haRdLy NOrMal - Part 2

Joe’s Finally Home

Published by hardlynormal, January 7th, 2010 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Yesterday we found out our formerly homeless friend died in his apartment. I can honestly say I love Joe. I am still trying to process this, as we all are. When he first came to us he had maggots in his leg. Joe was homeless for close to ten years and was in really bad shape.

We were able to get him admitted to a hospital. I remember it was my day off and I could not get my mind off him sitting in a hospital room alone so I drove to the hospital to visit him. I walked into Joseph’s room and respectfully asked if he would mind me visiting. In his low sulky voice he responded, “you’ll be the only one”. That still wrecks me!

I told Joe to stay there as long as he could. He had a place to stay, food, and nurses waiting on him. Being honest I didn’t think he was going to make it meaning I didn’t think he would get out of homelessness.

A co-worker found some loophole in a grant so we were able to find Joe housing. As fate would have it I was asked to pick Joe up at the shelter and drive him to his new apartment. Because I once lived on the streets I know the hard battle starts when he walks into his new life. I drove my SUV to pick him up and I remember he commented on the digital clock in the dashboard. “When’d we get those” he said surprised. It had been a long time since he was in a car. We had to follow the bus route since those were the only directions he knew. I asked when was the last time he ate at a restaurant, what was the last movie he saw. It was at that moment I made a commitment to visit him as often as I could.

This photo is my favorite photo of all time. (Click on it to see it enlarged) Joseph said this was the first time he eat steak in 13 years. I was lucky enough to take Joe to Sizzler a few times. He loved the place. I once took him to Bob’s Big Boy for a hamburger and although he would let me take his photo he wouldn’t smile like he did here. I asked him why. Joe simply said, “you didn’t buy me steak”! We both laughed. I never did get around to taking him to the movies. I tried a few times he just didn’t want to go. Life can be scary after being on the streets that long. I did get him a TV with DVD player he totally loved.

I will forever remember his smile that first day at Sizzler.

Today we learned that if Joseph’s body is not claimed in 45 days the coroner will have it cremated. At the end of the year the ashes of all the unclaimed bodies are placed in a pit.

A co-worker wrote this poem:

Finally Home

Joe walked into the office one rainy day
Turned out to be his birthday
He told me his story
Mom died after high school
It was over 30 years ago
Sounded like yesterday
No family, no friends to speak of
Unless you count the homeless services workers
At BTAC and PATH Achieve

Joe told me about the broken ankle
The job loss
The bad luck
But never did he say
Poor me
Or life sucks

No, Joe just chuckled
He told me how he kept the ants away
From the bench he slept on

I told him there’s a vacancy in the housing program
Joe just smiled, shrugged, and said,
“Okay, whatever you say”

After a hospital stay
Some time at a shelter
And cutting through red tape
Joe finally had a key to his own apartment
First time in ten years

Maria, the apartment manager, welcomed Joe
Made him feel like he belonged
He sure was grateful to have a place indoors
No more cold nights on the bench
No, Joe had a bed and a roof over his head

Joe never asked for anything
But he was grateful to all the folks who helped
He graciously accepted all the donated stuff
The bed, the table, the DVD player

When Joe stopped by the office
He was treated like a VIP
We all like success stories
Joe gave us hope
A yes in a land of no

Jenny and Cammie gave warm greetings
LaViva joked around
Nancy poured a cup of coffee
And Jutta got a bag of canned food ready

Those outreach guys
Stephan and Mark
They took Joe out for meals
They waited patiently
As Joe told them stories
Stories they’d heard a dozen times
But it was Joe

It’s hard to describe Joe
A big guy
With expressive eyes
He could light up a room
Turning a furrowed brow into a smile
And chucking over something or other

Joe loved his mom
And from what I could tell
Mereline was a remarkable woman
She raised a decent man
And even though fate dealt him a difficult hand
He played it with dignity

I’m grateful Joe walked into the office that rainy day
And even though I only knew him for a year
It’s good to know he had a place to call his own
The last year of this dusty life

Now Joe has returned to his real home
A home built without hands

by Trevor Goldstein

Another Merry Christmas – Hardly Normal Style

Published by hardlynormal, December 25th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

It truly is an honor serving hurting people on Christmas Eve. Last year was the first time I worked frontlines homeless services and it changed me forever. I honestly don’t think I can ever go back to a traditional holiday celebration after what have I experienced.

This photo is my friend Dan Portnoy helping me deliver a Christmas Tree to a homeless family’s hotel room. Don Garza also came along. After I let three homeless families pick what toys they wanted we loaded up the van with two families and went grocery shopping so they would have food the next few days.

One scared mom called me from a bus she had been riding all day. She was with her one-year-old baby and didn’t have any place to go after a domestic violence crisis. She left with nothing, not even a coat, diapers, or socks on her baby’s feet. I asked her to meet me at the hotel that we use as transitional housing for homeless families. Thanks to Sonya Keith I just happened to have several baby sweaters for all the children. I even had a coat for the mom.

As one mom with two little children stood in the doorway waving goodbye as we left my heart broke. When I first knocked on her door the oldest child looked up to me and said, “I’m hungry”. They didn’t have any food until we arrived. By no means was it a perfect Christmas for these desperate families. But in some small way we were able to help them make it a little better.

Too me, although last year is hard to beat, this was the best Christmas ever!

Magic of Twitter Brings Miracle to Homeless Family

Published by hardlynormal, December 19th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Last night I was part of a miracle that I still cannot believe happened. I had to get up this morning just to watch the video a few times for it all to sink in. This miracle was broadcast to the world in real-time via social media. And to be honest Twitter played the biggest role in giving smiles to a homeless family’s first night in shelter system.

Instead of writing a bunch of words I thought I’d cut out a few tweets so you can see the miracle unfold just like everyone else did last night.

The winter shelter is no place for children so we drive families to a hotel and voucher them until we can find a more permanent solution. This single mom was living in a van with her 9 year-old son. When the city towed their van they lost EVERYTHING! I checked the family into hotel and then took them grocery shopping. Mom told me they desperately needed a change of clothes. Another woman at the shelter has an urgent need for clothes so I broadcast the needs via twitter.

Almost instantly Pastor Matthew Barnett from Los Angeles Dream Center sent me the following direct messages.

Because the only clothes this mother and child had were on their backs I didn’t feel we could wait another day. I searched the GPS on my phone and the closest store was Walmart. I tweet I was headed there. Soon I received this.

Pastor Matthew called me. He asked me to pick out a nice toy for the boy and suggested a Nintendo DS. The Los Angeles Dream Center is the church that helped me off the streets. Matthew Barnett has been caring for homeless people for over a decade. He knows people without housing cannot carry lots of stuff so a portable video game is a perfect gift. Even typing this now thinking about last night I get emotional. Last night I was a wreck!

I opened the Ustream app and started to broadcast over the net. Ustream cuts up the clips so I edited them together. The following YouTube video is what I broadcast from my phone last night.

Response was immediate and overwhelming. Here are just a very few:

My friend Kat Armstrong wrote a post even before we all got home. Please read her powerful post here.

For as long as I can remember I have hated this time of year. As a tradition I keep wherever I live ‘Christmas free’ to escape the holiday madness. No Christmas music, no Christmas decorations, and especially NO CHRISTMAS TREES! To reflect my holiday ‘mood’ I even change my avatar to the mean Grinch. While rushing to Walmart I must have been out of my mind and tweet that if someone helped this 9 year-old boy I’d change my avatar, and if someone helped the woman with clothes I’d get a tree.

I will be getting a tree this weekend! Merry Christmas!

Last night I learned that to see miracles one must be in a place where miracles happen – that place is helping other people.

Thanks to Union Rescue Mission and PATH Achieve Glendale for taking care of homeless families at the winter shelters around Los Angeles. Very special thanks to Matthew Barnett and everyone who donated to help give a little extra love this holiday season!

‘Tis the Season to Get Dirty and Help Fight Homelessness

Published by hardlynormal, December 13th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Almost 12 months ago Danny Brown had an idea. The idea was simple: for 12 months pick one charity each month and raise $12,000 (or more) for that charity. And thus, the 12for12k Challenge was born. I believe 12for12K Challenge is one of 2009’s most brilliant ideas.

But this month, instead of just giving money, Danny is asking that we all join together to do something a little different, a little risky, a little dirty. What that means is this month we are going to take real, tangible action to support our local homeless services. That’s right, the organizations in your town that are helping people get off the streets by providing health services, housing and jobs!

I am not a numbers person because the numbers are always off. It is nearly impossible to have an accurate point-in-time count of the homeless population. Plus, many people living in hotels or ‘couch surfing ‘are never counted. What I can tell you is that hundreds of thousands of people slept outside last night and even more slept inside our shelter systems. Very large percentages are families with small children.

For many, something as simple as a pair of clean socks or a hot cup of coffee to keep warm is all they want this holiday season. Of course, they need so much more. Which is why we are asking you to join the 12for12k Community in supporting the people who are fighting homelessness in your home town.

The 12 Days of Christmas Homeless Push is rather simple. We’ve come up with a starter list themed around the 12 Days of Christmas, only this is the 12for12k version. Please feel free to come up with your own list. And I encourage homeless service organizations to publish your own lists either on the 12for12k blog, 12for12k Community, or on your websites.

It’s up to you which ones you choose, although obviously choosing all 12 will make the biggest impact. And whatever you decide to do, record it. Photographs, videos, blogs, social networks – your choice. Sharing can only make more people aware and encourage more help – and that’s always a good thing. 12for12k will share your stories on our community, so please consider joining if you haven’t already.

So… on with the 12 suggestions.

Day 1. Contact your local homeless shelter(s) and ask what they need. Make a list and work from there.
Day 2. Gather 10 friends each (family, friends, colleagues) in preparation for Helping Day.
Day 3. Challenge these friends to a bake-off. Bake a bunch of homemade goodness – soup, stews, cookies, etc – ready for Helping Day.
Day 4. Clean out your closet (especially your husband’s, 12for12k wives!), and pack up all the old clothes that you find. Coats, socks, underwear, shoes, jeans – anything and everything.
Day 5. Go through your linen closet and think of what blankets, sleeping bags, duvets, etc, that you no longer need.
Day 6. Check your pantry – do you really need all these tins of soup or canned stew? Collect and store.
Day 7. Invite a homeless person for coffee. Go to a Starbucks or McDonald’s, buy a combo, sit and talk. Get to know the person behind the story.
Day 8. Go grocery shopping. Find 2-for-1 deals and buy what you can afford. Save the second item for Helping Day.
Day 9. Kids are homeless too. Collect all your childrens’ unwanted toys and box up. This includes books as
Day 10. Go to your local fast food/coffee house and buy a bunch of gift cards ready for handing out.
Day 11. This one’s an easy one – share with your networks what’s happening and get them involved.
Day 12. This is Helping Day. Go to a shelter, take everything you and your friends/family have collected, and help. One hour; six hours; all day – it doesn’t matter. Help – serve food; give out packages; talk to people; befriend someone. Simply put – be human to another human being.

For you party animals, maybe holding a 12for12k Holiday Party to support a homeless shelter is more your style. By all means make it happen! Here is an example of what people did in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Be creative, have fun, and let’s really get dirty this holiday season to help our friends and neighbors who don’t have a home. If you have any questions or are having trouble finding a homeless services organization ask the 12for12k Community or holler at me on Twitter.

Here are a few resources that may help:

photo of courtesy of MLFNOW

We Need More Just Like ServeLA

Published by hardlynormal, December 11th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Last year I met Ben for the 1st time. He probably was the most energetic volunteer I have ever met. The location of our first encounter was Glendale’s Homeless Connect Day and it seemed like Ben was running the show – which in a way he was. Ben managed all the manpower for the day and was doing everything he could to make the day a success.

Ben is a volunteer leader (for a day gig he plays electrician) of ServeLA, a ministry out of Mosaic.

At first I was a little taken. I’ve worked in fulltime ministry for many years and usually churches just do their own thing. I am not saying that is bad. *cough* There are many great churches that have a huge impact on their community. But at the Homeless Connect Day ServeLA was helping the City of Glendale and all the other organizations involved – not just their own church community.

Taken from the ServeLA website:

What is serveLA?
We are a community of people who are committed to the future our city, striving to make whatever difference we can.

I love that! A church ministry going outside its own church body to help others is simply gorgeous! But we need more! We need ServeBoston, ServeCleveland, ServeChicago, Serve(insert your own city)!

As the economy gets worse we need to get better. One huge way we can get better is if more church leaders would be secure enough (ya, I went there) to allow their own church to build something besides their own church! I mean, we talk about community on Sunday morning then the rest of the week we only help build our own ministries. Yes, I know, your church may have bought a new basketball hoop for the local school. You may have even painted a mural. But then you went back to doing your own thing and won’t be back to help that school for 6 months or more. What I am talking about is a fulltime commitment to work with and serve the community outside of your church community!

So here’s the challenge. Assign someone to find events being held in your community, maybe even being held by another church, then have a team of people go serve those events doing whatever is asked – and without any agenda! Repeat daily! Now that’s a real church!

Bitter Cold a Major Threat to Homeless – FoxLA on winter shelter

Published by hardlynormal, December 9th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Last night FoxLA did a story about the cold that has hit Los Angeles and featured the winter shelter. News anchors say in the opening two people have been found dead from exposure! This Southern California! Imagine what it’s like in other parts of the country!

Those of you that follow me on twitter know most nights I can be found supporting the Glendale Winter Shelter which is part of the same system of support services managed by Union Rescue Mission and supported by PATH Achieve Glendale. Please support your local homeless services!

link to FoxLA story here

CNN and Huffington Post

Published by hardlynormal, December 7th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Since much of the recent traffic to this blog is coming from CNN I was going to wait until I posted a link. But tonight a friend mentioned the CNN story so I took another read. It all kind of hit me. I mean, here I am with no real resources except social media and look at all the amazing things that happened this year. I never ever thought I would visit Seattle yet I was there 3 times. 2 visits to New York City, over 26 cities and 11,263 miles by car. Actually, there is not enough time in the day to list all the adventures I’ve had this year! WOW!

I am so grateful for all the media exposure. Each post, every TV package, and every tweet help give a face and voice to people who have little influence. In rereading the CNN story and watching the CNN video (they are different) I can hardly even believe this is my life.

Read my story on CNN click here

Also honored Huffington Post listed me as one of the top twitter activists to follow.

After a year like this I cannot even imagine what next year will be like.

Former TV exec giving a voice to Seattle’s homeless (old story new post)

Published by hardlynormal, December 5th, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

I was cleaning up some links today and noticed an old video has a new interface so I can finally embed. This last summer during the road trip I was flown to Seattle to speak at Gnomedex. While there the local NBC station followed me to one of my favorite places Nickelsville.

original link to news story here

Speaking at South by Southwest Conference

Published by hardlynormal, December 3rd, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

WOW! Just WOW! I spent the last hour registering for South by Southwest Conference held in Austin this coming March 12 – 21st. I am honored to be selected to lead a ‘core conversation’ on the topic “social media for social change”.

It’s kind of scary stepping out like this. I mean, I don’t have money so booking a hotel is rather insane. But I’m reminded of last year when I was asked to speak at my first national conference. I was asked in November yet the event was not until May. As most of you know I was very close to homelessness myself back then. I accepted that invitation fully expecting to have to cancel because I would be on the streets. Interesting that although my financial situation has not changed I have spoken at several national events this year! That’s why I am saying “WOW” over and over again!

SXSW is a huge deal so of course I accepted. In fact, the format of ‘core conversation’ is a perfect fit for me. I am like crazy excited! I have no idea how I am going to get there or how I with come up with rent money that month – who cares – it’s SXSW and I’m jumping in head first!

I turn 50 years old on March 13th. I made a promise to myself that on my 50th birthday I would jump out of an airplane. Too me, skydiving is a perfect fit to celebrate this crazy life I’ve lead for half a century, and it would be a real miracle on my part to actually go through with it. Well, I guess just being able to afford a plane ticket to fly to Austin will be my perfect fit miracle.

Thank you SXSW for believing in me and a very special thanks to everyone who supported me. Especially Heather Meeker and the Whrrl team. I didn’t even know what SXSW was until they suggested I submit a panel. And my favorite foodie Babette for adding me with the rest of the ‘cupcakes’, TechZulu for adding me to their picks, and of course the only Christian site that listed me Church Marketing Sucks.

I am truly grateful.

Glendale Winter Shelter Opens

Published by hardlynormal, December 3rd, 2009 in My Big Mouth

Comments

Two days ago the Glendale Winter Shelter opened. Some of you may remember last year I helped supervise a bus stop to support the winter shelter. Too me, the first night was bittersweet. It was like a family reunion in a way seeing so many of my friends from last year. I get a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing I am part of a team that will provide a safe place, hot shower and warm meal for the next 3 months. But so very sad knowing most spent the last year living outside homeless, and there really is not enough housing to get them out of homelessness.

I asked one of my heroes Andy Bales about his 10 step plan to end homelessness.