Finally, a president with a plan

While I was at the computer a few days ago with the TV on in the background, I heard that Utah is getting $4 million to help prevent and end homelessness. It comes from a plan that President Obama has announced called “Opening Doors.” That,along with links to other informative, entertaining articles, with a few reminders of ways to help homeless people here in SLC are the subjects of this edition of RGR...

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Obama vows to end homelessness in 10 years By Tony Pugh | McClatchy Newspapers
Street musician gets early Christmas present: a new cello by Sean P. Means The Salt Lake Tribune
[I was so happy for you, Eli, when I saw this. Stay strong.]
Utah County coalition seeking votes for homeless shelter by Donald W. Meyers The Salt Lake Tribune
[The above is an easy way to help our homeless friends. Below are some more-y.e.]
The Road Home’s Souper Bowl of Caring from now until Super Bowl Sunday, donate part of what you’re going to spend on a party or whatever to help our homeless friends.
Check a box on your Utah tax return; donate $2 to help homeless people.
Juan Diego & Ikea entertain, solicit donations.
Sundance Film Festival: Hobo With A Shotgun starring Rutger Hauer
Lastly, a couple of ads I encountered while searching the net for blog content:
Sponsored Search
Homelessness Find Homelessnesses at Great Prices.

Homelessness Looking For Homelessness? Find It Nearby With Local.com!

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Hey, I think it’s important to laugh at ourselves. Some days, that’s all that got me through it. I believe that if we lose our sense of humour, we lose a little humanity along with that.
Until next time: Stay strong, stay warm, stay well, and stay civil.
---your editor

audition for Oprah

I wanted to share this with you, from The Road Home  on facebook:

Oprah is looking for a young star to make a show on her new network. How does that impact homelessness? One auditionee has a profound idea...

Watch Chloe's audition for Your OWN show, titled Homeless Youth Awareness Show

Chloe was one of two participants in the Homeless Youth Pride Walk.
 
Logo image from The Road Home.

Tough all over

Sometimes it's hard to see the whole picture. Humans often take a narrow view of things, and it's good to be reminded that we are not alone in having fallen on hard times. In fact, everyday, people around the world suffer more than most of us can ever imagine, and that's when times are "good." 

Now that tough times have landed in our backyard, we're reminded that our entire world is in crisis. So this week I've tried to accentuate that.

With the Sundance Film Festival wrapping up, I've linked to more video and film than I usually include. I may include a feature to that effect soon, or simply make it more of the regular mix each week.

What would readers of this blog like to see? Please, leave acomment or e-mail me at riograndereport@live.com.

My Social Security adjudication, scheduled Wednesday, was postponed at the last minute. the judge fell ill.  It was frustrating, as the time had been moved up an hour earlier in the week. It's criminal how I was required to turn hundreds of forms in on time, wait year upon year, and then they cancel my hearing the day of. I was so ready for the whole process to be finished. Hard to tell how long it will take to reschedule.

What have your experiences with similar government agencies been like? I'd like to hear about it, and share it here. Please leave a comment or email me at the above address.

Top Story

WalMart cuts 11,200 jobs... by Nicole Maestri Reuters San Francisco

Utah

...help homeless via tax returns by James Thalman Deseret News

'Slumdogs of Utah' Forum letter The Salt Lake Tribune

Stamps for fast food Forum letter The Salt Lake Tribune

Jobless claims, durable goods point to weak growth Staff and News Services The Salt Lake Tribune

Nation

Borders cuts 164 positions The Associated Press

...30% of Americans rapidly approach poverty...  current.com

Families struggle to afford food... by Jason DeParle New York Times

World

Suicide rate on rise since start of recession by Owen Bowcott guardian.co.uk

Thousands of British jobs axed by Katie Allen guardian.co.uk

German unemployment rises... BBC News

Europe cold weather kills dozens "Most of the victims have been homeless or elderly...."

BBC News

...severe child poverty 'going up' News article and video. BBC News

The ever growing army of London's homeless a 1989 film for the program Newsnight by British photojournalist Don McCullin. To watch the entire film, go HERE.

...richest 10% are now 100 times better off... by Ameilia Gentleman and Helene Mulholland guardian.co.uk View the report by National Equality Panel

[1st and 2nd photos: Fotosearch]

Until next week
Your editor

Will Write for Food

Sorry for the lateness of this installion of RGR. I'm adjusting to a new schedule, involving, of all things, work!

After a long stretch of unemployment--nearly a full year--I'm proud to report that I'm back to work temporarily. Unfortunately, it's not a writing job. I'll be preparing people's taxes. I took a ten-week course last fall through Liberty Tax. I'll be rotating between the State Street, Downtown, and Rose Park offices. The people I work for are great. I've worked for them last tax season and in 2007, in a much different capacity. You may have seen the people on street corners dressed as Lady Liberty or Uncle Sam. I did that. So I'm not only employed again, but have moved up in the ranks.

This gives me hope that it will be easier to find permanent employment in April when this job will end.

I wish you all good luck, and hope I don't find my reason to doubt my prediction.

Lastly, I want to congratulate those involved in the creation of two new street newspapers that launch in the last months in Philladelphia and St. Petersburg (see stories below).

When will it be Salt Lake City's turn?

Utah

Utahns dug deep for holday...by Julia Lyon The Salt Lake Tribune

Home for pregnant girls closes...by Julia Lyon [photo-Jim Urquhart] The Salt Lake tribune

Food bank director has passion...by Sara Israelson-Hartley Deseret News
www.communityactionprovo.org

Weber homeless to be counted http://www.standard.net/

Center works to end abuse by Tiffany DeMasters  spectrum.com

Nation

...a [NYC] homeless shelter closing by Rachel Senatore The New York Times

New [NYC] public advocate assails [mayor] Bloomberg's performance on homelessness by Julie Bosman The New York Times

From the agencies:
...The neediest cases by Kari Haskell The New York Times Donate to The Neediest Cases today.

Homeless chic? It's so last decade Guardian World News
Audio clip: commentary by cloumnist Hadley Freeman

World

Video and article:
...homeless coping in frozen Britiain by Vanessa Barford BBC News

Help UK homeless  people

Bristol's [UK] homeless women...BBC News

Delhi's homeless...by Gayathri Sreedharan BBC- Delhi, India

NASNA NEWS

Two new street newspapers...

One Step Away Philladelphia, PA

St. Petersburg Homeless Image St. Petersburg, FL

NASNA.org

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Charity should begin at home

As is usual after the holidays, news about homelessness and poverty has taken a nose-dive. But, I was very pleased to learn that RGR recieved some kudos on facebook . Thanks to The Road Home for posting the following update on Monday January 11: "The Road Home: Thanks to [your editor's name here]for his blog aimed to raise awareness of homelessness in the community...." The Road Home is Salt Lake City's primary shelter for homeless men, women, and families. Their mission is, "To help people step out of homelessness and back into our community." [above photo: Anna Bosch Ruidophoto for NYT article "Makeshift homes....]

I'm going to rant a bit. About politics, which I know nothing about. I will be accused of being callous and uncaring; nothing could be further from the truth. Please bear with me. I promise I have a relevant point.

The situation in Haiti is tragic. They have experienced death and destruction on an apocalyptic scale. Few of us in the U.S. can even imagine such an event. As the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere, Haiti has no resources for recovery. They need help. However, I take a rather isolationist view of how such assistance should be provided. I do not think our government should rush to inteercede in the fate of every nation in the world, for humanitarian reasons, or other more insiduous goals.

There is a quasi-Christian tent that states "Charity begins at home." I interpret that as meaning we believe we help those in our inner circle who are in need before we consider helping others. I find it hypocritical that money and resources that can and should be used to solve problems on our own soil are, it seems, first and foremost being directed toward interfering in and "repairing" foreign nations. I believe this is a big reason why there are homeless, hungry, impoverished people in the U.S.

We are lucky enough to have the resources to have the capacity to improve our society's ills substantially. National priority should be to meaningfully and effectively address issues within our borders. Then, if there are resources available to help others, I happily support it. But let's stop wasting money on "nation-building" wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and other efforts to spread the capitalist culture around the globe. Let's use those military resources for true "Homeland Security" on our continent. Let's not use them in a futile effort to force our ideology and religion on other cultures. This will avoid recurrences of terroroist events such as September 11. Let's use our strength, through diplomacy, to come to peaceful solutions to conflict, rather than supporting nations such as Israel in their repression of Palestine.

Most importantly, let's not spend one dime, loan one dollar that will never be repaid, elsewhere before every man woman and child in America who wishes to be is clothed, housed, fed, employed and safe. Because we can. Because to do otherwise is irresponsible, immoral, and inexcusable.

Have a good Martin Luther King day. Promote peace.

Utah

Addicted, suicidal veterans push housing program off VA campus by Matthew D. LaPlante Salt Lake Tribune Housing Authority of Salt Lake City purchases former Days Inn to house those displaced from Valor House

Nation

Makeshift homes are leveled in Suffolk County [New York] by Karen Zraick New York Times

 Library social worker rewrites the book on homeless outreach by Josie Raymond on change.org. [photo: San Francisco Chronicle]

Replacing the revolving door with the front door by Shannon Moriarty on change.org

A fight for the homeless and against authority by Jesse McKinley New York Times

World

[UK] Homeless urged not to sleep rough BBC News 

Freezing [UK] weather hits the homeless... BBC News

 Arts/Entertainment

Books: Out of legends, a life more extraordinary by Edward M. Eveld McClatchy Newspapers "A New York journalist living on Park Avenue...looked  out a taxi window one day and saw a homeless, raggedy woman scavenging in a Dumpster. The woman was her mother."

Music: "Strike a Deep Chord: Blues Guitars for the Homeless available on Target.com . Traditional blues artisits record to comabat homelessnes.

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Until next week
your editor