Special edition: a missed alternative to panhandling

I ran across this while on my weekly search. Although compassionate and helpful, it did not mention Street Newspapers as a way to help homeless people. This is a big current issue here in SLC. I hope the people who need to hear about ways to reduce panahndling see this. Readers, please help spread the word. Street papers work. Street papers help.

How to handle panhandlers You may give or not give, but chances are you feel guilty and a little angry every time you're asked for money. You're hardly alone. by Liz Pulliam Weston msn.com

ed. note: Thoughtful, but incomplete, and naive.

North American Street Newspaper Association

"Mission: The North American Street Newspaper Association (NASNA) exists to support and cultivate an effective, self-sustaining street newspaper network that promotes power and opportunity for people living in poverty.

Vision and Values: NASNA is strongly committed to empower local street newspapers to develop leadership among poor people, while cultivating journalistic integrity and sustainable street papers. NASNA supports non-discrimination and values a diverse and inclusive street paper movement. We strive for high ethical standards and require financial accountability from its members." from nasna.org   photo:Wesley and Tammie Clark sell Real Change in Seattle, Washington to support themselves.
Street News Service

International Network of Street Papers

Call for contributions to The Rio Grande Report

I really enjoy scouring newspapers, magazines, and websites to bring you the links that comprise The Rio Grande Report every week. Since I'm not working right now, it keeps me busy, along with my other blog and the writing group I volunteer for.

Still, I get tired of the sound of my own writing voice and deciding what to add as an introduction or afterword to each post. Sometimes I run across something interesting that sparks a rant, or can share some personal experience that is relevant. I'd much rather have help.

Variety of content is essential to keeping a blog interesting and worth the time and effort to post. I beleive tit's also crucial if we're to meet the goal of turning RGR into a real street paper. You can see in a previous posting how I envision that.

Basically what I'm asking of anyone who follows or reads this blog is to pitch in.

• Maybe you'd just like to send me a letter about one or more of the issues.
• Maybe you're a social worker or some other professional working with homeless people who:

1. Are willing to do a regular section, like a column
2. Want to publicize your organization, a fundraiser, activity or meeting
3. Want to inform people how they can contribute or volunteer
4. Want to inform clients of the services you offer

• Maybe you're a homeless or formerly homeless person who would like to share:

1. Your story
2. Your creative writing (poetry, prose, essay; fiction or non-fiction)
3. Your visual art
4.  An article of homeless interest you've researched and written

• Maybe you've seen an item of homeless interest that I have not

Whatever you think might fit into any of the following categories:

Local, national and global homeless interest news

"Scriptorium:" letters from the reader

"Galleria:" visual art

"Literarium:" Creative writing

guest editorials

personal profiles

etc

E-mail your contributions to riograndereport@live.com with a subject line that gives me an idea of what you've sent. Articles, artwork, and creative writings can be attached.

Help out; get involved; use your voice; show you care.

Your editor

Change in the seasons brings health concerns for homeless

Homeless boys look out at the Strait of Gibraltar near the port in Tangier October 10, 2009. More than 10,000 homeless minors live on the streets of Morocco according to the Al Jaima association, an association that works with street kids. Most of them are victims of the drugs and the prostitution. REUTERS/Rafael Marchante (MOROCCO SOCIETY)

The wounds of my recent flesh-eating virus have mostly healed. I took my seasonl flu shot. I'm gobbling multi-vitamins and C. My heater is primed and ready for winter. I dug in my closet and washed the mothball smell out of my jackets and sweaters. The shorts and tank tops are stashed away. I'm a lucky man this winter...I'm housed.

There are still thousands of men, women and children right here in Salt Lake City who are not as lucky. Even with emergency shelters like The Road Home and The Rescue Mission of Salt Lake, a good portion of those people live---and sleep---outside, on the streets.


Fall and winter weather bring a chill not only to the air, but to the bones of homeless people. Being out side for most of the day, and/or night, waiting in line for services during intemperate weather are a daily dillemma for the unhoused. Even if you are in a shelter, you are required to be out of the building most days from around 7:00 AM until 5:00 PM or later.


This makes staying healthy a big challenge for homeless folks. In recent years there have even been cases of death by exposure in our city. Health care is another long wait in line with no guarantee of being treated.  This often leaves seriously sick people no choice but to take an ambulance to an emergency room. Local hospitals have few funds for 'transient/indigent care.' Therefore, everyone's health care costs go up to subsidize the unrecouped costs.


This hurts everyone, but most of all it is a significant factor in people'w inability to recover from homelesness. A big part of the homeless population are people who have suffered a serious injury or accident, leaving them disabled while waiting years for help from Social Security.


So when people say we don't need an affordable public option health care plan, I tell them they are seriously out of touch with how bads things have become in this country.


Here's this week's links to news of interest to homeless people and their allies:

Utah

top story-

Homeless clinic plans to open H1N1 wing "Plans are underway for an overnight ward for transient patients with H1N1. 'We don't have the ability to say, "Get in bed and rest for five days,"' said Jennifer Hyvonen, spokeswoman for the Fourth Street Clinic, a nonprofit clinic for the homeless."
by Erin Alberty Salt Lake Tribune

Utah homelessness up -- but number of chronics falls again (78%)

"The number of people who experienced homelessness in Utah in 2009 has risen, making it the third consecutive year to show an increase as the state felt the effects of a national recession, according to a new report by two state agencies." by Matthew D.  LaPlante Salt Lake Tribune

Nation

Prosecutor: Beaten homeless men were 'easy prey' PONTIAC, Mich. — "Two homeless men beaten to death last year were "easy prey" for a group of teenagers, a prosecutor said Thursday as the murder trial for two of the teens began." by Ben Leubsdorf Associated Press

Philadelphia homeless man crushed in trash truck PHILADELPHIA (AP) — "Police in Philadelphia say a homeless man sleeping in a trash bin wound up in the back of a garbage truck and was killed by the vehicle's compactor." from Deseret News

She's homeless but for $95 she can go home with your princess "The newest American Girl doll is a honey-haired cutie named Gwen Thompson who wears a simple white eyelet dress with a pink ribbon at the empire waist. She's fresh-faced, sparkly eyed and, hmmmm, let's see, what else? Oh, yes! She's homeless." by Celia Rivenbark McClatchy-Tribune News Service

Wis. priest auctions family silver for homeless October 17 2009 Associated Press

World

Rags-to-riches tramp bags fortune in bottles reporting by Amie Ferris-Rotman, editing by Paul Casciato Reuters

Personal Story of the Week:

South of Scotland - Homeless man's life-change honour . "Mr Kirkhope will find out later this month if he has won an award from homelessness charity Crisis." BBC News

Oxfordshire - Emergency help for young homeless .  "A scheme is launched offering emergency accommodation for young people at risk of homelessness in parts of Oxfordshire." BBC News


Union Chapel, London-Gavin Bryars Ensemble "...concert in a series raising money for Margins, a charity for London's homeless..." by John Lewis Guardian

Stay healthy: eat regulalry, dress warmly, get out of the weather if you can, and if you get sick, seek treatment immediately-don't let something simple get worse.

until next week...
---your editor
JW

Scam? No!

Well so far you've heard a lot of idealistic, altruistic B.S. about helping homeless people from someone you don't even know anything about.

Granted. At least you have it in writing.

Maybe you're still unclear on what is the purpose? So what's the whole point? What's this project all about? What difference will it make? You want some answers to these questions before you get involved, right?

I asked myself those (and many other) questions from the day I decided our city needed a street paper. I can best answer them with a little thing I wrote to clarify for myself what I want The Rio Grande Report to mean

Statement of Purpose

In the interest of giving voice and opportunity to the homeless, low-income, at risk people of Salt Lake City ...

In the interest of informing and educating the people of Salt Lake City, Salt Lake County, The Wasatch Front, and the state of Utah about the issues and needs in regard to homelessness and poverty in this community ...

In the hope of creating a forum for dialogue, in which to explore possible solutions to social problems within our communities; and reaching out to bridge the gap between those in need and those who care ...

In the hope of creating a common bond among all people who would implement strategies, encourage action, and stimulate creative thought, to make our community a more satisfying and equitable place for everyone ...

I propose the creation of a "street newspaper," written, edited, produced, published, marketed and sold by the homeless, formerly homeless and other low-income, at-risk individuals of Salt Lake City (and surrounding areas), with co-operation and resources of those who provide services, or wish to provide aid, and promote advocacy for under served and underprivileged of this area.

Written Friday, October 17, 2008

At this point, all I have to reach you, and for you to reach others, is this blog. Help me turn this into something people will want to see, and I guarantee you, we'll take this to the street where it belongs, where it can be most effective.

In closing this post, i want to share with \you a little work of my own:

"The Broken, Glass Side"

On the broken-glass side of my town

All the windows are shut up.

All the factories are shut down.

Each step upon the side walk

Creates a crack-ling sound

On the broken-glass side of my town.

Crystal sherds of history

Once strange and wondrous

Sights did see.

Here, The Wind blew The Sun down.

on the broken-glass side of my town.

On the broken-glass side of my town,

Little children rarely laugh;

Single mothers fret and frown.

The system seems constructed

To keep a good man down

On the broken, glass side of this town.

In the poor past and half-eaten,

Bleak, bombed and blast-beaten,

Broken

Glass

Side

of our town.

Hope you enjoyed that. It's not the original version. Like so many other things I've written, the initial incarnation is lost to me. Some things are easier to re-write than others. I like the new poem, it seems more complete, more inclusive, less self-centered than I remember the first time being.

Well, I may not have assuaged your fears about idealism, or scams. But you know me a bit better

your editor


Send me your experiences, letters art work, poetry, stories.

E-mail me at riograndereport@live.com subject line: "submissions." You may always remain anonymous. If you'd like to donate services, office space, equipment, or any other needs that will help "The Rio Grande Report" become a printed publication, e-mail me with the subject line "donations." Any news people who might like to give permissions to reprint articles and use photographs, use the subject line "news." Letters should use the subject line "letters." Snail mail: P. O. Box 3001 Salt Lake City UT 84110.

In all submissions, please include some sort of signed statement that you give "The Rio Grande Report" permission to publish your work, and that you understand that you will receive no compensation. You retain all rights to your work. The Report's rights are only one-time North American. If anyone wants to use your work further, they have to contact me, then I'll contact you.