05 13 2009

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

Where the poor and homeless

earn and give their two cents

D STE GE ON G S U N AT I DO

Volume 6 Issue14

May 13 to May 26, 2009

65 cents for the Vendor

35 cents for production of the paper

Budgeting for Homelessness

Foster Care

Rapid Re-housing

Homelessness Prevention Local Budget

Permanant Supportive Housing

Stimulus Money

Discharge Planning

Federal Budget

Maryland Gets Homeless Hate Crime Bill

Job Training

Page 6

cy n e g r Eme r Shelte

Writer’s TeaserGroup TeaserHonors Teaser here Veterans goes Page 11 Page 6

Substance Abuse Recovery

l ona i t nsi g Tra ousin H

Local and national leaders weigh in on spending for D.C.’s poorest residents, pages 4 and 5

Needed: Stimulus for the Poor Page 12

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 347–2006 Fax: (202) 347–2166 info@streetsense.org www.streetsense.org BOARD OF DIRECTORS Kristal DeKleer Lisa Estrada Ted Henson Mary Lynn Jones Sommer Mathis Brad Scriber John Snellgrove Michael Stoops Martin Walker David Walker Kathy Whelpley EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Laura Thompson Osuri EDITOR–IN–CHIEF Mary Otto VENDOR MANAGER Gregory Martin ASSOCIATE EDITOR David S. Hammond (volunteer) VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS

Sherry Antoine, Laura Arico, Robert Basler, Robert Blair, John Brandt, Michelle Cappuccio, Cliff Carle, Jane Cave, Carol Cummings, Rebecca Curry, Katie Edson, Andy Freeze, Lisa Gillespie, Cassandra Good, Joanne Goodwin, Roberta Haber, Erica Hall, Carol Hannaford, Justin Herman, Annie Hill, Dan Horner, Phillip Hoying, Kayne Karnbach, Michael Kelly, Maurice King, Geof Koss, Brenda K. Lee-Wilson, Starlett McNeill, Kim O’Connor, Gabriel Okolski, Robert Orifici, Michael O’Neill, Jon Pattee, Katinka Podmankzy, Sarah Pope, Diane Rusignola, Cara Schmidt, Jamie Schuman, Jesse Smith, Christna Studivant, Matthew Taylor, Robert Trautman, Eugene Versluysen, Linda Wang, Denise Wilkins, Marian Wiseman, Corrine Yu

VENDORS

Jake Ashford, Lawrence Autry, Glenn Baldwin, Daniel Ball, Carlie Banks, Kenneth Belkosky, Tommy Bennett, Phillip Black, Reginald Black, Corey Bridges, Michael Brown, Bobby Buggs, Melody Byrd, Cliff Carle, Conrad Cheek Jr., Aaron Conner, Pamela Cooper, Anthony Crawford, Louise Davenport, James Davis, Chino Dean, David Denny, Ricardo Dickerson, Muriel Dixon, Alvin Dixon El, Jerome Douglas, Charles Eatmon, Eric Ellis, Randy Evans, Tanya Franklin, Samuel Fullwood, Roger Garner, Robert Gregory, Barron Hall, David Harris, Dwight Harris, John Harrison, Patricia Henry, Shawn Herring, Michael Higgs, Philip Howard, Lester Irby, Joanna Jackson, Patricia Jefferson, Jewell Johnson, Carlton Johnson, Donald Johnson, Allen Jones, Mark Jones, DeRutter Jones, Clinton Kilpatrick, Brenda Lee-Wilson, Michael Lyons, Kina Mathis, John Matthews, Charlie Mayfield, Herman Mayse, Robert McCray, Jermale McKnight, Jennifer McLaughlin, Jeffery McNeil, Virginia Moore, L. Morrow, Tyrone Murray, Charles Nelson, Sammy Ngatiri, Evelyn Nnam, Larry Olds, Moyo Onibuje, Gregory Phillips, Thomas Queen, Ash-Shaheed Rabbil, Michael Reardon, Jeanette Richardson, Tyrone Rogers, Ed Ross, Chris Shaw, Veda Simpson, Patty Smith, Gerald Smith, Yvette Smith, Franklin Sterling, Warren Stevens, James Stewart, Garland Stroman, Leroy Studevant, Sybil Taylor, Steve Thomas, Eric Thompson, Francine Triplett, Carl Turner, Patsy Uzzell, Martin Walker, Joseph Walker, Lawless Watson, Gregory Wells, Michael J. Welsh, Darrell Whitmyer, Edna Williams, Ivory Wilson, Charles Woods

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Our Mission

Street Sense aims to serve as a vehicle for elevating voices and public debate on issues relating to poverty while also creating economic opportunities for people who are experiencing homelessness in our community.

The Story of Street Sense

Street Sense began in August 2003 after two volunteers, Laura Thompson Osuri and Ted Henson, approached the National Coalition for the Homeless on separate occasions about starting a street newspaper in Washington, D.C. A street paper is defined as a newspaper about poverty, homelessness and other social issues that provides an income to the homeless individuals who sell it. About 25 street papers operate in the United States and Canada in places like Seattle, Chicago, Montreal and Boston, and dozens more exist throughout the world.

After bringing together a core of dedicated volunteers and vendors, Street Sense came out with its first issue in November 2003, printing 5,000 copies. For the next three years the paper published on a monthly basis and greatly expanded its circulation and vendor network.

For the first year, Street Sense operated as a project of the National Coalition for the Homeless, but in October 2004, the organization incorporated and moved into its own office space.

In March 2005, Street Sense received 501(c)3 status, becoming a nonprofit organization.

In October 2005 Street Sense formed a full board of directors, and in November the organization hired its first employee, a fulltime executive director.

A year later in November 2006 , the organization hired its first vendor coordinator, and began partnering with several service providers.

In February 2007, the paper started publishing twice a month and to support the increased production, Street Sense brought on its first fulltime editor–in–chief in April.

As of January 2009 the paper has 80 active vendors and prints about 30,000 issues a month.

Do you want to continue to support Street Sense throughout the year?

Order a subscription today!

Not only will you receive 26 issues packed with all our latest news, poetry and photography, you will also help raise awareness about poverty in the D.C. area. ___ YES! I want to subscribe to Street Sense for just $40 a year for 26 issues. ___ YES! I want to give half of the cost of a subscription to my favorite vendor: ________________________________ Name: _______________________________ Address: ______________________________ _____________________________________ City:__________________________________ State:__________________ Zip: __________ Phone: _______________________________ E-mail: _______________________________ Please make checks payable to: Street Sense.

Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.

We are proud members of: North American Street Newspaper Association

International Network of Street Papers

Vendor Code of Conduct 1.

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Street Sense will be distributed for a voluntary donation of $1. I agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Street Sense by any other means.

I will only purchase the paper from Street Sense staff and will not sell papers to other vendors (outside of the office volunteers).

I agree to treat all others – customers, staff, other vendors – respectfully, and I will not “hard sell,” threaten or pressure customers.

I agree to stay off private property when selling Street Sense.

I understand that I am not a legal employee of Street Sense but a contracted worker responsible for my own well–being and income.

I agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper.

I will not sell Street Sense under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

I agree to stay a block away from another vendor and respect the space of all vendors.

I understand that my badge is the property of Street Sense and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge when selling papers.

I understand that Street Sense strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word.

Street Sense loves its donors!

For a complete list, see page 14

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

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IN OTHER NEWS Compiled by Jonathan Rubin NYC Homeless Families Must Pay Rent Even the homeless can’t escape the high price of a night in New York City. City officials this month began charging rent to working families staying in public homeless shelters.

The policy stems from a 1997 state law that hasn’t been enforced until now. Under that law, shelter managers started to require families to pay a portion of their income, depending on the shelter and family size, according to The New York Times. Residents could be expected to pay up to half their earnings.

Some shelter residents say the new rule will ruin their chances of saving enough money to get an apartment.

One single mother living in a Manhattan shelter tells the Times she got a letter saying she had to give up $336 of the $800 she makes each month as a cashier. Vanessa Dacosta makes $8.40 an hour at Sbarro.

She got a letter under her door at the shelter a few weeks ago saying she’d have to fork up nearly half of what she was bringing in.

For Dacosta, who pays nearly $100 a week for child care for her 2-year-old, paying the shelter is hardly an expense she can afford.

“It’s not right,” Dacosta told the Times. “I pay my baby sitter, I buy diapers, and I’m trying to save money so I can get out of here. I don’t want to be in the

shelter forever.”

But the city says it’s got to find a way to cover the costs of state housing aid. Officials had to pay back $2.4 million in 2007 that they said should have been paid by residents of homeless shelters who could afford it.

“I think it’s hard to argue that families that can contribute to their shelter cost shouldn’t,” Robert Hess, the city’s commissioner of homeless services, told the Times. “I don’t see this playing out in an adverse way. Our objective is not for families to remain in shelter. Our objective is to move families back into their own homes and into the community.”

It’s not clear why the more than decade-old law hasn’t been enforced until now, the Times reports.

Homeless “Real World” An abandoned project to create a reality show based on six homeless Denver residents is being taken up once more. The four independent producers who created "Homeless Real World" are now reworking their footage and searching for a new distributor, according to broadcastingcable.com.

The show is based around the popular MTV show "The Real World," which follows people around documenting their day-to-day lives, including finding income and shelter, relationships, health issues, and love.

Supporters Save Chicago Street Newspaper StreetWise, Chicago's well-known street newspaper, almost closed its doors last month. But no longer - the paper needed an emergency $75,000 to keep operations running, and managed to quickly raise more than $185,000 from donors, including a congressman.

"The situation is very optimistic now, as the public has come out in support of StreetWise in ways we never imagined," said StreetWise Executive Director Bruce Crane. StreetWise has been in existence for 16 years and provides jobs to more than 200 vendors a month.

Mobile Shelter Distributed to LA Homeless A Los Angeles charity has created a mobile shelter to help homeless individuals live more comfortably on the street. Known as”Everyone Deserves A Roof,” or EDAR, the shelter is a dry, safe tent-like enclosure for sleeping, raised off the concrete, with privacy and storage space.

An EDAR looks like a square canvas enclosure on wheels. They are given free to homeless residents (resources permitting), and were created by media executive and philanthropist Peter Samuelson.

Recipients are given a toll-free number to let the charity know how the unit is working and where they are located.

Support the Street Sense BailOut Since Street Sense will not be getting a bailout from the government anytime soon, we need support from donors like you more than ever to get through these tough economic times. So please donate today! Any small amount you can give will be greatly appreciated and you can be assured your dollars will be put right to work, enpowering the homeless and educating the public.

My Information Name:_______________________________________________________ Address:_____________________________________________________ City/State/Zip:_______________________________________________ Phone:_______________________E-mail:_________________________ Please make checks payable to Street Sense.

Street Sense is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit organization.

All donations are tax deductible.

Mail to: Street Sense, 1317 G St. NW, Washington, DC 20005.

You can also donate online at www.streetsense.org

I WIll Donate ___ $50 for two vendor awards each month ___ $70 for food for vendor meetings ___ $100 for postage each month ___ $200 for the vests of 15 new vendors ___ $500 for rent for vendor office ___ $1,200 for the printing of one issue ___ Another amount of $_____________

To learn more about Doubling your donation through corporate Matching Gifts, see page 14.

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

DC Weighs Cost of Homeless Services

By Mary Otto and Robert Blair District officials are buoyed by the news that President Barack Obama has included $19 million for the city’s Permanent Supportive Housing Program in his budget for the nation.

With Congressional approval, the windfall could more than double the funding for this plan to move chronically homeless people from streets and emergency shelters to stable housing, while providing them with services they need to address problems surrounding their homelessness.

Without such help, the program will remain stalled at its current level for the next fiscal year. Under a spending plan proposed by Mayor Adrian Fenty and being considered for final approval by the City Council May 12, as Street Sense goes to press, funding for the Permanent Supportive Housing Program would stay at its current $12 million funding level for fiscal year 2010.

That $12 million would cover the cost of continuing to shelter and serve 655 single people and 80 families slated to move from homelessness into housing during the current fiscal year. However, the sum would not defray the cost of placing new people in the program.

If the additional $19 million in federal funding is approved, “we can house hundreds more people,” said Fred Swan, administrator of the city’s Family Services Administration.

Yet amid the excitement about a

potential increase in Permanent Supportive Housing funds, advocates for the poor and homeless worry that funding for emergency shelters and other social services, which is remaining relatively flat, will not keep pace with increasing needs, especially those associated with the recession and the housing crisis.

Results of an annual one-day count of the city’s homeless population, conducted in January and newly released, found a total of 6,228 literally homeless people residing in the District on a single night in January - a 3% increase over last year.

The number of single homeless people decreased by 6.5%while the number of homeless people in families increased by 23 percent over last year, per the results of the homeless count, managed annually by the Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness.

“There absolutely is a rising need,” said Martina Gillis, advocacy coordinator for the Fair Budget Coalition, a collection of community and church groups and human service providers that organized a May 6 demonstration outside of city hall to advocate for more spending on housing, adult literacy, temporary cash assistance and homeless programs.

“A lot of our member organizations are seeing people who have never accessed (assistance) programs in their lives. They are losing their jobs and trying to navigate the social services system. It’s hard to get access to services, anyway. But to go and be turned away because there is

DC Budget Highlights Homeless Services $54.8 million 1.1% decrease from FY2009

Peramanent Supportive Housing $12 million No change from FY2009 (In addition to a proposed $19 million for the District of Columbia program in the federal budget.)

Courtesy of the Fair budget coalition

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Members of the Fair Budget Coalition rally in front of D.C.’s City Hall in support of more funds for safety net programs for the city’s low-income and poor residents.

no funding…We know the need is increasing.”

City officials have stressed the importance of getting homeless people into permanent housing and out of the city’s emergency shelters, including the 300-bed Franklin School Shelter, which was closed last fall.

But they also emphasize the need for austerity as they struggle with a shortfall estimated at $800 million for the coming fiscal year, a budget gap blamed on declining business and property tax revenues.

According to the mayor’s proposed budget, homeless services would receive $54.8 million for the coming year, a decrease of roughly $600,000 from the current fiscal year.

The Fenty administration has offered assurances that homeless services will continue at the current level, stating that the reduction in funding is due to efficiencies gained through departmental reorganization.

Bu t a c c o rd i n g t o t h e n e w l y formed Homeless Emergency Response Workgroup, a broad group of homeless people, advocates and providers, more is needed because city emergency shelters already are strained beyond capacity.

A survey conducted by the workgroup indicates that homeless individuals were turned away from city emergency shelters 226 times over

the eight nights between April 22 and 30.

The need for additional beds is acute, said Maureen Brown.

“I’m currently homeless and for four or five nights I slept outside.,” she said “They definitely need to open more shelters.”

Another homeless woman agreed.

“I was out in the rain last night. I have full blown AIDS,” said Renee Paige. “I just got out of the hospital.”

FOUNDRY A Reconciling Congregation Invites you to join us in worship on Sundays at 9:30 and 11:00 AM Homeless Outreach Hospitality: Fridays 9:00 AM

Foundry United Methodist Church

1500 16th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036 (202) 332-4010

www.foundryumc.org

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DC Aims to Improve AntiHomelessness Efforts for Former Inmates, Patients

By Daniel Horner Better-coordinated help for people being discharged from prisons and medical facilities is a major focus of District plans for money from the federal economic stimulus bill.

The District is slated to receive $7.5 million for homelessness prevention efforts under that legislation, formally known as the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The stimulus package is providing about $1.5 billion for federal and other homelessness prevention programs across the country.

As described in the District’s proposal for its Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program, the D.C. Department of Corrections has established a program to work with incarcerated people, within 48 hours of their admission, on planning for their release. The initial steps cover areas such as health care, housing, food and job training, the proposal says.

The corrections department is expanding the current program in a number of ways, including its work on substance abuse, the paper says.

Laura Zeilinger, the deputy director for program operations in D.C.’s Department of Human Services, said in a May 8 interview that there already had been “a great deal of work” on preparing people for everyday life once they leave jail or another institution.

But the new money means the District can help multiple agencies become better prepared to help people deal with the challenges they often face upon release, Zeilinger said.

Housing can be one of those challenges, and even the most wellintentioned planning for post-discharge life “often falls apart” if a person is released from an institution and dropped off at a nightsonly homeless shelter, she said.

The intensified focus on providing housing for people newly released from institutions does not necessarily mean “we’ll have an apartment waiting when they come out,” Zeilinger said, but it is designed to “minimize the length of homelessness.”

The proposal includes people coming out of foster care, hospitals, jail or prison, psychiatric or substance abuse treatment facilities, and publicly funded stays in hotels and motels in its definition of an “institutional setting.”

Zeilinger also said the program is not exclusively focused on correctional institutions. St. Elizabeths Hospital and other medical institutions are also part of the effort, she said.

The D.C. government has a deadline of May 18 for submitting its spending plan for the federal stimulus funds to the U.S Department of Housing and Urban Development. The District’s Department of Housing and Community Development held a public hearing on the plan April 29; the deadline for comments was May 6.

Visit Us Online at www.streetsense.org

May 13 - May 26, 2009

Departing “Homeless Czar” Lauds Progress

By Robert Blair The day after announcing he would step down May 15 as executive director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, Phillip Mangano was in Cambridge, Mass. meeting with the Dalai Lama. Two days after he leaves, he will be in Tacoma, Wash., delivering a commencement address at the University of Puget Sound and receiving an honorary doctorate for his efforts to help end chronic homelessness.

That coast-to-coast finale nicely symbolizes the role Mangano has played over the last seven years as a cross-country proselytizer for the Housing First strategy. That approach prioritizes housing and individualized supportive services for the most vulnerable and disabled homeless – and stresses the importance of developing local 10-year plans to guide the effort.

“I was honored to serve for the first 100 days of the Obama administration,” Mangano told Street Sense, “but seven years is a long time to be here, and it’s time for new ideas and new leadership.”

In announcing his departure, Mangano summarized the Council’s legacy as “More resources than ever before – decreases in street and chronic homelessness – unprecedented political will – and unprecedented research and planning.”

Most important, he asserted, were the Council’s efforts “to move the dialogue and response from good intentions and well-meaning programs to innovative solutions informed by cost studies and cost/benefit analyses documenting the economic impact of homelessness.” The findings of those studies, Mangano said, have had an impact on the political will to adopt effective programs that can end, not just manage, homelessness.

Although he lauded the accomplishment of a nationwide 12% reduction in overall homelessness between 2005 and 2007, and a 30% decline in chronic homelessness, Mangano recognized that the recession would create new challenges for his successor.

He takes satisfaction in that fact that, unlike the empty office and cardboard boxes he found when he began in March 2002, his successor will start with an extremely competent staff, an independent agency, a bigger (if still modest) budget, and a set of field-

Phillip Mangano

tested strategies for fighting homelessness.

“I’ve tried to instill a sense of hopefulness,” Mangano said. “A lot of good things have been done; and I do not doubt that the new administration will continue the trajectory.”

Quoting Einstein’s observation that “In the midst of difficulty lies opportunity,” Mango said of the current recession “You can hide under your desk and wait for the bad times to go away, or you can look for the opportunities.”

He listed what he sees as three current opportunities: The stimulus package funds targeted for homelessness, the drop in housing costs, and the new resources in President Obama’s proposed budget. “Ironically,” he observed, “there are more resources on the table for addressing homelessness than ever before.”

To illustrate his point, Mangano referred to a $19 million item in the president’s budget for additional permanent supportive housing in Washington, D.C. “It’s a good thing the city has a 10-year strategic plan in place and a supportive mayor,” he said.

He mentioned his own efforts to encourage the Bush administration to launch “a specific initiative around housing and supportive services in the nation’s capital, in full view of members of Congress.” He believes that a successful rapid rehousing program in D.C. could inspire Congress to fund more such efforts across the country.

“I’m proud of the Obama administration for targeting more permanent supportive housing,” he declared, and expressed hope that Capitol Hill would sustain the president’s budget. And, he added, “I’d encourage Congress to up it.”

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

MD Governor Signs Homeless Hate Crimes Bill

By Josh Miller A bill signed by Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley last week made Maryland the first state to include the homeless as a class within the scope of anti-hate crime legislation.

Perpetrators of crimes that target people living on the streets or in shelters will now face stiffer consequences in Maryland, such as sentences of up to 20 years in prison for felonies.

“What the law now specifically provides is for increased penalties for an attack on a homeless person that was committed because the person was homeless,” said Antonia Fasanelli, executive director of the Homeless Persons Representation Project.

State Sen. Alex Mooney, a Republican, sponsored Senate Bill 151, which also added gender and disabilities as determining factors in applying the state’s antihate crime laws. Those laws already covered attacks against a person based on his or her race, color, religious beliefs, sexual orientation or national origin.

“The other historic thing about this signing today is that the homeless are considered a protected class,” said Michael Stoops, executive director of the National Coalition for the Homeless.

Advocates of protecting the homeless celebrated Maryland’s pioneering measures at a press conference Thursday in Baltimore.

“It sends a very clear message that the government does not tolerate hate crimes against homeless people,” said Tulin Ozdeger of the National Law Center on

Homelessness & Poverty. “We hope this legislation will be one step in many that Maryland will take.”

Elsewhere, state legislatures in California, Ohio and Texas are considering similar bills. In Congress, Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) has introduced a resolution, on which Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) is a cosponsor, to extend anti-hate crime protections to the homeless. And the City Council in the District of Columbia will vote on similar directives as early as June.

Other state and local governments have taken actions to stem or track violence against the homeless.

Maine and Alaska have allowed a victim’s homeless status to be a factor in sentencing. Seattle added homelessness as a category applicable to anti-harassment cases. And Los Angeles has asked its police to begin tracking attacks against homeless people.

“There’s no law enforcement agency anywhere that keeps statistics on attacks against the homeless,” said Stoops. “We need a more scientific way. If we had a scientific way, the numbers would be a lot higher.”

As the numbers stand, according to Stoops, more than 800 attacks against the homeless were documented from 1999 to 2008. More than 200 of those attacks resulted in loss of life.

Mooney, who originally opposed the Maryland bill on the grounds that it provided protection on the basis of sexual orientation, cited newspaper reports of incidents involving attacks on the homeless as his motivation for sponsoring the bill, which had been defeated twice before passing this year. The law takes

effect October 1.

“The legislature acknowledged the serious circumstances that our clients face every day on the streets and something had to be done,” Fasanelli said.

In 2008 in Maryland, there were four attacks on homeless people, two of which were fatal. One was on Valentine’s Day when a homeless man was beaten to death while sleeping in an alley in Frederick. Documented attacks on homeless people in Maryland date back to at least 1992. That year, a homeless Korean War veteran in Annapolis was killed after being soaked in urine, called a “worthless bum” and kicked down a ravine. Almost a decade later, in 2001, a group of young men from South Baltimore killed three homeless people during a spree of beatings and robberies.

“When the teens went to trial in Baltimore, they testified that they considered the people they attacked to be trash,” Fasanelli said. “So that does provide some indication of their intent.”

Most violence against homeless people nationwide is perpetrated by teenagers and young adults, Stoops added.

“There’s a big battle going on in downtown America. … Many cities are criminalizing homelessness,” he said. “This gives a bad image to youths that homeless people are worthless.”

Their growing visibility also is contributing to aggression against homeless people, Fasanelli and Stoops agreed. Homelessness increased by 10% in Baltimore from 2006 to 2007 and by 14% in 2008, according to Fasanelli.

Supporters Rally for Private School Scholarships Program

By Reginald Black In these perilous economic times nothing is safe from the crunching.

The first week of May, I observed a rally at Freedom Plaza in support of a program that has drawn strong support from participating District families.

The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship, which allows low-income families to send their children to private schools, is slated to lose funding next year. Federal budget legislation would eliminate the program; action by Congress and the D.C. Council could restore it.

The sad reality is that without a good education one can find oneself sleeping in a park or in the neighborhood hallway. The District is in a fierce dispute about how to improve its troubled public schools, because people of every opinion recognize this reality.

The D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program is one proposed solution for improving things. In 2008-2009 the program helped 1,715 District students attend 49 nonpublic schools, with scholarships of up to $7,500.

The program started in 2003 when Congress passed the D.C. School Choice Incentive Act. The law mandated an independent rigorous evaluation of what is now called the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship (OSP).

Studies do not show evidence of a significant change in test scores between those using the scholarship and those that do not. But the program has a positive impact on parent satisfaction and their perception of school safety.

Hosting the rally was Kevin Chavous, former member of the D.C. Council and the author of “Serving Our

Children: Charter Schools and the Reform of American Public Education.” He referred to the already seated leaders as a pipeline to the good Lord.

I was blown away as the St. Francis Xavier student choir sang. It was cute to watch children of all ages and grades come together for one cause, to see each other next year.

Joining in support were recording artists Genuine Sole and Mya. Genuine told the crowd “I do not come to you as Genuine, but as a husband and father.” Mya, who said she is still teaching herself, also runs a youth group.

Next was Dr. Ben Chavis, who started the chant “Put our children first!” He also called out District leaders in the Wilson Building across the street by saying that instead of cutting funding, we should be increasing funding. Former Mayor Anthony Williams also briefly addressed the crowd, saying “I would not be here today if loving parents didn’t adopt me into their loving home.”

There were many schools in attendance, and the roll was called of all in attendance. The children had made hand-written posters and the parents came in droves. Some spoke on how the program has helped their children. Two students in the program gave their testimonies of success.

Several current Council members showed up as well. First, Council member Marion Barry, who exclaimed, “Let my people go.” He assured the crowd that he is with them when it comes to education. Council member Harry Thomas Jr. also showed his support.

After more chants and expressions of support, a huge crowd of parents and students marched over to

REginald Black

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Organizers of the rally handed out T-shirts for all participants to wear.

the Wilson Building. They carried in hand 7,000 signatures to a petition against cutting the Opportunity Scholarship program.

With the final decisions on the District’s budget coming soon, one can only wonder where the programs that help the impoverished are going to be in the coming year. And whatever decisions are made about public funding for education, the parents who favor this school-choice program have made their voices heard.

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

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‘Just Give Money to the Poor’

By Mercedes Sayagues MAPUTO - Cash transfers are the new darlings of proponents of welfare programs. Mexico, Brazil, Bangladesh, lately New York City, and about two dozen developing countries presently dole out money to poor families, usually with conditions attached, such as taking their children to school and health checkups.

Can Mozambique, one of the world’s poorest countries, afford social protection through a broad cash transfer scheme? Joseph Hanlon, a lecturer on conflict resolution at the Open University, Milton Keynes, England, says yes.

Hanlon is editor of Mozambican Political Process Bulletin, and in 2008 with Teresa Smart authored a critique of Mozambique's aid and development model titled "Do More Bicycles Equal Development in Mozambique?"

He spoke to IPS at a seminar on poverty dynamics organized by the Institute for Social and Economic Studies in Maputo at the end of April.

IPS: What are you proposing?

Joseph Hanlon: Just give money to the poor. People cannot pull themselves up by the bootstraps if they have no boots.

IPS: Cash with no conditions?

JH: If there are schools and clinics nearby, the poor send their children. Conditionalities for the poor only placate the tax-paying middle classes.

IPS: How would the cash be targeted?

JH: Choosing a small group is socially divisive.

Imposing conditions and excluding people is both time-consuming and expensive and, in the case of Mozambique, quite ineffective and unfair. Seventy per cent of Mozambicans are poor.

IPS: Then who should get it?

JH: Eventually, all poor families. To begin with, since most Mozambicans live in extended families with children and older people, the most efficient and non-divisive system of cash transfers would be a universal child benefit and non-contributory pension.

IPS: Your paper does not mention the feminization of poverty. Why? JH: In Mozambique, women-headed households are not significantly poorer than others. Poverty is a general problem. It makes more sense to improve

the whole family’s economic standards and productivity.

IPS: Why not target women specifically?

JH: The NGO and the aid industry’s stress on gender is not always helpful. Income-generating projects usually mean more work for women. This is not to say that women are not discriminated, in inheritance rights, for example, but the aid industry approaches the problem as if it were one more fault of the poor that women are not treated fairly.

IPS: Yet you suggest giving the cash transfer to the senior woman in the family.

JH: It is easier to give the cash transfer to families, not individuals, but we must a bit careful with family dynamics. There is some indication that women spend money on food for the family but, at the same time, money may be invested in consumption rather than production. It is a horrible trade off that the poor face.

IPS: What would the cost of the program be?

JH: The current monthly subsidy for the elderly is 100 meticais (about US $4), and 50 for a child. A scheme of pensions for over-65s and school-age children aged 7 to 14 would equal 0.8 percent of GDP, or $80 million. It is practical and affordable.

is needed. So, let’s put the money in the hands of the people. The poor invest wisely.

IPS: Any examples to follow?

JH: I would opt for either the Brazilian or South African models. In Brazil, recipients are self-declaring families below the poverty line. In South Africa, children and old people. What is important is that both programs are rights based, largely unconditional, and universal.

IPS: Social protection in the form of old age pensions and child grants is not new. What is new about cash transfers?

JH: The neo-liberal and aid agency models blame both poor people and poor countries for their poverty; they must be educated and controlled. The poverty trap model says the poor know what to do but lack the money to feed their children and invest, so give them money.

The key issue of underdevelopment is lack of demand (due to the poverty trap), not supply (as in the neo-liberal model). Demand looks at the poor, while supply looks at the rich as the engine of development.

Courtesy of Inter Press Service © Street News Service: www.street-papers.org

IPS: Where would the money come from?

JH: A five percent increase in donor aid could fund the program, from the additional aid promised at the Gleaneagles Summit. In the future, when Mozambique becomes a mineral and energy exporter, it should set aside a portion of mineral revenues to fund social protection, like Bolivia and Alaska.

Now Providing Quality Dental Services for D.C. Medically underserved and homeless persons

….We treat you well

IPS: How will this cash transfer help the economy?

JH: Research shows that increased rural income is largely spent on local services and locally produced farm and non-farm goods, especially for goods produced by the poor.

IPS: How do cash transfers relate to the Millennium Development Goals?

JH: The focus on MDGs has led to disproportionate spending on health and education by donors and governments, forgetting MDG 1 - halving poverty.

More aid to create jobs and economic development

For one of Unity Health Care’s Medical Homeless Service Sites Call (202) 255-3469 For an appointment at any of our Community Health Centers Call 1(866) 388388-6489

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

“Take It From Me” by De Rutter Jones

TAKE IT FROM ME That: we boomers did not foresee this Thought we’d just go on

Didn’t figure on aging

Aging was a blurry thing aging people did.

Just go on dancing in a circle

Around the candles to Joni Mitchell

With all that weed and Gallo Wine,

Dried up carrot cake—

And with a young girl in a peasant dress

That came off easily

Through the window a black ball of clouds,

Seen many miles downrange

Lightening shards silently spinning and

Sparking out of it.

Giant pinwheel of rain soon coming down hard

We knew the air would change, become electrical,

And the arroyos would be drunk with rain

It was all good it was sweet.

TAKE IT FROM ME

That: There was then Stacey

Too young but gifted for college

Encountered laying one late afternoon in September

On a blanket, soaking up the slanting sun

In a bikini for chrissake

(Lots of bong hits, hashish too

Small dorm room packed with smoke

While we traded epigrams.

Her boyfriend working in Teheran

Starring quizzically out of a snapshot on the wall, amused)

Daddy a wildcat oilman, gone now

Stepdaddy a film noir screenwriter, grizzled now

Mommy a golddigger, a charmer.

Stacey once bounced on Eisenhower’s knee And when asked what it’s like to be rich, Said: “Having money just means you don’t have to sweat the small stuff.”

S treetS ense.org

May 13 - May 26, 2009

photos by Natalie Yu

TAKE IT FROM ME

That: it’s all gone into memory

Later the concubine of a Paramount studio head

Lounged decoratively around the swimming pool, she later joked.

But so much white powder, so many pills

And reality did intrude, as it is wont to do

When scandal flung everyone out of Paradise

Then the car’s front end buckled;

The legs snapped

Not a twisted ankle on a ski slope

But real pain this time.

Today she is happy & fat

Husband a Brooklyn wiseguy Once the whitest white girl I ever knew

Now another human being.

TAKE IT FROM ME

That: still, memory betrays

Beckons, but a false god

The future is true, unknown, terrible

So when the joints start clicking

With the warm weak aching

Get yourself a young girl in a peasant dress

Someone you can rely on

To bring you water

Someone you can rely on to lift you up

Into your bed Into your hospice Into your coffin

Into your world’s end Someone.

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

gREGORY’S gREAT gAME Vendor Gregory Martin loves to create seek-and-find puzzles and drive the Street Sense staff crazy trying to find their answers. Below is his latest puzzle. Good Luck!

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Who’s Who of The Homeless?

The experience of formerly homeless celebrities and where they are now Kimberly Denise Jones aka Lil’ Kim Born July 11, 1974 in the Bed Form Stuyvesant Neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York to parents Linwood Jones and Ruby Mae. In an interview with USA TODAY WEEKEND, Lil’ Kim was quoted, stating that at the age of eight she was homeless after her and her mother left her abusive father.

“There was a time when her and I were living out [of] the trunk of her car,” said Lil’ Kim as quoted

by USA Today Weekend. “We slept in the back seat.” Grammy Award-Winner, Lil’ Kim rose to fame with the launch of Queen Bee Records with Kim herself as the CEO.

Tu Pac Amaru Shakur Born June 16, 1971 in New York, NY. He was the son of two Black Panther members, Afeni Shakur and William Garland.

The actor, poet, and rap music star lived an impoverished life with his mother and half-sister throughout most of his childhood.

Tu Pac moved between homeless shelters and low grade accommodations throughout New York City. He died September 13, 1996. He is best known as a gifted lyricist and writer with the legacy of his music and the lifestyle of his poetic point of view.

John Woo born Young Wu Yu-Sen Born in Guangzhou, Canton in 1946.

Woo is widely considered to be the best contemporary director of action films anywhere. He made his reputation as a film director in Hong Kong during the 1980’s. He started working in Hollywood in 1992 with films like Mission Impossible 2, Broken Arrow, and Wind Talkers. He lived in a shelter when he was seven, after being made homeless for a year when him and his family lost everything in a major Hong Kong fire on Christmas Day 1953. The fire destroyed his home and the homes of 50,000 others.

By Carlton Johnson

State Your Limit Texas Oregon Illinois Utah Nevada Kansas Hawaii Idaho

Michigan Iowa Virginia Maryland Ohio New Jersey New York Florida Maine

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

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Will write for food: Writer’s Group The Writer’s Group meets Wednesdays

Reggie’s Reflections: Changes??!!

2:30 to 3:30 p.m. at

By Reginald Black

the Street Sense office. A poetry after party is 3:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Memorial Day Write about summer arriving, bringing hot weather with its pleasures for all of us and its risks for homeless people. Or how about Memorial Day? Are you a veteran, or is someone you know? Do you have any reflections on military service, veterans, or larger issues of war and peace?

Memorializing War No More

By Sean Christopher Riley

Reminiscing about days gone by, when picnic tables blossomed with a plethora of soul-filled delights. Swimming pools were filled with schoolmates and surrounding neighborhood school spirits’ rivals. Seniors, middle-aged, adolescents and youths surrounding grills, blankets, wooden tables, folding chairs. Card games, checkers, scrabble and finger-painting areas. Music setting the perfect soundtrack, to the premier movie called life. These are the memories of life that nourish the love of life that pumps blood through my body with every heartbeat. When I think of Memorial Day I think of everlasting sunshine smiles and fun-filled events that say thank you, Lord for another day with family friends neighbors and fellow citizens of Earth. I memorialize peace and love with war no more. Oh how I love Memorial Dayz!!!!

Sean is new to the writer’s group. Contact: sean.riley@rocketmail.com

The Good Old Days on Memorial Day

By Patty Smith

When I was living in Pittsburgh one year, I remember this. It was Memorial Day. My uncle Willie came to visit us. In the back yard we had a big cookout grill. Uncle Willie had gotten up early that Saturday morning. My mother put the barbeque ribs in the oven to do a little of the cooking. The rest of the cooking would be done on the grill.Uncle Willie put chicken hamburger on the grill and he and I took turns turning the meat over until it was done. After the food was done, we all sat down in the dining room and ate the best spring food of the year. That was the good old days.

The questions in my head just didn’t stop. How and why I was homeless kept coming back into mind. Not being able to shake the thought, I was becoming the bandit of the ‘hood. My job ended and having no income hurt. but the chat room was much different - there was someone seemingly interested in me. Her avatar matched and all. She talked to me constantly, not being able to tell if I was into her. She was hopelessly hooked ... or at least that was the impression I was getting. Weird, was this girl crazy about me to the point she wanted all I could give? What happens if I pursue her, and my crush coming around? The scene was surely different. But it all still was the same.

I couldn’t believe that my destiny was this clouded. How could I handle the changing of the guard taking place, and would the consumed female bend to my side? I didn’t know.

Reggie helps with layout, hosting the writer’s group, and writing for Street Sense. Contact: roninworrior@yahoo.com

Chip and Little Cheep: No One is too Small to be Great

By Patty Smith Have you ever wondered where you fit in? Has it ever seemed hard to make a difference? If so, then you should read “Chip and Little Cheep,” a story from Disney.

The story starts with Chip wanting to help his mom stir the whipped cream.

But he splashed it all over the place. “You’re too little to help with the baking – run along and help someone else.” So Chip tried to help dust off a suit of armor.

But he rubbed the hard it made everything fall down. “Run along and help someone else – you’re too small to help me.” Chip tried to light candles, but he knocked over a pitcher of water, and it put out the candles. “Run along and help someone else.” Chip got in the way in the library, too –”you’re too small, and the books are too big. Run along and help someone else.”

Chip went outside. “Maybe I am too small to help anyone else.” Just then he heard a small peeping noise. Chip discovered a small bird crying. He asked the bird if he was hungry or thirsty. After feeding the bird Chip discovered that the bird’s wing was broken. He said “I’ll take you to Belle and she can fix you up.”

He carried the bird inside and all in the house pitched in to help fix the bird’s wing. All were proud that Chip was able to help the bird. He named the bird little Cheep and decided to keep him.

I was pleased that in this book, someone that is too small to help anyone finds the perfect partner. I give this story five Street Sense city blocks. It has all the elements – a little action, some emotion, and someone that wants to help, and everyone turns them down.

I would recommend this book and story because it gives the impression that no one is too small to be great. Also it reminds me of what most of us go through today, the struggle of being accepted and wanted. I hope that you can get to the library and check it out.

Patty Smith is a longtime vendor. Contact: pattyscoffee@netzero.com

The Last Weekend In May

By Reginald Black

I love the last weekend in May, because I’m celebrating my birth. My birthday is the 23rd of May. I also know many a veteran; my father is included in those war heroes I know. It pains me to know that people about my age are being remembered for dying in wars. Being a youngster myself. I support our troops, but I am opposed to collegebound students ending up in the cemetery before even touching the classroom. My prayer is that as we remember our vets of the past, we don’t forget our vets of the future.

Reggie helps with layout: See Reggie’s Reflections for contact information.

Memorial Day

By Muriel Dixon

All the pomp and circumstance that comes along with Memorial Day is not the same for me. There is no pomp, just circumstance. It unfortunately is a sad reminder of the loss of my mother. She was not in the military, but she also deserves wreaths and flowers. My mother served in different wars: first racism, second segregation, third motherhood, and fourth cancer, the war that she lost. And for that she may not only deserve flowers, but medals too. So I’ll take this time to say mother, wherever you are, Happy Memorial Day. Muriel Dixon is a longtime vendor. Contact: murieldixon2008@yahoo.com

PRODUCTION, HOSTING, LAYOUT AND SUPPORT: Cara Schmidt, Carlton Johnson, David Hammond, Michelle Cappuccio, Patty Smith, Reginald Black

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

A Bonus America Can Believe In

By Robert Warren

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’m a member of the People for Fairness Coalition, homeless people and friends who meet at Miriam’s Kitchen in Northwest D.C..

First lady Michelle Obama paid a visit to Miriam’s Kitchen and said that we need more people to volunteer their time, especially the way the economy is today. She also said that the homeless would need even more help with daily needs from the local and federal government.

She’s right. That’s just what some of us from People for Fairness said when we testified before D.C. Council member Tommy Wells, who chairs the Human Services Committee.

I testified to what I thought the local and federal government could do to best help people to get over their homelessness. I guess first and foremost would be some place to call home, then we could really use more training and more jobs. I feel most of us are not looking for a handout but a hand up. We also need shelters open 24 hours a day - not just overnight - to be able to get focused on the things we have to do to end our homelessness. Those would be the best things this government can do to help people like myself get back on our feet.

When you testify they only give you a little time, and it’s hard to sum up all the things that homeless people go through, and who should be first when we spend money to help people. But when it comes to those who should be given the most help, they are most in need of a stimulus plan. The president did say they were going to focus on people with drug problems, which could help bring down the number of homeless people.

And just one more thing: the president was on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and the last thing he said was that if you if want a friend in Washington, it’s best that you get a dog. The Lord knows the homeless could sure use a few more friends here in Washington who are not dogs, because most homeless people cannot afford a dog.

So I hope the homeless children and the homeless women and men of Washington, D.C. and the rest of America would have a friend in the president.

Maybe the president can help his friends get one of those houses the government owns, so that they may have a home for the homeless. That would be a bonus that America can believe in!

There would be other friends of the president that would say that this is too much money to spend on the homeless, and so maybe just giving the homeless 24-hour shelters would be too much to ask for too. Or just trying to end low-barrier shelters, which only give 12-hour shelter to people who suffer from mental diseases, diseases of addiction and physical handicaps, and senior citizens.

Hurricane victims at least get 24 hours of shelter - ask FEMA, which is part of Homeland Security. Maybe they can secure homes for the homeless, and they can start with the shelter at 801 East, on Making Life Better Lane on the grounds of St. Elizabeths Hospital. There is talk of building another Pentagon on the west side and securing the surrounding area for houses for its employees.

So where does that leave the men and women of 801 East? Where do they fit into those plans? What security do we have in Homeland Security to help the homeless men of 801 East? Can’t we help make their lives better, on Making Life Better Lane?

I testified about several other topics I think are important. Look for my editorials in a future issue of Street Sense.

Robert has been a vendor two months and has been a regular at the Writer’s Group for longer. You can email him at robertwarren47@yahoo.com.

“Housing First” Savings?

By Bob Blair

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he District’s chronically homeless men and women make disproportionate use of a wide range of public services, Linda Kaufman, chief operating officer for Pathways to Housing DC, reminded City Council members at the February 19th oversight hearing for DC’s Department of Human Services.

“It would be a huge help,” Kaufman added, “if we could look more broadly at the ways we’re saving the city money with the people we’re moving into housing, and see if we can’t reallocate some of those funds.”

That’s a sensible suggestion – but one that requires knowing where savings are being achieved and quantifying them.

Three recent studies on the impact of Housing First initiatives in Seattle, Massachusetts, and South Dakota have identified substantial savings in the areas of health care, detoxification, law enforcement, and other services as a result of providing permanent supportive housing to the chronically homeless.

In Seattle, the total cost offsets for Housing First participants, compared to a control group, averaged savings of $2,449 per person per month. In Massachusetts, the data showed a 67% average decrease in the annual health care costs per person after housing placement. In South Dakota, the monthly per person costs for a broad range of social services dropped nearly 50% after the 20 participants were housed.

These studies provide evidence that the most humane way to aid longterm homeless individuals with mental and addiction-related issues is also the fiscally responsible one.

According to Philip Mangano, director of the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness, these findings are just the latest of approximately 65 studies, conducted all across the country, that provide an economic argument for making permanent supportive housing the centerpiece of state and municipal plans to cut chronic homelessness.

Here in DC, the city government has committed itself to a Housing First approach. The planning and implementation needed to make that approach successful is being pursued by the various agency officials, service providers, and homeless advocates who make up the District’s Interagency Council on Homelessness (DCICH). Their strategic plan is scheduled to be unveiled in June.

Recent city budget cuts have raised questions about how whole-heartedly that commitment can be pursued, and whether adequate case management services will be available. Still, Mayor Adrian Fenty and the City Council are talking the talk, and beginning to walk the walk. And support for the city’s Housing First effort is wide-spread among those familiar with its initial results.

One can reasonably hope that, over time, lessons learned today will lead to a stronger and expanded program tomorrow.

But hope is not enough. Mayor Fenty and the Council should seriously consider putting part of D.C.’s short-term, federal “stimulus package” funds – blended, perhaps, with private philanthropic contributions – into financing a study that would identify and measure the savings that are resulting from the city’s fledgling permanent supportive housing efforts.

At a minimum, such a study could help DCICH determine how well the current program is working and where adjustments may be needed.

Beyond that, a study of offsets to the costs of other services that result from housing homeless individuals and families would be valuable for deciding how best to budget D.C.’s scarce social service dollars.

For details on the recent Housing First studies, visit www.usich.gov.

Bob Blair is an economist and volunteer writer for Street Sense.

S treetS ense.org

May 13 - May 26, 2009

Indique: Unique and Delicious

By Natalie Yu and Evelyn Nnam

I

n an international town such as Washington,D.C., there are plenty of opportunities to expand one’s palate and try food from far-off lands with new and surprising flavor combinations. We took the opportunity to head to the Indian Subcontinent (or at least send our mouths there) for lunch last Wednesday at Indique in Cleveland Park.

In the last seven years in the neighborhood, Indique has become a fixture of the Cleveland Park restaurant scene.

For you mass transit types, the restaurant is conveniently located right next to the Cleveland Park Metro on the Red Line. Just in time for spring, Indique has both indoor and outdoor seating arrangements. We decided to sit inside, and were delighted with the service we received from our extremely knowledgeable server, Tuk Gurung. He took the time to help us with our menu selections.

Since we had not been to many Indian restaurants before, we didn’t really know what to expect. There were familiar ingredients: chicken, potatoes, and lamb, but there were all kinds of other things that we had never heard of before: tamarind chutney, dal,

My Home

and the slightly odd notion -- at least to this Westerner -- of having yogurt for dinner. Fortunately for half of us, the combination of new and familiar struck all of the right notes.

Evelyn ordered the chaat papri to start, a mix of potatoes and chickpeas served with yogurt, cilantro, and tamarind chutney served with crispy flour wedges. Perhaps this starter was a bit too exotic, because Evelyn did not enjoy the various flavors and textures as much as I did.

After a few bites Evelyn said, “This dish doesn’t have enough potatoes in it. And when I eat them, I like my potatoes fried.”

For our main course, we had better results. Each lunch course came with a salad, rice, naan (a traditional Indian flat bread similar to a pita), and a lentil based dish called dal. Evelyn ordered the tandoori (a traditional clay Indian oven) chicken chops, chicken breasts marinated in yogurt, ginger, garlic, and spices. Its more familiar flavor profile was something that Evelyn appreciated more. “This chicken is very moist and well cooked, and I get plenty of sides.”

I had the Kebab Indique, a combo

Evelyn enjoyed her tandoori chicken chops and said they were “moist and well cooked.”

of minced lamb and chicken seasoned with ginger and cumin. It was fantastic, the two different meats played off each other well and the side dishes gave me a variety of different tastes to enjoy.

After our meal was finished Evelyn and I had different opinions on the food. I was a fan and couldn’t wait

to come back. Evelyn said she would visit some other countries on her world tour before heading back to India. However, we both agreed that this was something different that people should try for themselves.

Indique 3512 Connecticut Ave., NW Washington, DC 20008

By Kenneth Belkosky

What our Readers ARe Saying To the Editor,

T

his is a story about my home, a Community Residential Facility near Howard University. My CRF is one of the best group homes in the city.

The name of my CRF is Lamont CRF. We have a new house manager and even though he is strict, he likes to joke with the residents and sometimes with my help treat the residents to snacks like pizzas.

His name is Robert Lee Dillard Jr. One thing I like about Robert is that he is really kind to the residents.

I believe that he is one of the best house managers in the city and I hope he will stay at my CRF. I love the place so much that I may not move out of the place. And in fact we may be turned into a supportive independent housing system. I like that idea so much that I help Robert out a lot. The house is well taken care of and I love helping out.

There is one person that is one big trouble maker. Every time we get a good house manager who is well trained in running a group home he gets them fired.

I just hope he gets the message he can not rule a CRF. Ken has been a vendor for nine months and loves to listen to police scanners.

I’ve been a regular reader of “Street Sense” for many months now, buying from the vendors in the neighborhood of the Dupont Circle North Metrorail Station. It has been a pleasure not only to pore through every issue, but to get to know vendors such as Jeffery and Kenneth and read their contributions on a regular basis.

I understand from the latest issue that “Street Sense” is not immune from the challenges facing nonprofit organizations during the current recession. For that reason, I mailed a contribution of $52.00 to your offices today so that I could add a little something for the paper above and beyond what I give to the vendors for every issue.

In sending my donation, I hope that other readers who have not contributed will join what I call “Club 1317” (for your address) and make a contribution before Memorial Day, when we remember the departed, including those who we knew or never knew who lived a part of their lives and died on the streets. The dues are flexible. Give $52, $104, $26, or whatever you have to offer in the way of a tax-deductible donation.

All of us who buy Street Sense and read articles by Jeffrey, Kenneth, and other vendors do not want to see their voices lost or limited as a result of cutbacks in the frequency of publication or the size of the paper. I hope that my fellow readers will join “Club 1317” in solidarity with our friends the vendors, and in support of a valuable source of news and views.

Sincerely, Phail Hesser

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May 13 - May 26, 2009

THANK YOU DONORS!!

Street Sense would like to thank all of the individual donors who responded to the “Street Sense Bailout� in force with donations ranging from $10 to $1,000.

Fahah Ashraf Lori Bettinger Florentine M. Calabia Jane Cave Hope Childs Cathleen A.Clinton Mary Rose Curtis Elizabeth Doherty Robin Dunnington William F. Eaton A. Fields Aaron Fischbach Lorie A. Friedman Andriy Garber Elizabeth Gracon

Brian E. Guy Lara Thornely Hall Nicole Henry Patricia Henry Lisa Heidemann Phil Hesser Steve Hill ING Clarion Susan Mae Kakesako Eric Kinsella Julia Knox Kristen Koines Valerie Lee Gisela Marcuse Michael Mavretic

Melani McAlister Joe McKelvey Martha Morris Elaine M. Murray Edward Norton Mikaela Ober Rita Offer Karen Pence Laura Pence Catherine Plume Scott Reiter Maite Rodriguez Roberta Schoen Laurie Sedlmayr-Cumming John Sewell

Debra Silvestrin Mark A. Shepard Martha Sherman Mary L. Tabor Patricia Taylor A.M. Throw Karla Trampus Robert Trautman Barbara Ucko Eugene Versluysen Christy Nan Wise Robert Wise Irene Wu Corrine Yu

And a special thanks to our donors of $500 or more: American Assoc. of Public Health Dentistry Daniel J. Gustafson Theresa E. De Silva Mary T. Donovan Jana Meyer Jennifer and Anthony Park Thievery Corporation

With your support Street Sense is on its way to pulling through these tough economic times.

Wanna See More Vendor Restaurant Reviews?

You Can Help!

DONATE GIFT CERTIFICATES

for your favorite restaurant to Street Sense and a vendor will go check it out, and Street Sense will thank you in a review. Typically reviews are $50 to $70 (for a vendor and their volunteer/intern guest).

We would also love donations of food for

vendor meetings.

Please mail your gift certificates today to: Street Sense, 1317 G Street, NW,

Double Your Donation to Street Sense with Corporate Matching Gifts The following list contains the names of companies that match gifts in the Washington D.C. metro area. Please note, This list is not all-inclusive.

We recommend you check with YOUR employer to see if they will match gifts to Street Sense. If so, your gift to Street Sense could be at least doubled and in some cases tripled!

AT&T Foundation GMAC Booz-Allen Hamilton International Boeing Monetary Fund Black & Decker Lockheed Martin ExxonMobil Northrop Grumman Fannie Mae Verizon Freddie Mac Washington Post GEICO

$ $

$ $

For more information on matched gifts or other ways you can support Street Sense, contact Executive Director Laura Osuri at laura@streetsense.org.

S treetS ense.org WASHINGTON, D.C. SHELTER Calvary Women’s Services 928 5th Street, NW (202) 783–6651 www.calvaryservices.org Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW (202) 745–7118 www.missiondc.org CCNV (Men and Women) 425 2nd Street, NW (202) 393–1909 users.erols.com/ccnv/ Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW (202) 232–7356 www.communityofhopedc.org Covenant House Washington (Youth) 2001 Mississippi Ave SE (202) 610–9600 www.covenanthousedc.org Housing, education, job prep Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW (202) 842–1731 www.grm.org John Young Center (Women) 117 D Street, NW (202) 639–8469 www,catholiccharitiesdc.org My Sister’s Place PO Box 29596 Washington, DC 20017 office (202) 529-5261 24-hour hotline (202)-529-5991 shelter and other services for domestic violence victims N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060 www.nstreetvillage.org 801 East, St. Elizabeths Hospital (Men) 2700 MLK Avenue, SE (202) 561–4014 New York Ave Shelter (Men) 1355–57 New York Avenue, NE (202) 832–2359 Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 Mitch Snyder Place, NW (202) 639–8093

FOOD Charlie’s Place 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW (202) 232–3066 www.stmargaretsdc.org/charliesplace Church of the Pilgrims 2201 P Street, NW (202) 387–6612

May 13 - May 26, 2009 www.churchofthepilgrims.org

mental health services

Dinner Program for Homeless Women AND the “9:30 Club” Breakfast 309 E Street, NW (202) 737–9311 www.dphw.org

Friendship House 619 D Street, SE (202) 675–9050 www.friendshiphouse.net counseling, mentoring, education, youth services, clothing

Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE (202) 269–2277 www.foodandfriends.org

Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Avenue, NW (202) 338–8301 www.georgetownministrycenter. org laundry, counseling, psych care

Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Avenue, NW (202) 452–8089 www.miriamskitchen.org The Welcome Table Church of the Epiphany 1317 G Street, NW (202) 347–2635 http://www.epiphanydc.org/ ministry/welcometbl.htm

MEDICAL RESOURCES Christ House 1717 Columbia Road, NW (202) 328–1100 www.christhouse.org Unity Health Care, Inc. 3020 14th Street, NW (202) 745–4300 www.unityhealthcare.org Whitman–Walker Clinic 1407 S Street, NW (202) 797–3500; www.wwc.org

OUTREACH CENTERS Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW (202) 265–2400 AND 1640 Good Hope Road, SE (202) 561–8587 www.breadforthecity.org food pantry, clothing, legal and social services, medical clinic Community Council for the Homeless at Friendship Place 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW (202) 364–1419; www.cchfp.org housing, medical and psych care, substance abuse and job counseling Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW (202) 939–2060 http://www.nstreetvillage.org meals, hygiene, laundry, social activities, substance abuse treatment Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW (202) 842–1112 Green Door (202) 464–9200 1221 Taylor Street NW www.greendoor.org housing, job training, supportive

Martha’s Table 2114 14th Street, NW (202) 328–6608 www.marthastable.org dinner, education, recreation, clothing, child and family services Rachel’s Women’s Center 1222 11th Street, NW (202) 682–1005 http://www.ccdsd.org/howorwc. php hygiene, laundry, lunch, phone and mail, clothing, social events Sasha Bruce Youthwork 741 8th Street, SE (202) 675–9340 www.sashabruce.org counseling, housing, family services So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 “O” Street, NW (202) 797–8806; www.some.org lunch, medical and dental, job and housing counseling

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Academy of Hope GED Center 601 Edgewood St NE 202-269-6623 www.aohdc.org Bright Beginnings Inc. 128 M Street NW, Suite 150 Washington DC 20001 (202) 842–9090 www.brightbeginningsinc.org Child care, family services Catholic Community Services 924 G Street, NW (202) 772–4300 www.ccs–dc.org umbrella for a variety of services D.C. Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Avenue, NW (202) 347–8870; www.dccfh.org housing, substance abuse treatment, employment assistance DC Food Finder Interactive online map of free and low cost resources. www.dcfoodfinder.org Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW (202) 347–0511

15

www.cflsdc.org housing, job and substance abuse counseling, clothes closet

MARYLAND

VIRGINIA

SHELTER

SHELTER

Foundry Methodist Church 1500 16th Street, NW (202) 332–4010 www.foundryumc.org ESL, lunch, clothing, IDs

Comm. Ministry of Montgomery Co. 114 W. Montgomery Avenue, Rockville (301) 762–8682 www.communityministrymc. org

Alexandria Community Shelter 2355 B Mill Road, Alexandria (703) 838–4239

Hermano Pedro Day Center 3211 Sacred Heart Way, NW (202) 332–2874 http://www.ccs–dc.org/find/ services/ meals, hygiene, laundry, clothing JHP, Inc. 1526 Pennsylvania Avenue, SE (202) 544–9126 www.jobshavepriority.org training and employment Jubilee Jobs 1640 Columbia Road, NW (202) 667–8970 www.jubileejobs.org job preparation and placement National Coalition for the Homeless 2201 P Street, NW (202) 462–4822 www.nationalhomeless.org activists, speakers bureau National Student Partnerships (NSP) 128 M Street NW, Suite 320 (202) 289–2525 washingtondc@nspnet.org Job resource and referral agency Samaritan Ministry 1345 U Street, SE , AND 1516 Hamilton Street, NW (202)889–7702 www.samaritanministry.org HIV support, employment, drug/ alcohol addiction, healthcare St. Luke’s Episcopal Church 1514 15th Street, NW (202) 667–4394 http://stlukesdc.edow.org food, counseling St. Matthew’s Cathedral 1725 Rhode Island Avenue, NW (202) 347–3215 ext. 552 breakfast, clothing, hygiene Travelers Aid, Union Station 50 Mass. Avenue, NE (202) 371–1937 www.travelersaid.org/ta/ dc.html emergency travel assistance Wash. Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U Street, NW (202) 328–5500 www.legalclinic.org

The Samaritan Group P.O. Box 934, Chestertown (443) 480–3564 Warm Night Shelter 311 68th Place, Seat Pleasant (301) 499–2319 www.cmpgc.org

FOOD Bethesda Cares 7728 Woodmont Church, Bethesda (301) 907–9244 www.bethesdacares.com Community Place Café 311 68th Place, Seat Pleasant (301) 499–2319 www.cmpgc.org Manna Food Center 614–618 Lofstrand Lane, Rockville (301) 424–1130 www.mannafood.org

MEDICAL RESOURCES Community Clinic, Inc. 8210 Colonial Lane, ilver Spring (301) 585–1250 www.cciweb.org Mobile Medical Care, Inc. 9309 Old Georgetown Road, Bethesda (301) 493–8553 www.mobilemedicalcare.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Catholic Charities, Maryland 12247 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring (301) 942–1790 www.catholiccharitiesdc.org shelter, substance abuse treatment, variety of other services Mission of Love 6180 Old Central Avenue Capitol Heights (301)333–4440 www.molinc.org life skills classes, clothing, housewares Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless 600–B East Gude Dri Rockville (301) 217–0314; www.mcch.net emergency shelter, transitional housing, and supportiveservices

Carpenter’s Shelter 930 N. Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548–7500 www.carpentersshelter.org Arlington–Alexandria Coalition for the Homeless 3103 Ninth Road North, Arlington (703) 525–7177 www.aachhomeless.org

FOOD Alive, Inc. 2723 King Street, Alexandria (703) 836–2723; www.alive–inc. org Our Daily Bread 10777 Main Street, Ste. 320, Fairfax (703) 273–8829 www.our–daily–bread.org

MEDICAL RESOURCES Arlington Free Clinic 3833 N Fairfax Drive, #400, Arlington (703) 979–1400 www.arlingtonfreeclinic.org

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Abundant Life Christian Outreach, 5154 Eisenhower Avenue, Alexandria (703) 823–4100 www.anchor–of–hope.net food, clothing, youth development, and medicines David’s Place Day Shelter 930 North Henry Street, Alexandria (703) 548–7500 www.carpentersshelter.org laundry, shower, workshops, hypothermia shelter Legal Services of Northern Virginia 6066 Leesburg Pike, Ste. 500 (703) 778–6800; www.lsnv.org civil legal services

Shelter Hotline: 1–800– 535–7252

S treetS ense.org

May 13 - May 26, 2009

Warren Stevens

Vendor Profile

By Roberta Haber

THe Last Word

Looking Back and Growing Up

By Reginald Black

Y

ou may see me selling Street Sense on Connecticut Avenue, or at 18th and H streets, or at Friendship Heights. If it weren’t for this 16-page paper, you our dedicated readers might not be reading this right now. But it seems like I was given a mission to spread the news about the poor and the homeless.

For you to get the real story, allow me to take you back to around this time last year. I was living with my father and working dead-end jobs. I worked hard for pennies a day; I was told to get what I can. My dad and I crossed the poverty line when he retired so I had to leave for Job Corps to obtain my diploma.

After that success I returned home to find my father had not moved out of his bed for three entire months. Confused and worried, I did what I could to earn a living. I worked temp jobs and marketed for a cleaning service on the side. But like all of us I was not safe.

Shortly after my 22nd birthday I became homeless. It was then that all I know was turned upside down. Each day and night turned into constant torture. I was uneducated and had barely even heard of a shelter, or issues like hypothermia.

For the next six months I slept in cars, on a porch, and finally underground. Since then I have left the neighborhood.

When I left I still didn’t know what to do but I had an ace in the hole – “Street Sense.” Its talented staff, hard-working volunteers, interns, board members and vendors like myself started to give me confidence.

I love to write and advocate for the homeless. Just being homeless is the hard part. But my real power comes whenever a person buys a paper and actually reads it from end to end.

And it gives me great joy to meet each one of you.

Now, as I approach my 24th birthday, I can only pray that our efforts (Street Sense’s, yours and mine) will empower homeless people like myself. One newspaper at a time, until we all reach our destiny and reach that one universal goal: Home.

Warren Stevens Jr. was born into a military family here in Washington and has lived in many places. Warren went to high school in Okinawa, Japan, and spent 5½ years in Bangkok, Thailand, where he learned a few words of the Thai language and also took guitar lessons. The family eventually returned to Washington and settled into a house on Varnum Street in NW DC. Warren has a sister in Maryland.

A few years ago he retired from his job at the Department of Transportation, where he was in printing and distribution. In addition to selling Street Sense, Warren now works part time as a contract cleaner at the U.S. Post Office. He has never been homeless.

What is your favorite kind of music?

I like jazz, gospel, and oldies.

Do you have a favorite food?

I like seafood, especially crabs. I like to cook.

What kind of movies do you like?

I like comedies and enjoy Jerry Lewis movies.

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