VENDOR WRITING
More Affordable Housing BY VICKY B. We were once hailed as the, “richest country in the world,” and at one time we were. Today, one in seven Americans live in poverty. That’s 6.5 million people. Six and a half million people calling up a social worker and hearing the all too familiar, “There’s nothing we can do, if something comes up, we’ll call you.” Heard all too often and yet this is told to the poverty stricken, the homeless and the elderly many times a day. It’s a cookie cutter comment that doesn’t fit every situation. A well-known internet homeless advocate screams, “Services Don’t Work,” and some of them don’t. Many are strictly a referral agency that leaves the person feeling frustrated after busing it all over town knocking on every door with the batch of referrals. Days wasted. Bus passes spent. So now they’re going backward. Do these agencies not talk to each other or share information? It doesn’t seem like it. Do services NOT work or do social workers lack the capacity to carefully listen? Far too often they have a million things running through their heads that makes it impossible to truly listen. You sit in their office and answer a million questions about yourself and your family and then, “There’s nothing we can do.” It’s probably as frustrating to say as it is to hear. Services that don’t work need to be dissolved and ended. How many social workers have been homeless before? Lived experience should be in the job description
somewhere. How can book smart workers help street-smart people? One thing I’ve discovered this past year while attending the Homeless Planning Council meetings through Zoom, is that we really are learning from those with lived experience — homeless people. The council listens and implements actions based on some recommendations and conversations. This past year, I've been sitting through meetings talking about solutions to ending homelessness and seeing the solutions implemented. Nashville is doing consistent work in housing it’s homeless population. Helping those living in encampments and working with the city to shut them down can feel like a double edged sword. Individuals and families are getting into housing through a wide variety of resources. Resources that take time to wait through the waitlist. Let’s be honest, we’re behind in affordable housing. All the committees, boards and meetings won’t change that. Action is being taken in talking with other communities and what’s working for them. Recently a program was implemented to work with landlords and to work through some fears that owners of rental property may have. We need more landlords to jump on board on this opportunity. Money is still needed to build more affordable housing. One thing is for sure and that’s affordable housing ends homelessness. I’ve said that so much that I feel like I should get it tattooed on me.
THEME: SUMMER OLY MPICS
Unnamed BY LOUM O. In 2009, I had an opportunity to come to the United States of America from my homeland South Sudan, originally Pajok. The unending war and corruption forced me to move to Uganda as refugee. Then I moved to Kakuma, Kenya, where the great chance of coming to the U.S. knocked on my door. I felt so happy and excited because the U.S. is the greatest country owning everything for anyone in need. So I did my high school and was accepted into Tennessee State University for a bachelor degree in Applied Mathematic with G.P.A. 3.01. My happiness being in America is indeed unexplainable. Even though there are plenty of jobs in Applied Mathematics, I worry too much about my height to teach and to reach the board, because I am only 2.5 feet. As a result, I had no job to ful-
fill my needs as others. However, I found an opportunity of selling newspapers at The Contributor, which earned me with some income (about $400 a month). For more story about me, email me at loumodwar1@yahoo.com. The Contributor is a wonderful newspaper to sell, and it offers me chances to talk with great people who appreciate what I am doing and encourage me to keep going and helps me avoid those being mean haters to me. I got encouraged because my customers write their signatures on my papers. Without Contributor, I am nothing spiritually, friendly and building me with some financially. The biggest one is spiritual need. Look, now through Contributor, I have a church now worshipping God the most high. Thank you and thank you The Contributor newspaper.
ACROSS 1. Welsh dog breed 6. With juice, or au ____ 9. Pirate's yes, pl. 13. What a subordinate does 14. Cigarette residue 15. Chimney cleaner 16. Coffin holders 17. "Sheep be true! ___-ram-ewe!" 18. Poisonous Christmas berry 19. *First U.S. city to host Summer Olympics 21. *Swimmer with most Olympic medals 23. Part of a min. 24. *Field hockey's stick
and ball, e.g. 25. Gayle King's network 28. Capital of Latvia 30. *Canoeing: slalom and ____ 35. Rhine tributary 37. Building annexes 39. A in AV 40. Three-ply cookie 41. *Madison cycling, e.g. 43. *Light ball tap, in volleyball or tennis 44. What hoarders do 46. Not happening (2 words) 47. Half-rotten 48. *Martial art debuting in Olympics in 2021 50. Make a plaintive cry
July 7-21, 2021 | The Contributor | NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE | PAGE 17
52. Short for although 53. Luau instruments 55. Street in Paris 57. *____ horse in gymnastics 60. *One of pentathlon events 64. Kentucky Derby drink 65. Rock in a glass 67. Small Asian ungulate 68. Spy's cover 69. Not a win nor a loss 70. Run off to marry 71. Pat dry 72. Eastern Standard Time 73. Between shampoo and repeat DOWN 1. Corn units 2. Final notice? 3. Rod attachment 4. Greek sandwiches 5. Federal Reserve in relation to U.S. currency 6. *Boxing moves 7. *All-time Olympic record holder in medal count 8. Popular fitness magazine 9. Military no-show 10. Crowd-sourced review platform 11. Mature elvers
12. I do this with my little eye 15. Tibetan mountaineer 20. Slipperier 22. ____-been 24. London's Tyburn Tree, e.g. 25. Kick the bucket 26. Thailand's neighbor 27. Give sheep a haircut 29. A valley in Scotland 31. "Ant-Man" leading actor 32. Dostoevsky's "The ____" 33. Beethoven's famous symphony 34. *2021 Olympic host 36. Civil Rights icon 38. Long adventure story 42. ____ welcome! 45. Tree cutters' leftovers 49. ____ out, as in victory 51. One suffering from tuberculosis 54. Chosen few 56. Food safety threat 57. *Threat to muscles 58. Mixture 59. Source of protein 60. Pedal pushers 61. Golf club 62. Midday slumbers 63. High school club 64. #6 Down, sing. 66. Post-Soviet Union union
