EXPOSE HOMELESSNESS

VALENTINES BUTTERFLIES

2012-12-14T06:12:00.000-08:00

2012-02-01T13:13:00.000-08:00

NATIONAL HOMELESS ORG - YOU DON'T NEED A HOME TO VOTE!

2012-01-31T17:25:00.000-08:00

All those politicians. Newt is against Foodstamps! You can vote even though you're homeless! Read the link!

400 ARRESTED IN OCCUPY WALLSTREET PROTESTS JANUARY 28 2012 - HOMELESSNESS PART OF THEIR EXPOSE!

2012-01-30T21:40:00.000-08:00

OCCUPY WALLSTREET HAS NOT STOPPED PROTESTING. Depending on the article you read, you may hear that most of the protesters are homeless, or that certain camps have rejected homeless from showing up for a free meal. This article by Terry Collins is about what happened over the weekend in Oakland California. Homelessness in America is an issue of dire poverty. Homeless may be 1% if the population that is opposite of the 1% who have great wealth.

ROLLING STONES - STREET FIGHTING MAN

2012-01-26T22:05:00.000-08:00

FOOD ROBBIN BOBBIN DUMPSTER DIVES AND GIVES AWAY FOOD

2012-01-25T18:35:00.000-08:00

FOOTHILL FAMILY SHELTER : SAN BERNADINO COUNTY

2012-01-23T15:10:00.000-08:00

SERVICE AREA : Upland, Ontario, Pomona, Montclair, Claremont and Rancho Cucamonga.

Foothill Family Shelter

1501 W. Ninth Street, Suite D Upland, CA 91786

(909) 920-0453

The Foothill Family Shelter began as St. Mark's Homeless Shelter and currently serves as a transitional facility for homeless adults and children from the west end of San Bernardino County and the east end of Los Angeles County.

SANTA BARBARA HOMELESS TRANSITION HOUSE - MC CUNE FAMILY SHELTER TO BENEFIT FROM SUMMER MARATHON RUN

2012-01-20T18:20:00.000-08:00

TRANSITION HOUSE family homeless shelter is one of nine Santa Barbara area nonprofits in the running to be the 2012 beneficiary of the SANTA BARBARA TRIATHLON takes place the weekend of Aug. 24-26 2012. Fund raiser for Transition House is Christienne Durbin.

“We have seen a great increase in the number of families seeking shelter since the housing and financial crises began — families that never thought they would someday need our services. The proceeds from the triathlon could help so many of our neighbors get back on their feet.”

http://transitionhouse.com/services/ this is the link to TRANSITION HOUSE which is the only shelter for families in Santa Barbara.

McCune Family Shelter
434 E. Ortega StreetSanta Barbara, CA 93101
Open: Evenings and Weekends
Phone:(805) 730-3848

HOMELESS SCIENCE WIZ KID SAMANTHA GARVEY INVITED BY PRESIDENT OBAMA TO THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS

2012-01-19T06:17:00.000-08:00

From AP PRESS: "A homeless New York teen who's a semifinalist in a prestigious national science contest has been invited to watch President Barack Obama's State of the Union address. Brentwood High School senior Samantha Garvey has been invited to the Jan. 24 speech as a guest of Long Island Congressman Steve Israel. Garvey's story of academic success despite financial hardships has gained nationwide attention. Last week, she was named one of 300 semifinalists in the Intel science contest. She's currently living in a homeless shelter, although Suffolk County officials are renovating a home for the Garvey family..."

Full article from AP Press linked here.

ORANGE COUNTY SERIAL KILLER OF HOMELESS A FORMER MARINE

2012-01-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

A LINK TO THE KTLA ARTICLE IS ABOVE. HERE IS OUR RESPONSE:

We're with the blog EXPOSE HOMELESSNESS By and For Homeless People. This story is disturbing but let it be understood that homeless people are targeted for harassment, beatings, and baiting, and not just by a crazy ex marine who may be been in mentally ill and psychotic when he killed easy targets - three sleeping men and then one who was stabbed with plenty of witnesses.

Towns want homeless ex residents moved out of sight and out of town. Police may have legitimate work in removing drug dealers from parks but they also move people who have nowhere else to sleep out of parks and encampments. We hear stories of our people being picked up by police, driven over town borders, having their bikes and suitcases thrown over a bridge or to the side of the road by police. We hear about people who are busted in motel rooms for no reason and police taking their cash on the way out.

Homeless and destitute people all over the United States and the World are treated as untouchables and without civil rights.

Shelters are temporary answers and staying in them sometimes requires severe compromises including heath and safety violations.

Social services are overwhelmed. Veterans fight for their benefits while Case Managers at Mental Health Facilities would rather a person get benefits than get well. ALL OF THIS IS APPARENTLY ACCEPTABLE TO THE MAJORITY SO WE ASK YOU, WHY WOULDN'T A KILLER FEEL CONFIDENT THAT HE COULD KILL AND GET AWAY WITH IT?

JOHN AND KEN THINK THEY CAN RUN A HOMELESS SHELTER : KFI : 50,000 WATTS OF IGNORANCE

2012-01-17T16:17:00.000-08:00

If Bill Handel and his staff and their joke about baiting homeless people with $5 bills weren't offensive enough for you, over the last week the JOHN AND KEN SHOW, also broadcast on KFI, a 50,000 watt station that broadcasts out of BURBANK, CALIFORNIA, is running a PROMO that features them having fun about the homeless as well. One of them suggests he should be running a homeless shelter.

In this case, PEOPLE WHO RUN HOMELESS SHELTERS in SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA and around the country ought to be calling KFI. Maybe John and Ken would like to interview the owners and operators of shelters. Or will ignorance continue to be CONSERVATIVE BLISS?

We're providing the link to their show so you can leave them a message or call them.

KFI AM 640
3400 W Olive Ave Ste 550
Burbank CA 91505
Business Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00AM-5:00PM
Main: (818) 559-2252
Programming: (818) 566-6476
KFI Newsroom: (323) CALL-KFI (225-5534)
Listener Line: (800) 520-1KFI (1534) Read more:

These two "Conservatives" ought to start asking themselves why over 40 million Americans, a record number, are in need of food stamps so that they can have enough to eat. And maybe they'd like to put the call out that Burbank Temporary Aid needs food donations, and we don't mean stale bread and junk food.

Conservatives often like to think that if someone looses their health insurance, their health, their job, their home, their marriage, and so on, it's all their fault and fitting punishment to end up on the street. This Holier than Thou attitude then allows them to sneer, snob, and snit, and focus their verbal abuse and other punishments as allowable behavior.

ATLANTA CHILDRENS SHELTER

2012-01-13T18:20:00.000-08:00

ATLANTA CHILDREN'S SHELTER is a recipient of 11ALIVE's RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS AWARD and the AWK SUE WIELAND EMBRACING POSSIBILITIES AWARD.

We're meeting more homeless coming into Southern California from the American South... Do homeless have it better here?

"Every morning 13,000 people in our city wake up with no place to call home. Approximately 2,500 of them are children. Founded in 1986, the Atlanta Children's Shelter provides free, quality day care, emotional support, an educational curriculum for homeless children, and focused social services for their families. Dedicated to helping families overcome the issues that contribute to homelessness, including domestic violence and job loss, the Atlanta Children's Shelter focuses on the long term self sufficiency of the family – which sets us apart from other Atlanta homeless shelters."

WE HAVE JUST LEARNED THAT ATLANTA IS THE NUMBER ONE AREA FOR CHILD PROSTITUTION AND SEX TRAFFICKING>

LISA MARIE PRESLEY HELPS THE HOMELESS

2012-01-10T13:50:00.000-08:00

Linking to Lisa Marie Presley's Foundation. This video, taken in New Orleans a few months ago, was part of a raising awareness gig' FLASH MOB TO END HOMELESSNESS.

ELVIS PRESLEY - KENTUCKY RAIN

2012-01-08T05:30:00.000-08:00

Becky reminded us that today is Elvis Presley's birthday. She is a big fan of Elvis, plays his music in the truck she's living in. Becky used to be a stunt woman? We sure do love this song!

THE TREVOR PROJECT TO PREVENT SUICIDE AMONG LGBTQ TEENS

2012-01-07T17:10:00.000-08:00

The Trevor Project is a national organization that focuses on crisis and suicide prevention for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

Since so many teens run away from home and end up on the streets (we think this is more dangerous than staying at home but won't judge your life) we feel this is an important issue.

TUJUNGA RESIDENTS WANT HOMELESS OUT OF WASH... BUT WHERE TO?

2012-01-04T18:50:00.000-08:00

Those residents of Tujunga want homeless to stop camping in the Wash, and we're linking to the KABC story here, but we ask WHERE TO?!

Why doesn't TUJUNGA area have a shelter? We know Tujunga wants someone else - maybe a big non profit - to come in and "clean up" their area of poor people. They don't want to know what happens to the homeless next. So long as they don't have to look at them, smell them, know they exist. THEY ARE IN DENIAL THAT IT COULD HAPPEN TO THEM TOO!
As for the 48 housing units for the homeless to be build when? How do we know that the homeless in Tujunga will be the ones who get to live there?

ORANGE COUNTY SERIAL KILLER ! THREE HOMELESS DEAD IN LAST FEW DAYS! HOMELESS PLEASE STICK TOGETHER!

2012-01-03T10:50:00.000-08:00

URGENT! A serial killer in Orange County has murdered three homeless people in the last few days. Police are warning the homeless to be extra careful. The dead homeless people are Lloyd Middaugh, James McGillivray, and Paula Smith.
Correction : That's Paulus Smit
Linking to KABC news!

Please do not sleep alone or isolated if you have any choice at all.
UPDATE January 17 2011: This is from the latest news article on KTLA which we will post the link to shortly: The victims were identified as James Patrick McGillivray, 53, killed in Placentia on Dec. 20; Lloyd Middaugh, 42, found in Anaheim on Dec. 28; Paulus Smit, 57, in Yorba Linda on Dec. 30; and John Berry, 64, who was killed Friday. Each victim was stabbed dozens of times, one more than 60 times, the district attorney said. The suspect may have had other victims targeted and his own father lost his house and has been living in a truck. Itzcoatl "Izzy" Ocampo is the supect. While we will allow the American Justice System to put this suspect to trial, we hope all of you who are reading this will think about the way homeless are targeted for hate crimes.

2012-01-01T06:50:00.000-08:00

CALIFORNIA MAKES DEEP CUTS IN WELFARE : MORE HOMELESS WILL BE THE RESULT

2011-12-30T13:50:00.000-08:00

Linking to this breaking news article from Yahoo...

"steps taken in recent years to cut costs and get more recipients back in the workforce have run head-on into the worst economic conditions since the Great Depression. Recipients have been left with fewer training programs, shrinking welfare checks and a shorter period during which they are eligible to receive assistance at a time when employment prospects for even highly qualified job-seekers are dim."

"Funding for CalWorks, the welfare-to-work program that is the state's main welfare service, was cut by $1 billion this year. The legislation that reduced the spending also shortened the amount of time a recipient can stay on welfare, from 60 months to 48, while also reducing monthly checks by at least 8 percent.

SIMON and GARFUNKLE - SOUNDS OF SILENCE

2011-12-29T14:10:00.000-08:00

2011-12-25T06:10:00.000-08:00

HUMAN TRAFFICKING - SLAVERY - SEX SLAVES - RICHMOND JUSTICE INITIATIVE

2011-12-22T05:30:00.000-08:00

We were inspired by reading a Cosmopolitan Magazine article about this issue and we want to give you a list of organizations from that article that are working on Sex Slavery, Child Prostitution, and the use and abuse of other human beings for profit.

linked above : RICHMOND JUSTICE INITIATIVE

HOMELESS MEMORIAL DAY IS TODAY

2011-12-21T06:35:00.000-08:00

This is the day that we remember those homeless who didn't make it off the streets or out of the shelter or out of abusive relationships and died. Sadly, there are too many. The streets are hard. If you weren't drinking, drugging, or committing some crime to make money before you landed on the street, it's going to be a challenge to not start. So many homeless do have a history of drug abuse or mental illness. Shelters are only a temporary answer and while you're in one you are still homeless. The drinking, drugging, and crimes committed in shelters is also a problem for those who don't want to be around that.

WHAT IS THE ANSWER?

DIONNE WARWICK I SAY A LITTLE PRAYER

2011-12-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

BILL HANDEL : KFI : THE JOKES ON THE HOMELESS : HANDEL AND STAFF NEED A LESSON IN HOMELESSNESS

2011-12-18T05:05:00.000-08:00

A few days ago, shortly after 5 am in the morning when the Bill Handle show begins on KFI radio, Bill had a real joke to tell about the homeless. HA HA HA HA HA! His dummy staff chimed in behind him.

Without any sensitivity at all, which is Handle's Hallmark, he began to deride homeless people, as drunks and beggars, who use the handouts they receive only for alcohol. Handle added that it was a FAMILY CHARACTERISTIC to bait homeless beggars with five dollar bills. He said this was what his brother did, and of course we homeless, when we see five dollar bills our eyes get real wide. Oh yes sir, do we want that five dollar bill.

When we heard that we thought of the stereotype that used to play of blacks; their eyes got real big too didn't they?

Of course it is cheap to deride people who are picked on and often defenseless and have to hide to survive. Handle and staff are PART OF THE SAME PROBLEM that allows teenagers to beat the living hell out of homeless.

It has been 40 degrees at night this past week in many parts of Los Angeles, colder where the wind blows, and it's been raining. Handle and his staff have apparently never spent a night standing under an overhang trying to stay dry and warm. Handle and his staff apparently do not know that while many homeless are drug addicted or alcoholic, the majority are not.

Handle and his jokey staff need to spend a week out in the cold, sleeping on cement (personally we don't think they could even handle (ha ha!) sleeping on a cot in a cold weather shelter for a week. They should do so with five dollars in their pockets, no ID, no access to food without locating and attending feeds, and try out the humiliation some of us feel to have to beg for our meal or for the bus fare to get to the next one. They should feel what it's like to go a week without a shower. They should pick their clothes off giveaway tables. They should find themselves thrown out of (or asked to leave) restaurants and coffee houses, where they are trying to have a meal, because they stink.

WE INVITE BILL HANDLE AND HIS STAFF to read this blog so they won't think IGNORANCE IS FUNNY OR EVEN ACCEPTABLE broadcasting on their 50,000 watt station.

GO TO HELL HANDEL!

Thanks Buffy for letting us know we spelled his name wrong in the original post. We've also decided to link to his official site so you can see what he looks like and maybe contact him yourself!

UPDATED! A DISASTER OF PLANNING ! LA FAMILY HOUSING AWARDS THE KEYS TO GLEN OAKS APARTMENTS IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS

2011-12-17T08:37:00.000-08:00

UPDATE : BELOW IS THE ORIGINAL POST

Promises were made. Some promises were kept.

This week final decisions were made about which homeless sheltered at Los Angeles Family Housing and other County of Mental Health Programs will live at GLEN OAKS.

LA Family personnel, wearing their blue T-shirts, were there to oversee the hanging of blinds and installation of furniture. There are 60 units and by Christmas most of them will be lived in, leaving vacancies that the LA Family Housing wait list people will quickly take. We know that many residents have waited over a year, even two or three years, to get those keys, under threat of being terminated the whole time.

We're waiting to hear from new residents about their experience living at GLEN OAKS.

How involved in your personal life will employees (case management) of LA FAMILY HOUSING be? If you have problems with other residents will they be involved in the resolution? What do you have to do to get kicked out? (We hate to bring that up!)

We wish the best to all of you who have come this far to get housing. We hope you will be happy, healthy, and see this residency as a stepping stone to greater independence and the kind of life you really want to live!

By the way, word on the street is that LA FAMILY HOUSING has just bought another building but is still claiming they have no money to provide promised deposit money for residents moving into Section 8 and other housing! Right!

HERE IS THE UPDATE! SHAMEFULLY and ALMOST UNBELIEVABLY, THE GLEN OAKS MOVE IN HAS TURNED OUT TO BE A DISASTER IN PLANNING! A GOOD NUMBER OF RESIDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN LIVING IN SHELTER CONDITIONS WAITING TO BE MOVED, TOLD IT WOULD BE OCTOBER, NO AUGUST, NO IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS 2011, MOVED TO GLEN OAKS, but before they could get comfortable or pop a champagne cork in celebration, THEY WERE TOLD THEY HAD NOT BEEN APPROVED AND WERE MOVED BACK TO THE SHELTER! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN? ARE WE TO BELIEVE THAT FROM CEO STEPHANIE DOWN TO JOHN THE DIRECTOR TO THE CASE MANAGERS NO ONE KNEW THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS FOR MOVING RESIDENTS INTO THE BUILDING. AGAIN, HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE?

HAS YOUR VEHICLE BEEN TOWED BECAUSE YOU CANNOT AFFORD TO REGISTER IT?

2011-12-15T08:10:00.000-08:00

ONE DAY YOU ARE LIVING IN YOUR VAN or RV and PARKING IT ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET, careful to move it every few days so that no one notices you're living in there.

The next day it's been towed, with all your possessions inside, and you can't afford to get it out of impound.

There goes your shelter.

Welcome to life on the street.

Unaffordable rents. Greedy landlords. Landlords who evict so they can raise the rent on units under rent control.

Where does it end?

With you on the street.

IT'S RAINING AND COLD IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

2011-12-13T20:50:00.000-08:00

If you're one of the many who sleep outside and use fast food restaurants or libraries to keep warm and dry during the day, and be near a bathroom, then you know that it's extremely cold outside in southern California with the REAL FEEL close to freezing some nights in the last week or so. One of the problems here is that not too many people keep winter clothing like they do back east. So that means that donated coats, hats, scarves, gloves, rain boots, warm boots that you can walk in (homeless women do not need spike heels) are few.

Some long term homeless do acclimate to the colder temperatures but usually the cold brings with it bad health.

Last year a homeless man we met, who had lost a house on the West Side, then been evicted when he and his room mate failed to pay the rent, lasted about 6 months outside before he died. He was in a car in someones back yard that didn't run for a while, and then on a screened in sun porch that hid him but had no heat. Depressed or maybe without the resources to pay for medicine, he went without. This man looked for work using public computers every day and managed to shower and keep himself looking clean (not homeless looking) through the use of public showers such as at the gym and the roving shower truck.

Cold weather shelters can help, but many people who have never been on the street are afraid of them, don't like their family separated within the shelter, or use them only when they can't take it any more, or do not want to give personal information in order to stay in them. We believe that every city should have its own year round shelter rather than expect homeless, especially not newly homeless, to move to skid row in downtown.

2011 NATIONAL HOMELESS DAY IS DECEMBER 21

2011-12-11T14:10:00.000-08:00

NATIONAL HOMELESS DAY ! Linking to the site: You can always have your own personal memorial.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN - THE GHOST OF TOM JOAD

2011-12-09T15:20:00.000-08:00

HAVE OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE VICTIMIZED YOU?

2011-12-06T14:35:00.000-08:00

Victimized ??

HOMELESS PEOPLE STEALING FROM OTHER HOMELESS.

HOMELESS PEOPLE RAPING OTHER HOMELESS.

HOMELESS PEOPLE SABOTAGING OTHER HOMELESS.

ARE YOU PART OF A COMMUNITY THAT PROTECTS MEMBERS FROM OUTSIDER HOMELESS WHO PREY ON OTHERS?

We know it, we've experienced it, we think it's terrible!

We'd like to hear from you!

NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN - COUNCIL THRIFT SHOPS - 2011 CLOTHING GIVEAWAY SERVED HUNDREDS

2011-12-05T19:09:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was the annual NATIONAL COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN (COUNCIL THRIFT SHOPS) CLOTHING GIVEAWAY in the Fairfax district of Los Angeles, and the line up started a couple hours before they opened. MEN, WOMENS, and CHILDRENS clothing, books and stuffed animals, and some social services appeared giving out information including PATH HOLLYWOOD. Our estimate is that at least 500 people attended the three hour event, with clothing almost running out towards the end there.

The flyer said not to bring any suitcases or bags, and we think that means that street homeless people were not welcome, because that means hiding your things in the bushes or trusting someone else with it.

As usual we wondered how many people were truly in need or just lining up because something was free, when we saw nice cars and SUV's pulling up and letting out people who often went line crashing and got away with it. We're suggesting to the National Council of Jewish Women that perhaps vouchers for entry should be part of the process. These could easily be given out at SOVA food banks or through case managers at homeless shelters. Bags were provided based on the number of people in the family and this was on an honor system. As usual there were some hoarders.

The homeless and poor of Los Angeles who recieved clothing, and most of it was in great shape, clean and presentable, do say THANK YOU to the COUNCIL OF JEWISH WOMEN!

For more information on services through them call 323-651-2930

SHIP TO SHELTER HOLLAND AMERICA CRUISE LINE

2011-12-03T07:20:00.000-08:00

2011-12-01T18:27:00.001-08:00

CONEJO VALLEY WINTER SHELTER

2011-11-28T19:05:00.000-08:00

Conejo Valley Winter Shelter: For Information Call: (805) 497-6207

Open: December 1st – March 31st
Serves: Families first, working singles next
Services: Place to sleep and hot meal, showers on Wednesday
Check In: 5:45 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. (Do not come before 5:30 p.m.) Dinner at 6:30 p.m.
Capacity: 25 – 30 (varies by site)

Sunday: Temple Adat Alohim Wednesday: Westminster Presbyterian Church
2420 E. Hillcrest, T.O. 32111 Watergate Rd., Westlake

Monday: Holy Trinity Lutheran Thursday: Chinese Christian Church
1 W. Avenida de Los Arboles, T.O. 218 W. Janns Rd., T.O.
Tuesday: Calvary Community Church Friday: Thousand Oaks

United Methodist
5495 Via Rocas, Westlake 1000 E. Janss Rd., T.O.
Saturday: Saint Julie Billiart Catholic Church
2475 Borchard Rd., Newbury Park

BUTTERFLY - OUR PERFECT SYMBOL

2011-11-25T07:51:00.000-08:00

THANKSGIVING - THE BIG HOMELESS HOLIDAY

2011-11-24T10:40:00.000-08:00

OPINION BY DC.
Thanksgiving is the BIG HOMELESS HOLIDAY. This is the day that homeless charities focus on and it's maybe bigger than Christmas since Christmas is for Christians and Thanksgiving is for everyone. Pictures of Homeless People who Fit The Stereotype - usually bearded men from skid row who are on the pavement - are circulated and, though those people are part of our population, they are also the stereotype.

It's that stereotype that holds a lot of other homeless people down. As soon as people hear "homeless" they think you spent time on the street as a drug addict. So while the charities collect a lot of money based on that stereotype, many of us find THERE ARE NO SERVICES FOR THOSE OF US WHO WERE NEVER ON THE STREET, NEVER ON DRUGS, WHO DO NOT HAVE CRIMINAL RECORDS.

Finding a shelter that gives a shit about you is even more difficult if you are CHILDLESS and SINGLE! There is so much focus on familys, women with children, abused women.

So today I'm thankful that I'm not on the street. I'm also frustrated that there isn't much out there for homeless people like me.

DO YOU HAVE BLADDER OR URINARY TRACK INFECTIONS BECAUSE YOU HAVE TO HOLD IT

2011-11-23T13:30:00.000-08:00

OR ARE YOU DEHYDRATED?

Many of us are because drinking enough fluid means you have to have easy access to a toilet. Many homeless women "hold it" for long periods of time, especially when living in vehicles.

We have to use public restrooms.

We need to park near 24 hours supermarkets that will let us use the toilet.

BURBANK TEMPORARY AID NEEDS FOOD DONATIONS

2011-11-22T10:31:00.000-08:00

Burbank Tempporary Aid is one of three places that benefited from the BURBANK GRATITUDE CAMPAIGN. The three libraries in Burbank were accepting food donations to benefit Burbank Temporary Aid, the Salvation Army, and Family Services Agency, Burbank.

You can donate food at any time. Burbank Temporary Aid (BTAC) is linked here.
818-848-2844
M-F 9-12 and 1:30-5

SANTA PAULA HOMELESS SHELTER

2011-11-21T07:06:00.000-08:00

Santa Paula
Richard’s House Family Shelter : For Information call: (805) 340-5025
Site: El Buen Pastor Methodist Church – 1029 E. Santa Paula St., Santa Paula
Open: December 4th – April 30th
Serves: Families and singles. Preference to Santa Paula residents.
Services: Place to sleep and dinner, breakfast, sack lunch.
Hours: 5:00pm – 7:30 am
Capacity: 24
Note: Drop In Center – Mon – Fri – 8:30 –noon
First United Methodist Church, 133 N. Mill Street, Santa Paula

CRISIS ORG GREAT BRITAIN EXPOSES THE TRUTH ACROSS THE BIG POND

2011-11-20T10:30:00.000-08:00

CRISIS ORG IS THE NATIONAL CHARITY FOR SINGLE HOMELESS PEOPLE IN GREAT BRITAIN.

"In one case a 17-year-old was told to return to her family home although she said feared sexual assault there. In another, a mystery shopper who said he was sleeping rough was told to come back with six months' pay slips and bank statements."

BUTTERFLIES ON THISTLE

2011-11-19T18:20:00.000-08:00

SOVA GIVES OUT 850 CHICKENS (and the fixings) THANKS TO REPUBLIC SERVICES

2011-11-18T14:08:00.000-08:00

SOVA Food Bank located on Vanowen and Havenhurst in the San Fernando Valley, gave out 850 chickens (along with corn, stuffing, yams, cranberry sauces, etc.) yesterday in a major give out that had hundreds standing in line. REPUBLIC SERVICES - a RECYCLING and WASTE COLLECTION company provided the chickens.

Homeless and Low Income people who benefited want to thank SOVA and REPUBLIC SERVICES. We're linking to that company above. We think it's interesting because so many homeless recycle for money.

DO YOU TWITTER OTHER HOMELESS JUST TO KEEP TRACK OF WHERE EVERYONE IS AND HOW THEY ARE?

2011-11-17T19:29:00.000-08:00

TWITTER to stay in touch with members of your tribe?USE TWITTER OR OTHER SOCIAL NETWORKING TO KEEP IN TOUCH WITH OTHER HOMELESS PEOPLE AROUND THE COUNTRY?

THE GLEANERS HARVEST THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF BACKYARD FRUIT FOR FOOD BANKS - THE JEWISH JOURNAL'S RYAN TOROK REPORTS

2011-11-14T19:30:00.000-08:00

A portion of this article:

"On this October morning, it took 10 volunteers just two hours to pick approximately 1,200 pounds of oranges from four trees — and that’s a small pick.

Since Food Forward got its start in early 2009, its troops have harvested approximately 575,000 pounds of fruit from more than 300 sites.

That’s “2.3 million servings of fruit,” Rick Nahmias, the organization’s founder and executive director, said proudly. “And of course every week that goes up.” ...

Currently, the group organizes about 15 to 20 picks each month — most often in Northridge, Granada Hills, Chatsworth, Reseda and other areas of the San Fernando Valley. Before the region was developed into today’s suburban sprawl, it was nearly all orchards, and thousands of fruit trees in residents’ yards still yield an overabundance of citrus year round, thanks to the warm climate."
WE ARE ADDING THE FOOD FORWARD WEB SITE TO OUR SIDE BAR LISTED UNDER FOOD. phone 818.530.4125 if your background needs harvested or you want to help pick fruit for local foodbanks.

VENTURA COUNTY HOMELESS SHELTERS

2011-11-13T07:15:00.000-08:00

Our Place Shelter: 538 E. Thompson Blvd., Ventura (805) 652-2151
Operated by: Turning Point Foundation
Open: Year Round
Serves: Homeless mentally ill/single men and women
Services: Place to sleep, shower, meals, laundry facilities, mail and phone, case management
Must do intake interview: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (There is a waiting list).
Capacity: 10

Oxnard
Ventura County Rescue Mission: 234 E. 6th Street, Oxnard (805) 487-1234
Operated by: The Rescue Mission Alliance
Open: Year Round
Serves: Single men
Services: Place to sleep, hot meal, and shower.
Check In: 5:30 p.m.
Capacity: 35
Policy: After sheltering for 10 nights, must vacate for 5 days before returning

SUN VALLEY HOMELESS RESOURCE FAIR - NOVEMBER 16 2011

2011-11-11T07:15:00.000-08:00

HOPE OF THE VALLEY RESCUE MISSION
8165 North San Fernando Road, Sun Valley, CA 91352

Mental Health, medical Care, Veterans Services and Benefits, ID Assistance, etc.

10 AM to 2 PM

JANIS JOPLIN ME AND BOBBY MCGEE

2011-11-10T15:57:00.000-08:00

HOMELESS SHELTERS LOS ANGELES 2011 NOW OPEN - WEST LOS ANGELES NATIONAL GUARD

2011-11-09T06:50:00.000-08:00

LA TIMES ARTICLE MENTIONS WEST LOS ANGELES NATIONAL GUARD OPENING EARLY DUE TO FAR MORE HOMELESS IN VENICE AND WESTCHESTER. This may be an very cold winter even for sunny southern California.

Article doesn't mention where in Venice Beach they are picking up people.

WE SUGGEST YOU CALL THE NUMBER BELOW FOR ASSISTANCE!
1-800-548-5047 which is www.lahsa.org

GLENDALE ARMORY COLD WEATHER SHELTER OPEN - SALEM LUTHERAN CHURCH OUTREACH

2011-11-07T14:10:00.000-08:00

WERE SORRY BUT WE ARE BEING TOLD THAT THE INFORMATION BELOW IS NOT CORRECT FOR THE 2011-2012 COLD WEATHER SEASON. SEE COMMENTS BELOW.
PLEASE CALL 211 for SHELTER INFORMATION.
Salem Lutheran Church
1211 North Brand Blvd.
Glendale, CA 91202
818 243-3193

Will be running the GLENDALE ARMORY as a cold weather shelter.
Armory is at 220 East Colorado Street, Glendale, CA 92105
PLEASE CALL 211 FOR SHELTER INFORMATION

SIMI VALLEY HOMELESS SHELTER

2011-11-06T07:00:00.000-08:00

Simi Valley P.A.D.S. (805) 579-9166
(Call Mon –Thurs. 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. only)

CALL FOR 2011 UPDATES CONTACT US IF ANY MORE INFORMATION

Rotating Hot Meal Sites – Year Round - Call (805) 579-9166 for locations.
Dinner every Thursday 5-7
at Still Waters Café ( Shepherd of the Valley Church – 4191 Cochran St.)
Rotating Church Sites:
Open: November 1st – April 15th

Serves: Families and singles
Services: Place to sleep and hot meal
Check In: 7:45 p.m. (No early arrivals)
Capacity: 30 – 40 (Varies by site )

Shelter Sleep Sites: CALL FOR 2011 UPDATES
Sunday: Knights of Columbus Wednesday: Seventh Day Adventist
1255 Patricia Avenue 1636 Sinaloa Road
Monday: Cornerstone Church Thursday: Community Church
Tapo & Valley Fair 2000 Royal Avenue
Tuesday: Stone Bridge Community Friday: Shepherd of the Valley
4832 Cochran St. 4191

LOST BOYS BY KRISTEN HINMAN : SAN FRANCISCO WEEKLY : BOYS ARE UNDERAGE PROSTITUTES

2011-11-05T15:20:00.000-07:00

Linking here to an article called "LOST BOYS," By Kristen Hinman, which appeared in the San Francisco and Los Angeles Weekly. In this article we learn that there are few beds across the nation for teenagers involved in prostitution, that only 10% say they have pimps, that teenage boys represent an ignored population of teen prostitutes - up to 40% - and that there are rapes in shelters... (We knew about rapes in shelters.) Researcher Mary Finn a criminologist says research in Atlanta was foiled.

OJAI VALLEY FAMILY SHELTER - ROTATING CHURCH SITES VENTURA COUNTY

2011-11-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

Ojai Valley Family Shelter: For information call: (805) 804-7094
Rotating Church Sites
Open: December 1st – March 31st
CALL FOR 2011 DATES CONTAT US IF ANY UPDATES NEEDED
Serves: Ojai residents: families and singles as space allows
Services: Hot meal, place to sleep and shower.
Check In: 6:00 PM.
Capacity: 25 to 30

Sites:
Sunday: Wesleyan Church Wednesday: St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
S. Ventura & Topa Topa St., Ojai 409 Topa Topa, Ojai

Monday: Ojai Valley Grange Hall Thursday: Ojai Presbyterian Church
381 Cruzero, Mira Monte 304 N. Foothill, Ojai

Tuesday: St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Friday: Ojai Community Church
185 St. Thomas Drive, Ojai 907 El Centro

OTHER LOCATIONS

VENTURA COUNTY HOMELESS SHELTER - SAINT VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY COUNCIL LOS ANGELES and other SHELTERS

2011-11-02T06:20:00.000-07:00

Assistance Hot-Line Saint Vincent de Paul Society
888-552-7872

"This program operates from the beginning of December to the end of March, during the hours of 6:00 PM to 6:00 AM, and provides transportation to the shelter site; intake, case-management and referral services; dinner; showers; television entertainment; cots or air mattresses for sleeping; blankets that are assigned to each client and laundered weekly; a light breakfast; and transportation to a drop-off site."

West County Winter Shelter: For information call “ 211 “or (805) 385-1800
Operated by: Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Open Approx: December 6th – March 31st (funds permitting)

CALL FOR 2011 DATES
Serves: Families and Singles
Services: Hot meal, place to sleep and shelter
Check In: 6:00 PM. – Oxnard National Guard Armory – 351 S. “K” Street, Oxnard
Capacity: 125 Dinner 6:30 -7:30 pm
No transportation provided. Use Gold Coast Transit bus #6. Call 643-3158 for the schedule.

FOOD BANKS EXPERIENCING FOOD SHORTAGES AROUND THE COUNTRY

2011-11-01T20:45:00.000-07:00

Dana Bartholowmew is reporting in the Daily News - San Fernando Valley Edition - that there is one fifth the donations going to LA REGIONAL FOOD BANK, which then provides 600 other food banks. If you're reading this and are a HAVE, please contact them at 818-474-1283.

Linking to their web site.

2011-11-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

SIGNS SIGNS EVERYWHERE SIGNS - FIVE MAN ELECTRIC BAND

2011-10-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

LA FAMILY HOUSING CASE MANAGERS REACH OUT TO HOMELESS IN THE PARKS BUT CAN'T HELP THE HOMELESS THEY ALREADY HAVE IN THEIR SHELTER

2011-10-26T07:15:00.000-07:00

So we've been hearing the stories on the street about this for a few months now.

LA FAMILY HOUSING boasts that it's the biggest and best shelter in Los Angeles County, and has case managers outreaching by appearing in known homeless locations to hand out their business cards and make their little pitch that they can help BUT THE SHELTER HAS BEEN TERMINATING (THROWING OUT) RESIDENTS THEY PROMISED TO HELP LEFT AND RIGHT. Some of these people are now in other shelters, in cars, in parks, and in abandoned buildings. We don't want to pick on LA Family Housing, just that it's kind of like the Titanic. Other ships sunk but they didn't boast that they wouldn't.

The shelter puts out a newsletter that boasts about their success stories and gives some numbers which must be real impressive to all those donors who are philanthropists.

But what we want to know is HOW MANY PEOPLE DOES THE SHELTER TAKE IN and terminate without housing? Maybe those success numbers aren't so impressive after all.

IF YOU ARE A CURRENT or PAST RESIDENT OF LA FAMILY HOUSING or ANY OTHER SHELTER and had been promised housing and been terminated without it, we want to hear your story.

You can use comments to leave your story or your contact info without being identified if you don't want to be. Just let us know that you do or don't want with the comment.

SUSAN FREUDENHEIM OF THE JEWISH JOURNAL LOS ANGELES REPORTS ON FOOD INSECURITY

2011-10-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

A portion of this article :

On Yom Kippur, we fast to focus our minds. We give up food for 25 hours as a mitzvah, but it is also our choice.

That’s not the situation for more than 50 million Americans — right now, one in six Americans is living with food insecurity — which means they either are constantly at risk of being without their next meal or living with disrupted food patterns. This shocking number comes from a study just released by Feeding America, a food-relief organization. These people do not choose to be hungry.

And here are some even more stark statistics:
• 17 million of America’s children live with food insecurity.
• Only 10 percent of the 50 million are homeless.
• About 36 percent of food-insecure families include one working adult.

This problem is rampant in a country that prides itself on being one of the most affluent in the world.

WE ARE ADDING MAZON - A JEWISH RESPONSE TO HUNGER ON OUR SIDEBAR UNDER FOOD.

UJJALDIDAR SINGH MEMORIAL FOUNDATION - SIIK

2011-10-22T13:05:00.000-07:00

Ujjaldidar Singh Memorial Foundation have been getting together and volunteering at the Sylmar Homeless Shelter. This is appreciated. It is never happy to think you've been totally forgotten. But some of us would like religious communities other than Christian Missions to open shelters for those of us who are not Christian. So will you think about that?

CATHOLIC CHARITIES LOS ANGELES

2011-10-19T06:40:00.000-07:00

Catholic Charities seem to have homeless shelters around the country and each has it's own web site. This is the one for Los Angeles. We noticed that there is a shelter in LANCASTER, CALIFORNIA run by Catholic Charities. They also run the GOOD SHEPARD HOME FOR WOMEN near the city of Los Angeles.

TONI BRAXTON UNBREAK MY HEART

2011-10-17T21:24:00.000-07:00

OCCUPY WALLSTREET

2011-10-13T06:11:00.000-07:00

They are in the news and they might even be YOU! OCCUPY WALLSTREET has an official web site!

ATLANTA HOMELESS TASK FORCE

2011-10-11T12:10:00.000-07:00

Atlanta George Homeless Task Force reminds us that if we see someone out in the cold they may have been turned away from a shelter... lots of information!

DENNY LAINE GO NOW

2011-10-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

BLACK GREY AND GREEN BUTTERFLY

2011-10-08T19:17:00.000-07:00

TALK TALK I BELIEVE IN YOU

2011-10-06T06:30:00.000-07:00

HAWAII H.O.M.E MEDICAL PROJECT for the HOMELESS

2011-10-03T07:10:00.000-07:00

"The following statistics are quite discouraging:

Statewide, 12-15,000 people are homeless at some point of the year.
At least 6,000 are homeless at any given day.
Children make up 23.5-39% of the homeless.
17-42% of Hawaii's homeless are employed full-time.
37% of the homeless are of Native Hawaiian ethnicity."

BET IT'S THAT HIGH COST OF HOUSING AGAIN!
Life's not a beach for these people!

2011-10-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

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

2011-09-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

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!

THE ASSOCIATION - EVERYTHING THAT TOUCHES YOU

2011-09-29T15:40:00.000-07:00

PATH ACHIEVE IS NOW INDEPENDENT - NEW NAME IS ASENCIA

2011-09-26T18:20:00.000-07:00

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.

WE ARE VISABLE : SOCIAL MEDIA SIGN UP :

2011-09-25T13:07:00.000-07:00

FULLERTON POLICE CHARGED IN DEATH OF HOMELESS

2011-09-22T18:06:00.000-07:00

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.

HOMELESS VETERANS : 8th ANNUAL STAND DOWN : COMPTON : SEPTEMBER 24-26th

2011-09-21T07:05:00.000-07:00

8th ANNUAL HOMELESS VETERAN STAND DOWN

September 24-26 2011
4116 East Compton Blvd, Compton, Los Angeles County, California

SERVICES WILL INCLUDE HOUSING ASSISTANCE, EMPLOYMENT, VA BENEFITS, ENROLLMENT, MEDICAL, and MENTAL HEALTH. Legal Assistance, Military Records, Dental Care, Public Health, Support Groups, Social Security, Vision Screening, Food, Clothing, Showers, Haircuts, Entertainment.

SHUTTLE PICK UP LOCATIONS
Gardenia Vet Center
1045 West Redondo Beach Blvd.
Gardena, CA 90247

NEW IMAGE SHELTER
3804 Broadway Place
Los Angeles, CA 90037

COMPTON BLUE LINE STATION
Compton Blvd and Willowbrook Ave.

ARTESIA BLUE LINE STATION
Artesia Blvd and Acacia in Compton

LAKEWOOD VFW
Post 8615
2805 South St
Long Beach, CA 90805

GENERAL INFORMATION 310 -348-7600

U.S. VETS - LINKED HERE

PREPREGISTER at StandDownHelp@gmail.com

HUNGER ACTION DAY in LA is THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22nd 2011

2011-09-20T14:58:00.001-07:00

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

2011-09-20T14:37:00.000-07:00

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

Linking again to this great site... look for the updates for 2011!

LOS ANGELES UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT HOMELESS EDUCATION PROGRAM

2011-09-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

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!

ONCE HOMELESS BILLIONAIRE INTERVIEW!

2011-09-17T14:27:00.000-07:00

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!

MEDICARE FRAUD CRACKDOWN : HOMELESS

2011-09-16T19:17:00.000-07:00

"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."

FOSTER YOUTH : LOS ANGELES COUNTY : WRITING CONTEST

2011-09-15T18:17:00.000-07:00

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.

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

2011-09-14T18:15:00.000-07:00

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!

MAMAS and the PAPAS CALIFORNIA DREAMIN

2011-09-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

GREAT BRITAIN HOMELESS HELD AS SLAVES

2011-09-12T19:05:00.000-07:00

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?

2011-09-12T13:47:00.000-07:00

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.

COLORING BOOK BUTTERFLY - FOR OUR HOMELESS CHILDREN

2011-09-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

GIVING PLEDGE ORG BARRON HILTON

2011-09-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

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...

HOW DO YOU MANAGE YOUR MENSES SLEEPING IN A CAR OR VAN ?

2011-09-07T19:30:00.000-07:00

Tampons, pads, having to go more often.

How do you manage?

Even if you have a pee bottle in the van it can get messy.

DAILY NEWS REPORTS ON SUN VALLEY HOMELESS

2011-09-05T14:07:00.000-07:00

FULL ARTICLE LINKED...

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!)

TEN BUTTERFLIES

2011-09-04T08:40:00.000-07:00

PETE SEEGER MICHAEL RODE THE BOAT ASHORE

2011-09-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

GARY SNYDER'S NONPROFIT WATCHDOG SITE

2011-09-02T17:30:00.000-07:00

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)

2011-09-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

BLUE AND PURPLE BUTTERFLY

2011-08-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

IRENE CARA - OUT HERE ON MY OWN

2011-08-27T19:39:00.000-07:00

IS LOS ANGELES HOMELESS COURT A REAL OPPORTUNITY?

2011-08-25T07:35:00.000-07:00

LINKING HERE TO AN OPINION BLOG ABOUT HOMELESSNESS.

There is one thing we would like to discuss - REHABILITATION!

The idea that all homeless people need " REHABILITATION" is FALSE ! WHAT PEOPLE NEED IS HOUSING. HOME. ONLY WHEN SOMEONE IS UNSHELTERED AND FORCED TO LIVE LIKE AN ANIMAL FOR DURATION DO THEY START LOOSING THEIR HUMANITY.

LOS ANGELES FAMILY HOUSING and NEW IMAGE GOSSIP OVERHEARD AT MEND : YOU'RE BRANDED IN THE 211 COMPUTER SYSTEM SO GO AHEAD AND TRY TO SHELTER HOP!

2011-08-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

Several weeks back, in the waiting area of MEND, several residents or ex residents of Los Angeles Family Housing started talking about case management and the tactics used on them.

Residents or ex residents said that the threat of being sent to NEW IMAGE shelter in down town Los Angeles (skid row) had been made to them for "non compliance" (disobedience) when they were also threatened with termination from the LAFH program. "Non compliance" included refusing to "go mental" in order to get SSI benefits, having too many possessions in their assigned space, or not finding housing with a Section 8 voucher fast enough and included the threat that if they did not take an apartment they would loose the voucher and be "sent" to New Image.

We say this! NO ONE HAS TO GO TO A SHELTER just because CASE MANAGEMENT at one says they are "sending" them.

Homeless people who had stayed at NEW IMAGE said that they knew that case managers from both shelters seemed to have a relationship. There was even talk overheard of LAFH and NEW IMAGE employees going on a cruise together.

Then the fact that calling 211 for shelter or other needs means having your records accessed in a database. If you call for EMERGENCY SHELTER, if you are in the database (and you will be because LAFH and other Los Angeles County and Orange County shelters insist you sign that they be allowed to share information), you may be branded trouble because you DID NOT LIKE THE WAY YOU WERE TREATED AT ONE SHELTER OR ANOTHER and be refused admittance at another.
SHELTERS are NOT THE BIG SOLUTION FOR HOMELESS. They are temporary and better in most cases than being on the street but they are as close to the street as you can get.

Many homeless do not want to be part of a program that is cold hearted and all about statistics to get more funding which can be used for case managers pay checks.

SHELTERS should all be aware that homeless compare notes wherever they go.

SKID ROW NEEDLE EXCHANGE and HOMELESS HEALTH CARE

2011-08-19T15:47:00.000-07:00

If you are living in an SRO or in SKID ROW HOUSING TRUST buildings, you are eligible for health care. This article from USC mentions the NEEDLE EXCHANGE and HIV prevention.

HILTON FOUNDATION PHILANTHROPY 13 MILLION TO FUND HOMELESSNESS PROJECTS

2011-08-16T09:35:00.000-07:00

Conrad Hilton Foundation has pledged 9 more million in 2010 to create 2500 new places to live in Los Angeles for the long term homeless.

We appreciate that, but we also want the foundation to hold those organizations that have received funds to ACCOUNTABILITY.

Those of us in shelters often find that life in the shelter is difficult - even hellish. And shelters are where we wait for that permanent housing in some form:

"Rent Free" Caregiving assignments as long as the person we are assigned to is alive. Caregiving is one of the ways some of us became homeless.

Being forced or heavily pressured into room mating with other people we meet at the shelter.

And when you aren't compatible and one person gets arrested or goes back to drug use, then what?

Single Room Occupancies (SRO'S) like boarding houses often with no cooking and shared bathrooms. (So your food costs are high and diet is unhealthy.)

ALL THREE OF THESE ARE CONSIDERED "PERMANENT PLACEMENT" and then they claim they want to help us end our (endless) "cycle of homelessness."

At best, a liveable clean single costing, 1/3rd our fixed income is achievable.

But let's also NOT FORGET about holding the BIG DEVELOPERS who take down low income housing PROMISING a certain number of section 8 or low income units, who interpret that to mean A COUPLE THOUSAND A MONTH!

IS YOUR SHELTER CASE MANAGER SEXUALLY HARASSING YOU?

2011-08-14T09:50:00.000-07:00

Harassing? Some case managers at shelters - male and female - expect or will accept "favors" from male and female clients in exchange for looking the other way when the client, drinks, uses drugs, prostitutes, etc.

Some of them will give priority to a resident who gives them favors when it comes to providing vouchers for housing, transportation, or other benefits.

SINCE WE WANT YOU TO HAVE A BETTER LIFE and we DON'T THINK THAT YOU CAN HAVE A BETTER LIFE WHEN YOU ARE OUT OF CONTROL OF YOURSELF OR YOUR SITUATION, we are sickened when we hear this.

Even when it's the homeless person who offers first - because that's street behavior and we want you out of the cycle of homelessness and a return to your self respect.
Don't think that just because we run videos and links to shelters and nonprofits that we don't know this goes on at some of them.

Since when did unprofessional behavior and illegal behavior become OK?

COMMENTS to this blogpost DO NOT REQUIRE ID.
THEY ARE READ BEFORE PUBLICATION by us.