Amy's story

Recently, I had the pleasure of speaking with a bright young lady, in her mid 20's, who, with her bright blue eyes, dirty blonde locks, and pretty as pie smile, could have fit in almost anywhere in America, big city club, or hometown hang out.  Sadly, Amy's story is not so happy as that, though it is becoming quite common.  You see, Amy has had her life turned upside down and inside out by economic hardships, and aid systems that have failed completely.  Now, in all fairness, Amy is an old friend of mine, who I hadn't heard from in some time, and happened to run back into.  Her story however, is sad and all too familiar.

Amy is 26, and a single mother of a four year old little boy, who is her light and joy.  She has not seen him in months, when she lost her apartment for lack of work.  She had been working at a busy retail store, and enjoyed her job, her co-workers, and the life she led.  As the economic fall worsened, the company she worked for was forced to cut hours repeatedly, and soon Amy was working 15 or so hours a week, instead of 35 to 40.  Bills started to pile up, she was relying on family and friends for help, and childcare (finding a sitter was expensive), and the problems were starting.

"I tried and tried and tried to find a job.  First it was that I didn't yet have college.  Then well, it's frustrating when no one ever calls you back.  You just apply and apply, talk to manager after manager, and wait.  You never hear back and you never know.  It gets to the point where you wonder if it's even worth trying anymore."

Soon, she had to give up her car, and then, her apartment management gave her the choice to go, or face eviction.  No one she knew had room for her and her son, though her mother offered to take care of the child, so at least he would be spared the experience.  For months she tried to find work, bouncing from couch to couch as she could, shelters or the street when she couldn't.

"My first night on the street, I didn't sleep.  I was scared to death.  I found great hiding spots, but I was always afraid someone knew them, and I would wake up to being raped."  her words soft, looking down, almost like she was ashamed to admit her fears.

Eventually, she heard from an old friend of her father, who lived several hours away, but was a lead on a demolition crew for a renovation contractor.  He told her if she could get there, he could use her as a laborer, when he had work.  He also told her he could let her sleep sometimes at his house, but only when he didn't have his kids, as his ex wife would try to use it against him.

"It's really nice of him, I get to stay there at least three nights a week, more on the weeks he doesn't get them weekends.  Sometimes one of the other guys will let me use their couch, or a porch.  It's hard here, I don't know many people, and I am still always worried someone will find me."

She goes on to admit she sometimes sleeps at the sites they work, figuring them safer than the streets.  She says she has woken up once, to find someone there, and that she ran.

"I was terrified, I didn't know why they were there, and I don't know if he was going to hurt me or not, but I was too scared to find out, so I ran.  I ran until I couldn't run any more, and then I just curled up in bushes and cried myself back to sleep.  In the morning, it took me a while to figure out where I was."

She tries to find someone with a phone every night to call her son, talk to him and tell him goodnight.  She misses him, and plans to save up for an apartment.

"I filed for help, you know, food stamps and all.  They give me some help with food, which helps a lot, but they told me that the HUD list is so long, it could be years before I see anything.  I tried some churches, but they just send me to HUD.  I just want help to get a place, so I can get my son back.  I miss him so much.  It hurts, he's the only reason I go on most days."

She had to go then, and I was really sad.  I remember this girl from years ago, bright, smiling, full of life and hope.  Back then she hoped to go to college, maybe become a teacher.  Now, she just wants a little help and a chance at life again.

A few changes

First, let me thank you all for your awesome support.  Thank you so much, it is generosity, belief and caring such as all of yours that drives projects like this and others to success.  Second, let me assure all of you that this project is still going to happen.  No if, ands, buts, maybes, failures, or set backs about it.  I have learned much through the process of this kickstarter campaign, and am prepared to make some changes to make this happen.  The most important lesson is that kickstarter, while a great and wonderful resource, may not be right for this project.  The pressures it places to have to go for a higher goal, and the time restrictions are just not conducive.  I can and plan to still make this work, and start on the same kind of time line.  It will be even more possible still with all of you, but first, let me lay out the plan of action.
I have a line on a sizable amount of surplus socks, undershirts, and the like, and only need to help with getting them shipped.   With those, and (hopefully) the basics of the project need, I will go out and start the project, and begin with bringing at least some of the stories, images, and successes to the world through the project blog, thus allowing all of you, and the world to see what good is being done, not just believe in what I plan to do.  Since a larger amount of the initial fundraising goal was for portions of the project down the road (publishing and the like), and by careful stripping to start, I believe that by bringing evidence of the project as it is happening, and switching to a live, pay pal based donation will allow people to donate as they can, and as they see the good that is happening.  This will allow for the collection of the small amount of ongoing needed funds, and the collection of the amounts needed later.
I would like to invite you all to join me at the blog, and of course follow the progress of the project, as well as urge you to please consider bringing your already pledged donations over to the new system, to help with the upstart and continued success of this project.  I know this is asking a lot, and an inconvenience, for which I sincerely apologize.  Life though, is a learning process, if nothing else, and I have learned some of the limitations of and needs to run a project of this nature.  I ask each of you from the bottom of my heart to continue to support this project, and help make a difference.  That said, I also understand if any of you wish to change your outlook on this.  You have already shown great and wonderful support and I cannot thank you enough.
On the subject of the rewards, I will do everything in my power to still provide those promised rewards to those of you who have already pledged, were promised these, if you choose to switch over with us and continue to support the project.  Fair of course is fair.
So then I invite you all to join us on the blog, share it with others, and encourage others to share in the feeling of goodness we can spread!

This will happen.

Realize that one way or another, I am going out and making this happen.  I would like to do this full on, right out of the gate and make things happen.  For that, yes I need the help of others who think the homeless are deserving of our help.  That homelessness is a social issue.  No, I didn't say problem, as that is to all encompassing and unfair, especially to those who choose the lifestyle.  For the thousands who thought they were secure in the life that they were raised to believe in, who have lost everything, and the thousands still losing everything, it is very much an issue of society.  It's not going to get better easily, nor by ignoring it, shuttling them off to other places, making it illegal to feed them, or just throwing them into buildings and saying they aren't homeless any more.  First and foremost they need to know that someone cares.  Then they need a place in society again.  Yes, I am speaking above the obvious initial needs of food, water, shelter.  I think everyone knows those needs are the most primary things in any life.  So dammit, I am going to go out, show that someone cares, and collect stories, troubles, experiences, hope, and bring it back and spread it out in a format that 9-5 America can understand.  With words and images that even the spin doctors cannot deny.  When we accept the issue, and the environments around it, we can strive to alter things to allow everyone back into the fold.  We as a people,a society, a culture, a TRIBE, have to start caring about ourselves, our neighbors, and the rest of the community, and realize, no one can make it through this life completely alone, and no corporation, no government, no body of important people is ever going to be responsible for making sure we all live and live well, if for no other reason than, it is not their place.  It has to start at the bottom, with the people.  Join me in making that step happen, that difference start as a small candle flame, and spread it to others, light every surface and inspire others to care, shame them for not caring, and together, we can fan the inferno of change into the hearts and souls of the world.

Take the steps.  Care.  Do something.

We can do it

Still working to make the goal to get this project going.  I know we can do it, through just a little giving, a little caring.  Think of the help and smiles, the stories that need to be told.  Help us do it.  I know we can.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2046690400/life-from-the-fringe-america-outside-of-9-to-5

Building steam

So the kickstarter is starting to build steam, and is up to $365, but there is a long way to go there.  17 days left, and it is an all or nothing deal, so please, help as much as you can, and share with everyone.  With your help I can help make a difference!

Also, pay attention to the situations in Orlando, and Philadelphia, hotspots of legislative action against the homeless.  In Orlando, an ordinance prohibits feeding groups of people in public parks without a permit, and then only twice a year per park.  Members of Food not Bombs are being arrested for trying to feed the homeless, and the mayor has called them, "food terrorists".  In Philadelphia, there is an attempt to pass legislation which would criminalize being homeless.

Get involved, volunteer, and help support programs large and small to make a difference.

Hope and concern

Yesterday was a pretty good day for the project in some ways.  A few new backers pledged to help on the kickstarter  (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2046690400/life-from-the-fringe-america-outside-of-9-to-5) and it's getting there, but there is still a way to go.  I really do need everyone's help, just a little, to make this happen.  We can do this, together a difference can be made!

Also, one person accused me of leading people on with an personal agenda under the guise of charity.  This really burned my goat, but I held back and tried to engage them with civility, as it is not his fault he is so mistrustful, it is his nature.  I am not doing this to gain personally, nothing more than the good feeling from helping, making a difference in other people's lives.  I am going to be living in a very much underpriviledged manner myself, traveling, and paying no concern to cultural comforts myself.  This is not about me.

Another group I was nominally a part of, which had no posted rules at all, expressed that sharing the project there was off topic and they were being nice by allowing the link to stay, but updating the status of the project, was pushing it a bit.  Another example of how people don't want to have to see today's problems,  and will spend more effort to put it behind a blinder, instead of help out.  It makes me sad for those who bury themselves in their diversions so fully.

Change challenge!  Take all your pocket change, set it aside from now till next friday, round it to the nearest dollar, and pledge it to the kickstarter.   I dare you  to do so, and dare you to dare everyone you know to do so!

Thoughts and invitations

It seems sometimes like such an insurmountable thing.  To get others to care enough to help, so that those less fortunate can have some measure of hope, a smile, a bit of human decency.  I will shoulder on, as others do so as well, and little by little, by faith, or perseverance, or just bullheadedness, we make a difference.

I also invite everyone who sees this to share, ideas, thoughts, stories, encouragement, or whatever is on your mind.  Remember, just a little help can go so far.  Please, join with me if you will, and help, even a few dollars here and there will help so much.  Every smile and every story is worth it.  It truly, truly is.

Monthly efforts

In addition to the above, spurred by the words of Shay Kelly of Project 5050 (check out her efforts as well, http://www.project-5050.com/ ), I am going to start making a difference while doing this.  There are already resources to get food, shelter is harder, and clothes are iffy as well.  So far I am not settling into any one thing, but I am thining along the lines of shoes, socks, underwear.  These simple things mean so much to those who don't have clean ones to put on.  I am going to talk to those in need, and get a better feel as I go.  I am setting the goal at 300 a month right now.  That's ten dollars a day to help the less fortunate.  Get the word out,  we can all make a difference, for just a little bit.

An idea arises

So I get asked fairly often, how and why I thought up this project.  Well, with the morbid economy, a job market with about as much action as watching grass growing gets, and myself in the middle of all this, stuck like hundreds of thousands of others, I figured I should make some good come of my situation.  Yes, as of this moment, and for some time now, I am functionally homeless.  I have a place to stay for a short bit, due to the extreme kindness of some friends, but it is short term.  I know I will be back out, with no roof or direct help, and plan to make something real of it.  I am going to embrace it, delve into it and explore the difficulties, the hardships, the prejudices, pains and pleasures of being without. A strange sort of scavenger on the edges of society.  Still interacting, yet not a contributing part of.

Along the way, I will document this strange transition, what I see, what I learn, what I experience.  Some of which will be regular updates here.  Most of which will go into a book.  Through this all, I will learn what I can and must about this lifestyle, I will have no choice, there is no net to fall back on, as there is not for so many others, and I will learn, I am certain, about myself.  I will take this information, these collected experiences, and put them to work helping others, others who have no homes, either by circumstance, or by choice.  Homelessness is an issue, and it is one that needs addressing, maybe not even solving, but addressing none the less.

I invite you to follow me on this journey, and by all means, help out if you like.

Brian