One Day of Charity in Santa Cruz: A Band-Aid Event or A Transformational Experience?

My reflections on the event are at http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/04/17/18711497.php which also features a flier that I gave out critiquing the entire annual hooplah.

When I left at 1:30, they calling out "number 550"--homeless folks wanting to attend the event had to get a number to be allowed in (at which point they were escorted around by a Project Connect volunteer). This meant that by that time there'd been 500 people "processed". Unless you were willing to present credentials to (or ignore) security at all the entrances and exits you had to go through this "take a number and wait" process. This likely meant that hundreds of homeless people became discouraged and left.

There was a kind of ironic honesty to the fact that the event boasted at mid-day twice as many volunteers with Project Connect t-shirts, badges, and "authority" than homeless people. According to the Sentinel article the next day, ( http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/ci_20418596 "Homeless services event in Santa Cruz draws about 1,000"), it's likely the volunteers mobilized ultijmately outnumbered
the homeless served.

While obviously a great giveaway and connection to wholly inadequate homeless services for one day, it really served as a showcase for bureaucrats, povertypimps, and politicians.

I spoke with Diana, a big woman with a heart condition who I originally met at PeaceCamp2010. Since the costly, restrictive, and limited Winter Armory Shelter program closed a week ago, she reported getting three camping tickets from cops for sleeping on the levee. On the upside, Lawrence, who described himself as a stage 4 cancer patient, said he was regularly visited by the police at his illegal campsite and asked how he was doing without harassment, citation, or "move along" demands.

I may be at the Earth Day event on Saturday seeking more reports from folks outside. It'll be interesting to see--if I make it there--whether the $100/booth organizers attempt to ban folks from First Amendment activity as some groups using the San Lorenzo benchlands have tried to do in past years (with the collusion of the SCPD).

Folks who want to volunteer to monitor and gather reports of police and ranger harassment of homeless folks downtown, on the levee, or in the Pogonip should call HUFF at 423-HUFF (4833). You can also call my radio show to pass on observations and experiences (Thursdays 6-8 PM, Sundays 9:30 AM to 1 PM at 101.3 FM)

Fire Bob Lee!

#SleepfulProtest

I do not agree with Robert's skeptical call on the whole Project Homeless Connect. Tho' still I appreciate his actual descriptions, and am especially concerned about the bad news assaulting Diane's post-Armory attempts at sleep.

I believe that getting a whole lot of people into the same huge room together, within an ever-more-judgmental social order that bends over backwards to keep them apart and cultivates a caste system, making bogotry the expected 'tude, this event is in fact a radical, important occurrence.

When's the last time YOU brought people together while the "ordinary" world was creating literally murderous ways of keeping them apart? How many "services" were "measured" is not an adequate standard here. It is important to have ways to measure "success" and "failure" when handling other peoples' money, but the more significant importance of this event goes beyond units of service and budget columns.

Every person -- student, householder, businessperson, cleric -- doesn't matter their background, who makes a first-hand acquaintance with somebody who's been homeless, and then discovers that, well wonder of wonders, s/he is a HUMAN being, gets freed from the fear-trap being foisted on all of us who believe what we read, prejudge whatever we consider bedraggled, and generally don't understand what it's like to have to spend some part of every day seeking second hand food.

As long as the numbers of homeless folks continues to grow, this is an important gathering.

OK, ok, I admit, I'm really INTO community building. Some days I think it is our only hope..

I usually get to go, myself; last year was a volunteer (attempting to put my feet n hands where my mouth is!).

The only "professional" haircut I've had in the last twenty years came from Project Homeless Connect and it was excellent. Also, got treated for a wound there (I'd been told I have to wait two weeks to see my "regular" doctor -- what use is this for a puncture wound?) which likely saved me from months of lameness and future antibiotics, or even maybe saved my life? (I guess you'd have to know about my flux'd immune system to understand.) But I couldn't go this year, due to health struggles.

The people who want to volunteer are by and large really wonderful. I learned which churches have any ministry relating to homelessness AND which ones include their youth in their outreach. Learned what local businesses actively contribute to "quality of life" organizing, too.

Pulling this together is a LOT of work, and it creates a safe-ish place for homeless people to spend productive time, and to relax, dine with each other. This is all too rare. A young UCSC student named Wendy told me at Project Homeless Connect the year before last that she had decided on her life's work because of meeting us there. (Humanism, and being Brother's Keepers: under attack while the Money-God worshippers prevail these days, so I find this is a remarkable way of informing one's self about what's real in the culture divide.

I'm grateful for the photos, and the fact that there is more than one viewpoint on Indybay. Appreciate the historical background, too. Thanks.