When the World Shuts Down

Julianna's Family "Portrait"

From right before Christmas (for some, closer to before Thanksgiving) until the week after New Years' life shuts down for many working people.

Try to connect with someone at a social service agency--anyone with any senority is gone for the holiday. Shelter staff cover this crazy time the best they can, often unable to do their "real" job because they're sorting piles of donated Barbie dolls and stuffed animals.

Homelessness continues, in a particularly cruel way, because as most people are immersed in the distorted excesses of the holidays--more of the commercial event and little-to-none of the blessed one--few non-homeless people even think of those in a homeless situation.

For homeless families, teens on their own, and single adults, this time often brings up reminders of holidays past, some good, some not. In addition to the challenge of providing basics of food and shelter for their kids, parents struggle with painful inadequacy of not being able to afford gifts for their loved ones.

My joy as I've been traveling is to spend time with formerly homeless families who have cobbled together enough to bring the spirit of Christmas into their humble abodes. It's a refreshing change from the "norm" of holiday activities--to be around people genuinely appreciative of what they have, where they live, and the people with whom they live.

I spent last Christmas with Melissa and her kids in their former FEMA trailer that she was able to buy. I witnessed this tenacious family meld into the spirit of love, decorating their first Christmas tree in their "new" home, mindful of where they've been on the journey in and out of homelessness.

This year I marveled at "Julianna and Company's" tree--for its beauty and the bargain she got on it. Her determination to make their cramped 3-bedroom apartment into a place of celebration and peace yielded amazing results which her kids truly appreciated.

Seems to me that our "less fortunate" brothers and sisters are in fact the most fortunate, rich in what really counts. When will we realize that capitulating to commerical powers that distort the meaning of Christmas is not the way to celebrate the birth of a baby to a homeless family...?

Point Needs Making

One favorite blog I regularly read, Apesma's Lament, more often than not makes the points that I'd like to make about homelessness. THIS BLOG IS NOT FOR THE EASILY-OFFENDED, or for people who can't handle street talk. But it is for someone who wants to cut through the crap about homelessness...which is what the 12/27 entry does.

Tim, despite his vulgar descriptions and expressions, gets it. And I understand his propensity to vulgarities, given his long time labors as an activist. Dealing with crap, and worse, makes it easy to use crap-filled language.

Seems to me that instead of me trying to make some brilliant point that illustrates Tim's message, I'd be wiser to suggest you read his blog if you dare.

Can't Help But Wonder...

My perspective is different than the average American, whatever that means any more. I look at the extremes of wealth and poverty with a somewhat jaded eye, knowing more about the effects of the extremes on the bottom end than the top.

That being said, I can't help but read this op-ed submission with agreement as to the absurdity of income levels of Wall Street's leaders who seem to have led this country's, and global, economy down the toilet.

As millions of US households struggle with unmanageable mortgage payments, falling home values and foreclosure, Wall Street executives are awarding themselves record year-end bonuses.

Major US banks are reporting billions of dollars in write-offs from bad investments and double-digit losses in stock value. Nevertheless, among the four largest investment firms—Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns—bonuses amount to nearly $30 billion.

You see, my thoughts tend to drift to the "have-nots" who have not even a place to call home.

The kids who played with these stuffed animals are now getting closer and closer to the abyss of the worst kind of homelessness that families experience--having absolutely no place to stay at any time.

Imagine, if you will, hearing mom and dad stress out because they know their motel room costs more than they can pay, and their city has no place for them to turn for emergency shelter. That stress pours out, tainting family life with a toxic residue that poisons the kids as well as the adults.

If this family can't soon find a home they will slip further into the vortex of homelessness. It shreds any vestige of "normal" family life that exists. It causes people to make mistakes, some serious, as they struggle to keep a roof over their heads. Parents slip into despair because they can't provide the basics for their children. Kids act out, knowing their lives are not anything like they were, and they become alienated from friends and isolated from normal childhood experiences.

What would one of these over-compensated money people say to the kids who had to leave their toys behind in the home their family lived in for the past 5 years, paying rent and caring for each other, when the landlord refused to make needed repairs and the city condemned the property?

Seems to me that real national leaders would realize that allowing out-of-control wealth building is not good for anyone, including the overly-wealthy who have more money than God. But changing things would turn today's economy on its ear. How bad could that be?

Basic Questions for our Presidential Candidates...

Everyone, it seems, is talking politics. I might as well get into the act, perhaps spurring some thoughtful discussion before presidential primary ballots are cast. Any readers with connections to campaigns that could forward these questions, go for it!

Questions from a long-time homelessness activist:

1. What are your thoughts on the current issue of expanding HUD's definition of homelessness, and thereby their mission, to include families and teens on their own?
2. What will your approach be to ensure safe, decent, affordable housing for everyone?
3. What steps would you have the federal government take to avoid a repeat, or continuation, of the subprime debacle?
4. What do you think should be done for families who are in severe financial crisis and at risk of homelessness because of this mess?
5. How would you guide this nation's approach to easing and eradicating homelessness?
6. What has your personal experience been with homelessness--e.g., contact with homeless children/adults, someone you know has experienced homelessness, shelter volunteer, etc.?
7. What is your assessment of this nation's homelessness--causes and solutions?
8. What steps would you take to establish a federal commitment to truly end the nightmare of homelessness?
9. What would you say to homeless adults, children and teens about their predictament and your commitment to ease it?
10. How would you explain the extreme differences between those who have extraordinarily extravagant housing and those who have none?

These are serious questions posed to serious candidates. IHK would love to share space with candidates and to invite homeless adults, teens and children to share their views. Have at it!

Seems to me that it's way past time to figure out basics in this interminable campaign--basics that matter to a growing category of people in cities, towns and rural areas across the nation. Instead of artificial standards that really don't measure the candidates' ability to improve this country, let's use some authentic gauges to enhance quality of life across the land.

Painful Alternative for Sleep

Having spent last night trying to sleep on a chair next to the hospital bed of a friend who had surgery, I reflected back to my days/nights running a shelter when our overflow crowd was offered the option of sleeping in the dining room.

We couldn't let folks sleep on the floor for many reasons. So we offered tables/chairs as an option, with pillows and blankets if we still had them available.

Now, being inside is certainly better than being outside, especially in the worst of IL weather. But after trying to sleep last night on a chair that seemed potentially comfortable, I'd have to issue apologies to the guys who faced plastic dining room chairs night after night.

Seems to me that before non-homeless people judge homeless persons who "self-medicate" you should walk a mile in their ill-fitting shoes or sleep a night as they do on the ground, on dining room chairs, or on the lumpy mattresses that pass for shelter beds--and then decide if you too would find some way to numb the pain.

Even in Paradise

Homelessness, including that scourged visible kind, is alive and well even in Scottsdale, my temporary abode. The federal campaign to "end chronic homelessness" spews buzz words, slogans, and statistics and ignores families. And despite claims to the contrary, the results with their target population--visibly homeless adults--seem to be less than stellar.

With millions of decorative lights giving this semi-tropical paradise a festive glow, seeing a black man (people of color are fairly scarce here, except those who provide services) in a posh neighborhood far from any shelter pushing a grocery cart teeming with his stuff gave me pause. So did the guy sleeping on the park bench as luxury cars zoomed past him...and the guy awakened by an errant disc golfer's drive (not mine!) at a park...and the woman lugging her belongings near the high-end shopping center....

"No room in the inn" is an oft-used phrase at this time of year. It has a sweet, sacred meaning when talking about the Holy Family. We utter it, and seldom ponder the meaning. That family was homeless. So are lots more today, in the richest country (not counting the subprime fallout) in the history of the world. And we continue to "grow" homelessness by ignoring families and youth.

We've gotten used to homelessness, if not outright comfortable with it. An article from the Arizona Republican gives a fairly comprehensive picture of homeless life outside Phoenix, and it's not pretty. The sole reference to children/youth points to 1 out of 20 students in Kingman's school district identified as homeless. No mention of the fact that the area has no shelters and few services for families....

Last night I drove past a pet resort, with more lights than Chicago's well-lit Michigan Avenue. Pets deserve a Merry Christmas...and all the comfort that money can buy, and at this place it takes a lot of money. I guess it's easier to care for pets than people.

Seems to me we've let ourselves get way off track as human beings. Our choices are to continue humming "there's no place like home for the holidays" ignoring the reality of homelessness all around us--in every community--or to put our resources to use to line up with our professed religious beliefs. In the words of an overused campaign (with apologies to non-christians),

What Would Jesus Do?

Here are my humble suggestions for starters:

• Look at your BLESSINGS and figure out how to generously share them with your favorite local charity or HEAR US;


• Share your time and talents with a local program that helps homeless families, teens or adults;


• Send a Piggies fax to your local congressperson urging them to support the HEARTH Act, which expands HUD's definition of homelessness;


• Get a copy of the short documentary, My Own Four Walls, watch it and share it.


• Read the book, Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness, and use your enlightenment to brighten this world....

Sort of Obscene....

Every year at this time a couple of things happen. One is a special holiday which coincides with the winter solstice, National Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. I find the day a whole lot less commercialized, well, perhaps obscure would be a better description, than Christmas.

The other event is the annual drum roll from our nation's capitol as the HUD homeless grants are announced. The lingo goes something like "this year, President Doe is pleased to announce the highest funding ever to address homelessness...blah, blah, blah...."

This year is no different. The benevolent leader bestows the crumbs from the table on the poor homeless people.

Pardon my cynicism, but the phrase "too little too late" comes to mind. Having been a part of the HUD funding/feeding trough for many years, and not being on the take now, I can say a few things that need to be said about the process and the needs.

The history of modern homelessness is a fascinating subject, and serious research would bear out the points made in the report by the Western Region Advocacy Project. The bottom line: massive federal cut-backs in housing assistance from the early 1980s fueled an ever-growing rate of homelessness, compounded by a round of social service cuts and economic catastrophes over the past 20+ years, not to mention, well, I will, lack of things like health care, living wage jobs and affordable housing.

I want to reiterate a point made in the WRAP report. We have demonized homelessness in this country, blaming the victim, while going on our merry way thinking the government will solve this complex and entrenched issue. Lest anyone be thinking that homeless people are demons, I urge you to try to survive on the streets for even a short time and report back on how easy and pleasant it is. It's not.

And shelter/service programs typically face painful uncertainties as their most vulnerable funding hangs on the precipice of Congress' budget "process" which add up to a mere $8 BILLION of earmarks, which, compared to the $1.5 billion to care for the 3 million-plus homeless adults and children in our country seems a little distorted....

Instead of solutions, more fall into the abyss, victims of the latest subprime mortage debacle just showing up on the radar. Tent Cities spring up in communities ill-equipped to deal with the exploding homeless population. And what HUD doesn't want to talk about are the numbers of families losing their homes. Nah, that would sound bad.

So, good people in this land, and plenty are out there, at least do something--start homeless shelters, rustle up volunteers, put bandages on the wound of homelessness. They wait for the government to respond, which it does by scraping crumbs from the table and bragging about it.

Seems to me that we could all use a dose of reality. Homelessness isn't fun--it tends to be deadly. I think of babies of homeless parents I've known...babies who have died because of poverty and homelessness. On this day of remembering homeless people who have gone to the big home in the sky I take a deep breath and hope we can one day wake up from this nightmare.