The Experience

A couple of weeks ago I blogged about Finer Things Thursday.  Just as I experienced with the difference between talking about a homeless shelter and actually going to one, hearing about Finer Things Thursday and actually attending were very different experiences.

To begin with, I had to force myself to go to Finer Things.  It was cold and windy outside, with a good chance of rain.  But in light of not being selfish, I walked to the bus stop in my rain boots and jacket.

I was the first Poly student at Mitchell Park. The first people who I met were Kevin and Curtis, who were already there waiting for their warm meal.  I sat and talked with them as more homeless people arrived.  It amazed me how each person was different, from age 50 to mid-20s (roughly estimating.)  I did notice, however, that everyone was male!

By the time other students began to arrive with food, there were about 15 homeless people looking forward to eating “la comida” – the theme was Mexican food.  We put all of the food on one table and everyone made their plate.

The conversations during dinner truly opened my eyes to the lives’ of these people.  I heard one man talking about how he had saved money for months to buy a bicycle from Sports Authority.  He finally was able to buy it, and three days later it was stolen while he was using the restroom near the mission.

Another man, who was in his mid-20s, talked about losing his job and backpacking across California.  As I sat next to him eating my dinner, I watched him eat his without barely taking a breath between bites.  He said it was the biggest meal he had eaten for three days.  I was absolutely amazed.

The next thing that shocked me was my own fault.  During dinner, the breeze had turned into a strong wind.  I was freezing – or so I thought.  Without thinking, I complained about how cold I was.  One man looked at me and said, “Try sleeping out here.”  I was taken aback.

It’s easy to imagine something, but until you completely put yourself in someone else’s shoes, I believe it’s impossible to completely understand.  Although these people knew that there was a cold night ahead, they were so grateful that there was no room for complaining in our conversations.

As I’ve said before, it’s easy to read about these poor people, but it’s nothing compared to experiencing what they go through.  Standing outside in the cold for a few minutes is only a piece of this, and many people, like you and me, will only experience a little bit of this in our lives’.

A Guide to Help in San Luis Obispo

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Haiti Relief: Top Priority?

On Jan. 12,  a massive earthquake struck Haiti.  It was the worst earthquake in the region in more than 200 years.  The country’s infrastructure was in poor condition, and four out of five people were already living in poverty, making it the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

Since the earthquake, the American Red Cross has sent over 3 million pre-packaged meals and 3.5 million liters of clean drinking water to Haiti.  In the four days immediately after the quake, Americans raised over $150 million.

There is no doubt that Haiti needs help.  Roughly 200,000 people are confirmed dead, thousands remain missing, and about one million have become homeless.

What bothers me about this is the fact that Americans wait until disaster “strikes” before seeing a need to help.  In FOUR days, $150 million was raised.  If Americans considered the homelessness in the United States a disaster, so much more could be done to solve the issue.

It is clear that the circumstances in Haiti are severe, and America should continue to be a nation that can extend a helping hand.  I only wish that Americans would see what is in their own backyards, and realize that there are people who need help right here, every single day.

I strongly believe that if Americans knew more about the issues in this country, the problem would be addressed on a much more serious level.

An audio interview with a student in my dorm proved this point.  I asked her if there was a geographical region that she associates the word poverty with.  Her answer was Africa.  She is not alone in this.  Most people do not think that poverty in America is a serious issue.  Truthfully, when compared to third world countries, it is less serious than most.

But it is happening.  With the economy, it is happening more than usual.  Men and women are losing their jobs.  They find themselves unable to pay rent.  They find themselves unable to support a family – a family that only a year ago was living relatively well-off.

I know I make the same point a lot, but I believe that is what is going to get this message through.  You may think that you’re just one person, and that there’s nothing you can do to solve the problem.

However, this thinking is only making the problem worse.  Every bit helps.  VolunteerSLO is a great way to get started.  There are so many other opportunities to make a difference.

So for the sake of our fellow Americans, if you’re going to give $10 to Haiti relief, please give $10 more to a homeless shelter in your neighborhood.

Teens Can Help, Too!

It is not likely that many teenagers care about those less fortunate.  On the other hand, there are a handful of young adults that feel strongly about volunteering to help the homeless and those in poverty.  Somewhere between these two groups lies the group of teenagers that simply don’t know how to help.  I believe that this lack of knowledge is the number one reason that most teens don’t get involved.

While reading my Seventeen Magazine this weekend, I came across a page that instantly made me smile.  The headline, “Help Homeless Teens”, made me realize that there really is a way to reach out to young adults.  Encouragement from a parent or other adult does not always do the trick, but reading about ways to help in from people that truly influence teens just may be the answer.

The article featured Twilight’s Ashley Greene, who is the PSA spokesperson for Teens for Jeans, Aéropostale and DoSomething.org’s annual jean drive for homeless teens.  Instantly any teen flipping through this magazine would at least scan the article just because Ashley’s picture is the main focus.

Teens for Jeans is having its third annual drive, and this year the donated jeans will benefit homeless teens in Haiti.  ”Bring any brand of gently worn jeans to any Aéropostale store between January 19 and February 14.  You’ll get 25 percent off your next purchase of Aéropostale jeans!” the article says.

I am completely amazed by the person that chose to write this story for Seventeen magazine.  Not only does it get the word out there that teens can help, but it informs them that there is an incentive to donating.  This is obviously a huge plus in the mind of a teenager.

The host page for Teens for Jeans is DoSomething.org, is a source for finding volunteer opportunities in your area.  Also in the article is information about a Twitter page, Feeding America, where you can get updates on ways to get food donated to the homeless people of your community.

“Help Homeless Teens” is a successful article in plenty of ways.  It put a celebrity’s face on an important issue in order to help teens get involved and provide many resources to actually act on the issue.  I hope that more people can help spread the word to both teens and adults that there ARE ways to help, even if they aren’t staring you straight in the face.

So, if a discount on a new pair of jeans isn’t enough of an incentive, I don’t know what is! Donating that a pair of old, worn jeans that are most likely collecting dust in the bottom drawer of your dresser to a homeless teenager in Haiti is a great start to helping out!  Get out there and “Do Something!”

San Luis Obispo County Food Assistance

Living below the poverty line does not necessarily mean a person is homeless.  It is common that a person can still live in a home, have warm clothes, and possibly even have a vehicle.  However, this does not mean that life is simple.

Living from paycheck to paycheck is not unheard of in many households.  Among house payments, car payments, clothing, utilities, credit card debt, children and groceries it’s easy for a family to fall behind.  Luckily, families facing hardship can receive help with at least one of these items.

The first food stamp program began on May 16, 1939, and its beginning is credited to many people.  According to the United States Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service web site, “the program operated by permitting people on relief to buy orange stamps equal to their normal food expenditures; every $1 worth of orange stamps purchased, 50 cents worth of blue stamps were received.  Orange stamps could be used to buy any food; blue stamps could only be used to buy food determined by the department as surplus.”

There have been many changes to the way the food stamp program works over the years, the most recent being the Farm Bill of 2008.  In August 2008 the participation reached an all-time high of 29 million people per month, and $10 billion over the next 10 years was added to the current commitment.  Also, improving health through nutrition education and improving access remained on the list of priorities.

The first step to receiving food assistance is to contact the Department of Social Services to find out eligibility based on job status, income, welfare and age.  The Agency Directory can help find the department nearest you.

Food stamps work through an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card, which can hold both Cash Aid and Food Stamp benefits. An EBT card has the appearance of any bank card, therefore not drawing attention to the person using it.  There are many different forms of food stamps and cash aid, depending on the situation of a family.

The USDA Food Stamp website provides a Pre-Screening Tool to help families find out their eligibility and how much they could benefit from the program.  It is also a good idea for families to learn more about community grocery providers for needy families.

Although a family may not seem to be struggling on the outside, there is always another side to the story.  Struggling is never an easy task, and no family should give up hope.  The important thing is to make use of your resources, and do your research.  There is always someone there to help.

Meet Hector

I made my first trip to the Prado Day Center yesterday.  I was nervous to actually immerse myself in the surroundings that I write about so confidently.  The first thing I noticed was the way everyone looked at me.  This, needless to say, only added to my nervousness.  However, I don’t blame them.  I’m sure I looked out of place walking in the midst of about 50 homeless people.  But once I got past the stares, I realized that these people weren’t necessarily judging me — there was a glimmer of hope in each of their eyes.

Perhaps one of them thought I was there to donate.  Or maybe someone hoped I was there with more food.  Someone possibly even prayed that there was something I could do to make their future look a little bit less unsure.

Although I had no food or gifts to bring, I would like to believe that I did help things to look up for at least the two homeless people that I spoke to.

First I met two students volunteering for an Economics class at the front desk.  They helped me decide who would be best to interview.  Their first suggestion led me to Vickie, a woman having a conversation with a man next to one of the few computers located around the room.

Vickie seemed skeptical about talking to me, but it was easy to tell that she liked talking about her story.  She has been in San Luis Obispo for three years, and is currently traveling from shelter to shelter with her boyfriend, Peter.  According to Vickie, she had the opportunity to enter a women’s shelter, but it meant leaving Peter.  That was out of the question.

Next the students recommended that I talk to Hector.  He seemed shy at first, but then he decided he was up for an interview and led me to the garden around the side of the building.

Hector sat right down and began to tell me his story.  He is a man who is like most SLO community members; at least, he used to be.  Two years ago he lost his job.  Unlike you and me, Hector now wonders where he will be sleeping each night and he is forced to worry about where his next meal will come from.

Born in Mexico, Hector has been a resident of San Luis Obispo since 1981.  He has three brothers and one sister, all of whom have families to take care of.  Hector is not married and does not have kids, so he only has to worry about finding shelter for himself.

Through my conversation with him, I learned that just because he is homeless does not mean he is strange or crazy.  ”We need to be responsible for our actions, and know that we’re not alone,” he said.

Hector said that he knows there is something out there for him.  However, his lack of education is holding him back.  The thing that amazed me most about Hector is his willingness to admit his faults.  He did not blame his predicament on other people.  When I asked him how he lost his job I was expecting him to say it was because of the economy.  Instead, he said it was his lack of education and frustration on his part.

I admire Hector for his openness, and I was extremely grateful for our conversation.  He even let me take his picture (Vickie did not).

So there are two things that I learned yesterday: 1. Those less fortunate LOVE to share their story.  Although they may seem skeptical at first, I think they find it refreshing that there is someone out there that actually cares to know WHY they are homeless.  And 2. Not all homeless people are alike.  Sure, some may be in a predicament because of their own faults.  They may not be trying to find a job or trying to better their lives.  However, there are many that simply cannot help themselves, and yet they are willing to own up to their mistakes.

Hector taught me more than I could learn from reading online articles or searching through homeless reports.  My trip to the Prado Day Center made me eager to get out there and start helping!