THANKSGIVING - THE BIG HOMELESS HOLIDAY

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

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.

SANTA PAULA HOMELESS SHELTER

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

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

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

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?

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

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

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

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

SIMI VALLEY HOMELESS SHELTER

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

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

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

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

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.