Homeless Stand Down 2012

A Wonderful Day for Those Experiencing Homelessness

2012 Homeless Stand Down (photo by William Gilmore)

2012 Stand Down at the Masonic Auditorium (photo by William Gilmore)

All reports from the Stand Down was that it was a great day for those experiencing homelessness.  There was a very good positive article in the Plain Dealer.  HandsOn NEO took the lead and did a great job coordinating this huge event.  Our long time partner, InterAct Cleveland, went out of business, and HandsOn Northeast Ohio took on all the responsibilities of this critical event.  This is the 20th year for the City of Cleveland to feature an all day service fair for veterans and non-veterans in the same facility on the same day.  Cleveland was the first city to expand the Stand Down to include non-veterans in the early 1990s.  Stand Down is a military term for a period of rest away from the battlefield.  The Stand Down originated in San Diego as a day in which every part of the Veterans Administration along and most other government agencies who serve veterans would meet on an open field and set up tents to provide housing, jobs, benefit check and health care screenings.

Cleveland has done the Stand Down at Cuyahoga Community College campus, Old Stone Church, Trinity Cathedral, the Cosgrove Center, the Convention Center and now at the Masonic Auditorium over the years.  We have served 700 to 1,700 people depending on the year and the size of the facility.  NEOCH began partnering with InterAct in 2003 after years of doing it ourselves.  We moved the Stand Down to the winter as a Winter ReStock operation.  The thinking was that those who spend time on the streets get a boost from all the volunteers and help during the holiday, but by the end of January all of those winter items were worn out or lost and they needed a hand up.  I really believe the Stand Down is an important event for the community that many wait months to attend.

It is important to have all the services in one place. The 2012 Stand Down took place on Sunday January 22  at the Masonic Auditorium on Euclid Ave.   It is great that all of these volunteers show up to help.  There are valuable items given away, and a great deal of information passed onto the community.  But on the individual level it is transformational for the people who attend.  I have seen many people show up beat down by the stress of finding a bed and food every day, and walk out with a full heart, full stomachs, a full bag of winter clothing, and full of hope for the future.  They get a haircut, a beautiful portrait, new clothing, and a relaxing day centered around their needs.  I have had women who had their lives saved after discovering a lump at the breast cancer screenings at the Stand Down. A lot of people who are resistant to shelter wait for the winter coats and boots.  There is entertainment, food, and a chance to catch up with a social worker or a friend you may not have seen for many years.

The care volunteers at the Stand Down are highly professional and sensitive to the needs of the population.  They go above and beyond to make the men and women feel welcome and the whole event is centered around those without housing.   Despite the large number of people, HandsOn did a nice job efficiently and effectively serving those who were requesting help.  Here are the numbers from the 2012 Stand Down:

840 people attended including families.
172 haircuts were completed free of charge.
89 Podiatry screenings.
147 non-food service volunteers helped out, and a total of 400 volunteers to stage the days activities. 

Thanks to the community for opening its arms to help those in need with some extra tender loving care on one day out of the year.

Brian
Posts reflect the opinion of those who sign the entry.

Interesting Comment

We Have Another Alumni of the Shelters Reading This Blog

If you check out the comments section of this blog, you know that CynDe regularly comments on the conditions within Cleveland as a former member of the homeless community. She regularly responds to the issues raised in this blog, and we love hearing from someone who has made it through the trauma of homelessness and is doing well far from the bustle of Public Square. Now, we have a new person who stayed at CWS, and does not have the best memories of those days. Telerisghost commented on two of our recent posts about her experiences as a homeless Mom in Cleveland. She raises a couple of interesting points. I do not believe that St. Malachi meal is going to close, but I will follow up with this comment. My understanding was that there were two religious communities at Malachi and they would be merging into one, but I will look into this and report back. But, I absolutely agree that Malachi is one of the best programs in the City and part of the fabric of our community. That program not only feeds people on Monday nights but they operate a food window everyday and a shower program. The volunteers at Malachi deal with the hunger of those staying on the near West Side, but also the soul with medical help and care for those struggling by their many volunteers. NEOCH actually sent a letter to the Bishop of the Catholic Diocese last week asking that in this consolidation of churches that we not lose any services such as the meal at Malachi.

Both CynDe and Telerisghost commented on last week's blog entry on the Presidential address and the question relating to homeless. CynDe had a post on her own blog about the press conference before our post went up. Both agree that the pathetic poverty income that comes with disability is keeping many people homeless. Some of the politicians in DC last year tried to survive on the standard food stamp allocation for one month. This was a great exercise, but there is still a food safety net that exists in the United States, so there are places that give out food products and hot meals to supplement food stamps. How about these politicians including Obama try to survive on the typical monthly disability check? There is no emergency rent saftey net in America that a person on disability can turn to when they have a health care emergency one month and need additional medicine. There is no emergency car repair fund when a disabled person can't afford to fix their vehicle, which is critical while living in a suburban or rural environment. As I said before, America, including those surviving on disability payments, needs a raise. In addition, as soon as a person is approved for disability they should be given a housing voucher so that they would pay no more than one third of their income for housing. This is critical to keeping people from sliding back to homelessness. Welcome to the blog, Telerighost, and we look forward to reading your side of the story.

Brian