You Should Try This!! Non-Profit Donors Invited To Experience Homelessness For Themselves !

This is a GREAT IDEA ! HOMELESS FIELD TRIPS FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE A HOME IN ORDER TO 'GET IT'. Remember. It took like more than a year for our people here in San Francisco, to convince our own City Agency workers (Human Services Agency & Department of Public Health) to GO INSIDE OUR HOMELESS SHELTERS and try their hand at navigating a chaotic, disconnected and time consuming homeless and housing systems we have here, which are similiar to programs in other U.S. Cities. Here is an example of a very sensible and wise 'trend' in which donors to non-profits are invited to become homeless, in order to experience what is really going on and raise money at the same time. Two weeks in a homeless life in any city in our country would teach the foundations, funders, sponsors, donors and philanthropists much more about the conditions we face every homeless day, than any brochure, promo or non-profit solicitor ever could. CONGRATULATIONS TO THIS ORGANIZATION'S EFFORTS TO BREAK DOWN MYTHS AND FANTASIES ABOUT OUR LIVES AND OUR DAILY NEED FOR SUPPORT FROM EVERYONE IN OUR COMMUNITIES, UNITED AND WORKING TOGETHER TO LIVE, NOT TO PROFIT FROM OUR PEOPLE'S MISERY AND MISFORTUNES. SFHomeless Yahoo! Group Moderators SOURCE: http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/othercities/albuquerque/stories/2009/01/19/daily11.html Monday, January 19, 2009, 2:44pm MST St. Martin's seeks people to experience homelessness New Mexico Business Weekly St. Martin's Hospitality Center is using an interesting method to raise funds in these tough economic times, and to put donors in touch with its mission. The center is seeking 12 people who want to experience what homelessness is like for themselves by offering a "Street Retreat." It's a practice that has been widespread among some nonprofits since the early 1990s, said Tracy Alexis, development director of St. Martin's, which is one of the largest providers of services for the homeless in New Mexico. It was founded by volunteers from local Episcopal churches. The "Street Retreat" experience lasts for three days and two nights, Jan. 28-30. Participants eat in soup kitchens and sleep outdoors, although the group will stay together for safety, Alexis said. The idea is not to take up shelter beds that are already scarce in the city, she added. St. Martin's asks each participant to gather 12 sponsors. Each sponsor pledges to support the participant for the three days with a $100 per-day-commitment. For more information on the Street Retreat, call Alexis at (505) 242-4399 x236. We like this idea . . . All Politicians and City Leaders Must Go Homeless For A Week Before They Can Speak With Any Authority About Issues and Problems That They Now DO NOT UNDERSTAND. In fact, no politician should be allowed to make any decisions that affect People whom he has not met and does not know and has not been 'in touch' with their real lives which are affected, for better or worse by every decision made on their behalf through our representatives. In these past 8 years, many people have suffered and died while many men and women grew in power, profits, property and cash while all of us have suffered by their shockingly aweful levels of greed and corruption; kidnapping, torture and bloodshed for oil and other corporate profits. ALL OF THEIR LIVES GREW RICH AND FAT WHILE WE SUFFERED AND DIED IN MANY CITIES AND IN MANY COUNTRIES AROUND THE EARTH. We must do what we can to share real life experiences and struggles with people who can and who will not harm us, but will turn their heads around, open their minds and hearts and help us all to prosper and be safe no matter where we go and no matter who we are. WE ARE ALL AMERICANS AND NOW IS OUR TIME TO RULE OUR OWN NATION BECAUSE WE ARE CHILDREN NO LONGER. WE ARE NOW ADULT ENOUGH AND WISE ENOUGH TO TAKE BACK CONTROL OF OUR COLLECTIVE DESITINY. TODAY, WE SALUTE PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, WITH GREAT HOPE. BTW, There is an End Of Bush Party at the end of Bush Street (at Presidio) later this afternoon, to celebrate the lifting of a great burden from our shoulders, as ex-president George W. Bush, leaves our nations' capital. The End Of Bush (in the White House, anyway... ). Now, it is Our Duty to restore honor to our Nation and to make our justice whole by prosecuting those people and organizations who have violated Our Treaties and Laws for personal profit and gain. We owe something called JUSTICE to every innocent man, woman and child who has died or suffered by a criminal or negligent act during these past 8 years, including ALL OF THE INNOCENT who have been beaten, kidnapped and tortured by corrupted and cruel officials and contractors who broke the law and brought Our Nation and Our People Great Disgrace In This World. POWER COMES BACK NOW TO OUR PEOPLE. . WE MUST PROSECUTE THEM ALL FOR THEIR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY AND TREASON AGAINST OUR PEOPLE. WE MUST HOLD THE BANKSTERS ACCOUNTABLE FOR THE $300 BILLION WE WERE JUST CONNED OUT OF AND STOP THEM FROM TAKING ANY MORE. THEY ARE NOT ACCOUNTABLE. THEY ARE SCORPIONS WHO MUST BE TRUE TO THEIR NATURE, AS THAT TURTLE AND THE SCORPION CROSSING THE CREEK STORY GOES... ALL OF THEIR PROFITS CAME ON THE BACKS OF LIES, DECEPTIONS, DEREGULATION AND FAVORITISM AND LACK OF ENFORCEMENT BY THEIR FRIENDS IN HIGH PLACES. WE MUST FORM A NEW MONETARY SYSTEM FOR OUR PEOPLE, WITHOUT THE BANKING AND FEDERAL RESERVE SYSTEM. THEY HAVE BECOME OBSOLETE IN THEIR GREED AND MUST BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR THEIR OWN MESSES. THE AUTO AND OIL INDUSTRIES LIED, DECIEVED AND SUPPRESSED ALL INVENTIONS AND PROGRAMS RELATED TO CONSERVATION, FUEL EFFICIENCY AND ALTERNATIVE FUEL SOURCES FOR MORE THAN A HUNDRED YEARS NOW. WE NEED NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO HELP US GREEN OUR NATION, BUT THESE OLD BOY CORPORATIONS CANNOT BE TRUSTED, SO WE MUST CREATE NEW ORGANIZATIONS WITHOUT THEM. NEW PRESIDENT. NEW BLOOD IN OUR LEGISLATIVE HOUSES AND NEW PEOPLE DOING GOOD THINGS. LEAVE THE BAD FRUITS OF THE BAD TREES BEHIND TO ROT IN THEIR OWN CESS POOLS OF GREED AND TYRANNY. HAPPY INAGURATION DAY 2009 !! GOOD BYE GEORGE... HELLLLLLOOOOOO O-BAMA !!! DON'T LET THE BARN DOOR HIT YA IN THE ASS, GEORGEY, AS YOU SKIDADDLE AWAY BEFORE YOU ARE BROUGHT TO THE HAGUE TO STAND TRIAL FOR WAR CRIMES. SFHomeless Yahoo! Group Moderators