A ROGUE IN GRACE ( a poem from a book called “Poorfolk Disillusionment”)

EDITED BY KEVIN

If I blend to a trend with words that I can’t embrace, it’s because I am entering the throne as a rogue in grace.

What seems to be apparent but scary to my needs is that I had no place to swim to bide some comfort from the street.

So, I strived and straddled while stumbling in my storm to a place that led me to a righteous interim.

As I walk to the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil cause I am humbly doing my best.

So when I bind no cause to boast about my needs, I guess I know His tender mercy has shadowed over me.

I am just a rogue in grace figuring on my memory.

By Emmalee Smith
edited by Debra Powell-Wright
Leeway Foundation Art & Change Grant Recipient

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SPORTS WORLD: PHILLIES WILL LEAD THE WAY

Here are some fearless predictions for the sports fans of OSA

First off, it doesn’t look too good for a NBA season right now, at all.

I don’t get these owners and players. The owners are crying poor? I don’t buy it. Pro basketball is at an all-time high, in attendance and popularity and global awareness, with merchandising and visual recognition.

And there are huge population markets that do not have a team and want one. San Diego has over 3 million folks in the total region. No team! Seattle has over 2 million in that region. No team! Pittsburgh would generate some fans and revenue. Owners could generate even more excitement if they weren’t so greedy and phony.

They are on the verge of a major disaster if they keep this lockout going and risk losing the fan base.

Since the NBA is so superstar player reliant (as opposed to team oriented), there is an opportunity for the players to break off the plantation and form their own league. If they had the guts, business sense and the vision. A big if.

The NFL season is underway. At the moment, the Eagles are a sad 1 -2. Michael Vick is hurt again. The Eagles offensive line is bad. They are getting pushed around and must protect Vick better if the team has any shot at a title, or even the playoffs.

Teams are pushing the Eagles around and beating up on them. Andy Reid should be fired! He’s an awful game day coach. He doesn’t appreciate the running game and apparently doesn’t have the least idea of how to use the run. His red zone strategy, especially a 1st & goal situation, is pathetic. The team consistently shows bad clock management and makes costly stupid fouls. Reid needs to go and should have been gone.

As for the rest? I will pick the super talented Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints to battle it out in the NFC, with the Packers winning a close one to get back to the Super Bowl.

In the AFC, 4 teams will battle it out. The New England Patriots, New York Jets, Pittsburgh Steelers and my team, Baltimore Ravens. Personal bias aside, this will be my year.  The Baltimore Ravens will  tough it out and will face the Packers in the Super Bowl.

The Ravens will win it all! No doubt about it!

For Philadelphia fans, their hopes will rest and be fulfilled with the Fighting Phils. I see the team coming out of the NL and into the World Series without too much worry.

The AL winner will be a dog fight between the Yankees (I really hate them!), Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers and the wild-card winning Tampa Bay Rays (just easing out the Boston Red Sox).

The Phillies will beat the New York Yankees for the first time ever for the World Series title.

Philadelphians will have a great parade and that will soften the sorrow and tears of the other 3 local teams.

And yours truly will enjoy my Ravens and the Super Bowl win. That party will be at my place.

posted by Erik Younge/send arguments and comments to: micynge@gmail.com

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“NO ROOM AT THE INN: NO BEDS AT PHILA SHELTERS!?

EDITED BY KEVIN

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development  released its annual report to Congress on homelessness in June 2011.. In particular, the number of homeless families “has increased 20% from 2007 to 2010″ and “the proportion of homeless families in shelters and transitional housing has increased from 30% to 35%” during that same time period.

In Phila, recent statistics show that some 425 families are housed in emergency shelters, 335 families are in transitional shelters, with an estimated total of more than 6,000 homeless women, men and children in this city in shelters, transitional housing, or on the streets. The city has recently reported that “all of the 1,544 beds for families at city-funded shelters are occupied.”

Staff writer, Jennifer Lin of the Phila Inquirer recently documented the story of 23-year-old Yasmeen Goodmond, a mother of 2 children who was told at 2 homeless shelters that they simply just did not have any available beds for her. Mrs Goodmond had to place her children with family members while she walked the streets at night to survive, getting no sleep or rest at all.

As the Inquirer article pointed out: Advocates for the homeless say that the city’s shelters for families always fill up in the summer, but that this year, that seems to be happening sooner than usual. The director of Philadelphia’s Office of Supportive Housing (OSH), Dainette Mintz, conceded that more families than usual are being denied immediate help. The city had to turn away 591 families at the Appletree Center – double the rate of 2 years ago.

Another contributing factor has been the turmoil at the Philadelphia Housing Authority (PHA) concerning the scandal surrounding former executive director Carl Greene, who was fired last year among numerous and costly charges of misconduct.

PHA currently has 100,000 families on its waiting list for either housing or federal rent subsidies, according to the Phila. Inquirier.

Many city resources are full and strained to capacity and not able to meet the growing demands and needs of the increasing homeless population. This reflects the national situation as well. Shaun Donovan, HUD Secretary has gone on record that the federal agency was “just not as far along in developing tools and solutions to end family homelessness.”

As reported in the June 2011 ONE STEP AWAY cover story 100K Homes, concentrated outreach by more than 250 volunteers to identify the most “vulnerable” individuals has helped to accurately compile numbers and data to begin to address the needs of the chronic homeless population and find solutions.

One of the Philly street veterans I interviewed in May is JR. JR frequently stays nights at a couple of men’s shelters in Center City. He usually finds a bed with little trouble. But he has also seen a spike in single men needing help. During the summer, he pointed out that many services provided to help during the fall and winter months do not “operate in the summer” and “you can usually get a bed easy, especially in the beginning of the month when dudes get that check, and get their drink or high on. These places are half empty. But now…. damn….it’s getting full quicker all the time, and they are holding on to their spots…..”

Another result of the 100K Homes outreach has been the eyewitness proof that the homeless population is pervasive, not just in Center City Phila but almost within every neighborhood or section of the city. We have seen and talked to people sleeping in parks in North Philly, Germantown, West Philly, Kensington, etc.

Attorney Marsha Cohen,  Executive  Director of the Homeless Advocacy Project (HAP) emailed ONE STEP AWAY this exclusive  statement:

The HAP, a legal services non-profit that provides free civil legal services to homeless men, women and children living in Phiadelphia, remains deeply concerned at the lack of available shelter beds for homeless families, and with the pending close of  Ridge (Shelter)  for single men (and women) living in Philadelphia.

HAP  is currently  contemplating legal action against the City for the current lack of shelter beds for homeless families and for the City’s alarming removal of children from their families, when families can no longer “make their own arrangements.” Most of the men and women who attempt to access City shelters numbering over 25,000 each year, have already spent months, sometimes years, living doubled or tripled with family or friends.

HAP feels strongly that Philadelphia  must do better to shore up the safety net for families and individuals who fall upon hard times. Housing – be it shelter, or low income subsidized housing opportunities, must become an immediate priority for the current administration. That said, HAP views litigation as a very last resort. We much prefer to work with OSH and the Mayor’s office to brainstorm together on how to resolve the current crisis and we remain hopeful that the City will add additional shelter beds or cots to the current stock to address the immediate crisis.

posted by Erik Younge: email me at micynge@gmail.

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“I LOVE THIS PROGRAM HERE!” – OSA WORKS WITH THE MCSCS HOMELESS PROJECT

EDITED BY KEVIN

“Good evening, everybody! Please step back from the curb, against the wall so we can set up and start serving.”, Dr Veronica Joyner asked the long, double-wide line of folks outside the south wall of Love Park.

It was  close to 9pm on a slightly humid Thursday evening in September, 2011.

The crowd , almost stretching the entire block between 15th street and 16th street on JFK Blvd, in a remarkable orderly manner, did exactly as Mrs Joyner asked. They knew this woman and her students very well. It was the Mathematics, Civics & Sciences Charter School Homeless Project ready to set up and feed the homeless , as they have been doing every Thursday night since 2006. MCSCS is one of the city’s best schools and its founder and chief administrative officer Dr Veronica Joyner started the Project to “take the lessons of the classroom beyond the walls of the school.”

ONE STEP AWAY was invited to participate and see exactly how this unique student-led program worked their magic.

Reporter Leslie, photographer Matthew and yours truly eagerly joined the Homeless Project. Our first stop was at the Ridge Shelter, the city’s largest men’s shelter. A line of folks had already assembled as we drove to the shelter entrance on Ridge Avenue a little after 8:00 pm.

Students quickly and efficiently set up a row of tables, containing bottles of water, bags of sandwiches, fruit, snacks. Leslie took charge of the bags and the line of men and women moved orderly past the tables and were served. Everyone got what they wanted. Many stopped to express their appreciation and thanks to the students. Many also thanked personally Dr Joyner. It was clear that she had touched their lives at one point or another, not just with food and clothes and toiletries, but in so many other meaningful ways.

As OSA has been the leading paper to highlight the situation at Ridge, the shelter is slated to close in December. Despite the tension, anxiety and the confusion and uncertainity facing those still remaining people at Ridge, the constant presence and service of the MCSCS Thursday night Homeless Project provides a welcome relief.

We all moved on to the next stop. Love Park.

There had to be close to 150 people awaiting the MCSCS caravan when we arrived.

The students served people directly from the van as space was too limited to set up tables. Some of us carried the food bags in bread crates, while others served the crowd directly from them. No one was left out.  Leslie and myself  served and talked to many there, quite a few we knew from either the shelter system or from our outreach on the streets. Matthew, the photographer, snapped a ton of great photos of the people, students and staff.

What was remarkable was the love shown by the people at Love Park for this program. Dr Joyner seemed to know just about everyone by name or face and their needs. Tokens were also distributed to those in need of them. Some asked for winter coats and sneakers and when they would be available. Others just came up to thank Mrs Joyner and the students “just for being here”, “just for caring”.

Brenda, a young lady I knew from 10 years ago, praised the Program in her usual flamboyant style, “I love, absolutely, this program here!”

30 minutes later, the entire crowd was served, the students packed everything into the van, held a group prayer of thanks, and drove back to the school to end the night.

They would be back next Thursday, as everyone knew, to do it all over again.

On a final note,  I have personally been checking out a number of feeding programs during the past year, along the Parkway and in numerous churches, to find out how they are run, the quality of the food and service, and what other services and resources are provided. The majority of them are done with efficiency, care, quality and love from all sides, from the staff and volunteers, as well as the clients served. I was so impressed by the MCSCS Homeless Project.  Everything was done with such a level of care, organization, cheerfulness and love. This Project serves as a model of how such feeding programs should always happen.

Please support this program!

posted by Erik Younge/email me at micynge@gmail.com

Stu

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MCSCS HOMELESS PROJECT: STUDENTS BRING FOOD, CLOTHES & LOVE TO THE SHELTER AND THE STREETS

EDITED BY KEVIN
“If you cannot feed a thousand, feed just one….” – Mother Teresa

The Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School has one of the most humane and exciting projects alive today. The MCSCS Homeless Project is funded and operated by children and youth enrolled at the school. Students in grades 1-12 donate $1.00 a week, raising $800 to $1,000 , to feed more than  500 homeless and hungry people in this city.  MCSCS students donate not only money, but shirts, pants, sneakers, boots, jackets, sweaters, hats, gloves, blankets, toiletries, underwear and socks. These young women and men get together every Thursday evening to sort clothes and other items to be distributed to the city’s largest men shelter Ridge and then to those on the streets at Love Park. More than 300 – 400 people every week served with these essential items and its all done with love and compassion.

MCSCS has consistently been one of the brightest schools in this city. Founded and operated since 1999 by long-time leading education activist Dr Veronica Joyner, it reflects the no-nonsense, children-first, education-is-the-key style of its founder.

ONE STEP AWAY reporters were recently invited to the school located on north Broad St near Spring Garden for a look at MCSCS, its students and an interview with Dr Joyner.

The school is impressive!

From the very first moment we stepped inside, there was an atmosphere of professionalism, warmth, seriousness-of-purpose and educational integrity displayed by staff and students.

The building is bright, clean, friendly. There are pictures of great historical figures of African-Americans along the walls, from Martin Luther King to Harriet Tubman.  The conference room we were invited to sit was comfortable and very modern.

Dr Joyner was no stranger to our paper. She remarked that she purchases OSA from vendors on the street and encourages her staff and students to read it as well.

“Students are the customers”, Dr Joyner emphasized. “We (the staff) cater to them.”

“We started the Homeless Project program to teach the children responsibility, to be good citizens, to show good character and to further their education….. We need to do more by doing more direct action…… Before, some of the children would say, ‘Mrs Joyner, I used to laugh at the homeless. I don’t do that anymore. I want to help them’…….”

In the beginning, the MCSCS students saw the need, did research on the need, discovered that thousands of Philadelphia’s citizens go without food and shelter daily and answered the call, forming the Homeless Project, as an integral part of the Civics aspect of the schools name. Many of the parents are also active supporters and participants in this Project.

In detail, the MCSCS students contribute the initial cash on Tuesday,  purchase the needed items on Wednesday, then make the sandwiches, care bags, sort clothes on Thursday afternoon. At 7pm Thursday evening, the students pack the items in their van, making their way to first Ridge Shelter and then to Love Park.

Steve Butler was a senior at MCSCS in 2008 and involved from the beginning in the Project. “In our community we have a constant need. This program has helped me decide to work in public health”, he said.

Residents at Ridge and people at Love Park have enthusiastically praised the Project. So many of them have been blessed and helped by it.

“We have also given out tokens and transpasses so that many homeless men and women could get to work,” continued Dr Joyner. Carl Snell was one of the first to receive SEPTA tokens through the program, where he commuted to his job as an afternoon school tutor. “If it weren’t for this program, I wouldn’t have gotten this job,” he said.

Dr Joyner informed OSA that  “Some of the homeless have talked to our children about their difficulties, and also their successes, and how much this Project has meant to them. One young man just said to me, ‘Mrs Joyner, you gave me a hands up. I just got my own room now’..”

“Our students have embraced this Project. Some are in college or have graduated,they  come back to help out…. Unless we start to teach them (our students) early, we are not teaching them humanity, we are not teaching them to be compassionate human beings. Every human being counts!”

The MCSCS Homeless Project has delivered every Thursday without fail. Many times, those who are experiencing homelessness will talk to the students on how to avoid the pitfalls of the street, the need to “focus on your education” and “please continue to do what you are doing, help others in need”.

According to a press release, MCSCS has held a talent show and other fund-raisers to keep the project going over the summer months. Students have become so passionately involved that they have given the coats off their backs, sold their own books to raise monies, and used their own patchecks to buy clothes for people.

Veronica Joyner and her staff are planning to expand, hoping to recruit other schools in this project. “We would love to get other schools. If we could get 5 or 6 other schools, then we would be able to have all seven days covered,”, Dr Joyner told us.

In 2007, a former city managing director tried to stop the public feeding, ordering the students and staff to “move it inndoors.” The Project refused to move and the city backdowned from their position. Support for the Project has grown, from Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell (of course), State Senator Shirley Kitchen, State Congressman  Chaka Fattah to hundreds of others who appreciate the great mission of the Homeless Project in the fight to end hunger in this nation.

Dr Joyner’s interactions with the students demonstrates her style and her methods. It is not just a principal – student one, but one of a motherly nature as well. The school has all the aura of a large caring family, a model of the “it takes a whole village to raise the children” concept. There is a clear mutual respect between the adults and the children, too often missing in our society today.

“My expectations are high. I believe that the children want, need and expect that high expectation.”

The MCSCS Homeless Project is unique, inspirational and beautiful! Much success to all!

posted by Erik Younge/email me at micynge@gmail.com

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Strange Tools

In 2008 I found myself facing homelessness with four minor children in tow I thought to myself what am I going to do. It all started when I move out of the projects from Chester township pa. I wanted a new start for myself and my children.I grew up in the same projects that  I’ve lived in the for years and as an adult I recieved a unit in the housing projects when I was 18 years of age  I lived until the age of 37 and I wanted out the children out grew the home and now Iam feeling a tugging  and wanted out. I felt I was never going get anywhere in life as long as I stayed in the projects  I thought to myself the only way I was gonig to get out of this project is to do something I never did and that is to step out and do it but I was afraid I didn’t want to be just out there wandering with out a detination but I have to do it myself, no man was going to do it for me, no publishers clearing house personal was showing up at my front door I had to  fight my way out. I was a newly saved christian. One day  read Gensis 12:1 and I saw these words, Now the Lord had said to Abram: ” Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house to a land I will show(NKJV). when I read those words I new that those was for me . So I began to prepare to follow what I read, I didn’t know what was going to happen but I was excited  for some reason I followed what I read and wanted to believe that those words where for me I didn’t know why I was so excited, but if this is the only way out of this system I was going to do it. My husband was deceased, so I didn’t have no one to discourage or stop me it was all on me, and now it was time for me to make a move, step out on faith and if I fall on my face  then I fall. but now is the time for me to move , as I prepared I began looking for houses, houses I didn’t know how I was going to pay for them I had no resourses but if  this is what God want me to do then I’ll do it of course my family wonder where I was going. I never told them that I read the bible and I believed that Genesis 12:1  was speaking to me. I just prepared to leave. I called a box company in Chester pa. and asked them do they have any boxes, they gladly told me to come down and they filled my car up with the boxes. I went home and began packing. I started asking people if they wanted to buy my household possesions no one wanted to. So I said I will give it away and I began giving my things away I only kept my clothes, mychildren clothes, my bed , my stereo system and one 32 in television. I had no ideal where i was going. Two of my minor children went to my older daughters house my youngest child went to my brothers house  and one of my children stayed with me, all of us for the first time we where  separated my children where upset. they thought I was loosing my mind.Of course people began to talk they figured because of the events that happened in my life took a toll on me. My sister was in a coma from july- september of 2002  andshe moved in with me in addictionto her she also had 4 minor children that also needed to be looked after so we made room for all of them, I had surgery in Januray of 2003, April 9 of 2003 my husband passed on, january 2004 my only son gets in a serious car accident and was in a coma from January til april of 2004, May I 2005 I got saved and accepted Jesus Christ as my Lord and savior and November 2005 my Maternal grandmother whom I been put in place to care for dies, so my family felt I was loosing my mind. But I needed to follow what I believed was the word for me Genesis 12:1 and what began to come into my mind is “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also”(KJV). I asked My sister in law could I stay with her until I find somewhere to go and she said yes, she never questioned what I was doing why I was leaving my house that I’ve lived in for so many years she just said a resounding yes. she helped me move the few items that i had to her house June 17 of 2006 where I stayed for several months In a shed  like room on the the back of her house. it’s amazing what curtins and a plant and lots of love would do I thought to myself I’m homeless this never happened before I always had people come and live with me and my family in my home. sometimes you don’t think your homeless when your livivng with someone.  but your are.   at times I would cry but still beliving that God would do what he said he will do.Haning onto that scripture.  The shed became  my place of refruge a place where it was no one but me and God  I was able to praise him and worship him in this shed and my relationship with God and faith began to grow in this place. my children could not understand what I was doing But I said ok Lord I followed your inspired word so now what. You have me to yourself, I have made myself look like a fool to everyone, not knowing that i was going to live in someones shed, But i kept hearing” do you trust me” not saying that it was audio, not saying God stood in the physical in front of me and asked this question, but I would hear” do you trust me” maybe it was in my heart it’s hard to explain but I heard it. I must trust you because I packed up my house and now I’m here and this don’t nothing like the houses i looked at. I never told the housing authority for 2 weeks that I left. but I knew if I was to truely show
God that I trust him fully, I must get rid of my safety blanket( my project house) so I called the housing authority and told them I moved out. the women said I wish you the best  and if you need a refrence I will give you one, thank you I said and hung up.  I found a job on a farm as a tour guide and I loved it. I brought me a hoopty so me and my children can get  around. you see when you make a decision to follow God you will begin to loose things, people who you thought was your friends, material things like your new car thats what happen to me and people are watching you they want to know what is going on with you. and there are not looking for a good out come most of the time. I continued to pray and continued attending my church. Ibelieved that at some point God was going to come through and low and behold I  found  a got a job that I applyed for about a year prior to. I called and said I see you still have a ad in the paper but no one ever called me. the man said well when do you want to come in I said tomorrow he checked his shedule and said ok that is fine come in around 11am and I did. I got the job and continued house hunting march 3 rd of 2007 I moved into a five bedroom one and a half bath home in the state of Delaware it was a beautiful house it was completly gutted and redone I was in love with it and thanked the God for everthing. prayed through my house. I thought to myself I made it out of the projects that wasn’t to painful. I asked one of my daughters was all that worth it and she said yes mommy it was worth it yes it was I agreed and soon after my other three minor children joined me and we where excited  my job was only about 3miles from our home. the school bus would come into our devlopment and pick the children up one of my minor daughters continued to go back and forth between my house and my olders home and I was ok with it. April of 2007 my stepdaughter asked if she and my mother n law my deceased husband’s mother ans daughter asked if they could come and stay with me in my home for a little while and I said ok soon after my stepdaughter and my mother n law moved out but about June of 2007 my stepdaughter asked If my mother n law could stay with me because she lost her home and I said ok. My mother in law was 99 years old a beautiful women with beautiful soft skin, she was not on any medication, she was in her right mind just us a cane to assist with walking, hearing was a little impaired, but did not need the assistance of a hearing aid she was just 99years old, when I was younger she let me stay in her home so why should I not return the favor, I gladly said ok. I began to get  meals on wheels. So when I was at work and the children were off to school she can still get a hot meal, we had a home health aid come to help her  and keep her company, when we where not home but her insurance would only pay for 2 days a week and 2hours each day.So I continued to search for a new agency and found one in october of 2007 called: The Division of ageing,  A state run agency I felt finally we were going to get more help so my family and I can manuver a little better. One morning I had my first visit with this agency. I had steped out for about an hour to take my daughter to her doctors appointment and left my front door unlocked as I did for the meals on wheels personal, so my mother in law don’t have to get up, her bedroom was right on the first floor so who ever was coming from the agency can come right  in,  I told my mother in law that I’ll be back and if someone comes before I get back from the agency tell them that I’ll be here shortly. I arrived home and saw a car in my drive way I parked my car and ran inside. I saw an older female sitting in the chair in my mother in law’s room  and apologized for haveing her to wait.I’m so sorry I’m late but my appoinment ran over, and the woman went on to say well I called the authorities to put your mother in law in a nursing home. why would you do that .well she should not be left alone, according to whom I replied. I went on to say, Her doctor never said that she shouldn’t be left alone. she’s just 99 years old she is not a baby. finally a supervisor from the division of ageing came and I was upset because I called this agency for help and this is what they do . you will not take my mother n law anywhere!  the male supervisor that arrived told that he was not going to take my mother in law, but he  told me that I need to quit my job or  my mother in law would have to be placed in a nursing home and if they came back and found her alone they where going to take her out of the home. what kind of mess is that I called you for help and now you want me to quit my job  I refuse to quit my job I thought, who was going to take care of us all my bills my new car note payment, feed my children and myself we all can’t eat off of meals on wheels, and besides I like my job, I would go to my job on my days off. well they  said they can only provide me with 2hours for 3days a week of service and you can’t have two agencies at the same time because the state insurance will only cover one agency at a time.Wow! October 23 2007 I felt pressure I didn’t know why at the time, but I prayed all weekend for my family and my job and I couldn’t understand why, well monday october 26 Iwalked in to work and felt like I wanted to clear my desk and go home. I didn’t know why I was having this feeling I just shrugged it off and I just sat down at my desk the air was thick I thought to myself, something is wrong but I couldn’t figure out what was happening. I continued to do my work and about 12 noon I was asked to go into the office by another supervisor I walked in the office and there sat my supervisor and my general manager my supervisor had a apologetic and I did’t do it  look on his face,  but I knew when I saw them what was happening I just handed my bage to my general manager and he asked me How did I know I said I’m the Lords child. well I guess I’m off early I grabbed my things and drove home. a job I never had a write up for never was late. what are you doing Lord.” I learned to not get upset about to many things they will pass as they often do”   I just drove to the unemployment office, of course my job did not fight unemployment .well november 5 I was helping my motheri n law up the stairs so she can take a bath and as we were walking I noticed the she was becoming pale in the face and when she reached the landing she just past out and went unresponsive  I ran in my bed room and called 911 they arrived and I followed my mother in law in the ambulance to the hospital at the the hospital  the doctor told me that my mother in law was in renal failure.  she stayed in the hospital for about a week and was sent home on hospic with a DNR in hand. we continued on with our daily lives. me with no job I need to work but I’m afraid to because of the threat of the nursing home. January 18 2008 my mother in law turned 100 years old and my children and I sang happy birthday It was a good day well I began to notice our bank account dwindling down to nothing and credit cards getting backed up we were running out of money. one day I cried out Lord what is going on I know you didn’t bring me all this way for nothing and for us to loose all that I worked hard for but, If this is in your plan Lord let your will be done. I might not like it but Oh well what can I do. Lord I know your thoughts are higher than my thoughts and your ways are higher than my ways. so I will trust you . I thought to myself. God is in control of everything and he want us to trust him, if everything went right in our lives we would never feel the need for God in our lives. we would think we control everthing. I found a job in a mailroom at lincoln university still trying to stay afloat but I only worked 2 days and my daughter called me and said that mom mom is what they called my mother in law will not open her eyes. the the nures got on the phone and said I believe your mother in law had a stroke right in front of me she explained. you need to come home when I arrived yes she had a stroke that put her in a coma my mother in law was in a coma and she passed on four days after the stroke took place march 23,2008. I figured I can try to recover from not having a job from october til march but so much was at stake we had nothing  I began looking for a job again and sunday of the next week while getting ready for church my car was reposessed, my rent was back and I new it was a matter of time before I need to move. where I lived in delaware you need a vehicle to get around there are hardly know public transportation. Look like we are going to be homeless again I need to act quick what am I going to do I can’t pay $1200 month to keep a roof over our heads let alone buy food, pay utilities and our basic needs I was only getting unemployment of about $600 a month and $900 supplemental support income from my deceased husband for my minor daughters. so I began looking into shelters and one of the shelters would take me and three of my daughters but my 18 year old now pregnant daughter can not come so I had to find another way or I could stay in the rinky dink motel that is use as a shelter and we all can be togehter but how are we going to get around I have to find another way so one of my friends called that I have not spoke to in about a year asked me to come and stay with him and bring my children he lived in the Olney section of Philadelphia I really had no choice so april 17 of 2008 I and my daughters moved into my friends house I began to pound the pavement looking for a house and a job I found a job working for a cookie factory  that paid hardly any money I would work from 2pm to about 3am this was hard work but I had to do it if I wanted out of my male friends house. I cried to the Lord one day because I needed to find a house for me and my children to live and finally I was invited to a church and I prayed the sermon was for me and it was I felt great after the service I knew the Lord would answer my prayer and he did I arrived back at my friends house with my daughters and on my bed was a lease with my name on it from a landlord I’ve have never met. my friend knew him and when I spoke to the man I said I really don’t have any money right now  to move in but I may have it in about a couple of weeks he said Shea  I don’t think you need any money, you can just move in and you can pay the first months rent  and pay the rest little by little as you go along I was happy he said the keys are in the lock box go see the house if you like it  you can move in I hung up the phone so over whelmed I Thanked God for answering my prayers.  I went and saw the house and liked it even if I didn’t like it was going to make myself like it.I move in with my daughters June 17 of 2008 and my daughter had my granddaughter June 28 2008 God is always on time.  I am grateful. Through all the  I have been a resident of  Philadelphia Pa  ever since. so many wonderful things happened since I’ve moved to Philadelphia I finished three years at Redeemer Institute of Christian Education (RICE),Soon to finish in December of 2011 a 23 month long associate degree program at Allstate career School to be a Paramedic, also became apart of a prison minisrty since January 2008 and been afforded the opportunity to write for one step away. Had I not stepped out on faith and believed God’s word Genesis all these things would not have ever had happened and I know it, I might not have had a car when I arrived here but the Lord put me in a city with a metro line that seem to never shut down. Everthing that I lost or gave away God gave it back to me. When things look bleek don’t get down even though I know it can make you feel like you don’t know of your coming or going look for God in it I can only speak on what I know to be true God is not a jeenie in a bottle but he does have us right in the palm of his hand. ” See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me” Isaiah 49:16(NIV) no matter what it looks like, no matter how rough it gets if you trust God and believe he can do all things he will do just see you through I’m not saying that I have no problems I’m merely saying with God nothing is impossible, you can go through the fire and come out ok, but this is a partnership with God you have a part to play as well remember faith with out works is dead. Martin Luther King Jr put it this way” faith is like taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase”   sometimes the bottom seem like forever but the bottom is the foundation of any building it is the start of something new, the bottom holds the rest of the building together. If you don’t like being on the bottom try looking up  there is a ceiling and it is it a glass ceiling but with God that ceiling is an  allusion,  allow the Lord to break you through it. but I want you to remember as you are thrusting upward and allowing  God to break you through that glass ceiling you will get some cuts and brusies anda whole lot of pain but once you are through it you will heal, overcome and see life from a whole new set of eyes. God sure use some strange tools to get to a place that is all in his plan. we may not like the tools he use but he is free to use what ever he pleases. It may be the lost of a job, your car, your husband, friends, a doctor or  an accident. The tools God use to get us to his planned purpose for our lives may be unconventional but very effective

posted by Shea Crews/one step away

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WHERE IS MY HOME?

There comes a time when we just do not know when it is okay to be a parent, okay to be a woman, okay to just be mommy again. However, these misconceptions should not prevent continuing assessing victimization between America and different nations. I guess struggling with the shame of being open travels with our gender instincts to escape repressive incidents. To reclaim negative experiences that join struggles with faults is not the individualized sentiment that I would like to attach to having fears of deportation.

In paraphrase of the current struggle within poverty at the grassroot level in America, a young Polish girl came to the United States at nineteen years old. She grew up in Elk,Poland. She went to college to study Management and Marketing. She began a work relationship through an inter-relationship J-1 Visa while improving her English skills as a single woman. Right or Wrong, she met a man in this form of student-exchange guest worker program in 2003 on the job.

Once again, the product of an engagement came within an undemocractic workstyle pattern. This led to a lifestyle of evening dances, ice cream dates and day trips. Trips to New York to the Statue of Liberty became often and inspirational. Promoting,  a restoring message of no place that I rather build a home after descending from the nation of Poland. I have the responsibility to not to allow neglect to stem from people who moved near my grandparents but away from people practicing serious and dangerous behaviors after the Holacaust. Despite being born after such a self-destructive event, I can only imagine myself but being in the stongest protection to act in the longest running challenge to never allow it to happen again.

We got married in New York in September of 2003. A baby was determined to be on the way but did not survive. Soon after the first child was lost, the family dynamic was confronted with her husband being caught-up in a drug arrest. She began worrying about her husband’s path to chart another way to achieve worker’s right. I got scared about our family transformation. In an account for my efforts, I sought to Polish Pubs to deal with my stress in hopes to have someone to talk to because I was illiterate to Spanish and English in America. My needs had moved into deep after a traumatic birthing experience while facing collapse of my family’s quality of life. I felt taken in by big and unusual steps next too someone accused of criminality.

When he returned home, she did not quite meet the loving man she first met. Out of fear of her cheating, he grabbed her by the neck and put her against the wall. She became so scared and shock because she did not do anything wrong while he was gone. She kept on crying for days until oneday he apologized. Her husband had expressed turmoil because he mentioned that the police had bottomed up and planted it on him and that moment changed his life. And after not dropping out of highschool or college, he looked as if his Spanish Heritage was a dropout in the workplace with no business opportunities prevalent. He continued to express that he did not mean to hurt her or keep me scared. She expressed to him that she did not want her citizenship tied to that. She wanted to believe they could make it through the trying time and become happy people. However, situations came to appear as a commonplace for another person to unmask. A repeat arrest came for drug possession held in by a DUI(drinking under the influence) without insurance. This piece of criminality stepped into a financial crisis that did not realize the factor of who gets paid?  I felt lost in the “HOW” factors of right or wrong while he got some time behind the wall in these elements of criminality. She was living life scary with freedom. Some months later,  her husband came home. The future did not seem as caring anymore. Loans and Bills became more open to no pay with no way to pay back, the only way seemed to appear going dead broke. Then, he decided to quit work despite knowing a baby was on the way. However, she found some work. But, he continued to keep mental pictures of being a good Joe stopping work while she remained undocumented. The drinking began again, and led to pulls to the ground and punches that could have caused her second child to be lost. She left and ran to a Women’s Shelter to give her and the baby on the way a chance. Of course the time had passed, the choice did not become limited for her to let go. She gave him a second chance in hopes to get a fresh start with the newborn. In the meantime, she only had regrets about how she should have walked away. Upon getting back together, the immigration papers for an appointment to get a greencard was recieved. The family was in a process of moving again but was not sure if leaving would put more obstacles in the way of her process to become an American citizen. I guess it was okay for me to assess having an apartment was a better place than a prison cell. So, they left New York and went to Puerto Rico. Some problems had resurfaced with grandmom and auntie so she left. She entered a shelter in New Jersey. She got a job while pregnant with a temp agency at a printing company. Later, she got an apartment. She spent some days on her own instead of dumping the differences between making it work or divorce on a psych counselor. Things became better. She ran into him oneday and let him back into her life. He said he had found a job and asked her to quit work. She did it for the family. Things were going well. Then, he came home and said he was laid off. The winter months made it hard to get work. When it got warmer, he came home and said he had a new job. After a month, he came stumbling in the door after working late hours. Daily, this was a sign to let me know he was not into me but possibly his anger. I began to fear another harmful outbreak. Oneday, the excuse came. He hit and pushed me again ,and  he stopped. It started to become more obvious and relative to his substance ravages when his screaming occured. Then, I was not considered the desirable wife or mother anymore. Afterwards, I was punched. And still, I could not stop giving love to a bad thing. I felt like one returnee fell into a detainee for an immigration process that gave the love of the family a bad name. Yet, I was supposed to be carefully and cautiously aiming for freedom. I did not need any goals that would linger into me being separated from my child about to be born. My concept of America’s perspective about relationships was not to develop an inter-relationship that had me deported if I did not do what he said. She was losing control of her life and so was he again and needed change. Violence began to cultivate in an intentional love such as him coming home one night bleeding from the face, and he refused to go to the emergency room. A couple of days later someone broke his head with a heavy object. After each event, him and her fought over and over again. She got scared and began searching online to chat with women in similar situations when her husband was not at home. She expressed she became isolated in her own home as if she was all alone in New Jersey.

In August of  2008, she moved to Philadelphia. She was on the edge and hanging on to an escape while being pregnant again. Later, he found me. I was still afraid of our future. I did not want to eliminate him from his fatherhood. So, I found some forgiveness so he could visit without family court intervention inorder for us to both have a visible parenting model until citizenship is achieved.  By April 2009, I was alone with another daughter in my stomach and one in my arms. I never wanted to need to ever experience his cravings or urges to hurt me through anger. I do not want to have to worry anymore about having the choke scene prevail. I do not want him to use theft as a false accusation to hit me in the face. I no longer have to deal with his hindering anxieties of stress and panic rages moving into all night episodes of beating me and blaming it on an addiction. Cause after the high, I met harm from those craving urges anyway. I can move away from what I had become: a sick mother, depressed and suppressed within abuse. I cried alone. I stayed scared alone. I use to lay down with him and patronize his harm with lies alone. His lies made me love his angry mood swings once more. Me and my girls could not count on him anymore. It was hard to know how to give up fighting for your family all alone. I did not know how to breathe with change away from an angry person who molded me to believe that when breaking things up had stopped: the next stop was for him to hit me again when I was isolated alone with him. Who really would know about the scars that led me to a trip about sleeping on the streets in the aftermath of a bigger decision being educated with some college as an immigrant. I could not get relaxed with making excuses to do me like wrong. I had no free out because my situation co-existed with hunger, no money, no shelter and no I.D. with an avenue for me to be separated from my children. 

I am homeless, I have been battered and suffered extreme cruelty at the hands of an angry person who I met pursuing a lifestyle dynamic through an exchange student work effort next too America. Without regrets me and my girls are living at the Woodstock Family Center to achieve a dream of family togetherness now in Philadelphia. I can only hope we make it.

In retrospect, How do we reclaim work experiences that join educational work struggles directly at raising responsibility for national or international educational relationships to not slip into harsh realities? And not imagine this as freedom lost behind the scenes of an easier softer way? Is this the pledge of political finance and/or financial democracy we want to redefine the revolutions of American culture and/or interculture relationship that are not one step away from cultivated cultured disparities. Families and children in a future world perspective should be able to get back up when they fall down. Should successful action always be encouraged to continue through immigration? The answer is: YES! The transition should always be a positive international educational challenge without experiencing meeting America only to be held in captivity.

by Emmalee Smith in matter of an immigrant who prefers to remain unknown

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Homeless programs get record funding?

EDITED BY KEVIN

The federal government as of  April 28, 2011 in the USA Today newspaper reported that record grants to almost 700 new programs for the homeless nationwide. The 216 mil,lion total includes more than 16 million for new before funded projects for rural homelessness. The housing and urban development secretary Shaun Donovan said the grants are up to 26 million over the last year and with previously announced grants of more than 1 billion to continue, in urban area the most aid ever in one year by the federal department.  Al right, can somebody  please tell me where did that money go to? Because being homeless and still waiting for my housing, I don’t see a variety of programs that is available. Rapid rehousing program is a set up for failure this program is good only for people who have a job or can afford the rent after the year. PHA(Phila Housing Authorirty and Section 8 Housing) their is a lottery foe Sec8 and a waiting list for the PHA. Recently Paschall homes in southwest Philly had openings but we was the last ones to know. It was in the newspapers and announce on the radio what are our chances of getting them after it was introduce to the public. We should have first pick because we are homeless.( But society does not see it that way.) It’s alot of pressure on our housing specialist to assist over 60 women and children with housing she needs help. You can’t tell me their isn’t no more housing programs for the homeless. I personally continue to job hunt, put in applications to low income housing that I search for on my own. I completed a training program for hopitality but still was not able to find a job. I went to PGW, and Peco to take care of my utilities so when I do get my place their will be no problems. My unemployment just recently ran out but I still rely on child support until I find a job.  I ‘ve beeb out of work for two years so I decided to go back to college but I have to wait because I owe the book store at CCP 200 dollars and they would not let me start until the bill is paid. My daughter went on her prom but instead of me using the money for Community College I put the money on  my daughter. (Her prom was beautiful and she will too be attending CCP next year) I haven’t been sitting down doing anything but yet I see people who are and getting their places, CCIS(childcare) and other services that they don’t deserve to get because they refuse to do anything with their life. This programs are not going to be availble for ever now is the time to work on your goals for you and your children so the cycle can end.We have a whole new group who needs help. Why not get your self together so you can help others. Why are only certain people told about different housing but others are not? People need to understand we live here after eight hours staff goes home. We do car and we look out for each others and share knowledgeable information exspecially about housing. Why hide information it is everybody goal in here to find permanent housing. So we get back to is their money still out their for the homeless population?  This is a life learn lesson for me and I will not forget where I came from and will give back by providing affordable housing even one day having my own program for homeless women and children. I want to be part of rebuilding lives and getting women back on their feet. Complaining is not going to do it but hard work will. I have housing nightmares that happen to me while at Woodstock but I will never give up until I get my house keys I came to far to go back. I have two sons in colllege and two daughters who recently enroll for 2012 so God is using education to get us out of the cycle and to end it. Patience is what I’m going to need more of to battle this situation. I hope real soon more women move out and that I will do a good news story about myself and my children. I have a big party to plan next year for my son who will be graduating from Penn State University with a BA.(who is also homeless every time he comes home from college) Anything can be accomplish, your situation don’t stop you but with determination and sticking to your goals will inspire you to aim high. By Charlette Pennington

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WHERE WE AT AMERICA?

EDITED BY KEVIN

What ideas fuel hope that the young people identified as the “Flash Mob” will not limit their choices to promote a future of harsher systemic issues? How are we standing next too our immigrant allies of Germany, Dutch, London, Norway, India amongst diversed nations reclaiming our youth towards international readiness that recognizes reinforcing essential gains that do not flirt with work exchange issues that suddenly brings another immigrant into harms way upon entering our nation? How do we eliminate the sidewalk scene from becoming a negative first experience descibed as verbal beat downs with repetitive hurts? Our society can not limit these issues to the words of one police officer that may trigger a negative response when reportable statistics mainstream society to think that young people in America between the ages of 14-24 per se will be in some form of correctional institution or their image in an obituary.

If I am in subjection to elements within my surrounding that sets limits to me of prison and death, How do I make responsible choices next to them past those perceptional challenges? When I am alone and by myself, does pain apprehend my moral decisions? Do I begin to shiver and think my world is falling all apart when I doubt that society can only percieve me unfairly? Did my first thought become superior or inferior to me before or after I realized that I had did something that I did not want to do? What is really going on with me when society sees me as a harmful citizen. I never attempted to do any of the wrongs they desribe me as since the day I was born. I know that I am not perfect. How did I get in a spot nobady really wants to be in? How do I ask for favour from a God I do not know? not sure? Let alone attempting to find a place to unmask, What I want to be , maybe some things hard for me to believe or believe in. I am daily labeled as ready, able, and willing to achieve injustice. How do I ask someone to help me with these perceptional challenges and move me  out of urges of shame and embarassing doubt that shadow me as a puppet for bigotry? When, I am not.

In the end, I hope our prevalant priorities for communities across America does not reclaim a blame game but instills helping our next generation to meet unmet perceptional challenges with non- violence without bringing the lying game to our Judges. I hope we can delegate a judicial process from the poor street person to rich person walking on the street to broaden the side away from fears and insecurities of  Americans prospering and succeeding. What  side of the mountain of justice do we need to role down to keep it real in America, next to NATO and amongst different nations? Can we break chains stemming from perceptional bigotry without dragging our nation and our international allies down? Where is America’s Realism at today and after 911? I am poor. And these situations here. got me all chopped.

by Emmalee Smith

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YOUTH LEADERSHIP IN COMMUNITY / STEPPYS NOMINATION

The Mathematics,Civics and Science Charter School of Philadelphia,Inc.is one of the largest charter schools in the state of Penna.The school is committed to advancing students in math and the sciences.However,a major component is our civics curriculum,which produces good citizens through the promotion of caring,character and community service.MCSCS children since 2005 donates $1.00 a week totaling $800.00-$1,000.00 per week to feed and clothe over five hundred of Phila’s homeless citizens.Students and staff,every Thursday evening,winter and summer,distribute food and clothing at two locations in Phila.Also,Chief Executive Officer Veronica Joyner participates in it’s self-created Homeless Project.Bill Gates Millennium Award award recieved by a graduate.Posted by Leslie Miles former resident of Woodstock Family Center

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