12 15 2005

$1

HAPPY NEW YEAR! WELCOME TO 2006!

From quiting smoking to finding a home, vendors give their New Year’s resolutions for 2006, Pg. 6

Suggested Donation

Where the Washington area's poor and homeless earn and give their two cents Volume 3, Issue 2

December 15, 2005 - January 14, 2006

The Holiday Spirit of Homeless Kids What providers and parents are doing to make this season special for children that do not have a permanent home.

By Diane Rusignola Angie Robinson, a bubbling 5-year-old with braided hair, is asking Santa for a microphone, a pocketbook, and a dirt bike this year. Showing off a picture she drew of a Christmas tree in school, she says her older sister is asking for shoes, pants, and shirts.

James Williams, on the other hand, isn’t “asking for much” this year—except maybe the PlayStation 2 game “Bulletproof.” The tall, studious-looking 11-yearold does not believe in Santa anymore, but he still likes to help his mother find gifts for his 4-year-old brother and 2-year-old sister. James is looking forward to the holiday party his aftercare program at school is throwing, and is even participating in a gift exchange there.

Unlike most children with long Christmas wish lists, Angie and James are both homeless and live at a shelter for homeless families in Southwest Washington called ‘DC Village.’ Still, the homeless kids in the D.C.-metro area often look forward to the holiday season with excitement,

Tenants, City Council Battle DC Landlords to Protect Renters’ Rights

By Kendra Rinas

Two boys share gifts at Project Northstar’s holiday party, where dozens of other homeless children also received gifts.

like every child should. With the help of service providers and well-meaning parents, many homeless children, like Angie and James, do not even realize that they are homeless, even around the costly presentgiving holiday season.

Project Northstar is a tutoring program with seven sites throughout the city, including one at DC Village.

Nina Wu, academic case manager for Project Northstar, said, “Last month, when I was talking to my students about the [Fannie Mae] Help the Homeless Walkathon that

Project Northstar was a part of and trying to raise money for, one of my students who lives in the Spring Road Shelter raised his hand and asked if he could help us out by collecting cans of food for homeless people.”

Wu notes that she does have students who are acutely aware of their housing situation and what that means in the broader picture of American society. “I think that [others] have a perception of people experiencing homelessness as

Dozens and dozens of D.C. renters have been forced from their homes by landlords seeking higher returns from their properties.

These landlords have found loopholes in laws intended to protect the rights of tenants and are now turning out hard-working individuals, disabled elderly widows, and families with children from their homes.

The residents, however, are not leaving without a fight.

Though no lawsuits have been filed yet, they are getting the City Council and D.C. government involved in hopes of closing these loopholes and putting an end to the practices

of many District landlords.

The root of the problem is the hot D.C. housing market and the wave of gentrification in many once working class neighborhoods, particularly in Northwest. Landlords who hold the leases on these properties have realized that if they convert their properties to condominiums, they can easily sell them for a million dollars each and earn a much higher profit than the $500–$700 monthly per-unit rent they currently receive.

In fact, a report commissioned by the Fannie Mae Foundation found that in the first six months of 2005,

See TENANTS, p. 4

See KIDS, p. 5

Inside This Issue NEW: Volunteer Undercover, p. 3 Hundred-Dollar Man, p. 5 Tutoring Program Evicted, p. 7 New Poverty Roundtables, p. 7 One Year After The Tsunami, p. 9 Poetry, pp. 10 and 11

Restaurant Review, p. 12 Fiction, Hammerman, p. 13 Crossword and Games, p. 14 Editorials, pp. 15-17 Community Events, p. 18 Vendor Notes, p. 18

Photo by Alex Lee

Thousands of people came out to support the annual Homeless Walkathon, sharing good will and profound messages. (More photos on p. 4)

INFORMATION

Page 2

CONTACT INFO:

1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 Phone: (202) 347-2006 Fax: (202) 347-2166 info@streetsense.org www.streetsense.org

BOARD OF DIRECTORS James Davis Robert Egger Ted Henson Barbara Kagan August Mallory Michael Stoops Kathy Whelpley

Street Sense Mission Statement and Editorial Policy The main objective of Street Sense is to make the public more aware of issues related to poverty and homelessness. Its secondary goal is to provide homeless people with an economically beneficial opportunity and forum to be published.

Articles in Street Sense reflect the perspectives of the authors. We invite the submission of journalism, opinion, fiction and poetry, hoping to create a means where a multitude of perspectives on poverty and homelessness can find expression. Street Sense reserves the right to edit any material for length or style.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

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SENIOR EDITOR

Are you from out of town and want to continue to support Street Sense throughout the year? Do you live in Washington and want to make sure that you get the latest copy of Street Sense? You can now order a subscription.

Street Sense is a monthly newspaper with a circulation of about 13,000. When you order a subscription, you are contributing to the efforts of raising awareness on poverty and helping the homeless.

Laura Thompson Osuri

Ted Henson

ASSOCIATE EDITOR David S. Hammond

VOLUNTEERS/WRITERS Gwen Arnold Aliza Belman-Inbal Donald Brooks Karen Brooks Julie Buss Sarah Carkuff Jake Geissinger Leo Gnawa Joanne Goodwin David Harris DaWayne Harrison Enoka Herat Annie Hill Alex Hiniker Daniel Horner Maurice King Jessica LeCompte David Lohr Mike Melia Jill Merselis Bryan Morris Michael O’Neill Amy Orndorff David Pike Kendra Rinas Diane Rusignola Patty Smith Francine Triplett Robert Trautman Linda Wang Valerie Wexler Brenda Wilson Marian Wiseman Mark Youseff

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STREET SENSE VENDORS

Jake Ashford Robert Beecher Tommy Bennett Donald Brooks Kanon Brown Bobby Buggs Todor Caldaras Cliff Carle Conrad Cheek, Jr. James Chisholm Elena Cirpaci Anthony Crawford James Davis Alvin Dixon El

Muriel Dixon Leo Gnawa David Harris Dewayne Harrison Patricia Henry Phillip Howard Michael Jefferson Allen Jones Mark Jones Jasen Louk Imani Mahdi Jennifer McLaughlin Michelle McCullough David McCullough

August Mallory Brian Morris Charles Nelson Therese Onyemenam John Ross Al Szekely Sr. Patty Smith Francine Triplett Lawrence Tyman Joseph Walker Edna Williams Brenda Wilson

If you are interested in becoming a volunteer please contact Laura Thompson Osuri at Street Sense.

CLARIFICATIONS:

Or come to the next monthly editorial meeting at our office on Jan. 11 at 6:00 p.m.

In the October issue, the police harassment article on p. 7 misquoted Tulin Ozdeger as saying “criminal invasion of the homeless.” It should have read “criminalization of the homeless.”

In the November issue photo credits were accidently not included.

The main picture on p. 1 was taken by Linda Wang, as well as the photo on p. 4 and the photo on p. 18.

DECEMBER DONORS Sanders-McClure Family Fund Jesse and Carrie Sanders Jean M. Sutherland Jane Thompson Rosely Greenlee TENAC and James P. McGrath Kenneth T. Durham Celeste Monforton Carmen Wong Stephanie Fine Jeanette Miller Judith Terlizzi and John Murray Frederick Gugat Marian Wiseman Anonymous

THANK YOU!!

PROVIDER PROFILE

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Volunteer Undercover: Dinner Program for Homeless Women Readers’ Note: This segment is new to Street Sense, to take the place of the Provider Profile.

It looks at organizations that help the homeless from the inside, and shows how they are really serving their clients and meeting their mission.

Volunteer Jane For my first assignment as Street Sense’s volunteer undercover I lucked out. I was at the D.C. Dinner Program for Homeless Women and it was having its annual Halloween party along with the regular Sunday night meal and bingo.

This allowed me to choose from among a whole range of volunteer activities – from decorating the hall with skeletons, to preparing and serving dinner, or painting clown makeup or vampire blood onto the faces of the kids.

My decision to volunteer mostly came out of curiosity to learn more about the sort of people I pass every day on my way to work and back.

I think that a lot of people who, like myself, are lucky enough to have never been homeless, tend to think of homeless people in terms of stereotypes. It’s true that some of the people who use the D.C. shelters and dinner programs are battling with problems of addiction and mental illness – but the range of people

is far greater than that.

Like the woman who arrives at the Dinner Program every evening in business attire – a dignified suit, highheeled pumps and neatly coifed hair – and scans the want ads as she eats her dinner. Or the teenage girl who comes every week to volunteer, as a way of “giving back” for the services that she needs herself. Or the mothers and their children who come to the dinner program to help stretch their meager resources.

When I first arrived, Christine, the program coordinator, discussed with me the different ways in which I could volunteer. The Dinner Program doesn’t just serve dinner – it has shower and laundry services; distributes medications, feminine hygiene products, toiletries, vitamins, and condoms; offers information on housing and job opportunities; provides employment training and internships; and offers weekly health and legal services. It also has a volunteer-run

computer and fax room where clients can get computer instruction or writing help if they need it. This makes it a good place to volunteer, especially if, like me, you hate to cook and the mere sight of an apron has you running for cover.

The food, I can report, is really tasty and varied. The menu was stuffed fish, herbed rice, fruit salad – and ice cream if your birthday was that month.

What struck me most, though, was that the Dinner Program is a warm and welcoming place for women and their children to go. Most important, it’s open between the hours of 4 and 7, after the day programs have closed and before the night shelters open.

It’s amazing how much of your schedule as a homeless person is dictated by the hours in which services are available. If you’re living in a shelter and have a job or school to get to in the

The Dinner Program is a warm and wecloming place for women and their children to go

morning (as many homeless people do), you’ve got to hope that the showers will be working and the line isn’t too long (as it often is). When that happens, the Dinner Program for Homeless Women’s twice-weekly shower and laundry service comes in handy. Most shelters have early curfews where you have to be in by 7 p.m. if you want to use the facilities at all.

One woman I spoke to at the Dinner Program decided to go back to school to get her B.A. in computer science after two decades as a housewife. She had recently become homeless because her financial aid package was not large enough, and she is too old to be eligible for student housing.

And though at times she said she wants to give up, the Dinner Program provides her with small bits of luck that help her make it from day to day. This week, it’s the shower gel, sponge, and the $10 grand prize she won at its Bingo Night. This means lunch money for a week and soft skin for at least a month.

If you would like to volunteer for or need more information about the Dinner Program for Homeless Women, please go to www.dpfhw. org or call (202) 737-9311.

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Page 4 Thousands of people gathered on the National Mall Saturday Nov. 19, to show their support for all the service providers in the D.C. area and the fight to end homelessness.

LOCAL NEWS

Fannie Mae Help the Homeless Walkathon

About 20 Street Sense vendors also canvassed the walk selling more than 1,200 papers in less than three hours.

Here are one of the youngest and one of the furriest supporters there.

TENANTS, from p.1 2,500 apartment units in D.C. were converted to condominiums; this is three times the number converted in all of 2004.

Renters in D.C. are supposed to have protection against quick sales that could leave them homeless. Under District law, a property owner cannot sell an apartment building before all residents are given the option to buy their units or vacate the premises.

To get around these requirements, property owners have taken advantage of another statute. D.C. law allows landlords to insist that renters leave, after being given 120 days’ notice, when the occupied property needs repairs so substantial that residents could not safely live there during renovation.

This law fails to anticipate the lengths to which landlords will go to empty a building.

The routine is simple: Landlords, seeking to drive away residents, refuse to make repairs to the buildings. Living conditions deteriorate, and residents either choose to leave because of the problems or are forced out by landlords insisting that necessary repairs are too extensive to permit residency during the improvements. Then, landlords sell their vacated units to developers, making a substantial profit.

D.C. City Councilman Jim Graham (D-Ward 1) decried the “perverse behavior” allegedly committed by some landlords and in November called for an investigation of the problem. He noted that several landlords had been invited to the November meeting and encouraged to explain their actions, but these landlords were not present to provide their side of the story.

He suggested that a thorough investigation of the tenants’ claims and the actions of the property owners be conducted by the city’s Department

Photo by Linda Wang

of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA). DCRA director Patrick Canavan said that the department would complete a review of all the properties in question by December 30.

Also during a roundtable discussion in mid-November, residents said that landlords have refused to repair leaking roofs, broken heating units, broken front doors, and holes in walls. Landlords have allowed intense mold problems and large rat populations to expand unchecked, said residents.

Fortunate residents simply move out of their deteriorating buildings, but for many, relocating isn’t an option.

But those who cannot find affordable housing or who refuse to locate remain.

The residents who remain then receive “notice[s] to vacate,” demanding that they leave within 120 days to allow the property owner to make repairs.

Sometimes the grounds for these notices are questionable. For example, the owner of one building in D.C. gave residents a copy of a report that said the building’s asbestos levels were far too high for tenants to live there safely.

However, it was later discovered that the report described an entirely different building in Virginia.

Assuming that the grounds for removal are genuine, District law is supposed to protect the residents affected by a notice to vacate. The landlord is supposed to pay for temporary housing and, once renovations are completed, allow the tenants to return to the property and pay the prerenovation rent. The reality, however, is often far different.

In many buildings in D.C., landlords do not take these steps. Residents reported that some landlords do not pay relocation fees and instead simply give tenants $500 to cover moving costs. Other landlords indicate that they have no intention of allowing tenants to return after the repairs have been made to pay the same rent.

Photo by Linda Wang

her situation to Councilman Graham Some nonprofit organizations are in November. A working mother and trying to help the residents affected by president of her tenants’ association, these actions, tackling that problem and Miranda has lived in her apartment, in other issues associated with affordable a building near U Street, for decades. housing in the District. One such More than 50% of the residents in her group is the D.C. Tenants’ Advocacy building have lived there for more than Coalition (TENAC). TENAC assists a decade, and they have seen enormous tenants by providing education and legal changes in the neighborhood. information and lobbying for tenant“We lived here when it was dangerous friendly legislation. In fact, Jim McGrath, and no one in the city wanted to live chairman of TENAC, recently launched [here],” said Miranda. “It is like living in a new initiative to strengthen D.C.’s rent the Third World. People are dirt poor control laws, the “TENAC Mobilization and have nothing. But everyone is so to Save Affordable Housing.” happy, because they have lived in the Still, the toll this situation takes on residents is enormous.

Linda Leaks, of the nonprofit EMPOWER DC, said that residents have become so stressed over being asked to move and attempting to find scarce affordable housing that they have had strokes, heart attacks, Thousands of low-rent apartments have been replaced this year with high and increases -end condos similiar to this new development in Columbia Heights. in diabetesrelated problems. Many already spend same place for generations, and they 50%–70% of their income on housing live with grandparents, and it is really costs. ‘home.’ Our building has this [sense of According to Natalie LeBeau of community], and now they are trying to Housing Counseling Services Inc., a force us to leave.” minimum-wage earner can afford a In fact, Miranda’s apartment building monthly rent that is under $400 per borders one of the District’s most month. The D.C. Government Office quickly gentrifying areas. It is near the U of Public Affairs, however, calculates Street Metro stop, close to restaurants, that the average rent in the city is $877 bars and entertainment options. “Now it per month, and that rental prices rose is a prime area to live in,” said Miranda, 53% between 2001 and 2002. “and we are being kicked out of our One victim of the actions described at home with a token $1,000.” the hearing, Nancy Miranda, presented

HOLIDAY NEWS

Yearend Event and Volunteer Overload

By Julie Buss Many organizations serving the homeless community are busiest between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day. In fact, several organizations planning special holiday meals and other events have already completely filled their volunteer slots.

Julie Howard, volunteer coordinator for D.C. Cares says, “All of the major organizations have something going on [during the holiday season]. The problem is that their volunteer spots fill up very quickly … . It’s frustrating for us as volunteer coordinators to say, ‘there’s nothing you can do.’”

Lucy Lowenthal, Director of Development at Martha’s Table, a Northwest D.C. organization that provides meals, low-cost clothing, and daycare and after-school education for D.C.’s low-income and homeless families, agrees. “We just can’t accommodate all of [the volunteers],” she said.

Although many people feel the desire to share their time and make charitable and in-kind donations during the holiday season, for the District’s homeless residents, this is only the beginning of the long, cold winter. Advocates say that the relative decrease in giving post-holidays, combined with plunging temperatures, make January and February a difficult time for many of the city’s homeless and the organizations that serve them.

Lowenthal hopes to encourage people to continue giving after the holidays have passed. “We serve homeless people all the time. A lot of people only think to volunteer during the holidays, but we can always use volunteers. The reality is that we still have to drive the vans and take the food out after the holidays.”

Street Sense vendor Kanon Brown said it seems that people are giving less and less each year, although he agrees that “they seem more giving around the holidays.”

Robert Jackson, who has been homeless for the last four weeks due to a health problem that caused him to lose his job, says “I notice that a lot of people are in their own little world.

They just don’t care. I’m trying to help myself, but I can only do so much.”

Brown and Jackson has made any plans for the holidays. Jackson said “I didn’t know there was anything going on.”

Go to the DC-Cares at www.dc-cares.org for volunteer opportunities all year round, and for special events and volunteer opportunities during the holidays.

Page 5

The $100 Man and Other Holiday Legends caught the $100 guy, but I did catch the One-Dollar guy and When the holidays draw near, people who have been homeless in Washington start thinking about the storied gift-givers of the the Ten-Dollar Lady.”

Brooks said she was a young, nicely dressed African-American streets of D.C. – especially the legendary $100 Man. woman, who would walk around the whole CCNV area, giving “He was a well-dressed man, in a big limousine,” recalled everybody ten-dollar bills .

Street Sense vendor and volunteer Francine “From what I’ve heard she’s given Triplett, who spent several years homeless to 50-100 people at a visit. I got on the streets of D.C. “He traveled with money from her twice,” he said. a body guard, and when he rolled up on And there have been others you, he would give you a freshly crisp onespreading cheer on the streets. hundred-dollar bill.”

Francine also recalled the woman That was a welcome surprise for who handed out $50 bills to homeless people facing a Washington homeless women, and a man on a winter. The city can get truly cold weather bicycle who gave out $20 bills. “He in December, and the shelters get crowded, was a black dude who used to ride and the streets themselves are a dangerous through Lafayette Park – I caught place to sleep. him on the corner once before And the holidays can be a lonely, scary he crossed the street. He turned time to be homeless. The $100 Man must around and gave me $20. He didn’t have understood this, because he used to look like he had money – if you show up then. saw him you wouldn’t think he had One woman used to give out $10 bills at Christmass in Francine got a hundred dollars from him twenty dollar bills to pass out.” one Christmas. “I caught him down there front of CCNV shelter, at 2nd and D streets, NW. “People come from all over to by the Ellipse near the White House. We the downtown parks all year for food, but at the holidays the were just standing there talking, when somebody hollered. We crowd seems to get bigger – because everybody’s heart gets turned, and looked, and there he was getting out of his car. He bigger, so they can get some Christmas goodies, especially good said ‘Merry Christmas,’ and he gave us all hundreds, all three of food. Sometimes it was like a hurricane, with all those people us. That gave us enough money for a weekend in a hotel.” running around. One time a man in a car got out in Lafayette And although his name is not known, he is a famous man.

Park, handing out tens and twenties – but everyone ran over to “I never saw him myself,” said Street Sense vendor and mainstay him, and they bothered him so badly, he threw all the money on August Mallory. “But I sure heard about him. Everyone used to the ground and said he would never come back.” talk about him.”

Maybe it’s not just about giving gifts, Francine said; “It’s the Vendor Donald Brooks also remembered the $100 Man, and manners you have in receiving them.” others who played curbside Santa, from his own time at the CCNV shelter in NW. -- David S. Hammond “He had been doing it annually,” said Brooks. “And I never

KIDS, from p.1 being only those who live on the streets with grocery carts and bags of their belongings by their side, rather than those who live with a roof over their heads,” she added.

Nine-year-old Daijha Spencer is asking for a “doll baby that talks and uses the bathroom” this year.

For Thanksgiving, she went to her grandmother’s house with her mother and sister for a feast including turkey, greens, cranberry sauce, lasagna, potato salad, cake, and pumpkin, apple, and pecan pie. “We’re going to my Aunt Marsha’s in Maryland for Christmas. We’ll have mostly everything for dinner again,” she said.

Daijha’s Project Northstar tutor at DC Village, Teresa, notes, “Christmas around here is even more chaotic than usual.” Teresa also volunteers with the

Homeless Children’s Playtime Project at DC Village, and both groups she works with plan on throwing Christmas parties for the kids.

Whether homeless children fully realize the state of their own economic situation or not, parties around the holidays are something they come to expect and look forward to. “We had parties here four days in a row at Halloween,” Daijha said.

On the other hand, perhaps placing too great an emphasis on gifts and money throughout the season is a bad idea.

“To be quite honest, I usually avoid the subject of Christmas with our children who are in shelters because I don’t want them to be reminded of what a big deal it is in our society and think that there’s something huge that they’re missing out on,” Wu said.

James added, “My mom just got a job and she doesn’t like to take off.

Whether homeless children fully realize the state of their own economic situation or not, parties around the holidays are something they come to expect and look forward to.

She likes to make extra money around Christmas.” Though he does realize how Christmas may be different for him living in a shelter. “I don’t like to tell people I live here,” he said of DC Village.

That exact sentiment is what many homeless advocates, including Project Northstar, are trying to combat.

“What’s unfortunate is that some of these students think that their personal experience is something to be ashamed of. We try to help them understand that it’s not, that they should feel empowered by their experience because they have a unique and valuable perspective to share and teach others about,” Wu said.

Even with all the presents from providers, homeless children still have not forgotten the true meaning of Christmas, and what it means to give of themselves. Eleven-year-old DC Village resident Donea is one such child. She doesn’t believe in Santa anymore, but she already knows what she’s getting for her mom for Christmas.

“I’m gonna cook her a ham and cheese omelet for breakfast, and make toast with butter and jelly,” she says, with excitement in her eyes. “But don’t tell her, because it’s a secret.”

FEATURES

Page 6

Vendor New Year’s Resolutions

To go to church more often.

– James R. Chisholm

To stay healthy, lose some weight and stick with Street Sense and the National Coalition for the Homeless.

– Francine Triplett

To get out of the shelter and find me a place to lay my head.

– Robert Beecher

To closing on a house, and starting several businesses from home.

--Allen Jones

To be a better person and finally get my own apartment; to try to help more people who are or have been in my situation.

-- James Davis

To stop smoking and continue church services and read my Bible, and to keep my health as normal as possible, too.

– Phillip Howard To be actively involved with the Speaker’s Bureau.

-- Alvin Dixon

To continue the good fight to get the homeless off the streets and give them incentives to go back indoors, where there is hope and life.

– Patricia Smith

To show God’s love to others to the best of my ability.

-- Michelle McCullough

To quit smoking and lose weight.

-- Muriel Dixon

To quit cussing at the public.

– Jasen Louk

To get my book published.

– Maurice King

To get to Germany to see my kids.

– Jake Ashford To quit smoking.

– Cliff Carle

To be nicer and more loving to all.

-- David McCullough

To stop smoking.

-- Therese Onyemenam

To try to get my own place or perhaps be in a more stable living arrangement with a full-time job.

– Donald Brooks

To love God with all my heart, soul and mind every day and read at least one verse daily, so that my faith will grow stronger and be reflected in my “works.”

-- Brenda Lee-Wilson

To change my Street Sense column from “Focus on Baltimore” to “On the Road with August Mallory,” and name the city of destination.

– August Mallory To get housing and to get back to writing.

– Bryan Morris

LOCAL NEWS

Tutoring Program Evicted From Hine Junior High

By Gwen Arnold

that the program’s directors had not properly filed an application to use space On a mid-December evening, between at Hine during the 2005-2006 school 30 and 40 people gathered outside Hine year and that no signed agreement Junior High School in Eastern Market. exists to prove the previous principal’s They lit candles and protested what approval of Northstar’s use of school they called the unreasonable eviction facilities. of an after-school tutoring program “There are rules and procedures that for underprivileged children from Hine were not followed,” Jackson said, “and school. there are all kinds of issues – liability Project Northstar, a nonprofit issues, insurance issues, safety and that connects volunteer tutors with security issues – with these programs approximately 200 D.C.-area students [like Northstar] using school property.” who are homeless or living in foster Brian Carome, executive director of care, public housing or underserved Project Northstar, countered the claims. communities, has operated one of its At Monday’s candlelight vigil, which was six after-school tutoring sites at Hine attended by tutors, students, parents, for more than ten years. Every Monday community members and members of during the school year, roughly 35 the media, Carome distributed copies elementary, middle and high school of the 2005–2006 school year facility students came use request to Hine to that Northstar eat free meals leaders say they and spend submitted to 90 minutes the D.C. Public working Schools Realty with adult Office in July volunteers on and that was homework and later approved reading and by former Hine math skills. principal Gary Hine’s location Rosenthal. The – close to the realty office, Hill, Eastern Hine Junior High has housed Project Northstar for 10 years. however, Market and does not the Orange and Blue Metro lines – have the request in its records. consistently attracted volunteers as well Jackson said that he is currently as students from all over Northeast. assessing the large number of programs On Dec. 5, the new principal of Hine, unaffiliated with Hine that use the Willie Jackson, told Northstar leaders school’s facilities in order to ensure that the program could no longer use the that Hine students are served by the school’s facilities, effective immediately. activities that occur onsite. He declined Jackson, who had started his tenure as to comment on whether he would principal roughly two weeks earlier, said approve any new application by Project

Northstar to use Hine facilities.

Participants in the vigil criticized Jackson’s eviction decision. “This program helps so many kids and gives them a place to go so they’re not on the streets,” said Andrea Shuford, whose son Keith, a third grader, has worked with a Project Northstar tutor at Hine for four years. “It has made a big difference for Keith’s reading.

He didn’t do it much before, but now he brings home books every week, sometimes more than one, and his reading has improved . . . Closing tutoring is a big disappointment for the kids. It’s not fair to the kids, or the tutors, or the parents.”

Connell Wise, a high school sophomore who has attended Northstar tutoring at Hine for ten years, said that the program gives valuable support to underprivileged students. One of his older sisters, a former Northstar participant, is now in college, and Wise is currently working with his tutor of three years to apply for a competitive, scholarship-based study abroad program in Germany.

“This organization makes a difference,” said Carome. “Last year, 100% of our eighth graders were promoted to high school, 67% of our students improved their reading ability, and we sent several students to college.”

Carome said that Project Northstar staff members have begun looking for alternate tutoring sites, but he hopes that Jackson will reconsider the eviction.

Northstar leaders have requested that Clifford Janey, superintendent for D.C. Public Schools, evaluate the situation.

Janey’s office promised a response by early January.

Page 7

DC Panel Advances “Living Wage” Bill for City-Linked Jobs

By David S. Hammond After much negotiation and some unexpected delays, the D.C. City Council’s Committee on Government Operations has approved a “living wage” bill. The legislation would establish a minimum hourly wage of $11.75 for employees of many businesses receiving city contracts, grants, loans and other financial help.

If the city adopts the living wage provision, it will join Baltimore, Alexandria and Arlington, as well as Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, and dozens of other cities and counties nationwide that have approved some form of living wage requirement.

City leaders have recently given heightened attention to low-income wages; Mayor Williams first proposed a living wage measure last spring. The Council raised the minimum wage for private-sector workers from $6.15 to $6.60 an hour in January 2005.

Proposals to raise the minimum wage or establish a living wage commonly prompt vigorous debate, with supporters citing the rising cost of living, and opponents citing the cost to businesses and the risk of losing jobs and investment to other places.

The federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour has not risen since 1997, and supporters of living wage provisions argue that even the higher minimum wage rates set by many states are not high enough for families to earn their way out of poverty.

Action by the full D.C. City Council on the living wage bill is not expected until 2006.

New Roundtable Series Highlights Poverty Issues

By Valerie Wexler In an effort to drive discussion about the causes of poverty, Community Family Life Services (CFLS) began a new roundtable series in December.

The first community roundtable was in early December and focused on the causes of and solutions to poverty. The discussion centered around CFLS’ new position paper, No Single Cause, No Single Solution. The paper analyzes some of the causes of poverty both nationally, and locally in D.C. It also puts forward some solutions.

CFLS decided to make this white paper the subject of its first roundtable because it gives a broad perspective on poverty; the following roundtables will discuss more specific topics like

affordable housing and government benefits.

While the first roundtable was only attended by about 20 advocates and CFLS employees, the nonprofit, located in Northwest D.C, expects a larger audience at future roundtables, and hopes to include City Council members and other government officials.

Still, the discussion was heated.

During the session Angela Carter, the principal consultant at Core Concepts, a nonprofit consulting firm, pointed out that the causes of poverty are not the individuals, but the institutional factors like poor government services and the low minimum wage. A single parent cannot support a family on the minimum wage alone. In D.C. a single parent with an infant needs to earn

$18.06 an hour. The minimum wage in D.C. is $6.60 an hour.

CFLS suggests increasing the minimum wage: a proposal currently before the District Council suggests increasing the minimum wage to $9.25 an hour.

Shelia Zedlewski, director of the income and benefit policy center at the Urban Institute, brought up another barrier poor people have to face to get those government services – complicated forms and procedures.

The D.C. food stamp application, she pointed out, was needlessly complicated. “It’s in D.C.’s best interest to simplify the form as they pay half the administration costs,” she said.

Another issue raised at the roundtable was the out-of-date federal

poverty line (FPL) used to measure selfsufficiency. As stated by CFLS’ paper, the FPL, when it was developed over 40 years ago, was based primarily on the cost of food. It has not been altered to reflect the increases in the expense of transportation, childcare and housing, which have grown much faster than food expenses.

As Rueben Gist of the Capital Area Food Bank put it, “the biggest obstacle to those living in poverty is the definition of poverty itself.”

CFLS’ next roundtable will be on affordable housing and will be held in January.

For more information about the roundtables visit wwww.cflsdc.org or call (202) 347-0511.

Page 8

POLITICS PAGE

Street Politics

The politics surrounding public policy from the street level.

Step One for Lawmakers: Find Out What People Think. “Public witnesses” who appear before D.C. City Council committees tell what no one else can: what it’s like to be on the receiving end, good or bad, of law and public policy.

Their perspectives can be very different from the government’s view, and that has fueled some heated discussions. It has also shed light on the impact of government action.

That’s why cable Channel 13, which shows City Council activity, often shows people who are neither government officials, nor high-ranking lawyers, professionals, or other credentialed experts. But they have their turn at the microphone, and become part of the public record of Council deliberations and decisions.

And in D.C., their turn comes first. Ira Stohlman, Secretary to the City Council, explained that this is intentional. Putting public witnesses at the top of the witness roster ensures that the “government witnesses,” from the city’s executive branch, will hear feedback on their performance before they step forward to field questions from Council members. That’s a D.C. tradition, said Stohlman.

On Capitol Hill, the order is reversed, with congressional committees normally hearing first from agency heads, followed by experts, activists, and unaffiliated private citizens.

Step Two (Not So Easy): Agree on What the Problem Is. D.C.’s public witnesses who report on homelessness and human services do not always tell a happy story. It’s no surprise when shelter residents, jobless people, and needy people generally, bring a sense of disappointment, or even urgency and impatience, to the witness table. And sometimes they are angry too, asking why they can’t seem to get the help they need.

But government officials tell a different story, saying they try hard to deliver services and do it right. And service providers sometimes say they feel caught in the middle of a debate they could never win, and can not join. Their job is to talk to everyone, from clients, to lawmakers, to the general public, while doing what they can for their clients.

Meanwhile, lawmakers press for answers, results, and proof of a commitment to making progress in a field where even the important victories can be small ones.

For service providers, it can be frustrating to realize it’s impossible to please everyone, and to have so many people’s disappointments aired publicly.

Step Three: Closing the Gap in Viewpoints would be a tall order. New Orleans evacuees recently told a congressional panel about unresponsive authorities and a feeling of hopelessness and fear after Hurricane Katrina flooded their city. Some of their stories about government indifference or ill treatment by law enforcement were challenged as hard to believe.

But as one witness said, “Everything is different in the [public housing] projects.”

Exactly. And as obvious as it is that one’s point of view depends on where one stands, it’s always worth keeping in mind. Because it can help make sense of the contradictions that show up when people talk about public policy.

-- David S. Hammond Your feedback is welcome. E-mail StreetPoliticsDC@aol.com

Hill Spot:

A look at new bills and issues

The Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2005 (s. 1801)

By David Lohr The Senate has proposed legislation to address the nation’s affordable housing crisis and combat the root causes of homelessness. The Community Partnership to End Homelessness Act of 2005 (CPEHA), introduced in September by Senator Jack Reed (D-RI), would allow the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to execute more effectively its homeless assistance programs.

Introducing the CPEHA in the Senate, Reed noted that more than 3.5 million Americans experience homelessness each year. One of the reasons is the nationwide affordable housing shortage. “Many of those who are homeless have a simple problem they cannot afford housing,” Reed said. “In 2000, it was estimated that 4.6 million units of low-income housing would need to be created in order to take care of this problem. As rents have soared and affordable housing units have disappeared from the market during the past five years, even more working Americans have been left unable to afford housing.”

The CPEHA would increase spending on homelessness programs to $1.6 billion for 2006, and changes the funding structure of homelessness assistance programs. The bill creates a “national funding priority” for permanent housing. In the bill as introduced, HUD would be required to use 30 percent of available funds to help to provide housing for individuals with disabilities. Advocates for the homeless are urging sponsors to amend the bill with a requirement that 10 percent of the funds be available for non-disabled families and individuals.

According to Nan Roman, president of the National Alliance to End Homelessness, and Bob Erlenbusch, president of the Board of Directors of the National Coalition for the Homeless, these two changes will allow for considerable progress in the fight against homelessness.

“Together, if passed, these provisions would help meet the most acute permanent housing needs of homeless people for whom an adequate supply of permanent housing is least likely to be available through either the private market or other publicly funded programs,” they said in a letter to Reed last month.

In addition, it gives local agencies more control over, and responsibility for, planning and administering homelessness assistance programs, and, according to Reed, “will reward communities for initiatives that prevent homelessness, promote the development of permanent supportive housing, and optimize self-sufficiency.”

The CPEHA simplifies the application process for competitive grants; makes more activities eligible for HUD funds; requires planning boards to evaluate the efficacy of programs currently administered with HUD funding; and encourages providers to guide those in need to other resources so HUD may focus more specifically on housing.

While the CPEHA was originally proposed in 2002, Reed was optimistic about the bill’s potential to pass in 2006. “I am hopeful my colleagues in Congress will appreciate the importance of this legislation and approve it this coming year. This legislation will combine federal dollars with incentives to communities to break the cycle of repeated and prolonged homelessness,” he said.

Major Purposes: • Create a unified, performancebased process for funding • Focus the public and private sectors on ending and preventing homelessness • Consolidate existing homelessness programs (Supportive Housing Program, Innovative Programs, Safe Havens, Section 8 Mod Rehab/ SRO Shelter Plus Care, and Rural Homeless) • Ensure that multiple federal agencies are involved as appropriate for their missions, to serve homeless people Sponsor: Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) Co-sponsors: Daniel K. Akaka (D-HI), Wayne Allard (R-CO), Christopher S. Bond (R-MO), Lincoln D. Chafee (R-RI), Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY), Susan M. Collins (R-ME), Jon S. Corzine (D-NJ), Christopher J. Dodd (D-CT), Mary L. Landrieu (D-LA), Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD), Patty Murray (D-WA), Paul S. Sarbanes (D-MD), Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) Introduced: September 29, 2005 Status: Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Page 9

Living In Limbo: One Year After The Tsunami

By Adam Ferguson Almost a year has passed since the world’s deadliest tsunami struck, yet for millions in the region, time stands still.

Overwhelmed by the sheer number of people still desperate for aid, and a lack of decent infrastructure, aid agencies admit they are now facing a massive administrative bottleneck.

“Trying to work out who owns what, and where, is still one of the major issues to be dealt with,” says Ian Woolverton, International Communications Officer for the Australian Red Cross. With many records lost in the destruction, establishing ownership of land has been a big challenge. In a lot of cases, the tsunami has literally reshaped the topography, with previously settled areas swallowed by the ocean. In other areas, so-called ‘buffer zones’ forbid resettlement within 100 or even 200 meters of the sea, further complicating the recovery process.

Restoring the essentials of life, such as clean drinking water and basic shelter, has been largely successful but aid agencies are finding themselves under growing pressure to provide more concrete examples of progress – namely, housing. After all, the global community pledged an unprecedented US$11 billion to tsunami victims – over $315 million from the Australian public alone, as well as a further $1 billion aid package from the government – and they are eager to see results. And of course, no one is more impatient than the victims themselves.

“There is definitely impatience –

and we are impatient too,” says Johan Schaar, special representative for the Tsunami Operation for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. “But we also have to be sure that this impatience doesn’t lead us into making shortcuts that we will regret.”

Here lies the dilemma. While aid agencies are acutely aware of the need to spend donor money quickly, they also know that hasty decisions can further hamper progress.

“It’s very important that outsiders do not come in and simply impose projects upon people,” says Woolverton. “We have to make sure that any programs are in accordance with the wishes of the local community.”

In a recent statement, Jan Egeland, the United Nation’s Under-SecretaryGeneral for Humanitarian Affairs, said that although aid agencies can be proud of what they achieved in the emergency phase, reconstruction has been “slower than we hoped”.

Most significantly, predictions that everyone would be settled in permanent homes in time for the rainy season, which began around October, have not been realized. In the Indonesian province of Aceh – where more than

400,000 people were made homeless by the tsunami – only around 2,000 of the required 185,000 houses have been built. According to the UN, around 75,000 people are living in “intolerable” conditions in tents and shacks that have deteriorated badly over the past year. Others are in barrackstyle accommodation – which has also become degraded and unsanitary – and around 250,000 are living with host-families whose resources are becoming overstretched.

International organizations like the Red Cross and Oxfam have been successful largely because of their reliance on local branches, which means their aid workers are drawn from the local communities who are more in tune with the needs of the locals. But this consultation such takes time.

“One of the most crucial aspects to recovery is to have everybody’s engagement in deciding what their community needs, and then physically helping to build it,” says Jo Hall, a manager for Care Australia. Through ‘cash-for-work’ schemes – such as environmental clean-ups and road building – Hall says aid agencies provide locals not only with much-needed income, but also a stake in their future.

So why have permanent houses been so slow to materialize? As far as Schaar is concerned, the answer is as simple as it is infuriating. “I think we – and I’m talking about all the agencies here – underestimated the time it would take for permanent houses to be erected.”

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has stated that its long-term goal is to provide permanent housing for all tsunami survivors before the 2006 rainy season; it expects that between 15,000 and 30,000 houses will have been completed by the end of 2005. But in the meantime, a huge program being coordinated by the Red Cross and the UN is underway to get people into more solid transitional shelters. Some 20,000 prefabricated, steel-framed units, as well as around 37,000 high-quality tents, are currently being dispensed to those in need. As conditions in the camps become increasingly squalid, averting a health crisis is crucial. Indonesia has already suffered a minor outbreak of polio, a disease which has not appeared in the country in over a decade.

Schaar believes the current push to improve the lives of people in transitional homes should have begun earlier and that there was too much optimism about getting permanent shelters up and running. He points to the long recovery process after other large natural disasters such as the Kobe earthquake in Japan. “I think the urge to start rebuilding as much as possible led to the neglect of earlier lessons,” he says.

Reprinted from The Big Issue in Australia

Bill to Improve Welsh Hostels Prompts Worries Among Providers

By Carrie Briffett The Welsh Assembly Government is in the midst of drawing up legislation on minimum standards for all temporary accommodation including hostels.

But while homelessness organizations welcome any laws to stop homeless people being placed in substandard accommodation many urge caution over the proposals, which they say are impractical and dangerous.

Carl Chapple from Homeless Link Cymru, an umbrella body for homelessness organizations, said that the proposals in their current form could have severely disruptive and unintended consequences, such as being forced to turn homeless people away even though the hostel might have vacant rooms.

He said: “The legislation only applies to statutory homeless [anyone for whom the local authority has a responsibility]

and as some rooms in a hostel might reach the standards and some might not, a hostel could have a vacant room but have to wait for the appropriate classification of person to fill it when there could be someone very vulnerable in need of the room.”

He added that hostels could be forced to spend thousands of pounds meeting new standards even though they may currently be operating well.

He said: “For example, there is a hostel in Cardiff where the ratio of bedrooms to bathrooms is six to one, but under the new proposals the maximum ratio permissible would be five to one. The provider would be obliged to change.

“In cases of small six-bed hostels there might be no feasible way of carrying out the work and they might be working just fine except that the bedrooms are a foot too short to what the legislation requires.

Chapple added that there are also issues of cost, time – all hostels have to fit in with legislation by 2008, disruptions due to building work and a loss of revenue to bedrooms converted into bathrooms.

Oak House Hostel, a 20-bed Cardiff hostel, opened in February at a cost of US$2.7 million. General manager Anthony Hearn said: “The building is fantastic and comes up to care standards in terms of provision and room size.

But if the spectre of having to have kitchens in every room rises then our rooms would fall below minimum size.

We work with very vulnerable people – who have specific support needs around drugs, alcohol and mental health – and there would be all sorts of concerns about them cooking in their rooms.

“This legislation would be detrimental and go against the good work we are trying to do.”

Dave Ormonde, vendor service worker for The Big Issue, said: “There has to be some kind of minimum standards for temporary accommodation and I don’t think anyone is against that. They are aware there has to be a reasonable environment; they don’t need new legislation to tell them that.”

Joy Kent from Cymorth Cymru, the representative body for supported housing providers in Wales, said that while it endorses policies that encourage higher standards it was also very concerned about unintentional outcomes of implementing the proposals as they stand.

“It is difficult to word legislation that will apply to all circumstances,” she said. “We want to make sure we avoid ending up limiting the level of service available.”

Reprinted by The Big Issue Cymru

POETRY

Page 10

The Strong Survive Lonely, but not alone and not for long, homeless is a poem Entitled “The Strong Survive.”

There’s a new face on homelessness today, not the change in a Shaking cup, cardboard box that you believe it to be.

Inspiration Found A towering stack of books weighs down the table at my space; with my fine-toothed comb I search between the pages for specks of light, truth and wisdom for pictures to paint with my ballpoint brush.

All the jangling words chase each other around my brain then flit, useless, like restless moths out of my left ear into dusty air.

I get up, walk into the blazing sun of a normal day; I find a riot of wildflowers decorating rusted hulks of cast away cars, oil drums, yawning refrigerators; a pink and headless doll lies at my feet; I imagine the child who loved it.

Nearby, a barefoot woman laden with bags & rags and guarding a shopping cart piled high with discarded treasures sing softly to herself or to some murmuring voice within.

I see a story in her toilworn face; her wordless tune sparks an orchestra in my head drowning out all the clamorous words.

I sit on a fallen log, pull out my ballpoint brush and begin to paint.

-- David Harris ballpointbeacon@yahoo.com

Me for instance I’m not a bum I sell Street Sense, yes my home is much Less than some but the strong survive.

To strive against all odds, to stay alive in spite of, to keep on keeping on with a spirit of Love-I’m not bitter cause the strong survive.

To be homeless is to be faithfully married to humility, where patience, tolerance and Vision are key qualities of victory.

It’s war, battle, no more games, to put on the armor of business, being serious is the order Of the day, homeless soldiers bear witness to this.

Dawn the critics the strong survive, judge not if you only but knew, you too have more Dues to pay if your agenda consists of staying alive, remember---the strong survive.

Yes, I’m homeless. But homeless is not me. My spirit has a beautiful two story house With wall to wall carpet, a gourmet kitchen and a warm king sized bed in the Masterbedroom of the Lord’s house.

Being homeless reminds me of the song “We are the World” seems I belong to a group That has a monopoly on poverty. It’s alright though.

There’s a blessin’ in every lesson, everyday I learn a new way to stay strong and survive.

I’ve been up, down, through, on, off, round and about. There’s no doubt everything Happens for a reason and certain people are placed in our lives for a season.

I’m building a strong foundation with a positive network. Being homeless contains some Sort of magic---I can’t really explain it.

There’s a long way down to the top, slowly but surely watch the pieces of this homeless Jigsaw puzzle come together like never before.

Stay tuned to one of the greatest homeless shows on earth,-----where the strong survive.

-- Brother Dewayne H. brotherdewayne@yahoo.com

POETRY

Page 11

The Most Important Thing Another day dawns in Chinatown Busy people all around As I watch them pass on by Sometimes it makes me sigh Why is it so many stare When so few really care Lord, please help me to see All of us as you’d have us be I know that when you are done We’ll be the image of the Son In that day of glory bright I want to know I’ve done what’s right Please give me a heart to seek the lost Never mindful of the cost Knowing that to God above The most important thing is love -- Michelle McCullough

Hope Homelessness can be a way of life, Especially when complacency adds to the strife.

Many think that being homeless is a chosen state, No matter the reason none of us need the disregard nor the hate.

Never listen to when another puts you down Because what goes around could very well come around.

Perseverance means going on in spite, Of when you do give the credit to above No matter the funds that people may donate, Are they really concerned with our state, Or is it a temporary solution to the judging on their plate.

Hold your head up –never give in, Because to get to the other side is when you win.

The road is narrow –the path is long, Not knowing that we are chosen because we are strong.

So every time I get on my knees, I pray for homelessness to be a thing of yesterday.

-- Bryan Morris

Skyward I look up I see fluffy, billowing clouds their hues glowing amber rain this is my sunshine, His eminent domain I look down I see worn and tattered shoes with no laces telling a story of city streets walked rain puddles reflecting sad and lonely faces I look up and I see tall skyscrapers, CEOs in Brooks Brothers suits a lofty dream for those below as they trudge along in blue collar jobs in the fresh fallen snow as I look down sadly I see a man sleeping on the sidewalk his face twisted in misery so I whisper a silent prayer and hopes He hears me once again, I look up and I see God’s face smiling down on me and I shall look down no more.

-- James Davis

Page 12

REVIEWS

Book Review The Necessity of Universal Health Care in America Politicians, medical workers and citizens alike often bemoan the state of the American health care system. In their new book Uninsured in America, Life and Death in the Land of Opportunity (University of California Press 2005), Susan Sered, a medical anthropologist at Suffolk University and Rushika Fernandopulle, a Massachusetts physician, use their dissatisfaction with American health care as cause to revisit the system’s history, and carefully outline their own solution to its problems.

First, they write, since health insurance is so often intrinsically tied to a job, when the job is lost, so is the insurance. Without insurance, the jobless person postpones care when ill, or ignores care altogether.

This neglect of minimal upkeep can lead to medical conditions that can make the uninsured less able or completely unable to work. And without work, and the money it generates to pay for one’s own health care, the medical condition worsens. And the cycle repeats … .

But all is not gloom, the prominent authors write.

They note that unlike most developed countries where health care is linked to citizenship or residency, America has linked its health care, except for Medicare and Medicaid, to full-time employment. Consequently, the for-profit medical establishment administers most of the health care available. In the heyday of economic growth, this, to some extent, worked well. But many jobs that had traditionally included health insurance, cars and steel, for instance, have migrated overseas. And as new domestic growth came in the form of low-paying industries, health coverage fell by the wayside.

The result, the authors point out, is that millions of workers are being added in “growth” sectors such as fast-food restaurants and “big box” stores; jobs that are devoid of health care benefits. To compound the problem, these types of jobs usually pay workers a wage at or just slightly above the minimum. Because of such low pay, workers can’t afford medical insurance.

And there are many other uninsured aside from the working poor. They comprise divorced women whose coverage left with their husbands; grandparents who care for grandchildren but have no “paying” jobs and therefore no insurance; workers injured on the job but harassed into not accepting workmen’s compensation; the sick who get coverage that excludes pre-existing medical conditions; the part-time worker; and, of course, the mentally ill.

So what to do?

Sered and Fernandopulle say that incremental reforms have been tried in the past, including Medicare and Medicaid, with varying degrees of success; “but systematic and structural change continues to elude our society.”

“The only way to truly break the ‘death spiral’ is to sever the link between employment and health insurance,” the authors write. As long as there is this link, they say, Americans are just one illness, one family change or one company layoff from losing health coverage. Now is the time, as Sered and Fernandopulle put it bluntly, to “make the provision of basic, comprehensive for all Americans a public rather than a private responsibility.”

And the cost?

The authors say that while the initial cost would be high, it would not be as high as critics argue because society now already pays to care for the uninsured in costly and inefficient ways. These include costly visits to hospital emergency rooms for routine illnesses that could have been treated by a family doctor, if they had one; or expensive emergency room visits to treat complications of pre-existing medical conditions that might have easily been prevented through periodic doctor visits.

Sered and Fernandopulle liken universal health care to the U.S. public school system.

The conviction is that public education results in both individual and collective benefits. Without doubt, they say, there would be similar benefits from a universal health care system.

-- Robert Trautman

My Turn At the Table

Discriminating Restaurant Reviews From Street Sense Vendors It was a Wednesday afternoon, and as I was seated at McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant at 17th and K streets, Northwest, in downtown Washington, D.C., I was truly amazed at the new and improved version of the restaurant.

I say improved because it had been about eight years since I had last eaten at McCormick & Schmick’s. My experience was even greater than the last. Not to say the last experience was bad.

But there was something a little more special this time.

Maybe it was the good service.

Maybe it was the great food.

I love seafood, and I ordered catfish and fries, which had all the extras involved. I would have loved to order a second dish, but I think that first dish did the trick.

I can truly say that when you eat at McCormick & Schmick’s, you can expect to be treated well and fed well. Lunch was absolutely fantastic.

All of you seafood lovers out there can say goodbye to Long John Silver’s and come into a nice, warm, and relaxing atmosphere, and enjoy a fine seafood dinner.

Accompanying me was Street Sense volunteer Amy Orndorff, with whom I had a very interesting conversation.

As I looked around I noticed a lot of changes at McCormick & Schmick’s.

The restaurant appeared to be a lot roomier than in the past. There was more seating space, and the bar area was much wider and longer.

I would most definitely recommend the restaurant to anyone for a truly fine dining experience. Most entrees range from $10 to $20, depending on what you order.

I don’t go to fine-dining restaurants on a regular basis. But I just could not pass up McCormick & Schmick’s.

I would like to thank our server.

I didn’t catch her name, but she did a fine job of getting our food out and checking on us. I rather enjoyed sitting in this relaxed atmosphere and having an enjoyable conversation.

I also might add that if you are in need of a shoe shine, McCormick & Schmick’s has that service available for your convenience.

Pay phones are available as well.

For those of you with discriminating taste, McCormick & Schmick’s is the place for you.

McCormick & Schmick’s: Thank you very much.

The food was great, the service was great, and the staff was better than professional.

I will be coming back.

-- August Mallory

August has been a vendor for Street Sense since it began in Nov. 2003 and he serves on its board of directors and volunteers in the office. He also has his own catalog sales business.

Each month, nearly 13,000 copies of Street Sense are sold in the District of Columbia. Advertising in Street Sense can be a great way to market your business.

For rates and more information, call (202) 347-2006, or e-mail info@streetsense.org.

FEATURES

Cooks

Page 13

orner

Pecan Puffs Preparation Ingredients 1/2 cup unsalted butter 2 tbls. sugar Pinch of salt 1 tsp. vanilla extract 1 cup pecans 1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted Confectioner’s sugar for dusting

This recipe is a favorite of Will Doscher, the head of New Course Catering, and is often prepared for events and dinners that New Course serves.

Most of the employees of New Course are low-income individuals that come from the culinary arts training program at Community Family Life Services, which is the parent of New Course.

New Course caters all events from corporate lunches to weddings to 500-person galas. For more info visit www.newcoursecatering.com or call (202) 347-7035.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Grease 2 baking sheets.

Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Stir in salt and vanilla.

Grind nuts in a food processor. Stir several times to prevent nuts from becoming oily.

Push ground nuts through a sieve set over a bowl to aerate them. (Pieces too large to go through can be ground again.)

Stir nuts and flour into the butter mixture to make a dough.

Roll dough into marble-sized balls between the palms of your hands.

Place on prepared baking sheets and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown and done.

While puffs are still hot, roll in confectioner’s sugar.

Leave to cool completely, then roll once more in confectioner’s sugar.

ADVERTISEMENT

Marvin Hammerman: Book 2, Part 12 It is very late evening. As Louis Henley sleeps, he remains unaware that the police have been called to arrest him.

Suddenly, another homeless man sees Henley and goes over to wake him.

“Hey, bro, wake up, man!” the man urges. “It ain’t cool to sleep here. The police will roust you for being here.

They are probably on their way already.

Come on, bro, you need to get out of here.”

Henley reluctantly complies with the man’s request, and they leave the area together.

“I know a place where you can go, bro,” the man says.

Henley and the stranger go through alleyways and cut street corners to wind up at an old, abandoned house about five miles from Patapsco Avenue. As they enter the house, Henley can see some very shady-looking characters.

The stranger offers Henley a hit of crack cocaine, and Henley gets very high. He is not aware that these people have brought him there to kill him.

As Henley is hitting the crack pipe, the barrel of a .38-caliber handgun is pointed at his head. The trigger is

pulled. Henley slumps forward and dies instantly.

The men need to get rid of Henley’s body right away—but where? They look down the alley and see a Dumpster.

They take the body there, throw it inside and clear the area. They are never seen again.

Meanwhile, back at Mercy Hospital, Walter Lacey has recovered but is still struggling with headaches.

“Walter, can you tell us anything about the confrontation with this Louis Henley guy?” District Attorney Marvin Hammerman asks.

“Well, it all started when I was a client at the Baltimore Rescue Mission,” Lacey begins. “Henley had this habit of taunting and picking on people and causing all sorts of trouble with everyone.

“He was barred from the premises on several occasions, but they kept letting him come back. He started to taunt me for no reason, and that’s when he and I fought it out. I had no idea he was as fast as he was. As a former heavyweight prizefighter, he knew exactly where to hit me to cause me to lose my memory.

I understand he’s wanted in other places

A mystery novel in parts by vendor August Mallory

as well. I hope you guys find him—he does not need to be in public.”

“We have every available resource out there watching for him,” Hammerman says.

“Dad, I just want to say that I’m sorry for the grief that I have caused you and for putting you through all of this,” Lacey says to his father, Odell Lacey.

“You are forgiven, Son. As soon as you are able to leave the hospital, your room at home will be waiting for you,” his father replies.

Meanwhile, the police have arrived at the abandoned service station where Henley was seen sleeping earlier that night. But, they find no sign of Henley.

They call their dispatcher to seek more information, but nobody knows where Henley can be found.

Hammerman and Detective Hoffman work together to locate Henley. Anna Jackson remains at Mercy Hospital with Walter Lacey. Somewhere in a dark, lonely alley, the body of Louis Henley is beginning to decay, and a powerful smell is beginning to fill the air.

In the next chapter: Henley is dead. His body is discovered, but the murderers are not found. Hammerman is steered in a new direction. Will the Henley case close, or is this the start of a whole new case?

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For more info, call (703) 577-9730, or (512) 825-4379.

As previously seen in Street Sense - a useful and unique new cell phone recharger from Street Sense vendor Conrad Cheek, Jr.

PUZZLE PAGE

Page 14

Leo’s Fill-In Game

Street Sense CRYPTOGRAM

I was not sure what to call this game that I came up with, although I adapted it from the Washington Post’s Su-Do-Ku game. But I did not copy their game. I just made mine from scratch and decided to use the planets instead.

Solve the message below to discover a famous, meaningful quote on poverty and homelessness.

Fill in the blank spaces in the grid so that every vertical column, horizontal row and every 3X3 box contains the name of each of the 9 planets in the solar system.

XS O MGUSJDK NFTT EGQFDSFV, WGQFDJK XH HGIFJZXSE JG CF

Leo, who has been a vendor for a year, promises that this puzzle is much easier than the last, and apologizes for last month.

OHZOIFV GP . XS O MGUSJDK

Mars

COVTK EGQFDSFV, NFOTJZ XH Venus

HGIFJZXSE JG CF OHZOIFV GP.

Mars

Pluto

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Hint: F = P Venus

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www.CrosswordWeaver.com

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ACROSS 1 Guild 5 Invitation abbreviation 9 Syllables used in songs 13 HS that evicted tutor program 14 Capital of Western Samoa 15 Themes 16 Part of the eye 17 Sponsor of CPEHA 18 Upon (2 wds.)

19 The McCullough’s child 21 Priggish 23 Vane direction 24 Ship initials 25 Highest points 29 Mountain Standard Time 30 Wind pointer 32 Average (abbr.)

33 Meat served with potatoes 36 Tan 37 Neither’s partner 38 Pennsylvania (abbr.)

39 Legion 40 Vendor with kids in Germany 41 Card game 42 Street ______ 43 __ up (hiding) 44 IBM Competitor

Neptune

Jupiter

45 Project Northstar case manager 46 Spider’s net 47 Reverberations 49 Expression of surprise 50 Distress call 53 Sixth Greek letter 55 Food reviewer’s main 57 Caffeine pill brand 60 Out of bounds 62 Ancient Indian 63 Type of water bird 64 Assess 65 Trickery 66 Greek goddess of youth 67 Mined metals 68 Not his DOWN 1 Ding 2 Italian “dollars” 3 Unify 4 Choice 5 Most uncommon 6 Gushes out 7 Compete 8 Note___ (plr.)

9 Mushrooms 10 Picnic visitor 11 Puzzle master vendor 12 Viper

WIN A FREE STREET SENSE T-SHIRT!

Complete two of the three puzzles above and mail this page back to Street Sense by Jan. 14 and you will be entered into a drawing to win a free T-shirt. If you win, it will be mailed directly to your home.

NAME:______________________________________ ADDRESS:___________________________________ ____________________________________________

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Last Month’s Solution: “If the misery of the poor be caused not by the laws of nature, but by our institutions, great is our sin.”

-- Charles Darwin

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Jupiter Saturn

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--MGSPUMXUH

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Last Month’s Solutions

STREET SENSE 1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005

Mars 15 20 22 26 27 28 29 30 31 33 34 35 36 39 40 42 43 46 48 49 50 51 52 54 56 57 58 59 61

Hairpiece Outer shell Animal disease Irrigation ditch Arouse One author of “Uninsured in America” Woman’s partner Vice __ Military officer Froth Assoc. to protect tenants Cain’s eldest son Former W. German capital Armed robbery Work What pepper makes you do Make hot What Moby Dick is Gas Opp. of chronic From that time Award Pillow coverings Big hairdo Carp Sponsor of Homeless Memorial Day Miner’s goal Small amount Rowing device

Solutions for the November crossword are unavailable due to technical issues.

FEATURES/EDITORIALS

Page 15

Day In The Life... Michelle McCullough In this feature a Street Sense vendor gets a disposable camera for a day to let readers into her life of selling Street Sense and being homeless.

This is our Thursday night Bible study group.

Street Sense at the start of the Homeless Walkathon.

Our son Matthew, who has written for the paper before.

Brad is a manager at CVS Chinatown, and a supporter of Street Sense.

If Only in My Dreams I have never really had a favorite Christmas song, except for “All I Want for Christmas is My Two Front Teeth,” that is, until my first homeless Christmas, which was in 2002.

I had been existing day-to-day on the streets of Amarillo, Texas, with my beloved pet Rowdy Dawg, yes, that’s four legs and fur, since the 19th of November 2002, while awaiting rulings from the Texas Court of Appeals. On Christmas Day that year, there was more than six inches of snow on the ground, and the cold and the wind made the air feel like pins and needles being probed into my face. Rowdy and I spent the day, as usual, looking for a hot and good cup of coffee for me (maximum amount for minimum money) and for food for both of us. Then, I did something I had never done before. I went dumpster diving for food behind a donut shop. Rowdy did not care much for sweets, but ate one of the several donuts I fished out because, like me, he was hungry.

As the day went on, we cruised the parking lot of a mall looking down for coins, or bills, even, lost by Christmas Eve shoppers, but found nothing. Later, we took refuge on a park bench behind an office building and soaked up what little sun there was that day. And then, we returned to one of the many Motel

6’s located around the city. We slept at one almost every night due to the generosity of strangers passing through the city.

Both of us, Rowdy and I, were still hungry and having removed the chill and dampness from us –- I put new plastic grocery bags on my feet to help keep them dry – off we went looking for food. I remembered a cafeteria my grandmother and I had frequented often during the last nine years her life, during which time we had lived together. It was about a mile away.

I did not feel right in going to the door to ask for food, so I went to the back alley to check the trash cans. Lo and behold, on top were several pieces of fried chicken. It was Rowdy’s favorite food, and I gave him most of it. Nothing else looked salvageable. Feeling blue and disgusted, and with darkness starting to set in, we trudged back through the snow and, crossing an open field, I fell into a hole and got all wet and muddy.

I yelled at Rowdy as if it had been his fault. It wasn’t. I felt horrible inside and

The gang at Calvary Baptist gathering for the Homeless Walkathon.

Val Bligten is the wonderful woman who took in me and David.

My pastor Amy Butler and one of our corporate accounts.

By Brenda Karyl Lee-Wilson

out.

I decided to leave Rowdy at the motel, changed into the only other pair of socks I had, and went back to the cafeteria, which was ready to close in a half hour. I waited for all the customers to leave and then went in and asked for the manager. I humbly questioned if whatever was left and was going to be thrown out, could I please have for my dog and me.

He invited me in and told me to help myself to anything that was on the line.

I got the last piece of turkey, which I ate, and some ham for Rowdy. I also put vegetables, salad, dessert and bread on my tray.

While I sat and ate slowly – this was the first hot meal I had had in a long time -- I began to pay attention to the usu al Christmas songs that every business plays during this holiday. Melancholy, then increasing tears, began when “I’ll Be Home For Christmas, If Only In My Dreams” began. Since I couldn’t stop crying, I placed the last of the food into

Rowdy Dawg is no longer homeless, although I still am. Rowdy went to heaven to live with God .

a brown bag and went back to the motel as quickly as I could.

Meanwhile, that song kept playing over and over in my head. Rowdy ate everything, including the vegetables, and then we both curled up on the bed, and I sung him that song numerous times throughout the night. He understood the word “home” and I knew he dreamed dreams, because often his paws would shake and noise would come out of him while he was sleeping.

Today, Rowdy Dawg is no long homeless, although I still am. Rowdy went to heaven to live with God on the 23rd of November, this year. Now and forever, my favorite Christmas carol will be “I’ll Be Home For Christmas, in Heaven With Rowdy, If Only In My Dreams.”

This was written in memory of God’s precious and tangible form of love for us, the dog.

For Rowdy Dawg Wilson, 19 June 1993 – 23 November 2005.

Brenda is a vendor for Street Sense and has been selling papers since July. Up until November 23, Rowdy was always faithfully by her side helping to promote the paper.

EDITORIALS

Page 16

Focus on Baltimore:

Through A Vendor’s Eyes

Mental Illness and Day Centers

By August Mallory It is one thing to help the needy, but it is important, also, that the needy help each other.

It’s another Saturday in November and the Homeless Walkathon on the National Mall here in Washington, D.C. is being staged by many, many local agencies to raise money for the needy. The effort here points to the need for agencies in Baltimore to exert more effort to help their needy, to help feed them, and clothe them.

But there is more.

I do realize the Baltimore agencies try to do their very best to help, but they must show a little more compassion for the homeless and -- this is important -- the homeless need to show a little more kindness towards one another.

It seems to me that everywhere I go, whether in Baltimore or Washington, D.C., and elsewhere, I’m sure, the homeless seem to have this hate streak towards each other. All you hear all day long is how one person will knock the block off of another person. Agencies need to work more closely to address the very serious problem of mental illness within the homeless community.

On a separate issue, but just as important, I find that as I make my way through downtown Baltimore, many homeless men are idly hanging out at places like McDonald’s and other fast food outlets or at convenience stores. For the many agencies that provide homeless services, theirs is a nine-to-five day. Do they not realize that the homelessness status is a 24-hour-day, 7-days-a-week life?

More agencies need to recognize this.

I understand that rules have to be enforced to prevent chaos, but Baltimore needs to loosen its belt a bit and open up more services. A while back I complained to the mayor’s office about the lack of services for the homeless in Baltimore. A few days later I received a letter from the Department of Human Services about all of the services that are available to help the homeless, but I see many gaps in the services they offer. It would seem to me that the Baltimore City Council needs to start looking at the issue of homelessness more closely and shelters need to find more space to provide services for the homeless.

The Oasis Drop-In Center is a 24-hour shelter with unused space available. My question is: why is that extra space not being used? In Washington, D.C., there are at least three shelters I know of that have extra space that can be used to provide a room for the homeless to use during the day, to get out of the elements, heat, rain, cold, snow.

What many people don’t know is that the Washington Homeless Services Reform Act has just been passed and signed by Mayor Anthony Williams. But service providers are doing little. Whenever I go to a shelter to see how things are being conducted, I see very little progress. In one downtown shelter, I see it fill up before 6 p.m., but there is more space open and not being used. The homeless are being shortchanged, especially when so much more space is available and being held back. The homeless shouldn’t have to sit in parks all day long. Something needs to be done to persuade service providers to offer better accommodations, night and day, for the homeless. We are talking about people here, not animals. Even animals often get better treatment. I think that it is a shame, a real confounded shame, that we do this sort of thing to human beings.

August Mallory has been selling Street Sense since its first issue in Nov. 2003, and he has been writing about Baltimore for just as long. He currently lives outside of Charm City in an apartment of his own. If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail him at carriergroup2009@yahoo.com.

Ins and Outs of 2005

By Donald Brooks Now that this is my last column before the New Year, I would like to express my deepest thanks to the thousands of people who buy and read Street Sense every month.

I would also like to thank all the readers who come up to me and discuss the paper, local events, world events and life in general. Thank you.

Since all papers have some type of judging system for naming the “ins” and “outs” for the New Year, I will offer my own rating system. I hope this helps the “ins” to continue the good job they are doing and the “outs” to improve or find a better way!

The “ins” for the year: • All the readers who buy Street Sense and comment to me via voice and print.

• All the people who have helped Street Sense grow and thrive through their volunteering, donations and other assistance.

• WOL radio, especially More Betterman, Mary Hall and the station’s other valuable staff.

• All the personnel at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, the National Coalition for the Homeless, especially its Speakers’ Bureau, with an extra shout for Michael O’Neill.

• The Caribou Coffee Shop, at Metro Center’s 14th and G entrance for the generosity it provides to all customers (even the G.W.s and you know who you are).

• The friendliness of the cornbread flower man and bank guard Calhoun at 13th and G. • The friendly people who work at 601 13th Street, N.W., who definitely look for Street Sense every month.

Last but not least, to Street Sense for giving a guy like me the opportunity to write for a fine organization, and for this fine organization being available to the general public to promote a vehicle where the homeless and formerly homeless can jump-start their lives again.

The “outs” for the year: • The Community for Creative Nonviolence, which used to be the best shelter in Washington but now has fallen low and into financial problems and no longer serves the needs of our community’s homeless.

• People who refuse to buy, read or even to listen to information, i.e.

Street Sense.

• All mayoral candidates who do not have a platform that includes their positions on homeless issues.

• People who do not advertise in, donate to or otherwise support Street Sense.

• Businesses that give Street Sense vendors a hard time.

• All the homeless people who could sell Street Sense and earn some money but would rather panhandle (shame on you).

Well, this ends the column for this year. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to express my feelings, thoughts, ideas and wishes.

I hope that you will continue enjoying my column into the next year and, until then, have a safe, profitable and kinder holiday!

•

I hope this helps the “ins” to continue the good job they are doing and the “outs” to improve or find a better way.

Donald Brooks is a longtime vendor for Street Sense. If you have any questions or comments, please e-mail him at DLBrooks54@hotmail.com

EDITORIALS

Page 17

Maurice Speaks:Again, the Holidays

I wrote my first editorial for Street Sense during the holiday season two years ago, and holiday season is now once again upon us. And like then, it again brings the issue of people without a place to sleep into focus.

First comes Thanksgiving, a time when the nation gives thanks and people indulge in festive meals. Fortunately, in the D.C. area, there are many charitable resources so that no person needs to go hungry for that holiday. I even went on record saying that a homeless person might need to go to Weight Watchers after the holidays from the abundance of food that was available; the generosity of the organizations that give is truly impressive.

But as the holiday season progresses and the weather grows colder, the giftgiving spirit remains, but the reality of homelessness also remains. There is no escaping the truth that the donated food and gifts that the homeless people receive, while comforting, are still not a substitute for the stability of a home.

To some extent, the holiday season offers a reprieve for some homeless people in the form of seasonal employment. Jobs that the increased business of the season generates become available and give them some badly needed income, but only for a while. For them, the holiday season truly is a happy time because it offers them an added measure of hope that they previously did not have. Even if the employment is to end shortly after the season ends, it nonetheless can be a stepping stone to something perhaps more permanent in the future.

For most homeless people, however, the holidays are a time when they must face the reality that they have been forgotten or abandoned or both.

Those homeless who have families are reminded that their family members have, for some reason, seen fit to ignore their plight or have not extended any help, whether because they cannot or because they don’t want to. The homeless who have no family have to face the grim reality that they are alone in their struggle for survival. Regardless of the situation, the homeless are aware that without outside help, returning to mainstream society will be extremely difficult, if not impossible.

So the question remains: what can be done to end homelessness. That question does have an answer. Other nations

have managed to virtually eliminate homelessness. As Joel Blau documented in his book, THE VISIBLE POOR, the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden all prevented homelessness through their social welfare systems.

That question spawns another: is there a genuine desire to end homelessness in the United States? That is the question that seems to be much more difficult to answer. The answer does not seem to be clear. Were the answer clear and obvious, the solution would have materialized long ago. Yet homelessness is clearly still very much a part of the American scene, so quite obviously the desire to end homelessness is not very great. Like so many other things, homelessness has become a business that generates a profit. Too many people have an interest in keeping people on the streets.

If I have a difficult time echoing the seasonal sentiments of peace on earth, good will to men, realize that I am merely reading the writing on the wall, as it is very clear to me. Even today, turning people into the streets is very easy to do.

There is still no room at the inn for those persons with nowhere to go.

Maurice King lives at the CCNV shelter. He has been writing editorials for two years and is in the process of publishing a book. You can e-mail him at benadam@cyberdude.com.

What our readers are saying...

Dear Mr. Brooks, Your comments on the editorial page of Street Sense (October) about the flooding of New Orleans and meeting the needs of the homeless there and in Washington were cogent and right on the mark. I greatly appreciate your drawing my attention to them at the time I purchased the paper from you a couple of weeks ago near the 13th Street Metro exit.

Every member of the District Council should read what you wrote for those people, for the most part, seem to focus on the less urgent, even trivial, matters because it is so much easier than tackling the problems that grind down the most vulnerable members of our community. I hope that Street Sense and messages such as yours can be brought to their attention on a regular basis.

I have read and re-read your article and will look forward to future articles under your byline. I hope they get the broad attention they deserve and will cause people who have the power for change to move forward forcefully.

-- Janette Miller Dear Staff, I think the article entitled “The Hurricane Reality: Poverty,” was excellently written. One line in particular sums it up: “Being poor means being trapped.” It equally describes the extraordinary circumstances of Katrina victims and the daily trials of those who are chronically poor/homeless.

Thank you for pointing out the numbers on poverty in different areas around the country and for making the connection between poverty, natural disaster, and things citizens can do to stop poverty in their midst everyday.

-- Carrie Crockett Hello Leo, I bought Street Sense from you right near the Dupont Circle metro station and read the article you pointed out to be your own. I couldn’t agree with you more about the dangers of placing homelessness in the area of violated human rights. I think it would cause a lot more harm than good. Do you think the recent natural disasters in the Gulf region of the U.S. and Pakistan could strengthen your argument that homelessness is a human disaster? Thanks for pointing out the article, and keep up the good work.

-- Dan Stern

Homeless in the Nation’s Capitol Don’t Matter

By Joanne Jackson

I was homeless in D.C. for four years, so I know how it feels. I was an alcoholic and a drug addict. I slept in abandoned houses but I didn’t want any help from our government because of what you had to go through. The shelters require ID, but if you’re homeless with no way of having a steady income, where can you get it from with no money?

So, this means I have to sleep on the streets in the snow, sleet, rain and hail.

I have no insurance, because Medicaid needs ID also. Half of the homeless in D.C. prefer to stay on the streets because to get help from D.C. you have to say you’re crazy, which is not true.

I’m saying this because I’m very upset about the victims of Hurricane Katrina.

What happened to them was an act of God. But, in less than two months, we placed the victims from New Orleans in apartments, jobs and put money in their pockets.

To me this was low down and dirty.

Why? We have people in D.C. who have been homeless and on the D.C. AA list for years because there was no available housing even though homeless people still pay taxes. So, why should our government put them on the back burner? Is it politics or just downright stupidity?

If we can fill the D.C. Armory with out-of-state homeless, why can’t we do the same for our own?

I live in a low-income housing project and a person that was a victim of Hurricane Katrina was moved in here.

What took the cake was when they flew her up here with more food than any homeless person would get in a month.

All I’m trying to say is that if the government can’t find room for our homeless, how in the hell did they all of a sudden find homes, jobs and money to give out?

What about our homeless in D.C.?

Winter is beginning, so some more of us will die on the streets while Hurricane Katrina victims not from D.C. will be warm with a place to sleep, money in their pockets and all the benefits that the government can give. For every homeless person that dies on the street this winter I hope God opens the eyes of every official that had a hand in this stupid plan.

Joanne is formerly homeless and a member of the National Coalition for the Homeless Speakers Bureau

COMMUNITY PAGE

Events and Announcements National Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day Who: Coalition of Homeless and Housing Organizations (COHHO), National Coalition for the Homeless, National Health Care for the Homeless Council, Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless When: Wednesday, December 21st 2005, 5:00pm – 6:00pm Where: McPherson Square Park, 15th and K streets, NW What: Join homeless organizations as they honor those homeless people who have died in the District of Columbia. The ceremony will include a candlelight vigil, a moment of silence, poetry readings, music and brief speeches from local religious and political leaders and homeless people.

If you know anyone who has died homeless in D.C. in 2005, please contact Michael O’Neill at 202-462-4822 ext. 20 or submit names via e-mail to moneill@nationalhomeless.org or by fax at 202-462-4823.

December 25 Day of Service Who: Washington DC Jewish Community Center When: Sunday, December 25, 2005, all day, 6am-8pm.

Where: Projects take place across the metropolitan area. Volunteers meet at the Washington DC Jewish Community Center at 1529 16th Street, NW, at the intersection of 16th & Q Streets NW. What: The DC Jewish Community Center seeks 1,000 volunteers to entertain the elderly, deliver gifts to children, paint walls, give blood, serve meals to the homeless and help the needy in many other ways on December 25th. Participants must be 18 years old, or 5 years old accompanied by an adult.

How: Register at www.dcjcc.org / Call the D25 HOTLINE at (202) 518-9400 ext. 565 For more information, contact Lavinia Balaci at 202-777-9400 ext. 565 or e-mail D25@dcjcc.org.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Who: Various community organizations including: ServeDC, AmeriCorps*NCCC, the D.C.Coalition for the Homeless, National Coalition for the Homeless, D.C. Department of Human Services, the DC Jewish Community Center, and Howard University.

When: January 16, 2006 - 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Where: The DC National Guard Armory What: Approximately 700 to 1,000 participants and volunteers will gather to celebrate the 20th national observance of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday for a day of education, mobilization and service. This year’s service project will be focused on the issue of homelessness in the District of Columbia. Volunteers will unite together at the DC Amory to help build a sense of community and mutual responsibility as we kick off a year of volunteer service focused on the needs the of city’s homeless.

For more information contact: Alyssa Marlow, Community Relations Specialist, at (202) 561-1384

Project Northstar Needs Tutors Project Northstar is in search of adults who can volunteer one night a week to help tutor school-age children. The organization is now accepting applications. Project Northstar also needs help with the committees that plan special events and assess the progress of our students.

Project Northstar provides a one-on-one tutoring program that matches children with their own adult tutor. It serves more than 200 children who are homeless, living in foster care, public housing or underserved communities. The organization has six tutoring sites throughout the D.C. area, but it needs the most help at the following sites: Thursdays, 6:15 – 8:00 p.m., Independence Place, 2800 N Street, SE Tuesdays, 6:15 – 8:00 p.m., Salvation Army Center, 3335 Sherman Aven Thursday 6:45pm -8:00pm, Americorps Headquarters@ DC Village, 2 DC Village Lane, SW Please visit www.projectnorthstar.org for more information and to download a tutor application.

Page 18

Vendor Notes After years of waiting without a place to call his own, Alvin Dixon El finally moved into a new home on Dec. 1. Alvin, who has been selling Street Sense for the last year and a half, is most excited about his new one-bedroom apartment in Northwest, and said that without Street Sense, he would have never been able to make this move.

And he is also grateful for the maintenance man at the apartment complex who helped him acquire so many household items, including a microwave. Alvin has also finally put together a computer of his own, where he plans to write even more poetry for Street Sense in the upcoming months.

Muriel Dixon, who has been a Street Sense vendor for a little over a month now, is reporting steady progress in several areas of her life. Muriel, who once lived on the streets, is now in an apartment of her own and has been trying to round up furnishings, especially house plants, which she said she loves. Muriel also recently signed up with a temp agency that sends people to work in the hospitality industry -- catered events, parties, and the like. She’s hoping to start getting some work over the busy holiday season and to keep on building more stability in her life. Meanwhile, she says, selling Street Sense helps her pay her way.

Patty Smith, a dedicated office volunteer and vendor of many months, completed a nine week Small Business Development Workshop through the Harris Institute for Public Law at Georgetown University. Patty said that she is hoping to use her new-found knowledge to start an “online distribution business.”

On a sadder note, vendor Brenda LeeWilson recently said goodbye to her longtime companion, Rowdy Dawg. After three years of living on the street together, the chocolate Labrador retriever passed away Nov. 23.

Brenda and Rowdy were always together on the streets of Washington, D.C., and he was an honorary vendor who took part in the Homeless Walkathon for the last two years. While Brenda does miss Rowdy, she says she is happy because she knows he is in heaven and at peace.

And then there are the birthdays. Long-time vendor Leo Gnawa celebrated the big 4-0 on Nov. 27. And Georgetown vendor Tommy Bennett will be celebrating his birthday on Jan. 13. And though it is Friday the 13th, we expect nothing but good luck to come to Tommy on his big day.

And then there was an actual “birth day” in the family of vendor and office volunteer Francine Triplett. Francine welcomed into the world her seventh grandchild – Chanel Hawkins – on Oct. 13.

SERVICE PROVIDERS/VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES SHELTERS Calvary Women’s Services 928 5th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 783-6651 Hours: 8:30am-5:00pm (M-F) Central Union Mission (Men) 1350 R Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 745-7118 Community for Creative Nonviolence (CCNV) 425 Mitch Snyder Place, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 393-1909 Community of Hope (Family) 1413 Girard Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-7356 Dorothy Day Catholic Worker (Family) 503 Rock Creek Church Road, NW Washington, DC 20010 (202) 882-9649 Franklin School (men) 13th and K St., NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 638-7424 Gospel Rescue Ministries (Men) 810 5th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 842-1731 House of Imagene Shelter 214 P Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 518-8488 House of Ruth: Madison Emergency Shelter (Women) 651 10th Street, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 547-2600

New York Ave Shelter (Men) 1355-57 New York Ave, NE Washington, DC 20002 (202) 832-2359

Covenant House of Washington 3400 Martin Luther Ave., SE Washington, DC 20032 (202) 610-9630

Open Door Shelter (Women) 425 Micth Snyder Place, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 639-8093

Father McKenna Center 19 Eye Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 842-1112

Shelter/Hypothermia Hotline 1-800-535-7252

Food and Friends 219 Riggs Road, NE Washington, DC 20011 (202) 269-2277

SOUP KITCHENS 10th Street Baptist Church 1000 R Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20001 202-232-1685 Charlie’s Place 1830 Connecticut Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232-3066 Church of the Pilgrims 2201 P Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 (202) 387-6612 Dinner Program for Homeless Women 945 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 737-9311 Eofula-Spanish Senior Center 1842 Calvert Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20009 (202) 483-5800 McKenna’s Wagon 2114 14th Street Washington, DC 20009 (202) 328-6608 Miriam’s Kitchen 2401 Virginia Ave, NW Washington, DC 20037 (202) 452-8926

John Young Center (Women) 117 D Street NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 639-8469

So Others Might Eat (SOME) 71 “O” Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20001 (202) 797-8806

La Casa Bilingual Shelter (Men) 1436 Irving Street Washington. D. C. 20010 (202) 673-3592

Washington City Church of the Brethren 337 North Carolina Ave, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 547-5924

Martin Luther King Shelter (Men) Martin Luther King, Jr., Ave. SE Washington, DC 20032 (202) 889-7634

Zacchaeus Community Kitchen (“9:30 Club”) 10th and G Streets, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 393-9144

N Street Village (Women) 1333 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 939-2060 New Endeavors by Women 611 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 682-5825

EMERGENCY FOOD Bread for the City 1525 Seventh Street, NW Washington, D.C. 20001 Phone: (202) 265-2400 AND 1640 Good Hope Rd. SE Washington, DC 20020 (202) 561-8587

The Welcome Table Church of the Epiphany 1317 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 202-347-2635 MEDICAL RESOURCES Christ House 1717 Columbia Road, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 328-1100 Community of Hope (Health Services) 2250 Champlain Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 232 9022 Unity Health Care, Inc. 3020 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 745-4300 Whitman-Walker Clinic 1407 S Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 797-3500 OUTREACH CENTERS Bethany Women’s Center 1333 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 939-2060 Georgetown Ministry Center 1041 Wisconsin Ave., NW Washington, DC 20007 (202) 338-8301 Martha’s Table 2114 14th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 328-6608 Rachel’s Women’s Center 1222 11th Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 682-1005 Sasha Bruce Youth Work 741 8th Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 675-9340 Friendship House 619 D Street, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 675-9050 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

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Byte Back 815 Monroe Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm (M-F) (202) 529-3395 Capital Area Food Bank 645 Taylor Street, NE Washington, DC 20017 (202) 526-5344 x223 Catholic Charities Homeless Services of Washington, DC 924 G Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 772-4300 Catholic Charities Emergency Center 1438 Rhode Island Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 Hours: 9:00am-5:00pm (M-F) (202) 526-4100 Coalition for the Homeless 1234 Massachusetts Ave, NW Washington, DC 20005 (202) 347-8870 Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness 801 Pennsylvania Ave, SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 543-5298 Downtown Services Center 945 G St., NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 393-5400 Catholic Charities Northeast Community Services 1438 Rhode Island Ave., NE Washington, DC 20018 (202) 526-4100 Community Family Life Services 305 E Street, NW Washington, DC 20001 (202) 347-0511 Hermano Pedro Center 1501 Park Road, NW Washington DC 20010 (202) 332-2874 JHP, Inc. (Jobs and Housing) 1526 Pennsylvania Ave., SE Washington, DC 20003 (202) 544-5300 Jubilee Jobs 1640 Columbia Road, NW (202) 667-8970 Virginia Williams Family Resource Center 25 M Street, SW Washington, DC 200024 (202) 724-3932 Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless 1200 U St., NW Washington, 20009 (202) 328-5505

STREET SENSE reminds readers to only buy from vendors wearing this new badge.

Where the Washington area's poor and homeless earn and give their two cents

Vendor Profile David and Michelle McCullough

Joe Vendor Vendor #100

For compliments or complaints please call 202-347-2006

Vendors solicit donations ONLY for themselves and ONLY through selling the paper and other products with the Street Sense logo (like our new Bumper Stickers).

Vendors DO NOT solicit donations for Street Sense directly and do not collect signatures on a clipboard or notebook.

FAST FACT : In January 2005 11,419 people in D.C. were literally homeless, up 2.7% from a year before.

Soure: Community Partnership for the Prevention of Homelessness, www.community-partnership.org.

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Michelle McCullough grew up in upstate New York, where “everybody knew everybody.” She said, “life everywhere was different then – it was very innocent, and nothing at all like Washington.”

The youngest of six siblings, Michelle said, “my brothers all said I was spoiled – of course, I didn’t see it that way.” Michelle makes macramé jewelry which she has sold to boutiques and at festivals and fairs.

David McCullough was a military brat, growing up mostly in southern Alabama. “We lived and worked on a farm; we grew fruits and vegetables, caught fish in the rivers, and did a little commercial fishing,” he said. David served in the U.S. Navy, and has worked as a welder.

The McCulloughs have been married 12 years, and have lived all over the country together. Their son Matthew is in foster care in D.C., and the McCulloughs are working hard to regain custody.

David said “we miss him terribly.” Michelle added, “he’s the light of our lives.” Matthew likes drawing cartoons, and his poetry has appeared in Street Sense.

They have been selling Street Sense since September 2005, and often can be seen at their regular spot in Chinatown, or at their rainy-day spot under the H Street bridge near Union Station.

How did you become homeless?

David was hit by a car, and his back was broken and his hip was injured. He couldn’t work, and he’s still trying to get SSI disability benefits. We’ve been in D.C. for a year and a half, trying to straighten out the case. We have a room in Arlington, so at least our living situation is stable.

What advice would you give to people who are homeless?

Don’t give up hope. And call the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless. Make that your first call.

Where do you see yourselves in five years?

Owning a little piece of land way back in the woods. We’d like to have a roadside vegetable stand. And if someone needs a place to stay, we’ll never turn anyone away.

Why do you sell Street Sense?

It’s better than panhandling, and it gets the news out that people wouldn’t get any other way. We like to say, “Give folks a hand up, not a hand out.”

What are your favorite foods?

Michelle: Steak. David: Meat – especially venison.

What is your favorite music?

Michelle: Contemporary Christian and old Baptist hymns, that good old footstomping, power-in-the-blood singing. David: Anything from before 1978.