Tent Cities Connect Online

categories: Action, Advocacy, Tent Cities

Published October 19, 2009 @ 08:19PM PT

As the economic downturn has worsened, growing numbers of homeless people are camping in tent cities across the United States. But unlike the Hoovervilles of the Great Depression, people living in modern day tent cities can access to the web, at libraries, local internet cafes and through homeless service providers allowing tent cities residents around the world to connect, swap notes, and support one another online.

Many American tent cities have achieved a level of collaborative community organization. This may include involvement of support servicesor - as in the case of Seattle Tent City - political organization to improve their circumstances.

But for every organized tent city, there are several where services are lacking, there is no political cohesion, and residents feel powerless. This is where the power of the web has come into play. The tent city thread on the Homeless Forums was created after it was clear that interest in this topic was growing online. A new space was created exclusively for homeless people living in a Tent City to use as they see fit.

Today, tent cities that ‘have' are connecting and swapping notes with tent cities that ‘have not.' Already people from three continents are working on this project. The content ranges from tent city media coverage, wish lists, to perspectives and insight from the ground.

Current and formerly homeless individuals - in tent cities or otherwise - are invited to join the conversation and connect with others. Advocates can help inform individuals about this resource by printing out a notice promoting the Homeless Forums and posting it on the wall at your local shelter or soup kitchen, or tent city (with their permission). Organizations in the homeless sector or people who blog can link to the Homelessness Forum via their website or blog to support the project.

The tent city forum project is a completely fluid idea and open to everyone helping out and contributing their insight, experience and any resources they can make available. Please get involved and help in any way you can.

Image: Guilermo Esteves

Share this Post

Comments (6)

In my area, they had over two-hundred homeless people removed from a private piece of land, where they had set up a tent city. I understand the legalities involved, in regard to land owner, but I don't understand how our country has fallen so far. My state is a good example of what free-trade has done to the employment rate. These people used to fill the lower-middle class sector of our economy. These jobs no longer exist, so now they fill up space in dry riverbeds and homeless shelters. We've sold out our fellow Americans for the price of cheap imports,(shame on us.)

Posted by L.S. hope on 10/20/2009 @ 12:13AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 2 people like this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by L.S.
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
I'm still trying to figure out if I am inspired by this post, or saddened...

Posted by Eva Marie Woywod on 10/20/2009 @ 08:26PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Eva Marie
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
My story about the impact which derived from networking with a homeless man.

http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=137387

Posted by Jeff Mowatt on 10/25/2009 @ 12:07PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- 1 person likes this comment. Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by Jeff
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
It saddens me to see us a community turn our backs on our fellow man . Instead of trying to help them and be a support for them we turn our backs and treat them as criminals. Shame on us.

Posted by M w on 11/01/2009 @ 05:26PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by M
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
Dominic,

It occurs to me there are probably some talented writers that are homeless but with web access. Would there be a place for them to get together with those who need to hire written content for blogs and affiliate marketing web sites? I'm sure there must be a place set up for freelance writers, but wouldn't know where to look. I could use some content myself and hate producing it.

Posted by J P on 11/01/2009 @ 08:22PM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by J
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply
I was told yesterday that in Juneau Alaska they closed the tent city and will burn anything Left behind and any body found there after a certain date will be remove by the police. Yes this is the help that the homeless get from the local governments.

By the way Juneau is my home town.

Posted by James Brouillette on 11/02/2009 @ 08:39AM PT
- Report close
  You must be signed in to report content.
- Reply
- Like
For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment. In the process we will also create a Change.org account for you so you can track this and future conversations. Don't worry - we won't spam you. We just want to promote constructive dialogue and find that people are more respectful when they are not anonymous.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

reply to thread started by by James
Check Spelling
- Email me when there are new posts to this thread
- Comment Policy
Cancel Reply

Add a Comment

For your comment to be published, you will need to confirm your email address after submitting your comment.

If you already have an account, click here to log in.

First Name:

Last Name:

Email:

Create Password:

Comment

Check Spelling

Email me when there are new posts to this thread
Comment Policy

Comments on Change.org are meant for further exploration and evaluation of the ideas covered in the posts. To that end, we welcome constructive comments. However, we reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive, abusive, or off-topic; that contain ad hominem attacks; or that are designed to subvert or hijack comment threads rather than contribute to them. Repeat offenders may be permanently removed from the site at our discretion.

Author

Dominic Mapstone is a Social Worker who has worked with homeless people since 1994. He is Director of Rebeccas Community, an Australian non-profit, and admin at the International Homeless Forum. He is biased entirely in favor of the street homeless perspective. He enjoys long walks on the beach so long as there is fishing involved.