On Tuesday, April 15^th, Sam and I had the opportunity to educate and promote the issues of hunger and homelessness to the members of Alpha Xi Omicron and their friends. We had an impressive turnout of about 15 people and were pleased to see the sorority members attend with friends. Through our presentation, we hoped to spark new opportunities to attack this important issue through the community service pillar that this sorority and the rest of the Greek Life community hold dear. Our goal was not only to raise awareness of this societal issue, but also to motivate more action towards a solution starting with the university’s organizations.

Our presentation began with gaging our audience’s knowledge about what they believed homelessness to be and if it they considered it an individual or societal problem. By using a PowerPoint presentation, videos, books, and other materials we were able to give them a well-rounded overview of what this course hunger and homelessness is and what it was that we learned about.

The governmental barrier that the issue of homelessness is up against was the most upsetting to our audience. They voiced arguments that there is all this government action that they have heard and or read about. We used materials from the course to give them some answers. In just discussing these issues within the larger picture, we hoped that it would further motivate a willingness to become more active. However, what truly motivated our audience was the second part of our presentation that revolved around promoting awareness, a taste of our internship experiences, and solutions in current practice.

Since our main goal was to inform the sorority of an issue that they promote awareness and action, we showed them a video summarizing the Pilion Trust Chairty’s creative F*ck the Poor campaign as an example of a way to not only spread awareness, but also to show the problem surrounding society. We emphasized through this video that creativity is key in grabbing the attention of people who would otherwise ignore the homelessness issue.

At the end of our presentation, we both hoped that we had provided our audience with at least an ounce of the knowledge that this course has provided us and that through teaching the Alpha Xi Omicron sisterhood, the awareness of the hunger and homelessness issue in America will spread to other University of Redlands Greek and non- Greek organizations. If we have learned anything from this class, it is that awareness is the first step in addressing any issue and that is what we tried to emphasize. Our goal was to give Alpha Xi Omicron the tools to promote hunger and homelessness just as they promote awareness for RAINN and other important issues and hope that it was enough to not only make them care, but make them act. Just like the F*ck the Poor campaign slogan states, “We know you care, please care enough to give”, we want them to take it one step further and just act.

Educating is just the start in this fight against hunger and homelessness. Hopefully Sam and I have impacted and showed the reality to these lovely ladies and friends just as professor Jim Spickard has done.

I decided to look up some articles on hunger and homelessness and the actions being taken in regards to them. As I was searching I came across two articles about the actions being taken that DO NOT prevent hunger and homelessness. These two articles left an impression on me. One of the articles was about two police officers that thought it was okay to have a contest to see how many homeless signs they could take away from the homeless. That to me was beyond disrespectful, this brought into mind the flaws in our system. If the authority does not talk the initiative to help and instead make fun of those going through hard times then what example do they leave for the community. In addition to disrespecting the homeless and taking away a sign that is not in any way illegal and is a form of freedom of speech, their sanction for such actions was a three day suspension with no pay. Many citizens in the community were in disagreement of the sanction because they felt that the sanction was not  valid for the actions that were done by the police officers. The other article that I found was about bills and different actions taking place in larger cities that are banning any help being provided to those who are hungry and homeless. This to me brought me much anger. Why is our society continuing these awful patterns and yet they want hunger and homelessness to end? There is a lack of government support in regards to hunger and homelessness. Actions need to be taken.

Links to articles: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/27/police-officers-collect-homeless-signs_n_4865959.html?utm_hp_ref=homelessness

http://theeconomiccollapseblog.com/archives/feeding-the-homeless-banned-in-major-cities-all-over-america

As the course is coming to an end my interest for hunger and homeless is beginning to grow even stronger. There was so much information and knowledge I received from this course with the readings that were assigned, guest/professional speakers, and I think the most important and valuable, the internship.

Although my time in participating in my internship for this course has finished I will continue on being a volunteer. I was fortunate enough to be part of two internships, seeing two different styles of organizations. With class discussions and the readings assigned I was able to really observe and see both the strengths and the flaws within these organizations.

The first internship I volunteered at was not what I had expected all. There was a different feel to everything there. They lacked staff members, volunteers, and communication amongst each other. I was never greeted by any sort of staff but was taken in by one of the individuals that lived there. I really wanted to know more about them, how they got there, the programs they are committing too but nothing was shown or said. The website for this shelter said they had a lot of programs yet I never saw any activities of that sort. Perhaps the programs were not simply given the days I went. It seemed to me that the goal there was to fix and mold, to make the individuals grow up. As we discussed in class, many shelters think that fixing is what they need to do. I believe the individuals need a hand and a present example of a person with stability not someone who wants to fix them because they are all wrong an unacceptable of some sort. It was hard to see the way in which these individuals were demanded to do some stuff by one of the two directors. It seemed completely unprofessional the way in which the directors went about certain things. Something I found to be different and perhaps better in a sense is the idea of not enabling. Most of the other shelters consisted of serving food, volunteer catering to the individuals but it was not like that in this shelter. The individuals taken were assigned different chores and jobs around the lot. For example if someone was cooking they cooked for the rest of the individuals in the household. They were a very small network, they acted as a family in the way that each person take initiative to complete a task to maintain a clean household.

The second internship I went to was better organized. This organization focused on the youth in Redlands. They had a variety of staff members, donations, and volunteers. The way they are structured and even the process in becoming a volunteer seemed to be very legitimate. They take precaution in everything they do with the youth that come. They are very accepting of any youth, some of those kids come there frequently or once a month, simply depending on them. They are not forced to go to any treatment. Basically the main goal of this organization is to give care and support to the youth. One thing that they are currently lacking is resources because they are there to also provide educational resources. One of the main reasons why they are lacking that at the moment is because they are under reconstruction.

Regardless of what these shelters/ organizations are lacking they are doing something towards helping decrease hunger and homelessness. They are dedicating time and effort on the lives of others and that is admirable.

We are coming towards the end of semester in this course, hunger and homelessness. One of the most eye opening courses I have had the privilege of taking. We have gone over different aspects of hunger and homelessness from history, to personal stories, to structural issues, to organizations and programs that are established to minimize hunger and homelessness. We are now discussing ways to end this ongoing issue that seems to be increasing.  One of the main starting points is raising awareness. Our teaching project will be the start for me and others to take action towards hunger and homelessness. Educating people is one of the simplest forms to take action. I will be teaching and informing a group of young ladies who work with charity and community service. I am know that individuals are aware of homeless yet do not know what truly goes in the lives of the people both experiencing and the staff at facilities whose goal is to decrease hunger and homelessness. This is as i have mentioned before a worldwide issue, seen with our guest speakers from Cambodia. “ABC’s and Rice” is a successful organization that has helped the lives of many in Cambodia, run by Tammy Durand. The passion individuals like Tammy have, is what keeps those experiencing hunger and homelessness on their feet with hope to return to a life of stability. Tammy is admirable. Each community simply needs a group or even an individual to bring awareness and tackle down hunger and homelessness. There is more to hunger and homelessness than you make think. Get informed.

Once again in class Vincent Lyon-Callos book:” Inequality,
Poverty, And Neoliberal Governance: Activist Ethnography in the Homeless
Sheltering Industry” has struck me. Like most of the books read in
this course I have encountered different perspectives, ideas, and beliefs of
those that have become homeless.  Some of the main topics Lyon-Callo mentions is the separation of those deserving and undeserving homeless. In most cases and seen in my participation in shelters, undeserving and deserving homeless are truly recognizable. The difference in recognizable in the sense that they have already been placed into this groups and get treated in different ways from both the staff and volunteers.  There are so many structural problems but as mentioned in class how do we tackle these reoccurring problems? Up to bottom or from bottom up? There were also things such as abuse and use. Where is it that we draw the line? Something that was brought up in our class discussion was, what if we were the staff? What would we do to change the system? It is a very difficult question because as much as we want to change there are things such
as findings that will be affected if there is a change in the way this
shelters/programs run. Lyon-Callo talks about that on page 166, the way in
which these volunteers and staffs are afraid of the change. As well as in page
115 where he mentions how volunteer feel worthless. It’s the concept that you
are there ‘helping’ the homeless by putting food in boxes, separating clothes,
talking to them and yet you cannot provide a home or a stable life for them.
How do we as a society tackle the structural issues?

After going over the readings in Vincent Lyon-Callos: Inequality, Poverty, And Neoliberal Governance: Activist Ethnography in the Homeless Sheltering Industry, we get an outline of the larger problem (hunger and homelessness) by attacking the micro incidents as mentioned in class. All the sub categories make up what we may think are the reasons why hunger and homelessness is not decreasing and instead increasing. One of the main points my group focused on was medicalizing homelessness. It is the theory or the usage of diagnosing, detecting and treating disorders. Most of the common disorders found for those who have become homeless in depression, sexual assault, loss of family member(s), and many others. It is the idea that there is something wrong with the individual not the society as a whole. It is the production of self-blame and self-governing that will allow one to get self-help treatments. For example if a homeless individual has a drug problem they can choose to go through a 12 step program, if another individual was sexually assaulted they go to counseling, things of this sort. By allowing volunteers and staff members of shelters to continue this belief and practice it promotes the repetition and assumptions that homeless people have something wrong with them, the notion that they have become homeless for one of those main reasons that are typically related or assumed of homeless in general.

The material and the first few chapters of the book are truly intriguing. The question that was asked by the professor startled me. Is this what is really occurring or does the author just want us to believe this. I think many of the stuff mentioned is true, at least from my personal experiences helping out in the shelters but I don’t think it is always the case.

Does America want to help those suffering hunger and homelessness or is it simply an issue that will remain ignored in the bigger picture? We have gone over various shelters in our hometown, what and who they focus on. Some of these shelters have interesting programs to get their clients back on their feet, which usually tends to be temporary fix. The question is, are these shelters enough to help the San Bernardino county decrease hunger and homelessness. I think about Redlands and try to figure out how the hunger and homelessness issue is being treated. I have not seen many homeless shelters and if there are they are hidden so most homeless cannot find the help and resources they need. I try to understand the way in which shelters work, because each shelter usually holds 6 to 10 men and women for an overnight bed stay and works their other facilities/departments during the day. Why only host beds for that little amount of people. I believe that hosting overnight stays for a larger amount of people will help decrease homelessness out in the streets and will create a better starting point for homeless to recover. Is the attitudes and or ways in which volunteers who help and participate in shelters causing for hunger and homelessness to remain: ‘fix people’, ‘repair’, ‘the other people’. This is a nationwide issue. I just recently have been able to see those suffering hunger and homelessness in New York City and it’s quite a scene. The city that never sleeps, most homeless are hidden in subways and occasional in parks. I have seen the signs and it seems to me that the homeless here are blunt, they will tell you what they will use the money for.

All the politicians who are running for position talk about helping clean parks, the water shortage, and things such as cutting budgets from different fields, but where is homelessness mentioned? Many argue that they do not want to see homeless in the streets, but no one in higher authority wants to bring this issue to the table. New resources are available but why isn’t this issue an important subject of matter in the United States.

The resources (i.e. shelters & programs) are their but are they being used properly or to their full potential?

Volunteering at a shelter has been an experience that  has opened up my eyes to the way in which shelters and other programs are run to help out those who are struggling with hunger and homelessness.

At  the moment they house three homeless, a young boy, a young women, and an older lady. I had envisioned going to a bigger agency and meeting all different types of fellow citizens. Although this was not the case I still managed to observe on the way in which the shelter runs. The director runs the facility and actually happens to live on the same property. This shelter is different from the others in the sense there are no staff members, only the director and her son. I admit I was pushed out of my comfort zone, the whole experience was pretty sketch. There were some things which seemed to be different. This shelter has ties to a Christian background helping those dealing with hunger and homelessness. There is no services they are required to go but most of the regulations made are based on the sense of Christian morality. This not only gives a sense of faith and hope to those in the shelter.

The shelter not only houses these people in need but also offers programs such as nutrition programs, GED classes, and other. The program runs for two different situations, a two week help and a 90 day temporary shelter program. After this time new accommodations are made for those living in the shelter. They have all sorts of parenting help for parenting. They help those confronting hunger and homelessness each and every day recover to get back on their feet like many other shelters. What is different about this shelter is the style of living. Each individual seemed to have their own little studio type of housing. They are able to have privacy and a space to relax. There is not overcrowding which allows them to have better communication amongst themselves. It has a very home feeling, they seem to feel comfortable and the volunteers are the guest.

I was not able to speak much with those who were living there but the way they interacted with each other showed me that they are each other’s support system. This reminded me of the support systems we have looked at out in the streets. Those who are dealing with hunger and homelessness have another incentive of giving and helping each other to survive. They become a family and contribute on helping each other recover from hunger and homelessness.

The shelter has regulation and or rules. Each individual is assigned there chore and are required to do so. That way the shelter maintains its structure and cleanliness. Unlike many other shelters I have heard about these individuals are not being handed they learn to care for themselves with the proper help.

Throughout these last couple days of class we have gone over some of the programs and other organizational that are created to help with the decreasing the percentage of a hunger and homelessness. Even though we have been progressing with more programs and organizations hunger and homelessness seems to continue to grow and the programs/services are beginning to have cut backs and the help for those in need is becoming more restricted. Cutting back these programs/services causes those who were in the border of getting out of extreme poverty to go right back down and lead to more and more families who are in need. America keeps on saying they are creating more and more need based services but more and more people are becoming homeless, is it the economic downfall we had? Will it get better? But why has it mot progressed since the 1970’s? There are a lot of questioned that are just up in the air. I just do not understand if the government doesn’t want to fund why is there laws being passed in smaller communities prohibiting fellow citizens who want to give and help those in need.

I am glad to be participating in the internship it allows me to understand this hunger and homelessness issue that is being dealt in America. After going to icare shelter I have been shocked. I think I am learning the one side of homelessness that I have never really thought of, which I will later discuss in our class presentations. The people there seem shy I wish they were more interactive but I hope to get more about the stories and programs that are said to be given in the shelter. Shelters are the beginning process to helping those recover from hunger and homelessness and I am happy to be a part of there process and I hope to find the real issue to why homelessness is increasing and why America is decreasing findings and prohibiting the help when a large portion of our population is becoming poorer and poorer.

There are many causes of homelessness throughout the world. Some causes may have been sudden and other were a series of events that led to homelessness. Time after time we hear and are brain washed to believe that homeless people are homeless because they chose to mess up in life or simply are low-lifes that are lazy. All those nasty stereotypes are spread from generation to generation making homeless people have a bad representation to who they are and how they got to be on the streets. Homelessness is an issue that many choose to ignore and be ignorant about. After reading  Reeve Vanneman’sonline summary of Christopher Jencks’ “The Homeless,” i was able to understand some of the earliest causes of homelessness.

As time passes new causes have began to appear. Many of the causes mentioned by Christopher Jencks are still very common. The assignment given to us brought me to some really interesting findings. Some of my findings came to a surprise although many , after doing the assignment, were  obvious causes of homelessness. One of the most obvious ones was natural disasters, hurricanes, tsunamis, earthquakes, and many others can cause many to become homeless. I think it is also important as mentioned in class, to understand that there are causes that make you become homeless instantly and then there are little factors that add up and can lead to one becoming homeless. One of the ones that is a minor cause/factor is roommates. I was initially taken back because i currently have roommates. It made sense after reading about roommates as a cause of homeless because at any point in time they can decide to move out and i am then left to try to gather the money for my apartment and try to find new roommates.
Every individual homeless has a story to how they became homeless. Although many individuals think homeless is or should be blamed on the individual themself who is currently on the street they need to research different causes. The best way to open up the eyes of society is by educating them about this.