Stay Classy partnered with the wonderful and reputable San Diego Youth Services (SDYS) to build a youth shelter! If you’re in or around San Diego this weekend I hope you can make it out to see Matisyahu and more great artists perform live to help build a new youth shelter.

The goal is to raise $500,000!

If you’re not in San Diego you can still help build the shelter. Every donation counts. I set a goal to raise $1,989 for the new youth shelter. You can help me reach the goal by donating any amount, everything is appreciated and will go to build the shelter.
[learn more here]

The reason we’re raising $1,989 is because in 1989 I was abandoned, and in that year the unspeakable happened. I was raped, prostituted, and eventually locked up without hope. By supporting local shelters you are giving youth options by providing shelter & services to Abandoned Youth BEFORE the unspeakable happens!

http://www.stayclassy.org/campaigns/myfundraising.php?cmid=250

Check out the line up, including Matisyahu, here.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ACROSS THE COUNTRY — JAN 26 - 29!

As we await appointments in the White House and much needed stimulus packages we may be generating a certain amount of internal energy that needs to be spent…HERE IS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO WITH THAT DO GOOD ENERGY RIGHT NOW!!!

YES the funds are likely coming, but have you ever thought about what it takes to determine where those funds go? How do we know how many homeless there are and where they are? Is it a wild guess? NO — actually HUD (dept of housing and urban development) asks YOU to tell them how many adults and young people are on the streets, or in sheds, garages, abandoned buildings, and couch surfing.

What better way to become part of the change then to do the counting that will determine the funding that comes to YOUR community!

YES YOU CAN increase funding for homeless and runaway youth in your community THIS WEEK by getting out to count.

If you’re ready to take all the CHANGE energy and HOPE and make a difference NOW get out and count. It’s a one time per year event that ensures HUD funds will make it to the homeless, and those living in garages, sheds, and couch surfing will have the help they need sent directly to their community!

Look for information on how to volunteer for your county by searching the internet: [YOUR COUNTY] + “Point in Time Homeless Count” or calling your local shelter or housing authority.

This Mon, Tues, Wed, or Thurs what are your plans for lunch or dinner??? Consider making a difference! It’s a national event that is well worth your time!

Here are the links if you happen to be in Los Angeles, or NYC, or Kentucky.

IN FRESNO COUNTY

Trainings are at Fresno Housing Authority
1331 Fulton Mall
Fresno, CA · 93721
(559) 443-8400
TRAININGS — volunteers must attend at least one of the trainings:
* 11 AM Monday Jan 26th
* 9 AM Tuesday Jan 27th

KICKOFF
* 7 AM COUNT kickoff & dispatch Wednesday Jan 28th

If you’re in a small rural town or community WE NEED YOU!

We need volunteers from surrounding communities to conduct the counts in THEIR COMMUNITIES … i.e., if you’re from Coalinga (like me) you’ll be looking for a Coalinga group at the trainings. Huron and Squaw Valley and Sanger…we need to do the same.

I realize it’s a work day, but in this economy maybe your boss would like you to take the day off or maybe you know you NEED a DAY of service to your community. If you love the idea, but still can’t make it please call on your friends, especially church members and college students, and anyone else you think might be able to help!

HOPE to see you there to be a part of CHANGE!

During Yoga my instructor shared this quote…then she even photocopied it for me! THANKS!

“As we are all human beings living on earth among [6.7 billion] other human beings, our happiness is intimately connected to that of others. It is hard to imagine personal happiness detached or separate from the happiness of others. For it is certain that if we aspire to happiness, we must be deeply concerned about the happiness of all humankind.”

– The Dalai Lama, from Yoga Gems

Happiness is for everyone. It’s better than money because (1) there’s plenty to go around; and (2) we assign our own value to it!!! If you believe in happiness then it makes sense that you’d want to give others a chance at it to.

HOW DOES THIS RELATE TO THE CARISSA PROJECT?

I am working with youth that are constantly rejected by society. It’s so bad that when they try to get jobs they get turned down. When they apply themselves they’re told they are just not good enough! It’s not just because they lack skills, but because they have “attitude problems” or they don’t dress or speak “appropriately.”

Would you be able to achieve happiness if your best efforts were rejected???

I love programs that give everyone a chance at happiness — they accept & meet people where they are. If we need to prepare young people before they apply themselves then let’s do it. It’s amazing how much more young people will grow when you accept them where they’re at.

Remember not to expect miracles from anyone, unless you apply miracles!

Here are two miracle workers that meet young people where they are at:

#1 Homeboy Industries serves young men & women in Los Angeles, CA.
http://www.homeboy-industries.org/

#2 Hope Now for Youth serves young men in Fresno, CA.
http://www.hopenow.org/

THERE IS SPACE AVAILABLE FOR A SIMILAR PROGRAM TO SERVE YOUNG WOMEN IN FRESNO, CA.

Last week I realized that there is not a specific program for work readiness for young women in Fresno. I hear GREAT things about Hope Now for Youth, so I’d like to borrow from their model, as well as Homeboys, and start something for young women. There is a need! I was mentoring a young woman at a transitional living center when I realized the need!

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO ENSURE YOUNG WOMEN IN FRESNO ARE NOT “ON THEIR OWN”?
Make a major contribution or help with time or efforts on this project! If you’re interested in the success of young women in Fresno please email me at: hopenowforgirls@gmail.com
{that’s just the idea not the name of the org! we’ll probably leave the name more open so that boys that want to join feel welcomed.}

If you can’t do a lot then buy “On My Own” or share this link. 100% of proceeds go to helping kids that are/were in situations like mine:

Chuck wrote to me with the following concerns:

In addition to the issues presented in the summary of this event [see CALL TO ACTION below] there are also other concerns that need to be satisfactorily addressed. These include
[#1] the mixture of sentenced clients and those who are there due to homelessness.
[#2] there is nothing said about staffing patterns such as the standards for staff and the standard of wages being paid.
[#3] Usually, in programs such as this wages and salaries tend to be below those set forth in union contracts and are some times below those salaries paid to employees working directly in the public sector.

Chuck

I responded to Chuck’s email with the following information:

I agree with the concerns…

#1) After the Mayor’s appeal of the Conditional Use Permit and the police review, MHS has restated their first operational statement, and has stated that their proposed use would not include housing for the homeless.

* I was told by the architect in charge of the project and an MHS employee that Cynthia Sterling insisted that MHS put in a “homeless” component — Cynthia is not returning my calls and has refused to work with me. I will assume that her push for housing was because it is a pressing issue in Fresno.

* In any case, the housing for the homeless or near homeless has been removed, and replaced with “supportive housing” for individuals that have gone through extensive background checks and are approved by the California Dept of Corrections. Only women and children would be eligible. They would need to follow strict rules, including no visitors without pre-screening.

#2) The restated operational statement from MHS was due to the city planning office by Friday. I will check in on Tuesday. If it is available we may have more answers to your second concern.

* The people who work at the facility go through a training that is through William R Mead Training Academy. The Training Academy charges $840 for licensing — the fee is probably waived, but in any case I’d be curious to find out if the future employees are being paid during training or is this indentured servitude?

#3) MHS, Inc is in the business of contracting with the state to house parolees and inmates. They are not housing the homeless.

* The wages are a deep concern. The pay is $12/hour to start and MHS reported that they offer benefits. Most of the cost savings to the state are in cutting staff requirements, and infrastructure costs.

Read this article: http://ww.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20060820/news_1n20mental.html
I haven’t had a chance yet, but if anyone is interested in digging deeper into MHS email the reporter with questions.
Jeff McDonald: (619) 542-4585; jeff.mcdonald@uniontrib.com

CALL TO ACTION

CITY COUNCIL HEARING

Date: Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Time: 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Where: City Hall, Downtown Fresno

2600 Fresno Street
Fresno & P Street
Parking Available – Bring Coins for Meters

A private company San Diego Mental Health Systems, Inc. (MHS) currently has the old Hacienda on Hwy 99 & Clinton in escrow. MHS has plans to operate a CDCR (California Dept of Corrections and Rehabilitation) contracted facility that will house over 300 women and children. The planned “residents” will include:

• CDCR Prison inmates with new sentences between 4 and 36 months, (96 women) – THIS IS A NEW STATE PROGRAM CALLED FRCCC (Female Rehabilitative Community Correctional Center)
• CDCR Prison inmates finishing up their sentences in a drug treatment furlough (DTF) program (up to 50 women)
• Parolees in Fresno First program, in need of a drug treatment program (100-150 women),
• And the children of women in Fresno First (est. 50-100 children)

The upcoming city council hearing on February 26, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. gives you the opportunity to weigh in on this important issue.

MHS has applied for a Conditional Use Permit (CUP). The CUP was approved unanimously by the planning commission on January 16, 2008 and was appealed by the mayor on January 31, 2008.

• The CUP was approved without a conversation among council members, or the community.
• The community and city officials would not be weighing in on this significant transaction, without Mayor Autry’s last minute decision to appeal the CUP, in order to provide the police time to provide comment on the project.

From the community standpoint:

• Overall the community is deeply concerned that a project of this magnitude did not allow for community input or even discussion among council members.
• Attend this important hearing, the Jane Addams Community, as well as the entire city, will be impacted by the outcome of this vote.
• Should the vote be approved the Jane Addams Community requests:
o (1) that the CUP not include operations of the FRCCC
o (2) that a condition be placed on MHS, Inc. to install an air quality monitor at the site as soon as possible to ensure the “residents” and especially the children in the facility are not subject to harmful pollutants, such as PM 2.5 that are known to cause cancer, asthma, birth defects, and other health risks.

READ MORE ABOUT THE RISKS TO RESIDENTS AT THIS LOCATION: Diesel in America

o (3) that MHS, Inc. meet with community members to develop a mutually agreed upon Community Benefits Agreement (CBA).

WHAT YOU COULD DO:

(1) THINK: It is inevitable that the county will begin to “absorb” it’s felons both when they are inmates, and when they are paroled.

* Do we as a community want to have input on that process?
* Do we want best practices, or business as usual?

(2) LEARN more about San Diego Mental Health Systems, Inc and the proposed use of the Hacienda by reading my Daily Journals #16, 18, 19,22 and 23 accessible through the Carissa Project website www.carissaproject.com/blog

(3) BEFORE THE CITY COUNCIL HEARING NEXT TUESDAY FEB 26: CONTACT your City Council District Offices and County Supervisors about the impact that this facility will have on the neighborhood, and on Fresno. MHS, Inc has engaged political consultants and attorneys to speak with all levels of local government.

(4) COMMENT to the mind-hub post that should be going out tomorrow.

(5) ATTEND the City Council Hearing it’s a “COM EVENT” (COM = Community Interest) so just show up.

Even if you have nothing to add regarding a California Dept of Corrections Facility within city limits, you will be supporting the Jane Addams Community as they find their voice at City Hall! For those of you who don’t already know, Addams is the Motel/Parkway Drive area, so named for Jane Addams Elementary School and Neighborhood Resource Center. Many people from Fresno show up with holiday food & gifts for homeless families living in the motels during November and December AND most wonder what else could be done. Here’s an opportunity to show up to meet the community leaders and support the Addams Community’s efforts to change the way a city does business for the better.

Dear Friends,

I have very sad news. Sherri Williams, a friend I met recently on the streets in Fresno has passed away. You can read blogs related to Sherri on Nov 29 and Dec1 posts.

I was trying to get medical help for Sherri, it turned out that by the time she was in the hospital it was just too late…wish I could have done more.

Please send any donation amount you can spare to Mike Rhodes whose information is below, everything will help, but for details on what is needed please contact Mike via email and he will respond to you. This will cover services and housing for Sherri’s family.

Here’s a message from Mike below regarding Al, Sherri’s husband who was also homeless and took care of Sherri tirelessly.

He also mentions the memorial service on Sunday, where I plan to say a few words, as death on the streets is the harshest reality we are fighting against.

The services are at Roeding Park, the center of the neighborhood where I was prostituted as a 12 year old throw away. Sherri and I shared a similar past, and I know for certain that she and I are the same. I know for certain that if I hadn’t taken tests so well, or if a little worse had happened, or if Ron simply wasn’t there, I would be Sherri.

I pray that we can all let Sherri’s life and death remind us of where we would be, if we did not have those special people who loved and cared for us when we were children.

With love and with deep regret,
Carissa

To contribute to Sherri’s services & her family:

Mike Rhodes
P.O . Box 5077
Fresno Ca 93755
(559) 978-4502 (cell)
mikerhodes@comcast.net

(from Mike Rhodes)

Several people have asked me what they can do for Al, following Sherri’s death. I was with Al last night and passed along condolences and prayers from the homeless advocates in Fresno and beyond. Al did not have any specific requests, at this time, but I know he sure appreciates the hotel room he stayed in last night. When I picked him and his friend Terry up on Olive and 99 last night they were freezing. As you probably know, it is really cold in Fresno right now. So, A BIG THANK YOU, to those who helped pay for the hotel.

I want to remind everyone that there will be a memorial service for all of the homeless people who have died on the mean streets of Fresno. That event will be this Sunday. It would honor the memory of Sherri if you came. I think Al would appreciate it too. Here are the details:

Sunday, December 23
1 - 2 PM
Homeless Persons’ Memorial Day. The event in Fresno will take place at Roeding Park at the picnic area by northern end entrance on Olive Street.

The Program

A Standing Circle
Prayer
Blessings-Sage Burning
The Six Directions
Naming the Departed
Testimonies
(Open to everyone)
Procession (Tentatively)

Sweet Bread & Hot chocolate will be served. For more information see: http://www.nhchc.org/memorialday.html

Please speak on behalf of victims without a voice.

If I could write 400,000 letters to Congress, for the estimated number of American children that will be bought & sold in America this year, each letter would say the same thing…

Dear [Congressperson/Senator _______________]:

I am writing today to support the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act (HR 3887) as it makes its way through Congress. It is already in committee in the House, and awaits introduction in the Senate.

Please support HR 3887 and follow up with me on it.

In one year tell me what America has done to meet the needs of victims of trafficking in the U.S.

American children that are victims of commercial sexual exploitation are in need of specialized services, including trauma counseling and shelter.

We ask foreign countries to treat their own national victims better than we treat victims in our own country. If we are not meeting the needs of trafficking victims within our borders, then we should sanction ourselves.

Combatting sexual trafficking of children in the U.S. is a priority for me and it should also be for you.

Sincerely,

[Your Name]

Become a “LOBBY OF ONE” for Children Without a Voice!

Write your Senators and Congressperson in support of HR 3887, the Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2007 (TVPRA)

THE DEBATE IS HAPPENING NOW.

Use your voice!
House of Representatives http://www.house.gov/writerep/

US Senate http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

If I were 12 years old again, and being bought and sold by adults, I still wouldn’t know what to do. I wouldn’t have a shelter or services available to me, and if the cops wanted to, they would take me to jail. Even if they were trying to protect me, I would be treated as if I were a criminal.

Well, I’m no longer 12 years old! And I do have a voice, but it’s still not enough.

I need your help to make the 2007 TVPRA make sense:

In 2005 when the TVPRA was reauthorized $10 million was supposed to go toward providing shelter to domestic victims while $500 million was to go toward law enforcement, homeland security, and the FBI. The $10 million for shelters was never authorized, HOWEVER, the law enforcement money was.

What doesn’t make sense?

Officers that are now trained and understand the problem want to take victims to shelters, but there are no shelters! They do not have the shelter option. This is something that we require of other countries.

Why not $10 million to provide shelter?

My guess is that law enforcement has a strong lobby in Congress that ensures money is released.

Who else has a lobby?

Adult criminals have more of a voice than children. It does not make sense that victims of commercial sexual exploitation, especially children, receive less than the criminals that offend them. This is in terms of dollars being spent on prisons, and on the mental health services that sex offenders have access to.

If American victims of sex trafficking had a lobby they’d probably ask for something that made more sense. Like, why not help the victims through the trauma first? Yes, try to cure the offenders, but first give us our lives back!

Thank you New Hampshire and especially my hosts! You both rock!!!

I am in NH to visit the School of Community Economic Development at Southern New Hampshire University. Some of you know that I’m in the research phase of a project that is near and dear to my heart…more to come on this later.

I didn’t expect a screening of the film while I was here, and at the last minute I was pleasantly surprised with one of my best audiences to date. My hosts were able to put together 25 of their close friends to view (a rough cut of) the documentary in the intimate setting of their living room. It was a great turnout and such an organic way to spread the message.

In case any of my new friends in NH are wondering there are an estimated 5,450 homeless youth in the state of NH. Only 10 voices have spoken up for the 5,450! You can visit www.homelessyouthamongus.org to become a voice. It’s important to sign up this month because November is National Homeless Youth Awareness Month (NHYAM!).

Add your voice: www.HomelessYouthAmongUs.org

You can also use your cell phone to become a voice. Text the word SIGN to 73976 and you’ll be prompted to enter your name and zip code twice.

Thanks again to my hosts it was a wonderful turnout and dinner!

I hope that my story helps put a face on 1.3 million homeless youth — now I need your help to give them all a voice.

I was more than homeless, I was voiceless. Nobody spoke for me and I could not speak.

As a homeless kid I had few social and family ties. At 12 years old I was labeled an out of control youth and put on pre-probation. When I ran away from group homes, I couldn’t attend school, or play sports, or even hang out with old friends because I would be arrested. This led to me becoming more and more vulnerable to predators.

Now that I’m an adult with a voice, I can say that laws should have been different. Maybe I should not have been labeled as a criminal. I should have been protected AND more resources should be available. The 1.3 million homeless children in the U.S.A. need every voice that cares to speak out for them.

Commercial sexual exploitation is a reality for 30% of shelter youth and 70% of street youth. Building a better system starts with knowing about the problem.

Now that you know please take steps to find out how many young people are homeless in your state:

Visit www.homelessyouthamongus.org to find out AND take action by becoming a voice for homeless youth. If you don’t want to type your name on a website use your cell phone — text the word “SIGN” to 73976 — you’ll be prompted to enter your name.

If you don’t think it can make a difference please do it anyways. We’re trying to get to 1 million voices for 1.3 million kids!!!