesnt-work-d6d9d7fb2a88%23.moh7oo6md&h=-AQG1oH2b" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="drdpl-1-0">op-ed piece</span></a><span data-offset-key="drdpl-2-0">, quite well written, described the apathy and cruelty toward single adults, bureaucratically labeled ABAWDs (able-bodied adults without dependents) who now will be “lucky” if they get 3 months of food stamps/SNAP. Knowing ABAWDs as I do, this is going to cause a real hardship. For some it will be life/death. And remember, some of these folks live doubled up with families who will share their food...at their own peril.</span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="1q5j0-0-0">Theses stories have garnered little attention. Bathroom crisis has swallowed up what’s left of the news stream after the big “stories” of politics. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="eekkf-0-0">With no political will, or so it seems, what am I supposed to say about affordable housing to this Gettysburg crowd? Let’s be nice and do the right thing and magically create enough affordable housing for for millions of our sisters and brothers across the land. What would Abe say?</span></div>
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<pre class="_1bv2" data-offset-key="fqsn8-0-0" style="background-color: #f6f7f9; color: #1d2129; font-size: 17px; margin: 40px auto; padding: 16px; width: 700px;"><pre class="_2cuy _19ii" data-block="true" data-editor="4hjh1" data-offset-key="fqsn8-0-0" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Menlo, Consolas, Monaco, monospace; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px; white-space: pre-wrap; width: 676px; word-wrap: break-word;"><div class="_1mf _1mj" data-offset-key="fqsn8-0-0" style="direction: ltr; position: relative;">
<span data-offset-key="fqsn8-0-0">Abraham Lincoln's carefully crafted address, secondary to other presentations that day, was one of the greatest and most influential statements of national purpose. In just over two minutes, Lincoln reiterated the principles of human equality espoused by the Declaration of Independence[5] and proclaimed the Civil War as a struggle for the preservation of the Union sundered by the secession crisis,[6] with "a new birth of freedom"[7] that would bring true equality to all of its citizens.[8] Lincoln also redefined the Civil War as a struggle not just for the Union, but also for the principle of human equality.[5] </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="fqsn8-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_Address" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FGettysburg_Address&h=-AQG1oH2b" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="fqsn8-1-0">Wikipedia</span></a><span data-offset-key="fqsn8-2-0"> </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="58nn7-0-0">Oh, so human equality isn’t a new concept??! Way to go, Abe, you radical Republican! Wondering how today’s bootstraps’ and every man for themselves compares to those listening to Abe? My historically-astute friends </span><span class="_5u8u" data-offset-key="58nn7-1-0" spellcheck="false" style="background-color: #dce6f8;"><span data-offset-key="58nn7-1-0"><span data-text="true">Pat LaMarche</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="58nn7-2-0"> and </span><span class="_5u8u" data-offset-key="58nn7-3-0" spellcheck="false" style="background-color: #dce6f8;"><span data-offset-key="58nn7-3-0"><span data-text="true">Pat Vandoren</span></span></span><span data-offset-key="58nn7-4-0"> could probably say something about this. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="af4p6-0-0">I know what I’ve seen in 250,000+ miles of travel through 48 states over the past 11 years. Despite herculean dedication of McKinney-Vento homeless liaisons, shelter staff, human service workers and a handful of astute political leaders, plus courageous and stalwart efforts of parents and loved ones to get their kids through these tough times, it’s harder and harder. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="8r7kv-0-0">When the new president steps into office in January 2017, she/he will replace Cabinet officers, including that of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). So whatever progress we’ve made, including the dubiously titled “</span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="8r7kv-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="http://www.housethehomeless.org/the-functional-zero-fallacy/" href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.housethehomeless.org%2Fthe-functional-zero-fallacy%2F&h=-AQG1oH2b" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="8r7kv-1-0">functional zero</span></a><span data-offset-key="8r7kv-2-0">” way of describing (faux) ending veterans’ homelessness, the quickly forgotten and equally ineffective “10 Year Plans” and the 2020 deadline for ending family homelessness, all will be scrapped. </span><span data-offset-key="98th4-0-0">I want to be clear--many people have worked hard, in good faith--on these efforts. It’s just that their hands have been tied behind their backs by lack of funding and zippo political will. HEAR US will continue to encourage action, large and small, via our </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="98th4-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="http://www.hearus.us/compassion-epidemic.html" href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hearus.us%2Fcompassion-epidemic.html&h=-AQG1oH2b" id="js_it" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="98th4-1-0">“Compassion Epidemic”</span></a><span data-offset-key="98th4-2-0"> section of our website. </span></div>
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<span data-offset-key="e21r5-0-0">So back to my Gettysburg NO Address. Maybe I’ll just let the </span><a class="_42a-" data-hover="tooltip" data-offset-key="e21r5-1-0" data-tooltip-alignh="center" data-tooltip-content="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up-IFivKS4I" href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DUp-IFivKS4I&h=-AQG1oH2b" id="js_iu" rel="nofollow" style="color: #365899; cursor: pointer;" target="_blank"><span data-offset-key="e21r5-1-0">experts</span></a><span data-offset-key="e21r5-2-0"> explain. </span></div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-74573063499082210652016-04-16T18:01:00.000-07:002019-02-12T07:18:28.171-08:00Walk In Her Shoes? No Way! Classic Example of Homeless Youth and Her Challenges<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qaBBKT0jEzQ/VxLb2ayNrtI/AAAAAAAAMRw/lVRjeSMqFDcCMDcUPvv7WlfcLiE_mySYACLcB/s1600/DDN2.IMG_2313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qaBBKT0jEzQ/VxLb2ayNrtI/AAAAAAAAMRw/lVRjeSMqFDcCMDcUPvv7WlfcLiE_mySYACLcB/s320/DDN2.IMG_2313.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">Not all homeless youth (ages 12 to 25-ish, not in custody of parent/guardian) are alike. But plenty of the </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">2+ million homeless youth in America today share many of the circumstances of “Abby,” a 22-year-old woman I’ve interviewed for my latest <a href="http://www.hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US </a>project. Here’s the starter list:</span></div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Dysfunctional parent, in this case her mother, suffering from mental illness, drugs and alcohol abuse. Father not in the picture.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Abuse, physical and mental, at the hands of her mother.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Sexually abused by the mother’s boyfriend, became pregnant in her mid teens.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Responded to her situation by turning to drugs, alcohol and harmful behavior, making choices now haunting her.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Kicked out, with nowhere to go. Bounced around with friends until she wore out her <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/wowm.html" target="_blank">welcome mat</a>.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Temporarily taken in by a fringe relative, a functional family that truly cares for Abby. </li>
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When I met Abby and her host family, things were frayed. Despite extraordinary hospitality and extremely positive environment, Abby, with her 2 infants (16 months and 3 months), disrupted the household, just because of natural occurrences, like babies crying. “Maxine” is is home-schooling their 2 teens, thus babies crying makes it hard to concentrate. One gave up his bedroom for Abby and her babies. </div>
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Abby, despite her self-described and observable intelligence, did not finish high school. A GED is on her list so she can go to college and pursue a medical career. She was inspired by the extraordinary care given to her oldest baby when he almost died. </div>
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The baby’s near-death episode resulted in 2 months in a children’s hospital, causing Abby to lose her apartment. That didn’t matter at the time because she was staying in the hospital with her son. Her youngest was with the baby’s father’s family.</div>
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When the baby finally recovered and was ready to be released, the family had nowhere to go. A shelter was not an option because no vacancies and a medically frail infant would be too risky in a germ-filled, uncontrolled environment. She has no vehicle, so living in Walmart parking lot like so many do wasn’t an option. Couch surfing with friends not an option for obvious reasons. So, despite hardly knowing Abby, Maxine, husband and 2 teens, stepped up.</div>
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This doesn’t always work—the goodhearted housed family accepting a stranger (and babies) into their house—but in this case it did. Maxine is a compassionate, astute woman who realized that Abby had no clue about parenting and lacked life skills. No surprise, given her dysfunctional upbringing?</div>
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So Maxine offered Abby a crash course in caring for babies, doing it in a way that it harbored acceptance, not resentment. Abby relished this opportunity. The babies flourished. But, Abby’s time at the house was limited. Abby and Maxine got a painful lesson—how hard it is to find a place to live when you don’t have much money.</div>
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When Abby and her son were in the hospital, Maxine ran a GoFundMe campaign for them, raising about $7000 to be used to get them a place to live. Figuring first month rent, security deposit and all the other non-negotiable start-up expenses, this seemingly huge amount was not going to last, but it was a start.</div>
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Abby’s income is child support from sperm donors and a pittance of welfare. She gets food stamps and WIC. Her family’s food intake was augmented by Maxine and her family. Maxine also has taught Abby a little about food management and preparation. </div>
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Abby showed me pages of phone numbers of landlords and property managers in the Tampa area she called. Hard to ignore the scratches through the names. Babies caused some phone denials. Her tenuous income—planning to work but no job—the other pitfall. Bad credit would have also been a stumbling block but most conversations ended before that. Private rents were $800+. Subsidized, a 10-year waiting list. Location made some places untenable, since Abby doesn’t drive and has no vehicle. Bus line essential. </div>
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When I left Abby after our first interview, she had hopes of finding a house trailer and a park that not too seedy or expensive, on a bus line, near places she could possibly work. She asked if I’d come through the area again and wanted me to see her new place. Optimism.</div>
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So today, as I was heading to northwest Florida, I texted Abby and asked if I should swing by for a followup interview. She sent me the address.The park, in a mixed area—churches, industrial, commercial. All tired. Units in her park matched the neighborhood. Some decorated with care, others ramshackle. Yellow speed bumps slowed traffic. Kids were evident. </div>
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Her bedraggled single-wide 3 bedroom unit had minimal furniture and household items. Her babies had just been at the hospital, with a spate of infections and relatively minor issues. Her doctor wants her to have a CT scan because her recurring migraines are not responding to the meds. Oh yeah, and she has heart issues. Stress, she says. No kidding. </div>
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OK, back to the daunting list of issues facing her:</div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>To get a job, she needs qualified childcare (medical issues huge for both babies). <a href="http://myflfamilies.com/" target="_blank">Department of Children and Families</a> seems to be not responsive (Google the department and "dysfunction.") </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>She's lined up a job, starting tomorrow, at a chain grocery a mile down the road. She can walk, she assured me. Yeah, and how’s that going to work in bad weather, or at night, or when she needs to get the kids from child care because of illness? And she’ll lose it if she doesn’t get child care.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>She needs to come up with $1500 to pay off the trailer by the end of the month. We didn’t get to discuss why/how because of crying babies. The $4500 down payment will be forfeited without the final payment. And they’ll be evicted. And the owner will be happy. (A <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=newssearch&cd=4&ved=0ahUKEwjmvPvIuJTMAhWJOSYKHdBaBEsQqQIIJygAMAM&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.metro.us%2Fentertainment%2Fwhat-to-read-when-the-rent-is-too-damn-high%2FzsJpcy---7SVtLwQmv4niQ%2F&usg=AFQjCNHjFUApDizKDJKXWWEuyhhicVuOQQ&sig2=ocpP3Y6TeZoPN8D5kfT9dA&bvm=bv.119745492,d.eWE" target="_blank">worthwhile read</a> on this issue.)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Her food stamps (SNAP) were inexplicably cut.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>She has psychological issues stemming from her young life’s hellish experiences, but cannot find a counselor that will accept her medicaid payments. And unless she gets help coping, she’ll stress out…you see where this goes. </li>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">This is only a short summary. I left her with as much encouragement as I could muster. I tried to cover my horror at the impossibility of her avoiding homelessness again. To say she needs a miracle is an understatement.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span></div>
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And this is just one young woman, an unaccompanied homeless youth with 2 babies. You don’t want to know how many more are out there…. </div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-10267053580087727262016-03-07T12:51:00.001-08:002016-03-07T12:51:24.698-08:00Open Letter to Sheila Crowley, Respected Housing Advocate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Dear Sheila,</div>
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I think we’ve met. We certainly have walked the same paths, dinosaurs that we both are in the world of housing advocacy. And I think we both want the same thing. But I’m troubled by <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ncnewsonline.com%2Frural-homelessness-a-national-challenge%2Farticle_2f8d514a-dda6-11e5-af63-63e80be7294a.html&h=gAQE3-G0t&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;">remarks attributed to you</span></a>:</div>
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<b><i>‘While representatives of organizations and governments say the definition of homeless should be expanded to increase federal aid for the types of homeless in rural areas, Crowley stressed that without more funding, it would just take money away from helping other homeless living on the streets.’</i></b></blockquote>
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What will it take for us to get beyond this log-jam of an argument, one that gives elected officials cover for ignoring the skyrocketing homeless population?</div>
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I get the math you’re suggesting. But, what I can’t figure is how do we get to Point B, the funding, if we don’t make a case for it? Knowing how slow our federal policy and funding mechanism is, I suggest Point A: get the feds to own the scope of homelessness as it really is--people have lost housing and have nowhere to go--is the vital first step.</div>
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Having spent time with doubled up and otherwise homeless/not-HUD-homeless parents and kids over the past 10 years as I’ve traveled backroads of America chronicling homeless families/youth for my nonprofit organization<b> </b><a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hearus.us%2F&h=FAQG2UEfw&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;"><b>HEAR US</b></span></a>, I can tell you that the suffering they experience is often every bit as bad, or worse, as the people I worked with in my shelter-running days. My <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hearus.us%2Fprojects%2Fwowm.html&h=oAQF7JFOy&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;"><b><i>Worn Out Welcome Mat</i></b></span></a> series of documentaries lets these families and youth speak for themselves. </div>
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The last thing we need is to pit one group against the other. That’s what seems to be happening on this effort to <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.helphomelesskidsnow.org%2F&h=dAQE9plLY&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;">get HUD to expand the definition of homelessness </span></a>to include those they’ve managed to exclude--families, youth, and others not counted as homeless. </div>
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My respect for the <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nlihc.org%2F&h=3AQEHuBvj&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;"><b>National Low Income Housing Coalition</b></span></a> is profound. My concern is that your position on this issue might be mistaken for agreeing with HUD on their ever-narrowing definition of homelessness that paves the way to their bowing out of their role in ending homelessness. </div>
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We can’t expect Congress to loosen their pursestrings to alleviate homelessness unless we make the case that it’s a need. Millions of homeless families and youth in addition to the uncounted single adults, a number I’d estimate to be at least 7 million, far exceeds the 500,000 <a href="https://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hudexchange.info%2Fresources%2Fdocuments%2F2015-AHAR-Part-1.pdf&h=8AQG3DTPj&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;">HUD reports to Congress.</span></a></div>
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Having recently spoken to a number of Hill staffers and Congresspersons, I’m appalled at their lack of knowledge of HUD, homelessness, and housing needs of people in poverty and crisis. The NLIHC <a href="http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fnlihc.org%2Fsites%2Fdefault%2Ffiles%2Foor%2FOOR_2015_FULL.pdf&h=eAQExHKJ_&s=1"><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(59, 89, 152); color: #3b5998;"><b><i>Out of Reach</i></b></span></a> report provides vital statistics on the extent of the housing affordability crisis. What we are lacking is a credible account of the scope of homelessness in our country. </div>
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Until we establish a comprehensive definition of homelessness that includes the spectrum of people who have lost housing and have nowhere to go, we will be complicit in the ongoing strategy of ignoring the plight of houseless babies, toddlers, children, youth and adults. That, I suspect, is a point of agreement for both of us.</div>
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Respectfully,</div>
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<a href="https://www.facebook.com/diane.nilan">Diane Nilan<span style="color: #3b5998;"></span></a></div>
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President/founder HEAR US Inc.</div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-1719401870775127872016-02-04T12:46:00.000-08:002016-02-04T12:46:40.705-08:00How To Help Homeless Families and Youth? <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I’ve looked into the eyes of too many homeless children. That partially explains my task-master teacher-like attitude for following up on “assignments” I’ve given, like the edict I issued at the end of January at the CARES Community Discussion about homelessness held at Dickinson College.</div>
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The assignment was simple, requiring less than 30 seconds on <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a> under “Take Action.” I urged the audience—CARES volunteers and guests, Dickinson students and professors, and the public to send Congressman Barlettta a message requesting that he co-sponsor the <b>Homeless Children and Youth Act</b> (HR 576).</div>
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This bipartisan legislation will expand the narrow definition of “homelessness” used by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to reflect the more realistic definition used by the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies. It sounds benign. It’s far from that. It’s a matter of life and death.</div>
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HUD’s definition excludes literally millions of children, parents, youth on their own, and adults from services, including emergency shelter, and from being counted in HUD’s annual Point-In-Time census which recently happened in Cumberland County.</div>
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This exclusion means that HUD reported to Congress that about 500,000 people were counted as homeless, including <a href="http://www.logandaily.com/comment/columns/no-child-should-ever-be-without-a-home/article_bdc422c5-fd4c-5430-8495-cc701aeb2060.html">128,000 children/youth</a>, while the Education census identified over 1.3 million students as homeless, not including younger/older siblings or parents, a number that has appallingly doubled in the 10 years I’ve been on the road chronicling the plight and promise of homeless families and youth.<br />
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<span style="font-size: 11px;">What this issue boils down to is dreadfully underfunded shelters and services for those who need it most—babies, toddlers, younger and older kids and parents. If you want a face on this issue,</span><span style="font-size: 11px;"> </span><span style="font-size: 11px;">watch this 4-minute video of kids talking about homelessness.</span> </div>
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If you want more, go to <a href="http://www.hearus.us/">www.hearus.us</a> (my organization, HEAR US Inc.’s website) and scroll down a bit to watch <a href="https://youtu.be/0dI_N-wrHWI"><b><i>Worn Out Welcome Mat - Kansas</i></b></a>. </div>
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In short, the bill would help vulnerable families and youth by changing HUD’s policy which “excludes children and youth who face real harm, including negative emotional, educational, and health outcomes; it also increases their risk of physical and sexual abuse and trafficking.” And much more. </div>
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I stopped in Congressman Barletta’s Carlisle office and spoke with Leah, his field representative. She was quite understanding and willing to help Pat LaMarche and me set up an appointment to ask the Congressman to cosponsor this bill. Since she was so nice, I asked if she could look up how many emails were generated after my plea last Tuesday night. She did.</div>
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I wish I could say it was a lot. I can’t. <br />
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Sadly, people are busy. Survival is hard, even for those with homes. And we'd like to think we made it easy, but maybe it's not.<br />
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If you want to weigh in, simply go to <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a> and click on <a href="http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/take-action/" target="_blank">TAKE ACTION.</a> </blockquote>
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<span style="font-size: 11px;">The bottom line is, without community support (i.e. emails or calls) to get laws like this passed, we will continue to have skyrocketing numbers of homeless families and youth. People of Cumberland County (and beyond) will have to increase even beyond your impressive efforts to provide emergency services to families and youth who will have little hope to escape the ravages of homelessness. And I will continue to have to look in their eyes, knowing much more needs to be done, wondering what it will take to get people to care. </span></div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-76109341730709780742016-01-19T14:22:00.000-08:002016-01-19T14:22:15.495-08:00Sounds of Thuds and Silence.<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cB8EBap657k/Vp6zlrI9yDI/AAAAAAAAMOU/Zz6YQFEBkT8/s1600/DDN1.New%2BHope-20120401-00649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cB8EBap657k/Vp6zlrI9yDI/AAAAAAAAMOU/Zz6YQFEBkT8/s320/DDN1.New%2BHope-20120401-00649.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">I get a unique vantage point on occasion when I park at a homeless shelter or day center. Such is the case here in Carlisle, PA where I’m plugged into </span><a href="http://carlislecares.org/" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">Carlisle CARE</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">S’ drop-in center while I’m doing a few projects here.</span></div>
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My early morning quiet doesn’t last long. Folks leave their night shelter site, in a nearby place of worship, and hightail (walking, no matter the weather) it back to this “home” base to wash up, grab breakfast, and head out to work or school. The murmur of conversation drifts my way as they near the building, ending as the thud of the door slams behind them. </div>
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This community does a pretty impressive job of at least providing shelter, with as many services as they possibly can, for hundreds of people a night, including a rising number of families. From what I’ve seen over the past 5 years when I’ve occasionally hung here, Carlisle doesn’t have more resources than the average community, they just have an attitude that people shouldn’t suffer if they can help it. </div>
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Housing costs here are, like everywhere, out of sight. Jobs either pay well or not enough. No need to say which ones the homeless folks get. Mental health and other services are scarce. It’s no paradise, for sure. Waiting lists for housing are miles long. (Don’t rush over here to further tax their shelter system.)</div>
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People of all ages end up in homeless situations. They stay for varying amounts of time. Some cycle in and out. Most are from the Carlisle area. Volunteers and impressive community support make this program and others work. Scant government help is available.</div>
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JOIN US ON JAN. 26, 2016, 7:00 PM, DICKINSON COLLEGE, DENNY HALL, FOR A FILM (MY OWN FOUR WALLS) AND A DISCUSSION ON HOMELESSNESS. FREE. OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. FOR INFO, <a href="http://www.carlislecares.org/">http://www.carlislecares.org</a></blockquote>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">Winter here, from what I get to see, varies from tolerable (if you are properly dressed and don’t have to stay outside too long) and unbearable. For those who are the most vulnerable, the infirm, elderly, children and babies, they’ve got it extra tough.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span></div>
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Maybe we can’t end their suffering right away, though we are trying. But much can be done by us mere mortals. Suggestions include:</div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;">Volunteer.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Provide food.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Donate warm winter clothing, hygiene products, socks and undies.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Tell your Congressperson you’re appalled at how much homelessness is in her/his community. Some don’t know. They need to. (Here’s their contact info. <a href="http://www.house.gov/representatives/">HOUSE</a> <a href="http://www.senate.gov/senators/contact/">SENATE</a>)</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Support financially if you’re able.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Enlighten your peers. Don’t believe the media myths. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px; line-height: normal;"></span>Advocate for better policies. And we’ve got a good bill, the Homeless Children and Youth Act, which needs your help nudging your legislators. Go to <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a> and TAKE ACTION.</li>
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I’d love to hear that the need for these programs and shelters have greatly reduced because people are finding places to live and help that they need. But until then, I’ll let the sound of silence be disturbed by the thudding of doors, at least finding peace that some have a haven…albeit for just a few hours a day.</div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-11949202475363989692015-12-14T14:10:00.000-08:002015-12-14T14:10:35.248-08:00What Homeless Kids Want For Christmas…And Beyond<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YsnHm7f5urw/Vm87XWxubII/AAAAAAAAMMo/WQvp7ub-Sq8/s1600/NC-eyes_2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="162" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-YsnHm7f5urw/Vm87XWxubII/AAAAAAAAMMo/WQvp7ub-Sq8/s400/NC-eyes_2015.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">Peer into the face of any of America’s 2.5 million+ homeless children. What could you do to ease their suffering? A toy for Christmas does not assuage their basic human need of housing, but that seems to be all they’re likely to get, and even less from our perpetually politically-hamstrung, priority-challenged Congress.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span></div>
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Let’s stop pretending that homeless kids count. They don’t. </div>
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HUD (U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) continues to deny their existence, saying that families and youth who’ve lost housing and rely on a patchwork quilt of nightly accommodations—insecurely <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/wowm.html">doubling up</a> with a succession of friends, families and acquaintances; bouncing in and out of cut-rate motels—are not “really homeless." The only “benefit” of this declaration is to keep the homeless numbers down and avoid addressing the surging increase in families, youth and adults without a place to call home.</div>
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An <a href="http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/">effort to expand the definition of homelessness </a>to bring HUD’s definition in line with the Department of Education’s definition, one that reflects reality, is still being pondered by Congress. HUD’s annual Annual Homelessness Assessment Report (AHAR), indicates a slight decrease in homelessness, based on their “Point In Time” (PIT) count, a process criticized by homeless children/youth advocates. “The obvious discrepancy between the AHAR numbers and what any provider, public school employee, or American who regularly walks down a city street can see with their own eyes, calls into question the need for the AHAR and indeed, the purpose of the PIT counts,” stated Ruth White, executive director of National Center for Housing and Child Welfare, in a <a href="http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/housing-departments-homeless-family-data-misleading-advocates-say/">recent press release criticizing HUD’s PIT and AHAR</a>.</div>
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Surprisingly, the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 recently made it through Congress and was just signed by President Obama. The <a href="http://naehcy.org/educational-resources/essa-press-release">new law includes a sliver of language addressing the issue of education for homeless students,</a> finally reauthorizing the McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act, last addressed in 2001. Unfortunately, this legislation includes a recommendation for a paltry amount of funding, $71.5 million, resulting in what my educator-friend points out boils down to an “unfunded mandate.” I can hardly argue.</div>
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In the 10 years I’ve been traveling backroads of America to chronicle the plight and promise of homeless children and youth under my nonprofit banner “HEAR US,” <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/number-of-us-homeless-students-has-doubled-since-before-the-recession/2015/09/14/0c1fadb6-58c2-11e5-8bb1-b488d231bba2_story.html">the number of homeless students identified by schools has more than doubled</a>, from 600,000 to the current 1,360,747. During that time, funding to help schools cope with this growing population has languished, to say the least. Current <a href="http://www2.ed.gov/programs/homeless/funding.html">funding</a> is a mere $65 million, “up” from $62 million in 2006, reaching about 10% of districts. Money is used to provide supplies, tutors, and transportation as well as pay for staff on the state and local level to coordinate services for homeless students. So much for “homeless kids count.”</div>
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Education alone will not alleviate homelessness among families and youth, though without it they’ll have no chance to get ahead. Mostly ignored by mainstream media, accounts of <a href="http://www.wbrz.com/news/southern-university-student-set-to-graduate-spent-semester-homeless/">homeless students </a>breaking the chains of poverty merit sporadic coverage, highlighting their hard work and luck, but sadly diverting attention from the millions experiencing daunting struggles with poverty, gut-rumbling hunger, immobilizing trauma, debilitating physical and mental health issues (kids and their parents), and numbing insecurity, the result of not knowing where to sleep at night.</div>
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One family I’ve met in my travels, a mother of 2 girls forced to ask her ex-husband to care for their daughter until she finds a secure place to live, illustrates the devastation of homelessness. The mom has continued to try to work, providing in-home health care in return for lodging for her and her youngest daughter. In the process she’s endured grueling abuse from her hosts. Imagine the worst. </div>
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The mother is traumatized, immobilized. She struggles to make productive decisions for her and her daughter, but she’s not able to because the help they need doesn’t exist. Her college degree and rusty work ethic will hardly provide the escape from this “non-homeless” homelessness. No jobs, much less those paying a living wage. No shelters. No affordable housing. No transportation. No counseling. No health care. </div>
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So looking her 8-year-old daughter in the eyes, all I can do is offer an inadequate “Merry Christmas” and a stuffed animal. I painfully know it is not enough. </div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-47237756506442596592015-12-01T14:32:00.000-08:002015-12-01T14:54:28.766-08:00Disturbing Shelter Sights and Sounds--Something You Can Do To Help <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal;">
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GrzCC93OPDw/Vl4Yv05lOZI/AAAAAAAAMMI/hXKOmC9a5so/s1600/TempPA.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GrzCC93OPDw/Vl4Yv05lOZI/AAAAAAAAMMI/hXKOmC9a5so/s320/TempPA.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 14px; text-align: center;">Watch this 4-min <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up-IFivKS4I" target="_blank">HEAR US video</a> I filmed at<br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">From my vantage point, tethered to the electrical outlet a few feet from the front door of the daytime</span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">resource center at <a href="http://www.carlislecares.org/" target="_blank">Carlisle Cares</a>, I heard the morning murmurs of the early arrivals, those who walked in the brisk Pennsylvania morning from the Quaker Meeting House converted last night into a haven for dozens of homeless adults and kids.</span></div>
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Thuds as the center’s door closed. Rumble of wheels from those wondrously easy rolling suitcases that carry the humble possessions. Grumbles and giggles from big people and little ones. </div>
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I spent a few days in Carlisle before continuing my <a href="http://www.hearus.us/about-us/donate/hu-10.html" target="_blank">10th Anniversary,</a> 10,000 mile <a href="http://www.hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US</a> cross-country jaunt, giving talks, screening my documentaries, and doing whatever I can to raise awareness of homeless families and youth.</div>
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This tiny borough, population 19,000, has an remarkable 3 shelters that accept families. Even more astounding to the unknowing—the shelters are over capacity. And it was “only” mid October. This program is way over their capacity of 64—a census hovering in the mid 80s and 20+ children.</div>
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Babies and toddlers, toted and tugged by stressed out moms and dads. Discarded youth, over 18 (the legal age for shelter admittance, leaving the younger ones to<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PGbTPaRT0m8" target="_blank"> predators and chance)</a>. Blended in with mostly single men and a handful of women.</div>
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I focused on kids and families. PA has way more than <a href="http://www.post-gazette.com/news/state/2015/09/15/Pennsylvania-sees-rise-in-homeless-students/stories/201509150089" target="_blank">23,000</a>.</div>
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Contrary to the demented rantings of a <a href="http://talkpoverty.org/2015/10/08/bill-oreilly-denied-child-hunger-exists-4-mothers-struggled-hunger-respond/" target="_blank">blowhard media “news” figure</a> who blissfully and erroneously maintains that this burgeoning hungry and homeless kids’ crisis is a hoax, more and more families and youth find themselves with <a href="http://www.oregonlive.com/education/index.ssf/2015/10/rising_rents_lack_of_affordabl.html" target="_blank">nowhere to go</a>.</div>
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And contrary to unenlightened popular belief, most communities have nowhere to go for these vulnerable young people, including hoards of babies and toddlers with desperate and despairing parents, even for the night. <b>Ask around your community</b>—any shelters that accept families, intact or single parents, dads with kids? Are they full?</div>
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Even established nonprofit (and I really mean NON profit) programs like <a href="http://www.carlislecares.org/" target="_blank"><b>Carlisle Cares</b> </a>struggle to patch together a nightly shelter program, utilizing area faith communities willing to turn their halls and classrooms into havens for homeless kids and adults in their community, providing a handful of devoted volunteers to keep watch over their homeless guests. (<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/15000in15days?utm_source=internal&utm_medium=email&utm_content=cta_button&utm_campaign=upd_n" target="_blank">Donate</a> to their holiday challenge)</div>
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Beyond the <a href="http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/there-are-way-more-homeless-students-than-there-used-to-be/" target="_blank">incalculable numbers (millions,</a> Mr. O’Reilly), are the little things you might not think about that bedevil programs like Cares. They’re not really set up to handle record numbers of kids. They struggle to keep a supply of vitals—diapers, formula, baby food--<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">and have an embarrassing dearth of kids’ stuff—coloring books and games, DVDs, books, and the kind of things that can keep kids busy for a few moments. Kids’ basics—underwear, socks, shoes, coats, clothing—forget it.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">One of my HEAR US board members, Rita Sullivan, decided to act on these needs. She’s in Illinois—but she’s met Pat LaMarche, the shelter manager and</span><a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/babestour.html" style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;" target="_blank"> Babe of Wrath</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">. Rita decided to help the families there. </span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> She solicited the items listed below and sent them to Carlisle Cares.</span></div>
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Here's an ongoing <b><u>wish list</u></b> for items needed at Cares. New items are best, but gently-used accepted. If you're not near the sweet town of Carlisle, you can order online and have items delivered.</div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">diapers and pull-ups, all sizes</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">formula and baby food</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">baby wipes</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">coloring books, crayons</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">puzzles (all ages)</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">kids' books</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "helvetica";"><span style="font-size: 14px;">kids' socks and undies (new)</span></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">Now, make the next sound heard here the rumble of delivery trucks as they drop off packages that show you care for the families of Carlisle Cares. The kids’ giggles and happy sounds from parents, staff and Cares’ guests will make it all worth it. (And remember--they need items and support year-round!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "helvetica"; font-size: 11px;">(And if you'd rather do this for your local shelter, great! Call and see what they need.)</span><br />
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-18982167131824862262015-09-25T12:17:00.002-07:002015-09-25T12:17:57.892-07:00Does Compassion Still Have a Place in the U.S.? Homeless Kids Want To Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">I was one of millions enthralled to watch and listen to </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/25/us/pope-francis-most-welcome-words-to-homeless-in-washington-buon-appetito.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0" style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;" target="_blank">Pope Francis address Congress</a><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">. Sure, my evil self wanted him to flog the recalcitrant, heartless members. But the Pope's compassion prevailed, not before he gave them, and us, a papal prodding.</span><br />
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Throughout his visit, he's constantly calling attention to the poor, homeless, downtrodden and forgotten. I couldn’t be happier that this growing segment of our nation’s adults and kids finally get attention. Now, to turn attention to compassion.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px; text-align: center;">Realizing that immeasurable good is done behind the scenes every day, I still hope that more will be done. I’ve seen firsthand, nationwide, the suffering of families and youth who lack a place to call home. </span></div>
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For the past 30 years that I’ve been working in, for and among those clumped together as “the poor” and “the homeless,” I’ve seen a frightening <a href="http://youthtoday.org/2015/09/advocates-say-homeless-student-numbers-point-to-need-for-new-definitions/" target="_blank">growth in their numbers</a>, and an atrocious reduction of resources needed to survive, much less thrive. Recent reports of our nation’s (lack of) progress on reducing <a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/commonomics/13-million-american-families-live-on-2-a-day-these-authors-spent-years-finding-out-why-20150924" target="_blank">poverty</a>, and alarming documentation of soaring homelessness among students (and their families) confirms what I’ve seen in my <a href="http://www.hearus.us/"><b>HEAR US</b></a> travels: more families, youth and adults are struggling to escape the shackles of poverty and homelessness. </div>
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Recently I spoke with one of the women I met in Kansas this year during my filming of <b><i><a href="https://vimeo.com/137787517" target="_blank">Worn Out Welcome Mat - KS (click to watch).</a> </i></b> Her plight, and that of her young daughter, was and is dire. Her path out? Well, let me say she’d have better luck winning the lottery than escaping her doubled up situation. </div>
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The other day I heard from a friend about what she’s doing in her community to help—a vital service—giving a homeless college student a place to stay over holidays when the dorms are closed. Sweet!</div>
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What makes a difference in the lives of the families and youth without housing? Plenty, large and small (check our HEAR US <a href="http://www.hearus.us/pdf/12-WhatYouCanDo.pdf"><b>compassion epidemic list</b></a>, a 1-pg. menu): </div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span>Housing, a given, with <a href="http://nlihc.org/"><b>advocacy</b></a> to make more housing available being one place to get involved. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span>Education, another biggie, should be happening all over the country, thanks to the <a href="http://www.hearus.us/understanding-homelessnses/homeless-education.html"><b>McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program</b></a>. </li>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span>One-to-one help—tutoring, mentoring, etc. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;"><span style="font-size: 12px;"></span>Support your favorite homelessness organization. Sure, we’d love you to join the<b> </b><a href="http://www.hearus.us/about-us/donate.html"><b>HEAR US supporters</b></a>, but local efforts are good, too. </li>
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs6eFkXvWl0/VgWbPXUMfAI/AAAAAAAAMJc/WuNQ9E7GUDU/s1600/IMG_6989.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="133" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Zs6eFkXvWl0/VgWbPXUMfAI/AAAAAAAAMJc/WuNQ9E7GUDU/s200/IMG_6989.JPG" width="200" /></a>I’m about to embark on what will be a <a href="https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=zWoxXQbjntJQ.kYQIV8OlWUrI&usp=sharing">10,000 mile marathon journey</a> across much of the U.S. to conduct presentations, meet with potential partners, screen my new film, and speak with current and formerly homeless families and youth. I’d like to tell them that everyone possible is doing everything possible to make life better for the millions of our sisters and brothers without housing. </div>
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I’d love to hear from you. Just click POST A COMMENT and let me know what you’ve done. It’s not bragging—it’s further inspiring a compassion epidemic! </div>
Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-87006727417251920512015-09-17T14:17:00.000-07:002015-09-17T14:17:31.266-07:00Pope Francis, Savior for America's Homeless Families and Youth?<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wuWQMOYTw5U/VfsdnhJgB1I/AAAAAAAAMIY/Mo6Zy9tsLAk/s1600/11389992_876742452372744_3675138555867281978_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wuWQMOYTw5U/VfsdnhJgB1I/AAAAAAAAMIY/Mo6Zy9tsLAk/s200/11389992_876742452372744_3675138555867281978_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>One, faced with insurmountable odds, can only hope for a savior. As Pope Francis packs his bags (I can't imagine he has a butler doing that task), I'm packing up my hopes in one basket for his pending U.S. trip on behalf of the 3 million or so homeless kids and their families.<br />
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Despite our ongoing best effort to get Congress to address the growing issue of homeless kids, nothing seems to work. Recently, the U.S. Department of Education released the latest number of school kids identified as homeless, 1,360,747. This number represents<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/education/number-of-us-homeless-students-has-doubled-since-before-the-recession/2015/09/14/0c1fadb6-58c2-11e5-8bb1-b488d231bba2_story.html" target="_blank"> DOUBLE the amount</a> of students since before the recession.<br />
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As the kind folks at the <a href="http://www.endhomelessness.org/blog/entry/department-of-education-data-show-1.36-million-homeless-students-in-u.s#.VfsOHLTe6Hk" target="_blank">National Alliance to End Homelessness</a> were good enough to point out, most of these students are doubled up, staying with friends, relatives, or acquaintances because they have nowhere to go. (If you want to hear from the families and youth as to what it's like being doubled up, here's my latest <a href="http://www.hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US</a> documentary, <a href="https://vimeo.com/137787517" target="_blank"><b><i>Worn Out Welcome Mat - KS</i></b></a>.)<br />
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Pope Francis will visit NYC where <a href="http://www.npr.org/2015/08/23/433290757/new-york-city-struggles-to-keep-up-with-high-homeless-numbers" target="_blank">record number of homeless families and youth</a> are overwhelming the underwhelming system.</div>
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He will travel to Philadelphia where <a href="http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Homeless-Philadelphia-Kensington-Lot-Tents-Families--327947541.html#" target="_blank">families living in tents </a>have befuddled authorities in their feeble attempts to make sure no one, especially babies and toddlers, are sleeping on the streets.</div>
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He will stop in DC to afflict the comfortable <a href="http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/pope-francis-american-crusade-20150910?page=3" target="_blank">members of Congress </a>as he addresses a joint session. (Oh, to be a fly on the wall watching the squirming...).</div>
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So, the "eggs (hopes)" in my basket are:</div>
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<li>Get Congress to issue a joint apology to the millions of homeless families and youth, coupled by their commitment to revamp our nation's paltry approach to this population, and the serious funding necessary. Oh yeah, pass (fully funded) the <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/" target="_blank">Homeless Children and Youth Act </a>for a show of good faith.</li>
<li>Get Congress to agree that poverty in America is immoral and that they will immediately and wholeheartedly take drastic steps to restore a decent quality of life to the disenfranchised.</li>
<li>Get Congress to institute a moratorium on any cruel initiatives to punish those at the bottom of the economic ladder--in areas not limited to health care, criminal justice, welfare, childcare, education and nutrition. </li>
<li>Hear the confession of the NAEH folks who up till now denied the plight of families and youth who lost housing and doubled up with others.</li>
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I'm sure these things will happen. Wanna know why? <a href="http://www.networklobby.org/bus2015" target="_blank">The Nuns On The Bus</a> will be in DC to make sure things go well. Amen!</div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-65033126153709160492015-08-21T09:13:00.000-07:002015-08-21T09:35:55.291-07:00Shock! Homeless Families Get Attention In Florida Media<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<b><i>(I read a column in the Naples Herald and have submitted this response to them. DDN)</i></b></div>
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Kudos to Gary Levine and the Naples Herald for a thoughtful examination of the oft-ignored issue of homelessness <a href="http://naplesherald.com/2015/08/17/homelessness-and-poverty-in-america-stats-adding-to-the-confusion/" target="_blank">(8/17/15</a>). Mr. Levine points out the crux of this nation’s inability to address the issue of millions of people without an address: the “disconcerting…confusing” data that obscures, even distorts, the scope of homelessness in the richest country in the history of the world.</div>
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Mr. Levine includes references to homeless families. That’s far more than <a href="http://www.endhomelessness.org/blog/entry/the-2015-point-in-time-count-is-finally-here#.VddK5Hje6Hk" target="_blank">data collectors</a> from the U.S. Department of Housing and Human Development (HUD) do. Their numbers exclude up to 80% of the homeless population, including millions of children and youth, in families and on their own. HUD’s arcane methods to count homeless people for <a href="https://www.hudexchange.info/hdx/guides/ahar/" target="_blank">their report to Congress</a>, and the media’s lack of scrutiny of this complex issue, lies at the heart of our nation’s failed efforts to end homelessness. </div>
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Congress, media and the general public don’t seem to comprehend that homelessness goes far beyond the grizzled guy on the streets. Families, youth and adults lose housing and desperately seek places to stay—including doubling up with friends, relatives or acquaintances; renting rooms in seedy motels; camping in the backwoods or the cheapest campgrounds they can find; sneaking into abandoned buildings; and sleeping in the ubiquitous Walmart parking lots. </div>
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They don’t appear homeless—and often don’t think they’re homeless. “Having hard times…,” the reality of an appalling and growing number of impoverished Americans, includes losing your place to live and having nowhere to go. <a href="http://www.icphusa.org/filelibrary/ICPH_Conference2012_Map.pdf" target="_blank">The emergency shelter “safety net” doesn’t exist</a>, barely accommodating a minuscule percentage of the homeless population, particularly families and youth. Subsidized housing is more of a myth than reality.</div>
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In the past 10 years since I’ve been traveling backroads to give voice and visibility to homeless children and youth, the sole focus of <a href="http://www.hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US Inc</a>., my nonprofit, I’ve been utterly dismayed at the pervasive nature of family and youth homelessness. </div>
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My 15 years of running homeless shelters in Illinois didn’t prepare me for what I would see. My travels to my former homeland of Florida and all 48 contiguous states, speaking with those working with families and youth as well as those experiencing homelessness (<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x7J87hj01gw" target="_blank">3-min YouTube</a>) shocked me with the vastly undercounted scope of homelessness. </div>
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My anecdotal observations might not mean much, but statistics do tell a story far worse than what HUD reports. The U.S. Department of Education, because of the <a href="http://www.serve.org/nche/downloads/briefs/reauthorization.pdf" target="_blank">McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act,</a> requires each district to report the actual number of homeless students showing up at school doors. Ten years ago, over 600,000 students were identified as experiencing homelessness. For the 2014-15 school year, the number has more than doubled, to <a href="http://www.naehcy.org/about-naehcy/welcome" target="_blank">1,360,747</a>. </div>
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That number doesn’t include younger/older siblings, parents or other house-less household members. Part of the difference is the narrow definition HUD uses contrasting the more realistic Dept. of Ed definition. Fixing this discrepancy is currently being considered by Congress, bipartisan legislation called the Homeless Children and Youth Act. (For more info, and to contact your member of Congress to get HUD to expand their definition, <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a>.)</div>
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To be sure, gallant efforts and sizable resources are being directed at homelessness. Collier County has several agencies doing their utmost to assist families, youth and adults without homes. My time in your community convinced me of 2 things: many compassionate people are doing their best to help their brothers and sisters without homes, and the problem is far greater than resources available. </div>
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I’m not a data gal, but I recoil at HUD’s maneuvering stats to essentially dismiss millions of kids and adults experiencing homelessness. I urge people to contact your congressional delegation and ask them to support the <b>Homeless Children and Youth Act</b>. And I encourage participation and support of local efforts to help homeless families, youth and adults. If you’re curious about this issue, my HEAR US website (<a href="http://www.hearus.us/">www.hearus.us</a>) suggests ways to inspire a compassion epidemic, the first step to really ending homelessness. </div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-457005107085067802015-07-15T11:54:00.002-07:002015-07-15T11:54:30.569-07:00Shocking! Homeless Children and Youth--100% Increase<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pxaPDYuIg44/VaaoXp1nBCI/AAAAAAAAL8g/4JFC-CNpfSk/s1600/Ayden-morning.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pxaPDYuIg44/VaaoXp1nBCI/AAAAAAAAL8g/4JFC-CNpfSk/s320/Ayden-morning.jpg" width="320" /></a>If you wait long enough and do nothing, problems usually don’t go away. Such is the case illustrated by the astounding increase of homelessness among children and youth in this country. The latest numbers just released show a jaw-dropping 100% increase of students identified as homeless since I’ve been on the road—10 years ago.</div>
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US Department of Education numbers indicate <a href="http://center.serve.org/nche/pr/data_comp.php">1,360,747 students identified </a>experienced homelessness in the 2013-14 school year, 8% more than the previous year. </blockquote>
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I’m almost too numb to be shocked. Almost. </div>
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To be clear, the 1.36 million number does not include younger/older siblings or parents. And it only represents those students identified as homeless under the<b> </b><a href="http://center.serve.org/nche/downloads/ehcy_profile.pdf"><b>McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act’s Education for Homeless Children and Youth program</b></a>, with specific qualifiers. I suspect that the number would actually double if we counted thoroughly.</div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jPtp0aRYN9w/Vaap-YTrdsI/AAAAAAAAL8s/fjKJlQACL7Y/s1600/IMG_8521.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="146" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jPtp0aRYN9w/Vaap-YTrdsI/AAAAAAAAL8s/fjKJlQACL7Y/s200/IMG_8521.jpg" width="200" /></a>As part of my work with my nonprofit organization <a href="http://www.hearus.us/"><b>HEAR US Inc</b></a>., I spent several weeks this year filming in beleaguered Kansas, including a week at<a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/McKinney-Vento-Homeless-Education-Program-USD-259/123753651119566?fref=ts"><b> Camp IBA (Imagine. Believe. Achieve.),</b></a> an astounding creation of the Wichita Public School District 259’s McKinney-Vento Homeless Education program. I can’t get these young faces out of my head or heart. </div>
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I sat in on a campfire-style conversation of 10-12-year old girls, gathered in a circle on the floor of their camp/classroom. One girl shared her dismay of not knowing where her family would be sleeping night-to-night. Another talked about how oppressively crowded it was in their motel room. Another revealed her fear of violence if her mother’s ex-boyfriend would return. These matter-of-fact topics spun around as if these girls were adults chatting about a popular soap opera. </div>
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Another girl told me what she liked most about the camp: she could “depend” on people, certainly the teachers and volunteers, but also her campmates. I suspect she knows about those she can’t depend on. </div>
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Real kids. Real feelings. Real homelessness.</div>
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We apparently have decided that certain groups of homeless persons must be expendable. Kids have drawn the short straw, that, despite what we know would <a href="http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/economy-budget/247859-want-to-end-homelessness-provide-more-housing-vouchers">work for many families</a>.</div>
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Congress is still pondering whether to let homeless families and youth qualify for federal assistance to escape homelessness. Of course, if they do, Congress might need to do something about the dire lack of affordable housing in communities from coast to coast. Legislation is dangling in the Capitol that might improve this appalling neglect, <a href="http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/files/2015-HCYA-One-Pager.pdf"><b>the Homeless Children and Youth Act</b></a>, but though I won’t bet my lunch money that they’ll get around to passing this bipartisan, bicameral legislation any time soon, we still need to be at the table. </div>
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As one of a handful of advocates who have been fighting for the rights of homeless families and youth for decades, I continue to be astounded at how few people, including elected officials, grasp that we even have millions of kids and families without homes, much less realize the dire conditions they face. By our collective neglect, we write off this population until they become adults on the streets. </div>
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<b>Something can be done</b>. Although this seems like a long-shot, stranger things have happened in Congress. You and all those in your network can contact your congressional delegation—quickly and painlessly—by going to <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a> and clicking on the TAKE ACTION link. By entering your zip code, your representatives’ info will pop up. You can customize the letter or send it as is. </div>
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The venerable Senator Paul Simon (D, IL, deceased) once told me that until elected officials heard from their constituents that homelessness was an issue, nothing would be done. It seems like a simple formula—contact your legislator, make your wishes known, they respond. (Since big money isn't available for this issue, we'll have to do the Paul Simon method.)</div>
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With the number of homeless students increasing each year, it seems like more and more people should be aware of this crisis, maybe even knowing someone who fell into homelessness. The best motivation we have is think of ourselves in the place of those in homeless situations. </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">What would we want to have happen if those kids sitting in the circle discussing their homelessness were our kids?</span></div>
Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-15977611146461279172015-07-13T13:00:00.002-07:002015-07-13T13:00:41.802-07:00Ignoring Homeless Families and Youth: They Don't Disappear<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oq-VhDjQmrE/VaQXM7NL35I/AAAAAAAAL7w/PlRHX71yMuM/s1600/DDN2.IMG_8857.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oq-VhDjQmrE/VaQXM7NL35I/AAAAAAAAL7w/PlRHX71yMuM/s320/DDN2.IMG_8857.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Lost housing, doubled up, staying with others.</div>
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For thousands of students in Kansas, with and without parents,
who have nowhere to go, doubled up means instability, tensions, and worse….<o:p></o:p></div>
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High mobility, poverty, trauma, family crises, coupled with
the lack of safe and affordable housing options combine to create an onslaught
of families and youth with nowhere to go.<a href="http://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Title%20Programs%20and%20Services/Homeless/Data-KansasEHCYDataBrief.pdf" target="_blank"> Over 70% of the more than 10,000 KS students </a>identified as homeless are doubled up, temporarily staying in the
housing of others. </div>
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Many go unidentified…but <a href="http://www.hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US Inc</a>. invites them to tell their stories in these short video clips.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Doubled up families and youth often are exposed to violence
and abuse with no escape. Reliant on others for housing, often because shelters
are overcrowded, nonexistent or not appropriate for many reasons, they
desperately turn to anyone willing to take them in. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Often families or young persons on their own don’t connect
their hardships with the official status of “homeless” and they don’t share
details about their nomadic conditions. “Hard times” and “couch surfing,”
euphemisms for homelessness, often mask the shame and turmoil they experience.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Fragile arrangements to stay with others often include the
“walking on egg shells” mindset, a reliable predictor of the “worn out welcome
mat” syndrome.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Also hidden is the instability and danger they face.
Unscrupulous hosts—whether family, friends or acquaintances—may take advantage
of the desperate plight of their lodgers. Sex abuse, human trafficking and
prostitution can be the price for a place to stay or cause an ill-conceived
option to escape the predator-host.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Once trapped in the homelessness vortex, it becomes almost
impossible to escape. Not officially deemed “homeless,” <a href="http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/facts/" target="_blank">a bureaucratic barricade erected by HUD,</a> the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, they don’t
qualify for assistance. Slashed human service budgets means little help is
available. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Through the federal <b><a href="http://www.hearus.us/understanding-homelessness/homeless-education.html" target="_blank">McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act,</a></b>
tremendous support for students experiencing homelessness may be available in
the form of school supplies, coats, backpacks, shoes, food and toiletries to
meet immediate needs. Homeless liaisons, required in each district, may also
connect students with community resources, tutoring, and extracurricular
activities.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Identifying students experiencing hidden homelessness and
determining their needs is crucial to ensure academic success.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Alert school personnel may pick up clues of
housing instability, perhaps clarifying underlying reasons for a student’s
struggles. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Homelessness</b>. Yes, that term bears plenty of negative
stigmas, but it comes in many shapes. Identifying doubled up students allows for
barriers to academic success to dissolve, giving them the opportunity to focus
on the only stability they know—school routines. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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To join the effort to get the bipartisan <b>Homeless Children and Youth Act</b> passed, go to <a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a> and TAKE ACTION. </blockquote>
Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-16062756010650963582015-06-01T18:24:00.002-07:002015-06-01T18:26:09.259-07:00Don't Send HEAR US Flowers! <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0cYwu0LiRk/VW0DVOYq9pI/AAAAAAAAL6s/_c1A6kS_IlU/s1600/10yrFlower.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y0cYwu0LiRk/VW0DVOYq9pI/AAAAAAAAL6s/_c1A6kS_IlU/s400/10yrFlower.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
Sometimes I just don't do well asking for money.<br />
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We have our 10th anniversary coming up July 1. Donations up to $5000 will be matched, so we can raise $10,000 without having a dinner, dance or auction.<br />
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For the past 10 years, I've been honored to be the instrument to give homeless kids and parents voice and visibility. It's been quite a ride. Check our website and blogs for more info, www.hearus.us.<br />
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Funds keep me going on projects that don't always have funding attached, but they're important. HEAR US is frugal. We're effective. And we've gained respect and gratitude of people across the country, especially those without homes who are grateful that we provide them with voice and visibility.<br />
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HEAR US is a lot like public broadcasting or other worthwhile web sources that rely on public support. Help us hit the 10 year $10k mark!<br />
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If you can give--or know someone who can--please take a moment and sign up. On behalf of the 3 million+ homeless kids in our country, thanks!<br />
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<script type="text/javascript">var r_protocol=(("https:"==document.location.protocol)?"https://":"http://");var r_path="http://www.razoo.com/javascripts/widget_loader.js";var r_identifier='10-Years-10-Friends';document.write(unescape("%3Cscript id='razoo_widget_loader_script' src='"+r_path+"' type='text/javascript'%3E%3C/script%3E"));</script>
<a href="http://www.razoo.com/story/10-Years-10-Friends?referral_code=sw"><img alt="Online fundraising for 10 Years! 10 Friends!" src="http://www.razoo.com/status/razoo/basic/10-Years-10-Friends.png" /></a>Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-58752733715948950422015-05-28T10:41:00.000-07:002015-05-28T10:41:56.348-07:00Grandma Didn’t Sign Up For This<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKNFGoMxG6c/VWdRGmn4ECI/AAAAAAAAL6I/D6R5WgWpINY/s1600/DDN1.Grandma_help.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lKNFGoMxG6c/VWdRGmn4ECI/AAAAAAAAL6I/D6R5WgWpINY/s320/DDN1.Grandma_help.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">The cardboard sign poked out from the doorway where the family huddled. As Chicago’s Magnificent Mile shoppers and tourists streamed obliviously by, this (apparently) homeless family (I’m guessing grandma by her appearance) scrunched on the concrete, out of the way of foot traffic, tattered cup propped by grandma’s feet, kids leaning on her like a beanbag chair, all trying not to hope for a miracle to release them from this panhandling hell.</span></div>
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If everyone who walked by in an hour would have given a dollar, their homelessness would have been solved for a month or so, assuming that money was the answer. Maybe lack of housing is just one stumbling block. Who knows?</div>
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While waiting to meet my NYC friends Heidi and Markus and their kids for dinner a few doors down from the family, I stood close enough to watch the action around them without being seen. Very few people stopped to drop money in the cup. One guy was so flummoxed he walked a few steps past them, reached for his wallet and dropped it, and almost got trampled by the ensuing traffic as he recovered it and went back to drop in a few bucks. </div>
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I’d venture a guess that most people didn’t even see this bedraggled, forlorn clan. The “Gold Girl” perched on a 5-gal. gold painted bucket in her gold painted dress with a song blaring in a feeble performance designed to attract donors about 30’ away. I mused about having a speaker blaring some music to attract attention to the family’s plight… “Give a Damn” or “Jesus Loves Me.”</div>
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This family posed quite a contrast in my mind and in the minds of my friends, too. They were quite concerned. Their question, why doesn’t Chicago have a “<a href="http://www.coalitionforthehomeless.org/our-programs/advocacy/legal-victories/the-callahan-legacy-callahan-v-carey-and-the-legal-right-to-shelter/">right to shelter</a>” law like NYC? Good question. </div>
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Family values. I suppose if we asked the grandmother what was going on in her life, she might share the <a href="http://www.equalvoiceforfamilies.org/if-you-love-somebody-grandparents-raising-kids/">same story thousand of grandparents do</a>—something happened to their daughter/son’s situation—they were locked up for some petty crime, got hooked on drugs, or just lost their ability to cope with being a parent—and they left, asking grandma/pa to take care of the kids until they returned. About 3 million grandkids are being raised by over 2.7 million grandparents, with median incomes of less than $36,000 a year.</div>
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Of all the issues I have heard about in my 3 decades of working in homelessness, and of all the topics people have asked me to make a documentary about, grandparents raising grandkids is at the top of the list. </div>
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My organization, <a href="http://www.hearus.us/">HEAR US Inc.</a>, made a short video to help grandparents and guardians get their charges enrolled in the proper school. Often kids lose their housing and bounce around with others when their custodial parent gets locked up or otherwise disappears. Watch <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/reach/video.html">REACH, my free 11-min. video </a>, to learn what rights kids have under the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act. </div>
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A few years ago I heard from a grandmother with custody of her homeless 8-year-old granddaughter. They had just been told that the little girl couldn’t return to her school because she wasn’t a resident. The astute grandmother knew this was wrong and researched this situation, leading her to HEAR US. </div>
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I told her about the film REACH. Her plan was to be in the school’s principal’s office first thing Monday morning. I assured her that her granddaughter would be reenrolled immediately, but told her I’d be waiting for a call if she needed backup.</div>
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This grandmother rocked her challenge! And she called to thank me. I know thousands more could use help. Here’s <a href="http://www.hearus.us/understanding-homelessness/homeless-education.html">more info</a> on this law.</div>
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The heartbroken Maryland grandmother, as she tried to explain why her daughter wouldn’t hurt her three-year-old son found dead after being swung around by the obviously distraught mother at a playground last week, said, “(Romechia) would never harm my grandson in any type of way. You know, I just believe she had some type of mental illness, some type of mental break that came upon her where she wasn't able to get herself out of that situation,” (<a href="http://www.wtsp.com/story/news/nation/2015/05/26/grandmother-speaks-dead-3-year-old-in-swing/27948183/">WTSP-TV news story</a>). Evidently the family was homeless.</div>
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My mind keeps tumbling back to the family in the doorway. The grandmother didn’t sign up for the task of printing their pleading message on a piece of cardboard with hopes that someone would rescue them from homelessness. At what level of desperation do you reach for the marker and cardboard and sit your grandkids around you? At what level of humanity do we decide that families count enough to provide access to shelter, mental and physical health care, and other essentials?</div>
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When we’re willing to let grandmothers and grandkids beg on the streets, we’ve hit a new low.</div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-3409258615693541412015-05-18T14:35:00.000-07:002015-05-18T14:35:05.302-07:00Crushing Reality for Homeless Families<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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The turtle looked up at me. I gasped in horror. Crunch. I ran over this timid, stalwart creature before I knew it was happening. I don't like creating any road kill, but a turtle? <i><b>Tillie the Turtle,</b></i> my motorhome's nickname, might give you a correct clue that I like turtles.<br />
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I had no idea these slow moving <a href="http://turtles-reptiles-not-amphibians.wikispaces.com/" target="_blank">reptiles</a> were so common crossing roads at this time of year. After the first mishap I paid attention. And saw lots. Most ducked their heads into their shells when my van approached. I can't imagine how terrifying that must seem. Plenty didn't make it, run over by other vehicles. I'd like to think I didn't hit any more, but who knows?<br />
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Inadvertently snuffing out a life is one thing. It wasn't practical to stop and carry them across the highway, though the thought occurred to me, and I'm sure some do-gooders do. As horrible as it seems, I'm sure other drivers take to crushing them for sport. Which led me to my train of thought about homeless families...<br />
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Having just left Kansas after a productive and surprisingly pleasant 3 months working on <i><b><a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/wowm/wowmks.html" target="_blank">Worn Out Welcome Mat --KS</a></b></i>, a documentary about homeless families and youth who doubled up with others because they have nowhere to go, I met some amazing parents and young people. Despite all that has happened to them, and they've all been through many different forms of hell, they keep trying to survive and thrive.<br />
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<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvgLH6H-cho" target="_blank">Melissa's story</a> is probably the most grueling, though <a href="https://youtu.be/v6GjlafZMwI?list=PLcyzxfZMQBZIX6CfDwLfqmiKf1gyQXWlH" target="_blank">Maggie's</a> is pretty awful, too. <a href="https://youtu.be/x7J87hj01gw?list=PLcyzxfZMQBZIX6CfDwLfqmiKf1gyQXWlH" target="_blank">Candace</a>, a young Marine with a darling 4-yo daughter, will rip at your heart. (All short YouTube vids on my<b><a href="https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLcyzxfZMQBZIX6CfDwLfqmiKf1gyQXWlH" target="_blank"> Worn Out Welcome Mat KS playlist</a></b>)</blockquote>
With ample road time to think and the unpredictable appearance of turtles in various stages of going from one side of the highway to the other, I couldn't help but make the comparison between turtles and homeless families.<br />
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I watched one resolute turtle just climb onto the pavement and plunge ahead, not looking for traffic. Kind of a<i> damned if I do, damned if I don't</i> way of thinking. Kind of like when a p<a href="http://invisible-homeless-kids.blogspot.com/2015/04/sexnot-reason-most-homeless-moms-double.html" target="_blank">arent makes the desperate decision to move in with a risky host</a> because she and her kids have nowhere to go.<br />
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Kansas has identified over<a href="http://www.ksde.org/Portals/0/Title%20Programs%20and%20Services/Homeless/Data-2013-2014KansasEHCY.pdf" target="_blank"> 10,000 school kids</a> in various forms of homeless situations. That doesn't <a href="http://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article21214290.html" target="_blank">KS policies and practices </a>seem aimed at, well, crushing vulnerable families.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EHnuFLrkOts/VVpZwuIaxGI/AAAAAAAAL4w/d_z1yNiV5cM/s1600/M-H_porch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EHnuFLrkOts/VVpZwuIaxGI/AAAAAAAAL4w/d_z1yNiV5cM/s320/M-H_porch.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Melissa and her 7-yo daughter are homeless,<br />doubled up and desperate.</td></tr>
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include their younger and older siblings or parents. And that doesn't include those not identified by the schools, which would likely double the number. Lots more are homeless, and not only are resources scarce, <br />
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And yet, HUD, the federal agency charged with housing the housing-vulnerable and un-housed, continues to <a href="http://invisible-homeless-kids.blogspot.com/2015/01/huds-seven-big-homelessness-fails.html" target="_blank">fight the need to expand their definition of homeless.</a><br />
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To urge your congresspersons to support the bipartisan legislation to change HUD's definition of homelessness, go to <a href="http://helphomelesskidsnow.org/" target="_blank">http://helphomelesskidsnow.org </a>and TAKE ACTION.</blockquote>
In my mind, HUD's like the cruel-hearted driver intentionally running over the helpless turtle.<br />
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<br />Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-34395423625791987072015-04-25T14:52:00.002-07:002015-04-25T14:52:47.173-07:00Simple Walk Not So Simple<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>This sign didn't stand near the obviously dangerous</b></span><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;"><b>oil pump area. No, it was perched on an empty field in the park, inexplicable even to me.</b></span><br />
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My layover day—besides getting things done, a chance for "me" time. My time in Kansas filming the <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/wowm/wowmks.html">Worn Out Welcome Mat --KS</a> project has taught me a valuable lesson: don't wait for outdoor activities, when the weather is right, do it! So I went for a walk around my surprise find—a $10 campground with water and electricity, peace and quiet.<br />
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Western KS is not for wimps. <a href="http://wanderingstilliediane.blogspot.com/2015/04/coward-or-courageous.html#.VTrS1qYauVU.facebook">Two consecutive nights of tornado warnings made that clear</a>. This mostly flat land has its own charm, unlike the picturesque Flint Hills and rocky bluffs of the eastern part of the state. Today the winds qualified as a gentle breeze, as opposed to the land-clearing blasts more common out here. <br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zzxf12PfZFI/VTv-AwwB1fI/AAAAAAAAL24/LaXvsgb-IJE/s1600/DDN07.IMG_8948.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zzxf12PfZFI/VTv-AwwB1fI/AAAAAAAAL24/LaXvsgb-IJE/s1600/DDN07.IMG_8948.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zzxf12PfZFI/VTv-AwwB1fI/AAAAAAAAL24/LaXvsgb-IJE/s1600/DDN07.IMG_8948.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a>I'm staying in Beymer Water Recreation Park, directly south of Lakin, KS. The price is right and I get a wifi signal on my hotspot, enabling me to get work done.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zzxf12PfZFI/VTv-AwwB1fI/AAAAAAAAL24/LaXvsgb-IJE/s1600/DDN07.IMG_8948.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br /></a><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-evwirmhXCz8/VTv9_hvTFxI/AAAAAAAAL2Y/lXe1z3b1g7o/s1600/DDN01.IMG_8935.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br /></a>My fresh air and exercise walk was intended to free my brain from cobwebs. Instead I'm stewing. This park, established in 1979, could be an ideal, affordable getaway for area residents in addition to a simple place to hook-up to water and electric for nomads like myself. Instead, it's an environmental nightmare. <br />
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Remnants of 4 ponds demonstrate not only the devastation of the drought, but also the ruthless power of aquifer-sucking irrigation systems watering cattle feeding crops.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0dTzKqv5be4/VTv-BUMGOOI/AAAAAAAAL3I/mvPVg41OLak/s1600/DDN10.IMG_8954.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0dTzKqv5be4/VTv-BUMGOOI/AAAAAAAAL3I/mvPVg41OLak/s1600/DDN10.IMG_8954.jpg" width="320" /></a>Oil pumps, boasting of toxic properties, loom like scary monsters among the green alfalfa and hay fields behind the park, unfettered by fences or even "keep out" signs. <br />
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True, these are ubiquitous sites, not just in Kansas, but many states. What bothered me most, perhaps, was the destruction of this little park. Obvious from the placement of picnic tables and playground equipment, this was once a vibrant recreation spot.<br />
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<b>Not so much now. At. All.</b><br />
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Based on the signage, and mind-numbing bureaucratic legalese regulations, this was once a popular fishing spot, too. The chemicals smell and the crusted fishing hole bottom confirmed the abject neglect of not only the park's well being but that of the surrounding area.<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gptmwSZv1Ds/VTv-AUT0m-I/AAAAAAAAL2o/BeV5es2luXw/s1600/DDN04.IMG_8944.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gptmwSZv1Ds/VTv-AUT0m-I/AAAAAAAAL2o/BeV5es2luXw/s1600/DDN04.IMG_8944.jpg" width="200" /></a>As I entered the last leg of my doom and gloom walk, I paused to get "beach" pictures, if you will humor this beach-loving gal.<br />
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The irony of the "No Dogs on Beach" sign hurt as I stared at the dried-up pond, now a puddle, likely chemical-laden with no wading, no swimming warnings. No kidding.<br />
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A car pulled up near me. Kids piled out of the car and ran over to the railing on the handicapped accesible concrete pad overlooking the lake. They seemed excited, not morose like me. The adult stood nearby.<br />
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How do adults explain this all-too-common reality to kids? "Well, when I was a kid we used to come out here all the time. We swam, fished, and played for hours." <br />
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"But now, we've killed this park with our lack of personal and governmental responsibility. Sorry kids. Let's go home so you can play on your computers."<br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>You might wonder what a post of this nature has to do with my <a href="http://hearus.us/">HEAR US Inc.</a> mission. A lot, really. Our collective apathy and our nation's systemic failures have contributed mightily to the economic and environmental demise of our country. I feel a sense of desperation to call attention to what I see--whether it is the desperate conditions facing millions of kids and families or the demise of our environment as I travel the backroads of America.</i></blockquote>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<i>Wait, you say. Is not your use of fossil fuels contributing to this demise? True, but with my deliberate, purposeful, frugal use of the resources available to me, I try my hardest to balance the use with the mission--to leave the world a little better than I found it, for all kids. Thanks for asking, and for reading. Now, let's do something to make the world better.</i></blockquote>
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<span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"><b><i>Going from bad to worse. Frying pan to the fire. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.</i></b> None of those adages express the level of dire anguish Melissa and her daughter face.</span><span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;"> </span></div>
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A 3-year string of horrible events culminated in this pert mother and her adorable 7-year-old daughter landing in the Kansas version of prison: a town of less than 400, with nary a grocery store, much less any sign of life, no transportation and no support network.</div>
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Melissa, who's worked in the home healthcare field for a number of years, tossed out a desperate Craig’s List plea a few weeks ago to escape from the apartment she platonically shared with “Max,” who had “compassionately" offered to share the 2-bedroom apartment he was about to rent with Melissa who had just escaped another untenable living situation.</div>
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“Sex,” she told me in the interview she agreed to do for my <a href="http://hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US</a> doubled up project,<a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/wowm/wowmks.html" target="_blank"> <b><i>Worn Out Welcome Mat--KS</i></b></a><b><i>.</i></b> “What is it with men who think of nothing else, even after I clearly spelled out that I was not interested in it…at all?” </div>
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A divorce tossed her over the edge 3 years ago. The job she had fell apart. When she faced eviction she remorsefully turned to the father of her older daughter to take her, knowing he could provide a decent living situation for the few months Melissa anticipated it would take to get back on her feet.</div>
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She attentively and creatively strove to patch her life together, protectively tending to her youngest daughter’s needs. The school McKinney-Vento homeless liaison accommodated their high mobility. They bounced from being doubled up in friend’s apartments to motels to the highly-restrictive, religious shelter back to friends. </div>
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Melissa’s housing choices in this military town were nil, subsidized housing not available, so she generated options intended to give them a place until she could save money to get their own place. <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/13/business/economy/working-but-needing-public-assistance-anyway.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share&_r=0">Jobs paying a living wage</a>, even for this hard-working woman who put herself through college? Forget it. So she turned to the underground employment and housing network to compensate for the <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/12/us/politics/states-tighten-conditions-for-receiving-food-stamps-as-the-economy-improves.html?smprod=nytcore-ipad&smid=nytcore-ipad-share">basic needs’ drought</a> in Kansas (and other states). </div>
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Even this didn’t work. Seemingly “safe” arrangements turned hellish. Moving from one bad situation led to even worse. A constant state of panic and heightened parent-protective alertness were matched by the absolute lack of alternatives in the Sunflower State.</div>
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Social services and the hypothetical safety net have been all but eliminated by the tax-slashing Governor Sam Brownback and his Republican conspirators. So few shelters exist in Kansas—and they have months’ long waiting lists—that families like Melissa’s desperately do what they have to do.</div>
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When the last straw came in the form of sexual and physical confrontation that needed police intervention (again), Melissa turned to a town I’ll call “Hell.” The man who agreed to take in these two vulnerable nomads assured her this was to help him with home health care, not sex. </div>
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Three days later, Melissa told me he made explicitly clear that he had needs and expectations. </div>
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I suggested she contact the nearest shelter (and even offered to give them a ride). I explained the “trick” of <a href="http://www.masslegalhelp.org/income-benefits/emergency-assistance-guide/8-counts-as-homeless">qualifying for admission</a>—to make sure the intake counselor knew she and her daughter are in danger (they are), that their circumstances are dire and housing is dependent on her providing for her “host’s” sexual needs. HUD has a high bar when it comes to determining eligibility for their vaunted homeless shelter beds. </div>
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Melissa and her daughter might not be “homeless enough” to qualify for help. If that’s the case, she is absolutely out of options. </div>
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The public library in this hellish town is only open a couple hours a day, three days a week, with one computer. That is, if she will be able to leave the house of this invalid-predator. So searching on Craig’s List won’t even be an option.</div>
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Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6150850549853248790.post-33619057712605451452015-03-06T11:42:00.000-08:002015-03-06T11:42:25.229-08:00Deep Hole of Homelessness Swallows Homeless Families <div style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px;">
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[Kansas City, KS] <span style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-size: 11px;">Friday was payday for Crystal, a fast food employee. She cashed her check and then bought a few, too few for her way of thinking, birthday presents for her son whose 8th birthday was Valentine’s Day.</span><br />
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She, her husband and other child, Brittany and her boyfriend and her 2 children, and Tyler and his partner, a motley community that shared this rundown but affordable house in Kansas City, Kansas, celebrated “Danny’s” birthday Saturday. </div>
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On Sunday, they were picking through the ashes of their rental house. Everything was destroyed in an electrical fire caused by, they surmise, shoddy repairs done by a dubious “handyman” hired by their landlord. </div>
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The Red Cross gave them 2 rooms in a motel for 3 nights and a promise of first month’s rent and security deposit if they found housing within the week. </div>
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Crystal’s family hugged their yellow lab as they left him with a friend, then they made their possession-less way to the motel. </div>
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They went from housed and self-sufficient to homeless and desperate in a flash. It wasn’t their fault. One might be tempted to blame the landlord for neglect. According to Crystal, he didn’t have insurance, so he told them not to expect anything from him—like their security deposit or unused rent. Without that money they had nothing.</div>
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One of their stops Tuesday morning was the KC School Board building, where I happened to be on my <a href="http://hearus.us/" target="_blank">HEAR US Inc. </a>quest to film stories of families experiencing homelessness, doubling (or tripling or worse) up with others, families not considered “homeless enough” by HUD. (READ this <a href="http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/mar15/vol72/num06/Homeless%E2%80%94And-Doubled-Up.aspx" target="_blank">EXCELLENT article </a>on doubled up from the<b><i> Educational Leadership Journal</i></b>.)</div>
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They enthusiastically said I could share their story to let others know how easy it is to slide from independence to scraping through the rubble of our shattered safety net. </div>
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Fortunately for the two moms, their school board stop netted them more help than they could have imagined. Thanks to the<a href="http://www.hearus.us/understanding-homelessness/homeless-education.html"><b> McKinney-Vento Homeless Education Act,</b></a> federal legislation removing barriers to school stability, their kids would be transported to/from the motel to their same schools. </div>
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Staff gave the moms uniforms, backpacks, school supplies, toiletries, food and a few books. The families were connected with resources to stay in the motel for another week, only possible because they could stagger back on their feet with a little more time.</div>
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But I must clarify a few crucial points:</div>
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<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">These families, though tripled up due to economic hardship prior to the fire, and figuring to be doubled up (or more) again after leaving the motel next week, will not be eligible for HUD assistance because <a href="http://invisible-homeless-kids.blogspot.com/2015/01/huds-seven-big-homelessness-fails.html">they’re not homeless by HUD’s definition.</a> </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">Besides the fact that they wouldn't have been able to find room in area shelters because every shelter across the land is at capacity thanks to this beastly winter weather, they would not be able to stay together because few shelters take intact families. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">And with Crystal’s work schedule, overnights, she would have to choose between work and staying with her family at the shelter, a damned-if-you-do-damned-if-you don’t choice.</li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">Public (subsidized) housing in KC, and mostly everywhere else, has 3-years or more waiting lists. </li>
<li style="-webkit-text-stroke-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); -webkit-text-stroke-width: initial; font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 11px; margin: 0px;">The only way they can afford the $700 mo. rent and utilities is with 3-4 adults working, the others chip in by providing childcare. Even then it’s dicey. </li>
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If they’re “lucky,” they’ll find another landlord—likely to be a slumlord because they don’t have sufficient income and lack good credit records—who will rent to them, dog and all. If not, they’ll tumble deeper into the hole of homelessness, finding that it’s hard to be self-sufficient when you have nowhere to go. And their lovable labrador will also be homeless.</div>
<blockquote class="tr_bq">
The campaign to get HUD’s definition in line with the more realistic US Department of Education’s definition—which includes those doubled up and in motels— continues. <b><i>It takes but a moment, and your zip code, to nudge your federal lawmakers to cosponsor the Homeless Children and Youth Act. </i></b><a href="http://www.helphomelesskidsnow.org/">www.helphomelesskidsnow.org</a><b><i> TAKE ACTION!</i></b></blockquote>
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(HEAR US is looking for KS families and youth with nowhere to go who are willing to share their stories for the <a href="http://www.hearus.us/projects/wowm/wowmks.html"><b><i>Worn Out Welcome Mat - KS </i></b></a>documentary in the making, Spring 2015. <a href="mailto:diane@hearus.us?subject=Worn%20Out%20Welcome%20Mat">Contact Diane</a> for more info.)</div>
Diane Nilanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03886329898369901405noreply@blogger.com0