Where Did The Homeless Come From?

Are YOU a Friend In Need?  Are YOU Homeless?

IF, you are Happy Living in the Streets.  That is YOUR Business. 

IF, You "Think" You are Happy living in the Streets, Want to get off the Streets, or are Trapped in the Streets.  THAT is OUR Business!

So, where do these as we call them.....our "Friends In Need" and the "Homeless" come from?
They are viewed as the bottom of the Earth, they are Over Looked, Turned Away from, Ignored, Scoffed at, Heckled, viewed as "Losers", beaten, murdered, set on fire, prostituted, "used" (smoke & mirrors) for funding sake, to support high nonprofit salaries and luxurious homes and more.

THEY used to be members of a FAMILY.  Maybe even YOUR family.  They used to be NEIGHBORS.  Maybe even YOUR neighbors.  Literally.
They do not just appear like some slug under a rock.  They are REAL people.  With feelings, desires, needs. They have had their personalities, their tears, their smiles, their laughter all "Stolen" from them by us as a Society.  We as people hurt each other terribly and think we do not have to be accountable.  We ARE accountable, YOU are accountable.

By the way, a Friend In Need can be anyone, they do not have to be what Society labels as Homeless.  That is why we are trying to change from using the "Homeless" term to using Friends In Need.

What we say, What we do, and how we treat others can do a great deal of "damage" and it is just a "cop-out" to remove ourselves from accountability and to put the blame on the "Friend In Need" or the "Homeless." Yes, there are "bad apples" out there in the streets, just like there is in your neighborhood, 2 blocks from you, yes, even in the gated communities, no matter what color, race or culture origin.

Do you know what got them there, sleeping under that bridge or in those woods?  Do you know why they are drinking or drugging until they cant see, hear or breathe anymore? Until the snot is running out their nose and they are defecating all over themselves?  Do YOU? Do you know?  Most likely not.  Because you Turn Away.  Because you Heckle, Blame, Scoff at, Ignore and just plain call them a "Loser."  "Ahhhh just get the Hell up and go get a job" you say!!  How about most of America right now that have been trying for the last TWO years to get jobs.  Even those with experience, educations, and homes cannot locate jobs.  Are they, YOU losers? NO.  But i tell you this, many, many of you have and will end up Homeless soon, I could end up a "Friend In Need" - and myself and my crew juuuuust might come upon YOU in the Streets and In Need --- "How Would YOU Want To Be Treated?"  How should We Treat You??

How often have you seen those on the streets crying? I mean on the streets, not in the shelter where you just came from having fun helping serve them.  I mean on the streets as you drive by.  Have you seen them crying?  Most likely not.   The tears are not there.  They are numb from the World as we know it.  They have given up and given in to the thought that this is what their life has to be now.   IT DOES NOT.  IT WILL NOT, if we have anything to do with it.

Again.  THEY used to be members of a FAMILY. Maybe even YOUR family. They used to be NEIGHBORS. Maybe even YOUR neighbors. Literally.
They do not just appear like some slug under a rock. They are REAL people. With feelings, desires, needs. They have had their personalities, their tears, their smiles, their laughter all "Stolen" from them by us as a Society. We as people hurt each other terribly and think we do not have to be accountable. We ARE accountable, YOU are accountable.  We help them to "Take Back Your Life" we say, really, to "Steal" back their life from those who stole it from them in the first place.

The old style "Mental Institutions" as we knew them are now the "Streets" and have been for many years now.  The thing is, there just is not enough being done in the streets to help.  It takes money, and lots of it. And it takes people to use that money properly.  Do you feel comfortable donating to an organization that operates 9-5? And supports executive salaries in excess of $100,000.00 per year and supports the executives $300,000.00 - $900,000.00 or more homes?  Do You?  I invite you to check up on those salaries of the nonprofits you Donate to.  They need a salary yes, i most definitely agree, because the work, IF done properly is intense and very difficult and draining. However, in excess of $100,000.00 is the average salary of a nonprofit Executive?  And how many of those levels of executives are employed by the nonprofit you Donate to?  Why did those people get into the business?  Was it for the benefit of the beneficiary?  The Friends In Need, the Homeless?  Could an executive live good on say $85,000.00 max?  Absolutely.  It does not matter if the org is a 10 million dollar org.  The bottom line is the money has to be properly spent for the intended reasons, those in need.  IT IS NOT.  THAT is why we have so many in need out there.  I shudder to think how many we could help if we had $200,000.00 of one of their salaries.  And many people donate to support those salaries and lavish homes.  The executives of nonprofits should not have salaries the same as the millionaires donating to their cause. It just doesn't compute. 

So, you see. It is not the fault entirely of the "Friends In Need."  There are many many factors.

I am asking that from now on, you look at our "Friends In Need" and the "Homeless" differently.
Look at them with concern.  Concern for, do they want to be off the street? Do they know they do not have to be on the street?  Do they know there are people who care? Do they know they deserve to be off the streets?  Do they understand how deep they are in? Do they need medical care? Are they dangerously hungry? In dehydration?  Have they given in and given up to the streets?  Why? Why are they on the streets?  What got them here?    Why? Why? Why? What? What? What? 

Ask, Ask YourSelf.  "What can I do Differently, to help this Friend In Need." What will maybe give a more permanent result to this "Friend In Need?"  It is NOT always a bag of socks.  It is NOT always a sandwich.  It is NOT most definitely NOT always that $1 or $5 you just gave them from the window of your car.  It is more, much much more then all of that.  It is TIME, lots of one on one time.  And the follow up with them and to back up what you, we just got them to agree to try and do.  THAT my friends is where the money comes in, LOTS of $$.  For example: Just like if You were going to rent an apartment.  ALL the same things are needed.  How much does it cost?  Think about that. You know what it is.  It is ALL the same.  The needs are ALL the same.

So, please.  Look at Charity Differently.  Look at our "Friends In Need" and the "Homeless" differently.

Start TODAY. Start Right NOW.

Thank You.

Lance Greene / HOMELESSCRISIS and Founder of Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) Inc.
Knoxville, TN

And the Clock Stopped at Six O'Clock

For a Friend, our Friend, Your Friend, A True Twitter Friend. A Friend to Many. @brendamantz

Brenda on this April 12th Day was like any other day, doing what she does.

Enjoying life, being a wife and a Mom to her pups.

Fluffing this, admiring that, looking forward to her friends, being her comfortable, caring, sharing self.

On this particular day, this mover & shaker of a woman, this talented writer and lover of people is herself shaken.

On this particular day for our Friend Brenda, at Six O'Clock, the Clock Stopped .

One of her Dear Candles was whisped out and taken from her. One of her Dear Friends, Tancy.

Hmmmm,,,interesting, the new Candle Stand Miss Brenda?  Yes, Today Light a candle on that stand and relax on the deck by it with Tancy.  She will be there just like before.  Maybe even more.

Today, right now as i write, i light a Candle for Brenda, and for her Tancy, the candle holder says: The Lord Bless You and Keep You.   I pray that the Lord Bless and keep both of these Souls.  Tancy to her place.  Brenda, safe, here with all of us.

So, to You our Friend In Need, Brenda, our Love goes out to You. Take some time, rest, rest your Heart, rest Your Soul.  Let your Heart catch up to you now, Let your Soul Heal. 

Tancy is gone only from this place we call Earth, but she continues on in her Journey and will always be there when you talk to her, when you reach your hand to her. 

She will Always be there, Look for her as you sit on your deck, light the candle, watch for her, She is there.

We Love You Brenda.


Lance Greene and Pat Mishler
(@Homelesscrisis and @patmish2004)

The "Streets" are the "Institutions"

I have been working intensely for over more then 8 wks via Twitter and phone with a sister of a lady in Indy who has extensive mental health issues & was to be evicted from her Fathers house due to him passing. Evicted via Sheriff last Thurs, sent to hospital for evaluation, then to a mental health facilty, where she was released after the damned 72 hr rule. Where was she released to? The Streets! Exactly what i was afraid would happen. Happens everyday, YES, in YOUR community TOO!  We, we at Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) Inc., spend endless hours with these who we call our Friends In Need who end up on the streets homeless.  We would like to prevent this from happening and in the case i am talking about above we could have prevented someone from being homeless.  We made numerous calls to the county for assistance in this situation, to other outreach organizations in the area, the mental health facility and to the Sheriff's office.  The other outreach orgs were either unwilling to assist or out of business in the rural area, nobody could help or even wanted to help.  Nothing.

It is a simple fact.  We do this kind of work, we spend 24 hours, 7 days a week if needed and when needed.  THAT is what is needed when we release these with mental health issues to the streets.  Working with them in the streets when they need it at any hour in order to gain their trust and boost their confidence. Since we as a society have deinstitutionalized America, then it is orgs like ours that are left to help these Friends In Need.  The "Streets" are the "Institutions."  Families cannot handle it as it is much too close and many are unwilling.  We do the work, we enjoy the work.  It is our "CALLING."

In order to help in situations like these, we need to travel to the persons location.  THAT means money is needed or we cant help in the way that is needed. In other words, anytime of day or night.  In the case above, we have not been able to physically travel there and so we were not able to prevent this case of homelessness. The family has gone through extensive unnecessary stress. We need to be there.  IT takes money. Period.  It is a simple fact.  We still need to and are willing to go and provide our services to see what we can do for this lady, she needs the help, she deserves the help.  Since the medical community does not want to help, that is their business.  This lady needs to be secure.  We DO help! We DO the WORK!  We get them to "Take Back Their LIfe."  THAT IS OUR BUSINESS!

I am angry over this, yes, i am angry, so don't even go there with me.  I am tired of seeing it done this way, practiced this way, being accepted this way.  We are NOT your typical outreach organization.  We are only three.  We do not take things lightly. We do not take any bull! We do not work 9-5 Monday through Friday.  I have seen people released to the streets this way for 25 years now.  It is NOT acceptable.  Organizations like us that are willing to do the work and help must, must have the funds in order to do it. 

Help us Do The Work.  DONATE TODAY!
$1500-$2000 needed for this trip. Could be one to two weeks. Includes airfare, car, motel, food and unexpected incidentals.

Thank you!

Lance Greene / HOMELESSCRISIS and Founder of Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) Inc.

Would YOU Give Up Your Birthday or Anniversary to help Others?

I am copying this idea from charity: water  http://www.charitywater.org/    Out of respect and concern for the organization, charity: water.  I contacted them by email and asked if they would mind me copying their idea of giving up birthdays and the like in order to raise donations for our organization.  Scott Harrison's (Founder) response to me through his assistant, Elise, was "Go For It."  So, our sincere Thank You goes out to Scott Harrison and his organization charity: water.

We, Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) Inc. are now carrying out this campaign through Twitter, Facebook and beyond!

Will YOU please give up YOUR BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY and ask your friends, family and aquaintances to instead DONATE to our organization to help our "Friends In Need?' 

A Twitter friend of ours @brendamantz did just this.  She was the first one to do so, giving me the idea.  THANK YOU Brenda Mantz!

We Thank YOU all in Advance!

Lance Greene ( Founder) of  Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) and @HOMELESSCRISIS on Twitter.

Just The Way It Is - Video #3

How We Do What We Do (In A Very Tiny Nutshell) :-))!

1) We go into the streets “looking” for one to help, one that stands out or we are referred to one by another Friend In Need. They can be someone in the streets and homeless or just even someone who is in a tough situation and is having some sort of trouble and is in need at home.


2) We see if the person wants to talk. If they are not ready, we will come back again another day. If they will talk, we ask if they are needing any help, what they are needing help with, what they may need, if they are hungry and so on. We do a lot of “observing” to see if they are dehydrated from too much alcohol etc and lack of food for instance. We observe their body language and actions. We observe their conversation. We are not here to just hand them something and leave and not come back. We are there to determine if we can give them permanent results. Once we have observed enough, we attempt to advise our “friend In Need if we feel we can be of help to them. We are mainly after permanent results. If they want to live in the streets and are satisfied there we look further and maybe end up coming back to them another day. If they seem dangerously hungry then we will give them a meal or if maybe they are just to depressed and hungry we may take them for a meal. There is a lot of energy that goes into this visit and it must be done with a sense of urgency.

3) If we have determined we can help the friend in need we will ask if they would like to go get a shower. If they do, then we will take them to a truck stop and pay for their shower and maybe a snack, smokes etc. This keeps them comfortable for the night so they feel good the next day and have something to look forward to when we see them again in a few days or sooner if needed.

4) When we see this friend in need again, we ask if they would like a haircut. If so we either take them or make a time to do so for the next day.

5) We ask again what they are needing, wanting to work on, like maybe ID’s, SS card, food stamps etc and determine if we can help them with that and make a time to do so.

6) If they are hungry on this visit we might take them and sit and have a meal somewhere with them. McDonalds, Subway or whatever they feel they could eat or like to eat within reason.

7) From here we see if they are still serious about getting off the streets. If they are this is when we start our more intense one on one daily contact with the friend in need, and when we say daily we mean in the morning, afternoon, evening and middle of the night contact like midnight or 2am if needed and we do not let up until we have gained what we are after for them, which is……

Permanent Results—Self Reliant-UP&OUT of the Chronic Assistance Cycle , including free of us at Straight Ahead Outreach.

Our New Newsletter

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ENJOY!

http://homelesscrisis.wordpress.com/newsletter/

So, YOU Want To Help The Homeless?

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Helping Us Help Those In Need - Our "Friends In Need"