Friday, September 30, 2011

LA TIMES - A LASTING TOLL - ALEXANDRA ZAVIS REPORTS ON FAMILIES WHO HAVE LOST EVERYTHING - ALMOST

Linking to the article from the 9/25/2011 Sunday edition. These families have lost everything - almost. Of course we feel for the family with children who were reduced from a house, to an apartment, to a room with a friend - who got evicted.

Read now!

Monday, September 26, 2011

PATH ACHIEVE IS NOW INDEPENDENT - NEW NAME IS ASENCIA

LINKING TO THEIR NEW SITE. MOBIL OUTREACH VAN. Since at least one of us did intake with Path a few years ago and was not accepted into their program, we will keep our ears to the street. Here is the PR.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

FULLERTON POLICE CHARGED IN DEATH OF HOMELESS

KELLY THOMAS died a few days after being beaten by police officers. Now those officers have been charged. The story is all over the media and we're linking to a Yahoo news/ Associated Press article about it.

LET'S USE THIS MOMENT TO DISCUSS POLICE BRUTALITY ON THE HOMELESS

.
It's not just beatings.

It's being picked up and your bike, sleeping bag, and back pack (with your ID and worldly goods) being thrown out of a police car, so even if you didn't do anything worth getting arrested for, your life is made even more difficult.

It's renting a motel room in a motel that's raided by the police and even though you aren't one of the drug addicts or dope sellers staying in the motel, even though you're in another room entirely, YOUR CASH BEING TAKEN BY AN OFFICER FROM YOUR WALLET! ("Thank You Sucker!")


It's having your homeless status in a data base so you can't open a bank account, and you can't get a job. Talk about a hole in your resume! You don't want to lie but they can find out, so you're doomed to unemployment, poverty, the streets.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

HUNGER ACTION DAY in LA is THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd 2011

GATHER AT LA CITY HALL located SPRING STREET STEPS BETWEEN TEMPLE AND FIRST ST DOWNTOWN!



BUS WILL BE LEAVING THE M E N D Center at 10641 San Fernando Road at Pierce at 2 PM and return around 6:30 PM. CALL 818 896 -2443 to reserve a seat.

SHOW PUBLIC SUPPORT FOR HEALTH FOOD POLICIES THREATENED BY FEDERAL CUTS and ADVOCATE FOR PRESERVATION OF SNAP (FOOD STAMP PROGRAM)

NATIONAL COALITION FOR THE HOMELESS REGISTER TO VOTE

You can so vote, but it may take interacting with the National Coalition to find out how!


Title Link - http://www.nationalhomeless.org/projects/vote/index.html

UPDATED APRIL 2014 - Also see our side bar for links to ALL YOUR REPRESENTITIVES and VOTING RIGHTS INFORMATION by COUNTY as well as other LEGAL RESOURCES!

Monday, September 19, 2011

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

LINK UPDATED MAY 2014LAUSD - HOMELES PROGRAM LINK FULL INFORMATION

*****

Hector Madrigal, Director of Pupil Services
Melissa Schoonmaker, Coordinator Pupil Services and Attendance
LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
1430 South San Julian Street, Building 7
Los Angeles, CA 90015
(213) 765-2880

If your child, 2- 18 years old, is missing school because you live in a shelter or motel or in a car, or move frequently...

Or YOU as a child live in an abandoned building, parked car, share housing with another family due to economic hardship, live in a trailer park or campsite, are abandoned at a hospital, are awaiting shelter, foster care, are migratory, runway, or abandoned.

YES YOU CAN STILL GO TO SCHOOL. LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT WILL HELP. You still have rights. You do not need to wait for your academic or health records to arrive. You can go to preschool. You can go to a magnet program. You will get backpacks, school supplies, transportation, and school clothing.

SCHOOL HAS STARTED. CALL THIS NUMBER RIGHT AWAY!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

ONCE HOMELESS BILLIONAIRE INTERVIEW!

Blazer House in downtown LA is one of the projects that once homeless in his car, John Paul DeJoria, speaks about in this interview with Forbes Magazine!

Friday, September 16, 2011

MEDICARE FRAUD CRACKDOWN : HOMELESS

"A nationwide law enforcement crackdown has charged 91 people — including doctors and other medical professionals — with participating in Medicare fraud schemes involving $295 million in false billing...Attorney General Eric Holder and Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Wednesday that 70 people were charged in indictments unsealed Tuesday and Wednesday and 21 others were charged earlier, beginning Aug. 24. Charges were filed in Baton Rouge, La.; Brooklyn, N.Y.; Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston; Los Angeles and Miami.

"In Miami, U.S. Attorney Wifredo Ferrer said investigators noticed a new twist in which people who already were receiving Medicare disability checks were recruited with promises they could live in a halfway house in South Florida — as long as they agreed to receive mental health services they did not need. Many were addicted to drugs or alcohol, and some were homeless, and Ferrer said they would be threatened with eviction if they did not participate in the fraud scheme."

Thursday, September 15, 2011

FOSTER YOUTH : LOS ANGELES COUNTY : WRITING CONTEST

Contact Amanda Riddle at 323 938-9194
or email her at arridle @layouth.com (that's a newspaper)

EARN $100 for each story published.
WHAT'S YOUR STORY ABOUT LIVING IN FOSTER CARE?
If you are 14 to 18 and you write, this may be your chance to get published while letting other teenagers know what it's like to live in foster care!

Amanda Riddle will also welcome speaking at your school, group home, or foster agency.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

I HATE MY LIFE : EXCELLENT RESOURCES POSTED BY A FORMERLY HOMELESS MAN IN LOS ANGELES

Reading over the responses this man got when he called his "friends" to say he was homeless, we were thinking about what people said to us when we called them to tell them the same thing. (We just want to tell them all to GO TO HELL!)

This man has compiled a great list of resources - food - shelters - legal - health care.

We are honored to post his site as a resource and want to say THANK YOU!

Monday, September 12, 2011

GREAT BRITAIN HOMELESS HELD AS SLAVES

Breaking news. Britain passed an antislavery law long ago and then again last year. Now police are raiding a travelers camp where homeless were held as slaves.

"British police say they have rescued 24 men that were kept as virtual slaves - some for as long as 15 years. Police say many of the men, from England and parts of eastern Europe, were homeless and lured with promises of food and shelter."


(IS YOUR SHELTER TURNING YOU INTO AN UNPAID VOLUNTEER? A SLAVE?)

DO YOU SELL YOUR PRESCRIPTION MEDICINE ON THE STREET?

It's usually not legal, especially not when it's a psychotropic or strong pain killer, but some homeless sell part of their own prescriptions to make cash on the street.

It's not just drug addicts or abusers who are buying or selling.

Some homeless are lured into scams that involve doctors and pharmacies and billing the county or other governmental agency in order to make some money.

Friday, September 9, 2011

GIVING PLEDGE ORG BARRON HILTON

Barron Hilton is one of the people on this list of those who took the oath to give away at least 50% of their fortunes in this life or upon their death. Because the Hiltons, famous for their hotels around the world, are financing projects to end homelessness, we homeless take special interest...

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Monday, September 5, 2011

DAILY NEWS REPORTS ON SUN VALLEY HOMELESS



EXCERPTS AND OUR COMMENTS

"... photograph and interview men and women using a 30-question survey that includes questions about health problems and drug use. The homeless who participate will receive a $10 gift certificate to McDonald's. (WE ASK WHY THE PHOTOGRAPHS? DID YOU REPORT THEM TO HOMELAND SECURITY?)

"We're not going to promise housing, but what we can do is find services for people," said John Horn, co-chair of the San Fernando Valley Homeless Coalition. "The challenge will be to come to the parks and find those who do qualify." (WE ASK AND IF YOU AREN'T SICK ENOUGH TO RECIEVE SSI or SSDI?)

"Those who qualify will have the opportunity to move into one of the 60 new studio units at Glenoaks Gardens at 8925 Glenoaks Blvd., where a do-it-yourself carwash once stood. The complex is designed to serve the homeless and low-income mentally ill.

(REALLY? WE HEARD IT WAS ALL FOR PEOPLE WITH SERIOUS MENTAL ILLNESSES THAT ARE ALREADY IN MENTAL HEALTH PROGRAMS.)

All residents will pay rent and sign a lease agreement and receive supportive services. Those who don't qualify will be placed on a waiting list to enter temporary housing, or the shelter. But people can end up waiting for up to three years, Horn said, a result of the need and shortage of places. (WE KNOW PEOPLE WHO WAITED 8 YEARS OR MORE FOR SECTION 8.)
... Last year, the city helped build 1,600 supportive units - double the number compared to 2005 - and has 2,200 more in the pipeline, including many for military veterans. But many agree that may not be enough.

More than 51,000 people in Los Angeles County are homeless..."
(WE KNOW THERE ARE MORE BECAUSE OF ALL THE INVISIBLE HOMELESS WHO PROTECT THEIR PRIVACY AND PASS AS NOT HOMELESS!)

Friday, September 2, 2011

GARY SNYDER'S NONPROFIT WATCHDOG SITE

Link here and read a list of NON PROFITS who got BUSTED FOR FRAUD by GARY SYNDER and his WATCHDOGS! (This site links to his book and we'll be adding his blog to our blog list!)

DO YOU HAVE INFORMATION THAT ABOUT A NON PROFIT THAT SHOULD BE WATCHED FOR FRAUD?

We flagged these few examples of nonprofit mischief
1. St. Paul’s Memorial Episcopal Church (NY) $85,000
2. San Diego Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (CA) $70,000 (S.D.Union-Tribune)
3. Turning Pointe Therapeutic Riding $209,000 (Westerlysun.com)
4. The Starting Place (FL) $2 million (Sun-Sentinel.com)
5. California State Bar $675,000 (Law.com)
6. First Witness Child Abuse Resource Center (MN) $125,000 (wcco.com)
7. Fremont (MI) Area Community Foundation $20,000 (Muskegon Chronicle)
8. United Steelworkers of America (PA) $88,000 (Pitt. Post-Gazette)
9. Ranch Hope (NJ) $350,000 (nj.com)
10. First Witness Child Abuse Resource Center (MN) $125,000 (Duluth News Tribune)
11. Salem United Methodist Church $113,000 (FDLREPORTER.COM)
12. First Congregational Church (MI) $50,000 (Gaylord Herald-Times)
13. First Baptist Church on Highland Avenue (NC) $300,000 (journalnow.com)
14. Community Senior Serv (CA) $1 million (Huntington Beach Independent)
15. Southern Arizona Legal Aid $18,000 (azstarnet.com)