Stories from the Streets
The Human Element of Case Management
Published November 21, 2009 @ 06:52AM PT
Part of street outreach is building trust, forming, and nurturing the bonds with those we meet while working. It's a delicate balance to walk for many of us, especially for those who have spent much of our lives homeless prior to working in this field. One has to be careful to detach oneself from the emotional impact human beings have upon each other, since some decisions aren't easy and may cause pain.
Those relationships can also occasionally put us into a very difficult position. I spent much of my day today watching a friend, outreach contact and success story die after I ordered him disconnected from life support.
Elringo De'Angelino, aka Velvet Thunder, was a local icon here in Nashville Tennessee. He'd spent the better part of the past 30 years on 2nd Avenue, singing on the street to anyone and everyone who'd lend their ears for a moment to listen to the man's silky smooth, yet deep and throaty crooning. Just about anyone who's ever spent any time at all around the area known as "lower Broad" in this fair city will probably recognize who I'm talking about; they may not know the man's name but they almost certainly will remember him as the big man who sat in a chair, American Flag Cowboy boots and stylish hat always cocked at a rakish angle, singing and performing with his five gallon bucket at the ready for tips.
Navigating the Social Service Safety Net
Published November 16, 2009 @ 02:28PM PT
Jay's story might sound familiar to you. His unfortunate situation is not uncommon these days. He lost his job, then his home to foreclosure, and ended up homeless on the streets of Cleveland, Ohio.
Jay talks about his frustration trying to get help from homeless service providers. Since services have become specialized, he must travel to multiple agencies to get all of the help he needs. But without reliable transportation, he has trouble getting around. Although there are many good things to be said about the Continuum of Care model, it is not perfect. It does not, for example, fill in all of the communication gaps or take into consideration the lack of access to reliable and easily accessible transportation.
Imagine for a moment that you are homeless without income. You panhandle for bus fare, then travel to the agency you believe is most likely to help. You fill out the paperwork and sit in the lobby all day. After hours of waiting you are told you don't qualify, or the program is full and your name will go on a waiting list. If you're lucky, you'll get a bus pass to get home. Either way, at the end of the day, you're still homeless without housing or food. And you have to repeat this process - over and over - until you find the help you need.
Of course, this is a worse case scenario. It's important to remember the many instances when the safety net works, when it saves people from the streets.
Still, in some cases - like Jay's - people just give up. Perhaps his story will help you understand why.
Jay from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
Food, Clothing, Shelter, and... Karaoke?
Published November 10, 2009 @ 11:11AM PT
Joy is just as important to the human existence as food, clothing, and shelter. But when you're living on the streets, it is easy to forget how to find it; among service providers, joy is a need that is too often forgotten.
But on LA's Skid Row, one couple has adopted the task of cultivating joy with a boom box and a microphone. They have turned their love of karaoke into an outlet for LA's homeless. They have no hidden agenda, no underlying motive. Each week, they simply set up the karaoke machine, open the doors and watch the room come alive with music, dancing, and community.
This simple-yet-powerful project has been captured in documentary form by filmmaker Iris Ichishita. Watch the 8-minute video below, then distribute far and wide. Let the music - and the stories - move you.
Living without a home does not take away one's dignity. Living on the streets does not compromise one's need to feel joy. Karaoke is not going to solve anybody's problems... but it might help someone remember what it's like to forget about them.
A View from (Under) the Bridge
Published November 07, 2009 @ 05:42AM PT
On paper, Leonard Grant might say that a combination of unemployment, addiction, and mental health caused his homelessness. But that's not the whole story. Even these reasons for homelessness can have their own causes.
You see, Grant tragically lost his son in a car accident, which sent his world spiraling out of control. His depression turned into drug use, his drug use made him unemployable, and without an income, he lost his home.
Grant calls the past three years of his life "dead time." This is how long he has lived under a bridge in Knox County, Tennessee - homeless. He's trying to piece his life back together, but it isn't easy. He's working to gather the legal documents he needs to apply for housing and social security. His biggest hurdle? Getting a copy of his birth certificate.
This is the story behind Grant's reasons for homelessness. It's one example of a story that could never be captured by research or statistics as they are currently reported. This is the human element of homelessness, the kind of story we might be more likely to identify with, the kind that might allow us to feel someone else's pain.
It's so simple, but so easy to forget: nobody ever plans on living under a bridge in Tennessee.
Real Story: Meet Pam
Published November 05, 2009 @ 05:41PM PT
I met Pam while passing through Cleveland, Ohio. She is mother and a grandmother who never thought she would become homeless. Many people think that if a person has close family members, they can just go live with family when all else fails. But for Pam and many others, it's just not that simple.
Pam wished for a home; I hope she finds it.
Pam from InvisiblePeople.tv on Vimeo.
First Apartment After 45 Years Homeless
Published November 04, 2009 @ 02:53PM PT
Steve Sacre has been homeless for 45 years. His homeless stint included time in the Army, in prison, on couches, and on the streets. He learned early on how to hide his belongings so they're not stolen and how to watch his back so he's not hurt. But today, he can finally enjoy safety, security, permanence. Today he is living in his first real home.
Sacre's moving story appeared today in the Democrat Herald. Like many Vietnam-era veterans, his downward spiral began after he began using drugs to survive the horrors of the war. He came home - an addict - and became involved in burglary to fuel his habits, landing him in prison for 10 years.
It's heartbreaking to imagine living for 45 years without a sense of permanency. And for Sacre, this new home couldn't have come early enough. He has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and doctors have no idea how much time he has left.
Though his new apartment is sparse, with just a few chairs and an old television, Sacre is grateful to finally have a place to call home.
What Can 'The Wire' Teach Us About Homelessness?
Published November 02, 2009 @ 06:43AM PT
Harvard University officials announced yesterday that the school plans to offer a class that uses Season 5 of HBO's hit show "The Wire" as a case study for "urban issues" in America.
William Julius Wilson - one of the nation's leading scholars on urban poverty - told the Harvard Crimson that, "‘The Wire' has done more to enhance our understanding of the systemic urban inequality that constrains the lives of the poor than any published study."
It's an interesting observation. Why is it that a fictional television drama speak has the ability to speak to us more than data rooted in rigorous research? Are we overloaded with numbers and figures - some accurate, some hyperbolic - that we're wired to tune these things out? Do we only believe what we see with our own eyes, in our own neighborhoods?
If this is the case, then perhaps it's time we evaluate our world view. Our preeminent poverty experts and leading academic institutions are turning to a HBO series for a real look at urban poverty; perhaps we should take note.
Why not give it a try - watch Season 5 of The Wire. Take it a step beyond mindless entertainment and think about the issues presented in the show. We all have something to gain by opening our minds and trying to understand real issues happening the world around us.
