You Too Can Be a Homelessness Myth-Buster

categories: Action, data, innovation, nonprofit, Trends

Published October 09, 2009 @ 09:30AM PT

Pop quiz: how well do you know the makeup of your local homeless population? The Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida is putting their constituents to the test with a snazzy new online quiz.

With the click of a button, web-surfers are given a short, 5-question quiz about the makeup of the coalition's clientele. The answers were surprising. I thought I was onto their tricks, but I only got 4 out of 5 correct.

Luckily, the quiz concludes with explanations for each question, and gently encourages users to meet current and former clients by checking out the image gallery. This part was even better, "How'd you do? If you aren't satisfied with your score, or if you want to know more about the Coalition and our clients, maybe it's time to schedule a tour!" Awesome.

Paying attention, service providers? This is one cheap and easy tool with some serious homelessness myth-busting potential.

Take the quiz below. Better yet, take the quiz below and then create your own.

Coalition pop quiz: homeless facts » Create A Quiz

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Comments (13)

Hello, Shannon, and thank you for including our quiz on your site! We are huge fans of what you are doing and often share your content, but are blushing that you were able to share ours.

We are sure our pop quiz will inform your readers about the stereotypes they may have about the homeless. With the knowledge they gain in the quiz, we hope they can help us spread the word about the changing face of the homeless.

Always good to learn a little something on a Friday afternoon!

Posted by Coalition for the Homeless of Central Florida on 10/09/2009 @ 10:01AM PT
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Genius!

Posted by Noah Jennings on 10/09/2009 @ 08:52PM PT
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Here's something you don't know about. A homeless American and his world changing ideas:

http://www.ecademy.com/node.php?id=136484

Posted by Jeff Mowatt on 10/11/2009 @ 01:26AM PT
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I got 100%. I am very very proud as it's the ONLY 100% i ever got.

Truth - i was surprised at the answers - i just chose the answers that I thought would surprise most people.

Posted by Cdin Org on 10/11/2009 @ 03:20PM PT
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PS: wish most people knew the TRUTH about homelessness.

Posted by Cdin Org on 10/11/2009 @ 03:27PM PT
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Hello!

I was ill and disabled--I was dieing and I dragged myself from doctor ... to doctor ... to doctor... seeing 31 doctors, before finally getting an accurate diagnosis: chronc Lyme Disease ( www.ILADS.org - see "Treatment Guidelines.") I was abused by most doctors because of my signs and symptoms, that they claimed, in one way or another were "all in my head."

That is typical of most every chronic Lyme patient. There are millions of hurting children and adults with Lyme, just in the US alone--and most don't know that an accurate diagnosis for them, is "chronic Lyme disease." The disease arrests a child's development.

I'd used library computers, waiting in line and than getting one hour at a time for research--trying to figure-out what was wrong with me. I couldn't afford to be on the Internet at home. I'd figured it out for myself (most have to) and had to convince my doctors and the insurance company that I needed long-term antibiotic combination treatment.

Most insurance companies won't pay and there is no one to stop their corruption. They kill people. Almost no journalist will inform the public. We hear on the 6:00 news about Hanta virus, plague, West Nile virus and H1N1--why not Lyme? It is corruption of US Journalists.

Lyme disease is not only epidemic--it's badly epidemic. Lyme can be found on every continent except Antarctica. You become infected by the bite of a deer tick, most never get a Lyme rash and testing is a problem. It's defined as a neurological illness--a brain infection. It's a clinical diagnosis, assessed by an LLMD (Lyme-literate MD,) but one who is a genuine LLMD. (Contact a support group in your state.)

You hear that chronic Lyme is "controversial." No, it's not. What's controversial is whether IDSA (Infectious Disease Society of America,) the CDC and the NIH should be allowed to deny it. It's profits over patients. Andy Abrahams Wilson is a changemaker, here on this website. He's loved in the Lyme community for his sacrifice in making the Lyme documentary, Under Our Skin.

I lost my home business, because I couldn't work. I'd spent all of my mother's retirement money: $17,000, and she's in her 80's. I'd won Social Security Disability--finally--and I'd won a back-pay award. But Social Security didn't send the back pay award. After being behind on the rent for one month and ten days, a corrupt judge evicted me.

I left with a PICC line cathetar in my arm. I housesat for a friend for 3 weeks. I could have left the state to live with friends, but that wasn't an option because my treatment was here in this state.

As most of us go for years with no accurate diagnosis--not even a mention to a patient, not from nearly every doctor in the US, many of us of course, also have financial nightmares.

From Tom Udall's office I found help: Yes, they could try to get my back-pay award and yes, I'm a veteran and could stay at a place for homeless vets, funded--not by the VA--but by the state. The VA had refused to treat me for Lyme. My nurses were allowed in, once a week, to change my dressing and draw my blood. I paid $400 a month rent to live there and was termed, "homeless veteran." I'm grateful to have had a roof over my head.

I was there a year and nine months. My medical copays and other medical expenses were such that I couldn't afford to move out of there. It was a vicious circle.

Finally, the new veterans HUD Housing program helped me get out, with a HUD housing section 8 voucher approved--not in a year--but in only several weeks, through this program for veterans. Any veteran.

I ask that everyone please spread the word: veterans who are about to be homeless, or already homeless, who don't do hard drugs and don't have a criminal background, are eligible. Important: Call your VA and ask specifically for their VA outreach social worker.

I have a gorgeous apartment and am continuing my recovery. Ya know what? After three years of antibiotic combinations, I am 90% better! (Though no employer would want me yet!)

A number of chronic Lyme patients live on the streets of the USA--including children and their parents. It may be that they still don't know that entire families can have chronic Lyme disease.

Save a life ... please spread the word about Chronic Lyme disease, please!

Diane J. Marie

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Posted by Diane J Marie on 10/11/2009 @ 03:45PM PT
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I am homeless and only got 6o%, which shows even the homeless does not know enough about the homeless>

Posted by James Brouillette on 10/14/2009 @ 02:09PM PT
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Hi James,

If you got 60% disability, you must be talking about the VA and you must be a veteran. If you need HUD housing help with the new veterans housing program, I hope the information above helps you. Your apartment would be even cheaper, with only 60% disability.

Vets can also apply for Social Security Disability (SSDI)--though that can take awhile: 1 -3 years. With SSDI there is no percentage of disability: Either you can work--or not. That's what determines it.

Did you know that a veteran who is disabled before age 65 can apply for a pension with VA? This is an entirely different program, than for VA compensation. It pays about $1,000 per month. Most vets who are disabled don't know that. To try to hurry it along, a VA outreach social worker can write a letter, saying that you are homeless, too.

If you win an award for the pension and also for SSDI, then you pick one.

A VA outreach social worker can also accompany you to the Social Security office to apply for SSDI. You may also be eligible for SSI, which you get in a few months or so. But it's only a few hundred dollars, per month. You can get SSI until you win an award for SSDI.

How about public housing in your city? Aterall, you are a vet, you are disabled and you are homeless. Ask a VA outreach social worker! They are there to help. They are busy! They can be hard to reach, because they are out of the office, trying to help vets. Leave a message! Be persistant! It's those who are a pain in the butt, who get help.

It's OK to reach out for help, James. Often veterans won't. They're too proud. But it's OK, and no shame to ask for the help of the country that you served.

For temporary housing, you might go here, to the National Coalition for Homeless Veterans, and click-on your state. Housing help is on two different pages, on that site: http://www.nchv.org

Calling your district's US congress person's local office can reap help, too. Tell them what you need!

I wish you the best.

Diane J. Marie

Albuquerque

Posted by Diane J Marie on 10/14/2009 @ 03:14PM PT
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Hi James,

Were you talking about how you got 60% on the test above? OK! Oh well. The information I just provided would help many veterans and I ask that all who read it, please spread the word.

Thank you!

Diane J. Marie

Posted by Diane J Marie on 10/14/2009 @ 03:16PM PT
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Diane, first I was talking about the test.

Next I am a veteran with 85% disability.

Next HUD is a joke, I have been turned down by hud in Alaska 4 years in a row, even with the 85%. The only reason my lawer can find is I belong to the wrong race of people.

Also the VA pension pays 1041 dollars per month, the cheapest housing I can get is about 950.00 dollars per month, and by the time I pay for power and phone, I have 0 dollars to live on. and yet the VA pays its workers 25% cola just for working in Alaska.

Please look into the VA and get the real facts of what is going on with them.

Posted by James Brouillette on 10/15/2009 @ 08:50AM PT
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http://trade-plus.net/">The financial markets. Work, training. - vocational training of traders.

The professional help to traders on Forex, daily strategy it is free, trading signals forex, training to trade on Forex, Forex in Odessa, Odessa.

Posted by Vladimir Hainovsky on 11/12/2009 @ 11:11PM PT
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The financial markets. Work, training. - vocational training of traders.

The professional help to traders on Forex, daily strategy it is free, trading signals forex, training to trade on Forex, Forex in Odessa, Odessa.

Posted by Vladimir Hainovsky on 11/12/2009 @ 11:12PM PT
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The financial markets. Work, training. - vocational training of traders.

The professional help to traders on Forex, daily strategy it is free, trading signals forex, training to trade on Forex, Forex in Odessa, Odessa.

Posted by Vladimir Hainovsky on 11/12/2009 @ 11:13PM PT
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Shannon has worked in homeless shelters and service organizations in San Francisco, the Triangle region of North Carolina, and currently in the greater Boston area. She is a graduate student studying housing and urban policy at Tufts University.