In the mid-ninties, I joined a group of community actors and the Bellingham, Washington chapter of the Rainbow Coalition in a project we called: Putting a Face on Homelessness. We wrote and performed skits that addressed the issues from an empathetic perspective. The group used an speech I wrote--by that very title--for a college course as a prelude to our performances. I often played the part of the narrarator but I bowed out of the performance side of the project for the same reason I dropped Public Speaking. I'm a victim of ferocious stage-fright.
My perspective was borne from experience as a homeless, runaway wife with six kids. I chose Santa Barbara, California as my destination for that particular adventure and it turned out to be a very good thing. The kids and I camped out at Carpenteria Beach for weeks at a time until we found space at the local homeless shelter run by Catholic Community Services. It was highly illegal to live in your car, especially after the start of the school year, so we stayed at the shelter for a full month and then some. I was waiting on a check from Aid to Families with Dependant Children ... and I waited ... and I waited. I contacted the welfare office and they reported the check sent. I never received it and was called into the Fraud Squad for handwriting comparison. They issued me a huge check for all the money due me and my kids up to that point, a couple of months at $1200/mo.
We rented a house in Lompoc, California and the kids started school--things started to get different. But that's not the point. The point is how we felt when we wandered the streets, hungry but too proud to beg. Our adventure wasn't so much fun alot of the time. And we were invisible. The locals didn't see us ... couldn't see us. Wouldn't see us. We counted coins and returned bottles and cans to the liquor store--there seemed to be one on every corner and many were drive-thrus.
The kids would sit lined up on a concrete wall they shared with armies of cockroaches and ants while I shopped for oranges and granola bars. Once we were in the shelter, we didn't have to worry about lining up our next meal. We even had the option of taking a bag lunch with us out into the real world when we left each day. Various church groups would come in, cook our dinners and serve us with care and prayer.
One night, after dinner, we all congregated out in the chain-link-fenced parking lot for smokes and talk. Just a few miles away, Ziggy Marley was performing his Concious Party concert at the outdoor venue in Santa Barbara. It was 1988. We could never have afforded tickets to see him live, but his whole show echoed off the canyon walls and filled our night with the best reggae I've ever heard. His shows are different from his commercial releases ... there's more spirit and vibe when he's live.
Often, the reason for one's homelessness puts them at further risk when they ask for help. DSHS/AFDC/Welfare requires a woman to name the father of her children when she applies for assistance. When a man is named, he has the right to know where his children reside and any thought of hiding turns into an unfunny joke. Some years back, a law protecting victims of domestic violence was passed that would excuse a woman or grant her full anonymity in the case ... but the law doesn't work. If you want help, you can't hide. I'm sure the Patriot Acts don't help much, either.
Don't ever fill out a voter's registration form at a shelter or soup kitchen. That's how my checks got stolen. The guy who orchestrated the registration roundup kept the completed forms and used the personal information of hopeful voters to cash their stolen checks. This guy even had three little kids with him, one a baby in a stroller, and they were everybodies darlings. The guy and his kids disappeared the same day my checks were due. That's like the blind stealing from the blind. How low can people get?
I'm sure that there are homeless folks right here in Bellingham, today, that feel invisible and discarded. That just makes me so sad ... because I've walked in their shoes, not just once but five times in four years. I know how hard it is to break the cycle of homelessness and helplessness. I understand that, sometimes, it's hard to believe that there is any good left in the world. That's why I've started this new campaign of outreach and gifting to the homeless community in our county.
You can help by donating sample/personal sized toiletry items and small personal tokens to be included in Ziploc bags and handed out to homeless men, women and children on the streets. Take a look at a list of suggested items and gather what you have around the house. Make sure everything is fresh and new, packaged and sanitary. Include a note of incouragement, if you like, or a written prayer. Remember that the Universe never makes a mistake and your kindness will make a difference.
If you are in Whatcom County and can deliver your donations, my address is listed below. I can arrange to pick up your donations, if necessary, thanks to the help of another volunteer, SaraZ. If you are outside our area but still want to participate, you can mail the items to the address below. Every little bit helps ... and any help is appreciated more that you can know, unless you've been there and done that.
Suggested Items to Donate:Toothbrushes, Toothpaste, Dental Floss
Don't forget the kids:
Tampons, Sanitary Napkins, Condoms
Shampoo, Conditioner, Lotion, Cologne
Diaper Wipes (great for street hygiene)
Disposable Razors, Combs, Brushes
Bus Tokens/Passes, Phone Cards, Gift Cards
Granola, Protein or Fruit Bars
Vitamins, Pain Reducers, Bandaids
Socks, Hats, Shoestrings, Sewing Kits
Gallon-Size Ziploc Bags
Anything else you can think of and spare.Small, bright, happy toys
What Not to Donate:
Crayons and Coloring Books
Children's Books
Small Backpacks
Healthy Kid's SnacksSpoilable Foods/Fruits
Prescription Drugs
Anything that Requires Batteries
Used Personal Care Items
Useless, Frivilous Items
Alternately, if you chose not to donate gifting items but still want to help, you can send a cash donation to me at the address below and I will use it to purchase items not gathered from the gifting community. This is an ongoing project with the potential for more structured non-profit organization at a later date. For now, I just want to get some things out to the homeless folks who need it more that we do.
My Contact Information:
Judy DeNeal-Zucati, SHITE Organizer
(Staring Homelessness In The Eye)
2926 Eldridge Avenue
Bellingham, Washington 98225
eMail 1: judydeneal@gmail.com
eMail 2: webmaster@technohippie.com