10.11.2023 by Street Sense Media

VOL. 20 ISSUE 40

OCT.11 - OCT. 24 , 2023

Real Stories

Real People

suggested contribution goes directly to your vendor

Real Change

The Art Issue

Scan QR Code to download the app and pay your vendor!

PLUS: - ERAP reopens - SNAP benefits increase - Bad food in DCPS?

2 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // O C T. 11 - O C T. 24, 2023

OUR STORY ARTISTIC WORKSHOPS

n 2017, we began hosting a number of different workshops aimed at helping our vendors develop skills beyond writing for our newspaper. On any given day, our vendors are illustrating, painting, recording podcasts, taking photos, rehearsing plays, organizing advocacy groups and coming together as a community.

We ran

In 2023, artists/vendors published a book of their photography,

workshops in 2022

THE TEAM VENDORS Abel Putu, Aida Peery, Al Edmonson, Akindele Akerejah, Amia Walker, Amina Washington, Andre Brinson, Andrew Anderson, Angie Whitehurst, Anthony Carney, Antoinette Calloway, Archie Thomas, Beverly Sutton, Brianna Butler, Burton Wells, Carlos Carolina, Carol Motley, Charles Armstrong, Charles Woods, Chon Gotti, Chris Cole, Conrad Cheek, Corey Sanders, Daniel Ball,

We publish vendor art and writing every week! Darlesha Joyner, David Snyder, Debora Brantley, Degnon (Gigi) Dovonou, Denise Hall, Dominique Anthony, Don Gardner, Donté Turner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Dwayne Butler, Eric Glover, Eric ThompsonBey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Franklin Sterling, Frederic John, Freedom, Gerald Anderson, Greta Christian, Harriet Fields, Henrieese Roberts, Henry Johnson, Ivory Wilson, Jacqueline “Jackie” Turner,

Jacquelyn Portee, James Davis, James Hughes, Jeanette Richardson, Jeff Taylor, Jeffery McNeil, Jeffrey Carter, Jemel Fleming, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jermale McKnight, Jet Flegette, Jewel Lewis, John Alley, John Littlejohn, Josie Brown, Juliene Kengnie, Kenneth Middleton, Khadijah Chapman, Kym Parker, Laticia Brock, Laura Smith, Lawrence Autry, Levester Green, Lu Potter, L. Morrow, Mango Redbook, Marc

Grier, Marcus McCall, Mars, Martin Walker, Mary Sellman, Maurice Spears, Melody Byrd, Michael Warner, Michele Rochon, Morgan Jones, Nikila Smith, Patricia Donaldson, Patty Smith, Phillip Black, Queenie Featherstone, Rachelle Ellison, Rashawn Bowser, Reginald Black, Reginald C. Denny, Ricardo Meriedy, Richard “Mooney” Hart, Rita Sauls, Robert Warren, Rochelle Walker, Ron Dudley, Sasha Williams,

and shared their life experiences in an oral history project!

The Cover COVER ART BY CHRIS COLE, DESIGN BY COVER ART BY SYBIL ANNEMARIE CUCCIA. TAYLOR, COVER DESIGN BY ATHIYAH AZEEM

Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Sybil Taylor, Tonya Williams Vennie Hill, Warren Stevens, Wendell Williams, William Mack BOARD OF DIRECTORS Mary Coller Albert, Blake Androff, Nana-Sentuo Bonsu, Jonquilyn Hill, Stanley Keeve, Clare Krupin, Ashley McMaster, Matt Perra, Michael Phillips, Daniel Webber, Shari Wilson, Corrine Yu

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Brian Carome DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMS Darick Brown DIRECTOR OF VENDOR EMPLOYMENT Thomas Ratliff VENDOR PROGRAM ASSOCIATES Aida Peery, Chon Gotti, Nikila Smith

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

EDITOR’S NOTE

EVENTS AT SSM

More changes at Street Sense

ANNOUNCEMENTS

ast week, we said goodbye to our wonderful editor-in-chief, Will Schick. We’re so grateful for his passion and dedication to community reporting. While he was here, Will worked with dozens of vendors, wrote and edited award-winning articles and launched a guide to reporting on homelessness. We’re full of gratitude and well wishes for his next endeavor. Will’s departure leaves just one person in the editorial department — me. I came to Street Sense first in 2020 as an intern, and then joined Street Sense is a complex and integral publication, and it deserves an exorbitantly qualified leader. That’s why we’re launching a search for a permanent editor-in-chief, who we hope to bring on board in the coming months. If you think that might be you, check out our website to apply. And don’t worry, I won’t be going anywhere. Once we’re staffed up, I’ll stick around as a reporter and deputy editor. In the meantime, I have something to ask for: grace and understanding. Grace for me as I adjust to this new role, and grace for our next leader as they do the same. And understanding, for all our staff, but most importantly, for our vendors. It’s been a challenging few months for Street Sense. As you probably know, we’ve lost some incredible staff, partially because of layoffs. And in July, we switched from publishing a paper every week to publishing biweekly due to budget shortages. This means our writers are published and paid for their work half as often. Some vendors have seen a drop in sales, another hit to their income. Vendors are exploring new sales spots and tactics, publicizing their locations and reaching new customers, but it’s still an adjustment. So buy the paper, and if you can, tip your vendor a little more than you normally do. Street Sense may be changing, but we are still here. We’re going to keep publishing hard-hitting investigations on the use of government funds dedicated to ending homelessness, and features that illuminate the realities of living in poverty in D.C. We’ll continue to uplift people who have experienced or are currently experiencing homelessness. These changes are a challenge, but they are also an opportunity. And the editorial department is determined to make the most of it. If you’d like to help with that, donate to Street Sense to make sure we can keep doing this work. To vendors and customers alike — my door is open. My email (annemarie@streetsensemedia.org) is frequently checked. And I’m so excited to see what Street Sense we can create together.

□

The October Vendor Meeting will be Friday, Oct. 27, at 2 p.m.

□

Find a list of farmers markets, the hours when case management is open, and other info useful to vendors at streetsensemedia.org/vendorinfo.

□

Let’s work on those paper sales together! Come see Thomas to learn how to accept Venmo and CashApp payments and how to use Twitter to let customers know where you’re selling at.

□

Receive extra newspapers for referring someone you know to New Vendor Orientation. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 2 p.m.

Annemarie Cuccia, Interim Editor-in-Chief

BIRTHDAYS Abel Putu Oct. 12

ARTIST/VENDOR

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS Beverly Brown, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Madeleine McCollough, Dylan Onderdonksnow, Amelia Stemple, Tyler Bruno

INTERIM EDITORIN-CHIEF Annemarie Cuccia MICHAEL STOOPS FELLOW Eliza DuBose ARTISTS-INRESIDENCE Ariane Mohseni (Film), Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry),

Nikila Smith Oct. 14 ARTIST/VENDOR

David Serota (Illustration), Lalita Clozel (Film), Willie Schatz (Writing), Leslie Jacobson (Theater), Roy Barber (Theater), Rachel Dungan (Podcast) ARTS EDITOR (VOLUNTEER) Austine Model

Martin Walker Oct. 19 ARTIST/VENDOR

VENDOR CODE OF CONDUCT Read this democratically elected code of conduct, by vendors, for vendors! 1.

Street Sense Media vendors keep all of your suggested $2 donation.

I will support Street Sense Media’s mission statement and in so doing will work to support the Street Sense Media community and uphold its values of honesty, respect, support, and opportunity.

Get a Street Sense newspaper today!

I will treat all others, including customers, staff, volunteers, and fellow vendors, respectfully at all times. I will refrain from threatening others, pressuring customers into making donations, or engaging in behavior that condones racism, sexism, classism, or other prejudices.

I understand that I am not an employee of Street Sense Media but an independent contractor.

While distributing the Street Sense newspaper, I will not ask for more than $2 per issue or solicit donations by any other means.

I will only purchase the newspaper from Street Sense Media staff and volunteers and will not distribute newspapers to other vendors.

“I will not distribute copies of “Street Sense” on metro trains and buses or on private property.”

I will abide by the Street Sense Media Vendor Territory Policy at all times and will resolve any related disputes with other vendors in a professional manner.

I will not sell additional goods or products while distributing “Street Sense.”

I will not distribute “Street Sense” under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

10.

I understand that my badge and vest are property of Street Sense Media and will not deface them. I will present my badge when purchasing “Street Sense” and will always display my badge when distributing “Street Sense.”

OPINION EDITOR (VOLUNTEER) Candace Montague EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS Josh Axelrod, Ryan Bacic, Lilah Burke, Chelsea Ciruzzo, Lenika Cruz, Alison Henry, Kathryn Owens, Andrew Siddons, Bill

Meincke, Jessica Webster, Anne Eigeman, Micah Levey

4 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // O C T.11 - O C T. 24, 202 3

NEWS

DC Public Schools are failing to provide seamless food service delivery for their students, students and advocates say JESSICA RICH Editorial Intern

Federal regulations require schools across the country to offer healthier options and more variety for their students. Photo courtesy of USDA/Wikimedia Commons

y law, food served in D.C. Public Schools (DCPS) must be of high nutritional value. Over the years, federal and local government agencies have passed legislation like the Healthy Hunger Free Kids Act of 2010, and the D.C. Healthy Schools Act and Amendment to ensure well-fed, well-nourished and, in turn, well-educated children. But despite DCPS’s stated commitment to maintaining high nutritional standards, D.C. students remain unhappy and underserved, according to students and adult advocate testimony at a Sept. 6 hearing, and reports

across prior years. Now, as concerns with DCPS food service delivery contracts come to light, several students, families and D.C. advocates are eager to seize the opportunity and improve both transparency and competency within the DCPS system, and child satisfaction with school food. Long before recent controversy, criticism ran rampant in D.C. concerning contracting and food service practices in public schools. In April 2015, during a DCPS Budget Oversight Hearing, observers called D.C. school food disgusting. At the time, the Huffington Post published a report by a student that described the food served by then-provider Chartwells as not fresh and unsanitary. The hearing also established that DCPS’s outsourcing of food service programs resulted in the loss of millions of dollars annually. Due to contracting errors, the city lost money on every meal it served.

This May, concerns appeared once more. DCPS paid dozens of service contracts without the required D.C. Council approval, the school system disclosed this spring. The news sparked outrage among councilmembers, especially Council Chair Phil Mendelson. Staffers involved in this scandal were disciplined, according to DCPS, and the Office of the Inspector General launched an investigation into the contracts. But the discovery of contractual misconduct is illuminating long-standing complaints about food service and food quality. Student dissatisfaction with school food can come from a few places. There’s a prevalent belief that students complain because they want food like chicken nuggets and pizza as opposed to healthier foods. But students and families report this isn’t the issue in D.C. While DCPS proudly holds some of the highest nutrition standards in the country and is committed to providing nourishing meals for their students, in recent years, students say the food served has been substandard and non-nutritious. Ydidiya Nadew is a student at Columbia Heights Educational Campus (CHEC). In June 2022, students were surveyed about their cafeteria experience there. According to an Urban Institute report on the survey, 61% reported being unsatisfied with school offerings. In Nadew’s tesyimony, even after his food service provider worked on improvements, the food doesn't “taste good” and the offerings are “not very enjoyable.” In a Sept. 6 Committee of the Whole Public Roundtable hearing on the matter of food service, Nadew testified that a huge downfall of the current school food provisions is that they are not

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

A DC Public Schools bus. Photo courtesy of Ping News/Flickr

culturally considerate. Every student comes from a different background and has their own diverse palate that, according to him, the current systems do not accommodate. Nadew was the only student to testify at the hearing, but says his concerns are echoed by others — he worked with four other students and the Urban Institute to collect student feedback on school food. Councilmembers seemed to take students' feedback to heart. “We know that there is a high correlation between students’ ability to learn and the quality of food that they get,” Mendelson said during the hearing. It is “important for both educational purposes as well as the quality of life for some students.” Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, 77% of D.C.’s children relied on free or reduced-cost meals provided by DCPS to cover their daily nutritional needs. School-provided meals go a long way toward preventing hunger in D.C. children and hunger for children in the United States at large, according to a report by D.C. Hunger Solutions. Since 2016, DCPS has exclusively partnered with SodexoMagic and D.C. Central Kitchen, to serve school food. That’s the last time DCPS sought food service contracts through a competitive bidding process. DCPS is set to provide new food service contracts to the council by November and implement them in early 2024, which will effectively end the current reliance on bridge contracts with SodexoMagic and D.C. Central Kitchen that are in place due to the delays. The bidding process will allow for other contracts to be presented to the council, too. DCPS blames current contract delays on the Office of the Attorney General, who must review food service contracts to make sure they meet legal standards — especially given prior

contracting malpractice. While food service providers like D.C. Central Kitchen worry the new contracts will disrupt the physical food service at school if providers change drastically, DCPS hopes to provide a seamless transition, said Patrick Ashley, chief of fiscal strategy for DCPS. But the issue may not be resolved in November, according to Alexander More, chief development officer at D.C. Central Kitchen. He hopes the District rexamines DCPS contracting practices. He’s hoping to see more inclusive procurement processes and clearer communication while the processes are underway, along with coordination between the approval of a contract and the first day of food service under said contract, he said at the September hearing. Kenneth Mackie Jr., operations director of RunVeggie, a local D.C. food service, noted in the Sept. 6 hearing that if DCPS expanded the contracting opportunities to local businesses, they might be able to cater to students’ different palettes. This practice might serve to better address student dissatisfaction with meals provided to them, he suggested, as focus groups and improvement efforts by large providers like SodexoMagic (in collaboration with schools) have only been mildly effective. “The current structure of DCPS food service contracts is misaligned with the goals and values of the District of Columbia, particularly those related to economic development and community wellbeing,” Mackie said in his testimony.

6 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // O C T. 11 - O C T. 24, 2023

NEWS

DC residents will receive more SNAP benefits in 2024 ELIZA DUBOSE Michael Stoops Fellow

ow-income Washingtonians who rely on food assistance will have their benefits boosted in 2024. An additional $40 million dollars will be allocated to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) starting in January 2024 through the Give SNAP a Raise Act, which the District will be able to fund with excess revenue. The D.C. Council first passed the Give SNAP a Raise in December 2022 but did not fund it. In May, the D.C. Council voted during the fiscal year 2024 budget process to dedicate any extra revenue the city received to funding the law. According to a press release from Ward 4 Councilmember Janeese Lewis George, the act provides a 10% enhancement to the approximately 130,000 Washington residents utilizing SNAP, allotting an additional $47 in food assistance to the average recipient. That increase will vary based on family size and income. D.C.’s chief financial officer confirmed in the September updated revenue estimates that the District produced enough unexpected revenue to dedicate $40 million dollars to increase SNAP benefits and $20 million in relief funds for people excluded from federal pandemic aid, such as undocumented immigrants, cash economy workers and returning citizens. “Expanding SNAP benefits is a lifeline for working families and a game changer in our fight against hunger,” Lewis George said in a press release. Lewis George was among the council members who introduced the bill in 2022. SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, helps low-income people purchase food by allotting a monthly allowance to the household. Benefits are provided by an electronic benefits transfer (EBT) card, which functions like a debit card. The allowances are adjusted based on a household's family size and monthly income. During the pandemic, the federal government created emergency allotments for SNAP recipients, increasing the monthly payment to the maximum allowable amount to each household per size. During that time, no SNAP beneficiary received less than $95 a month. The additional funds were beneficial to households experiencing food insecurity, according to the 2023 Capital Food Bank Hunger Report, with 70% of survey respondents saying that the increased benefits had a “major, positive impact” on their finances. Many of those allotments ended in March this year, throwing hundreds of residents into deeper uncertainty. The Give SNAP a Raise Act was initially meant to help lessen that blow, and would have replaced some of the lost benefits had it passed earlier this year. The current maximum monthly allotment for a single-person household is $291 while the maximum allotment for a four-person household is $973 a month. Enrollment in programs like SNAP can reduce food insecurity for families with children. About 35% of households with children reported fewer challenges with food insecurity within six months of enrolling in the program, according to DC Action. According to the latest hunger report, 32% of the DMV is food insecure, meaning the household struggles to get enough food to lead an “active, healthy life” as defined by the United States Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity disproportionally affects people of color in the Washington area; 44% of Black and 27% percent of Hispanic residents reported being food insecure, in comparison to 18% of white residents. Well over 70% of those who are food insecure are employed but struggle to keep up with the cost of living and inflation in the District.

The District is allocating more funds to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistane Program starting in January. Photos by Eliza DuBose

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

DC’s rental assistance program closes after being open for just 10 days ANNEMARIE CUCCIA Interim Editor-in-Chief

The Emergency Rental Assistance Program portal closed after recieving thousands of applications. Screenshot

he need for rental assistance in the city is high. D.C.’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP) reopened on Oct. 1 after closing in March due to the volume of applications. But by Oct. 10, the program closed again, due to high demand, according to an announcement on the portal. ERAP will reopen for new applications on Jan. 1, 2024. ERAP assists low-income residents who are facing eviction or other housing emergencies, with the program either paying the household’s back rent or providing money to help them move into a new apartment. The program ballooned during the pandemic, as many District residents unable to work relied on it to stay housed. For the past several years, ERAP has run out of funding long before the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30. While the program is supposed to be available year-round, an influx of requests last year drained the budget and led to officials cutting off further applications after only five months. Advocates such as the Fair Budget Coalition called for D.C. to increase funding for the program, but the FY 2024 budget holds funding steady at $43 million. In an effort to make ERAP funds last longer, D.C.’s Department of Human Services, which runs the program, announced that applications for ERAP would open quarterly, meaning it will open three more times over the next year: Jan. 1, April 1 and July 1. Each time, the portal will close once DHS receives 3,500 applications. Any residents who did not apply before the portal closed will need to wait until Jan. 1. The online portal to apply for ERAP was unavailable for multiple periods of time after it opened, including on Oct. 4 and 5. On Oct. 6, the site began displaying a graphic saying it was under maintenance. That same day, Ward 8 Councilmember Trayon White issued an open letter to Mayor Muriel Bowser, saying some residents had been having difficulty with the portal since it opened on Oct. 1. In the letter, he called on Bowser to ensure the system was back up and running.

According to At-large Councilmember Robert White’s office, the system crashed because of the volume of applications. By the afternoon of Oct. 6, the portal was again working. D.C. officials disagree on how many ERAP applications the city can fund. This spring, D.C. received an extra $33.5 million from the federal government to be spent on rental assistance. The D.C. Council allocated the money for ERAP, but DHS officials said in June that the agency intended to split the funds between ERAP and Rapid Rehousing (RRH). This summer, DHS slides showed the agency allocated $15.5 million of the federal funds to ERAP. The agency used at least $6.7 million in fiscal year 2023, according to the slides, leaving around $8 million for fiscal year 2024. Combined with the local budget of $42.5, that would mean D.C. has over $50 million for ERAP over the next year. However, the council, including White’s office and the budget office, say that DHS cannot spend the federal money on RRH without approval from the council. According to Jennifer Budoff, the council’s budget director, D.C.’s financial system shows all of the federal funds were loaded into ERAP and only $4 million spent so far, meaning D.C. has up to $72 million for the program. The funding level for ERAP may be especially crucial this year, as a new analysis shows that D.C. residents are spending more of their income on rent, as DCist first reported. According to the study, published in September by the United Planning Organization, over 44,000 D.C. renters spend at least half their income on rent. Most of those families earn less than $50,000, which could qualify them for ERAP. About 1 in 7 renters in D.C. are behind on rent, the report found.

households facing eviction or with back rent; and pay a security deposit and first month’s rent for households who have to move. To qualify, applicants must make no more than 40% of the area median income — $45,000 for a family of two, or $56,900 for a family of four. Only current D.C. residents can apply, but the first month’s rent can be used to rent an apartment in a neighboring county, like Prince George’s, Montgomery or Arlington. Applicants must be at least 30 days behind on rent or be at risk of homelessness. ERAP is only available for each household once every 12 months. When applications are open, D.C. residents can apply online, by going to erap.dhs.dc.gov, or over the phone by calling the ERAP Hotline at 202-507-6666. Applicants will need to submit proof of residency, a photo ID, and, if available, proof of income. A select group of housing and service providers, under contract with DHS, review the applications and distribute the funds. Eligibility will be determined within 10 days, according to a fact sheet on the portal. This story was co-published with the DC Line.

Could ERAP help me? While applications for ERAP are now closed, they’ll reopen three more times in the next year. The amount of aid available to an applicant varies based on a household’s income and need, but ERAP can provide up to five months of back rent; cover late fees and court costs for

Income limits for ERAP. Screenshot from D.C. Department of Human Services website

8 / / S T R E E T S E N S E M ED IA // O C T. 11 - O C T. 24, 2023

AMIA WALKER

JULIENNE KENGNIE

Artist/Vendor

Kaela Roeder and vendor Amina Washington enjoying the fundraiser. Photo by Sybil Taylor

AKINDELE AKEREJAH Artist/Vendor

At the end of September, Street Sense hosted our annual fundraiser and art show. This year we celebrated 20 years of Street Sense! At the fundraiser, paintings and artwork from our vendors were available for sale. These sales supported both Street Sense and the vendors, and gave the community the chance to have a piece of Street Sense hanging in their home. The works on this page were not avilable for sale, but are another example of the vibrant visual art Street Sense vendors create. Keep your eye out for more oppportunities to buy work, and contact Street Sense if you see something you like. Thanks again to everyone who bought tickets and came to the fundraiser, and a special kudos to our theater group for their performance. — Annemarie Cuccia, Interim Editor-in-Chief

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

RACHELLE ELLISON Artist/Vendor

AMINA WASHINGTON Artist/Vendor

Performers at the fundraiser. Photo by KyAnna Cherry

JACKIE TURNER Artist/Vendor

10 / / S T R E E T S E NSE M ED IA // O C T. 11 - O C T. 24, 2023

OPINION

DC fails to protect its children DAVID SCHWARTZMAN

C. declared itself the nation’s first “Human Rights City” in 2008. Since this declaration, it has egregiously failed to protect its children’s human rights to health and wellbeing. D.C. has tolerated harmful policies that lead to high child poverty rates and ongoing exposure to lead, especially coming from household water taps. First some context: From the most recent data available, D.C. has the highest rate of homelessness compared to the 50 states, according to Statista in 2022, while its child poverty rate was the third highest in the nation, though the top three states were all very close. D.C. also has a big racial gap in wealth, with the median white household having 81 times the wealth of the median Black household, according to the Urban Institute. As Erica Williams, executive director of the D.C. Fiscal Policy Institute emphasized in a report last year, the extreme concentration of wealth in white households exacerbates racial inequality. Along with economic inequality, the shockingly high life expectancy gap between Black and white residents has grown in the last two decades, according to Scientific Reports. And infant mortality is high in primarily-Black Wards 7 and 8, according to D.C. Health Matters. This fact alone demonstrates the utter failure of the trickle-down economic policies of D.C.’s government to address persistent racial and economic disparities. While in his recent speech on “Bidenomics,” President Biden stressed the need to move away from the top-down approach of trickle-down economics, our mayor and council continue this policy at the detriment of D.C.’s children. As the budget deliberations for fiscal year 2024 have now passed, it is time to consider once again how our D.C. government has failed to protect the health and welfare of its children, particularly Black children living east of the river with the highest poverty level in D.C. Poverty in D.C. dropped to in 2022 to 13.3%, from 16.5% the year prior, according to the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS). “This improvement likely reflects a combination of factors including the overall decline in unemployment, a growing minimum wage, and federal and local investments in response to the COVID-19 crisis,” the DCFPI report reads. In addition, “child poverty declined by nearly seven percentage points but remained high at 16.8%.” But that’s not the only way to measure poverty, according to the report. “ACS uses the official poverty measure (OPM) to determine the poverty rate, which experts generally agree is an outdated method for measuring hardship in the United States. The OPM compares pre-tax cash income, including income from earnings, unemployment insurance, and cashbased public assistance, against a threshold that is set at three times the cost of a minimum food diet in 1963 and adjusted for family size,” the report reads. But, “the OPM does not take into account other vital supports that individuals and families in the District may receive, such as the Child Tax Credit or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, nor does it account for the substantial variation in cost of living by geography.” It is important to recognize that the national poverty rate went up sharply in 2022 as measured by the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), which includes tax credits and noncash benefits like SNAP in calculating income, and that the expanded federal Child Tax Credit terminated at the end of 2021.

However, it is likely that in 2023 the D.C. poverty rate increased because of the decrease in other budget investments for low-income residents. “The District made progress on poverty through higher wages at the bottom, improvements in employment, and major public investments in D.C.’s residents and communities in 2021 and 2022. This progress demonstrates that the District can’t pull back from continued, intentional efforts to eliminate economic hardship and even deeper focus on undoing longstanding racial inequity,” the DCFPI report concludes.

Fund a local Child Tax Credit While the D.C. Council restored some of the cuts in the mayor’s budget proposal, this is still an austerity budget that prioritizes the protection of the interests of big developers and the corporate sector over the basic needs of Black and brown working-class communities. For example, low Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) income support is a major reason why so many children live in poverty in D.C. In 2022, the D.C. TANF income support level for a family of 3 was 34.7% of the federal poverty level (FPL), a reduction from 38.4% in 1996, according to the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. The harm caused by child poverty has many dimensions, including poor health, stress and bad school performance. As a recent column in Baltimore Sun observed, “research has shown that child poverty increases crime rates, swells health care costs, worsens educational outcomes.” Most D.C. children living in poverty are Black, and the consequences of D.C.’s failure to address inherited child poverty has intergenerational implications, and so successful implementation of an intervention has the potential to move us closer to achieving racial justice in D.C. We already have strong evidence of the effectiveness of direct cash assistance provided from the THRIVE cash relief program as reported in the Washington Post. Note that the Urban Institute evaluation of the THRIVE program indicated that 43% of recipients also got TANF income support. Until a generous federal child tax credit is restored by Congress, D.C. could virtually eliminate child poverty with its own Child Tax Credit (CTC) applied to all families regardless of whether they earn income or receive TANF benefits. Its predicted cost of less than $400 to 500 million per year would be far outweighed by its benefits to roughly 30,000 children now living in poverty, their families and the community at large. And D.C. has a more than adequate tax base to generate this revenue to target those most in need. For example, it can come from a hike in the income taxes of D.C. millionaires, a hike in the property tax on high-valued homes and a shift in present subsidies going to developers creating luxury and market-rate housing to funding a CTC as well as financing the creation of social housing. In 2020, the latest year data is available from the IRS, the taxable income of residents who made over $1 million was $8.6 billion, those over $200,000: $19.8 billion. Now the taxable income of these brackets is likely even larger. In 2018, the top 1% of DC taxpayers paid 10.3% of family income for D.C. taxes, while in California the top 1% paid 12.4% A generous D.C. CTC replacing TANF would be an important step to providing guaranteed income support. A very modest pilot program has been relaunched but its income

A rally to end child poverty. Photo courtesy of Need Not Greed/Flickr

enhancement still falls below the federal poverty line.

Protect children from toxic lead The exposure of residents, particularly children, to toxic lead coming from water taps is ongoing. D.C. government should take very seriously the analysis and recommendations of Dr. Yanna Lambrinidou and Paul Schwartz, from the Campaign for Lead Free Water, submitted to the Committee on Transportation and the Environment in 2021. The council should confront the lead hazard posed by its drinking water by acting to implement the provision of free water filters to remove lead for all D.C. households with children and homes which have frequent child visitors such as residences of their grandparents, as well as women of childbearing age. The provision of these water filters must be coupled with outreach, education and robust monitoring of their effectiveness, bringing in local workers and volunteers in a bottom-up process. D.C. government has the responsibility of protecting its residents as soon as possible, especially its children against exposure to lead in water. Therefore, given that many serious health conditions and disabilities result from lead exposure, particularly in children, as cited by the Department Of Energy and the Environment (DOEE), the council and members of the public should demand that the mayor immediately declare a public health emergency. Upon issuing this order, the mayor should immediately act to implement funding, tapping into the DOEE budget for childhood lead poisoning prevention and, if necessary, use local lead mitigation funds for the immediate provision of free lead water filters. In addition to the negative health impacts of child poverty, the link between child poverty and criminal behavior is well established. Violence itself should be seen as a public health crisis. Therefore, child poverty in D.C. should also be recognized by our mayor as an ongoing public health emergency, until it is eliminated. David Schwartzman is the chair of the D.C. Statehood Green Party’s Political Policy and Action Committee. He is the party’s representative to the Fair Budget Coalition and Steering Committee member, member of ONE D.C., Empower D.C. and Metro D.C. Democratic Socialists of America. He is also a Professor Emeritus at Howard University.

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

The group GRETA CHRISTIAN Artist/Vendor

When people are in a group, it can become a crowd. They raise money and taxes. On jobs, they are in groups. Exercising, fundraising, sometimes giving gifts. They are in groups for Thanksgiving dinner, they are in groups when shopping. When they are looking at apartments, they are in groups. Sometimes they are in a group at school — at a museum, on the bus, on a trip.

Ye watchers and ye holy ones (‘Miss Bith’) FREDERIC JOHN Artist/Vendor

“She joined our company when she was 17,” gushed Collis. He had just assumed the post of supervising temporary manager, and his glowing Cape Palmas accent effused the proprietary pride slipping out with every word. Miss Bith Evanson was a size five, but undoubtedly her tiny shoes were huge to fill. Her sweet oval face, famed in doe-brown straight page-boy hair just starting on grey, reminded me always (in order) of my darling departed sister Ruthie (constant minder/companion to me 60 years on), and Ruthie’s doppelganger Alice Bain, the guileless politics analyst on Channel Four. Only Miss Bith always had to appear with standard prop: A slim Marlboro Black hanging from her lower lip. Wreathed in the concomitant smoke, she appeared a pale, stoic wraith. But oh, while puffing away on the ever-present ciggie, she could snag three glinty-eyed shoplifters from Wilson High, recite the price change on a double Reese’s or a small bag of Ricola cough drops and inform me if the last copy of the day’s New York Times was still in stock! She was a sidewalk Florence Nightingale, as well. When I came by the pharm for a free flu shot, Bith tapped me on a shoulder and suggested, “The clinic LPN is on points, and you don’t look so swift. Let her swab you for novel Covid, okay?” That was an offer I couldn’t refuse. Inevitably, I tested positive. Dutifully masked, I humped back to Foggy Bottom on the nearest 33 bus. Ten days later “blinking at rare sunlight,” I sought out the stalwart Miss Bith to slather her with profuse thanks and blessings. She demurred — “Thank God, not me.” A month later, I pored over the candy rack, looking to alleviate a sugar jones. My new Nigerian friend popped up. “Where’s Bith?” I asked. Somewhat dejectedly, he sighed. “Miss Bith has retired.” “Cigarettes?” I offered. “Fraid so. She’ll never quit.” “God must be giving her a bonus round!”

Mama Philo BY GIGI DOVONOU Artist/Vendor

I can remember my mother, the late Philomene Gougbali (1950-1990), who we called “Amazone Agotie.” She always told me: “Son, one day you’ll meet a woman who you’ll fall in love with. Take care of her as your daddy did to me. Don’t ever put your hands on her, because doing that will block the way of success for your progenitors (children and your prosperity).” She was a great singer and composed songs for each occasion. Her proactivity pushed me to be the same. Mama Philo is the real philosophy that motivates me not to give up. I promised her soul to succeed in my life and make her happy. My children remind me about that statement every day when I feel like giving up.

Housing, not handcuffs: A plea for compassion CHON GOTTI Artist/Vendor

In the heart of our bustling cities, where the neon lights gleam, Lies a struggle often hidden, like an unwritten dream. Amidst the bustling streets, where life's symphony erupts, There's a plea for understanding, for "housing not handcuffs." Homeless souls on sidewalks, with stories left untold, Seeking warmth and shelter, as the city's tale unfolds. Invisible to some, yet their presence cannot be ignored, For compassion, not indifference, is what they're truly toward. The concrete, once their haven, is now their lonely bed, And as the night descends, they collect thoughts in their head. A symphony of hardships, where life's melodies have hushed, They yearn for transformation, for "housing not handcuffs." In the corner of a park, 'neath the lamplight's feeble glow, A mother holds her child close, whispering tales of woe. She dreams of four walls and a roof, where love and hope rebuff The cycle of despair, and whispers, "housing not handcuffs." The shelters, though they try, can't hold all those in need, A systemic flaw in our society, a wound that's left to bleed. But justice can be served, not with jails and punitive stuff, But by giving them a chance, with "housing not handcuffs." For every life is precious, every story worth a hear, And when we offer shelter, we dispel the cold and fear. The keys to doors of homes, not the jingling of cuffs, Can mend these broken spirits with grace and tender stuff. In unity, we rise, in compassion's gentle trust, To rewrite this narrative, and in our actions, adjust. To offer roofs and refuge, to the homeless caught in the rough, For in this world, we believe in "housing not handcuffs." So let us forge a path where empathy shall reign, Where every soul finds solace, where healing can regain. Let's build a world of warmth, where love is more than enough, A world that echoes with the cry of "housing not handcuffs."

The cream of hope CARLTON JOHNSON Artist/Vendor

The drill heat to strain the cream. The love of this just opens the wave of hope to love.

Cathie Wood ERICA DOWNING Artist/Vendor

Is on a mission to do good Seeing her speak at Investfest Inspired women to invest

12 / / S TR E E T S E NSE M ED IA // O C T. 11 - O C T. 24, 2 023

ART

Pool of blood

The car

KYM PARKER Artist/Vendor

MARC GRIER Artist/Vendor

What does it mean? What’s DNA to your RNA? It’s genetics, it’s pure in this space, it’s natural to nature It shows us our genetic base patterns, it lets us know where we stand We’re not just pools of blood, we’re strong Be brave and know that she sees us all That we matter She always lets us know how important she is She loves us, she protects us and she keeps us safe Angels protect us, shelter us, love us She told all of us to have faith, so that’s what I’m going to do

This adventure was when I was in high school, and one of my best friends, who constantly worked on cars, came to see me. He came in the car of my dreams. It was a 1968 Shelby. It was green and had three stripes. I begged him to let me drive it, and he said "Are you sure? It is mighty." I said no problem, I got it. He did not tell me that this was the third-fastest car in Maryland. So, as I am driving the car, I see the main street, and when it is clear, I hit the gas. The car did a total circle. I thought, “This car is powerful,” and my heart was beating out of my chest. Then I straightened the car up, and I tried again — this time, I took off and burned a little rubber. It was incredible.

When we were born into this world, it was her It was her who blessed us all, and she continues to bless us, To let us know that we are never alone She never abandons us or leaves us To know her love, for me, is a shelter My home, my house, my family, my job is joy for others

How to write a poem

I share this with everyone cause that’s what she told me We live in a world now where all of us take others for granted, Others will kill us because of our skin color That’s hate Our world is full of hate

Let your thoughts run wild all the time. Remembering when and to think again. It’s all in the Lord’s time. Try as you may to live in the day, never worry about what people say, no one has to know. Let your creative juices flow, it doesn’t always have rhyme line by line and word for word. It could be about something you heard the other day. It could be about children and play, at the end of the day. Poetry is just words, spoken poetically, about what one believes or what the eyes have seen. It doesn’t have to make sense to nobody but you. Let the world do what they do. Speak to whoever they speak to, happy lines about happy times and justice denied, or people who lived in another place or time. It could be about the news of the day or just a thought about things your father used to say, or a prayer your grandma used to say. Make your poem the greatest poem ever written, known to man. The last prophet was a poet, that’s what some people say. And at the end of the day, the sun sets in a milky pond of water. The moon appears while raindrops fall like falling tears. A flower blooms as clouds disappear, a newborn baby swelling on his mother’s breast. A father on his way to work to fulfill the test of this life of poetry in motion. To become a star, to think of the words in your poem, doesn’t have to go too far, as long as it makes sense to you. Once again, I love writing poetry because that is what I do. How to write a poem.

But there are people who shelter us, there are people who care They are love To say “no” means no When you say “no,” it means no Your guide is your voice God gave it to you Be strong Be beautiful Be brave Know that no means no Blood is true, blood is rain But none of us hurt you Say “no” I share because I’ve been there I share because I know that pain I share because it helps me get through the day When I’m depressed I share, I talk to others When I’m at my best and worst of days, I’ll share God’s always got me So my blood always matters So know when you talk, it matters When you’re alive, it matters What you say matters, how you feel matters Don’t let anyone say otherwise, that’s evil Don’t ever think that whatever you do doesn’t matter That’s the reason she made all of us

ROBERT WARREN Artist/Vendor

I want

Send love

HENRIEESE ROBERTS Artist/Vendor

GRACIAS GARCIAS Artist/Vendor

I want to rise early with glee Yearning to see my morning glories Swing up my camera Capture images that showcase The peering of the unfolding purple hues I want to walk through the streets I want to see the black cats I want to see flowers, birds, grass I want to shape benches into Images that captivate eyes I want images captured that Others want to see

While walking through the sewers While piercing through the dangers While acting for the viewers While listening to my elders Send love, in hope Of reaching the shore That love begins with Send love, the sharp edge Of a knife to cut Away the blessed pith

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

Been abandoned by those you were with DOMINIQUE ANTHONY Artist/Vendor

Why did you leave me? Never gave up on me, But it’s okay to give up on me. And I don’t understand, maybe people’s lives Are for a reason not seen, maybe it wasn’t for long, but I know in my heart I will Always love you. But I am hurt. That you what you did and left me looking for someone to heal my heart, Teach me how to love, and be with somebody. I am glad you came into my life, Because you are special to me. Show me how to love and be peace with my heart, And when the heart was broken into pieces, having someone to heal my hurt and pain. I have to move on with my life and find love after hurt and pain and a broken heart. I have to move on with my life, but it’s hard to, Like Troop said in my favorite song. I will love you but I will love someone who loves me back and wants to be with me And treats me like a queen and lady. I will love you but I don't want you no more, and I hate you because you hurt me. People show me so much love and support, I thought I would find someone new. Who cares about me, and one day I would love to be With this person. I am looking for a new beginning with my best friend and boothang. I am happy that I am getting over my ex, so I can be Happy in a new chapter in my life and relationship. I just feel like heaven, I don’t want to lose this heaven, But I learned how to forgive and forget, and learned how to give my Heart to someone, and I need someone to love me unconditionally.

I have been incarcerated inside my body for 21 years. I have seen a lot of people doing a stretch. A lot of them are innocent and are convicted of not letting go. There’s so many things that can cause your conviction, Now that I’m free and thinking more clearly, I’m taking a long walk and not looking back. I stayed to learn a hard lesson: Beware of dogs in men’s clothing. When he saw me, his job was always to conquer and destroy. He did his job, and I did mine. He’d been incarcerated since he was younger, so how could he help me? If you are weak, how can you make me strong? I can’t say I regret my incarceration. All of these things that happened to me made me airtight, making me aware of a different fight. My sight is not good, but I can see when someone is not sent for me. We’re not two peas in a pod. I don’t think he knew the extent of my incarceration. I was supposed to do a life sentence.

Rehab Your smile is intoxicating. If I knew magic, I would turn you into fine china, so I could dust you. Your body reminds me of expensive chocolate. I can’t argue with you, it really makes me blush. You catch on, shake your head, and smile. When you touch me, I’m ready to let you clean my bank account out. I’m injected with our conversations. Every time you introduce me to something new, it makes me aware this addiction to you is for a lifetime. If I had to detox off you, I would go through withdrawal. I will not have anyone come between what we have. I will never seek rehab. I love to share this love.

JEFFERY CARTER Artist/Vendor

I made a mistake and fell in love with a girl before getting to know who she really was. Take my advice, never fall in love at first sight. Get to know that individual for at least a few years. Make sure you really know them before marrying them. That is why I believe the divorce rate is so high in America. It is because people fall in love and get married without first getting to know each other.

Love all DWAYNE BUTLER Artist/Vendor

Love life Love animals Love people Love your mate the right way We are God’s children Love your boss no matter what Love your car and truck Love your trips Love your lips, lips can talk

Love is kind Love can be blind, but it’s real and it is Something you feel The feeling is real The feeling is great, so love on and make yourself complete

NIKILA SMITH Artist/Vendor

Illustration by Nikila Smith

Looks can be deceiving

Love your body You are a hottie Your love of everything is in you So don’t feel blue

Addicted

14 / / S TR E E T S E N SE M ED IA // O C T. 11 - O C T. 24, 2023

FUN & GAMES Across 1. After-bath powder 5. Obsolescent phone feature 9. Own up to 14. “Here comes trouble!” (2 wds.) (2,2) 15. “Othello” villain 16. 10/31 option 17. When repeated, a vitamin B deficiency 18. Score following a leadoff homer in the bottom of the first (3,1) 19. Soccer coach Ted, in a hit cable TV show 20. Red, white and blue banners with fifty stars (2 wds.) (8,5) (SEAFARING CLAM anagram) 23. Downed a sub, say 24. New Mexico art community 25. Finish, with “up” 28. Whack job 32. Jefferson Airplane spin-off group with a fishy name (2 wds.) (3,4) (HUNT TAO anagram) 34. Draft letters hidden in “Sip a brewski, Bro!” (abbr./initialism) 35. Word before ____ Erie or ____ Effect snow 37. New newts 38. Penitentiary inmate wear, or an organized convict group (2 wds.) (9,6) 43. Shopaholic’s delight 44. Curb, with “in” 45. Introspective music genre 46. Nuclear age-sounding alter ego for Lex Luthor in an old Superman serial (2 wds.) (4,3) (NOT MAMA anagram) 50. Big-name celeb 52. Thrice, in prescriptions 53. Dating from (2 wds.) (2,2) (SOFA anagram) 55. “The Addams Family” cousin 56. Two-directional thoroughfare that accommodates four or more vehicles, all able to move abreast of one another (3 wds.) (4,4,4) (ILL-NATURED MOA anagram) 62. Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter John whose last name sounds like a high-end hotel chain 64. “Song ____ Blue” (1972 hit written and recorded by Neil Diamond) 65. ___ facto (Lat.) 66. Pearl Jam lead vocalist Vedder 67. “Not you, too?,” to Caesar (2 wds.) (2,2) (Lat.) 68. “No ____, no gain” (dated health club slogan) 69. Produce 70. Permeate (through) 71. “If all ___ fails ...” Down 1. Big brass with a deep bass ‘voice’ 2. [Attention-seeking throat clearing] 3. Tale that is also a folk tail? 4. French President Mitterrand’s successor 5. Related to a Catholic bishop’s purview (INCA ODES anagram) 6. Ending for Louis 7. Word that may follow OSHA or precede Orange 8. One you might find hanging around in a shower? 9. “Finally!” (2 wds.) (2,4)

CROSSWORD

A Certain Pattern

Puzzle by Patrick “Mac” McIntyre SOLUTION: Not Everyone’s Cat’s Meow

LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE ____ Issue SOLUTION 1 14 17 20

35 40

47 50 57 61 64

19 22

R A

44 49 51

59 62 65

S T

E H

23 26

39 42

S S

O T

27 30

63 66

E Z

10. Pall Mall puff, or a party pooper 11. Tuffet-sitting arachnophobe of nursery rhyme renown (2 wds.) (4,6) (MIME’S STUFF) 12. Suffix with gymnast or robot 13. “Thrilla in Manila” outcome, briefly (abbr./ acron./initialism) 21. Italian writer and journalist Calvino known for the “Our Ancestors trilogy” (1952-59) 22. Head of England? 26. Punctual, or in installments (2 wds.) (2,4) 27. Flock leader 28. Something Jack Frost does to noses in “The Christmas Song” (2 wds.) (4,2) (PAINTS anagram) 29. Boost in power 30. Like suits cut and sewn exactly to the prospective wearer’s size and tastes (6-4) (ADMIRE A LOT anagram) 31. Squeeze (out), as a living 33. Hanoi holiday 36. “To ___ is human ...” 39. Place for a father-to-be? (abbr.) 40. Last word of “America, the Beautiful” 41. Standard pre-posing ritual for body-building show competitors (2 wds.) (6,2) 42. Join forces 47. ____ milk (soda fountain treat involving a grain-based product) 48. Halifax clock setting (abbr./initialism) 49. Bam, Bang!, Plop!, and Plunk! in comics, e.g. 51. Pool ball type... or a feature shared by this puzzle’s 3 longest answers? 54 .Wind instrument that Lizzo plays 57. Elec., gas or water, for short (abbr.) 58. Pay to play fee (and part of A.M.) 59. Fire ___ (gem) 60. Words on a garage sale warning sign (2.2) 61. Word that can go after or before “well” 62. The “Say ___ Kid” (Willie Mays sobriquet) 63. ___ Amin

21 23

30 35

53 56

51 55

59 65

37 40

*This crossword puzzle is the original work of Patrick “Mac”McIntyre. It is provided to us courtesy of Real Change News, a street paper based in Seattle, Wa. Learn more about Real Change News and the International Network of Street Papers at realchangenews.org and insp.ngo.

Flip the script LEVESTER GREEN Artist/Vendor

Wow. That awkward moment when you hear them sleazy-talking about you right before you're released, only to catch them slipping (by accident through the backdoor nonetheless) when you go and pick up your property. This was the entrance right? Only one I know. Took me on a joyride for nothing and the bammas ate my groceries! I was right in the middle of buying some chicken thighs! They got that and my just-bought beets from the farmers market that I was looking forward to trying in my blender. In the Howard University dental office, they were dogging me about getting my pain killers after sitting and stretching me out since Saturday afternoon. Should’ve been no charge! And I was right in the middle of trying to make a back therapy session when it all started and occurred, huh? They only aggravated the injury that they caused in the first place. I really think they were totally after my intellectual property that I've been carrying with me everywhere! It twas the only way to separate it from me and the way they been stalling on my new book at Xlibris Publishing. I totally feel tainted and I had to be

able to accept and let that feeling go if my carefully guarded new material was tampered with, as a part of life! That good and evil, great and best, Bud Bowl defense offense cause it was cut pretty close! I could hear them campaigning to keep me. I also thought of Putin while sitting in that roach-infested cell and how I would pray to God that he take home with him all the corruption and wicked evilness I was hearing and being subjected to. It would have to come reign down from on high, like a presidential pardon or nuke. So thanks to Cruz, who totally let my witness walk on by while being detained and only half way listening to my story, thinking it was regular ho-hum instead of some wickedly cleverly disguised vengeful spiteful, malice-laced plan. And I’ll leave the rest of those details right there, but the young brother cop was definitely giving me a heads up as to my perishables beforehand, letting me know they were about to take me on an unnecessary joyride. But I was at least still looking forward to my beets though! Oh, them beets, as well as them beats by DJ Shakim. What do I hear in the background here? A call for the details, huh? The saga continues.

S T RE E T S E NS E ME DI A . ORG

COMMUNITY SERVICES

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

(202) 399-7093

YOUTH HOTLINE Línea de juventud

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Línea directa de violencia doméstica

(202) 547-7777

1-800-799-7233

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento

Education Educación

Health Care Seguro

Clothing Ropa

Legal Assistance Assistencia Legal

Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Food Comida

Employment Assistance Assitencia con Empleo

Transportation Transportación

Showers Duchas

All services listed are referral-free Academy of Hope Public Charter School 202-269-6623 // 2315 18th Place NE aohdc.org

Bread for the City - 1525 7th St., NW // 202-265-2400 - 1640 Good Hope Rd., SE // 202-561-8587 breadforthecity.org

Calvary Women’s Services // 202-678-2341 1217 Good Hope Rd., SE calvaryservices.org

Catholic Charities // 202-772-4300 catholiccharitiesdc.org/gethelp

Central Union Mission // 202-745-7118 65 Massachusetts Ave., NW missiondc.org

Charlie’s Place // 202-232-3066 1830 Connecticut Ave., NW charliesplacedc.org

Christ House // 202-328-1100 1717 Columbia Rd., NW christhouse.org

Church of the Pilgrims // 202-387-6612 2201 P St., NW food (1-1:30 on Sundays only) churchofthepilgrims.org/outreach

Community Family Life Services 202-347-0511 // 305 E St., NW cflsdc.org

Community of Hope // 202-232-7356 communityofhopedc.org

Covenant House Washington 202-610-9600 // 2001 Mississippi Ave., SE covenanthousedc.org

D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 202-347-8870 // 1234 Massachusetts Ave., NW dccfh.org

Father McKenna Center // 202-842-1112 19 Eye St., NW fathermckennacenter.org

Food and Friends // 202-269-2277 (home delivery for those suffering from HIV, cancer, etc) 219 Riggs Rd., NE foodandfriends.org

Foundry Methodist Church // 202-332-4010 1500 16th St., NW foundryumc.org/idministry Identification services Friendship Place // 202-364-1419 4713 Wisconsin Ave., NW friendshipplace.org

Georgetown Ministry Center // 202-338-8301 1041 Wisconsin Ave., NW georgetownministrycenter.org

Laundry Lavandería

Samaritan Ministry 202-722-2280 // 1516 Hamilton St., NW 202-889-7702 // 1345 U St., SE samaritanministry.org

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-888-793-4357

JOB BOARD Store associate and stocker

Big Lots // 1731 Ritchie Station Court Capitol Heights, MD

Sasha Bruce Youthwork // 202-675-9340 741 8th St., SE sashabruce.org

Full-time, part-time

So Others Might Eat (SOME) // 202-797-8806 71 O St., NW some.org

REQUIRED: Able to carry up to 50 lbs.

St. Luke’s Mission Center // 202-333-4949 3655 Calvert St., NW stlukesmissioncenter.org

Check out customers, unload trucks, stock shelves and keep the store clean.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/biglotsmd

Custodial worker

Aerotek // Washington, D.C. Part-time

Jobs Have Priority // 202-544-9128 425 2nd St., NW jobshavepriority.org

Loaves & Fishes // 202-232-0900 1525 Newton St., NW loavesandfishesdc.org

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org 2375 Elvans Road SE 2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE

Miriam’s Kitchen // 202-452-8926 2401 Virginia Ave., NW miriamskitchen.org

My Sister’s Place // 202-529-5991 (24-hr hotline) mysistersplacedc.org

N Street Village // 202-939-2060 1333 N St., NW nstreetvillage.org

New York Avenue Shelter // 202-832-2359 1355-57 New York Ave., NE

Thrive DC // 202-737-9311 1525 Newton St., NW thrivedc.org

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699 1500 Galen Street SE, 1500 Galen Street SE, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3924 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 555 L Street SE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place, NE, 810 5th Street NW

Clean offices and classrooms, santize surfaces. REQUIRED: N/A APPLY: tinyurl.com/aerotekdc

Back of house

Nando’s Peri-Peri // 411 H St. NE Full time, part-time Work to clean the kitchen, prepare orders, and prepare food items and ingredients. REQUIRED: Able to carry up to 30 lbs. APPLY: tinyurl.com/nandosdc

Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St., NW // 202-328-5500 legalclinic.org

The Welcome Table // 202-347-2635 1317 G St., NW. epiphanydc.org/thewelcometable

Whitman-Walker Health 1701 14th St., NW // 202-745-7000 2301 MLK Jr. Ave., SE // 202-797-3567 whitman-walker.org

Patricia Handy Place for Women 202-733-5378 // 810 5th St., NW

Samaritan Inns // 202-667-8831 2523 14th St., NW samaritaninns.org

For further information and listings, gs, visit our online service guide at StreetSenseMedia.org/service-guide

Hiring? Send your job postings to editor@StreetSenseMedia.org

Heroes

Appreciation

AIDA PEERY Artist/Vendor

BRIANNA BUTLER Artist/Vendor

We sometimes thank our nurses and doctors for a job well done. But we hardly ever give thanks to our paramedics or fire department. I had an incident just this past spring with my granddaughter I want to thank them for. She had put a hair bead up her nose. I, as a grandmother, had to keep her calm and myself calm. I called the paramedics. They came within a minute, not minutes. All the while, in the background, was her brother, my grandson. He was unfazed by all the attention his little sister was getting from the paramedics, like this was an everyday occurrence. I finally got my grandson to put on his clothes because we were going to the children’s emergency room. Before we left, one of the female paramedics — I wish I got her name — got an idea to suck the hair bead out from my granddaughter’s nose. It worked. She handed me the bead, and said I should remind my granddaughter of our little adventure as she grows up. I still got that bead, too. I asked my granddaughter later on after we all relaxed: Why did she put that bead up her nose? She told me she had done

it before and it always came out of her nose. The logic of a three-year-old child. It could’ve been worse if it was not for the quick thinking of a paramedic. So, this is a shout-out to all the paramedics in the DMV area, especially in Washington D.C., since I live here. Y'all do a wonderful job keeping us alive! The fire department does the same thing, and is the first responder before the paramedics get to us. So firefighters do a lot of saving lives. They have helped me with my oxygen tank a few times. The firefighters in my neighborhood are awesome people too. I’m giving a shout-out to all the fire department men and women for their awesome work! Everybody should say hello or salute the fire department personnel. There was a time I cut myself really badly and I couldn’t stop the bleeding. I called the 911 first responders and the fire department, and they brought better and bigger bandages that stopped the bleeding. I almost passed out looking at my own bleeding finger. I’m giving a huge shout-out to the Washington, D.C. fire department and paramedics. Thank you for being there when we need you the most.

I appreciate God for giving me life in abundance. I am grateful he took my body and overwhelmed it with his healing power so I don’t have to suffer anymore. It’s amazing and fascinating how he never leaves you behind. He’s always thinking about you. When I step out in faith, he always pulls me through and makes me victorious. I’m so glad he never lets me go and protects me from all my enemies. Of course, obstacles and bumpy roads come my way, as they do for everyone. But as long as I have his word, I will come out on top. I have learned how to be kind to all, no matter what language, slang and wrong actions pass my ears. God will find a way to turn it around for my good. He supplies me with food and water that never run out. Take in what I’m saying, because he also can do the same for you, if you believe. He also makes me stronger, so I can resist any and all temptations that try to pursue me or consume me. I am blessed to have God in my life. I will never leave him, because he is God and he loves me and you.

Dear Lord DONTÉ TURNER Artist/Vendor

Lord, I made a lot of wrong turns The worst turn I ever took was the turn that led me away from you I made a lotta decisions dat ain’t right I’m tryna make it right But I can’t get it right, right away Oh Lord, oh Lord, I need your help right away I know that they hate me, ‘cause you said that they hate(d) you Crazy part ‘bout it is, I allowed and helped my enemies to bring me down I got tired of trying to figure it out and decided to accept you I learned a lot and you said you have me down here for a purpose But one of those purposes I know I ain’t down here fo’ is to be a failure In the word, your promises are yes and amen So with that acknowledged, hallelujah and amen

From your vendor,

Looking to make a difference?

Apply for an Internship

Gain valuable skills and hands-on experience in case management, graphic design, ou re videography, re yhalle ady A nge journalism, or ac ? or communications. More information at streetsensemedia.org/intern.

O C T. 11 - O C T. 2 4 , 2 0 2 3 | VOLUME 20 ISSUE 40

NO CASH? NO PROBLEM. WE HAVE AN APP! SEARCH “STREET SENSE” IN THE APP STORE

WWW.INSP.NGO

3.2 million READERS

5,700 VENDORS

90+

STREET PAPERS

COUNTRIES

LANGUAGES