InnVisionShelter Network

Group Discussion (Post-Service)

The Sincoff advocacy went to InnVision Shelter Network in San  Mateo.  We did various activities, including making sandwiches and brownies for the clients, as well as tidying outdoor and common areas. Our favorite parts were organizing the kids’ toys and playing with some of the kids, because it made us feel like we really had a personal impact. Our biggest takeaway was learning how life is like outside of the “Menlo bubble”, and examining the differences in our lives versus theirs. One woman was living in the shelter, with five children, and as a single mother, and her story of survival was a fascinating departure from what happens in our own local cultures. We did feel that we had an impact on the shelter, because the people living in the shelter appreciate even the smallest services we can give them, knowing what it’s like to have nothing. What surprised us was the fact that we saw mostly women with children, and not many men or fathers. We were also surprised at how clean and safe the shelter felt, and how it really did feel like a community. We don’t feel that we found anything new about ourselves, because it is hard to discover new things about yourself in four hours while simply doing monotonous labor, and not interacting with the people themselves. Because we didn’t have much interaction with the people themselves, we didn’t find ourselves emotionally connecting to the shelter or having prominent emotional reactions. Some possible actions Menlo kids could do to help alleviate homelessness and hunger would be:

1. Donating uneaten bagged lunches from field trips and during Knight School.
2. A Knight School course based on hands-on community service.
3. Regular, non-mandatory school-organized service days on Saturday mornings.

Díaz-Ross Advo - "HOPTEL Experience"

Joss & Díaz-Ross Advocacy at Hoptel - Let they day begin with some planting

Our Day at Hoptel...

We got a chance to improve the quality of life of several veterans who were down on their luck, and help make their experience with the Hoptel just a little bit more pleasant.

Our favorite part was talking to a couple of the veterans staying in the Hoptel while cleaning. They seemed to have nothing but positive attitudes about the rest of their life and were very appreciative of all the help they were receiving.

Our biggest takeaway was that a small act can make a big difference. Our main jobs were to plant in the garden, cook, and clean around Hoptel. Although these seem like minor tasks, we saw how happy it made the veterans and all the Hoptel staff just to see something nice, like green plants and a clean room. Small and seemingly insignificant acts are so important because they can change a person’s attitude and outlook on life, helping to raise their spirits.

In the future we will continue to work with veterans and those in need and try to improve their standards of living by performing small and large acts.

Takeaways from the Day

"People expect a homeless person to be dirty and unmotivated. Many people do not realize that even with a minimum wage job, it is extremely difficult to meet your daily needs. Many homeless people are actually hard working, but do not have the opportunity to make enough money to survive."

It was easier to see that homeless people aren’t stereotypical hobos and that anyone can be homeless, no matter what they look like.

People deserve, even if they are homeless, a nice place to stay and a recognition of their self worth.


All it takes is a few motivated people to change the quality of someone’s life


The environment that people live in really affect their willingness to rise above their problems and take initiative.

The veteran’s Hoptel looks different than you would expect because it is nicer and cleaner than many would think.

The Hoptel gives people hope and a place that they can feel welcome, even if they don’t have a real place to stay.

The people that staff the Hoptel are extremely generous and spend a lot of time caring for veterans.

Many people expect that once you become homeless, you will be trapped in the cycle. However, as we learned from the manager of the veteran’s Hoptel, it is possible to get back up and start a good life if you work hard and get a little help on the way.

Díaz-Ross Advo HOPTEL & Homelessness

Innvision Network - HOPTEL

Many veterans face depression, PTSD, suicidal thoughts, unemployment, poverty. Also many of them live in places where access to medical services is difficult to obtain. After military members get discharged, many of them face financial difficulties.

• The VA will have to accommodate more vets as the Pentagon shrinks the number of troops serving over the next several years.

• 6.9% of vets face challenges getting a job meaning that 246,000 vets are out of work.
• 13% of vets are homeless.
• More than 25% of the homeless people in San Francisco have served in the military.

Local problem veterans face:

• california has one of the highest numbers of veterans living in it (950,000-1,795,255)
• the majority of homeless veterans are single males who live in urban areas, often suffering from mental illness, alcohol and/or substance abuse, or co-occurring disorders
• about 1.4 million other veterans are living at risk of homelessness due to poverty, lack of support networks, and dismal living conditions in overcrowded or substandard "
• 69,334 veterans living in Santa Clara County, 7,631 are homeless
• New York has 64,060 homeless people
• 74% of all veterans are homeless in Santa Clara County

Articles and videos

• http://online.wsj.com/articles/obama-signs-veterans-affairs-overhaul-bill-1407431281
• http://www.ivsn.org/benefit-breakfast-2014-photos-and-videos/
• http://www.49ers.com/news/article-2/49ers-Halloween-at-InnVision-Shelter-Network/9f24118b-dae6-441b-b7c4-2796922e8879
• http://www.anxietybc.com/resources/ptsd.php (What is PTSD)

Another organization that works to combat the problem

http://www.va.gov/homeless/nonvaresources.asp

http://nchv.org/index.php/about/

Linford/Minning Advocacy at Boys and Girls Club

Playing with the oobleck, we saw the kids exercise their critical thinking skills and creativity.”

 

“I enjoyed the smiles coming to their faces as we played with them” -PJ

“The best part was their reactions not the actual activities!” Freya

“The experience emphasized the importance of human connections” - Jamie

Kids can be educated from a young age, so kids morals and mindsets develop at a young age - it is essential to their future” -Freya

If you’re not engaged, they won’t be engaged” -Tom

“It depended on the relationship, so even if you make an effort, some kids are harder to connect with” -Claire

“I just tried to be nice to him, but he kept saying how much he hated me” -Timmy

My partner said she hits teachers” -Chloe

I learned that throughout the day, patience was a key in the classroom.” -Chloe

This wasn’t really an academic thing. It was more about giving these kids lifeskills and tool to use in their future” -Amanda

Many of the kids at risk are just normal kids” -Jason

It is likely that without us, these kids would be sitting at home watching TV. -Group

STUBBS ADVO

                  

We got a chance to work at St. Anthony’s Padua Dining Room. The group got to do numerous jobs around the kitchen, such as preparing the food, serving it to the people, sorting donated food and silverware, and helping distribute groceries.

Our favorite part was serving the food to the people who really needed it. Seeing the gratitude and thanks on their faces really made the whole experience worthwhile and fun.

Our biggest takeaway was that a lot of effort goes into preparing meals for so many people. Things like organizing silverware, sorting through vegetables, and preparing the food in general all play an equally huge role in making the consumers satisfied and getting the job done.

Through all of the different tasks that everyone did, we were able to provide nice meals for over 300 people. At the time, it seemed like what we were doing was either random or ineffective, but later we did get to see how our work paid off. We got to immediately see the gratitude on the peoples faces, so we knew that what we were doing at the time was greatly appreciated by those people because we were helping them get a free meal.

I was surprised by how happy I got when I saw the smiles on people’s faces when I gave them food, and even when they just said thanks. The fact that I was making somebody’s hard life a little bit  easier made me feel accomplished and happy that I was helping so many people out.

Throughout the day, I felt increasingly uncomfortable about revealing where I lived or what my socioeconomic was. I felt that if this was revealed, people might look and interact with me differently and I didn’t want to be judged by how much money I had.

One thing we can continue to do is work at soup kitchens to continue feeding people who need it. An issue that we previously discussed was the distribution of food, and how there really is enough food to feed the entire world, so everyone gets fed. If we continue to work with these organizations who help feed the hungry, we will be able to help alleviate the issue of hunger in our local community.

THE STUBBS ADVO

Joss Community Service Reflections

Here's a link to all of our reflections. It was a wonderful day and we worked hard . . . I'm pooped!

http://jossadvoblog.blogspot.com/

We started our day walking into an empty building, passing by families waiting to get in behind a metal fence even though the soup kitchen opened in 3 hours. Our tasks ranged from kitchen duties to separating vegetables to connecting with the people. As a whole we can all agree that our favorite part of the day was serving the food. Serving the food allowed us to hear all sorts of stories and create relationships with the visitors. Two of the most memorable people that we met today were Antoinette and Bob Dehn. Antoinette, with a spunky and bold character, loved to dance with us, sing whatever was playing on her headset, and say whatever was on her mind. Bob Dehn, the head of group volunteering, was very passionate about his job. Throughout the day, Bob was obviously distraught with our ignorance with kitchen duties; however, it was all with good intent. One of the hardest tasks we had today was saying no. Those of us asked to oversee the giving out of bread and produce were told that each person was allowed two heads of lettuce, one bunch of bananas, three persimmons, two potatoes, etc. It was easy enough to keep straight, but it was difficult to enforce. When you look at someone who is trying to feed five people and you know you have to tell them that they can’t have another potato, what do you do? Do you tell them that they can’t feed their family? Yes, you do, because if you don’t, you’ll have to tell someone else later in the day. Overall, we feel accomplished because we know that our hard work helped contribute to people’s health and happiness!

The Allard Advocacy Went to The Boys and Girls Club of the Peninsula

We got a chance to interact/bond with the kids at the BGCP. Our favorite part was seeing the kids learn on their own. Our biggest takeaway was the importance of a role model. We gave the kids a chance to have one-on-one time with a mentor and to explore different kinds of activities. We learned patience and the importance of engaging children in a fun and interesting way when teaching them. For some we became very emotionally attached to our buddies. Some will acknowledge the importance of education and the boys and girls clubs impact and dedication.  

The Banks/Strong Advocacy went to Milagra Ridge

Today at Milagra Ridge we had the chance to plant lupins to save the blue mission butterflies. Lupins are host plants for this species of butterflies. Our favorite part of the day was getting a chance to learn about these important butterflies and the symbiotic relationships associated with them. Our biggest takeaway was the importance to preserve these butterflies. We felt that while our efforts were important, they were not extremely beneficial in the short term preservation of these butterflies. In the future we will return to Milagra Ridge and witness the butterflies laying eggs and fluterring in the spring air. And to view our efforts in the real world.

Yeh Community Service Reflection

Today, as an advocacy, we volunteered at InnVision Shelter Network First Step for Families. We made lunch bags and brownies, sanitized the upper floors, cleaned out leaves, made holiday cards, washed dishes, and just generally helped out. The facility was really great and the workers and the people living there there were very nice. We learned that most facilities like this one cannot function without volunteers, so volunteering is really important. It was a great experience and we feel proud that we really accomplished a lot. Our favorite parts of the day were making the brownies and talking to the people at the center. The most difficult parts of the day were sweeping leaves and sanitizing, but they were still fun. Here are some pictures of our day:

SINCOFF ADVOCACY: HOMELESSNESS

Overview: Local Homelessness

• Over 26,000 people become homeless annually across San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, including many families and Veterans
• 63 percent of the total number of homeless in San Francisco counted reported having a mental illness,
• 40 percent of the homeless people were homeless before they came to San Francisco, with 17 percent saying they came to look for work and 14 percent for social services.
• 6436 homeless people including those in shelters or transitional housing in San Francisco
• Twenty-nine percent of both youths and adults identified as LGBTQ in San Francisco
• On any given night estimated 50,000 veterans are homless 16,000 in CAee

Reasons for Homelessness

• Job or Income Loss: Sudden job loss, a death or costly illness can tip the scales for people living on the edge of poverty. For individuals living “one check away from homelessness,” a sudden job loss or underemployment can push them over the edge and onto the streets.
• Family Breakup: Many of IVSN’s families consist of single parents who have recently undergone family breakup. The financial instability of a single household income can easily result in a loss of housing.
• Lack of Affordable Housing: In both the San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, the cost of living is nearly 50% higher than the national average. With such high housing costs, many people earning minimum wage live on the brink of homelessness.

Overview: Global Homelessness

• An estimated 100 million people are homeless worldwide (United Nations 2005)
• most are women and children
• Countries have different definitions of “Homelessness” so it is hard to gauge how many people are homeless worldwide
• 1 out of 50 American children are homeless (about 1.5 million)
• 2.3-3.5 million Americans are experiencing homelessness
• 23% of people homeless are chronically homeless
• Common causes of homelessness for families: lack of affordable housing, poverty, unemployment
• Common causes of homelessness for singles: substance abuse, mental illness, lack of affordable housing
• Veterans are more likely to be homeless (40% of people homeless are veterans)
• Any given night: 200,000 veterans are homeless
• 50,000 people, mainly women and children, die as a result of poor shelter, polluted water, and inadequate sanitization

Overview: Current Solutions & Actions to Alleviate Homelessness

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

Goal 1:   Prevent episodes of homelessness within the HHS clientele, including individuals and families

Goal 2:    Help eligible, homeless individuals and families receive health and social services

Goal 3:    Empower our state and community partners to improve their response to individuals and families experiencing homelessness

Goal 4:    Develop an approach to track Departmental progress in preventing, reducing, and ending homelessness for HHS clientele

In early 2002, the Secretary’s Work Group on Ending Chronic Homelessness was charged with designing a plan to:

• improve access to treatments and services;
• improve coordination across these services;
• identify strategies to prevent additional episodes of chronic homelessness; and
• itemize accountability and evaluation processes.

To date, every state (including the District of Columbia) and U.S. Territory has attended a Homeless Policy Academy and is working to implement a state Action Plan intended to improve access to mainstream health and human services and employment opportunities that are coordinated with housing for persons who are experiencing homelessness.

Strategies:

• Identify risk and protective factors to prevent episodes of homelessness for at-risk populations.
• Identify risk and protective factors to prevent chronic homelessness among persons who are already homeless.
• Develop, test, disseminate, and promote the use of evidence-based homelessness prevention and early intervention programs and strategies.
• Strengthen outreach and engagement activities.
• Improve the eligibility review process.
• Explore ways to maintain program eligibility.
• Examine the operation of HHS programs, particularly mainstream programs that serve both homeless and non-homeless persons, to improve the provision of services to persons experiencing homelessness
• Foster coordination across HHS to address the multiple problems of individuals and families experiencing homelessness.
• Explore opportunities with federal partners to develop joint initiatives related to homelessness, including chronic homelessness and homelessness as a result of a disaster.
• Empower our state and community partners to improve their response to individuals and families experiencing homelessness

Citations:

http://www.hhs.gov/homeless/research/endhomelessness.html

Relevant Articles and Videos to Share

• http://nationalhomeless.org/ The National Coalation for the Homeless
• http://www.rollingstone.com/culture/features/the-forsaken-a-rising-number-of-homeless-gay-teens-are-being-cast-out-by-religious-families-20140903 Gay teens made homeless by thier parents
• http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-rosslyn-homeless-vets-20140930-story.html Efforts in Los Angeles to house Homeless Veterans. Launched with 75 homed in restored hotel.
• http://www.myfoxtampabay.com/story/27307849/feeding-the-homeless-act-of-charity-or-a-crime 90 year old man feeds homeless even though it’s illegal
• http://recode.net/2014/10/27/homeless-teens-and-their-cellphones-at-sfs-larkin-street-youth-services/ - homeless teen need their cell phones
• http://homeless.samhsa.gov/resource/in-their-own-words-homeless-female-veterans-share-their-stories-49371.aspx Homeless female veterans share their stories of being put in the streets when they come home.

Other Programs that Rehabilitate Families

http://www.hacla.org/specialprograms/

HACLA trys to put families that are classified as “low income earning households” into affordable housing and put them into good jobs. It also helps feed these households while providing them the opportunities to get back on their feet. It also provides special opportunities and housing for people struggling with HIV/AIDS.

Joss Advocacy Presentation on Homelessness

https://docs.google.com/a/menloschool.org/presentation/d/17a9cF55kKfOmExEzd7ODv4_RzevTjnPP8sjiSdYJUPM/edit?usp=sharing

Yeh Advocacy Community Service Awareness: Homelessness and InnVision Shelter Network

Provide an overview of the problem on a local level. Please be sure to include statistics.
California has the highest homeless population in the nation. (http://www.homeaidnc.org/about/facts/) San Francisco has spent around $165 million a year on services to help homeless people http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-homeless-youth-count-nears-1-000-despite-5307431.php) 6,435 homeless adults have been counted during one night last year (http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-homeless-youth-count-nears-1-000-despite-5307431.php) 914 children and young adults were found one day last year without a parent/guardian and without a house (http://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/S-F-homeless-youth-count-nears-1-000-despite-5307431.php) In California on any given night, 360,000 homeless individuals sleep on the streets or in shelters. (http://www.homeaidnc.org/about/facts/)Homeless children are twice as likely to repeat a grade in school and have a higher rate of not graduating high school (http://compass-sf.org/get-involved/homelessness)

Provide an overview of the problem on a global level. Please be sure to include statistics.
An estimated 100-200 million people worldwide are homeless (2005) (http://www.homelessworldcup.org/content/homelessness-statistics)1.5 million American children are homeless every year (2009) (http://www.shelter20.com/homeless-statistics/)Causes of homelessness are lack of affordable housing, unemployment, substance abuse, mental illness, and poverty (2008) (http://www.shelter20.com/homeless-statistics/)
A majority of homeless people are women and children (http://www.shelter20.com/homeless-statistics/)
Up to 600 million people live in shelters worldwide (http://www.shelter20.com/homeless-statistics/)


Find a one more organization that works to combat your selected social injustice and analyze their approach. Don’t copy and paste the mission of your selected agency. Research their approach and include details as well as statistics. 

StandUp for Kids:

• Outreach services for at risk, homeless youth
• Trying to end cycle of homelessness with youth
• Provide safe shelter while kids continue to grow up and go to school
• Primarily does work at night time, where volunteers go around and hand out food, clothes, etc to homeless kids
• Provides kids with a counselor to talk to
• Teaches kids life skills to survive in life
• Anger management, studying, money managing

Facts:

• 1.5-1.8 million homeless youth in america
• 13 kids die on the streets in America each day
• Human trafficking of youth is the fastest growing crime\
• 100,000 children are sold into sex trade within the US each day

Find relevant articles and videos to share with the community.

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THxtcWNw3QA
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6jSKLtmYdM
• http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/03/03/idUSnMKW9n0bja+1c0+MKW20140303
• http://streetsheetsf.wordpress.com/