1Matters – 1Votes
September 15, 2008Posted in: 0 Comments
Because 1 Matters
Many of us don’t think our vote matters — And when we think of the unhomed you can multiply that to the 10th power for those who feel so disenfranchised. And you would be right. but only for half.
The other half of the homeless are well educated on the issues and the candidates, and many do vote. Just like the rest of the population, homed or un-homed.
Bottom line, 1Matters – 1Votes is going to evaluate and eliminate any barriers that might prevent a guest or volunteer from voting. First by verifying the registration with the Secretary of States Voter database, change the address if necessary, and then all vote together, because as a group, we really do matter!
The 1Votes page has further details. For our volunteers, please plan on voting with us at Tent City! Thanks.
http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080915/NEWS09/809159942
p.s. New updates on the Tent City page and Tent City Forum.
1Votes & Tent City Announcements
September 8, 2008Posted in: 0 Comments
Tomorrow, 9/9/08 we will be having a press conference to announce 1Votes and Tent City. Details are on the 1Votes and Tent City pages.
The unique thing this year, will be working to guarantee our voice is heard. Not only are we working to get the homeless to get there vote counted, but we are also working to get our 1Matters and Tent City volunteers to vote with them and be heard.
If you are planning to be involved in Tent City, please plan on joining us and vote early WITH our friends on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. The planets have aligned this year to give us a chance to be a very loud voice in this election. The early voting coinciding with Tent City is such a perfect opportunity for us to MAKE sure our friends can vote, and have their vote counted.
We are following EVERY single letter of the law NOW to eliminate any possibility of our friend’s, or you being determined ineligible.
If we can get just half of our homeless firends, and half of our volunteers, thats at least 500 voters. And that does not inlcude all of the social services workers at all of the service agencies in town. We could probably do more, but for goals I like to aim low, and enjoy the upside. If we can deliver just 500 of us that would be cool To be 1 that Matters to those that Matter!
Tent City Meeting
Reminder:The next Tent City meeting is this Thursday, September 11th, 7:00 pm @ the Red Cross Headquarters, Central east of Secor. See you then.
The Tent City Forum is now open for you to register to volunteer or sponsor a clothing Drive!
Tent City Video 2008
September 3, 2008Posted in: 0 Comments
When one is moved to use their talents to be 1 that matters to those that matter, miracles happen. We see it time and time again.
Start with Patti Nelson who wrote words, a poem to matter to 1 that Matters….
And then Todd Gagne who wrote some music to matter to 1 that Matters….
Add Stacy Rankin who sang back up to matter to 1 that Matters….
And then add Kerry Clark who recorded and mixed the song to matter to 1 that Matters….
And then add a wicked talented editor named Nick Lanciaux who also wanted to matter to 1 that Matters….
Then you have 1 VERY powerful gift from God….
Without further ado, we introduce the song “1Matters”.
Accomanied with video that shares WHY we want to Matter to those that Matter….
1 at a time….
Thank you all!
1 does matter!
Meetings and Other Updates
August 5, 2008Posted in: 0 Comments
Have been so busy, little time for updates, but quickly….
Tent City meeting schedule is August 13, September 11th & 25th, and October 9th, 23rd and 29th. All meetings are at the Red Cross headquarters on Central Ave.
1Matters Saturday morning meetings will be August 16th, September 20th and October 18th.
Jimmy Update — Nothing good is ever easy.
Before i quit drugs and alcohol for good, i quit 20 times on my own. It is a struggle. Jimmy is having that same struggle. I have quit giving him a little cash when i see him, now i just bring food.
It is funny, well, maybe not really funny to you all, but an addict will find this highly amusing.
On one of our Wednesday dinners, it was a buzzed nite for him, you can tell. But he was saying the right words ya know, so against my better judgement (in other words, knowing better but loving a little to much) I gave in and gave him 5 bucks for some “food”. We enjoyed the rest of our time, and at the end he wanted me to drop him off at the library so he could “get some religious books”.
“Riiiiight…. Jimmy, a fresh fiver and you want religious books?”
“What, you don’t trust me?” he asked.
“Um, hell no Jimmy, of course not, would you trust an addict with a fresh fiver?”
“Oh hell no!” he said. lol
I dropped him off at the library and he slooooooowly sauntered toward the door. I had a long light, and saw him pop back out, he saw me, and kinda just stood there, acting poised to go in. I went around the corner, and around the block, he had gone to the park and was sitting on the park bench, apparently buying his religious books from the dope man sitting next to him.
There is always the next week. Nothing good comes easy.
The PIT
I will write more about this later, but I have some very significant frustrations about how this was handled by TAAEH, as well as some other things that arose at the TAAEH meeting last Friday.
(On the good news side of the TAAEH meeting, the majority of the TAAEH members went against the leadership first by forcing a vote Friday on whether or not to support Tent City, then voting down the Vice-Chair’s motion to sponsor Tent City at last year’s level ($650), and instead offered a motion to support Tent City at a more realistic level to keep up with the demand of the needs. ($850) In honor of the majority of the members of the Toledo Area Alliance to End Homelessness, we are giving them a full sponsor level.
Back in January I said the leadership does not represent the majority. It was SO awesome to see them stand up and say “No, that’s just not right!, Let us do what IS right for the homeless”.)
Back to the PIT, a good part I want to share is that Don Schiewer, Liz Simon and I walked the entire river from 280 to the Erie Street Market. During our time we found 16 people, the sort that didn’t want to be found. Other than one highly intoxicated individual, one of the three of us recognized everyone we chatted with, and they were truly glad to see us.
Not often people come looking for them who are not the law. We gave them all these nifty survival packs.
At 5 am we packed it in, knowing we reached out to 16 souls and SHOWED them they matter enough to be counted!
1Matters.
They do, they all really do.
