Self sufficient youth?

Issue Brief: Homeless Youth

Homelessness does not discriminate. It affects all races, ethnicities, ages, and genders. Homelessness often is defined by living “on the streets”. The reality is homelessness encompasses more. It is the lack of a permanent residence; a place to call home.  In my opinion, every human being deserves a safe and stable place to call home. In 2012, 633,782 people experienced homelessness in the United States (Homeless Research Institute, 2013). Homelessness impacted 162,246 youth in the United States in 2012 (Homeless Research Institute, 2013). Locally, the count of homeless youth in 2012 was 685 in King County and 733 in Snohomish County (Curtin, M., Gibbard, M., Mclendon, H., Mizoguchi, D., & Shaw, M. 2012).

Our youth are some of our most vulnerable populations. Data shows that youth who are without a consistent safe place to live have suffered from sexual abuse, chemical dependency, and are diagnosed with some form of mental illness (Snohomish County Human Services Department, 2012). These individuals are already in need of various services and without access to a secure place to call home, the ability to address additional complex issues becomes difficult.

The causes of homelessness vary. Reasons can be as large as the Economic recession, high housing costs, unemployment, and low paying jobs. Another reason can be as specific as issues of chemical dependency and mental illness. (Dinitto, D & Johnson, D., 2012). Due to the multiple components, the existence of homelessness cannot be attributed to one factor. However, the element that can change is the availability, access, and affordability of housing.

The costs to those who experience homelessness are significant. Without a home, individuals often struggle with maintaining proper health. Issues such as hunger, malnutrition, self care, and hygiene all affect these health concerns. They experience physical ailments; lack of adequate safety, clothing, and lack of access to medical and dental care.

 If youth are unable to have a safe and stable place to call home, their ability to grow up to be self sufficient adults becomes limited. Often these youth will struggle to complete school. Without an address to put on a job application and without a high school education they will struggle to obtain employment and financially survive. This is not just a private issue and does not just affect the single person. Eventually this person will become an adult who may be in need of welfare, perpetuating the cycle of poverty, and perpetuating the need for more tax dollars to be spent.

In order to open the door for other possibilities, availability of housing and fulfilling the basic needs for those who are homeless will need to be addressed.  Ending homelessness will not be an easy task. It may not even be possible because of the complexities it embodies. Its solution is not simple. According to Snohomish counties plan to end homelessness, opportunities for housing needs need to be more present. Alongside with more housing options there is a need to have more career based services that will help an individual be able to attain the self sufficiency needed to maintain housing on their own.

***If you want to make a difference make sure your voice is heard. Call your legislators! If you live in Washington State visit this website to find out who your legislators are and their contact information http://app.leg.wa.gov/DistrictFinder/

If you are curious what it means to be considered self sufficient and standards that  I can support check out this website: http://www.thecalculator.org/

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My references should you want to know more:

Curtin, M., Gibbard, M., Mclendon, H., Mizoguchi, D., & Shaw, M. (2012). Count us in. King County’s point-in-time count of homeless young people [Data file].Retrieved from:  http://www.teenfeed.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/Count-Us-In-2012-Preliminary-Report.pdf

DiNitto, D.M. & Johnson, D.H. (2012). Essential of Social Welfare: Politics and Public Policy. Boston, MA: Pearson Education.

Homeless Research Institute. (2013). The state of homelessness in America 2013 [Data file]. Retrieved from http://b.3cdn.net/naeh/bb34a7e4cd84ee985c_3vm6r7cjh.pdf

Human Services Department Snohomish County (2006). Every one at home now. “A strategy to end homelessness by 2016.” http://www.co.snohomish.wa.us/documents/Departments/Human_Services/EveryoneatHomeNow06.pdf

Snohomish County Human Services Department (2012). Snohomish County point in    time count of homelessness in Snohomish County [Data file].. Retrieved from: http://www.housinghope.org/housingIssue/documents/2012PointInTimeReport.pdf

First world problems

Have you noticed a trend toward what I lovingly refer to as "first world problem bashing". No? Well I have. I have seen it a few times on MSN news feeds, facebook, and heard people talking about their silly first world problems.

Yes I often find myself 'judging' those who have no idea how lucky they "have it". We mock ourselves when we complain our internet isn't fast enough, or that we have to drive to the store, or that we don't have the latest i-phone. We call those first world problems. Problems of the privileged. I beg to say those are not true problems. Those are nuances. Not problems.

I want to give problems a name. Yes we live in a privileged society. BUT plenty of problems exist. We are not as spoiled as we are led to believe. Don't agree... open your eyes, drive around.. compare the cost of gas and housing compare with the minimum wage. Then think about it. How many pay checks are you away from homelessness? IF you lost your job now, where would you be?

First world problems don't equal less painful or less real. They just look different.  Yes we in America have it great. And then we don't.  We pride ourselves on "American exceptionalism". Yet we really are not that different. The US stand apart from many nations in the idea that we believe we are some of the greatest promoters of human rights, yet we enable some of the largest human rights violations ever. (did you know the US did not sign the UN bill regarding human rights?? interesting...right?).

If you wonder what rights violations we break consider the following:
Slave labor exists in the united states. Don't believe me? look at privately ran prisons.

Where were your clothes made? Who were they made by? American products are often made in the few countries left that allow child labor. YES you endorse a four and five year old to work long grueling hours... whats that you say.. at least they are making an income... would you be satisfied with working 18 hours and making enough to barely feed yourself for the day??

Human trafficking... its a serious issue. The buying and selling of human beings. Don't want to be sold right? Well why allow others? Did you know Seattle, my beloved city, is the number one spot in the US for the purchase of human beings.

Homelessness and poverty- They exist and are very real. Our country keeps cutting budgets and our vulnerable people are falling through the cracks. These people are our mentally ill, homeless, our vets, our youth, and women. With less and less funding , less jobs, more costly education, expensive housing... our "privileged" country experiences a great deal of underprivileged individuals.

The basic right to health care: We still debate this. Why I do not know. Every human being deserves the right to health care with out the fear that being sick for e few days will cost them more than they could ever make in their entire life. Evey person. 

So if you find yourself saying you have a first world problem. Look around. Find a true first world problem and do something about it.

What you ask. That is up to you. Get creative. But I guarantee you don't need the next i-phone or another mac air computer. Give your extra time you would spend watching your favorite shows up, get out of your "world" and look around your community. There are many real needs. Its your job to do something. Stop waiting on someone else.

Advocacy isn't a disguise

What do you believe in? What do you hope to change?  

I work for a catholic organization. I myself am not a catholic, but I fell in love with the basic principles that my organization and the catholic church abides by.

1. Dignity of the Human Person We recognize the sanctity of human life. People do not lose dignity because of disability, poverty, age, lack of success, or race. This emphasizes people over things, being, over having.

2. Community and the Common Good The human person is both sacred and social. We realize our dignity and rights in relationship with others and in our communities. We are called to respect all of God’s gifts of creation to be good stewards of the each and each other.
3. Rights and Responsibilities People have a fundamental right to life, food, shelter, health care, education and employment. All people have a right to participate in decisions that affect their lives. Corresponding to these rights are duties and responsibilities to respect the rights of others in the wider society and to work for the common good.
4. Option for the Poor The moral test of a society is how it treats its most vulnerable members. The poor have the most urgent moral claim on the conscience of the nation. We are called to look at public policy decisions in terms of how they affect the poor.
5. Dignity of Work People have a right to decent and productive work, fair wages, private property and economic initiative. The economy exists to serve people, not the other way around.
6. Solidarity We are one human family. Our responsibilities to each other cross national, racial, economic and ideological differences. We are called to work globally for justice.
7. Care for God’s Creation The goods of the earth are gifts from God. We have a responsibility to care for these goods as stewards and trustees, not as mere consumers and users.

So again what do you believe?
I want to change a system bigger than myself and I do not even know how or where to start. My warning to you, fellow reader, is that I, am a democrat and a liberal.. so read at your own risk.

This last week I got to go advocate for the things I believe in. I got to speak to district representatives and senators. I went there with others with the hope of being heard. My stance is there needs to be more funding for basic needs. Not simply just education. Do not get me wrong, I believe that funding needs to be placed in education, but what good is an education to a child who sleeps in a car, is hungry, and has no health care. If basic needs are not met (maslows hierarchy of needs) such as safety, shelter, food, than how can self enrichment ever happen. It can't. 

Our system is so broken. So many people (some of them being good friends of mine) believe a lie. They believe individuals take advantage of our system. Its not true. The facts show a good majority of the people who need help genuinely need help. These individuals on average are able to get them selves on there feet -with the help of our system- with in 28 months. Thats really amazing if you ask me. I hear people say that they stay on these programs there whole life.. but its not possible. TANF recipients are only allowed to be on these programs for a maximum of 5 years, and they have to prove that they are attempting to find work. The common thought is that it is "easy" to be in assistance programs. But its truly not. In 2007 there was 300  million dollars set aside to help individuals build affordable housing units and an additional 5 million help at risk and vulnerable populations (chronically homeless and mentally ill) with housing. These numbers have been substantially cut back. There is now only 69 million dollars set aside to help with the cost of housing and no additional funds set aside for those vulnerable populations.  I know 69 million dollars sounds "like a lot" but housing costs, especially in our state, are outrageous. Think of it this way:
 What makes housing affordable? Those working in the housing field generally use the guideline that an individual or family should pay no more than 30% of its income for housing and utilities costs. Using that standard, a minimum wage earner in Snohomish County can afford to pay monthly rent of no more than $445, and someone making the average hourly wage of $14.38 could pay up to $748. However, the average rent charged in the Snohomish county area for a two-bedroom unit is $942 . 
In 2012 the count of homeless individuals identified 2,387 people and 1,410 households as being homeless, with about 800 people under age 18. Those figures were up slightly from 2011, when 2,249 people were counted.
These numbers upset me. They were numbers used when discussing my stand point to the representatives I met. Yet these numbers and facts meant nothing to the individuals I spoke with. In their defense they had their own view points and own areas they felt the budget and available funding needed to go. Even though I greatly disagreed and felt as though they had absolutely no ounce of compassion in their soul... I still know they felt similar to me. They believed in their side, in their issues. 

With this said. How can I ever change their mind. Do I take them by the hand.. have them meet some of my clients who suffer from hunger, homelessness, and to top it off they are in desperate need of health care services.  If they saw these individuals and how hard they worked to change their lives... would their view points change? I would like to hope so. I would like to think at some point I will be able to show these representatives the truth about our society and our societies needs.

Basic needs are failing to be met. So my message to legislation... is that every human being has the right to food, shelter, and health care. Simple as that. No ifs, and whats, buts about it. Every person on our planet deserves these basic rights. 
IF you are interested in my views if you believe like I do, take a stand. GO speak up, write  a letter, and never give up.

Six and counting

The love of my life is 6. A full six years and still by my side. My baby my boo boo my vaeh.  Lil miss Nevaeh Abrianna is the star and the passion in my life.

Over the last two years her and I have gone through huge transitions together. The bigest transition has come ths last year.  With me getting a full time job and being back in school, I see her less than I would like.I know less than she would like. I struggle at feeling like a "good mother". She goes to school for a good part of the day, but I don't take her, and I can only get her 1 time a week. This year is the first time we have spent so much time apart. Before this, her first 5 years, she was able to go to work with me (thanks ma and pa) and school was not quite as intensive.

I struggle with this. I want to be with her more. To feel like a mom who is more involved. I get to be involved in the early moning when she is still grumpy and doesn't want to get ready for school and at nihgt when dinner, reading, and the fighting bed time occurs. I try to fill our weekends with adventures and "dates" so she knows how important she is to me. But if I am feeling it, the lack of time together, I worry endlessly over whether or not she is as well. 
Even though I feel like a poor mother. I know the truth is she is an amazing little person. She reads stories to me at night now, which took me by suprise. One day she is struggling to read, the next, she is mastering it.  She gossips with me about things that are important to her. Her gossip is the best. She talks about how much she loves her grandparents. How special her "sissy" is and how funny her cousins are and how much she "missing" them. She asks me about her birthdays. Suggesting that when she is 7 she "will be old enough for her own cell phone.. maybe". When I tell her she is a bit young to have a cell phone and that may not happen until shes a teen, she argues in her own silly way and says "I'm 6 and counting mom, I know how to use a phone."
On our dates weekly morning dates we go to starbucks and we chit chat over hot chocolate. She shares what her monster high barbies have been doing and fills me in on their lives.  She asks me questions about my vegetarianism and has shared that she "likes chicken and real milk" and "not your food mom". But she is so aware of the fact I eat differently. She makes sure the food I have been given "is ok for mommy to eat" and she has told me her favorite monster high barbie, Frankie, "eats weird like you mom. She doesn't like to eat animals". 
In her own way she too has learned to be compassionate for animals. She loves "her jersie" and "her kitties". She is very affectionate to them all when she comes home. She takes a moment right when she walks in the door to find each of them and pets them, kisses the, and tells them how much she loves them. It makes my heart soar to see how loving she is.
She not only shows awareness of my needs and things I feel are important, but she seems to have grown a huge heart for the homeless. When we get in the car she grabs gronola bars and puts them next to her seat "in case we see any homeless people mom, they might need something to eat".  I love it.
Again I am just a mother desperately in love with her amazing daughter. I am in awe of who she is and excited to watch her grow and evolve as a person.