Teacher Created Resources Daily Warm Ups Pdf: Fill & Download for Free

I found this on the student news daily website on conservative vs liberal beliefs. It is pretty comprehensive and accurate, however there will always be some overlap on various issues, meaning that not every conservative will agree with every position on the conservative side and vice versa.Conservative vs. Liberal BeliefsConservative vs. Liberal BeliefsPrint (PDF)Compiled by the Editors. Copyright 2005 (revised 2010) Student News Daily.We all want the same things in life. We want freedom; we want the chance for prosperity; we want as few people suffering as possible; we want healthy children; we want to have crime-free streets. The argument is how to achieve them…Liberals believe in government action to achieve equal opportunity and equality for all. It is the duty of the government to alleviate social ills and to protect civil liberties and individual and human rights. Believe the role of the government should be to guarantee that no one is in need. Liberal policies generally emphasize the need for the government to solve problems.Conservatives believe in personal responsibility, limited government, free markets, individual liberty, traditional American values and a strong national defense. Believe the role of government should be to provide people the freedom necessary to pursue their own goals. Conservative policies generally emphasize empowerment of the individual to solve problems.Check out our page: 2016 Presidential Election resources for teachers.NOTE: The terms “left” and “right” define opposite ends of the political spectrum. In the United States, liberals are referred to as the left or left-wing and conservatives are referred to as the right or right-wing. On the U.S. political map, blue represents the Democratic Party (which generally upholds liberal principles) and red represents the Republican party (which generally upholds conservative principles).THE ISSUES: (In alphabetical order)AbortionLiberalA woman has the right to decide what happens with her body. A fetus is not a human life, so it does not have separate individual rights. The government should provide taxpayer funded abortions for women who cannot afford them. The decision to have an abortion is a personal choice of a woman regarding her own body and the government must protect this right. Women have the right to affordable, safe and legal abortions, including partial birth abortion.ConservativeHuman life begins at conception. Abortion is the murder of a human being. An unborn baby, as a living human being, has separate rights from those of the mother. Oppose taxpayer-funded abortion. Taxpayer dollars should not be used for the government to provide abortions. Support legislation to prohibit partial birth abortions, called the “Partial Birth Abortion* Ban”(*Partial Birth Abortion: the killing of an unborn baby of at least 20 weeks by pulling it out of the birth canal with forceps, but leaving the head inside. An incision is made in the back of the baby’s neck and the brain tissue is suctioned out. The head is then removed from the uterus.)Affirmative ActionLiberalDue to prevalent racism in the past, minorities were deprived of the same education and employment opportunities as whites. The government must work to make up for that. America is still a racist society, therefore a federal affirmative action law is necessary. Due to unequal opportunity, minorities still lag behind whites in all statistical measurements of success.ConservativeIndividuals should be admitted to schools and hired for jobs based on their ability. It is unfair to use race as a factor in the selection process. Reverse-discrimination is not a solution for racism. Some individuals in society are racist, but American society as a whole is not. Preferential treatment of certain races through affirmative action is wrong.Death PenaltyLiberalThe death penalty should be abolished. It is inhumane and is ‘cruel and unusual’ punishment. Imprisonment is the appropriate punishment for murder. Every execution risks killing an innocent person.ConservativeThe death penalty is a punishment that fits the crime of murder; it is neither ‘cruel’ nor ‘unusual.’ Executing a murderer is the appropriate punishment for taking an innocent life.EconomyLiberalA market system in which government regulates the economy is best. Government must protect citizens from the greed of big business. Unlike the private sector, the government is motivated by public interest. Government regulation in all areas of the economy is needed to level the playing field.ConservativeThe free market system, competitive capitalism, and private enterprise create the greatest opportunity and the highest standard of living for all. Free markets produce more economic growth, more jobs and higher standards of living than those systems burdened by excessive government regulation.Education – vouchers & charter schoolsLiberalPublic schools are the best way to educate students. Vouchers take money away from public schools. Government should focus additional funds on existing public schools, raising teacher salaries and reducing class size.ConservativeSchool vouchers create competition and therefore encourage schools to improve performance. Vouchers will give all parents the right to choose good schools for their children, not just those who can afford private schools.Embryonic Stem Cell ResearchLiberalSupport the use of embryonic stem cells for research. It is necessary (and ethical) for the government to fund embryonic stem cell research, which will assist scientists in finding treatments and cures for diseases. An embryo is not a human. The tiny blastocyst (embryos used in embryonic stem cell research) has no human features. Experimenting on embryos/embryonic stem cells is not murder. Embryonic stem cells have the potential to cure chronic and degenerative diseases which current medicine has been unable to effectively treat. Embryonic stem cells have been shown to be effective in treating heart damage in mice.ConservativeSupport the use of adult and umbilical cord stem cells only for research. It is morally and ethically wrong for the government to fund embryonic stem cell research. Human life begins at conception. The extraction of stem cells from an embryo requires its destruction. In other words, it requires that a human life be killed. Adult stem cells have already been used to treat spinal cord injuries, Leukemia, and even Parkinson’s disease. Adult stem cells are derived from umbilical cords, placentas, amniotic fluid, various tissues and organ systems like skin and the liver, and even fat obtained from liposuction. Embryonic stem cells have not been successfully used to help cure disease.EnergyLiberalOil is a depleting resource. Other sources of energy must be explored. The government must produce a national plan for all energy resources and subsidize (partially pay for) alternative energy research and production. Support increased exploration of alternative energy sources such as wind and solar power. Support government control of gas and electric industries.ConservativeOil, gas and coal are all good sources of energy and are abundant in the U.S. Oil drilling should be increased both on land and at sea. Increased domestic production creates lower prices and less dependence on other countries for oil. Support increased production of nuclear energy. Wind and solar sources will never provide plentiful, affordable sources of power. Support private ownership of gas and electric industries.Euthanasia & Physician-assisted suicideLiberalEuthanasia should be legalized. A person has a right to die with dignity, by his own choice. A terminally ill person should have the right to choose to end pain and suffering. It is wrong for the government to take away the means for a terminally ill person to hasten his death. It is wrong to force a person to go through so much pain and suffering. Legalizing euthanasia would not lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-critical patients. Permitting euthanasia would reduce health care costs, which would then make funds available for those who could truly benefit from medical care.ConservativeNeither euthanasia nor physician-assisted suicide should be legalized. It is immoral and unethical to deliberately end the life of a terminally ill person (euthanasia), or enable another person to end their own life (assisted suicide). The goal should be compassionate care and easing the suffering of terminally ill people. Legalizing euthanasia could lead to doctor-assisted suicides of non-critical patients. If euthanasia were legalized, insurance companies could pressure doctors to withhold life-saving treatment for dying patients. Many religions prohibit suicide and euthanasia. These practices devalue human life.Global Warming/Climate ChangeLiberalGlobal warming is caused by an increased production of carbon dioxide through the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas). The U.S. is a major contributor to global warming because it produces 25% of the world’s carbon dioxide. Proposed laws to reduce carbon emissions in the U.S. are urgently needed and should be enacted immediately to save the planet. Many reputable scientists support this theory.ConservativeChange in global temperature is natural over long periods of time. Science has not shown that humans can affect permanent change to the earth’s temperature. Proposed laws to reduce carbon emissions will do nothing to help the environment and will cause significant price increases for all. Many reputable scientists support this theory.Gun ControlLiberalThe Second Amendment does not give citizens the right to keep and bear arms, but only allows for the state to keep a militia (National Guard). Individuals do not need guns for protection; it is the role of local and federal government to protect the people through law enforcement agencies and the military. Additional gun control laws are necessary to stop gun violence and limit the ability of criminals to obtain guns. More guns mean more violence.ConservativeThe Second Amendment gives citizens the right to keep and bear arms. Individuals have the right to defend themselves. There are too many gun control laws – additional laws will not lower gun crime rates. What is needed is enforcement of current laws. Gun control laws do not prevent criminals from obtaining guns. More guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens mean less crime.Full text of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.”HealthcareLiberalSupport free or low-cost government controlled health care. There are millions of Americans who can’t afford health care and are deprived of this basic right. Every American has a right to affordable health care. The government should provide equal health care benefits for all, regardless of their ability to pay.ConservativeSupport competitive, free market health care system. All Americans have access to health care. The debate is about who should pay for it. Free and low-cost government-run programs (socialized medicine) result in higher costs and everyone receiving the same poor-quality health care. Health care should remain privatized. The problem of uninsured individuals should be addressed and solved within the free market healthcare system – the government should not control healthcare.Homeland SecurityLiberalAirport security – Passenger profiling is wrong, period. Selection of passengers for extra security screening should be random. Using other criteria (such as ethnicity) is discriminatory and offensive to Arabs and Muslims, who are generally innocent and law-abiding. Terrorists don’t fit a profile.“…Arabs, Muslims and South Asians are no more likely than whites to be terrorists.” (American Civil Liberties Union ACLU)Asked on 60 Minutes if a 70-year-old white woman from Vero Beach should receive the same level of scrutiny as a Muslim from Jersey City, President Obama’s Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta said, “Basically, I would hope so.”ConservativeAirport security – Choosing passengers randomly for extra security searches is not effective. Rather, profiling and intelligence data should be used to single out passengers for extra screening. Those who do not meet the criteria for suspicion should not be subjected to intense screening. The terrorists currently posing a threat to the U.S. are primarily Islamic/Muslim men between the ages of 18 and 38. Our resources should be focused on this group. Profiling is good logical police work.“If people are offended (by profiling), that’s unfortunate, but I don’t think we can afford to take the risk that terrorism brings to us. They’ve wasted masses of resources on far too many people doing things that really don’t have a big payoff in terms of security.” – Northwestern University Aviation Expert, A.Gellman.ImmigrationLiberalSupport legal immigration. Support amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (undocumented immigrants). Also believe that undocumented immigrants have a right to:— all educational and health benefits that citizens receive (financial aid, welfare, social security and medicaid), regardless of legal status.— the same rights as American citizens. It is unfair to arrest millions of undocumented immigrants.ConservativeSupport legal immigration only. Oppose amnesty for those who enter the U.S. illegally (illegal immigrants). Those who break the law by entering the U.S. illegally do not have the same rights as those who obey the law and enter legally. The borders should be secured before addressing the problem of the illegal immigrants currently in the country. The Federal Government should secure the borders and enforce current immigration law.Private PropertyLiberalGovernment has the right to use eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government–with compensation to the owner) to accomplish a public end.ConservativeRespect ownership and private property rights. Eminent domain (seizure of private property by the government–with compensation to the owner) in most cases is wrong. Eminent domain should not be used for private development.Religion & GovernmentLiberalSupport the separation of church and state. The Bill of Rights implies a separation of church and state. Religious expression has no place in government. The two should be completely separate. Government should not support religious expression in any way. All reference to God in public and government spaces should be removed (eg., the Ten Commandments should not be displayed in Federal buildings). Religious expression has no place in government.ConservativeThe phrase “separation of church and state” is not in the Constitution. The First Amendment to the Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof…” This prevents the government from establishing a national church/denomination. However, it does not prohibit God from being acknowledged in schools and government buildings. Symbols of Christian heritage should not be removed from public and government spaces (eg., the Ten Commandments should continue to be displayed in Federal buildings). Government should not interfere with religion and religious freedom.Same-sex MarriageLiberalMarriage is the union of people who love each other. It should be legal for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals, to ensure equal rights for all. Support same-sex marriage. Opposed to the creation of a constitutional amendment establishing marriage as the union of one man and one woman. All individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation, have the right to marry. Prohibiting same-sex citizens from marrying denies them their civil rights. [Opinions vary on whether this issue is equal to civil rights for African Americans.]ConservativeMarriage is the union of one man and one woman. Oppose same-sex marriage.Support Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), passed in 1996, which affirms the right of states not to recognize same-sex marriages licensed in other states.Requiring citizens to sanction same-sex relationships violates moral and religious beliefs of millions of Christians, Jews, Muslims and others, who believe marriage is the union of one man and one woman.Social SecurityLiberalThe Social Security system should be protected at all costs. Reduction in future benefits is not a reasonable option. [Opinions vary on the extent of the current system’s financial stability.] Social Security provides a safety net for the nation’s poor and needy. Changing the system would cause a reduction in benefits and many people would suffer as a result.ConservativeThe Social Security system is in serious financial trouble. Major changes to the current system are urgently needed. In its current state, the Social Security system is not financially sustainable. It will collapse if nothing is done to address the problems. Many will suffer as a result. Social Security must be made more efficient through privatization and/or allowing individuals to manage their own savings.TaxesLiberalHigher taxes (primarily for the wealthy) and a larger government are necessary to address inequity/injustice in society (government should help the poor and needy using tax dollars from the rich). Support a large government to provide for the needs of the people and create equality. Taxes enable the government to create jobs and provide welfare programs for those in need. Government programs are a caring way to provide for the poor and needy in society.ConservativeLower taxes and a smaller government with limited power will improve the standard of living for all. Support lower taxes and a smaller government. Lower taxes create more incentive for people to work, save, invest, and engage in entrepreneurial endeavors. Money is best spent by those who earn it, not the government. Government programs encourage people to become dependent and lazy, rather than encouraging work and independence.United Nations (UN)LiberalThe UN promotes peace and human rights. The United States has a moral and a legal obligation to support the United Nations (UN). The U.S. should not act as a sovereign nation, but as one member of a world community. The U.S. should submit its national interests to the greater good of the global community (as defined by the UN). The U.S. should defer to the UN in military/peacekeeping matters. The United Nations Charter gives the United Nations Security Council the power and responsibility to take collective action to maintain international peace and security. U.S. troops should submit to UN command.ConservativeThe UN has repeatedly failed in its essential mission to promote world peace and human rights. The wars, genocide and human rights abuses taking place in many Human Rights Council member states (and the UN’s failure to stop them) prove this point. History shows that the United States, not the UN, is the global force for spreading freedom, prosperity, tolerance and peace. The U.S. should never subvert its national interests to those of the UN. The U.S. should never place troops under UN control. U.S. military should always wear the U.S. military uniform, not that of UN peacekeepers. [Opinions vary on whether the U.S. should withdraw from the UN.]War on Terror/TerrorismLiberalGlobal warming, not terrorism, poses the greatest threat to the U.S., according to Democrats in Congress. Terrorism is a result of arrogant U.S. foreign policy. Good diplomacy is the best way to deal with terrorism. Relying on military force to defeat terrorism creates hatred that leads to more terrorism. Captured terrorists should be handled by law enforcement and tried in civilian courts.ConservativeTerrorism poses one of the greatest threats to the U.S. The world toward which the militant Islamists strive cannot peacefully co-exist with the Western world. In the last decade, militant Islamists have repeatedly attacked Americans and American interests here and abroad. Terrorists must be stopped and destroyed. The use of intelligence-gathering and military force are the best ways to defeat terrorism around the world. Captured terrorists should be treated as enemy combatants and tried in military courts.WelfareLiberalSupport welfare, including long-term welfare. Welfare is a safety net which provides for the needs of the poor. Welfare is necessary to bring fairness to American economic life. It is a device for protecting the poor.ConservativeOppose long-term welfare. Opportunities should be provided to make it possible for those in need to become self-reliant. It is far more compassionate and effective to encourage people to become self-reliant, rather than allowing them to remain dependent on the government for provisions.Compiled by the Editors. Copyright 2005, (revised 2010) Student News Daily.

I wrote a PDF years ago about this. Still relevant:Table of ContentsPage 2 Table of ContentsPage 3 Holiday Gifts for the HomelessPage 13 101 Gift Suggestions for The HomelessPage 18 Who Are the Homeless and How Did They Get That Way?Page 20 Federal Definition of Homelessness Page 21 Famous Homeless People Page 25 Four Kinds of Homelessness Page 30 Panhandling Etiquette Page 33  Safety & Security Page 34 Why Homeless for the Holidays?Page 37 Angel Food Ministries Page38 Mark Horvath - Making the Invisible Visible - Invisible People TVPage 43 Hope HousePage 41 Gods Pit Crew Page42 Run Tellman Run. Tellman Knudson - Running Barefoot Across America to Raise $100 million dollars for Homeless YouthPage 43 Homeless Youth Page44 Resources Page 48 Copyright NoticeAlong with finding a safe, warm place to sleep every night, finding a safe, clean place to shower daily or even weekly is very difficult.Typical places to shower include health clubs, public parks, beaches, offices that provide gyms or showers for their employees and universities. Most of the working homeless, particularly those mobile ones, join a gym so they have a place to shower, so they can rent a locker to keep their towels and toiletries, and so they have a place to go at night.Many places offer limited memberships, often for $25 or $30 a month (some for $150 a year and no monthly fees) that allow members to work out three times a week. If you have a church group, fraternity, club or organization that wants to help, consider buying or matching (paying half) of a health club membership for a family or individual. Not only will a health club membership give the person a chance to work out, exercise, and be around other individuals, theyll be able to stay clean, feel good and get the positive feedback and access to networking they can use to get back on their feet.Many health clubs will require that the individual has a “permanent address,” so you may have to make arrangements to provide one, to get a Post Office Box, or to convince the club owner that the member in question is “in transition.”If you belong to an organization that has a building, camp or access to showers, consider offering shower access to families or individuals on at least a weekly basis.CleanlinessNext to personal cleanliness, clean clothes, pressed and presentable for work, are the most difficult to come by for the homeless. Some “drop-in” centers or shelters have washers and dryers, but its often difficult to get your laundry done when youre not staying there.Weekly laundry bills at public laundromats can be expensive, often running $20 to $30 a week for laundry detergent and the cost of washers and dryers ($.75 to $3.00 to wash and the same or more to dry a load of laundry).A couple of ten-dollar rolls of quarters, small bottles or packages of laundry detergent and fabric softener make excellent gifts. If your local dry cleaner offers gift certificates or offers washing by the pound services, consider giving the gift of clean clothes. If you belong to a gym, a church, or other organization with washers and dryers, consider having one day a week where a family can do their laundry.If the homeless family is someone you know, trust or work with, or maybe is a coworker or neighbor, offer your homeonce or twice a month for them to do laundry, have a meal, shower, and get ready for the week to come. If youre not comfortable doing that, take up a collection and put the person or family up for a night or two in a local hotel. In many small towns, hotel rates may vary from $35 to $75 a night.What few people realize is how much work it is to be homeless. Everything that used to be in ONE place, is now in 10. Not only do you have to go to the laundromat, the grocery, but you have to do it daily if you dont have a place to store your things (like a car, camper or van). If you have a family, laundry and dirty clothes can be a nightmare - and a huge expense. The tendency when theres only enough money for food, gas or laundry, to let the laundry go.Once the clothes become soiled, dirty, rumpled, smelly, it becomes close to impossible to keep a job or get a job. You feel depressed. You feel worthless and every time you catch a glimpse of yourself in dirty clothes those feelings are increased. A shower and clean clothes can totally elevate the mood of a homeless person. Having access to regular facilities to stay clean and have clean clothes can make a huge difference to the person struggling to get off of the streets. Laundry detergent is expensive, especially in the small bottles and packets that the street dwelling homeless must use. Those living in a vehicle fare better. They can get to the laundromat, clean and store clothes in bags in the car and even use a dry cleaner for work clothes. But it's very expensive.Give the Gift of GroomingGood grooming is often the first thing to go when youre homeless. Giving the gift of grooming can be as simple as a gift certificate for a haircut.Chain salons such as Fantastic Sams, Supercuts and other mall salons offer a shampoo, cut, and style for between $13 to $20. Many have specials during the week, such as $10 for mens haircut on a certain day.Check with your local salon and see if you can arrange to purchase a quantity of gift certificates. If youre worried about the recipient selling the certificate, then simply make sure the certificate has a place for the persons name and print a disclaimer on the certificate that the person present a photo ID when redeeming the certificate. COST: $10 to $20Yes. Many shelters DO have days where haircuts and shaves are free, but for the working homeless, or those who do not use shelters or are homeless and fear shelters, those haircuts aren’t an option.It’s not an elitist thing, but the reality of families not familiar or reluctant to venture in an area of town where they dont feel safe, or dont understand how the system works.The $10 or $20 they would spend on a haircut is better spent on food, gas or other items. But being clean, well-groomed and presentable is part of getting and keeping a job.If you know how to cut hair, consider a day of hair cutting at a local church as well as a shelter.Light It UpSolar Powered LED Light Cap (Home - Go Fast And Light)One of the most aggravating things to keep track of while homeless is batteries and flashlights. This solar-powered cap eliminates that aggravation. Not only does the cap act as protection during the day, but the solar panel on the bill charges an LED light for use at night. It makes it easier to read, to organize your things, to find your way in the dark and for kids, to help them keep their fear of the dark at bay. No worry about batteries burning out if they fall asleep either. It recharges the next day.COST: $16.95 (Home - Go Fast And Light) to $24.95If youre not a cap wearer, there are also LED lights that clip onto your eyeglasses or reading glasses. If you dont wear glasses, try the headband version. Lightweight, portable - most fit in a pocket, great lights. The LED bulbs last 100,000 hours. The solar rechargeable cap is best, but even the lights that take batteries are inexpensive - usually a dollar or two at most Dollar Stores, up to $24 at camping stores.Money Pocket BeltPickpockets lost wallets and other hazards make carrying money on the street dangerous. Give the gift of increased security with a money pocket belt. Allows the wearer to keep big bills, important personal information like social security cards etc. in a place most thieves won’t think of.To remove money and keep the “secret” of the belt secure, use a public restroom or take it off in your vehicle or other private location where no one can watch, remove your money, replace the belt.COST: $11.95 to $19.95Security BeltIf a regular money pocket belt doesnt have enough room for your bills, passport, personal papers etc, there are a variety of styles and colors of security belts that both men and women can wear under their clothing.COST: $12.95 to $16.00Whether a person is living in their car, a shelter, couch surfing with friends or in a hotel, a light-weight bag, carry-all or suitcase is an ideal gift.Not only will a bag hold a weeks worth of clothing and toiletries, its a lot less likely to draw attention to someone on the street than a garbage bag would.A bag keeps clothes clean, dry, folded and accessible. For someone using public transportation or walking, a bag with wheels and a handle is a lot easier to walk with.Teen-agers in particular are more likely to hang onto a bag or backpack since its an item their peers will also have. Prices range from $10 to $75.If youre giving it as a Christmas or holiday gift, consider filling it with socks, gum, snacks, a lightweight fleece blanket, gloves, a portable alarm clock and a variety of toiletries - toothbrush, toothpaste, soap in plastic soapbox, shampoo, sani-wipes, a roll of toilet paper, packages of kleenex, lip balm, washcloth, etc.COST: $10 to $75Consider adding several small bags inside the larger bag to hold items like makeup, toiletries, personal effects, or medications12-Volt AppliancesIf you know someone who is homeless and living in their van, truck or car, consider a gift of 12-volt appliances.Oven-to-GoThe Burton “Oven-to-go” is available at Online Shopping for Electronics, Apparel, Computers, Books, DVDs & more for about $29.00, and at a variety of stores, truck stops, and RV stores for $29 to $54. Prices will vary from store to store. This unit will cook anything from pizza to stew and runs off the vehicles battery through a cord that plugs into the vehicles cigarette lighter.12-Volt Electric Blanket and Battery GuardFor truly cold nights, its hard to beat a 12-volt electric blanket. Pair this gift with a device like the “Battery Guard” that alerts the driver with a low-battery charge so their vehicle battery doesnt die.COST for Blanket: $29 - $54COST for Battery Guard: $17 to $3412-Volt Electric Razors12-volt Electric Razors make it easier for those living in a car or van to shave without resorting to public restrooms. Cost for grooming appliances ranges from $11 to $24, again, depending on where you shop.COST: $22 to $4212-Volt Hair Dryers12-Volt hair dryers can double as window defrosters, a major issue when condensation fogs up windows when youre sleeping in a vehicle.COST: $11.95 to $18.9512-Volt Beverage HeatersA 12-Volt beverage heater can heat baby food, a bottle of babys milk, tea, coffee, soup, water or any liquid. Cost varies from $19 to $34.COST: $24 - $44Head -To-ToeSocks and Foot Care ProductsFor the homeless living on the street, theres no greater gift than new, clean socks. Heavy white cotton is the best, but all socks are welcomed as layering silk or polyester socks with cotton helps prevent blistering.Put two or three pairs of socks into a quart-sized zip-lock bag with a pair of toenail clippers, foot powder and band-aids, several packets of alcohol swabs. Foot care is critical - and often difficult when living on the street.COST: About $1 to $5 per pair of socks (more for wool or hunting style socks). Foot power, clippers and alcohol swabs would also cost less than five dollars.Pre-Paid Cell PhonesMost cell phone carriers offer pre-paid cell phone plans. Phones cost from $20 to $200 and pre-pay plans allow the user to pay for the minutes they need or use as they go. Cricket, Boost, Trac Phone and others are good. Make sure the cell phone has an alarm function as well as a clock. Virgin phones I have had dont have that function and an alarm is critical for a homeless person. The less they have to carry, the better.Having a cell phone allows the homeless 24/7 access to friends, family, support, emergency services, and helplines. Without a cell phone number, many people find it difficult or impossible to get a job interview, let alone a job. Many jobs require employees to have a phone so they can be contacted by their employer. If you belong to a group or organization that wants to make a difference, consider buying a pre-paid phone and pay for minutes. If you chose to discontinue your support you just stop paying. The person with the phone can then pay for their own minutes. There are no contracts to sign and no connection fees.COST: Some plans, like Boost, offer unlimited, anytime minutes with no roaming fees, and unlimited texting and walkie-talkie for $50 a month. Other plans, including pay-as-you-go 10 cents a minute http://planshttp://beckyblanton.comare also possible. Foror http://homeless4theholidays.comthe person looking for work or with a family, the unlimited plan is the best buy. 101 Gift Suggestions for the Homeless/Working HomelessThese are gift suggestions for a range of homeless people - from the addict or mentally ill person on the street (socks, shoes, coats, blankets), to the family youve heard about at work, church or from a friend who recently lost their home in the mortgage crisis, or was laid off and has moved into their van, car or a trailer.While some gifts might seem odd to give, dont forget that a coworker or good friend who has been laid off and become homeless, or single mother, or teenager struggling to get through school would appreciate the gift. Being homeless doesnt mean your life and needs stop. You still have to eat, shower, wash clothes, get your hair cut, stay warm (or cool in summer), get to work, or find a job, keep a job or care for your children and family, or your pets.If you dont want to give gifts, then give $2, $5, $10 or more each month on your electric or utility bills. Your local utility company has programs in place for a one-time payment program to help keep the power on for needy families in the event of a crisis (job loss, car broke down, medical issues that kept them from making utility payments). This is an excellent way to help PREVENT homelessness since research shows it is easier to KEEP someone in a home than a shelter.2. Laundromat Tokens or Dry Cleaning certificates3. Grooming - hair cut or shave4. Solar-powered baseball cap with reading light5. Money belt (security)6. Equipment bag or gym bag, suitcase7. 12-Volt Appliances (stove, coffee pot, hair dryer)8. Personal Toiletries (toothbrush, toothpaste, soap etc)9. Socks10. Prepaid Cellphone11. Toys for children in homeless families12. Coat13. Backpack14. Small LED flashlight15. Flip-flops (for public showers)16. Hand sanitizing gel17. Sunglasses18. Bug Spray19. Net-book20. Rain gear21. Clothing (sweaters, sweat pants, work clothes)22. Stamps for mailing letters, bills, job applications23. Foot powder and nail clippers24. Blanket or sleeping bag25. Cigarette lighters26. Candy bars27. Beef Jerky28. Non-perishable food items like tuna, pudding, applesauce, diced fruit etc29. Movie tickets30. Gift cards to a restaurant, grocery31. Motel room for the night or for a week32. Health club membership - Planet Fitness is $10-$20 a month33. Laundromat tokens34. Gloves and Knit Caps or Hats35. Watch36. Portable alarm clock37. Sewing kit38. First aid kit with items for foot blisters39. Foster care for their animals if they have them40. Payment on a small storage locker or a safe place they can access personal items41. Tooth cleaning at their dentist or a dentist42. Over the counter medications such as aspirin, cough syrup, vitamins, Pepto-Bismol43. Pre-paid gift card for gasoline44. Snack bags with raisins, gum, cheese and crackers, candy, cookies45. Tax services - offer to help them fill out their tax forms or pay for a service to do it46. Hand and/or foot warmers47. Electric socks (yes, they do work)48. Handheld tear gas for women for self-protection49. Inflatable pillow50. Sleeping pad (as used for camping) Sleeping Bag51. Post Office Box ($24 to $40 for six months)52. Bus pass53. Subway or Metro pass54. Parking place. If your church or business can allow a person or persons to park in your lot overnight (arrive after 6 p.m. and leave before 8 a.m.) please do. Yes, there are legal issues and liabilities associated with this, but California businesses are doing it, so a lot of the groundwork has been done.55. Car parts and maintenance items - like oil, windshield wipers, anti-freeze.56. Tune-up57. Brake work and other mechanical work on a vehicle a family depends on for shelter or work.58. Coaching in how to do your best in a job interview59. Financial coaching - how to set up a budget - or better yet, pay or help pay for the person to attend Dave Ramseys Financial Peace University ($59 to $99 for life)60. Tutoring for kids61. Pay for an “After-school Program” for homeless children62. Thermal underwear (tops and bottoms)63. Pay for medication (Wal-Mart offers $4 generic for many meds. If the homeless person is on non-narcotic medications arrange with your local pharmacy to cover medications up to a set dollar amount.64. Diapers65. Baby food and formula66. In rural areas, a fishing license and fishing gear (many homeless still do fish for food)67. Donate your meat to “Hunters for the Hungry” or, if youre not a hunter, donate money to help fund the meat processing fees. In Virginia, a contribution of 20-dollars will process 1/2 a deer (25-pounds of venison), 40-dollars will process 1-deer (50-pounds of venison), and 80-dollars will process 2-deer (100-pounds of venison).68. A Flip camera so they can record and blog and tell their own stories.69. Pocketknife (Swiss Army with fork, spoon)70. Email or mail them regular notes of encouragement and support71. Leatherman tool (has basic tools, screwdriver, pliers etc.)72. Gel shoe inserts73. Nicorette gum for smokers trying to quit who have already been using it & cant afford it.74. Water bottle75. Packages of presweetened Kool-aid or other drink mixes in individual servings76. Inspirational literature - Small new testaments, Chicken Soup for the Soul books, or any inspirational (doesnt have to be religious) books. Childrens books.77. Pens, pocket-sized notebooks for helping keep track of things to do, lists etc.78. Pocket calendars so they can keep track of appointments, job interviews etc.79. Resume help. If they dont have a resume, help them create one or create one for them.80. Manicure or pedicure81. Order a food box from Angel Food Ministries (http://angelfoodministries.com)82. Pet food83. School supplies for teens/those attending college84. Portable or camping cookstove85. Portable or camping fry pan (handle folds for storage)86. Battery-powered fan (small personal fan or larger)87. Pay for flu shots or school shots for families with kids88. Belt with inside zippered money pocket (Money pocket belt)89. Construction weight garbage bags. These are the VERY heavy duty trash bags that contractors use on job sites to hold industrial weight trash. Theyre almost impossible to tear and make great bags for the homeless who prefer to use them. They are also excellent bags for covering a sleeping bag or for using as a rain coat. Buy them by the box and hand them out singly or in threes and fours. Available at any Lowes or Home Depot90. Emergency candles91. Sterno for cooking/warmth92. Solar-powered baseball cap (built-in LED light charged by solar cell)93. Clip-on reading light94. Mosquito netting (camping stores)95. Hair Scrunchies, both for women and children96. Bottled water97. Snuggie or other fleece wear for warmth in cars, shelters98. Car or other vehicles such as van, trailer99. Bicycle with basket or means for holding personal items100. Bandanas and handkerchiefs101. A variety of small zippered storage bags to hold makeup, toiletries, and other items.Believe it or not, this is NOT an exhaustive list. Hundreds of organizations around the country are using their creativity, insights, compassion, and gifts to find ways to create jobs and income opportunities for the homeless, to find ways to earn money to donate to the food banks and homeless shelters around their county, and to make a difference. It happens one person at a time.Don’t think you have to save all the homeless. Talk to an agency, or the director of a homeless shelter, to the YMCA or YWCA in your area, to womens shelters, to rape crisis shelters and counselors, and find JUST ONE PERSON you can help and focus on. Involve your friends or coworkers or neighbors and sponsor a homeless family - make sure they have the job help, the transportation, etc. they need to get back on their feet.In some communities, there are organizations that have “transitional housing” or “foster housing,” where a homeless family or person is screened and placed in a home, apartment or with a family who will work with them on life skills training or other issues while they work their way towards independence.Don’t overextend yourself. Get in this for the long haul and dont get burned out. If youre a teacher, teach kids that sometimes bad things happen in life and talk about homelessness in a positive way - as a life lesson for what can happen no matter how you plan for it not to. Teach respect. Have your students experience “homelessness” by letting them “live” in a box in the classroom. Older teens can spend the night in a parking lot at their school or church (supervised of course) to experience a bit of what being homeless is like.There are college courses that have students spend 24-hours on the street to see what homelessness is like. Experiencing even a few hours as “homeless” will change your perspective.I encourage you to go a week without showering in your own home, but finding places around town where you must shower. Put yourself in the shoes of the homeless (without the full risk) for a night. Sleep in your car in the driveway. Dress in old clothes and push a shopping cart around downtown. If the reactions of others doesnt shock you, the awakening will make you more compassionate for sure.Who Are The Homeless And How Did They Get That Way?No one plans to become homeless. It happens. They may see it coming, or fear it, or find themselves spiraling towards it as a result of bad decisions, or unexpected events, but no one sits down and says, “Gee, I think Ill go be homeless and destitute for a year or so.”Yes, there are people who opt to travel, to live out of a van, to drive across country on an adventure, another kind of “homeless.” But no one in their right mind wants to live on the street, moneyless, starving, cold, hot, lonely, attacked, belittled,and disrespected.The homeless become homeless because people become addicts. The majority of active alcoholics will eventually lose their families, their jobs, their loved ones,and everything they own - unless theyre independently wealthy and somehow manage to retain their financial independence.Drug addicts - the same thing. Addiction destroys. Stay addicted long enough and chances are very good you’ll become homeless.If you have a mental illness, or physical illness and are unable to work, to pay your bills, your rent, your mortgage, you will eventually become homeless if you cant find someone who will meet those obligations, or you cant find the program, welfare, or part-time jobs where you can afford some sort of shelter.If you lose your home to fire, flood, tornado,or a hurricane, you will become homeless - perhaps for a night, or a week or a month until you can find a new home. But if you dont have the financial resources to do that, or a family to fall back on, chances are you will become homeless as well.Anytime you get upside down with your bills (you owe more than you can pay and cannot meet your rent or mortgage payments) you will become homeless. You may have a fight with your spouse, boyfriend, girlfriend,or significant other and have the police tell you to leave the residence for a night, or a week.You may run away from home, or away from an abusive spouse or parent. You may have a medical condition where your medication costs more than your rent and you have to choose whether to live in an apartment and die, or live on the streets and have your medication. Tough choices.Are you starting to get the picture now? You may be a college student who cant afford an apartment, dorm,or room and continue to stay in school. One day you hear about someone who lived in a van and never paid rent all through school. Do the math. You can pay a semesters worth of classes for what it costs to rent a place. All of a sudden it makes sense to move into your car - until you do.You may be a construction worker, truck driver, a traveling salesman. You get behind on your bills and opt to give up your apartment to save money. You live in a hotel most of the time anyway, why not? Then one day you lose your job and cant afford to keep staying in hotels. Youre suddenly homeless.I've met doctors, lawyers, engineers, and computer programmers living in their vans. The doctor said his wife had frozen all his bank accounts and credit cards in divorce and all he could do was sleep in the van until he figured out what to do (days maybe). He didn’t want his friends to know, so the van and a week of homelessness was a solution.Women escaping an abusive spouse, teens running away from abusive parents, all have very good reasons for living in their cars,and becoming homeless. Few women in those circumstances have the financial base to simply leave and start a new life. Most have been kept from having jobs - especially jobs where they could earn a living wage.I’ve met women on disability and oxygen who lived in their van so they could afford their medication.Families, fathers,and mothers with children, both parents lose their jobs, are laid off, and rather than risk a cross-country drive to another area to look for work, they stay in the same town - hoping to find another job. After all, they reason, they have unemployment and three months emergency funds. But the savings they have runs out and they find themselves living in their cars.The common perception is that all homeless people are mentally ill, addicts,and alcoholics. The attitudes of some shelter workers, used to seeing a majority of homeless who are addicts, perpetuates that.The media doesn’t bother [until lately] to point out that people are homeless as no result of their own decisions in many cases [the economy], or because they made poor decisions, or made the best decision they could at the time.So yes, there are homeless people who are addicts and mentally ill, or are criminals and sex offenders. But there are families, children, students,and women who become homeless because it was the best or only option they had. Before you condemn all homeless - find out their story.If you have been homeless at one time, share your story. You, more than anyone else, can help others understand it can happen to them as well. In the following pages are facts and info about the homeless and a few of the thousands of organizations that are helping the homeless.What is the definition of “Homeless.”In Title 42, Chapter 119, Subchapter I, of the United States Code, homeless is defined as: §11302. General definition of homeless individual(a) In general For purposes of this chapter, the term “homeless” or “homeless individual or homeless person” includes—1. an individual who lacks a fixed, regular, and adequate nighttime residence; and2. an individual who has a primary nighttime residence that is —1. a supervised publicly or privately operated shelter designed to provide temporary living accommodations (including welfare hotels, congregate shelters, and transitional housing for the mentally ill);2. an institution that provides a temporary residence for individuals intended to be institutionalized; or3. a public or private place not designed for, or ordinarily used as, a regular sleeping accommodation for human beings.STEVEN PRESSFIELD“It is one thing to study war, and another to live the warriors life.”         - PressfieldAny military man/woman knows his name, especially the Marines. Steven Pressfield is the author of what most military experts, officers and non-coms call the military bible, the book, “The Gates of War.”Pressfield, a Marine and author was also once homeless – living in his Chevy van with his cat. He struggled to the top of his field, but is firmly planted there after writing “The Gates of War, The War of Art, and The Legend of Bagger Vance, among others. His website, his philosophy and his books are well worth the read.CARY GRANT:This Oscar-winning actor slept rough on the streets of Southampton, England during a summer in his youth at the time of World War I. (According to the book, Cary Grant: A Biography, by Marc Eliot, 2004)On page 31: “Archie then volunteered for summer work as a messenger and gofer on the military docks, often sleeping in alleys at night if he didnt make enough money to rent a cot in a flophouse.”JIM CARREY:Jim Carrey, actor, writer, producer, nd comedian is no stranger to van dwelling or homelessness. Jim lived out of a VW van in various locations across Canada with his older brother John Carrey, older sister Rita Carrey, and his parents Percy Carrey and Kathleen Carrey as he was growing up.Also camped in a tent with his family in the backyard of the home of his older married sister, Patricia.KELLY CLARKSON:Grammy Award-winning singer; American Idol television talent show 1st-season winner 2002 Kelly Clarkson was once homeless. Clarkson lived out of a car and in a shelter, with her female roommate, after a major structural fire forced them out of a 71unit apartment building in West Hollywood, California in March 2002.In an interview with Inside Edition television news magazine, September 5 2002, her roommate, fellow Texan, actress/singer Janet Harvick was quoted as saying, “It was really, really rough because we had just moved here, and we had just moved in on the day of the fire. We knew nobody here—I mean nobody, so the night of the fire, the next day, and night, we stayed in our car.”US Weekly magazine, September 23, 2002; print story: “My apartment [building] burned down; my car got towed twice, recalls Clarkson, who, with nowhere to go, lived in a homeless shelter for several days.”DJIMON HOUNSOU:Djimon Hounsou is a West African-born (Beninese) Oscar-nominated actor and model.Before being discovered and becoming an actor, however, Djimon slept on the streets and in subways near the Eiffel Tower for two years beginning at age 13 before being discovered and offered a modeling contract.DAVID LETTERMAN:This Emmy Award-winning television writer, comedian, author and host of the television talkshow Late Show with David Letterman spent time living out of his Chevy pickup truck while struggling to establish his career.CHRIS GARDNER:Hes not worried about money now. But once upon a time multimillionaire stockbroker (net worth $65-million (2006)) Chris Gardner couldnt afford a room for himself and his young son. Now hes an author; stockbroker and multimillionaire.The 2006 movie “The Pursuit of Happyness,” starring Will Smith, was based on his life. He slept in subway stations, trains, bathrooms, and a church-run shelter in California with his son.MARTIN SHEEN:Emmy Award-winning actor,director and producer; slept in New York City subway while a young struggling actor. Ramón Gerardo Antonio Estévez, (born August 3, 1940) better known by his stage name Martin Sheen, is an actor best known for his performances as Captain Willard in the film Apocalypse Now and President Josiah Bartlet on the television series The West Wing. As well as the critical acclaim he has received as an actor, he has become known as an activist. Born and raised in Ohio, United States, with Irish and Spanish parents, Sheen is also an Irish citizen.He is the father of actors Carlos Irwin Estévez (Charlie Sheen), Emilio Estévez, Ramón Estévez and Renée Estévez, and is brother of the actor Joe Estevez.HILLARY SWANK:In 1989, when she was 15, Swank and her mom packed up their Oldsmobile Delta 88 and, with just $75, headed to Los Angeles. They lived in the car until a friend [eventually] gave them a place to stay. Swanks mom used a pay phone to book her daughter for auditions. (Readers Digest)FourKindsOfHomelessThere are four kinds of homeless people. There are the alcoholics, and drug addicts. There are the mentally ill. There are what I call the “Life Happens Homeless,” those who are homeless because of situations or circumstances in their lives - loss of a home, job or family etc. and there are the homeless who are homeless by choice.“ We have a home. We just don’t have a house to put it in. ”-unknownThe addict is usually easy to spot most stay high or intoxicated. Without professional intervention and a desire to get clean, most will die on the streets. There have been many who have overcome their addiction and gotten off the street. So they are not hopeless. But its a long, hard, painful road for most.Addicts and AlcoholicsMentally IllHomeless drug addicts and alcoholics become homeless because of their addiction, or those who are already homeless become alcoholics and addicts because they are homeless.When youre down and out, depressed and hurting from life on the street, the temptation to drink or drug your pain away is strong.According to Mike Nichols, “40 to 50 percent of the estimated 744,000 people who are homeless on any given night have a serious mental illness.They suffer from a variety of Axis I mental disorders which include: Anxiety Disorders, bipolar disorder, clinical depression, and schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorders, and severe personality disorders.Between 150,000 and 200,000 of the homeless have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. This is the equivalent to the population of any of these cities:• Dayton, Ohio• Des Moines, Iowa• Fort Lauderdale, Florida• Grand Rapids, Michigan• Providence, Rhode Island• Richmond, Virginia• Salt Lake City, UtahMike is bipolar and has an anxiety disorder himself and blogs about mental illness and the homeless at his blog:Anxiety, Panic & Health - Living with Health, Wellness and WholenessAlong with the mentally ill are sexual predators - homeless because they cant find anyone who will rent to them, or homeless because they cant afford an apartment because they cant get a job because they are sexual predators. State laws often allow even violent and dangerous sex offenders to register as homeless as long as they give an area where they sleep.Life HappensWhat if your spouse beats you and you run away. Or, you lose your job, you’re diagnosed with a terminal illness or cancer, or something that requires medication that costs more than you pay in rent each month. You have to choose between medication and a place to live.“Being homeless is not a crime someone commits.It’s a condition someone experiences.”- Becky BlantonOr, your car breaks down and you cant afford to repair it or buy a new one and you lose your job. Youre laid off and eventually evicted or forced to move out because you cant afford rent. Maybe youre one of the thousands of teenagers whose parents kick them out because they cant afford to feed you.Maybe you graduate from college and cant find a job and friends get tired of your couch surfing. Maybe youre in an abusive relationship and decide to leave, even though you cant afford a place of your own, either with or without a job.More than 20,000 teenagers “age out” of the foster care system every year. About one quarter will become homeless.Life happens. And, when it does, homelessness is often the result. Parents die, yourNot only do these 18-year olds lose their home, their medical benefits,and the support of the foster-care system, they’re released into a world for which they are little prepared and have little or no family support to fall back on for guidance.The reasons for “Life happens homelessness” ranges from job loss, foreclosure, illness, abuse or natural disaster - fire, flood, earthquake (Katrina for instance), domestic abuse, the economy, stock market failure, falling victim to identity theft, bad investments, and so on.Homeless By ChoiceWhile it may be inconceivable to some, thousands of homeless people are homeless by choice. This homelessness can last for days, weeks, months, years or a lifetime.Some of these homeless are adventurers - living out of a camper or van or car while they travel the country in search of work, or while they surf, play or camp.In states like Oregon, Washington and California there are many surfers (wind surfers and ocean surfers) who live out of their vehicles.Another population of those homeless by choice, are “Van-dwellers.” They live in their vans or cars and “city camp,” by parking on city streets, in parks, at Wal-Marts, or rest areas or wherever they are able to blend in.They work at being invisible, making their vehicles as stealthy as possible so they can live, work, eat and sleep on the streets without being hassled by police or otheragencies. They are often able to afford an apartment or home, but chose not to live in one. The lure of the road and the lifestyle appeals to them.Some apartment and home owners may even be “Van dwellers” part of the year, living out of their vehicles to save money while they travel.Students at many colleges may opt to live out of a van to save housing costs while in college. They keep a locker on campus, shower and eat on campus while attending classes, but sleep in their car.Musicians, construction workers, truck drivers,and those with jobs that keep them on the road most of the year may also choose to be homeless, living out of a hotel or their vehicles.At the other end of the spectrum are the homeless who dont want to come off of the street and dont want to be “helped” into an apartment or even a shelter. Some may be mentally ill, and some just dont want the responsibility of having to hold down a job and keep up an apartment. The hand-to-mouth existence of living on the street is preferable to having regular employment.The Face of HomelessnessHomelessness is the worst stigma in America, worse than being fat, than being unemployed, than being a person of color, than being mentally ill or being a criminal. Homelessness is the equivalent of being all those things at one time.http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com bully you, attack you, humiliate you and treat you as a non-person.But homelessness is no respecter of persons. Racially, the mix is almost equal. The very rich are as susceptible to “losing everything” as anyone else.A person who would never be cruel or vicious to a stranger often feels like its okay to lean out a window and scream “Get a job!” to a homeless person.Dont believe it? Ask Simon Cowell, judge for “American Idol.” Simon once lost everything at the age of 30 when the company that owned Fanfare went bust. He said, “I effectively lost everything and had to move in with my parents.”He was lucky. Many of those who do lose their homes have family to move in with until they get back on their feet.The point is, even being a millionaire doesnt ensure you wont or cant become homeless.And once homeless, society labels you as despicable, criminal, insane, lazy, worthless, filthy and non-human creature imaginable in the eyes of most Americans!Yet - the week before you were homeless you may have been an engineer making $100,000 a year, or a computer programer or a police officer, or an attorney, or a writer, or artist, or nurse.In a flash you become totally “less than” and suspicious. If you cant maintain an apartment or house, people reason, you must be untrustworthy, and criminal. And somehow that seems to make it okay for others toThose window hanging, bullying bastards are just that. They dont realize that 40-50 percent of the people they are screaming at are mentally ill and not capable of getting or holding down a job. They dont realize that the chances are very good that they know someone who is homeless, or has been homeless.While violence against the homeless can come from anywhere, statistics show that white males are the most common predators of the homeless - beating, killing and abusing them.Part of the reason this is possible is because Americans have permitted the homeless to become less than human. Our society perpetuates the stereotype that the homeless are worthless, stupid, criminal and not valuable.In seeing the homeless as an infestation or problem to be eradicated instead of solved, police and governments become part of the problem.Yes - half of the homeless on the streets today are mentally ill. Many are sexual predators, many are criminals. Treat them as such.http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com Arrest them for crimes, put them in facilities, warehouse them or deal with them for the behavior they exhibit, but not simply because they are homeless.Being homeless is not a crime someone commits. Its a condition someone experiences.And remember the other 50 percent - the working homeless, those who have jobs, or lost jobs and are looking for jobs and simply no longer have a house or apartment. Or, as one woman put it, “We have a home. We just dont have a house to put it in.”They are the families, the women, the men and the children who have lost their home for a variety of reasons and are struggling to survive on the streets.They want desperately to not be homeless. Many of them find temporary shelter in the homes of family or friends. They “couch-surf,” staying with friends or families for a night, a week, months or years at a time while they save money for a car, an apartment or or look for a job.Many are working, or looking for work. But on a minimum wage salary, it is very hard to save money for an apartment deposit, first and last months rent, a utility deposit, or a car to get to and from work. Since most dont have health insurance, medical bills, medication and health needs may take up a large portion of their income.Chances are they lost their car if they lost their jobs making it even more difficult to get another job, or to get a job that pays well enough to save money. Many dont have the financial skills or know-how to save or to make wise financial decisions.More than that, start pushing your local governments for affordable housing. Its the number one reason for homelessness among the working homeless or working poor. And its third behind addiction and mental illness for homelessness in America.http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com panhandlingetiquette“Should I give a panhandler money?” I say “No.” Dont do it. Others will say “Yes,” be compassionate.“How should I deal with panhandlers?” is often one of the first questions I hear when I talk to people about my year as a homeless person. They either assume I “panhandled” or asked for money at some time, or they wonder if I did. I never did. I worked full-time. If I ran out of money, as I often did, I did without - without food, without gas, without showers or whatever I wanted or needed until pay-day. I might feel differently if Id had to panhandle.So I am not an expert on panhandling or panhandling etiquette. I know that I preferred to work, or do without, as did most of the other working homeless I encountered.That said, I will tell you that the homeless people I met who did panhandle, were willing to share their tips about how to be good at it, with me. Most of the tips involved how to pick out “easy marks” and those most likely to give money; and how to avoid being beaten up by other panhandlers. My impression is that while there are definitely some people who need the money for gas, whowill use the money for food or a hotel room, the majority won’t. Its up to each of us to decide who to trust and who not to trust.The majority of the people I met who panhandled admitted they used the money for alcohol or drugs, and only occasionally for food. They bragged about making from $50 a day to $400 a day.I could pass those tips along about how they did it, but most involved scams, how to cheat, how to lie, how to con. But then again, these are people with nothing, doing what they can to literally survive. I cant judge them, but I can tell you what I would do.People who ask me this are really asking, “How can I say no? Should I say no? Is it safe? How much should I give? How do I know theyre not going to use it for alcohol or drugs? or Will they try to rob me if I say no, of if I only give them a few dollars? Will they keep pestering me for money every day if I give them money one time?”I think guilt is a major motivator for our even thinking about what to do. We feel guilty for having so much whenhttp://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com others have none, yet we also dont want to give money that will only be used for alcohol or drugs.Who are we to judge? The fact is, I believe most of the money you give the average, aggressive panhandler will be used for drugs or alcohol. Thats coming from a former homeless woman who never panhandled, but did extensively interview and talk to those who did.That said, I believe your interaction with any panhandler puts you at personal risk for your own safety. Those who panhandle tend to be mentally unstable, on drugs, or addicted or mentally affected in some way. I think you take your life in your hands, particularly if youre a woman, elderly or disabled, to interact with the homeless who approach you on the street, asking for money. A lot of people will disagree with me. Why this ebook if Im saying dont give to people on the street? Because Im being practical.The bigger the city, the more aggressive the panhandler and the more likely you are to agree with me. I think your money is better spent through donating to a charity that feeds, houses and clothes the homeless, that deals with their addictions. I guarantee if youre homeless you know within a week where the shelters are.Within a month you know where all the food banks are and how to work the system. I worked because I could - I was fortunate enough to find work. I dont know what I would have done if forced into the circumstances so many of the homeless are in. I dont. Given that the majority of the street homeless are mentally unstable, likely to beinfluenced by drugs more than social norms or mores, its up to you of course, but be careful.Treat them with the respect, tone and attention you would anyone, but say no and keep walking. Dont stop. Dont engage. If you have been homeless, worked with the homeless, are in a group of people and you want to stop and engage a homeless person, thats up to you. You have an idea of what to look for, what youre getting into. Theres a difference between going up to a homeless person and engaging with an aggressive panhandler.Homeless are people with no permanent address. Some have mental health issues, some are sexual predators and some are addicts. Some work, some dont. Some are looking for work. Theyre not bad because theyre homeless. Theyre not dangerous because theyre homeless. Some of the homeless definitely act like animals, but so does a large part of society who do live in houses. Rise above the urge to scream “Get a job!” Be respectful. But understand.....Aggressive panhandlers WILL try to engage you in conversation to make you stop. Dont. You may get an angry response, but thats their problem, not yours. Just dont engage them. If you do encounter a homeless person you know, believe or think is “safe,” or legit and feel compelled to give to them follow these rules. Do NOT pull your wallet out in front of them and sort through your stash to find an appropriate denomination to give them.If they say, “I need money for gas,” then offer to follow them to a gas station and fill their vehicle up for them. Ifhttp://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com they say its for food, get them a sack of sandwiches instead. The fact is, most of the time the money is for drugs. If you feel comfortable aiding their habit, go for it.Phil Elmore, a ghost-writer (The Executioner series) and martial artist who lives in New York state, is even more adamant than I am about security and protecting yourself from the aggressive panhandler. He has written a free, and very strong report on how to protect yourself from the homeless aggressor.Aggression among panhandlers is growing, as evidenced by many cities who are passing stronger laws and arresting panhandlers whose requests for change borders more on robbery and intimidation. My opinions are also colored from having graduated from a police academy in 83 and having worked security for Wackenhut, for several corporations and in large cities.If you truly want to help the homeless living on the street, go through a social worker, organization, shelter, church, or a group or individual who has experience working and interacting with the homeless. Yes, there are people out there who really can use your help, so make your contributions where theyll help the most - go through an organization or group who best knows the homeless.But dont toss your common sense out the window. Those homeless who depend on street theatre, or playing music for donations - are not the aggressive panhandlers Im talking about. Be as cautious with the homeless as you would any stranger. Being in need doesnt make someoneliving on the streets more safe, and quite often makes them less safe.There are a lot of sad, defeated homeless people on the street. Help all you can, but be safe when you do.http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com safetyandsecurityIf youve ever been approached by a homeless person asking for money, begging for a handout, or being aggressive, verbally abusive or demanding for any reason, chances are youre not likely to feel a lot of compassion for the homeless. While the “invisible homeless” work, remain largely, cleaned, clothed and dont beg, they arent the homeless the public usually sees.Phil Elmore, who says he has been soundly criticized for his stance that people need to protect themselves from the homeless, stands by his PDF about how to defend yourself from the homeless. I agree with him. A police academy graduate and one who has lived and walked among the homeless, Ive seen extreme mental illness, aggression, and violence among the homeless who live on the street. While there are a lot of assaults on the homeless, there are a lot of assaults and crimes among the homeless on other homeless.Homeless women are raped, beaten, and victimized more than anyone realizes - and few will report the assaults because of fear of the police response or non-response. Phil writes:“According to Healing Hands, the publication of the HCH Clinicians' Network that I cited earlier, 84% of the homeless are single men ages 25-54. (Another 9% are over 55, while just 7% are between 19 and 24). Men comprise 77% of single homeless adults, but only 15% of adults in homeless families. (Also, if you care about the race breakdown, 41% of homeless adults are white, 40% are black, 10% are Hispanic, and 8% are Native American.) About one-third of homeless men are veterans — but that's the same representation as found in the population at large, so the myth of the homeless vet is just that, too.Stop and think about those statistics for a moment. The overwhelming majority of the homeless are single males aged 25-54. According to the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Justice Statistics, single males in that age range (especially those 35 and younger) were among the most likely groups to commit violent crime. That means the very group that makes up most homeless people is also the demographic group most likely to assault you.”Elmore is a martial artist and professional writer whose work has appeared in a variety of print and virtual publications. He is not a lawyer, a police officer, or a member of the military. He is a private citizen who believes your rights to your life and your property are inalienable.The publisher of The Martialist™: The Magazine For Those Who Fight Unfairly, Phil has published numerous books about self-defense. These include the Paladin Press titles Street Sword and Flashlight Fighting, as well as the http://Booklocker.com text Shorthand Empty Hand. For more information, visit Phil online at http://www.philelmore.com and http://www.themartialist.com.Why Homeless 4 The Holidays?In March 2006 I was a newspaper editor at a small town paper in Colorado. My father had died of brain cancer that February, and after a stressful month at work I decided to quit my job, travel and freelance while grieving and dealing with his death.For a lot of reasons, is death hit me hard. Not only had he been my father, he had been an abuser. I was awash in grief and anger and emotion with his death.My story, as it was written and as it first appeared in design mind, a magazine published by the global innovation firm frog design, http://designmind.frogdesign.com, is at the end of this catalog if you haven’t read it yet.Anyway after having experienced homelessness“Like war, firsthand, I became deeply empathetic with the plight of the homeless, particularly with the working homeless, but also the disabled, the mentally ill, and families and children.My father’s one regret in life was that he had worked until the end, and had never traveled and done the things he wanted to do. I vowed not to do the same.So I bought a 1975 Chevy Van, put everything in storage, took my Rottweiler and my cat and moved into the van. At first things were great, but then everything went wrong.Things didn’t work out as I thought they would. The result was a year of homelessness for me as I refused to give up my pets, and chose to live in the van instead.homelessness is an economic battle, not a moral one.”- Becky BlantonI’ve since learned that this year over 1 million teenagers will experience homelessness.Every 24 hours, 13 of those homeless young people will die alone on the streets. But it doesn't have to be this way. You can make a difference. You can save a life.That’s what this catalog is for showing you what you can do to make a difference in the lives of the homeless-many of whom really are just like you - with families, jobs, and dreams.http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com Unlike you they lost their home in the mortgage crunch, got scammed, were slammed by the stock-market, laid off, had a family member suffer a devastating illness, or like many teens and those in foster care - hit their 18th birthday and lost their foster family due to state and federal laws.They don’t need or want a handout. They want a helping hand. There’s a difference.Last September, 9/9/09 Tellman Knudson started running barefoot 3,200 miles across America. He is now crossing one of the 50 states between Battery Park, NYC and Santa Monica, CA.His goal is to raise $100 million to donate to the shelters, organizations and on-the-ground volunteers across the country that help homeless teens get food, get shelter, and rebuild their lives.Tellman will/has run 3,200 miles barefoot by the time you’re reading this... but he needs your help to help provide for the homeless youth across America.Mark Horvath, homeless twice himself, started his executive career at the top.He was once responsible for the worldwide distribution of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy; Married with Children; 21 Jump Street, plus many other syndicated shows. His video distribution has changed dramatically.Now, with just $45, a laptop, a camera and social media, Horvath wants to show that knowing homelessness exists is just half the problem; the other half is showing how we can help.We all suffer as a result of this country’s greed and drive to deny low-income housing, small square-footage housing, and regulations that prevent or discourage alternative energy, off-grid living and lifestyles that do not feed the county, state and federal coffers.Like war, homelessness is an economic battle, not a moral one. The causes of homelessness are strongly related to the economics not of the homeless, but of the county, state and federal agencies that create it.Regardless of the causes, focusing on solutions rather than blame is most critical. Finding alternatives, providing food, shelter, water, showers, jobs and counseling is most critical now.As a reporter every holiday I covered the stories of volunteers who “give up” their holiday to spend the day dishing out turkey and mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie and warm socks to the “poor, unfortunate homeless.”The focus is usually on the volunteers, rarely on the homeless, except to get a quote about how grateful they are for a hot meal. How stupid. But it makes people and viewers/readers “feel good” and so this story repeats itself around the country.I thought it was time to do something different. And this is it. I hope you find it enlightening and helpful.I am NOT asking for money or donations. I am asking you find and support an organization in your town or city that feeds, houses or helps the homeless. If there’s not one, then start one.We’re all in this together. As the economy and Bernie Madoff showed us - ANY of us could be homeless at any time. Help change the perception of homelessness while you still have a home, a job, a family and hope.There’s no guarantee that you or someone you know will never be homeless. But there’s a good chance that you or someone you know could become, even for a few days, homeless.AngelFoodMinistriesAngel Food Ministries provides food relief and financial support to communities throughout the United States. The program began in 1994 with 34 families in Monroe, Georgia and has grown to serve hundreds of thousands of families across 35 states.Each month's delivery (for $30 per box) includes both fresh and frozen items with an average retail value of approximately $60. Generally, each box can help feed four people for about one week or a single person for almost a month. There are no limits on the boxes a person may receive, and no applications to complete.Sample Menu ($30 for all the items below)* 4 lb. IQF Leg Quarters * 4 oz. Beef Back Ribs * 1 lb. 80/20 Lean Ground Beef * 2 lb. Breaded Chicken Tenders * 1.5 lb. Bone in Pork Chops (4 x 6-oz.)* 1 lb. Ground Turkey * 18 oz. Stuffed Manicotti (Cheese) * 12 oz. Smoked Sausage* Betty Crocker Seasoned Potatoes * 7 oz. Cheeseburger Dinner * 16 oz. Green Beans * 16 oz. Baby Carrots * 2 lb. Onions * 1 lb. Pinto Beans * 1 lb. Rice * 7 oz. Blueberry Muffin Mix * 10 ct. Homestyle WafflesinvisiblepeopletvAbout Mark Horvath and http://InvisiblePeople.tvMark has over 30 years of leadership, management and marketing experience with the last 14 years being in the nonprofit sector.He now uses his media and non-profit reach to self-fund his http://InvisiblePeople.tv project to offer a voice to America's homeless.Mark Horvath gives homeless people a voice, a face and hope. Once homeless himself, not once, but twice, Horvath started his executive career with the worldwide distribution of Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy; Married with Children; 21 Jump Street, plus many other syndicated shows.Horvath's Hollywood executive background is in stark contrast to the role he finds himself in now. He was once responsible for the worldwide distribution of some of America's best-loved TV shows. Now, with just $45, a laptop, a camera and social media, Horvath wants to show that knowing homelessness exists is just half the problem, the other half is showing how we can help.So hes back on the streets, talking, interviewing and video-taping the real stories of the homeless. And he posts them on his blog, http:// http://invisiblepeople.tv. Marks Road Trip U.S.A. tour is cosponsored by Ford, Hanes and Whrrl, but is always looking for more sponsors.He is always looking for corporate and individual sponsors to help him get the message of the homeless out to the world.If youd like to contribute to Marks programming, contact him here:Contact Information Mark Horvath http://InvisiblePeople.tv 213.245.1519 [email protected] once heard a story about a homeless man on Hollywood Blvd. who really thought he was invisible. But one day a kid handed the man a Christian pamphlet. The homeless guy was shocked and amazed, “What! You can see me? How can you see me? Im invisible!”It isn't hard to comprehend this man's slow spiral into invisibility. Once on the street, people started to walk past him, ignoring him as if he didn't exist… much like they do a piece of trash on the sidewalk. Its not that people are bad, but if we make eye contact, or engage in conversation, then we have to admit they exist and that we might have a basic human need to care. But it's so much easier to simply close our eyes and shield our hearts to their existence.Invisible People TVby Mark Horvath(CC) Randy Stewart, http://blog.stewtopia.com.I not only feel their pain, I truly know their pain. I lived their pain. Youd never know it now but I was a homeless person. Fourteen years ago, I lived on Hollywood Blvd. But today, I find myself looking away, ignoring the faces, avoiding their eyes and Im ashamed when I realize Im doing it. But I really can feel their pain, and it is almost unbearable, but it's just under the surface of my professional exterior.For years I’ve used the lens of a television camera to tell the stories of homelessness and the organizations trying to help. That was part of my job. The reports were produced well and told a story, but the stories you see on this site are much different. These are the real people, telling their own, very real stories… unedited, uncensored and raw.The purpose of my vlog (video blog) is to make the invisible visible. I hope these people and their stories connect with you don’t let go. I hope their conversations with me will start a conversation in your circle of friends.After you get to know someone by watching their story, please pause for a few moments and write your thoughts in the comments section, or maybe email them to a friend and link back to my vlog. By keeping this dialog open we can help a forgotten people.The invisible guy didn't intend to become homeless. I didn’t plan on living on the street. Everyone on the streets has their own story, some made bad decisions, others were victims, but none of them deserve what they have been left with, and it is a reflection of our own society that we just leave them there.Please always remember, the homeless people youll ignore today were much like you not so long ago.HopeHouseHomeless children are one of the most neglected and vulnerable populations on the streets. The average age of a prostitute in the USA is 12 years old. Often, children turn to prostitution to escape the streets. Or, they are kidnapped and forced into the sex trafficking trades.Emily Fitchpatrick is helping those children change their future and avoid a life on the streets. Fitchpatrick, the director of Hope House in Asheville, North Carolina, isn’t a just an “I want to help,” kind of person. Shes been in the rough places victims and addicts go.She recovered from alcohol and drug addiction nine years ago and became determined to help others do the same. Fitchpatrick said she believes God can help her rescue women who have fallen prey to sex trafficking.While sex trafficking crimes have gotten national attention, Fitchpatrick says “People think this (sex trafficking) happens in other countries, and they dont want to see that it happens here,” said Fitchpatrick. But it does.To learn more about On Eagles Wings Ministries, which runs Hope House, visit http://www.emilyfitchpatrick.com. OEW is not a church, it is a parachurch ministry made up of individuals from several denominations in the Christian faith.Email us at emily@emilyfitchpatrick.com Write to: PO Box 9737, Asheville, NC 28815 Toll-Free Help Line: 1+ 877-276-8023There are food banks and disaster relief crews, but perhaps none is as well known in Virginia and across the Southeast as “Gods Pit Crew.” More than 300 volunteers respond to major disasters around the country, bringing food, clothing, medical care, counseling, construction workers,and all manner of help to those who have become homeless and displaced through natural disasters. They now post the videos of their assistance efforts on YouTube, but you can also read about their relief efforts at their website:God's Pit Crew is a non-profit, faith-based, group of volunteers who wish to serve others in their time of need. The mission of our disaster relief team is, with God's help and direction, to fill needs and bring healing to hurting people. One goal is to teach and demonstrate Service, Teamwork, and Self-esteem into the lives of young people.Since its first mission in May of 1999, God's Pit Crew has delivered over 4 million pounds of supplies into areas that have been devastated by natural disasters such as floods, tornados, and hurricanes. They have responded to 33 major disasters in 11 different states. They've worked side-by-side with people who have lost everything, helping them to restore their homes, their hopes and their dreams. The organization has its own trailers, trucks and tractor trailer rigs to haul supplies wherever they are needed. To view the crew in action watch their videos at:God Tube (http://www.tangle.com/godspitcrew) or at YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/godspitcrew).They are a non-profit organization and accept donations from around the country for their work. Theyre also always looking for volunteers so they can expand their reach. While their work is with people who have been displaced and are homeless due to natural disaster, the most compelling thing about this group is their perspective of the homeless they work with as people in need...as are all homeless actually. They tackle things on a community wide level, showing those displaced that recovery is possible, that people do care.Read more about them at: http://www.thegodspitcrew.org/runtellmanrunby Tellman KnudsonThe people who set outrageous goals are usually the only ones who meet them. That includes Tellman Knudson, who started running across country to raise $100 million dollars for homeless youth.miles home again after practice.The running strengthened his muscles and corrected his femoral antiversion. In two years Tellman was breaking school records and competing for the state title.Tellman has never really cared what people said was possible or not. He had plans and dreams and goals and hasnt let anything stop him.Tellman grew up in Enfield, NH, a self-admitted geek with ADHD and a crippling leg condition called femoral antiversion.The condition made it difficult even to walk. As with any thing that makes a kid different, the bullies noticed Tellmans condition and he was picked on constantly.He struggled in relationships with his divorced parents and took refuge couch surfing in friends homes.“The people who set outrageous goals are the only ones who keep them.”He learned that with persistence and dedication he could overcome anything. It stuck. Tellman worked his way through college by selling home-made salsa from his dorm room.After focusing on the narrow field of Altered States of Awareness, Brain Waves, and Peak Performance at Marlboro College, Tellman launched a series of 5 different businesses that all struggled and eventually closed. But he didn’t lose the lesson. Tellman gathered a lot of valuable insight from his failures.Tellman success came when he set out to market his products on-line. He relentlessly pursued experts in the field of internet direct marketing and acquired an advanced skill set and insight that proved to be marketable.- Knudson SupporterIn a scene right out of Forrest Gump, Tellman decided to try out for the cross-country running team in high school. It was ugly – he could barely run a quarter of a mile. But Tellman found solace in running and he threw himself into it, running 7 miles to school in the morning and then 7 home.He launched “Listcrusade,” a successful attempt to develop an email list of 1 million people. This established Tellman as a successful on-line marketer. Now companies and individuals pay Tellman to provide consulting and insight for their web-based direct marketing campaigns. Tellman is now CEO of http://overcomeeverything.com and several other internet direct response marketing companies. He is still highly ADHD, but thrives on the challenge of solving multiple problems and starting new ventures.Homeless YouthMore than one million teenagers will experience homelessness this year. Every day 13 of those teens will die on the streets. Thats almost 5,000 teenagers.Some are homeless because of the death of one or both parents. Some run away from abusive home situations. Some have been kicked out of the house because their parents cant afford to feed/clothe them, or cant manage them.Some are kicked out of the home because their parents find out theyre gay or pregnant. Some will run away with a boyfriend and end up breaking up and afraid to go home. Many of them couch surf with friends, or sleep in their cars - all while attending school.Unlike the streets, school is a safe, warm place to be for 8-10 hours a day. They can be with friends and aren’t hassled by police. they also tend to not eat well, or get the sleep they need or do as well on the tests they need to pass to graduate.In Massachusetts, teens used to receive a cash payment of $303 each month while they were in school, but former Governor Mitt Romney vetoed that benefit nd now teens in Massachusetts are on their own.For teens with no job history, no street smarts, nd no support or understanding, the options for them on the street are few - prostitution, drugs, drug dealing,and crime.Some will join the military, but the majority are left to their own resources to find work, an apartment, to build credit,and to maintain a home - often on minimum wage.Teens who are also pregnant, or are single mothers have an even harder time. Many will marry just to get off of the street.Homeless ResourcesThe National Alliance to End HomelessnessThe National Alliance to End Homelessness is a nonprofit, non-partisan, organization committed to preventing and ending homelessness in the United States. Their website offers information, statistics, tools, training, data and research, state by state data on homelessness. Its considered one of the best resources on the web for information about the homeless and ways to make a difference.http://www.endhomelessness.org/The Homelessness Resource ExchangeThe Homelessness Resource Exchange is a one-stop shop for information and resources for assisting people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless. The HRE provides direct links to information on HUD's housing and homeless programs, links to other federal agencies' homeless assistance programs, a direct link to HUD's http://HMIS.Info website; CoC grant application materials, Frequently Asked Questions, e*SNAPs, a calendar of homelessness training events, and a feature to locate assistance organizations near you.http://www.hudhre.info/The Ugly Quilt ProjectSince 1985 “My Brothers Keeper Quilt Group” has been making quilted sleeping bags for the homeless. The group is comprised of individuals and groups who want to help the homeless by making emergency sleeping bags from recycled fabrics and distributing them free to people who are cold on the street. Their only goal is to help the homeless on the street be warm until other groups and organizations “can help or heal them.” Email Address: [email protected] BROTHERS' KEEPER QUILT GROUP R.R. #1, Box 1049 Hop Bottom, PA 18824 (570) 289-4335http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.comhttp://www.uglyquilts.org/ Hunters For The HungryHunters for the Hungry is a non-profit organization that distributes deer donated by hunters, processes the meat, and then gives the meat to food banks across each state. The food banks in turn distribute the meat to families and individuals who have shown a need for it. Every state has its own organization and contact information. Please Google “Hunters for the Hungry” and your state to get your local contact information.f youre not a hunter, donate money to help fund the meat processing fees. In Virginia, a contribution of 20 dollars will process 1/2 a deer (25-pounds of venison), 40 dollars will process 1 deer (50 pounds of venison), and 80 dollars will process 2 deer (100 pounds of venison).Homeless Helping Homeless (HHH)Homeless Helping Homeless is the voice of the homeless. Since 2001, members of the homeless community have, through HHH, advocated and organized politically for themselves. Facilitated by the Urban Ministry Center as part of the Community Works 945 project, HHH demonstrates civic concern, honesty, and genuine commitment by and on behalf of the homeless in Charlotte, NC.http://www.hhh945.blogspot.com/Artists Helping The HomelessArtists Helping The Homeless is a non-profit 501c3 public charity organization that raises money through Art to help individuals who need a new beginning. They sell art created by members and donate a portion of the proceeds to provide opportunities for those less fortunate. Their major initiatives include providing housing and serving meals weekly at the park in Kansas City where the organization is based.http://www.artistshelpingthehomeless.comhttp://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com Three years ago, I was living in a van with Rottweiler and a housecat in a Walmart parking lot in the US. By July 2009, I was speaking at TEDGlobal in Oxford, England.Physically, the journey from “homeless” to an international stage was a rough one, but the emotional and mental challenges were greater. I was one of the lucky ones.We all make bad choices. But when I decided to quit my $50,000-a-year job as a small town newspaper editor in 2006 to deal with my fathers recent death from cancer, I had no idea I was deciding to become homeless.I thought I was doing something good for myself by taking time off to travel and see the country. My father, a man who had physically, emotionally, and sexually abused me throughout my childhood, had died in February of that year, and his passing hit me hard.No matter how much youre told about how the death of an abuser may affect you, no one can prepare you for it. So when that emotional storm hit, I ran. I retreated into the one world I felt safe in — camping and traveling. I told myself I was “taking care of me.” How wrong I was.Although I was freelancing, and sometimes working a second part-time job, the co-workers, employers, police, and http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com people around me considered me homeless and “less than,” because I lived in my van and not in an apartment. At a time when I needed friends, encouragement, and understanding, I got harassed, shunned, and shamed. For more than a year I bathed in employee showers and truck stops, washed up in public restrooms, parked in different lots each night to avoid police hassles, and struggled to keep my clothes cleaned and presentable, and my job intact.I sweated in the heat, froze in the cold. When I was sick, I used a bucket and trash bag for a toilet. I went without food so I could afford gas, and I risked my health, safety, and security every day.The only difference between me and my former colleagues at the newspaper was that they paid a mortgage or rent on a home. I paid rent on a storage unit.My depression deepened, and eventually, someone referred me to a homeless health clinic. I went. I hadn’t bathed in three days. I was as smelly and depressed as anyone in line; I just wasn’t drunk or high.When they realized that, several of the homeless men, including a former university professor said, “Why are you really here? You arent homeless.” Other homeless people didn’t see me as homeless, but I still did. The professor listened to my story and said, “You have hope. The real homeless dont have hope.”At some point, someone told me that the journalist Tim Russert had included an essay I wrote about my father before he died in a new, best-selling book. At first, I laughed. Was I a writer or was I a homeless woman? I went into a book store and found Russerts book. I stood there and reread my essay and cried. I knew then the answer to my question. I was a writer.The National Alliance to End Homelessness estimates that 2.5 to 3.5 million people — about the population of Denver, Colorado — experience homelessness each year in the United States. That includes 600,000 families and 1.35 million children. Many of them live in a family vehicle because they are able to find and maintain a job, or had a vehicle before their crisis hit.Studies show the most economically efficient way to end homelessness is to prevent it in the first place. The most common cause of homelessness is a lack of affordable housing; it accounts for 50 percent of all reasons given.Emergency assistance (including rent or mortgage and utility assistance), which helps provide time-limited housing subsidies until families become financially stable, can help prevent homelessness and is more financially effective than getting someone off the street.So instead of handing a homeless person $5 or $10, contribute $10 or $20 to your local energy company when you pay your utility bill each month. It will go towards helping someone keep the home they already have. Donating to businesses or groups that can provide car repair, transportation, rent,and food, or medical care to people in need can also help.Rather than volunteer at the local soup kitchen on Thanksgiving and Christmas, why not help set up a crisis clinic or donate time at a free health clinic?Pity isn’t a solution. Practical, political expediency is. Providing safe parking, allowing the homeless to use public resources such as parks, showers, transportation, and libraries will help thousands of families get off the streets or out of their cars quicker. Getting your local government to decriminalize homelessness is harder than spending the morning at a soup kitchen, but the payoff is so much greater.After realizing I had a skill I could use, I moved back home to Tennessee, alternated between living in my van and couch-surfing with friends, and I started writing. By the following summer, I was a working journalist, winning awards,and living in my own apartment, no longer homeless or invisible.Its superficial, but society equates having a permanent address and a permanent structure to live in with having value and worth as a human being. I used to not believe that society was so superficial.I believe it now..“This article first appeared in design mind, a magazine published by the global innovation firm frog design: http://designmind.frogdesign.com/Copyright Notice (c) 2009 Becky BlantonThere are NO affiliate links in this documentThis ebook is Copyrighted 2009 by Becky Blanton. All rights reserved. You may distribute it freely and in its entirety or may quote freely from it as long as you attribute the quote or quotes to the ebook.You may give it away from your website, send it to friends, email it or post it to any group. You may NOT sell it or bundle it with items that you are selling. You may quote from it, read it, refer to it on Blog Talk Radio or any other venue. The point is, the information should be distributed as far and freely as possible in order to help as many people as possible. I only ask that:When quoting from the story “The Invisibles,” please use the following language:“This article first appeared in design mind, a magazine published by the global innovation firm frog design        http://designmind.frogdesign.com/When quoting from any other content please use the following language:“This information/quote/photo first appeared in Home 4 The Holidays, an ebook copyrighted and published by Becky Blanton of http://beckyblanton.com.The reason for this request is so other people can find the information you quote or use by getting the book in its entirety. Quoting the above and providing a link to the site u, allows them to do that.The website, http://homeless4theholidays.com is a site dedicated to information about homelessness, resources for the homeless and links to a variety of sites about homelessness.I have attributed, credited and linked all information, photos and information in this ebook to their proper authors and photographers under the “Fair Use Act.” Unless otherwise indicated, information about each individual was written by that person, or taken directly from their “about” page on their website and lightly edited to fit space requirements for this book. This is not an end-all, be-all book. Its an introduction to the problem of homelessness along with some basic information, resources and links to other sites that deal more exhaustively with homelessness than I alone can. I hope you find it helpful!http://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com For more information about homelessness, how to survive on the streets, how to live out of your vehicle, laws, resources, and other tips on getting out of homelessness, finding food sources etc. visit our website: http://homeless4theholidays.comhttp://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com AcknowledgmentsNo great thing happens without the help of many, many people. My journey from homelessness to TED to “Homeless4theHolidays,” (both this book and the website) was possible because of a hand up from dozens, if not hundreds of people. From the folks at http://Yahoo.com, where I won the laptop Im writing this on; to Smugmug, the most wonderful photo hosting/storage site in the world; to Phil Hamby and Denice Thibodeau who let me couch surf for weeks and fed me; to David Benjamin Knopp who designed the cover of Homeless 4 the Holidays and my websites and logos “for the cause,” (he so rocks as a person and graphic artist); to Jodi Kaplan, Jule Kucera, Bernd Nurenburg, John Furst (who has been a steady rock, mentor, source of inspiration and email marketer for me); Patty Newbold, and Judy Vorfeld, for their edits, suggestions, patience, inspiration and guidance; to Bonnie Larner for a place to park the van; to all the members of Seth Godins Triiibes and to Seth Godin himself, who blogged about traffic magnets and helped push the vote. To Daniel Pink, who held the contest for Johnny Bunko that grabbed my attention, and got me to TED. To Ed Brenegar, who joined me in the Johnny Bunko contest and became a friend; To Megan Elizabeth Morris and Marty Whitmore who created the Johnny Bunko comic book, and who blog about my experience. And to all the folks at TED. And to my agent, Colleen Mohyde (the full-length book is coming) for her patience and belief in me.To anyone reading this who is homeless, or struggling or fearful. Dont give up hope. Hope is all you might have, but its all you need to get out.If you work with the homeless, have compassion for them, or donate to them, thank you. As Christ said, “If you do it to the least of these, you have done it for me.” Regardless of your beliefs, or non-beliefs, compassion is the gift that keeps on giving. Thank you for your work, whatever it may be. You are making a difference.Merry Christmas“This book is packed with great ideas that can make a real difference in a homeless person's life. The suggestions are practical, realistic, and inexpensive solutions (not just handouts). Bravo!”Jodi Kaplan, Kaplan CopyDo you have a heart for the homeless? If so, this ebook will help you put your money where your heart is. Beautifully blended with wisdom and wit, and lavishly sprinkled with creativity.“Homeless for the Holidays” is the eBook of choice for every agency supporting the needs of the homeless, and every publication that roots for the homeless.Judy Vorfeldhttp://beckyblanton.com or http://homeless4theholidays.com

This is a really complicated question to answer. There are a number of things that we can look at and say the Democrats did wrong and the Republicans did wrong. We can do a lot of finger pointing. To me however, there is one defining thing that explains the most. Just prior to becoming confirmed as Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court justice to be, Nixon appointee to SCOTUS, Lewis Powell wrote a memo to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. This memo became the manifesto for the conservatives in the business community urging them to take control of both political parties, the education system, and the media. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce saw to it, and later Congress and the Supreme court saw to it that all recommendations of the Powell memo were implemented. This new conservative agenda completely replaced the Republican agenda championed by Eisenhower And so the dumbing down the U.S. population through the education system and the media began in earnest leading the U.S. inexorably to a Trump presidency. After reading the memo, please checkout the link to a PDF on follow ups to this memo by the Chamber of Commerce, particularly the memo about cracking the news media:Confidential Memorandum: Attack of American Free Enterprise SystemDATE: August 23, 1971TO: Mr. Eugene B. Sydnor, Jr., Chairman, Education Committee, U.S. Chamber of CommerceFROM: Lewis F. Powell, Jr.This memorandum is submitted at your request as a basis for the discussion on August 24 with Mr. Booth (executive vice president) and others at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. The purpose is to identify the problem, and suggest possible avenues of action for further consideration.Dimensions of the AttackNo thoughtful person can question that the American economic system is under broad attack. This varies in scope, intensity, in the techniques employed, and in the level of visibility.There always have been some who opposed the American system, and preferred socialism or some form of statism (communism or fascism). Also, there always have been critics of the system, whose criticism has been wholesome and constructive so long as the objective was to improve rather than to subvert or destroy.But what now concerns us is quite new in the history of America. We are not dealing with sporadic or isolated attacks from a relatively few extremists or even from the minority socialist cadre. Rather, the assault on the enterprise system is broadly based and consistently pursued. It is gaining momentum and converts.Sources of the AttackThe sources are varied and diffused. They include, not unexpectedly, the Communists, New Leftists and other revolutionaries who would destroy the entire system, both political and economic. These extremists of the left are far more numerous, better financed, and increasingly are more welcomed and encouraged by other elements of society, than ever before in our history. But they remain a small minority, and are not yet the principal cause for concern.The most disquieting voices joining the chorus of criticism come from perfectly respectable elements of society: from the college campus, the pulpit, the media, the intellectual and literary journals, the arts and sciences, and from politicians. In most of these groups the movement against the system is participated in only by minorities. Yet, these often are the most articulate, the most vocal, the most prolific in their writing and speaking.Moreover, much of the media-for varying motives and in varying degrees-either voluntarily accords unique publicity to these “attackers,” or at least allows them to exploit the media for their purposes. This is especially true of television, which now plays such a predominant role in shaping the thinking, attitudes and emotions of our people.One of the bewildering paradoxes of our time is the extent to which the enterprise system tolerates, if not participates in, its own destruction.The campuses from which much of the criticism emanates are supported by (i) tax funds generated largely from American business, and (ii) contributions from capital funds controlled or generated by American business. The boards of trustees of our universities overwhelmingly are composed of men and women who are leaders in the system.Most of the media, including the national TV systems, are owned and theoretically controlled by corporations which depend upon profits, and the enterprise system to survive.Tone of the AttackThis memorandum is not the place to document in detail the tone, character, or intensity of the attack. The following quotations will suffice to give one a general idea:William Kunstler, warmly welcomed on campuses and listed in a recent student poll as the “American lawyer most admired,” incites audiences as follows:“You must learn to fight in the streets, to revolt, to shoot guns. We will learn to do all of the things that property owners fear.”2 The New Leftists who heed Kunstler’s advice increasingly are beginning to act — not just against military recruiting offices and manufacturers of munitions, but against a variety of businesses: “Since February, 1970, branches (of Bank of America) have been attacked 39 times, 22 times with explosive devices and 17 times with fire bombs or by arsonists.”3 Although New Leftist spokesmen are succeeding in radicalizing thousands of the young, the greater cause for concern is the hostility of respectable liberals and social reformers. It is the sum total of their views and influence which could indeed fatally weaken or destroy the system.A chilling description of what is being taught on many of our campuses was written by Stewart Alsop:“Yale, like every other major college, is graduating scores of bright young men who are practitioners of ‘the politics of despair.’ These young men despise the American political and economic system . . . (their) minds seem to be wholly closed. They live, not by rational discussion, but by mindless slogans.”4 A recent poll of students on 12 representative campuses reported that: “Almost half the students favored socialization of basic U.S. industries.”5A visiting professor from England at Rockford College gave a series of lectures entitled “The Ideological War Against Western Society,” in which he documents the extent to which members of the intellectual community are waging ideological warfare against the enterprise system and the values of western society. In a foreword to these lectures, famed Dr. Milton Friedman of Chicago warned: “It (is) crystal clear that the foundations of our free society are under wide-ranging and powerful attack — not by Communist or any other conspiracy but by misguided individuals parroting one another and unwittingly serving ends they would never intentionally promote.”6Perhaps the single most effective antagonist of American business is Ralph Nader, who — thanks largely to the media — has become a legend in his own time and an idol of millions of Americans. A recent article in Fortune speaks of Nader as follows:“The passion that rules in him — and he is a passionate man — is aimed at smashing utterly the target of his hatred, which is corporate power. He thinks, and says quite bluntly, that a great many corporate executives belong in prison — for defrauding the consumer with shoddy merchandise, poisoning the food supply with chemical additives, and willfully manufacturing unsafe products that will maim or kill the buyer. He emphasizes that he is not talking just about ‘fly-by-night hucksters’ but the top management of blue chip business.”7A frontal assault was made on our government, our system of justice, and the free enterprise system by Yale Professor Charles Reich in his widely publicized book: “The Greening of America,” published last winter.The foregoing references illustrate the broad, shotgun attack on the system itself. There are countless examples of rifle shots which undermine confidence and confuse the public. Favorite current targets are proposals for tax incentives through changes in depreciation rates and investment credits. These are usually described in the media as “tax breaks,” “loop holes” or “tax benefits” for the benefit of business. As viewed by a columnist in the Post, such tax measures would benefit “only the rich, the owners of big companies.”8It is dismaying that many politicians make the same argument that tax measures of this kind benefit only “business,” without benefit to “the poor.” The fact that this is either political demagoguery or economic illiteracy is of slight comfort. This setting of the “rich” against the “poor,” of business against the people, is the cheapest and most dangerous kind of politics.The Apathy and Default of BusinessWhat has been the response of business to this massive assault upon its fundamental economics, upon its philosophy, upon its right to continue to manage its own affairs, and indeed upon its integrity?The painfully sad truth is that business, including the boards of directors’ and the top executives of corporations great and small and business organizations at all levels, often have responded — if at all — by appeasement, ineptitude and ignoring the problem. There are, of course, many exceptions to this sweeping generalization. But the net effect of such response as has been made is scarcely visible.In all fairness, it must be recognized that businessmen have not been trained or equipped to conduct guerrilla warfare with those who propagandize against the system, seeking insidiously and constantly to sabotage it. The traditional role of business executives has been to manage, to produce, to sell, to create jobs, to make profits, to improve the standard of living, to be community leaders, to serve on charitable and educational boards, and generally to be good citizens. They have performed these tasks very well indeed.But they have shown little stomach for hard-nose contest with their critics, and little skill in effective intellectual and philosophical debate.A column recently carried by the Wall Street Journal was entitled: “Memo to GM: Why Not Fight Back?”9 Although addressed to GM by name, the article was a warning to all American business. Columnist St. John said:“General Motors, like American business in general, is ‘plainly in trouble’ because intellectual bromides have been substituted for a sound intellectual exposition of its point of view.” Mr. St. John then commented on the tendency of business leaders to compromise with and appease critics. He cited the concessions which Nader wins from management, and spoke of “the fallacious view many businessmen take toward their critics.” He drew a parallel to the mistaken tactics of many college administrators: “College administrators learned too late that such appeasement serves to destroy free speech, academic freedom and genuine scholarship. One campus radical demand was conceded by university heads only to be followed by a fresh crop which soon escalated to what amounted to a demand for outright surrender.”One need not agree entirely with Mr. St. John’s analysis. But most observers of the American scene will agree that the essence of his message is sound. American business “plainly in trouble”; the response to the wide range of critics has been ineffective, and has included appeasement; the time has come — indeed, it is long overdue — for the wisdom, ingenuity and resources of American business to be marshalled against those who would destroy it.Responsibility of Business ExecutivesWhat specifically should be done? The first essential — a prerequisite to any effective action — is for businessmen to confront this problem as a primary responsibility of corporate management.The overriding first need is for businessmen to recognize that the ultimate issue may be survival — survival of what we call the free enterprise system, and all that this means for the strength and prosperity of America and the freedom of our people.The day is long past when the chief executive officer of a major corporation discharges his responsibility by maintaining a satisfactory growth of profits, with due regard to the corporation’s public and social responsibilities. If our system is to survive, top management must be equally concerned with protecting and preserving the system itself. This involves far more than an increased emphasis on “public relations” or “governmental affairs” — two areas in which corporations long have invested substantial sums.A significant first step by individual corporations could well be the designation of an executive vice president (ranking with other executive VP’s) whose responsibility is to counter-on the broadest front-the attack on the enterprise system. The public relations department could be one of the foundations assigned to this executive, but his responsibilities should encompass some of the types of activities referred to subsequently in this memorandum. His budget and staff should be adequate to the task.Possible Role of the Chamber of CommerceBut independent and uncoordinated activity by individual corporations, as important as this is, will not be sufficient. Strength lies in organization, in careful long-range planning and implementation, in consistency of action over an indefinite period of years, in the scale of financing available only through joint effort, and in the political power available only through united action and national organizations.Moreover, there is the quite understandable reluctance on the part of any one corporation to get too far out in front and to make itself too visible a target.The role of the National Chamber of Commerce is therefore vital. Other national organizations (especially those of various industrial and commercial groups) should join in the effort, but no other organizations appear to be as well situated as the Chamber. It enjoys a strategic position, with a fine reputation and a broad base of support. Also — and this is of immeasurable merit — there are hundreds of local Chambers of Commerce which can play a vital supportive role.It hardly need be said that before embarking upon any program, the Chamber should study and analyze possible courses of action and activities, weighing risks against probable effectiveness and feasibility of each. Considerations of cost, the assurance of financial and other support from members, adequacy of staffing and similar problems will all require the most thoughtful consideration.The CampusThe assault on the enterprise system was not mounted in a few months. It has gradually evolved over the past two decades, barely perceptible in its origins and benefiting (sic) from a gradualism that provoked little awareness much less any real reaction.Although origins, sources and causes are complex and interrelated, and obviously difficult to identify without careful qualification, there is reason to believe that the campus is the single most dynamic source. The social science faculties usually include members who are unsympathetic to the enterprise system. They may range from a Herbert Marcuse, Marxist faculty member at the University of California at San Diego, and convinced socialists, to the ambivalent liberal critic who finds more to condemn than to commend. Such faculty members need not be in a majority. They are often personally attractive and magnetic; they are stimulating teachers, and their controversy attracts student following; they are prolific writers and lecturers; they author many of the textbooks, and they exert enormous influence — far out of proportion to their numbers — on their colleagues and in the academic world.Social science faculties (the political scientist, economist, sociologist and many of the historians) tend to be liberally oriented, even when leftists are not present. This is not a criticism per se, as the need for liberal thought is essential to a balanced viewpoint. The difficulty is that “balance” is conspicuous by its absence on many campuses, with relatively few members being of conservatives or moderate persuasion and even the relatively few often being less articulate and aggressive than their crusading colleagues.This situation extending back many years and with the imbalance gradually worsening, has had an enormous impact on millions of young American students. In an article in Barron’s Weekly, seeking an answer to why so many young people are disaffected even to the point of being revolutionaries, it was said: “Because they were taught that way.”10 Or, as noted by columnist Stewart Alsop, writing about his alma mater: “Yale, like every other major college, is graduating scores’ of bright young men … who despise the American political and economic system.”As these “bright young men,” from campuses across the country, seek opportunities to change a system which they have been taught to distrust — if not, indeed “despise” — they seek employment in the centers of the real power and influence in our country, namely: (i) with the news media, especially television; (ii) in government, as “staffers” and consultants at various levels; (iii) in elective politics; (iv) as lecturers and writers, and (v) on the faculties at various levels of education.Many do enter the enterprise system — in business and the professions — and for the most part they quickly discover the fallacies of what they have been taught. But those who eschew the mainstream of the system often remain in key positions of influence where they mold public opinion and often shape governmental action. In many instances, these “intellectuals” end up in regulatory agencies or governmental departments with large authority over the business system they do not believe in.If the foregoing analysis is approximately sound, a priority task of business — and organizations such as the Chamber — is to address the campus origin of this hostility. Few things are more sanctified in American life than academic freedom. It would be fatal to attack this as a principle. But if academic freedom is to retain the qualities of “openness,” “fairness” and “balance” — which are essential to its intellectual significance — there is a great opportunity for constructive action. The thrust of such action must be to restore the qualities just mentioned to the academic communities.What Can Be Done About the CampusThe ultimate responsibility for intellectual integrity on the campus must remain on the administrations and faculties of our colleges and universities. But organizations such as the Chamber can assist and activate constructive change in many ways, including the following:Staff of ScholarsThe Chamber should consider establishing a staff of highly qualified scholars in the social sciences who do believe in the system. It should include several of national reputation whose authorship would be widely respected — even when disagreed with.Staff of SpeakersThere also should be a staff of speakers of the highest competency. These might include the scholars, and certainly those who speak for the Chamber would have to articulate the product of the scholars.Speaker’s BureauIn addition to full-time staff personnel, the Chamber should have a Speaker’s Bureau which should include the ablest and most effective advocates from the top echelons of American business.Evaluation of TextbooksThe staff of scholars (or preferably a panel of independent scholars) should evaluate social science textbooks, especially in economics, political science and sociology. This should be a continuing program.The objective of such evaluation should be oriented toward restoring the balance essential to genuine academic freedom. This would include assurance of fair and factual treatment of our system of government and our enterprise system, its accomplishments, its basic relationship to individual rights and freedoms, and comparisons with the systems of socialism, fascism and communism. Most of the existing textbooks have some sort of comparisons, but many are superficial, biased and unfair.We have seen the civil rights movement insist on re-writing many of the textbooks in our universities and schools. The labor unions likewise insist that textbooks be fair to the viewpoints of organized labor. Other interested citizens groups have not hesitated to review, analyze and criticize textbooks and teaching materials. In a democratic society, this can be a constructive process and should be regarded as an aid to genuine academic freedom and not as an intrusion upon it.If the authors, publishers and users of textbooks know that they will be subjected — honestly, fairly and thoroughly — to review and critique by eminent scholars who believe in the American system, a return to a more rational balance can be expected.Equal Time on the CampusThe Chamber should insist upon equal time on the college speaking circuit. The FBI publishes each year a list of speeches made on college campuses by avowed Communists. The number in 1970 exceeded 100. There were, of course, many hundreds of appearances by leftists and ultra liberals who urge the types of viewpoints indicated earlier in this memorandum. There was no corresponding representation of American business, or indeed by individuals or organizations who appeared in support of the American system of government and business.Every campus has its formal and informal groups which invite speakers. Each law school does the same thing. Many universities and colleges officially sponsor lecture and speaking programs. We all know the inadequacy of the representation of business in the programs.It will be said that few invitations would be extended to Chamber speakers.11 This undoubtedly would be true unless the Chamber aggressively insisted upon the right to be heard — in effect, insisted upon “equal time.” University administrators and the great majority of student groups and committees would not welcome being put in the position publicly of refusing a forum to diverse views, indeed, this is the classic excuse for allowing Communists to speak.The two essential ingredients are (i) to have attractive, articulate and well-informed speakers; and (ii) to exert whatever degree of pressure — publicly and privately — may be necessary to assure opportunities to speak. The objective always must be to inform and enlighten, and not merely to propagandize.Balancing of FacultiesPerhaps the most fundamental problem is the imbalance of many faculties. Correcting this is indeed a long-range and difficult project. Yet, it should be undertaken as a part of an overall program. This would mean the urging of the need for faculty balance upon university administrators and boards of trustees.The methods to be employed require careful thought, and the obvious pitfalls must be avoided. Improper pressure would be counterproductive. But the basic concepts of balance, fairness and truth are difficult to resist, if properly presented to boards of trustees, by writing and speaking, and by appeals to alumni associations and groups.This is a long road and not one for the fainthearted. But if pursued with integrity and conviction it could lead to a strengthening of both academic freedom on the campus and of the values which have made America the most productive of all societies.Graduate Schools of BusinessThe Chamber should enjoy a particular rapport with the increasingly influential graduate schools of business. Much that has been suggested above applies to such schools.Should not the Chamber also request specific courses in such schools dealing with the entire scope of the problem addressed by this memorandum? This is now essential training for the executives of the future.Secondary EducationWhile the first priority should be at the college level, the trends mentioned above are increasingly evidenced in the high schools. Action programs, tailored to the high schools and similar to those mentioned, should be considered. The implementation thereof could become a major program for local chambers of commerce, although the control and direction — especially the quality control — should be retained by the National Chamber.What Can Be Done About the Public?Reaching the campus and the secondary schools is vital for the long-term. Reaching the public generally may be more important for the shorter term. The first essential is to establish the staffs of eminent scholars, writers and speakers, who will do the thinking, the analysis, the writing and the speaking. It will also be essential to have staff personnel who are thoroughly familiar with the media, and how most effectively to communicate with the public. Among the more obvious means are the following:TelevisionThe national television networks should be monitored in the same way that textbooks should be kept under constant surveillance. This applies not merely to so-called educational programs (such as “Selling of the Pentagon”), but to the daily “news analysis” which so often includes the most insidious type of criticism of the enterprise system.12 Whether this criticism results from hostility or economic ignorance, the result is the gradual erosion of confidence in “business” and free enterprise.This monitoring, to be effective, would require constant examination of the texts of adequate samples of programs. Complaints — to the media and to the Federal Communications Commission — should be made promptly and strongly when programs are unfair or inaccurate.Equal time should be demanded when appropriate. Effort should be made to see that the forum-type programs (the Today Show, Meet the Press, etc.) afford at least as much opportunity for supporters of the American system to participate as these programs do for those who attack it.Other MediaRadio and the press are also important, and every available means should be employed to challenge and refute unfair attacks, as well as to present the affirmative case through these media.The Scholarly JournalsIt is especially important for the Chamber’s “faculty of scholars” to publish. One of the keys to the success of the liberal and leftist faculty members has been their passion for “publication” and “lecturing.” A similar passion must exist among the Chamber’s scholars.Incentives might be devised to induce more “publishing” by independent scholars who do believe in the system.There should be a fairly steady flow of scholarly articles presented to a broad spectrum of magazines and periodicals — ranging from the popular magazines (Life, Look, Reader’s Digest, etc.) to the more intellectual ones (Atlantic, Harper’s, Saturday Review, New York, etc.)13 and to the various professional journals.Books, Paperbacks and PamphletsThe news stands — at airports, drugstores, and elsewhere — are filled with paperbacks and pamphlets advocating everything from revolution to erotic free love. One finds almost no attractive, well-written paperbacks or pamphlets on “our side.” It will be difficult to compete with an Eldridge Cleaver or even a Charles Reich for reader attention, but unless the effort is made — on a large enough scale and with appropriate imagination to assure some success — this opportunity for educating the public will be irretrievably lost.Paid AdvertisementsBusiness pays hundreds of millions of dollars to the media for advertisements. Most of this supports specific products; much of it supports institutional image making; and some fraction of it does support the system. But the latter has been more or less tangential, and rarely part of a sustained, major effort to inform and enlighten the American people.If American business devoted only 10% of its total annual advertising budget to this overall purpose, it would be a statesman-like expenditure.The Neglected Political ArenaIn the final analysis, the payoff — short-of revolution — is what government does. Business has been the favorite whipping-boy of many politicians for many years. But the measure of how far this has gone is perhaps best found in the anti-business views now being expressed by several leading candidates for President of the United States.It is still Marxist doctrine that the “capitalist” countries are controlled by big business. This doctrine, consistently a part of leftist propaganda all over the world, has a wide public following among Americans.Yet, as every business executive knows, few elements of American society today have as little influence in government as the American businessman, the corporation, or even the millions of corporate stockholders. If one doubts this, let him undertake the role of “lobbyist” for the business point of view before Congressional committees. The same situation obtains in the legislative halls of most states and major cities. One does not exaggerate to say that, in terms of political influence with respect to the course of legislation and government action, the American business executive is truly the “forgotten man.”Current examples of the impotency of business, and of the near-contempt with which businessmen’s views are held, are the stampedes by politicians to support almost any legislation related to “consumerism” or to the “environment.”Politicians reflect what they believe to be majority views of their constituents. It is thus evident that most politicians are making the judgment that the public has little sympathy for the businessman or his viewpoint.The educational programs suggested above would be designed to enlighten public thinking — not so much about the businessman and his individual role as about the system which he administers, and which provides the goods, services and jobs on which our country depends.But one should not postpone more direct political action, while awaiting the gradual change in public opinion to be effected through education and information. Business must learn the lesson, long ago learned by labor and other self-interest groups. This is the lesson that political power is necessary; that such power must be assidously (sic) cultivated; and that when necessary, it must be used aggressively and with determination — without embarrassment and without the reluctance which has been so characteristic of American business.As unwelcome as it may be to the Chamber, it should consider assuming a broader and more vigorous role in the political arena.Neglected Opportunity in the CourtsAmerican business and the enterprise system have been affected as much by the courts as by the executive and legislative branches of government. Under our constitutional system, especially with an activist-minded Supreme Court, the judiciary may be the most important instrument for social, economic and political change.Other organizations and groups, recognizing this, have been far more astute in exploiting judicial action than American business. Perhaps the most active exploiters of the judicial system have been groups ranging in political orientation from “liberal” to the far left.The American Civil Liberties Union is one example. It initiates or intervenes in scores of cases each year, and it files briefs amicus curiae in the Supreme Court in a number of cases during each term of that court. Labor unions, civil rights groups and now the public interest law firms are extremely active in the judicial arena. Their success, often at business’ expense, has not been inconsequential.This is a vast area of opportunity for the Chamber, if it is willing to undertake the role of spokesman for American business and if, in turn, business is willing to provide the funds.As with respect to scholars and speakers, the Chamber would need a highly competent staff of lawyers. In special situations it should be authorized to engage, to appear as counsel amicus in the Supreme Court, lawyers of national standing and reputation. The greatest care should be exercised in selecting the cases in which to participate, or the suits to institute. But the opportunity merits the necessary effort.Neglected Stockholder PowerThe average member of the public thinks of “business” as an impersonal corporate entity, owned by the very rich and managed by over-paid executives. There is an almost total failure to appreciate that “business” actually embraces — in one way or another — most Americans. Those for whom business provides jobs, constitute a fairly obvious class. But the 20 million stockholders — most of whom are of modest means — are the real owners, the real entrepreneurs, the real capitalists under our system. They provide the capital which fuels the economic system which has produced the highest standard of living in all history. Yet, stockholders have been as ineffectual as business executives in promoting a genuine understanding of our system or in exercising political influence.The question which merits the most thorough examination is how can the weight and influence of stockholders — 20 million voters — be mobilized to support (i) an educational program and (ii) a political action program.Individual corporations are now required to make numerous reports to shareholders. Many corporations also have expensive “news” magazines which go to employees and stockholders. These opportunities to communicate can be used far more effectively as educational media.The corporation itself must exercise restraint in undertaking political action and must, of course, comply with applicable laws. But is it not feasible — through an affiliate of the Chamber or otherwise — to establish a national organization of American stockholders and give it enough muscle to be influential?A More Aggressive AttitudeBusiness interests — especially big business and their national trade organizations — have tried to maintain low profiles, especially with respect to political action.As suggested in the Wall Street Journal article, it has been fairly characteristic of the average business executive to be tolerant — at least in public — of those who attack his corporation and the system. Very few businessmen or business organizations respond in kind. There has been a disposition to appease; to regard the opposition as willing to compromise, or as likely to fade away in due time.Business has shunted confrontation politics. Business, quite understandably, has been repelled by the multiplicity of non-negotiable “demands” made constantly by self-interest groups of all kinds.While neither responsible business interests, nor the United States Chamber of Commerce, would engage in the irresponsible tactics of some pressure groups, it is essential that spokesmen for the enterprise system — at all levels and at every opportunity — be far more aggressive than in the past.There should be no hesitation to attack the Naders, the Marcuses and others who openly seek destruction of the system. There should not be the slightest hesitation to press vigorously in all political arenas for support of the enterprise system. Nor should there be reluctance to penalize politically those who oppose it.Lessons can be learned from organized labor in this respect. The head of the AFL-CIO may not appeal to businessmen as the most endearing or public-minded of citizens. Yet, over many years the heads of national labor organizations have done what they were paid to do very effectively. They may not have been beloved, but they have been respected — where it counts the most — by politicians, on the campus, and among the media.It is time for American business — which has demonstrated the greatest capacity in all history to produce and to influence consumer decisions — to apply their great talents vigorously to the preservation of the system itself.The CostThe type of program described above (which includes a broadly based combination of education and political action), if undertaken long term and adequately staffed, would require far more generous financial support from American corporations than the Chamber has ever received in the past. High level management participation in Chamber affairs also would be required.The staff of the Chamber would have to be significantly increased, with the highest quality established and maintained. Salaries would have to be at levels fully comparable to those paid key business executives and the most prestigious faculty members. Professionals of the great skill in advertising and in working with the media, speakers, lawyers and other specialists would have to be recruited.It is possible that the organization of the Chamber itself would benefit from restructuring. For example, as suggested by union experience, the office of President of the Chamber might well be a full-time career position. To assure maximum effectiveness and continuity, the chief executive officer of the Chamber should not be changed each year. The functions now largely performed by the President could be transferred to a Chairman of the Board, annually elected by the membership. The Board, of course, would continue to exercise policy control.Quality Control is EssentialEssential ingredients of the entire program must be responsibility and “quality control.” The publications, the articles, the speeches, the media programs, the advertising, the briefs filed in courts, and the appearances before legislative committees — all must meet the most exacting standards of accuracy and professional excellence. They must merit respect for their level of public responsibility and scholarship, whether one agrees with the viewpoints expressed or not.Relationship to FreedomThe threat to the enterprise system is not merely a matter of economics. It also is a threat to individual freedom.It is this great truth — now so submerged by the rhetoric of the New Left and of many liberals — that must be re-affirmed if this program is to be meaningful.There seems to be little awareness that the only alternatives to free enterprise are varying degrees of bureaucratic regulation of individual freedom — ranging from that under moderate socialism to the iron heel of the leftist or rightist dictatorship.We in America already have moved very far indeed toward some aspects of state socialism, as the needs and complexities of a vast urban society require types of regulation and control that were quite unnecessary in earlier times. In some areas, such regulation and control already have seriously impaired the freedom of both business and labor, and indeed of the public generally. But most of the essential freedoms remain: private ownership, private profit, labor unions, collective bargaining, consumer choice, and a market economy in which competition largely determines price, quality and variety of the goods and services provided the consumer.In addition to the ideological attack on the system itself (discussed in this memorandum), its essentials also are threatened by inequitable taxation, and — more recently — by an inflation which has seemed uncontrollable.14 But whatever the causes of diminishing economic freedom may be, the truth is that freedom as a concept is indivisible. As the experience of the socialist and totalitarian states demonstrates, the contraction and denial of economic freedom is followed inevitably by governmental restrictions on other cherished rights. It is this message, above all others, that must be carried home to the American people.ConclusionIt hardly need be said that the views expressed above are tentative and suggestive. The first step should be a thorough study. But this would be an exercise in futility unless the Board of Directors of the Chamber accepts the fundamental premise of this paper, namely, that business and the enterprise system are in deep trouble, and the hour is late.Footnotes (Powell’s)Variously called: the “free enterprise system,” “capitalism,” and the “profit system.” The American political system of democracy under the rule of law is also under attack, often by the same individuals and organizations who seek to undermine the enterprise system.Richmond News Leader, June 8, 1970. Column of William F. Buckley, Jr.N.Y. Times Service article, reprinted Richmond Times-Dispatch, May 17, 1971.Stewart Alsop, Yale and the Deadly Danger, Newsweek, May 18. 1970.Editorial, Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 7, 1971.Dr. Milton Friedman, Prof. of Economics, U. of Chicago, writing a foreword to Dr. Arthur A. Shenfield’s Rockford College lectures entitled “The Ideological War Against Western Society,” copyrighted 1970 by Rockford College.Fortune. May, 1971, p. 145. This Fortune analysis of the Nader influence includes a reference to Nader’s visit to a college where he was paid a lecture fee of $2,500 for “denouncing America’s big corporations in venomous language . . . bringing (rousing and spontaneous) bursts of applause” when he was asked when he planned to run for President.The Washington Post, Column of William Raspberry, June 28, 1971.Jeffrey St. John, The Wall Street Journal, May 21, 1971.Barron’s National Business and Financial Weekly, “The Total Break with America, The Fifth Annual Conference of Socialist Scholars,” Sept. 15, 1969.On many campuses freedom of speech has been denied to all who express moderate or conservative viewpoints.It has been estimated that the evening half-hour news programs of the networks reach daily some 50,000,000 Americans.One illustration of the type of article which should not go unanswered appeared in the popular “The New York” of July 19, 1971. This was entitled “A Populist Manifesto” by ultra liberal Jack Newfield — who argued that “the root need in our country is ‘to redistribute wealth’.”The recent “freeze” of prices and wages may well be justified by the current inflationary crisis. But if imposed as a permanent measure the enterprise system will have sustained a near fatal blow.Followup: http://law2.wlu.edu/deptimages/Powell%20Archives/PowellSpeechResearchAOFESMemo.pdfHere is Bill Moyers take on it: The Powell Memo: A Call-to-Arms for Corporations | BillMoyers.com