Invisible is Bad Enough--But No Shelters??

This house and the one next to it were destroyed in a fire last Friday. An 8-year old boy, Rodney, is in critical condition from burns and smoke.

Binghamton, NY seems to me like the proverbial "every-city," nothing special, but a decent place in many ways. This city of less than 50,000 in south central New York made the news recently--tragic news that has popped up in other cities as well--fires that not only destroy houses but also lives.

An eight-year old boy was critically injured in this fire, which displaced 10 people. Sadly, as I've inquired as to what happened to the family involved, the best people can say is "the Red Cross helped them."

Unfortunately, and fairly unknown to many people, the RC solution is far from the kind of help anyone needs whose place to live was just destroyed. I'm not bashing the Red Cross. But I want to dispel the myth that all is well. TV News Clip of my visit The Red Cross probably could never help people get back on their feet after a tragedy like this.

Imagine the early morning scene: smoke, flames, sirens, emergency vehicles, an ambulance speeding away with a little boy who used to look out the upstairs window of this aging house in an industrial area that doesn't qualify for a neighborhood where kids play outside....

After the fire is reduced to smoldering, the parents' next thought is "where do we go now?" The family learns that a motel is arranged. by the Red Cross. They stumble in, exhausted, stressed and worried about the little boy who was transported to a Syracuse burn unit, over 70 miles away. They have only the clothes on their backs.

And days later, the family learns that the motel room offer is short-lived--they have to go. In Binghamton, as in far too many communities across the country, no family shelters exist.

Read that-NO FAMILY SHELTERS EXIST-- and think of what you'd do if you had nowhere to turn and you lost your home for whatever reason--fire, flood, domestic violence, eviction....

Where do people go in this predicament? From what I know listening to people's stories of homelessness and working with families in the shelters I used to operate, families split up, farming kids to anyone who will take them. The entire family may move in with family or friends for a while, but that often is unworkable. Landlords don't allow it, people in public housing can't have long-term "company," or safety issues make it untenable. Little kids told me of being bullied by the kids of the host family. Food gets stolen, physical/sexual/mental abuse occurs, and the already insecure family has to move on.

Try to absorb what stress that will cause in both children and adults. Think of your own life--any upheaval and crisis you've experienced. Add to that memory the devastation of losing your home, your stuff, your security. Think of trying to hold a job down, going to school, even taking care of loved ones becomes stressful during these times. Look for a new place to live, drive up to the hospital (not to mention the cost of gas, which exceeds the national average at $3.71), see your little boy hooked up to machines that are keeping him alive....

Most people living on the edge have no insurance. They have little, if any, savings. They have few places to turn for help. And this family is supposed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps? Agencies in cities like this are strapped with pleas for help and too little resources. A New York Times story the other day described the effects of winter and poverty on people's ability to keep their houses warm. Turning families away is a horrible thing to have to do day after day.

Seems to me when the smoke clears that every community might want to look at what really happens when these inevitable tragedies occur. If the safety net is so frayed or, worse yet, nonexistent, then it's time for action. In a country that is witnessing a presidential campaign spending millions by the minute; where gamblers plunk down billions pursuing the dream of hitting the jackpot; where war destroys lives and hope on both sides; where super-rich hedge fund operators struggle to find ways to spend their obscene amounts of our money...please don't tell me we don't have money to help families survive.

Look to the Future--If You Dare....

Chery, Ben and Seth
Babies are the ultimate sign of hope. Their very existence demonstrates that 2 people love each other enough to create a life that reflects that love.

That's the theory, and sometimes it is true, or sometimes it's a variation of the above, or sometimes, well, let's not go there.

Recently Laura and I visited with Chery and Ben, known to audiences across the land because of their role in My Own Four Walls, the HEAR US documentary series released last year. They've agreed to participate in our new documentary, On the Edge, a look at families during and after homelessness.

Chery and Ben now live in a $375 a month abode in Harrisburg, in an abandoned neighborhood too awful to call a slum.

Recently they added a member of their household. Seth, now a precious 3-month-old baby, clamors for attention and gets a healthy dose of it from his 2 loving parents.

Their story is filled with incredible and predictable happenings, some good, some tough. Seth is the good part. He's got a promising start if you don't look out the window to the neighborhood that surrounds their home like a dark, stormy cloud.

Garbage is piled in the streets; evidently this area is not on the regular trash pick-up route. Boarded up windows and doors are the norm, with graffiti covering every spot within reach. Police presence is limited to an occasional squad car meandering through. Thumping bass from passing cars vibrates what's left of this young couple's plastic-covered windows. Ben and Chery talk about the regular echo of gunshots, police sirens, and bloody fights outside right below their apartment. Ben calls the police when he sees something but it seems like emptying the ocean with a sand pail.

Stoop-sitters decorate the otherwise bleak streets, reminders that humans still occupy this forgotten chunk of the city.

Lest readers think that this city is a mere speck on the nation's vast landscape, it's not. Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania, with a dwindling population of approximately 47,000. Laws get made here. Rich and famous people come here. Barack Obama was here for a rally this past Saturday night on the steps of the picturesque Capitol.

Just blocks from this government center, Chery, Ben and Seth hunker down in their apartment, desperately wanting a way out. Ben's job with a student loan company will likely be yanked from his capable hands because the company is losing money, a side effect of the economic destruction plaguing this country. Chery decries the limits of poverty that trap them in a hopeless situation that requires money and some good fortune coming their way. Both prioritize family and wrap their loving arms around their symbol of HOPE.

Seems to me that this situation challenges Obama's Audacity of Hope. Chery and Ben had the audacity to hope that this precious life they brought into the world would have opportunities to thrive. But deep in their hearts they are hoping to survive. How many young parents like Chery and Ben are out there, limited by income and circumstances, filled with hope, and looking out the window at the gloom of the ghetto? Who and what will it take to change this reality? Who is willing to walk with these courageous young people? Or will we ignore them like the City of Harrisburg has ignored the trash pick-up?

Homeless = Luxury According to AK Pol

Homeless Alaskan without a Lexus or 50" TV. Photo supplied by a friend of mine in AK.

Imagine being a homeless family in Alaska.

Seems like land of ice and snow has its share of unenlightened legislators. Fortunately some more enlightened people didn't ignore the opportunity to reply to...

Rep. Mike Kelly, R-North Pole, (who) said he ... believes too many people cash in on the homeless programs. "I've seen too much abuse of the programs — 50-inch TVs and a Lexus in the driveway with some folks that are just staying low enough to get in on some of the programs," said Kelly.

Well, he must be doing some impressive outreach to homeless Alaskans. Imagine going out in the sub-zero cold, all bundled up, looking for homeless Alaskans with a Lexus parked in the driveway and peeking into their house (OK, where does the house come in??) and seeing a 50" TV.

Does this fool think that homeless families are lying? It's time to insist he prove his asinine claim. Here's his contact info...

Seems to me the people of the North Pole must have been asleep at the voters' booth. Hope they wake up in time for the next election.

These Kids Are Making a Huge Difference!

Some kids are destined for great things. It's not often that kids who've experienced life without a home can have a positive impact on countless kids and adults nationwide, but for the HEAR US kids, it's happening.

The 2008 edition of My Own Four Walls was unveiled today in Boston. This is the enhanced version of the HEAR US production that has captured hearts of audiences across the country in the past year. Hearing kids share their thoughts on homelessness seems to have touched bunches of people based on the feedback I'm getting at the Horizons for Homeless Children conference.

All I'm going to say tonight is I'm so proud of each of the 75 kids who volunteered to be a part of this incredible documentary project. They need to know that their courage will have long-lasting effects far beyond what is calculable. I'm so delighted that our paths have crossed!

My deep gratitude to Laura Vazquez, media professor at Northern Illinois University, for her incredible expertise that converted my raw footage into this award-winning documentary.

Seems to me that it's time to unleash those with the most to gain in this "end homelessness" movement. Don't get me wrong--I'm not talking about the housing bureaucrats. HEAR US will seek even more ways to give voice and visibility to homeless kids and adults. We can learn lots listening to experts.

What Did You Do for Homeless Children?

Photo by Pat Van Doren

The question was simple enough: what kind of work did you do with homeless children?, a question recently posed to me by a college student working on a paper.

My initial reply was the standard stuff, the recitation of running a shelter for 15 years, blah, blah blah....

Then looking over the email to make sure I didn't send something stupid, I reconsidered my generic answer. This was a college student I was writing to, someone who's making life-altering career plans. "Running a shelter," doesn't quite describe the reality of running a shelter. Nothing much could, despite my gallant effort in my book, Crossing the Line: Taking Steps to End Homelessness.

So I scraped the cobwebs from that part of my brain that I haven't visited for awhile, the part that kept me going for 15 years of insanity/immense satisfaction, and came up with this list:

I’ve tucked in kids, growled at them when they wouldn’t go to sleep, hugged them when they needed a hug, played with them, held them in a safety hold designed to keep them from harming themselves and others, found Halloween costumes for them, driven them to school when they’ve missed the bus, helped with homework, fought for their right to get into/stay in school, arranged for funerals and gone to graduations or other celebrations.

That's not an all inclusive list, nor is it unique to me. An incredible force of dedicated people across this country do this and more every day and night.

We tend to dismiss, or even overlook totally, the work that goes on to keep people alive, to further their chances to succeed in an increasingly unforgiving society, to buffet the vulnerable from the far too common horrible realities.

So, if you know shelter staff, or someone who works in grueling conditions that typify the human service work, give them a thanks or a hug, or in some way let them know that you appreciate their dedication.

And if you want to do something directly that will take a few moments of your time and will have far-reaching effects for homeless kids across the country, participate in our Piggies' Action Project. Even better, circulate it to your friends, colleagues, anyone who cares about kids and wants to draw a line in the sand for Congress to heed, one which redefines homelessness to actually try to help kids.

Seems to me that the way things are going in this beleaguered country we're going to find ourselves on the short end of personnel to operate life-saving human service programs, the safety net if you will. The least we can do, since we don't manage to pay living wages to people in this kind of work, is to let them know we appreciate their efforts.

Turning Our Nation's Back on the Poor: Don't Be Surprised

Traveling is nothing new to me, but the reason for the huge gaps (the length surprised even me!) in my blogs has been 3 trips to New York this month. But that's not the heart of this post.

Even in my tired state of mind I can get riled up by perusing homelessness/poverty stories on the web. A typical article, from the Madison Times, illustrates the homelessness creation efforts of the federal government--or at least the part of the federal government ultimately responsible for policy decisions.

Homelessness--for adults or kids--doesn't happen in a vacuum. It's usually not caused by one thing, but the culmination of the budget cuts that have led to significant reductions of nutrition, health care, and housing services. These and similar cuts play a major role in shredding the safety net that barely holds today's vulnerable families and youth.

A young relative of mine (I won't get more specific until I get permission) shared with me the reality of her homelessness experience. She was in her early 20s, struggling with "stuff" and easing pain with whatever substances were at hand. After several months on the streets, piling up too many legal problems with no resources to bail her out, she ended up in jail.

True, it was probably the critical moment, "hitting bottom," that sadly is needed before we make lifestyle changes. Anyone who knows much about jails and/or prisons knows this is an ugly, and potentially tragic, way to turn one's life around. Fortunately for her she had some family members supporting her--though with tough love--so she wasn't totally without hope, though I'm sure it seemed that way at times. Today she's clawed her way back to self-sufficiency, tenuous as it may be.

But, the reason she ended up in jail was essentially that she she wanted to get into a treatment program but lacked insurance or money. This country's turned its back on helping people attain sobriety. And, if a homeless person is "lucky" enough to get into a 3-day detox program they get released to the streets--not the best place to test fledgling sobriety.

She told me about how hard it was being so alone on the streets, knowing that she couldn't get a job without a place to live and couldn't get a place to live without a job.

Then she gave me something more valuable than a paycheck. She thanked me for what I do--raising awareness of and sensitivity to homeless kids and families.

Seems to me that being busy or tired is no excuse. I best continue doing what I'm doing--so kids like her have a chance to live up to their full potential.

'One Paycheck Away' Gets a Lot of Use

Of all the phrases I've heard when people talk about homelessness, "One paycheck away..." is most frequently cited to show a person has a clue, and empathy, about homelessness.

Why, if the average person I talk to understands this, do our legislators and policymakers struggle with the concept that families fall in the "one paycheck away" category?

I'm reading HUD's first report to Congress (the "evil Diane" wonders why HUD never bother reporting before, and wonders how much was spent on this piece of work.) I must work quite hard at self control as I read HUD's reassurance that homelessness isn't any worse now than 10 years ago. Oh pl-eee-aaa-sss-e!

The most frustrating omission is the slick ignoring of the existence of families. H-E-L-L-O! Family homelessness, along with unaccompanied youth homelessness, is exploding. Just ask my new friend Kathy Wiggins, homeless student liaison in Tampa. This area, besides having an abundance of palm trees, is overwhelmed with families living in all kinds of horrible, highly-mobile conditions. Hey HUD, they are H-O-M-E-L-E-S-S!!!

What would "homeless czar" Phil Mangano say about these folks whose plight was reported on Tampa's local news (VIDEO)? I truly want to know. How can HUD offer the absolutely ridiculous number of 754,000 homeless people (which they say is a "one-night count," a phrase designed to confuse even the enlightened) and not at least give a horrified side-note explanation that their number represents such a gross undercount, specifically of non-urban areas and families, that our nation needs to be embarrassed?

Some disturbing/absurd HUD comments include: "In comparing these results with those of previous studies, there is no evidence that the size of the homeless population has changed dramatically over the past ten years," (pg iii) and, "Homelessness is concentrated in central cities rather than in suburban or rural areas," (pg vi). I'm stopping with those 2. Read it yourself if you need evidence that homeless kids are being prepared to be homeless adults of the future by being ignored today.

Of course, the most glaring omission is the fact that HUD chooses to use the definition of "chronic" homelessness which virtually eliminates children and youth. "A chronically homeless person is defined as an unaccompanied homeless individual with a disabling condition who has either been continuously homeless for a year or more OR has had at least four episodes of homelessness in the past three years. To be considered chronically homeless a person must have been on the streets or in an emergency shelter (i.e., not transitional housing) during these stays." That fails the "keep it short, stupid" KISS test.

Across this nation, in urban, suburban, and rural areas, families and teens face the bleak realities of homelessness. Sometimes they weren't even a paycheck away when it hit. Sometimes--quite often in fact--the mom and kids hit the streets because of domestic violence. Julianna's story is sadly typical.

Seems to me that the first step of doing something about a problem is learning about it. With unabashed self-interest in working myself out of a job, I recommend that our HUD friends watch My Own Four Walls, a powerful account of what kids think about their homelessness. Then adopt the "one step away" language. At least you can fake sounding like you know what's up....