12.20.2023

VOL. 21 ISSUE 3

DEC. 20, 2023 - JAN. 2, 2024

Real Stories

$4

suggested contribution goes directly to your vendor

Real People

Real Change

BEST OF 2023

HOLIDAY

EDITION

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

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

@ STREETSENSEDC

2 / / S T R E E T S E N S E M ED IA // D EC . 20, 2023 - J AN. 2, 2024

OUR STORY VENDOR PROGRAM

W

e provide people experiencing homelessness and poverty in D.C. with a low barrier economic opportunity to earn an income. Each one of our vendors functions as an independent contractor for Street Sense Media, managing their own business to earn an income and increase stability in their lives.

83,415 papers in 2022

You pay

$2

Vendors pay

per paper

Vendors keep all of your contribution!

The Cover COVER ART BY NIKILA SMITH, COVER DESIGN BY ANNEMARIE CUCCIA

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

Darlesha Joyner, David Snyder, Debora Brantley, Degnon (Gigi) Dovonou, Denise Hall, Dominique Anthony, Don Gardner, Donté Turner, Doris Robinson, Earl Parker, Dwayne Butler, Eric Glover, Eric ThompsonBey, Erica Downing, Evelyn Nnam, Floyd Carter, Franklin Sterling, Frederic John, Frederick Walker, Freedom, Gerald Anderson, Greta Christian, Harriet Fields, Henrieese Roberts, Henry Johnson, Ivory Wilson,

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

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

Ron Dudley, Sasha Williams, Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov, Sybil Taylor, Tonya Williams Vennie Hill, Warren Stevens, Wendell Williams, William Mack BOARD OF DIRECTORS Blake Androff, NanaSentuo Bonsu, Jonquilyn Hill, Stanley Keeve, Clare Krupin, Ashley McMaster, Matt Perra, Michael Phillips, Shari Wilson, Corrine Yu

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

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

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Scan to share your thoughts on a price change:

My appeal to readers

□

Holiday schedule: Closing at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 22. Closed all day on Monday, Dec. 25. Closing at 1 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 29. Closed all day on Monday, Jan. 1.

□

Due to the holidays, there will be no December vendor meeting.

□

Please pick up your holiday gift bag and use your 15 free newspapers coupon by Jan. 1

□

Street Sense Media follows the federal government for weather closures. On a bad weather day, check the office status by going to opm.gov/status.

□

Find a list of vendor announcements and other useful information just for you at streetsensemedia. org/vendor-info.

SHUHRATJON AHMADJONOV

D

Moreover, the container is smaller, reducing the amount of soup.

8. Before the pandemic, I bought 12 pairs of socks for $11. Now, they are $14.38 at Walmart.

9.A metro ride from Gallery Place to Rockville used to cost about $4.

Starting in April 2023, I’ve paid $6 to travel this distance.

10. I started storing my items at Extra Space Storage in 2017. I paid about $100 monthly before the pandemic started, and $127 monthly until October. I recently received a letter from the company, stating that because of inflation, the rate would increase to $139.

There are many similar examples of price increases. Each of you can continue the list.

To cover rising costs, in my opinion, prices jumped sharply, primarily in cafes and bars. Some small business owners have found themselves on the brink of bankruptcy and were forced to close their businesses.

But the main blow was dealt to low-income citizens of the District of Columbia, including pensioners, large families and us vendors.

Please support my proposal to raise the price of Street Sense to $3.

You can call the Street Sense Media office at (202) 347-2006, email info@streetsensemedia.org or send mail to 1317 G St. NW. We are celebrating our 20th anniversary this year. Over the years, Street Sense has become one of the distinctive features of Washington, D.C. We thank you for buying our newspaper, and therefore helping us survive the pandemic and the continuing rise in prices.

Shuhratjon Ahmadjonov is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

This issue has gift wrap in the middle!

BIRTHDAYS Sybil Taylor Dec. 25

ARTIST/VENDOR

Evelyn Nnam Dec. 31

ARTIST/VENDOR

That's why it's $4. Thanks for contributing to our vendors.

Designed by David Serota with illutations from Carlton Johnson, Daniel Ball, Anthony Carney, Melody Byrd, Lady Sasha, Marc Grier, Andre Brinson, Greta Christian, Queenie Feathestone, White Jezus, Tonya Williams and Jackie Turner

Deborah Brantley Dec. 27 ARTIST/VENDOR

VENDOR PROGRAM VOLUNTEERS Beverly Brown, Roberta Haber, Ann Herzog, Madeleine McCollough INTERIM EDITORIN-CHIEF Annemarie Cuccia

MICHAEL STOOPS FELLOW Eliza DuBose ARTISTS-INRESIDENCE Ariane Mohseni (Film), Bonnie Naradzay (Poetry), David Serota (Illustration), Lalita Clozel (Film), Willie Schatz (Writing),

Ricardo Meridy Jan. 2

John Littlejohn Jan. 1

OPINION EDITOR (VOLUNTEER) Candace Montague EDITORIAL VOLUNTEERS J.M. Acsienzo,

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

1.

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

2.

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

3.

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

4.

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

5.

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

6.

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

7.

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

8.

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

9.

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

10.

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

ARTIST/VENDOR

ARTIST/VENDOR

Leslie Jacobson (Theater), Roy Barber (Theater), Rachel Dungan (Podcast)

3

EVENTS AT SSM

SHARE YOUR OPINION

ear readers, We should raise the price of Street Sense by $1 due to the continued rise in food prices, Metro fares and other essential goods.

For some vendors, our only source of income is from sales of the Street Sense newspaper. I suggest raising the price of Street Sense to $3.

One dollar will not solve your problems. But the extra $1 will be able to solve some of our daily problems.

Let me remind you: The income will be distributed 75% to 25%, that is, $2.25 to vendors, and $0.75 to publish the newspaper.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “from September 2022 to September 2023, food prices increased 4.2 %” in Washington, D.C. Here are some specific examples, from my experience: 1. The prices for bread and bakery products have increased significantly. For example, at a Whole Foods Market in Chevy Chase, a large sourdough was $3.99. Now it’s $5.49.

2. My average cup of coffee before the pandemic cost $1.75 at Starbucks. Now it’s more than $3. I paid $4.40 for a medium cup of coffee at Pret A Manger Cafe in November.

3. Americans love to drink coffee. But people from Central Asia, including Uzbeks, love to drink tea. I often had tea at Paul French Bakery & Cafe. There, tea in a white porcelain teapot cost $3.85. Now the same pot of tea costs $9.99.

4. The prices for drinking water have raised. For example, a gallon of New Zealand Artesian Water cost $2.99 at Trader Joe's. Now — $3.99.

5. Honey. I bought it before the pandemic for $4.99. In November, I purchased it from Whole Foods for $6.79.

6. The cost of all types of jams has been raised. For example, Bonne Maman strawberry preserves were $3.99 at Safeway pre-pandemic.

Now — $5.99.

7. Many Americans, including myself, eat hot food at Whole Foods.

Before the pandemic, a medium soup was about $5. Now it’s $7.41.

//

Josh Axelrod, Ryan Bacic, Casey Bacot, Cari Shane, Dakota Bragato, Chelsea Ciruzzo, Lenika Cruz, August Ditcher, Anne Eigeman, Matt Gannon, Dan Goff, Grier Hall, Alison Henry, Annabella Hoge, Micah Levey, Benjamin Litoff,

Kate Malloy, Zach Montellaro, Taylor Nichols, Anisa Noor, Kathryn Owens, Roman Peregrino, Rachel Siegal, Jessica Webster, Miles Wilson, Elise Zaidi

4 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // D EC . 20, 2023 - J AN . 2, 2024

BEST OF 2023

Encampments Closing McPherson Square and D.C. policy changes.

T

his issue is dedicated to the biggest stories of 2023, and there was no story bigger than the closure of the McPherson Square encampment.

When the National Park Service closed the encampment in February, removing over 70 encampment residents, it was national news.

Street Sense and other outlets reported on the decision to close the park and the fate of residents, most of whom ultimately had nowhere to go, even months later.

But McPherson Square was just one part of a larger story about how the city is responding to increases in visible homelessness, especially encampments. Starting in the summer of 2022, D.C. began closing many more encampments each month than before or during the pandemic, relying on a policy called “immediate dispositions.” Since Street Sense’s story about D.C. quietly closing encampments was published in June, D.C. has closed at least eight more encampments.

Here are excerpts from some of Street Sense’s most impactful stories about encampments from 2023.

Annemarie Cuccia, interim editor-in-chief

McPherson Square encampment eviction leaves dozens of residents scrambling ANNEMARIE CUCCIA February 22, 2023

The National Park Service closed the McPherson Square encampment on February 15, 2023.

Photo by Athiyah Azeem

I

t wasn’t the first time Moon has packed his life into his cobalt-blue backpack. Now middle-aged, he has left countless temporary homes since becoming homeless at 15. But this time, he was planning his next move in a city with a dwindling number of places where unhoused people can sleep outdoors.

“There’s just nothing else,” Moon said, the stress evident in his voice as he was forced to leave McPherson Square. “I have nothing.”

Moon was one of about 70 people who lived in McPherson Square, a park just blocks away from the White House, until the National Park Service (NPS) closed the area on Feb. 15, 2023 at the request of the District. The eviction — carried out by dozens of NPS workers over five hours — was originally scheduled for April, in the hope that an extended lead time would give social workers the chance to connect residents to housing. But D.C.’s Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services Wayne Turnage requested NPS reschedule the closure for February, citing health and safety concerns that advocates and encampment residents have repeatedly pushed back on.

At a D.C. Council hearing the day following the closure, D.C. officials said 54 of 74 identified unhoused residents living in McPherson Square “initially accepted outreach.” Forty-seven of those 54 people were found to be eligible for a housing resource, and the city reported having offered 30 some form of short-term housing ahead of the eviction in a second hearing on Feb. 22, 2023.

However, only 22 people who lived in McPherson Square moved into temporary housing on or before Feb. 15. Another three moved to shelters, and two into permanent housing. U.S. Park Police arrested another two residents who refused to leave the park, though they were released later that day, according to reporting from The Washington Post. Today, there are 49 people displaced from this encampment living on the city’s streets, according to city officials.

Both D.C. and NPS have repeatedly said all unhoused residents staying in McPherson Square who were willing to engage with social services were offered help ahead of the closure.

However, the people living in the park told a different story — one of absent case managers, unacceptable shelter conditions and years-long waits for housing. A series of policy choices — including increasingly scarce available green spaces — left residents with few options, they said.

For many unhoused people, relocating to another park is seen as the most viable option. But as NPS plans to shut down all encampments on federal land by October 2023 and D.C. closes other sites, fewer green spaces and sidewalks will be available. On the day of the eviction, members of mutual aid groups frantically searched Google Maps, looking for parks that hadn’t already been fenced off.

STREETSENSEMEDIA.ORG

//

5

DC is quietly closing more encampments, as residents have fewer places to go ANNEMARIE CUCCIA AND ATHIYAH AZEEM June 7, 2023

D

.C. is closing more encampments this year — and some with just one day’s notice.

For years, D.C. has banned camping on public land and parks, enforced to varying degrees by the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Health and Human Services (DMHHS). Encampment residents grew accustomed to moving their tents and belongings outside “clean-up zones” established by DMHHS before returning to set up camp again.

But over the past year, D.C.’s approach to encampments has shifted. DMHHS now closes sites permanently at a greater frequency, prohibiting encampment residents from returning.

An increasing number of these encampment clearings are conducted under the guidance of “immediate dispositions,” where the city provides unhoused residents at these sites between 24 hours and six days’ notice before permanently closing their encampments.

From 2019 until 2021, DMHHS conducted an average of seven immediate dispositions each year. But in 2022, that number spiked to 59. DMHHS has conducted over 39 dispositions thus far in 2023, according to the office, affecting at least 36 residents. DMHHS has cleared sites near Dupont Circle and the 600 block of T Street Northwest multiple times.

Immediate dispositions, unlike regular encampment clearings, are not posted online or shared with the public — prompting outreach workers like Danica Hawkins, the encampment coordinator with Miriam’s Kitchen, to worry this rise in encampment closures will go unnoticed.

“It seems like everything’s happening completely under the radar,” said Hawkins. She referred to the February 2023 closure of McPherson Square, which received international attention when 70 residents were displaced. “You saw how much pushback McPherson Square got. It’s absolutely no surprise that now encampment evictions are going to be done swiftly, with next to no notice.”

The rise in immediate dispositions has alarmed advocates and outreach workers, who say the practice harms residents and does not adhere to the city’s published encampment protocol.

The policy generally requires DMHHS to provide 14 days’ notice before closing an encampment in what is known as a standard disposition and to use immediate dispositions only in emergency circumstances.

Ann Marie Staudenmaier, senior counsel at the Washington Legal Clinic for the Homeless, said waiving the requirements without good reason goes against why the encampment protocol exists — as does the city’s increased use of the immediate dispositions over the past year.

“When they’ve done them in the past, when they were doing them in the fall, they didn’t seem to be justified,” she said.

All immediate dispositions are site closures, but the reverse isn’t always true. In addition to the 39 immediate dispositions, DMHHS closed at least eight encampments in 2022 and again in 2023, and officials are now widely enforcing the no-camping policy, including in District parks. The National Park Service also closed several sites in the last year, most recently at McPherson Square in February.

The increase in closures and immediate dispositions does not reflect a change in policy, but is instead a response to an increase in unsheltered homelessness, DMHHS officials said.

“All immediate dispositions during the 2022 and 2023 calendar

years were conducted according to the established District protocol,” Deputy Chief of Staff Jamal Weldon wrote in an email to Street Sense. “The increase of these engagements was due to the increase in public health and safety intrusions that warranted these actions.”

As the city closes large encampments, residents have moved to smaller ones. Two residents at encampments shut down in the last two months who had come from McPherson Square both said they relocated to another park because they had not received the services needed to move into housing. Residents who were offered beds at lowbarrier shelters turned them down in fear of their safety, D.C. closed Shelley Byers' encampment in the spring of 2023 Photo by Athiyah Azeem hygiene and losing their autonomy.

“It’s pretty tough, you know,” said Moe, whose encampment people keep being pushed around,” Hawkins said. “At no point was marked for an immediate disposition on May 25, 2023. can I guarantee that they’re going to be in a safe spot. And He and his partner Jackie had been sleeping in LeDroit Park clients don’t know either. They come back, and all of their for two days when a city worker pinned a note to the limestuff is gone.” green umbrella sheltering their belongings. They had two days One rationale DMHHS is using for these site closures is the to leave because the city planned to close the encampment.

District’s 2016 ban on camping, which the agency used as the According to the city’s encampment policy, DMHHS is sole justification for closing encampments on March 14 and supposed to conduct immediate dispositions only in the case May 25, 2023. The city is also now enforcing the no-camping of an “emergency, security risk, health risk or safety risk.” rules in all D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation sites.

Staudenmaeir said when the Legal Clinic worked with the “Technically and legally, yes, no one’s supposed to be in city to draft the encampment policy, the attorneys involved any of these spaces,” Staudenmaier said. “But the protocol is expected immediate dispositions to be used only when it wasn’t supposed to give [D.C. officials] a remedy if they’re concerned possible or advisable to wait 14 days to close an encampment, about tents being in a public space. And they’re kind of such as a tent blocking the road. bypassing that remedy by just closing off all these spaces and In response to questions, DMHHS provided a wide list saying okay, well, no one can ever come back here.” of reasons for conducting immediate dispositions, from the In response to a question about concerns that rising presence of propane tanks to proximity to traffic. Blocking a encampment closures will make it harder for residents to move pedestrian passageway was one of the most commonly cited into housing, DMHHS said the people being displaced receive reasons; others involved occupancy of private land, abandoned outreach services before closures, though several have recently property or city parkland. D.C. also uses immediate dispositions said those services are lacking. to clear sites where DMHHS has previously removed an “The intent of our encampment protocol efforts is not to encampment, arguing that full notice isn’t necessary given create additional barriers for residents,” Weldon wrote. “We the past closure. DMHHS does not always include a reason are obligated with the dual responsibility of addressing all for closing an encampment when it notifies outreach teams, health and safety risk factors that pose a negative impact on according to emails obtained by Street Sense. both housed and unhoused residents.”

DMHHS often sends outreach workers notice of immediate Hawkins argued that encampment closures can delay the dispositions at 4 or 5 p.m. the day before, which Hawkins, the housing process, especially as residents move to more remote encampment coordinator at Miriam’s Kitchen, said leaves her areas. Outreach workers consistently say that encampment and her colleagues scrambling to find options for encampment closures harm trust and make it harder for people to find residents. DMHHS leaves tags on encampments to notify housing — or another outdoor space to move to if they are residents a day or two before the disposition; in some cases, the wary of emergency shelters. signs say that officials may conduct an immediate disposition “We are at the point where we don’t know where to tell with no notice if a site has been cleared before. clients to go that is a safe space,” Hawkins said, noting that “We have no time to prepare. We have no time to advocate people are not allowed to sleep in parks, along sidewalks, or for our clients. We are losing our ability to build rapport if on public or private land. “Where can people go?”

6 / / S TR E E T S E N S E M ED IA // D EC . 20, 2023 - J AN . 2, 2024

BEST OF 2023

Wasted resources Permanent Supportive Housing, youth leaving foster care and federal funds

D

uring the past few years, D.C. has had more money to end homelessness than ever before. Of course, that means there have also been more opportunities for those resources to take too long to get to the people who need them.

The reporting I’ve been proudest of this year compared the promise of these programs to the reality: Often, the city can’t or doesn’t use all the money it has for housing vouchers. D.C. residents have seen this over the last year as the city has struggled to move people in with its record number of Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) vouchers. But it’s not just local money. D.C. had to return millions in federal grants for homelessness programs, and has routinely failed to use all the vouchers available for youth experiencing homelessness.

Here are excerpts from some of Street Sense’s most impactful reporting about voucher programs this year Annemarie Cuccia, interim editor-in-chief

DC has 420 housing vouchers for youth leaving foster care. Why isn’t it using them all?

ANNEMARIE CUCCIA April 5, 2023

W

hen Ronnie Harris first entered foster care at 12 years old, she was certain she would be adopted. But, in what felt like no time at all, foster care swallowed her teenage years. The system jerked Harris across the city. Each time she moved, she hoped the next house would hold adoptive parents. But it never did.

After leaving a particularly neglectful placement, Harris became homeless at 20. She was still experiencing homelessness when she turned 21, the milestone that marks the date young people age out of the foster care system in D.C. At the time, the District had dozens of housing vouchers available for young people in foster care who turn 21 without the resources to rent their own apartment. Yet, in the nine years she had spent in care, agency staff never told Harris, now 22, that such vouchers existed.

“Even though the system is supposed to be there for us, half the time it wasn’t,” Harris said when she first learned about the vouchers. “The system really set me up for failure.”

Each year, 40 to 100 people “age out” of foster care in D.C. The city’s child welfare agency says people like Harris, who age out of the system into homelessness, are rare. But advocates say it’s more common for youth to become homeless shortly after leaving the system — in 2022, 12% of people counted in an annual survey of people experiencing homelessness in D.C. had been involved with the child welfare system.

The federal government funds two voucher programs that provide up to five years of housing for former foster care youth first striking out on their own — the Family Unification Program (FUP) and the Fostering Youth to Independence Initiative (FYI). But D.C. has failed to use all the vouchers over the past several years, even as people leave care for unstable housing conditions or, in Harris’ case, homelessness.

Young people who age out of foster care generally don’t have the same support, and they are often affected by systemic

inequities. While the District’s youth population is 54% Black, 80% of D.C. children in foster care are Black. The disparities young Black people already face are exacerbated by experiences with foster care. People who spend time in care are less likely to have graduated high school, less likely to be pursuing higher education, less likely to be employed and less likely to have money saved than young people who aren’t in care. So making a housing plan, with the help of D.C.'s Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA), is crucial, according to Sharra Greer, policy director at the Children’s Law Center.

Since 2018, D.C. has had a total allocation of 421 FUP vouchers from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The vouchers are available to people aging out of foster care as well as to parents for whom housing is a barrier to keeping or reunifying with their children. FUP vouchers provide up to five years of housing assistance and supportive services for young people.

For the last four years, CFSA has had at least 75 unused vouchers available, according to data provided by HUD. As of January 2023, D.C. had 82 vouchers available — nearly 20% of the total allocation.

“It’s like cognitive dissonance — what’s going on?” said Ruth White, co-founder and executive director of the National Center for Housing and Child Welfare.

Harris isn’t the only potentially eligible person who never heard about the vouchers. Many young people are never told about vouchers, several people interviewed said. Those who ask about vouchers can be met with skepticism, said Ashley Strange, a former program manager at CASA DC, an organization that supports young people in foster care.

CFSA denies the majority of applications for vouchers, Greer said, without either the applicants or their advocates fully understanding why.

In public hearings, CFSA officials say that the availability of other options make vouchers less necessary, and contend that youth fare better when they live with family. “You don’t

Illustation by Athiyah Azeem

give a youth a voucher when you know they’re going to have to pay market rent when they emancipate and can’t sustain it,” CFSA Director Robert Matthews testified in February 2023.

But beginning in 2019, D.C. had no need to worry about running out of vouchers, White said. She worked with a group of former foster youth to create the federal government’s FYI voucher program, through which HUD provides on-demand vouchers for youth aging out of foster care. If D.C. ever uses all its FUP vouchers, the program can provide CFSA with up to 50 vouchers each year, enough to cover most foster youth in recent years.

“They could have solved homelessness for every foster youth,” White said. “And they chose not to do that.”

In late 2022, the D.C. Council passed a bill that includes a provision requiring CFSA to screen all young people aging out for a FUP voucher. Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, who introduced the legislation, was hopeful the law would push CFSA to encourage more youth to apply for the vouchers.

CFSA, which opposed the bill initially, is now required to include in every housing plan either an intent to apply for a voucher, or an explanation of why the person is not eligible for one. The agency is also preparing to apply for FYI vouchers once the utilization rate reaches 90%, according to 2023 oversight responses.

Meanwhile, Harris lives in a transitional housing program.

She’s making plans — she’s in a nursing program, and looking for a job. She’s doing what she can to make things work. But when she thinks about her time in foster care, she still feels incredibly let down.

“When we age out of the system, it’s like we no longer exist to them,” she said. “I feel like I shouldn’t have been able to age out of the foster care system [without more help]. … Something should have happened.”

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

DC returned federal homeless grants

DC funded a record number of housing vouchers. Here’s how the process is working

ANNEMARIE CUCCIA June 7, 2023

ANNEMARIE CUCCIA August 16, 2023

D

.C. returned over $10 million in federal grants intended to fund programs aimed at ending homelessness from 2017 through 2021, according to data from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and The Community Partnership (TCP).

The city generally receives between $23 million and $28 million each year from the federal agency as part of a nationwide grant process. Locally, TCP coordinates the grant application process and distributes the money to nonprofits that run various subsidized housing programs.

While D.C. can shift unused local funds to other homeless services programs or move them to the next year, unspent federal dollars must be returned, per HUD rules. In fiscal year 2017, D.C. returned $2 million of a $22 million grant; and in 2018, $2.6 million of a $27 million grant, according to HUD. While HUD does not yet have numbers for more recent years, TCP estimates the city returned between $2.5 million and $4 million annually in fiscal years 2019, 2020 and 2021.

On the federal side, grant spending has been an issue over the past several years, according to a May 9, 2023 presentation from TCP to D.C.’s Interagency Council on Homelessness.

“It has absolutely devastated us as an agency whose mission is to end homelessness to have to give back or to underspend HUD dollars,” said Christy Respress, CEO and president of housing nonprofit Pathways to Housing.

There are several reasons an organization might struggle to spend all the funding it receives from HUD, according to TCP. During the pandemic, homeless services nonprofits were scrambling to assist people. Some providers encountered difficulties determining the kind of programs that made the most sense to operate given the changed climate. Further, HUD funding can be used for only a limited scope of programs, and payment requires sometimes arduous administrative processes.

Pathways has struggled to recruit and retain those support teams for the last several years. Salaries for some health care workers have increased across the country, yet the Medicaid rates for supportive teams remained the same, Respress said.

Without cost of living increases, the staff members who remain now receive lower pay than their counterparts in comparable positions at hospitals or in telehealth.

Respress said Pathways can’t in “good conscience” help people move into housing with HUD-supplied rent unless it can provide them with the full support they need to make a successful transition.

Similarly, many local organizations that administer Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) vouchers say they did not have enough case managers to help usher all of their eligible clients who’ve been issued vouchers through the housing process over the last year.

“This is not an isolated Pathways challenge, but it’s really a sector challenge around utilizing all of our housing resources,” Respress said. “Nobody should have to stay in homelessness because we don’t have the staff to support them. That is not okay with us as an organization.”

TCP is consulting with providers to prevent underspending HUD grants in the future.

T

he D.C. government is making progress in housing people with its record number of vouchers, but people familiar with the process say the wait is still far too long.

D.C. began fiscal year 2022 with 2,400 new Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) vouchers for individuals experiencing homelessness but was slow to move people into housing, creating what many decried as a “voucher backlog.”

Over the last year, data from D.C.’s Department of Human Services (DHS) shows the city has been making strides. By April 2023, D.C. connected all 2,400 vouchers to people who needed them, and began distributing an additional 500 housing vouchers funded for fiscal year 2023. But complicating factors — including an inability to contact people who were previously matched with a voucher — mean that D.C. reported in June 2023 that it had just over 900 vouchers left to distribute.

About 1,200 people already connected to a housing voucher funded in FY 2022 were still waiting to move into housing as of Aug. 1, 2023. In interviews with case managers, advocates and voucher applicants, Street Sense and The DC Line heard the system is still inefficient and burdensome, as housing providers contend with staffing challenges and government bureaucracy.

In an interview, DHS Interim Director Rachel Pierre highlighted the progress DC is making but noted that more work remains.“We are not going to be satisfied until honestly, all the vouchers are used,” Pierre said.

DHS now expects all vouchers funded in 2022 and 2023 will be matched by March of 2024. The delays can be traumatic for someone trying to move into housing while also managing their mental and physical health. “We know that this process, these gaps — it wears on the individual,” said Chandra Dawson, vice president of housing services at the D.C.-based nonprofit Friendship Place.

In response to the issue, DHS began offering hiring and retention bonuses for providers and eliminated some barriers, making positions easier to qualify for and more lucrative.

Providers could draw down the bonuses, which ranged from $1,500 to $3,500 based on the position, starting in November 2022. The bonuses are available through the end of fiscal year 2023, according to an agency spokesperson. DHS hopes to continue them into fiscal year 2024 but hasn’t yet found the funding to do so.

DHS also launched “Operation Make Movement,” which set up a program to help people prepare their voucher applications while they wait for a case manager, so they’re ready to apply as soon as one is assigned. By May 2023, 186 clients had gone through Operation Make Movement. DHS said the initiative was successful, having cut the process by 22 days.

Over the spring, some of the obstacles in the system started to shake loose, providers said. In a June 2023 meeting, DHS said all FY 2022 vouchers had been matched once. But because some vouchers were matched to people who were deemed ineligible or with whom case managers lost contact, 648 vouchers turned over. With the 500 new vouchers funded in FY 2023, there were 914 vouchers left to match by October 2023.

For the over 1,200 people still waiting to move into housing with an FY 2022 voucher, the challenge is not over. Providers

//

7

agreed there are two main roadblocks: staffing and bureaucracy.

“Staffing is not as challenging as it used to be. Does that mean all key positions are filled? No, it does not,” said Dawson.

When Jaydot, a D.C.-based housing consultant, launched its PSH program last year, staff shortages prevented them from taking on clients for the first nine months, said Sharlene Castle, the director of operations. The organization now has two case managers. Its contract authorizes a much bigger program, but that would require more staff.

While DHS is the government entity that connects clients to providers, it’s the D.C. Housing Authority (DCHA) that handles the voucher application process. And a lack of responsiveness and clarity at the beleaguered housing authority has led to applications entering what many providers call “a black hole.”

“It is still quite challenging for providers to reach individuals within the agency,” Dawson said. “That’s another day and another day and another day.”

Under Jaydot’s arrangement with the D.C. government, when its case managers help clients prepare voucher applications, they are sent to DHS. That agency then forwards those applications to DCHA. At first, Nicole Jean, director of programs, told her clients it would take about 30 days to hear back, but she no longer does so.

“We are now trying to get away from even giving a time frame,” Jean said. “All we can tell clients is we’re waiting to hear.”

Once the voucher application reaches DCHA, it can take a while to even show up in the agency’s system — one client submitted his application on May 15, 2023, and it didn’t show up until July 27, Jean said.

Providers hope to see broader and more comprehensive procedural improvements. For years, they’ve called for DHS and DCHA to create a portal that would let applicants track their status and allow agency workers and case managers to quickly resolve issues, rather than going through a slow chain of communication.

As part of an effort underway for nearly a year now, The Lab @ DC — a design and research team based in the Office of the City Administrator — hopes to make the PSH applications easier to fill out, reducing the number of mistakes case managers have to fix. The team is also working to develop additional recommendations on how to improve the voucher process, but can’t yet share specifics. Pierre said she’s eager to see the proposals and identify ways the city can further improve and reduce wait times.

In March 2023, DHS also announced plans for a central repository to connect people to units they could live in once they have vouchers. It can often be hard for voucher holders to find a place to live, as they face discrimination in renting and also have government-imposed limits on how much rent a voucher can cover.

This spring, the D.C. Council approved a budget with only 230 new PSH vouchers, with legislators saying the sizable backlog showed a lack of capacity to handle a further expansion. To fulfill the most ambitious recommendations in its 2021 plan to end homelessness, D.C. would need to fund and distribute another 2,300 vouchers in FY 2025 — which would be another huge influx the system may not be ready for.

10 / / S T R E E T S E NSE M ED IA // D EC . 20, 2023 - J AN. 2, 2024

OPINION

I will celebrate a merry, not woke, Christmas JEFFERY MCNEIL

A

s the holidays arrive, I will try to stay happy and positive. I won’t have this holiday ruined by people who can't take a day off from having discussions about him. You know who — the “big orange baboon” who led an insurrection and has 91 felony counts.

I'm not getting sucked into political discussions about “evil Drumpf.” The holidays are my time to relax. The election is a year away. I don't want to talk about Palestine or Jerusalem, for no matter how blasé I sound, I will only anger an Israeli or Palestinian. I don’t want to squabble about Jesus. I have no desire for the news of the day because most of it is unhinged, Trump-hating nonsense. I will have my holidays free from lies, distortions and propaganda.

It's not up for discussion. I'm celebrating Christmas and the birth of Christ because that's who I worship. I don't need your input or advice. I'm all in for Christ and Christmas. I don't know what you'll do for Christmas, nor do I care.

Unfortunately, being a Christian in D.C., I wish I could do more. Still, the lure of bars, vice and marijuana means I have to worship privately with those seeking spiritual success and worldly riches. While I can get angry and disappointed, I'll find gratitude for what I have and achieved. Today, I have options I didn’t have when I first sold Street Sense.

What’s beautiful about America is if you have money, you can celebrate Christmas as you see fit. You can buy a Santa with a white beard, or if you are a woke leftist, you can paint your tree with rainbow colors.

I will not lose sleep thinking about what you think about Christmas, but I’ll bet everything I have, some will take issue with me being all in for the traditional Christmas. Repeat! The money I'm spending will be spent on the Christmas I was born into. Yes, I’ll be playing Bing Crosby's “White Christmas.” I still get teary-eyed when I see “Miracle on 34th Street.” The movie is a classic.

I’m not going down that rabbit hole. Suppose Jimmy Stewart and Bing Crosby are not your cup of tea, put on Donny Hathaway’s “This Christmas.” James Brown and The Jackson 5 have many R&B classics.

If you’re a secular leftist, Freddie Mercury, Elton John and even Alice Cooper and Mick Jagger have Christmas songs.

Since I’m buying the decorations, I will celebrate Jesus like my mom did — no type-casting. I’ve tried all the other Jesuses and settled on the blue-eyed, skinny Jesus. I’m rehiring the traditional Santa, preferably with a Southern accent. I think it makes it more Trumpian.

Trigger warning: I don’t care what you think about how I’ll celebrate Christmas.

I will say good morning this holiday, and smile despite knowing that a few people cannot go through a day without mentioning him.

On Christmas Day, they will bring up his 91 felony counts as if I understand or comprehend any of their legal mumbo jumbo. Those that are obsessed with you know who act as if what they say will change my mind and make me support Joe Biden or Democrats.

Despite this, I’m decorating for holidays. Just to make things interesting, maybe I'll put up a Make America Great sign. Because in America you can worship whoever you please, even if some people hate the thought that they’ll celebrate the Christian holidays and don't see it rooted in hate or imperialism.

Whatever you think of Christmas, I think it’s the most beautiful time of the year.

I will say merry Christmas, not happy holidays.

Jeffery McNeil is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

What is a nation?

GRACIAS GARCIAS

T

he scandalous yet weightless reality of Puerto Rico and its relation to the imperialist government of the United States is hitting an all-time crisis. Our nation is openly being destroyed for the eyes of the whole world

to see.

But is a nation really a nation in the context of the actual distribution of power? Under global economic structures and methods of population control and social design? Are “nations” truly our collective representation? Is democracy still a truly accessible concept in our society?

What is a nation, according to the United Nations?

A nation is a community of people formed on the basis of a combination of shared features such as language, history, culture, ethnicity and society.

And what is a colony?

A colony is a territory subject to a form of foreign rule. Though dominated by foreign colonizers, the rule remains separate from the original country of the

colonizers, the metropolitan state, or “mother country,” within the shared imperialist administration.

I’m a country-less man born on the island of Puerto Rico, a colony that should be a nation. We have been methodically destroyed and obliterated by a country led by consumerism, greed, military force and the hypocritical disdain of forcing its interest on smaller, weaker nations. The United States buys the opinions of the rest of the world with its wicked corruption, mediatic control and perversion of the wholesome nature of our individuals. It exploits the protection and respect of our beings and our resources for the benefit of a small class of persons that hide behind the curtain of ignorance, and are entrusted to execute their commands under the anonymous protection of “freedom” under “God’s” name.

Journalist Ben Norton wrote about how the Supreme Court justices ruled residents of Puerto Rico are not entitled to the Freedom of Information Act. This is just one example of the abuse.

In current personal affairs, I, a Puerto Rican “American” who has never been able to vote for the president who installs the system that denies and exterminates our mere existence, am currently living in a Section 8 apartment.

Finally, I got food stamps too, and even though furniture and beds don’t apply to “Puerto Ricans” under the“Hurricane Relief Platform” that I’m benefitting from.

(Since I have a brain tumor and the doctors in Puerto Rico have fled to the continental United States to earn money accordingly, well, I’m also getting “Amerigroup” health insurance) So, yes! Life is good, right? The truth is, it is good.

Regardless of all afflictions, every suffering is a wonderful marvel.

Gracias Garcias is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

The Puerto Rican flag. Photo courtesy of Damian Entwistle/Flickr

Nonprofit JENNIFER MCLAUGHLIN

T

his holiday season, consider donating to a nonprofit organization. These organizations are dedicated to providing support and resources to those in need. They strive to improve the lives of individuals and families experiencing homelessness with essential resources such as food and shelter. They work hard to make a difference in D.C. by creating a more just, equitable society.

Jennifer McLaughlin is an artist and vendor with Street Sense Media.

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

The one thing

Your hate

KYM PARKER Artist/Vendor

DONTÉ TURNER Artist/Vendor

We all know to say prayers We all know to say blessings We all know to feel that way of love It makes us stronger, spiritually gifted And know we are all one with her We all know togetherness, family, love We understand where it is that came from

Christmas To some, it means presents, gifts, family To some, it means gifts, family, food I pray that we all know it, know why she gave us this She was so strong and gave her son to us He died for us on this day and he was risen for us His birthday is June 29, but we celebrate Christmas on December 25 We should all show love, we should all have fun We should all know that it takes a village We know it to be true, I feel it every day when I pray She woke me up this morning to talk to her children To tell them that it's all going to be alright We need each other in this world For peace, for healing We all need to worship and praise her name Because she is worthy to be praised I think she has always been there Through my ups and downs, through my ins and outs Giving guidance, light, showing me a better way She woke me this morning to give you all a message Everything will be fine, she is healing us as we speak She knows your problems, she knows your worries, and she is taking them away Christmas, a day that we share We all know why we do it All religions, wherever you are Muslim, Christian, Baptist or Catholic If you don’t believe, she still loves you Her image of us proves how strong we are That love makes us all strong Know that we all matter To the big, to the skinny, to the Black, white Know we matter, we all matter We all love and we all share love Never think that your world is bad Believe your world is good Peace, love, blessings To Christ, I say happy birthday He gave his life So his death on a cross meant he mattered And I say thank you One day, Christmas

Dear diary TONYA WILLIAMS Artist/Vendor

I love a diary because it makes you feel like you’re letting your feelings show — how you feel and what's on your mind that you might not be able to say to others. You can let go of things you're holding in. It’s good to have a diary so you can go to it when you're ready to speak about how you feel. Stay safe.

//

11

Finding a new place

Your hate shows me how much more God loves me Working through people who care and showing me His grace and mercy Your hate encourages me to do what God’s will commands Love those who hate me in spite of the outcome or the circumstance Your hate shows me where Satan resides Though I have reasons to hate I will let love override Your hate closes doors and leaves me unwelcomed But God showed me repentance and faith, through His doors I am welcomed Your hate is disguised through smiles, nice words and lies Though sometimes bold, The Lord’s presence uncovers hate's presence and it dies Your hate is intentional and revolves around death and greed And feeds off the lives it made suffer and bleed Your hate bonds with evil and self-pleasure Pleasing the flesh and making an oath with devils Your hate is sometimes necessary It gives love a broader reason to love and makes its love more legendary Your hate can’t last With constant faith in The Lord, your hate's unmasked Though your hate can send people to eternal graves Your hate proves why God is worthy to be praised

MARC GRIER Artist/Vendor

A few years ago, I found a new place for my family at Deep Creek Lake in Garrett County, Maryland. The town had everything we needed for our celebration, including a market selling fresh eggs, sausages, vegetables and other meats. All of this led to the fabulous Thanksgiving feast we were about to have. And, maybe best of all, the house was on the lake!

Even though I don’t like fish, I bought a fishing pole. It paid off when I caught two yellow perch and one bass. I cleaned them for my mother, who ate them with the eggs we bought at the market with some grits. What a wonderful, fabulous Thanksgiving.

‘Marcy Me’ MARCUS MCCALL Artist/Vendor

I’ve already been through a lot. I’m just now putting this puzzle together, because now I understand I was just a student, and I’m still a student because we learn something new every day.

But sometimes I need that real man sit-down talk because lately I’ve been listening to the wrong people and been in the wrong places. That throws my vibe off.

I never will put the streets ahead of my family. I’m God’s child, living and learning as I grow and become older. I’ve seen some people — young and old — give up on life. Some won’t even try. But now, at 34, I see the way I live and have been living and I know someone has been watching over me since my youth. When I was 15 I was still trying to throw obstacles in my way. Now I’m sending a different message because I’ve been misunderstood for too long.

Yes, I realize I must stay patient because I realize God has a plan for me. So, I’ll just keep on with the good work

and pay attention. Change is coming! If you listen to Jay Z’s “Marcy Me” and watch the video and know Marcus McCall, you just might understand where I’m coming from and where I’m going.

I have a lot of potential that I will utilize after expending my energy and time on the wrong things. If you see me and you know me please just don’t drive by. Lower your window and say something. I hear people who know me say “I saw you standing by Union Station,” but just drove past me. Like, what help did that do? Then you saw me standing by the 2nd and D NW shelter but did the same thing. That’s not good, either.

Scared, really lost and stuck downtown looking crazy. I only trust God and only move with my faith. In my mind, a lot of people are waiting for me to slip and fall. And some people just want to see me loaf off.

My favorite Christmas in 1992 DOMINIQUE ANTHONY Artist/Vendor

My favorite Christmas was in 1992. I got a Nintendo game system and games like Super Mario Bros. and Mike Tyson's Punch-Out. My other favorite game was Duck Hunt, a shooting game. I remember when I was a little girl, I stayed with my grandmom Flossie and grandpa Bill. My mom Cookie was working and was a single mom who tried to always pull the best Christmas off, hustling up money so I could have a good Christmas and always have what I wanted as a child. She was a hustler and always made sure I had clothes on my back and shoes on my feet.

Grandmom Flossie would cook up a big Christmas dinner.

We had so many people eating at our house for Christmas and I got to spend time with my family and big brother. Cousin Dashiel would spend time with our grandmom and grandpa, and the rest of the family. We all get together for the Christmas holidays and have a fun time. I miss my grandmom Flossie, she was an amazing woman, and grandpa Bill was my "Farmer Bill Brown." I wish they were still here to help with my boys, and the things I go through in life, good and bad. But I know they smile down on me and my family, especially my boys.

12 / / S TR E E T S E NSE M ED IA // D EC . 20, 2023 - J AN. 2, 2024

Feast of hearts: A Christmas tapestry of love and sharing CHON GOTTI Artist/Vendor

In the hush of winter's embrace, a tapestry unfolds, A symphony of joy and warmth, as Christmas bells are tolled.

Around the table gathered, kin and kindred hearts, A feast of love and laughter, where holiday magic imparts.

The hearth ablaze with flickering flames, a dance of amber light, A Christmas dinner tableau, a scene so pure and bright.

Upon the table spread with care, a feast for hungry eyes, The bounty of the season, a gift that love supplies.

Silverware clinks in festive rhythm, a melody of delight, As we share the banquet of connection on this sacred night.

Turkey, ham, or vegetarian fare, a choice for every soul, A gastronomic celebration, where every part plays a role.

Cranberry sauce like jewels glistening, a ruby-red delight, Mingling with stuffing's savory notes, a culinary flight.

Potatoes mashed to creamy clouds, a canvas for the gravy's pour, Each bite a taste of tenderness, a gesture to adore.

Wine glasses clink in toasts resounding, echoes of good cheer, As laughter weaves its golden thread, drawing loved ones near.

A kaleidoscope of stories shared, memories old and new, Around the Christmas table, where love is the glue.

The scent of cinnamon and nutmeg, a fragrant lullaby, Wafting from pies and cookies, prepared with love, oh my!

Desserts, sweet indulgence, a finale to our feast, Savoring the sweetness, as holiday blessings increased.

Gifts wrapped in anticipation, beneath the twinkling tree, Await their moment of reveal, a moment of jubilee.

Ribbons, paper, and bows aglow, with the spirit of giving, In the exchange of treasures, a celebration of living.

Yet, beyond the material, the true gift is clear, The love that binds us, drawing loved ones near.

In the embrace of family and friends, a warmth profound, Christmas dinner is not just a meal but love unbound.

So, as the candles flicker low, and stars twinkle above, In the tapestry of Christmas, woven with threads of love, We cherish these moments, in familial delight, A Christmas dinner shared, in the tenderest of the night.

Dear Street Sense Media WARREN STEVENS Artist/Vendor

This is December, the month people’s friends and loved ones gather. On Dec. 8, Street Sense celebrated our work with food, gifts, songs and a drummer and guitar player.

I drove around the city seeing and enjoying all the holiday decorations while I listened to Christmas music. I am decorating my apartment by hanging a wreath on my front door.

My sister and her boyfriend will decorate their home differently than I did mine. They will also cook Christmas dinner with turkey, dressing, fish, ham, candied yams, collard greens, pumpkin, pecan and apple pies. Friends, loved ones and relatives will bring ice cream, brownies and cookies.

We’ll probably have champagne and wine, as most people do when they celebrate Christmas and the new year. I will mail holiday cards to my loved ones.

Next year will be better than this one! Happy holidays to all.

Christmas MARS Artist/Vendor

I reckon, this time from the past. My master will out last.

From Christmas trees and Gods, my life will recycle. I prayed upon a falling star and received a goose egg. I later became what it is we all regret about this pagan holiday. I was a Black Santa at an all-white school. Happy holidays.

Holidays DANIEL BALL Artist/Vendor

Daniel said, “You asked me to prepare a story about the winter holidays.”

Daniel said, “Wintertime is a very, very cold month each year.”

Daniel said, “Christmas is one of my favorite times of the year.

Do you like to listen to Christmas music, just like I do each year?”

It’s time to show people what real love is.

Daniel said, “The best gift I received was to be with Jesus Christ forever.”

Happy holidays GRETA CHRISTIAN Artist/Vendor

Happy holidays all over the world! Christmas is coming up. Christmas brings in the new year. Happy New Year, everybody! I love the holidays. When you make life a holiday, it’s like there’s always magic in the air.

People give the homeless money and gift cards during the holidays. Thank you to the people who help out homeless people. They give us food and donations. Street Sense helps out a lot of people during the holidays. They give you clothes and food. They can help you.

I also love Christmas songs. Here is a list of my favorite Christmas songs: "Merry Christmas," "Jingle Bells," "Silent Night" and "Frosty The Snowman."

Illustration by LaJuan Dixon

Happy Hanukkah BRIANNA BUTLER Artist/Vendor

It’s an uplifting, amazing feeling that you experience. A lesson on how to stand for what you believe in. To have courage, fight for what’s righteous and holy because God’s love is an everlasting life.

We gather together in unity, an assembly, and celebrate this victory of lights. It gives us a vibrant effect of energy, love and thoughts of what they went through to get this victory. The horrific and gruesomeness of this religious war, led by God to get the victory the way he wanted, teaches us to have strong family values and teaches our children about this wonderful celebration of dedication.

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

//

13

Favorite holiday

Christmas is here!

JOSIE BROWN Artist/Vendor

EVELYN NNAM Artist/Vendor

Thanksgiving was my favorite because we visited family in the country and spent several weeks with them. We had the traditional meal: turkey with stuffing, potato salad, cranberry sauce and various desserts. And, because we are all Christians, we went to a church service, where we sang songs.

The pastor preached about unity in the home and celebrating being comfortable and for all members and friends to remember our blessings and to name them one by one. We also shared the good times and the losses we might have experienced.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! It’s Christmas time, everyone! It’s that time to spend time with your loved ones and have fun! I love Christmas, it just feels very magical when Christmas arrives! Christmas feels like a warm and cozy hug. It engulfs you with spending time with loved ones, enjoying time off, getting back to yourself, watching Christmas movies, playing games, enjoying food and just having a good time.

Drinking hot drinks with peppermint chocolates and candies, snuggling by cozy hot fires.

Christmas time is beautiful. It’s filled with sweet melodies, wonderful carols, scarves, hats, gloves, long boots, big furry jackets, Christmas goodies and that winter weather. Feeling good about giving back to those who are less fortunate and catering to those who need it. Christmas, oh Christmas, you are oh so special!

We thank you for making your mark here and spending time with us. We don’t want you to leave but we know you will be back. We love that we can enjoy your wonderful presence with the people who make us feel whole, make us laugh, make us reminisce and make us understand how good we have it. Some may not have much but we are still living. We are grateful to see you again another year. I hope that everyone has a wonderful Christmas and hope everyone spends it with those who you truly love and care for. Merry Christmas! From my loved ones to yours!

Thank you!

Out with the old and in with the new CARLTON JOHNSON Artist/Vendor

Today I was told aspiration comes from within the time we have for a new life.

If your favorite celebrations are within the winter holidays I will let you know we are here for the new year coming.

Thanksgiving at the door ringing the bell with Christmas walking in the back door and New Year’s hanging on the roof.

Also may the winter days bring in the new and out with the old 2023 and in with the new start of 2024.

December SYBIL TAYLOR Artist/Vendor

Very cold days and winter are on the way, along with snow and cold temperatures. It’s time for hats, scarves, gloves, mittens, earmuffs, sweaters, warm clothing and hot chocolate with marshmallows. This month is Christmas and Christmas Eve. Christmas is special for me because it's my birthday. I get Christmas presents and gifts for my birthday. My parents would always say I am a little jingle bell and a special snow angel. My parents carried me home through the snow in 1966. The snow was very heavy and reached almost 14 inches.

What an exciting month to give and to share love on Christmas Day. Merry Christmas to everybody.

Here are some songs to play this time of year: "Twinkle Twinkle Little Me" by Stevie Wonder "Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer" by The Temptations "My Favorite Things" by The Supremes

One wishful Christmas

Snow

ROCHELLE WALKER Artist/Vendor

This Christmas will be a special Christmas for me. As I trim the tree, I feel joy in the world. Let's give thanks. Christ, the savior, is born, and so Christmas day is worthy of being celebrated. Silent night, holy night. I wish you a merry Christmas and a happy new year. Christmas is worthy of being celebrated.

When I look around, I remember the joy of the world of families and friends. If I have one wish in this world, it would be for my two front teeth. All I want for Christmas is to eat and drink and be able to sit around the Christmas tree. I will remember that the tree is knowledge. It represents good and also bad. I will remember to pray for you and me.

ANTHONY CARNEY Artist/Vendor

Do you like snow? I do. So, let it snow on Christmas. Let’s have a white Christmas so children can play games in the snow and go on sleigh rides together. Yes, let it snow!

Spread love.

Illustration by Greta Christian

14 / / S TR E E T S E N SE M ED IA // D EC . 20, 2023 - JAN. 2, 2024

FUN & GAMES

CROSSWORD

Holiday Ear Worms

Puzzle by Patrick “Mac” McIntyre

Holiday Ear Worms

1

SOLUTION: Whaddya Sayin’? ____ Issue LAST EDITION’S PUZZLE SOLUTION

Across 1. "Firsties" 5. Apple product since 2010 9. Explorer's org. that holds "Jamboree"s 12. Indulging excessively, slangily 14. Fizzy drink 15. "Treasure Island" author's inits.

16. "Frosty the Snowman was a ____ " (3 wds.) (5.5.4) 19. Gambling inits. (abbr./initialism) 20. ___ tai 21. Without (Fr.) 22. Something Santa might get on his white fur and beard 24. ___ Bell 27. A foolish person (Yiddishism) (var.)

30. "...fun it is to ride in a ____ sleigh!" 3 Wds. (3-5,4) 33. ___ Romeo (Italian auto) 35. Dot follower 36. Uncle Sam's collection agcy. (abbr./ initialism) 37. "...the hall with _____ , fa-la-la-la-la-lala-la-la..." (3 wds.) (6.2.5) 42. Extinct flightless bird 43. "Ich bin ___ Berliner" (Ger.) (famous JFK quote made at the demolition of the wall) 44. Rod attachment 45 "Shall I play for you pa- ____ on my drum" (4 .wds.) (3,3,3,3) 50. Eye sores 51. Hollywood Boulevard sight 52. Aberdeen native (the European one, not the Washington State one) 56. Eastern titles 58. Landscaper's need 60. Genetic inits. (abbr./initialism) 61. "...next year I’ll give it to ____" (2 wds.)

(7.7) 65. Junior's junior 66. Loafer, e.g.

67. Word before book or relief 68. Short order, for short (abbr./initialism) 69. Bullfight cheers 70. Gen- ___ (millennials) Down 1. Karate schools 2. "What'd ____ deserve this?" (3 wds.)

(1,2,2) 3. "The Hobbit" hero Baggins 4. Letters for a long-running NBC hit skit show that will turn " _ A_ D_ E R" into an apt surname (abbr./initialism) 5. Old Testament prophet whose name is 2/3rds vowels 6. Fizzy drink 7. Big check-printing co., initially? (abbr./ initialism) 8. There are twelve mentioned in a wellknown song that features "lords a leaping" 9. Mile High pro footballer like QB Russell Wilson since 2022 10. Heap of dirty half-melted snow, or a group of unsolicited manuscripts, in book publishing lingo (2 wds.) (5,4) (PLUSH LEIS anagram) 11. Communication syst. for hearingimpaired, briefly (initialism)

1 14 17 20

26 34 37 41 45

52 60 63 66

A

2

F

3

A

4

A

L

I

I

H

O

W

D

S

E

A

C

27

R

28

A

O

H

M

S

E

A

M

I

S

O

N

S

M

53

A

54

23

5

R

15

49

6

A

7

N

8

H

O

A

R

E

A

R

Y

G

O

D

E

W

E

S

S

35

24 29

S H

T

O W

R

O

S

A

Y

K

I

D

46

A

L

O

U

T

E

G

N

L

I

E

D

S

A

C

R

A

C

R

E

S

T

61

30

I

43

D

39

S O

55

25

A N

R

N

I

21

A

9

G

W

18

38 42

S

D

62

19 22

A

E

D

N

G

R

E

S

A

Y

L

E

N

I

E

S

O

S

G

48

E

T

N

B

R

D

S

N

N

E

E

A

S

40

A

B

Y

31

44

O

A

E

I

O

56

13

T

M

A

N

K

A

47

12

O

W

51

I

E

D

36

11

65 68

57

O

32

D

33

N

E

R

A

A

S

P

L

A

S

S

59

E

A

L

A

D

T

E

R

A

S

E

A

M

13. High school class 17. "Unimaginable as ___ in Heav'n" (Milton) 18. Postage-paid encls. to submittals found in the literary items found in 10-Down (abbr./ initialism) 23. Good source of protein 25. Mounds and Almond Joy, mostly 26. "...abridging the freedom of speech, ____ the press..." (First Amendment to the Bill of Rights) (2 wds.) (2,2) (ROOF anagram) 28. Actress Streep 29. Walk-____ (small parts) 31. Henpeck 32. "I can't believe this," in texts 33. Circa (Lat.) 34. Kind of earth that is prized for growing many varieties of trees (2 wds.) (5,4) (I'M SO LOYAL anagram) 38. Tailor's bottom line?

39. Doesn't guzzle 40. Tulsa sch. named for a televangelist (abbr./ initialism) 41. NASA moon-landing vehicles (abbr./ initialism) 42. Title for the distaff member of the North Pole's Claus twosome

5 13

6

7

8

19 23

33

21 25

26

31

27

35 38

46

39

40

54

55

48

49

51

52

57

61

58 62

65

66

68

69

41

44

47

50 56

29

36

43

45

28

32

34

42

11

18

24

37

10

15

20

22

9

14 17

30

O

58

4

16

S

N

A

3

12

V

D

O

67

P

R

W

64

10

A

W

50

16

O

2

59

63

46. Sanction 47. Impromptu modern group pic, slangily 48. Some midnight religious services 49. Support, with "up" 53. "____ and Punishment" (classic Dostoevsky novel filled with suspense, moral dilemmas and psychological complexity) 54. TV studio sign (2 wds.) (2,3) (NO IRA anagram) 55. Some after-shower powders 57. Meh, in geezerspeak (2-2) 59. Calendar abbr. for month in which Christmas, Festivus, Hannukah and Kwanza are celebrated 61. Bro, to sis and vice versa, briefly 62. Pro sports org. with the Blackhawks, Blue Ja.ckets and Red Wings (abbr./initialism) 63. Abbr. in a help wanted ad 64 Coquettish

53 60

64 67 70

Th i s c r o s s w o r d puzzle is the original w o r k o f Pa tr ick “ M a c ” M c I n t y re .

It is provided to us courtesy of Real Change News, a street paper based in Seattle, Washington.

Learn more about Real Change News and the International Network of Street Papers at realchangenews.org and insp.ngo.

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

COMMUNITY SERVICES

SHELTER HOTLINE Línea directa de alojamiento

(202) 399-7093

YOUTH HOTLINE Línea de juventud

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE HOTLINE Línea directa de violencia doméstica

(202) 547-7777

1-800-799-7233

Housing/Shelter Vivienda/alojamiento

Education Educación

Health Care Seguro

Clothing Ropa

Legal Assistance Assistencia Legal

Case Management Coordinación de Servicios

Food Comida

Employment Assistance Assitencia con Empleo

Transportation Transportación

Showers Duchas

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Martha’s Table // 202-328-6608 marthastable.org

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

15

BEHAVIORAL HEALTH HOTLINE Línea de salud del comportamiento

1-888-793-4357

JOB BOARD Store associate CVS // 717 14th St. NW Full-time Provide customer service and perform cashier duties. Restock shelves. Open and close store daily.

REQUIRED: Able to lift 35 lbs.

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

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

APPLY: tinyurl.com/cvsassociate

Daytime grocery store clerk

Harris Teeter // 1631 Kalorama Rd. NW Part-time Process, package and stock products.

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

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

Laundry Lavandería

//

2375 Elvans Road SE 2204 Martin Luther King Ave. SE

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

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

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

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

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

REQUIRED: Able to lift 60 lbs.

APPLY: tinyurl.com/htadmo

Unity Health Care 3020 14th St., NW // unityhealthcare.org - Healthcare for the Homeless Health Center: 202-508-0500 - Community Health Centers: 202-469-4699

Sandwich artist

1500 Galen Street SE, 1500 Galen Street SE, 1251-B Saratoga Ave NE, 1660 Columbia Road NW, 4414 Benning Road NE, 3924 Minnesota Avenue NE, 765 Kenilworth Terrace NE, 555 L Street SE, 3240 Stanton Road SE, 3020 14th Street NW, 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, 1717 Columbia Road NW, 1313 New York Avenue, NW BSMT Suite, 425 2nd Street NW, 4713 Wisconsin Avenue NW, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 2100 New York Avenue NE, 1333 N Street NW, 1355 New York Avenue NE, 828 Evarts Place, NE, 810 5th Street NW

Make sandwiches to order for customers, prepare ingredients and keep the store clean.

Subway // Multiple locations Full-time, Part-time

REQUIRED: N/A APPLY: tinyurl.com/subwaysdc

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Can you help us out?

Dear readers, Helping others — specifically our vendors — manage through crisis is what we do well at Street Sense Media. We help the men and women we work with rebuild their lives a day at a time and give them the tools and opportunities they need to work themselves up and out of homelessness. While never easy, and often heartbreaking, it’s the work we love and what our organization was built, through your support, to do.

In 2023, we have had to face an entirely different kind of crisis, one that threatens our ability to continue this work. In the first half of this year, we experienced a significant reduction in paper sales, individual giving and foundation support. During this time, we needed to tap into the meager reserves we had accumulated over the years, spending nearly $140,000 more than we raised in income. In recent years, your generosity allowed us to expand our services to meet the growing needs brought on by both the pandemic and opioid crisis. Faced with the unprecedented funding gap earlier this year, we had no choice but to reduce these services, quickly and significantly. Since June, we have eliminated four full-time staff positions (more than a third of our staff), scaled back from weekly to biweekly publication of the newspaper and frozen the emergency assistance fund we had been using to help vendors at risk of eviction, utility cut-off and food insecurity.

Being a weekly newspaper had a significant positive effect on vendor income and allowed us to produce more award-winning journalism. We were proud to be one of only five street papers worldwide to print weekly. The decision to cut back to biweekly was difficult. It’s also been terribly painful to say goodbye to committed, high achieving colleagues because we could no longer afford the salary costs. But we had no choice other than to make major spending cuts. And while those cuts ensured that we could meet the remaining demands of our budget in 2023, they in no way have ensured that we will survive into the future.

And so, I come to you today with a plea for help. You have been the most essential component of work that, while always demanding, is at times, quite simply, magical. Every day, we are witness as vendors are transformed via the very real and human connection they forge with their customers. Something profound in them is tapped and unleashed when they craft a poem out of their own life experience, share their vision of the world through photography or get up on stage and perform with others in our theater workshop. And they have a deep sense of accomplishment for the hard work they do to market and sell the newspaper.

All of this is at risk of going away. Please, if you are able, consider making a contribution to this year-end fundraising campaign. We are deeply grateful for your past support and hope that you will decide to renew it today with a generous, tax-deductible gift. You can make more magic happen in the lives of neighbors I know we both care about deeply.

You have always been the driver of our success. Your generosity has changed lives. We hope that we can count on your continued partnership through a generous year-end gift using the attached reply card or by going online to streetsensemedia.org.

We thank you for your support and wish you the very best this holiday season.

Sincerely, Brian Carome CEO

Send a card or go online to donate

From your vendor, DEC . 2 0 , 2 0 2 3 - J A N . 2 , 2 0 2 4 | VOLUME 21 ISSUE 3

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

WWW.INSP.NGO

3.2 million READERS

5,700 VENDORS

90+

STREET PAPERS

35

COUNTRIES

25

LANGUAGES