November 19, 2009
Spent 5 hours on a Greyhound today, and I'm just settling into my new digs. Blogs will be short I'm thinking, because the house will not allow me to use my computer. And this computer is on a time limit of 30 minutes. So... no cell, no computer ... will paint a message on the cave wall before I leave LOL. All is good tonight just really tired so I will try to write some final thoughts on my last local tomorrow. Have a good sleep all. Ttyl Bonny
Friday, November 20, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
On the Road Again
November 17, 2009
Tomorrow I change cities again... I have perhaps over-stayed here. But I am very glad I did because yesterday I met another crusader. A woman who is devoted to helping the street people, through friendship, outreach and love. Her "children" range in age from 17 to 70... Just one woman with one dream, changing the world one life at a time. Diana and millions of quiet heroes like her are our hope for a better world.
Tomorrow I change cities again... I have perhaps over-stayed here. But I am very glad I did because yesterday I met another crusader. A woman who is devoted to helping the street people, through friendship, outreach and love. Her "children" range in age from 17 to 70... Just one woman with one dream, changing the world one life at a time. Diana and millions of quiet heroes like her are our hope for a better world.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
I'm a bad...bad...person
November 14, 2009
Well Friday the 13th passed uneventfully... I was hoping for a lottery win...maybe next witching day LOL. Today I found myself thinking very unkind thoughts about one of our street people. The Salvation Army had put on their monthly dinner for the homeless it was very nice (as free food goes) but as I have said before putting on a weekly / monthly meal is easier then trying to do so daily. They started serving at 3 pm and would close the kitchen at 4:30 pm or when the food ran out. This woman came down to the drop-in raging about what a ripoff this was. She had arrived at 4:00 pm and they were out of food. After walking ALL that way (4 short blocks) there was no food for her because EVERYBODY else had taken 2 and 3 plates. She ranted on and on and she had no interest in any explanations...as she waded through everyone else's snacks and a couple of the work lunches (without actually finishing anything).
I may not have said anything, but I definitely wanted to ask how many blocks she would be willing to walk to score a 20 piece... And if she couldn't get to dinner earlier because she trying to chase down her dealer or some trick.
Why am I sharing this with you? I suppose it is nothing more then an admission that I am not perfect or even as good as I would like to be. That just like everyone else I go from day to day doing the best I can in any given moment...and some moments are definitely better then others.
Well Friday the 13th passed uneventfully... I was hoping for a lottery win...maybe next witching day LOL. Today I found myself thinking very unkind thoughts about one of our street people. The Salvation Army had put on their monthly dinner for the homeless it was very nice (as free food goes) but as I have said before putting on a weekly / monthly meal is easier then trying to do so daily. They started serving at 3 pm and would close the kitchen at 4:30 pm or when the food ran out. This woman came down to the drop-in raging about what a ripoff this was. She had arrived at 4:00 pm and they were out of food. After walking ALL that way (4 short blocks) there was no food for her because EVERYBODY else had taken 2 and 3 plates. She ranted on and on and she had no interest in any explanations...as she waded through everyone else's snacks and a couple of the work lunches (without actually finishing anything).
I may not have said anything, but I definitely wanted to ask how many blocks she would be willing to walk to score a 20 piece... And if she couldn't get to dinner earlier because she trying to chase down her dealer or some trick.
Why am I sharing this with you? I suppose it is nothing more then an admission that I am not perfect or even as good as I would like to be. That just like everyone else I go from day to day doing the best I can in any given moment...and some moments are definitely better then others.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
jumping through
November 12, 2009
There is a unusual ritual required to stay in the shelter I am currently at and yesterday I missed a step so I had some doubt about where I would be spending the night. If the mission opened their sleep floor (only happens below -5) I could go there after 9pm...if not I would have to look for a all night coffee shop. The bus station closes at 10pm...the other option would be parking my butt in the police station until they either forced someone to take my in...or bought me a coffee LOL.
Hear is the drill, at 10am we must show up at the shelter to state our intention of coming in that night. At 9pm or earlier...we must show up or call in to claim the bed, then we would be free to stay out until 11pm if we so wished. I didn't make the 10am claim time, so I would have to check back and see if anyone missed their 9pm check in. The mission was going to open at 9pm so I would have to kill about 4 hrs before checking either option. After accompanying an elderly resident to try on cheap coats at the liquidation centre I went to A & W for a tea. I sat in the booth next to another resident and her boyfriend, their conversation led me to believe she planned to move out of the shelter that night. I phoned over to the shelter and ask if I could have her bed...I have become so mercenary LOL. But the name of the game is survival...and I'm learning.
There is a unusual ritual required to stay in the shelter I am currently at and yesterday I missed a step so I had some doubt about where I would be spending the night. If the mission opened their sleep floor (only happens below -5) I could go there after 9pm...if not I would have to look for a all night coffee shop. The bus station closes at 10pm...the other option would be parking my butt in the police station until they either forced someone to take my in...or bought me a coffee LOL.
Hear is the drill, at 10am we must show up at the shelter to state our intention of coming in that night. At 9pm or earlier...we must show up or call in to claim the bed, then we would be free to stay out until 11pm if we so wished. I didn't make the 10am claim time, so I would have to check back and see if anyone missed their 9pm check in. The mission was going to open at 9pm so I would have to kill about 4 hrs before checking either option. After accompanying an elderly resident to try on cheap coats at the liquidation centre I went to A & W for a tea. I sat in the booth next to another resident and her boyfriend, their conversation led me to believe she planned to move out of the shelter that night. I phoned over to the shelter and ask if I could have her bed...I have become so mercenary LOL. But the name of the game is survival...and I'm learning.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
New Places New Faces
November 11, 2009
I have been in a new town since Saturday, the first night I showed up at the women's shelter and was told that I do not meet the criteria for admission. Turns out the shelter I went to was a crisis (battered women's) shelter. Because I am sooo adorable, they were kind enough to allow me to stay the weekend. That would allow me to access a bank and get a bus ticket to a larger centre, because to quote the worker "you don't belong in a place like that"... Turns out this is exactly the place I belong in. Have to keep this short we are not allowed to stay on site during the day here. Day before yesterday I say a man who looked alot like a guy I new in Calgary, striking resemblance but about 20lbs heavier and 10 yrs younger. So yesterday I ask if he might be related to my friend, he said yes....strung me along for a minute or two before admitting he is in fact Brian. He came here for work back in the summer and is looking so much better, healthier for the time away. There is a mission where I spend the day, there is never more then a dozen people there outside of meal times. Dinner serves about a hundred homeless and poor. What can I say small town (small detour from my plan) but the women's shelter was the subject to much comment. So I wanted to check it out and it was everything they said. I'll tell you more when I have time. gtg.....
I have been in a new town since Saturday, the first night I showed up at the women's shelter and was told that I do not meet the criteria for admission. Turns out the shelter I went to was a crisis (battered women's) shelter. Because I am sooo adorable, they were kind enough to allow me to stay the weekend. That would allow me to access a bank and get a bus ticket to a larger centre, because to quote the worker "you don't belong in a place like that"... Turns out this is exactly the place I belong in. Have to keep this short we are not allowed to stay on site during the day here. Day before yesterday I say a man who looked alot like a guy I new in Calgary, striking resemblance but about 20lbs heavier and 10 yrs younger. So yesterday I ask if he might be related to my friend, he said yes....strung me along for a minute or two before admitting he is in fact Brian. He came here for work back in the summer and is looking so much better, healthier for the time away. There is a mission where I spend the day, there is never more then a dozen people there outside of meal times. Dinner serves about a hundred homeless and poor. What can I say small town (small detour from my plan) but the women's shelter was the subject to much comment. So I wanted to check it out and it was everything they said. I'll tell you more when I have time. gtg.....
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
In the Beginning
November 3, 2009
Just so you all know, my friend and I are in temporary housing. It is as expensive as an apartment, but hotels have more flexibility regarding payment arrangements. This allowed for a lower initial cash outlay. Still the Intent to Rent form was an issue, so I cashed out an RRSP paid the rental rate and security deposit in cash. Social Services refunded the allowable portion on the basis of the receipt. I'll be moving on soon, but she should be able to handle the rest from here. She is a smart, capable young woman and I am really glad I'm able to count her among my friends. That has to be the best part of this journey... all the amazing people I get to meet.
I guess reading my rants, you might get the impression I'm out here simply to expose all the deficiencies in the shelter system. It is actually the opposite, I'm on a quest to find out what works... and make that information available so we can improve services. I suppose it is possible that I have never shared with you how this all began. So today I will go back to July 21 2008.
A young client from SunAlta (a satellite shelter of the Calgary Drop-In) was caught up in an escalating cycle of violence. Although some of the incidents were caught on tape, the police alleged they could not arrest anyone because the injured parties would not prefer charges. Actually they could have made an arrest (perhaps not have succeeded at trial) but putting this boy or one of his attackers in remand for a few days would have provided a cooling off period and averted the continuing blood shed. The D.I. had to life bar the kid to protect others from being caught in the "crossfire". I took the only action I could think of, and in breech of company policy, I bought the boy a one-way ticket back to his Manitoba home. It took all my disposable income but it was the only option that I could see.
Was there something we could have done differently? I look at our agency (The Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre) and it is state of the art. Everything under one roof, life skills, job skills, job banks, clothing, medical, counselors, meals...everything right there. From the perspective of the public and even as a worker, all this SHOULD be making a difference. But still little seemed to be changing. The centre was still full every night, for every person who left two new ones would arrive. Some clients went through C.T.I. (Career Training Initiative) but still couldn't move on. Some clients were in and out and back again...others just settled in for years.
I was writing to my friend (a former client then living in B.C.) venting my frustration and I said, "What do I have to do...be homeless myself to understand this?" The words no sooner hit page when I knew that is exactly what I would have to do. We need to know our clients...the homeless and the street people, two very different populations with very different needs. We can't hope to provide truly relevant solutions without first understanding the people we want to help.
This journey is teaching me (and vicariously, you) alot about the world of the homeless and what they deal with on a day to day basis. We will never eliminate homelessness, the world has always had street people (drunks, druggies & drop-outs), that isn't going to change. Philadelphia has a very successful rehousing model which as reduced the homeless population by 70%, freeing shelters & resources to help the street people they were designed to help. If you have learned only one thing so far from this journey I hope it is that, the face of homelessness has changed this is a new population requiring new attitudes resulting in new solutions.
Just so you all know, my friend and I are in temporary housing. It is as expensive as an apartment, but hotels have more flexibility regarding payment arrangements. This allowed for a lower initial cash outlay. Still the Intent to Rent form was an issue, so I cashed out an RRSP paid the rental rate and security deposit in cash. Social Services refunded the allowable portion on the basis of the receipt. I'll be moving on soon, but she should be able to handle the rest from here. She is a smart, capable young woman and I am really glad I'm able to count her among my friends. That has to be the best part of this journey... all the amazing people I get to meet.
I guess reading my rants, you might get the impression I'm out here simply to expose all the deficiencies in the shelter system. It is actually the opposite, I'm on a quest to find out what works... and make that information available so we can improve services. I suppose it is possible that I have never shared with you how this all began. So today I will go back to July 21 2008.
A young client from SunAlta (a satellite shelter of the Calgary Drop-In) was caught up in an escalating cycle of violence. Although some of the incidents were caught on tape, the police alleged they could not arrest anyone because the injured parties would not prefer charges. Actually they could have made an arrest (perhaps not have succeeded at trial) but putting this boy or one of his attackers in remand for a few days would have provided a cooling off period and averted the continuing blood shed. The D.I. had to life bar the kid to protect others from being caught in the "crossfire". I took the only action I could think of, and in breech of company policy, I bought the boy a one-way ticket back to his Manitoba home. It took all my disposable income but it was the only option that I could see.
Was there something we could have done differently? I look at our agency (The Calgary Drop-In and Rehab Centre) and it is state of the art. Everything under one roof, life skills, job skills, job banks, clothing, medical, counselors, meals...everything right there. From the perspective of the public and even as a worker, all this SHOULD be making a difference. But still little seemed to be changing. The centre was still full every night, for every person who left two new ones would arrive. Some clients went through C.T.I. (Career Training Initiative) but still couldn't move on. Some clients were in and out and back again...others just settled in for years.
I was writing to my friend (a former client then living in B.C.) venting my frustration and I said, "What do I have to do...be homeless myself to understand this?" The words no sooner hit page when I knew that is exactly what I would have to do. We need to know our clients...the homeless and the street people, two very different populations with very different needs. We can't hope to provide truly relevant solutions without first understanding the people we want to help.
This journey is teaching me (and vicariously, you) alot about the world of the homeless and what they deal with on a day to day basis. We will never eliminate homelessness, the world has always had street people (drunks, druggies & drop-outs), that isn't going to change. Philadelphia has a very successful rehousing model which as reduced the homeless population by 70%, freeing shelters & resources to help the street people they were designed to help. If you have learned only one thing so far from this journey I hope it is that, the face of homelessness has changed this is a new population requiring new attitudes resulting in new solutions.
Monday, November 2, 2009
Out in the Cold
November 2, 2009
The Vancouver Sun October 29 2009 reports that B.C. is giving police the power to force street people into shelters in the event of a cold weather alert. There is much controversy around this move for several reasons. There is of coarse the cynical view that this is just a ploy to clear the streets for the Olympic Games. But since the legislation does not include the forced confinement of the person in question I don't see this as a likely tool for improving the urban aesthetic. That very flaw is what makes me skeptical about the efficacy of the new law. People who don't seek the warmth and security of a shelter are doing so for reasons outside of hunger and cold. They have mental health or addiction issues which out weigh, reason and good judgement. The police can bring them against their will to a shelter, but they are free to promptly walk away. Are we going to keep picking the same individuals up all night to give them a little defrost time in the back of various cruisers? That might actually work. I think it is far more likely police will record each drop off, so that if anyone turns up dead in the morning city administration can say. Too bad...So sad...we did our best, NOT OUR FAULT.
Fortunately cold weather alerts are rare on the west coast. There is something in Alberta called a form 10 which allows police to order (I think it is 72 hour) commitment to hospital of a person deemed to be a danger to self or others. Now wanting to stay out in -20c weather could be seen as a danger to oneself. But first the police would have to establish that the choice of nesting place did not offer protection from the elements.
According to the CBC report there are questions about what would be allowed as necessary and reasonable force to get the homeless person to comply. The issue of civil liberties was also raised, don't people have a right to self determination. Let me break out my Ethics (B.A. Philosophy) degree for this one. The principle of universalism states that any right we claim for ourselves we must be willing to extend to everyone else. So we get to sleep any where we want...that means we should let others sleep anywhere they want. Not the answer I was hoping for. Let's look at Utilitarianism...the greatest good for the greatest number. A person choosing not to sleep in a shelter affects us how? For that matter a person freezing to death affects us how? Not much...but that is not the answer I was looking for either.
I believe what I am looking for comes under the Social Contract, by choosing to live with a group of others we choose to relinquish certain rights for the common good. As long as people choose to live in any given community they enter into the social contract. Our governments and police have fiduciary duty to protect the citizens, in return we give up a certain level of self determination. Inequities in the application of the law are a discussion for another time. I guess the principle that applies best to this legislation is DO NO HARM. Letting someone freeze to death or worse is definitely harmful.
The Vancouver Sun October 29 2009 reports that B.C. is giving police the power to force street people into shelters in the event of a cold weather alert. There is much controversy around this move for several reasons. There is of coarse the cynical view that this is just a ploy to clear the streets for the Olympic Games. But since the legislation does not include the forced confinement of the person in question I don't see this as a likely tool for improving the urban aesthetic. That very flaw is what makes me skeptical about the efficacy of the new law. People who don't seek the warmth and security of a shelter are doing so for reasons outside of hunger and cold. They have mental health or addiction issues which out weigh, reason and good judgement. The police can bring them against their will to a shelter, but they are free to promptly walk away. Are we going to keep picking the same individuals up all night to give them a little defrost time in the back of various cruisers? That might actually work. I think it is far more likely police will record each drop off, so that if anyone turns up dead in the morning city administration can say. Too bad...So sad...we did our best, NOT OUR FAULT.
Fortunately cold weather alerts are rare on the west coast. There is something in Alberta called a form 10 which allows police to order (I think it is 72 hour) commitment to hospital of a person deemed to be a danger to self or others. Now wanting to stay out in -20c weather could be seen as a danger to oneself. But first the police would have to establish that the choice of nesting place did not offer protection from the elements.
According to the CBC report there are questions about what would be allowed as necessary and reasonable force to get the homeless person to comply. The issue of civil liberties was also raised, don't people have a right to self determination. Let me break out my Ethics (B.A. Philosophy) degree for this one. The principle of universalism states that any right we claim for ourselves we must be willing to extend to everyone else. So we get to sleep any where we want...that means we should let others sleep anywhere they want. Not the answer I was hoping for. Let's look at Utilitarianism...the greatest good for the greatest number. A person choosing not to sleep in a shelter affects us how? For that matter a person freezing to death affects us how? Not much...but that is not the answer I was looking for either.
I believe what I am looking for comes under the Social Contract, by choosing to live with a group of others we choose to relinquish certain rights for the common good. As long as people choose to live in any given community they enter into the social contract. Our governments and police have fiduciary duty to protect the citizens, in return we give up a certain level of self determination. Inequities in the application of the law are a discussion for another time. I guess the principle that applies best to this legislation is DO NO HARM. Letting someone freeze to death or worse is definitely harmful.
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