It has been My Calling. My Goal. My Life.

I am not from Knoxville. But, I have fallen in love with Knoxville and care very deeply about her homeless problem.
I am from Minnesota. That is where I started all this craziness I call Straight Ahead Outreach. In 1985, I started going under the bridges with lunchmeat scraps from all the local convenience stores/delis, some bread, blankets and coffee. It progressed from helping the homeless to helping suicidals and the homeless.
We are at the point right now, where we are unable to go any further in doing the work we do, due to lack of funds. Everything we have done for the homeless has come out of our wages, now we are now tapped out.
In the last 23 years of doing this work we have received $1,820.00, all of it between 2008 and this year 2009 including $1,200.00 from one specific donor. We never sought donations before this, it was all very private work we did. Now with as public as I have made it, obviously it has become a much different story.
In order to continue this work, we need to raise basic funds at the very least. We are needing to take the work to a more advanced level in order to properly assist our homeless “friends.”
We are wondering if you could help us raise the funds needed for this plan.
We want you to know, we are fully committed. We can help people just so far and then we need the money, resources and facilities to back up what we get them to commit to.
Anything you can give will help. Please help with as much as you can without hurting you, your family or business.
We envision eventually, 10 facilities like the one we describe on our website. The more we do this work the more people we attract to help with the work. Also, we know Jesus will bring them to us. He will bring the exact fit we need. We will seek out others and he will help us do so. I know, I know, sounds weird - but really isn’t.
We can help the people. We will do the work.
To make a long story very short, there are a large number of people out there in situations which are dire due to violence, medical or mental issues. In some ways I consider them all to be laying prostrate. It is just some are worse than others.
Straight Ahead Outreach will make it a point to ask each and every individual we interview if they have seen anyone, anywhere in the condition they consider as “laying prostrate.” If we get information on a condition such as this, I personally will go anytime, anywhere and assist local authorities in locating and assisting the individual. This means even after they are hospitalized or what have you, we will assist the local authorities with research of family members, records etc. and/or locating facilities to handle them on a long term basis. We will perform the footwork required to obtain the services and support they may need.

The First, NOT for Profit – NON-Non-Profit
We are in need of those of you who want to use your means to give unconditionally.
Far too many give in order to elevate their position, to increase sales, or ‘for a return on investment’
Giving should be about the beneficiary. In this case the beneficiaries are the Homeless.
We continue to do this work while awaiting our 501c3 status because this work is needed NOW, not a year from now.
Straight Ahead Outreach will be based in Knoxville, TN and has been designed for individuals and/or companies who want to invest in something you believe in with the understanding that you will not make a profit or achieve a monetary gain from your investment, but rather you will have the assurance and proof that you are helping someone “Take Back Their Life.”
You will be supporting an organization performing the vital work you believe in although the business is not a 501c 3 Non Profit although we are working on this currently.
Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life, will be designed to not make a profit through its charitable services assisting Homeless Communities and operating similar to a non-profit . Sort of a “Pay it Forward” if you will.
“Gifts” will be accepted. Taxes and tax documents will be filed as normal. Write-offs, deductibility as normal business will allow. We will also conduct “self audits” and converse with the IRS to determine additional deductibility for businesses to make it more cost effective and appealing to you, the potential Gifter.

What We Are Not,,,,

We are not primarily an organization that brings food, clothing etc. to a mass of people.
We are not primarily a transportation service.
We are not primarily an organization who provides “things” to anyone we come in contact with.
We are not just a source to locate jobs.
We are not just a source to locate housing.
We are not just a Homeless assistance program.
We are not a 501c3 non-profit. In 24 years of doing this work, we have recieved only $2900.00 in donations and it was all with in the last 2 years. Otherwise, we fund everything from our own employment wages.

Our goal is to change the individuals mindset first so we can get them to a point where they are able to properly understand and assist in the process of locating them housing, jobs, appointments and the like.

We do not currently have a building of which to work out of, so everything is done out of our home and or our van.

We will help anyone who is down and wants to Take Back Their Life. Not just the homeless.

Again, everything we do comes out of our own pockets. Donations to our work are greatly appreciated and needed.

No, at this time we are not 501(c)3 however, as of 3/22/2010 the IRS has signed for and received our application for a 501c3 nonprofit.

Our goal is to be primarily supported by private people & organizations who just simply care and want to help from their hearts.

What We Do,,,,,

We are a Mobile Crisis/Intervention Unit rooted in a belief in Jesus Christ.

Lance Greene has 23 years experience in Suicide Prevention.

Our objective is to show our homeless friends how to "Take Back Their Life" and lift themselves out of the clutches of the Homeless Assistance World and into the community as a positve contributing force.

We are painfully aware and we want you to be also, that we understand we are unable to help everyone.

Donations to this important work are greatly appreciated and needed.
We are based in the knowledge that nothing we do would take place if not for the direction of Jesus.
We do this through intense listening, coaching, support and direction.
Again, this all comes through Jesus’ direction.

We go to meet THEM.
We do not expect them to get to us – We have found that eventually they are more than willing to find a way to make contact with us and to keep in touch, usually on a daily basis. This is encouraged for as long as necessary, in order for them to keep the momentum of change going.

At our initial meeting, we ask and help uncover what the individual is “searching” for.
We set a date and time to meet with them formally at which time we evaluate the person’s issues and needs, determine if we can be of assistance to them and, establish a plan of action if appropriate. We do not want to set them up to fail or give them false hopes.

If it is determined we can be of assistance to the individual or if we just simply deem it necessary:
We will provide them a meal if needed.
We will clean their clothes if needed.
We will get them a haircut if needed.
We will get them clothes if needed.
We will provide transport if needed.
We will take them for a shower if needed.
We will do their laundry if needed.
We will assist them in obtaining shelter for the evening if needed or desired.
No cash is given initially.

We will go to them at night or weekends.
We will spend time speaking with them about the issues which are depressing them, keeping them “using” and or keeping them homeless.
What ever it takes.

Does the individual “have to” believe in Jesus? No
Does the individual “have to” join a Religious Program? No
Does the individual “have to” know Bible verses in order to get assistance from us? No
Will they be encouraged to know Jesus? Yes
Will we assist them in finding a church if they would like? Yes

The Individual DOES “HAVE TO” be ready.
The Individual DOES “HAVE TO” be willing to change. Big Time!
The Individual DOES “HAVE TO” agree to address the issues, good & bad, which hold them back from experiencing “a meaningful, positive life”.
This process can be “very ugly” at times. Trust me!
Therefore, the person must know, understand and accept that this process is not always “pretty” or “nice”.
They will get frustrated. They will get mad. That is ok. It is all part of the process.

But this process is precisely what makes it work. Our technique concentrates on the “Root Causes” of the situation. We ask the tough questions others might be reluctant to ask or approach.
With Jesus’ guidance we help the individual see and acknowledge the strengths they have (which they have ALWAYS possessed), but temporarily lost due to the various situations and obstacles they’ve encountered, and the decisions they have made. The process encourages the individual to “be aware” of their feelings, attitudes and the impact of those feelings and attitudes in their ‘personal environment’.

Housing is a priority. We strive to move the individual along to that point quickly.
But this move is always done at a pace they can handle.
We search for housing based on individuals’ needs and personal make-up to ensure that it is a ‘fit’.
Sometimes housing choices and timeliness are hindered by financial issues that need to be resolved before the individual is able to move on.

A large number of the homeless population are entitled to and/or are receiving SSI/SSDI benefits, so job placement is addressed based on the person’s need for supplemental income and ability to gain and retain employment. Sadly, a number of these individuals have not graduated high school and are poorly educated, so the options for employment are severely limited. We do encourage those that are able to, obtain their GED and we assist them in acquiring the study materials and providing coaching with this as needed.

My goal and dream is to have a number of facilities throughout the city in Knoxville and someday across the country like the one I will be showing and describing to you in the following pages. I am not looking at having a facility which houses 50 or more people at a time as I believe that loses the family type feel people need. More importantly, it also loses the permanency and quality of the results we are after. Our maximum housing capacity at any facility for housing would be 25 and the minimum 11.

Part of our plan is to build a facility in the St. Petersburg FL area where we will transport individuals who have displayed a specific need to Take Back Their Lives in an environment such as the warmth and comfort of the sun and water.

Just a brief Note,,,,

We are a Not For Profit, Charitable Homeless Assistance Group, NOT Your Normal Assistance Group by Any Means. We are not a 501c3 group and I do not believe we ever will be as I believe it puts constraints on and stifles the work and assistance we strive to provide.

You will Not see photos here of Homeless people, laying around looking helpless or in squalor in order to exploit them and gain your sympathy. Why? because STA strives to lift them out of the Homeless Assistance World and become reliant on themsleves. Because, this is not who they really are.

The photos you see will be of our Homeless friends, after STA has spent countless hours with them and they are moving Straight Ahead towards Taking Back Their Life. They will be clean, showered, hair cut, etc. This will be to gain your trust and belief in them. This will be to show you who they really are.
We hope you enjoy our site and please know we need your monetary help towards this important life changing work and anything you can give is appreciated. Keep in mind who it is for and why. Please give because you can, for the sake of giving. Not because you are needing a tax shelter.

MISSION STATEMENT

To provide a relaxing atmosphere which promotes and allows room for change.
We will strive to provide relief to the poor, distressed, underprivileged and depressed.
To ease neighborhood tensions along with combating community deterioration and the over all community delinquency.
To remove our “friends in need” from the community as a tension force and
"set them free" as a viable, positive contributing force to the community as a changed, New Person via their own strengths, their peers’ assistance and our assistance.

To be creative in our approach to the issues.

Having the goal of getting our "friends in need" out of the homeless assistance system, and self reliant.

STA MOTTO is:
“RID”,,,,,RID our homeless “friends” of the Streets.
“RID”=(Respect, Integrity, Determination)

The Reality of it All,,,,,

Well my friends the time is getting very near. By the end of August of this year, yep about a month away, if we have not raised a minimum of $50,000.00 I will be forced to cease all Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life activities. This is one of the reasons you have not seen me on Twitter or FB alot lately as I have been scrambling trying to put some things together.

We have done some really great work in Knoxville TN for the homeless including taking one off the street who is wheelchair bound with a brain injury and caring for her for 6 months total, 4 months in our personal home. Yes. A lot of really important, great work. Over the years, almost 24, I have helped the homeless and people who are suicidal and their families manage their root causes, acknowledge them and grow from them. I have done the work and funded it entirely from and while working at a full-time job with no funding from anyone else. In the last two years, from April 2007 - January 2009 when we moved to Knoxville from Florida and then back again we did the same,,funding from our full-time jobs wages and also did receive approx $1820.00 in assistance from others. We lived in Knoxville and provided our homeless assistance services from April 2007 to December 2008 and then continued after we moved back to St. Petersburg FL by driving back and forth to Knoxville and via phone/computer contact.

In December it became apparent our regular jobs, which funded everything we did for the homeless, would be coming to an end. My fiance Pat's place of employment(IMAGEPOINT) shuttered their doors on Jan 9th, 2009 and her job was done. My full-time job had already lost many sales due to the economy and my wages went from $600/week down to $370/week and then in Jan of this year down to part-time at $128/week. Not enough for us to survive on ourselves. We were poised to lose our home we were renting etc. My fiance Pat received an offer to come back to St. Petersburg FL and return to work at her old employer here. So, our family borrowed us the money for the move and we moved back to St. Petersburg FL where at least one of us had a full-time job. I continued to work for my Knoxville employer part-time doing phone work. I continued to drive back and forth to Knoxville to assist a few of our homeless "friends". Then, in March of this year my part-time job ended.

I have been trying very hard to extend our information out to people who have expressed interest in helping us. I have created and re-vamped a 35 page proposal into a 50 page proposal for our Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life program and will be presenting it August 4th to prospective interested parties.

I could no longer make the trips back to Knoxville. Could no longer do much of anything but keep in phone contact or computer contact with a few of our homeless "friends" who were fortunate to have that capability.

So, here we are. Dead in the water. Yes, I feel it is a direct hit from Satan, as everytime I get close to doing a great deal of good for others in the name of Jesus, Satan makes another attack on me and those around me. It is very frustrating and each time I have been able to fight him with Jesus's help and prevail. So, we shall see this time. I will keep fighting him always, but this time he might win in the fight against me helping the homeless.

So, The Reality of this is, we are needing to raise a minimum of $50,000.00 by the end of this August 2009 so we can get back on our feet, return to Knoxville TN from St. Petersburg FL and continue our work helping the homeless.

If we do not raise these funds. It breaks me to my core, but I will be forced to cease all Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your LIfe activities. Completely.

If you can or want to help us you can reach me by my cell phone at 865-964-1461. Our Home address is below if you are able to help us. We are not 501c3 non-profit certified yet but we have given the paperwork to our attorney for the 501c process. So any "gift" at this current time would need to be just because you want to, not because you need a tax deduction.

Well, there you have it. The exposed, cold, hard reality.

Please, if you can help, we need it before the end of August of this year, yep one month from now.

Yes, I can provide you with references if you need so you can verify we say who we say we are and do what we say we do.

Thank you in advance,

Lance Greene-Founder-Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life

ADDRESS to send donation "gifts"-Please make checks out to Lance Greene/Straight Ahead Outreach and send to:

Lance Greene

7419 10th Ave N

St. Petersburg FL 33710

Cell: 865-964-1461

Home: 727-329-8187

More of the Story,,,,,,,

We are in desperate need of funds and more. To further our continued work we are trying to raise funds to purchase a new Mobile Crisis Unit and build a facility in Knoxville TN to house apartments for our homeless "friends" at none or little cost, a thrift store, coffee house/deli and an activiuty center/offices where we will assist our "friends" in applying for Social Security benefits, their SS ID cards, applying for jobs, working on GED's and more.

The following is a photo of the van we currently use as our Mobile Crisis Unit. It has over 200,000 miles on it and is in need of repairs. It needs to be replaced actually, But we would still retain it for helping our "friends" move etc.












We need to obtain the following type unit. The photo shows what the graphics would look like which are being designed by Creative Edge Graphics of Knoxville, TN. This would be a "Closed Door Unit." Available to those truely showing they want help and to "Take Back Their Life." This unit would be outfitted with 3 showers, 3 toilets, 2 stackable washer/dryers, handicapped lift, handicapped accessible shower and office capabilities and 3 beds. This would enable "STA" to have a Mobile Crisis Unit/Office where we can interview our homeless "friends", allow them to take a shower, launder their clothes and give them a meal all at one time at any hour of the day or night. The perfect fit. We need to raise $285,000 for this unit, designed and built by Concept Haulers of Shorewood, Illinois. 877-941-9681 Mr. Jim Randa Should you need a unit or want to help us obtain this one.

This is the building we want to obtain and remodel to include eleven, 300 sq ft efficiency/1 bdrm style apartments including 3 handicapped accessible apartments, a coffee house/deli, thrift store and activity center/main offices and laundry facility.

































All this information can also be found on our webite at: http://sites.google.com/site/straightaheadoutreach/Home/what-is-neededme/what-is-needed

Thank you, please DONATE today.

Please go to: http://sites.google.com/site/straightaheadoutreach/Home/immediate-needs---please-help/some-of-our-friends/can-you-help

You will find the address for mailing your donations at the above website link. Please remember, we are not 501c3 rated yet but we are working on this. So please, give from your heart and because you can. Your donations may or may not be tax deductible. We will be glad to meet with the IRS on your behalf to provide any documentation they need to prove the donation and its purposes. At this time please give knowing it may or may not be tax deductible, but rather just because you want to make a big difference in bettering the homeless communities.

Thank you, Lance Greene/Founder- Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life( "STA")

Telling the story cont'd,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

A continuation of me trying to tell the story. I do not feel I am very good at telling the story. My talents are in helping people. But none the less, here you are. My goal in this is to try and raise desperately needed funds to continue our important work. Please donate if you can.

1) One of our “friends of STA” Kendal, is seen here sitting with my fiancé Patricia, Kendal will be on the left. One of our donors helped “STA” pay her rent back in 2008 for one month. At that precise time, I believe that donor, although they do not fully realize it, helped save her life. Literally. It gave her one more reason to keep going. Trust me. To this day I believe it was well spent. She just recently (Tuesday) received her Section 8 housing voucher. She was very happy. She is still at her job at a hotel in Knoxville where she is in house keeping. I am very proud of her for staying there. She has been there probably for close to one year now. She has troubles but deep down, she is a good lady with a huge heart. She is one of the people “STA” wants to include in an intense program once we obtain our 501c3 status. She needs a good deal of time and work still but she is very worth it, like many others and I believe she will be a great benefit to the community. But it will take time and money to provide ongoing support to her.

2) In another photo you will see Kendal sitting next to me and behind me is one of our other "STA friends", Dusty. She is an awesome story. Kendal referred us to her back when we first met Kendal. Dusty was living under the bridge on the Salvation Army side of Broadway in Knoxville TN where all the drug dealers are. “Croc” we will call him, a big drug dealer there, was "her man", or more like it, she was "his girl". Kendal asked us to please help Dusty. Dusty was a crack addict. Key word,,,,,was.

Dusty standing behind Kendal and I.

With Kendal cowering in our van scared to death, my fiancé Pat, Kendal and I went under the bridge in the late night of July 1st, 2008. There were drug dealers and users every where and “Croc” was right there next to Dusty. I pulled my van up onto the sidewalk and left it running locking Pat and Kendal inside. “Croc” has beaten, abused and been known in that world to kill others in the homeless world and he still roams the streets. Not for long if I have anything to do with it as my goal is to see him sit in prison or turn him around, one or the other. He can be selling drugs in daylight right there under the bridge, and a Sherriff sits 15 feet away in his car guarding the construction workers. It goes on all day long. I have sat in KARMS parking lot watching drug dealers make deals in the Salvation Army lot. With the support of Jesus standing beside me I got out of the van and in my normal fashion walked right into the den of wolves up to Dusty. I asked if it was her. “Croc” stepped into my face and asked what I wanted. I stated I was not there to speak to him or anyone else for that matter other then Dusty. They all dispersed. Everyone. Dusty and I were left alone to talk. She cried. She agreed to allow us to help her. It was her time. I listened and did "my thing" with Jesus by my side. It was what I talk about in my printed material and on my website. It was Jesus at work using me as a tool. Period. It doesn’t get any easier then that. Nor any more complicated.

After that night, we requested Pastor Mike to allow Dusty into the Volunteer program at KARM even though they were full and he agreed. Because of his assistance, “STA” and I will always do whatever we can for him and KARM.

To this day, we still stay involved with Dusty also. She now has her own apartment which she has had for almost one year now as we worked hard to get her in there, meeting with the landlord on her behalf so she could make room for someone else at KARM. Dusty worked extremely hard also to get in to her new apartment as she had to prove she had been clean for 6 weeks. I continue to encourage her to stay there rather then move into a bigger apartment in order for her to continue to grow and stay strong. Dusty has been clean now ever since that July 1st 2008 night. Over one year now! AWESOME DUSTY!! She works at Market Square Kitchen in Knoxville TN, owned by Mr. Hossein Ghodrat and has been there for over a year at least. Hossein and his wife are very good to her and other homeless. Hossein and his wife employ a number of homeless people and are a huge help to the homeless community. He and his wife have also contributed to Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life. Any patronage you and anyone you know can give to his restaurant would be well spent. The photos with Kendal and Dusty were taken there this January 2009. Dusty has told us numerous times, if we,"STA" would not have stopped to see her on that night in July she does not believe she would be alive today.

3)You will see a photo of Donna(on Walmart scooter) and my fiance Pat shopping at Walmart in Knoxville TN. She was sleeping on Market Square in Knoxville TN in her electric wheelchair. She is the one we took into our personal home for 4 months and finally found her housing in Oak Ridge, TN. My goal is 90 days. She was a very tough case and it took me an extra month. We provided round the clock support for Donna. “STA” provided transportation to and from Doctors, therapy, and shopping. STA did Donnas’ laundry, cooked her meals, and provided intensive round the clock one on one coaching on life, social, economic and employment areas of life. It was a very difficult situation, but I do not regret bringing her into our personal home. I would not do it again, but I do not regret it as we made such a huge difference in Donna and that is bottomline.

We would house Donna once our facility is built. She has a brain injury but is very bright and surprisingly mobile although confined to a wheelchair.

You will see a photo of a group of motorcycles, motorcycles of the Amvets Riders Road Warriors. Without one of the members of the Amvets Riders Wifes’ assistance, we would have never gotten Donna her new apartment. The photo is actually at that apartment where we placed Donna. The Amvets Riders wife is the community manager.

4) You will see a photo of James. A severely homeless Vet. He is an extremely tough case but a brilliant man. He will take a great deal of work, but again, he is worth it. I have been through a great deal with James. Even hired him at the carpet cleaning company I managed. Had to let him go from there but he still is on my radar. He needs our help badly. He sleeps in a tent I gave him under a semi trailer. James has reasons to take his life and I know he is capable. His story is just to long for here. I will share a little bit of it and maybe more another day. We continue to be in contact with James.

James- Just the profile.
James had a tent mate. Wayne. One morning in 2008, Wayne got into James meds which the VET Hospital mailed to him via the Weisgarber Post Office and another HAO on other occasions. It was alot of meds. The wrong kind to get into. It was enough to scare James. It was just fortunate James came back to the tent one morning to find Wayne writhing in the tent with the tent collapsed around him. Wayne went to the hospital, James and I spent many hours there. I was the only one Wayne could communicate with by grunts and nods. Wayne still is unable to talk to this day and he never came out of his vegetative state. Medications should not be prescribed, given, mailed or whatever to people such as this whom the prescribing Doctor or facility knows nothing about the patient other then they are ill in some way. The VETS Hospital did not "know" James. They did not know he was sleeping in a tent until I had a very direct talk with them advising them to re-evaluate how they treat James. If James was not there and did not know me and Straight Ahead Outreach, Wayne would have lay prostrate and died right there in that tent. It will be one of Straight Ahead Outreach’s' directives to seek out those who are lying prostrate and or being ignored or missed by the system. We will do it by both on the street monitoring and by referrals from other homeless individuals. Yes, it all will be a painstaking process. That is just the way it is. THAT is what we, “STA” does.

5) You will see a photo of John and I on the porch of our house in Knoxville. John is dear to my heart and still has a long road to go. His is a very very long sad story. Too long and private to share here. But, please know this. We have spent countless hours providing emotional, physical and financial help to John at any and all hours of the night.

John and I

6) And of course Miss Edna

This letter just would not be complete without Miss Edna.
We know her story. It is on the previous blog. I think about her daily.

7) You will see a photo of Dustin. Dustin hits very close to home. Kind of a long story. One that I have been involved with for almost 6 years now and I am in the very middle of a long distance intervention with him as I type this. I have finally gotten Dustin to agree to go to Delancey Street Foundation to be interviewed as a possible candidate to become a member. This is an organization I have picked. When you become a member of Delancey Street you live there, work there, do everything there in order to turn your life around. I need to get Dustin from Maryland to Florida and then Florida to Greensboro North Carolina to The Delancey Street Foundation. Delancey is what I am looking at fashioning Straight Ahead Outreach's program after to a point. Not everything, but the basic philosophy is great of "each-one-teach-one." http://www.delanceystreetfoundation.org/wwa.php in case you would like to read about them.

The problem is, we need your help desperately to get Dustin to North Carolina and possibly back if he does not get accepted. The problem is, I honestly think this is Dustin’s last hope. To go to Delancey and turn his life around from drugs, alcohol, and himself. He is an 11 year old in a 32 year olds body. He needs severe structure like Delancey has. He has been chronically homeless for the last 8 years. Because of specifics which took place in his life as a child he just cannot handle every day life skills. I am not stating this for effect, but rather just fact. If I do not get him to Delancey he loses. If they do not accept him, I lose. I have never lost someone in the work that I do in the last 23 years. But I honestly feel for the first time that I could lose on this one. If I "lose", more importantly that means the person loses; it means they take their life.

In order to escort Dustin to Florida then North Carolina, airfare, motel, taxi meals and me back to Fl etc, “STA” is in need of $950. We just have to get this done for his health, safety, and for him to be able to “Take Back His Life”.

Actually I need funds for all of them and more obviously. It is killing me, breaking me to my very core, as they are stuck in the homeless system which is not working for them and I cannot properly help them out of it. What they need takes a facility with a program in place where they can live and get back on track like the one I want to build. If I just keep throwing temporary funds at them to give them clothes or food or whatever it still keeps them where they are. I have done it that way for too long with the people listed here and longer for some of them and others. So, until we can move forward with a facility as a 501c, we will just continue to do what we can. BUT, we STILL need you HELP. PLEASE DONATE. Please donate from your heart and because you can. Please be aware it might not be able to be tax deductible as we are not 501c3 as of yet but we are working on it.

The above people are very tough cases. Some, suicidal, some not. That is why they are close to me in my heart and mind and I will continue to fight for them and many many more. We have many more then this obviously.

I continue to update the website, so check it out when you can and please provide any criticism or advice on it.

Take care and I hope to see you and maybe meet some of you soon. Thank you for taking the time to read this,

Thank you,Lance GreeneStraight Ahead Outreach

(Taking Back Your Life)

Cell: 865-964-1461

Email: straightaheadlwg@gmail.com

Web: http://sites.google.com/site/straightaheadoutreach/Home
Blog: http://homelesscrisis.blogspot.com/
My hopes for you today: That you take time to laugh. That business or work has been good for you today. That someone has made your day enjoyable.

I look forward to seeing or talking to you again soon. :-))!

Advised to tell the story,,,,,,,,,,

1. A kind Soul, a Twitter friend of mine @_stoicone_ stated I MUST tell my story if I want people to donate. So here are a few of my attempts at telling my story.
   
   I could go on for hours on this subject, but I will try and save you from my "ranting".....:-))! I will rant a little bit however.
   
   Warning: This might show a little of my disappointment in the way the system is handling the homeless situation. Not just Knoxville,,,,,,anywhere,,,,,,,,,everywhere is just the same. I believe it is time for a wake up call. My goal for Straight Ahead Outreach is to remove the homeless from the "Homeless Mentality" and from the Homeless Assistance World as a whole, relying on themselves. I have specific very private thoughts on what I will do to accomplish that. I will try to keep each point below as brief as possible as I could go on and on.
   
   Here we go: The "gaps" 'STA" will fill in the community.
   
   First, the current system provides for example section 8 vouchers to many individuals with many different backgrounds, records etc. "We"(Homeless Assistance programs, "HAO's") place them in too many clumps together. What we end up doing is taking 10 severe drug users, placing them in housing with 30 other drug users and hope that the rehabs they are being sent to whether court ordered or what have you work and they go on happy. It does not work. All it creates is transference. We move them from one bad area and create another.
   
   Some examples of a few of our "STA" "friends" and a brief story.
   
   1) John: John has lived on the streets for the last approx 18 years. When I became involved with him at the request of the organization trying to assist him he was living in a section of woods in the downtown Knoxville area. He had been there for quite some time. Yes, he has a history. I never in my life thought I would be assisting one like John, Jesus teaches me little lessons ALLLLL the time like John. There is a great deal to this story, but I will condense it here. His parole officer placed John in housing, in a small apartment complex one mile from my home in Knoxville. In that building were 5 other tenants under the watch of that same parole officer. The organization case managing him applied and secured his SSI benefits. John had a place to live out of the woods an SSI check PLUS $2500 approx in back pay!!! John thought he was RICH! Of COURSE he would! John was freaked. I went though MANY long nights, days, weeks of John calling me in the late night from the streets, jail etc due to this living arrangement. It does not work properly. This is a story which incenses, yet drives me harder and harder to do what I do. "We" need to be creative in finding housing etc. I would LOVE to talk to you more on John as it is a very disturbing story,,,,,not only emotionally, but,,,,,legally. John continues to struggle to this day. I am not his case manager but have always been involved heavily with John and provided extensive support, monetarily(before he got SSI), emotionally and physically. Straight Ahead will work to fill this type of gap with our creativity and persistence.
   
   2) Teresa: Teresa, has stood on the corner outside of the mission in Knoxville for at least the last 3 years. She has only ever been an overnight guest not ever a resident or in any of the programs from what I understand from the mission. I have spoke to her a few times, done her laundry, purchased jackets etc for her. Yes she has some issues mentally, but workable I believe. Not easily however because she is pretty tough, creating a wall to everyone and can be very uncooperative. To make a very long story as short as possible. I mean no disrespect. This is unacceptable. "We" as homeless assistance organizations have a responsibility to handle, to facilitate the improvement of the quality of life of the individuals we allow to come into our facilities to get help or that we say we will provide help to. To facilitate, meaning sometimes to push. If the person is fed up with us, doesn't like what we do etc and leaves,,,,ok,,,then they decided to leave. BUT, if they stand in the same location, in the rain,,,in the cold,,in the heat,,,and continue to enter into our realm of assistance, we have the obligation to "push" that individual. As I mentioned. Teresa needs much more help then she has been receiving. It takes many hours, lots of patience and yes, alot of money. Please donate so we may help Teresa and others like her.
   
   3) Donna - We took her off the street in Late June of 2008 and moved her into our home. It was ugly,,,verrrrry ugly. It was a 24 hour situation. She has a brain injury but is extremely smart. We succeeded in turning her around and she now has housing as of 10/10/08. She lived with us until we found her housing and we supported her thru 12/15/08. But, we HAD to be creative. She was sleeping in her electric wheelchair on Market Square in Knoxville TN near Tomato Head every night. All of the organizations responsible for case managing her stated they "lost sight" of her. I am not naming them intentionally. Because of her history with KCDC housing, we could get absolutely no assistance from Knoxville. So, we had to go to Oak Ridge to get her housing. 10/10/08 we acquired and purchased furniture for her and moved her into the Manhattan Apts in Oak Ridge. We took care of her until 12/15/08 until she obtained her food stamps and her family took over responsibility for her. She paid for her own housing out of her SSI,,,angry as heck but she did it. We set her up with a payee, food stamps etc and got her out of the homeless assistance world. The most important success I believe we, "STA" had was the repair of Donna and her families relationship. They had not seen each other for over 3 years and were not assisted or contacted by anyone else to assist them in reaching Donna. Now, Donnas Son and her Father visit her often at her new apartment and they also take Donna to stay with them for holidays and weekends. SO AWESOME!
   
   4) Ms Edna:
   This one also incenses me, yet drives me harder to do this work. Please forgive me on this one. You will see my anger on this one. Long story, difficult to condense.
   Ms Edna is a 70ish year old female evicted from her residence in KNoxville. Ms. Edna is a very difficult case. HOWEVER, she is precisely who, the assistance organizations get funds to assist. I, we, Straight Ahead Outreach("STA"), went to her residence to retrieve her belongings and store them for her as they were holding it until she returned her apt key. We returned the key and stored the luggage until I received a call from an individual looking for the luggage on behalf of Ms. Edna. This individual had been putting her up in a Motel so she would not be sleeping in the streets as usual. Ms. Edna always hauls a good deal of belongings with her wherever she goes. I have hauled it a few times, others have hauled it more. Here is the big "gap." Miss Edna has been refused assistance on and off and a place to sleep, by the local HAP's and others due mainly to her amount of belongings. She is approx 70 years old, and yes a street professional, but not in good health. So, she was forced back into the streets, many times.
   
   Because of all Ms. Edna's belongings which could add up to 13 bags at times, which included her luggage, most of the bags being plastic grocery bags which held her Milk etc. she was refused and forced out into the streets. Where do you keep your food? I get to keep mine in the fridge just like you do. Ms. Edna does not, because she needs our creative assistance.
   
   During one of our meetings of the "Critical Cases Management" with all the other organizations, it was discussed to send out to all the churches, and other organizations to cease assisting Ms. Edna if she came with her belongings in tow. The City buses were advised not to allow her to ride. ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! ARE YOU KIDDING ME??!! I was so incensed that after a few more meetings I never participated again.
   
   I want you to know what happened because of this. I will state it here as I learned it from the person who had given her motel stays in the past. When he told me, I was in his office and could barely contain myself. I was so angry, so devastated, I wanted to go take so many people to task. I have already been told they do not want someone to rock the boat. I decided I would put my energy in concentrating on what I can do to change the face of homeless everywhere. And yes, the boat will get rocked, but I will do it in a positive way concentrating ONLY on the individuals in need of the help.
   
   Miss Edna was sleeping in a bus stop. A drunk driver slammed into the bus stop giving Ms Edna major injuries. She spent a good length of time in the hospital and then was sent to a nursing home. Yes, she belongs in one. BUT not that way for crying out loud! That is completely unacceptable.
   
   So, here you go,,,,,,any organization anywhere, (including Straight Ahead Outreach someday hopefully) which has upwards of a $10 million dollar budget, if they can NOT figure a creative way to store someones belongings, which are the ONLY belongings they have in the stinkin world, then they need to find a different business to be in or re-evaluate the business they are in. I understand "we" cannot help everyone, I understand that. But this is a different story. This is one where the organizations let their attitudes and egos get in the way and it was in a planned, and constructed manner.
   
   These are examples of the gaps Straight Ahead HAS filled and will continue to do so if given the tools. I will work day and night, and will attract those to me who will help me do the same.
   
   Thank you for reading and listening to my rant,,,,,,, Isn't this fun!!
   
   It is Jesus's work. It has to be done right.
   
   Sorry to use a cliche,,,but in each one of the above,,,,,,,What Would Jesus Have Done?