A Sleeping Bag Distribution in late February

While we didn’t find homeless people in each location we visited during this event, when it comes down to it, we gave out 11 sleeping bags to the “street” homeless on Sunday, February 20th. I’m glad we had the event because the next day, there was sleet and the freezing temperatures that come along with it in DC. Be the Change in DC and its volunteers certainly made an impact on those 11 people who received sleeping bags.

In my opinion, two interesting things happened during the event:

1) The first thing is that while giving out sleeping bags near Union Station, we ran into Wally. Wally immediately recognized me from last year. As I asked him if he wanted a sleeping bag, Wally told me that we had met before. I asked him where and he reminded me that exactly one year ago, I had asked him if he thought a prepaid cell phone would be a good thing for Be the Change in DC to distribute to the homeless. Wally’s support for the idea one year ago is what gave us the encouragement as an organization to push forward on our “cell phones for the homeless” initiative, which we officially started in August of 2010 after months or research and planning. We handed Wally a sleeping bag and found a way to keep in touch with him through his contact with DC Central Kitchen, another organization that helps the homeless and with whom Be the Change in DC works with. Wally is at the very top of out list when we expand our cell phones for the homeless program and the February sleeping bag event enabled us to reconnect with him, bringing that initiative full circle.

2) Not surprisingly, most of the sleeping bags were given out at the same location as we did during the January event (on the corner of 14th and New York Avenue, NW). That location has become, at least in my mind, a hotspot for finding the “street” homeless in Northwest DC. While at that location, we ran into Ed, a homeless veteran. Ed told us his story of becoming homeless and he definitely had our attention the entire time. We are looking into connecting Ed to services meant specifically for veterans, and we will consider Ed as a potential candidate for our cell phone program.

Both Wally and Ed stand out in my mind. People like them make us love what we do at Be the Change in DC. They both said “thank you” but it wasn’t what the “thank you” that made the strongest impression on me; it was meeting them, talking to them and hearing their stories. Make no mistake; their voices were heard.

Are "We" doing super?

Happy Super Bowl, everyone. Things seem good and Be the Change in DC is growing. We are distributing sleeping bags and soon you will hear about the expansion of our "cell phones for the homeless" program. That's great and all but this post asks if we (not just as an organization but more as a society as a whole) are doing super.

The answer is: no. Quite simply, there's still so much suffering going on. It pains me to see it. Look at the picture I took today. This was taken on the corner of 15th and L Street, Northwest in the heart of Washington, DC. It's about two blocks from the White House. So I ask you, how is this possible? A homeless person makes a makeshift shack a few blocks from the White House and we think we are doing well as a society. We look with pity at the slums and shacks of other countries, like those in Mumbai that became famous in the movie Slumdog Millionaire, but look to the shacks in our own backyard. They are right there in front of you, whether you choose to see them or not.

We need to do more. Donate. Whether it's time or money, everyone has a role to play in fixing society. Don't think someone else will do it. They may not but you can. Come out and volunteer with Be the Change in DC. We're having another sleeping bag distribution event from 8pm to 11pm on Sunday, February 20th. Can't make it? No problem, come to another event or consider donating to our cause or other causes out there. But, seriously, do something. People talk about society getting worse. People talk about the environment and how it is worsening. Why can't we buck this trend and make things better? Why can't "we" be super? It starts with one person. It starts with you.

January 2011 Sleeping Bag Distribution

Since Be the Change in DC was founded, we’ve had a few goals. Those goals include educating the general public about homelessness and enabling the formerly homeless to help those who are homeless. On Sunday, January 16th, 2011, we made progress toward these goals with a successful event in which seven volunteers distributed 14 sleeping bags to the homeless.

By day, the corner of 14th and New York Avenue in downtown DC is bustling. The stores there, including an AT&T store and a Starbucks, are as busy as any. At night, the location transforms. Tucked under the awnings of some of the most familiar retail stores, more than a dozen homeless people can be found at night under blankets, even when the temperature dips below freezing. Be the Change in DC volunteers gave out 12 sleeping bags at this location alone.

Volunteering to help distribute sleeping bags to DC’s homeless can be intense: you come across not only a range of personalities on the street but you also experience a range of emotions yourself. One may think that a homeless person would not turn down a (free) sleeping bag. Interestingly, we were turned down by the first three people we approached. While this may seem discouraging, we were certain that when the bags were accepted, they would certainly be used. By 8pm (when the distribution occurred), shelters are mostly full and the people outside tend to stay out for the remainder of the night. It was about 35 degrees on Sunday night in DC. The very next night DC received about two inches of snow/sleet.

Fred, who is one of the participants in Be the Change in DC’s cell phone initiative and has slept out on the streets himself, volunteered to distribute sleeping bags with us. While distributing the bags, Fred asked a homeless man: “Why aren’t you in a shelter?
The man responded: "I don’t like the way they treat me in there. They don’t respect people and that’s not the way I was raised to treat people.”

That same homeless man in Rowland Park (18th and E St, NW) renewed hope in all of us with his confidence. After explaining how the security firm that he worked for went out of business due to competition and that he had been on the streets for a few weeks, he said: “When I get a job, and I know I will, then I’ll get an apartment.” It was encouraging that this man had confidence in his ability to find work, and as we walked away having given him our last bag, he said: “Thank you, thank you for the sleeping bag.”

Sometimes a simple “thank you” is enough and sometimes it’s more than enough.

Happy new year. Do Something.

Be the Change in DC wishes everyone a happy new year. As 2011 begins, it's a good time to think about how we can make an impact. This doesn't have to be helping the homeless (sure, we'd love to have you volunteer with us) but it could be something closer to you or more dear to your heart. For example, you could start recycling this year. Or maybe you rescue an animal from a shelter. I say this because today I noticed a campaign from the Washington Humane Society that says "Don't look away from animal cruelty. Do something. Call somebody. Spay or neuter your pet. Volunteer. Donate."

This campaign struck a chord with me. It's not because I have a pet. It's because the message is to do something, whatever it is or however small, but do take action. Don't say you want to get involved in something and then never act on it. Gandhi once said that "you must be the change you wish to see in the world." Gandhi's words inspired me to start Be the Change in DC over four years ago. Today on the first day of 2011, this Washington Humane Society campaign inspired me to write this blog post and hopefully can inspire someone to do something good. Maybe you could pick up that piece of trash lying next to the garbage can and throw it away. Or instead of throwing away your aluminum can or plastic bottle, hold on to it a bit longer until you get to the recycling bin that you know is around the corner. Instead of taking a cab, try using the metro or subway or taking the bus. Why not? Save some money and the environment. Or even better... say you walk by a homeless person on your way into a food or coffee shop and decide not to give them money because you don't know how that money would have been used. Try asking the homeless person if he or she is hungry/thirtsy. If so, ask the person to come in with you to the local eatery and buy him/her a sandwich or a cup of coffee. You will feel better about yourself for helping someone and knowing that your "donation" was put to good use and that person will have gotten a meal or drink. Try it. Do something.

Tell us your stories about the homeless

As we give out sleeping bags to the homeless and the holidays near, we want to reiterate one of the goals of Be the Change in DC: to personalize homelessness for the general public. We at Be the Change in DC would like to hear about your interactions with the homeless. Is there a homeless person on the street corner with whom you have developed a relationship with? Or perhaps a homeless person whom you normally see is no longer in the same place, have you wondered where he or she is? Tell us stories, good or bad, about your personal interactions with DC's homeless. We are listening...

Sleeping bags for the homeless, Dec 2010

Braving the rain and cold weather, a few Be the Change in DC volunteers gave out ten sleeping bags to DC's homeless on Sunday, December 12th. This particular distribution focused on the homeless in Northwest DC and specifically targeted McPherson Square, 19th and Penn and Dupont Circle; future events may focus on other areas of DC. We all stayed together and distributed the bags after 9pm, thus ensuring the bags would be used to help stay warm for the night (as shelters were closed). Please let us know if you are interested in volunteering with us in the coming winter months as we will be giving out many more sleeping bags!

Permanent housing for homeless during this winter

The Washington Post has reported that a total of 185 units (a mix between apartments and single rooms) will be available for the District's homeless during the upcoming winter:

"The plan approved by the Interagency Council on Homelessness, a coalition of D.C. agencies and nonprofit groups, lists 185 units that will be used for families when emergency shelters are full. Some advocates for the homeless say they are worried that number will be insufficient, but D.C. officials say it's a better use of city money to put people in more permanent housing instead of temporary shelters."

Under D.C. law, the city must provide emergency shelter to homeless people during the coldest months, from Nov. 1 to March 31. This marks an effort by the government to help the homeless and follow the Housing First Initiative (in which the homeless individual's first and primary need is permanent housing (instead of temporary shelters) and that all other issues/ problems can and should be solved after the individual is given this housing). While there may be some concern that this initiative is moving too quickly and that there's a lack of experience in administering this type of program, Be the Change in DC is happy to hear about the goverment taking action to help the homeless. An earlier version of the plan proposed adding 100 units to the Family Emergency Shelter at the former D.C. General Hospital but was rejected because adding beds would cause even more crowding. This final plan appears to offer more units and at least a path to more permanent housing.

We hope the execution of such housing initiatives goes as smoothly as they are intended and we know firsthand that when someone is suffering in the bitter cold, you sometimes have to act first and think later. We also hope this means that fewer homeless people need the sleeping bags we distribute during the winter but regardless, we are gearing up to give out sleeping bags in December, January and February.