A Convergence of Mercy and Justice

Friends,

Tent City 4, a mobile encampment of homeless people on the east side of the Seattle area, is about to move again. The encampment, started in 2004 by Seattle Housing and Resources Effort (SHARE) and Women's Housing Equality and Enhancement League (WHEEL), provides shelter for up to 100 people, and is hosted solely by various faith communities in east King County, Washington.

As Tent City 4 is a "temporary encampment", it moves approximately every 90 days to a new location. Its next location will be Bellevue First United Methodist Church (BFUMC). Joe Matsen, who co-chairs the church's tent-city committee, spoke of his church's desire to host the encampment saying that, "we are admonished to look out for less fortunate people - that's part of the Biblical background. And we think this is a crying need, particularly now" (Seattle Times, October 4, 2009, Page B5).

Joe is absolutely right that there is "a crying need" to house the homeless, and he is also correct in saying that looking out for the less fortunate is only "part of the Biblical background." And there is where things often get messy. Dom Hélder Pessoa Câmara, a Roman Catholic Archbishop in Latin America, once said, "When I give food to the poor, they call me a saint. When I ask why the poor have no food, they call me a Communist." The situation with homelessness is much the same. Feed them, temporarily shelter them, but God forbid we should ask why they are homeless and try to change the conditions that put them out on the street.

The faith communities that host Tent City 4 create a convergence of charity and justice. Justice - that other "part of the Biblical background." Tent City is a very visible - although actually very low key in its physical presence in the community - symbol of homelessness, and forces people to face and think about the issue. The thinking and subsequent dialogue are needed to change attitudes, and ultimately bring about an end to homelessness.

Everywhere Tent City 4 goes at least some people voice concerns that crime will increase and that their children will be in danger. In some cases there has been vocal dissent in surrounding neighborhoods, and various cities as well as King County have established land use codes specific to Tent City 4 in order to balance the desire of faith communities to host the camp with the concerns of some of its neighbors. With the upcoming move to BFUMC, there has been "considerable dissent" in the quiet neighborhood surrounding the church. If you ask the police in communities that have hosted Tent City 4, you will hear that crime did not increase, and in fact, "crime usually goes down during a tent-city encampment." I have been to Tent City 4 (when bringing supplies for its residents), and can attest to how well its residents take care of their camp and each other, and respect their neighbors.

Any preconceptions I may have had about homelessness were washed away on a visit to Tent City 4 on a very cold December day in 2005. Some residents invited me for coffee, and through the conversations I got to see them as much more than the homeless statistics we always see in the news. It was almost dinnertime, and many residents were arriving back at camp from their day's work or looking for work, but what struck me was the resident returning wearing a United Parcel Service uniform. He was a seasonal employee helping during the holiday rush; another version of the working poor.

It doesn't surprise me that BFUMC will be hosting Tent City 4. With the wise leadership of Reverend, Dr. Beryl Ingram and a receptive congregation, BFUMC is creating a convergence of mercy and justice that is the essence of Christianity. And that is no small thing in a world where most of us (Christians) think we are doing great things when we engage in charity (to the exclusion of justice). The prophet Micah reminds us that we are "to do justice, and love kindness" (Micah 6:8 paraphrased).

Watch the video to get a more personal look at Tent City 4. You can learn more about homelessness and what we can all do about it at the National Alliance to End Homelessness. And support your local tent city. We can (and must) do better!

Peace,

Leonard

A REAL Homeless Advocate

As promised (or threatened), here is the scoop on another organization (and it's fearless leader) that is doing something REAL about homelessness and poverty. Timothy Harris moved to Seattle, Washington in 1994, to start a street newspaper that he named REAL CHANGE. Of course, it was about much more than just writing a newspaper - it was (and still is) about organizing. Right out of the starting gate, Time organized (in 1994) against the clearing of a homeless encampment near the Kingdome.

Cut to late 2008, and REAL CHANGE is still creating "opportunity and a voice for low-income people while taking action to end homelessness and poverty" (Real Change mission statement). REAL CHANGE News is a weekly "activist" publication that is sold on the street by Seattle's homeless, helping them earn money to get ahead; vendors pay 35 cents a copy, and sell them for a dollar donation. But REAL CHANGE is not just about the poor and homeless; it also covers a broad swath of topics including labor issues, the environment, public health and civil liberties. This is NOT the corporate press!



Besides the newspaper there is advocacy galore, a Homeless Speakers Bureau and literary workshops for the under served. REAL CHANGE is an organization that has been built on a solid foundation of guiding principles, and Timothy Harris is NOT afraid to tell the truth. Just check out his blog if you think I'm exaggerating. While you are there, check out the posting about Why Protest Politics Matters . It features a slide show showing Rev. Rich Lang getting arrested for doing what Christians are supposed to do.

So next time you are on the street in Seattle or surrounding communities and someone is selling REAL CHANGE, buy a copy (and maybe strike up a conversation with the vendor). You can also subscribe (it's cheap at $35/year) at their Website. If you live somewhere else, reading Real Change will give you a model for social change that can work in your community. The whole idea (and a great one at that) is to "build bridges between homeless people and their allies to create social change."

Peace,

Leonard

Helping the Homeless!

If you are reading this blog, chances are pretty good that you are not homeless. Homelessness takes away so many things that most of us take for granted (really basic things) like a shower and a place to wash your clothes; and that's just a start. What about an address, a phone, access to health care? In King County, Washington, the 2008 One Night Count of people who are homeless showed at least 8349 people sleeping in shelters and on the streets.

Just imagine - You are homeless, you have a family to care for, and you need to find work! What do you do? Some cities have resources where people can get a meal or even a place to sleep, but what about other essential needs? Well, if you are in Seattle, Washington, you would be fortunate to have a unique resource not found in most other (if any) cities in the United States - The Urban Rest Stop. The Urban Rest Stop - operated by the Low Income Housing Institute (LIHI) - is a hygiene center that provides restrooms, showers and laundry facilities (along with toiletries) to homeless people seven days a week (at no cost to patrons).

In 2007 the LIHI built a health exam room at the Rest Stop, and has been working with Harborview Medical Center to staff it with a public health nurse to provide basic medical care to patrons. In addition to all this, the Rest Stop provides information and referral information on a wide variety of issues. Is this a tremendous (and essential) service or what?

Urban Rest Stop - On an Average Day:
Serves 500 people (800 during summer)
150 loads of laundry
200 showers

At the LIHI Auction on November 14th, Congressman Jim McDermott reminded us that one of every four homeless people (and these are, indeed, PEOPLE) are veterans (something you probably didn't hear about on Veteran's Day). With the economy in a shambles, and endless U.S. military actions continuing overseas, we will be seeing an increase in homelessness, both from the civilian side and the military. If we can't stop all these people from becoming homeless, we will absolutely need to help them (do more than just) survive on the streets so that they can rebuild their lives.

And that is just what organizations like the Urban Rest Stop and LIHI are all about. At the LIHI Auction, Ronnie Gilboa, Urban Rest Stop Manager, spoke of the need to export the Urban Rest Stop model to every city in the nation; that everyone deserves access to take care of their basic needs, as well as basic health care, and that these are public health issues.

Do you have anything resembling the Urban Rest Stop in your city? If not, take a look at their Website and learn more about it. Contact LIHI for more information. Discuss the idea with others in your community. Generate interest among groups that might provide support. Maybe your city can have the next "Urban Rest Stop". If you live in the Seattle area, consider supporting LIHI's work

While at LIHI's Website, you can also learn about the affordable housing they provide to struggling families as well as supportive services needed to build stability and rebuild their lives. Until we make fundamental changes to the fundamental societal structures that create homelessness, we will need to support organizations like LIHI that not only advocate for an end to homelessness, but do something REAL about it right here and now. And speaking of "REAL", stay tuned for my next posting where I'll introduce you to REAL CHANGE, another organization that advocates for low income people while working to end homelessness and poverty (in some pretty original ways).

Peace,

Leonard

P.S. - Click here to read some Urban Rest Stop success stories (in patrons' own words).