Thursday, April 12, 2012

Healthcare for the Homeless?

Both men are homeless and need help. While Charles claims to be 'bipolar' and Willy is not, both are disabled and need assistance with food.

After viewing these two videos, can someone please explain to me why one homeless person can receive disability and assistance with food stamps, while the other cannot?

Meet Charles



Meet Willy

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Washington Redskins Sign Players To Multi-Million Dollar Contracts

America has several hundred, if not several thousand, people who could be classified as rich.

The Washington DC area alone has hundreds of people who are well off.

Why is there still homelessness in our great city?

On Wednesday, the Washington Redskins signed two players to very lucrative contracts.

Pierre Garçon and Joshua Morgan officially became Washington Redskins. 

Garcon, a former Colt, is slated to make $42.5 over five years; $20.5 million guaranteed.  His new teammate, Joshua Morgan, a cool $1.8m with almost another million in bonuses down the line.

We're not picking on athletes for making millions of dollars for their talents.  Professional sports in America is big business.  It also pays big.

That's a lot of money that can be put to charities and foundations to help combat and eradicate life situations of those less fortunate.

Professional sports team owners, big company CEOs and the like, you've got to do better.

It only takes a little to make a big change.

Think about it.

Help Vincent Find Work

For those of you who don't know, homeless people would prefer to work.

Listen to Vincent as he talks about finding work, and respect, on his quest to find a job, and a home.

Jobless, homeless, yet hopeful, Vincent says, "I need a job."  "I want a job."



If you can help, please email us or leave a comment below.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Homeless Wi-fi. Good Idea, or Other?

A new initiative to help homeless people earn money has sparked outcry in Austin, Texas when the homeless were asked to wear T-shirts indicating they could provide wi-fi Internet access at a recent SXSW music and technology conference.

This is Clarence, a 4G Hotspot homeless participant who provides Internet access - for a fee, of course.

For the cost of $2 per 15 minutes conference attendees gained Internet access as they stood beside a homeless person with MiFi devices connected to the Internet via the 4G phone network.

MiFi device (pictured) which connect to the Internet via the 4G phone network
and offer web access via a wi-fi network.
Some people saw the initiative of BBH, the brains behind the initiative, as crass and exploitative, however, BBH stands firm on the theory that they are merely helping homeless help themselves. 

"Obviously, there’s an insane amount of chatter about this, which although certainly villianises us, in many ways is very good for the homeless people we’re trying to help", said one BBH spokesperson.

Adding, "Homeless Hotspots is a charitable innovation initiative - it attempts to modernize the Street Newspaper model employed to support homeless populations."

So, we're asking you. Are Homeless Hotspots exploiting, or helping, homeless people?

Have you a better idea?

Saturday, February 4, 2012

It's SuperBowl Sunday! But What About the Homeless?

While America gets ready to watch Super Bowl XLVI, guess who's left out of the picture?

The New York Giants vs the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI.

We saw an interesting quote on Twitter this weekend.  We think it's worth sharing.


MEDMissions tweeted:
won't hesitate to spend 11 bill 4 the Super Bowl, but has to think 3x b4 spending to feed the homeless and fight .

How true that is.  America will indeed spend billions on one day of NFL action, but has to think, and rethink the need to help the homeless get off the street, regain their dignity, rebuild their lives and the lives of their families.

What with NFL (and other sports owners), raking in billions of dollars each year off the backs of crazed fans; and professional athletes of all genres raking in millions, why then do we still have homeless people in every city of our nation?

This Super Bowl Sunday why not think about those who really need our attention:   America's homeless population.

If you are not able to help in a big way, think about doing a small gesture that will mean so much.  A warm blanket, a pair of shoes, a gently used coat, scarf or gloves.  If you're really patriotic, make provisions for a  homeless person to be able to shower and change clothes.

If you do happen to be the owner of a sports team, or professional athlete who has been blessed beyond your wildest imagination, why not rally your friends and comrades to help us end homelessness in America?  Business tycoons also welcome.

Anyone can serve.  Will you?

Your random act of kindness is all that's needed to make a change.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

What If?

Duke grade donates $7 million to help repair Washington Monument.

What if private donors took just as much interest in helping rid homelessness, as they do in upgrading a national monument?



What if Today's Headlines actually read 'Donor gives $7 million to help rid homelessness?

#peoplefirst

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

The Three Who Get It

Tavis Smiley, Suzy Orman, and Dr. Cornell West speak on poverty in America.

"You can't look at someone anymore and assume are they rich, are they poor, are they starving? You don't know", said Orman.

"But I want all of you to make the assumption that their lives are not going the way they'd wish their lives were going. We gotta change this. There should be no face of poor in the entire United States."

Jobless and Homeless

Around holiday time last Christmas a middle aged man got on the metro train and made his plea.

"Merry Christmas everybody", he said.

"I don't mean no harm, but is anybody hiring?", he asked the crowd of slightly startled metro train riders. "I am willing to do anything."

It was cold outside that afternoon. He wore a black jacket that looked like it had a broken zipper, jeans, and what looked like a short-sleeved pull over shirt. He had no hat, no gloves, and he wore sneakers.

How brave he was, I thought, to get on metro train and reveal this most intimate detail. No job. No home, and willing to do anything by legal means that he could to obtain both.

The man repeated his plight, and after a few minutes of silence he asked the metro customers who may have shared my same sentiment, "Well, can anyone give me a few cents so I can buy some food".

After a few minutes of complete silence, the man, shaking his head, was met with only one person who came forward and offered him some change.

People, we have to do better than this.

When we see our brothers and sisters in need, don't just act like they don't exist. It only takes a simple gesture to help.

What can you do today to help homelessness in the Nation's Capital?

Saturday, December 10, 2011

It's Christmas Time

Unfortunately, for many, it's also a homeless time.

The holidays are a time of sharing.  A time of blessing.  With so many families torn apart due to the stress of making ends meet, many families are doing their level best to keep a roof over their heads.

This doesn't have to be.  With your help we CAN erase the cycle of homlessness. Donate today.

This holiday season (and all year long), if you know someone who is having a difficult time - why not lend a hand a need?

You'd want the same for you and yours, if the shoe were on the other foot.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!

If you are reading this, consider yourself blessed today.

Please say a prayer for the homeless.... and then.... help a struggling person or family you see in need.

Thank you to all the people and organizations who make life for the homeless just a little bit easier, everyday.

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

What Many Homeless and Hungry Will Need This Thanksgiving

A warm home. A filled plate.

That's what the homeless, like you, expect each and every Thanksgiving holiday.

Yet many of our nation's homeless will go hungry and spend their holiday week on the streets of our cities without a Thanksgiving plate filled with the smells and flavors of the season.


Before you prepare your family's meal, please think about those who may go hungry this Thanksgiving season.

Won't you help make a family's Thanksgiving holiday better?

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Homeless Find Refuge in Public Places

Our city's malls & libraries are being used by the homeless as a refuge from the cold this season.

During the snowy Saturday afternoon this past weekend, many of you went shopping at your favorite mall for the latest fashion trend, or to find the newest tech device.

The homeless also went to the mall.  Not to shop, but to get out of the cold, snowy day.

We heard mall security tell one homeless person, "Fifteen minutes, then you got to go", as he sat on a mall bench, shoes off, looking down at his swollen, cold feet.

This is America people.  We have to do better.  We have to help.

Please help by making a donation, in any amount, to assist us in our cause of helping the homeless and hungry this season, and year round!

Please click our 'Donate' button to the right make your pledge or donation now.

Thank you!

Friday, October 28, 2011

Starting Strong... Finishing Stronger!

We're starting strong in our RSF fundraising campaign! Thank you for your support! 

We need everyone in on this to help us reach or goal of raising $20,000 by the end of the year to assist homeless and hungry families in the Washington metro area! Together, we CAN (and will) make a difference!

Please click on our page to lend your support.

Tuesday, October 25, 2011

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Join us on Twitter and on FaceBook @realstrongfamiiles!

Homelessness and Hunger No More

About 1 in 5 Americans in working families can't afford basic needs, and many are scraping just to get by on a daily basis.

For many families it's a constant struggle obtaining the basics: housing, food, health care and child care.

Won't you help us, help families in our area this season?

Together we CAN, and will, make a difference.

Donate to Eradicate.