I was sleeping in a home that a friend claimed was his, which was a lie - it was a squat. Just off the Tioga Frankford El train station. One day, many months after moving in, the owners of the house showed up to tell us - to tell me since I was the only one there that day - to leave. I should have known better - there was just electricity (rigged from a neighbor) and cold water. No fridge. Mis-matched dirty furniture. Windows blown out and covered with trash bags. And my friend had a heroin problem. I remember the twist in my stomach watching him shoot up. I remember avoiding his madness after each time.
I had a mattress, which stunk, two milk crates of belongings, an old boom box, and some clothes to my name. There was no place to keep my private things, if I had any that is. My step father had thrown me out. And this was the only place I knew to go. I was 16 turning 17.
A month or so earlier, I had walked into school feeling I had to act. The fights with my step father were getting worst. My mom needed him. So I figured I had to get a job and my own place. Someone else might have spoke to a counselor, a teacher, someone. But I didn't know who and I didn't ask. I simply walked to the school office, mentioned I needed to quit school, and without inquiring, they put a piece of paper in front of me and said "sign". That was it. Shortly later, I was thrown out before I could move out.
I had worked hard during the months leading up to the owners showing up - as a bus boy working under the table, but my friend collected weekly board that so I couldn't save. I was lucky and caught a break in getting my first apartment - a friend of my family convinced his landlord to waive the deposit and add a fraction of it to my monthly rent. After meeting and talking with the landlord, he agreed. I was 17 and had my own place on South Broad Street. During the time at the squat, and in this first apartment, there were many struggles faced and many stories to tell, including meeting Richelle, who would one day be my wife.
It wouldn't be my only experience with homelessness. There would be a more severe, shorter period a couple years later, when I lost this apartment while trying to help someone who wasn't up to meeting me half way. I ended up sleeping on the Frankford El. Riding back and forth thru the night.
Like I said, there are many stories. It was hard sharing this one with you. The important thing is here I am - middle class - with a great family - and a great career. I'm blessed. It wasn't easy. You could say that I "pulled myself up by my bootstraps" - but that would miss the the terrific lift I was given by folks who expressed how my life could be, and what I could do to get there. Who accepted me for who I was. Who dared me to dream. Who believed in me. One thing to remember - this was during a time of great opportunity. This was during a time where multitudes moved from poverty into the working class.
Many face the same hardships each day. Folks who thru circumstances unpredictable, suddenly must do all they can to simply survive. For their next meal. For their next chance. And today, instead of great opportunity, we have less. Project HOME helps people with that next chance. It provides tools to individuals and families to keep homelessness and poverty from being chronic issues in their lives and in the community.
The Young Friends of Project HOME are holding an important event, this Thursday, October 27, 5:30pm to 8:00pm. It's an opportunity for young professionals in Philadelphia to learn about its efforts and to network with one another. It's a chance to connect and to help.
Harry B. Cook of Philly1.com is helping spead the word and raise awareness. This Thursday he gave an informative video interview with Project H.O.M.E.'s Amanda S. Aronoff, Esq., Director of Development & Public Relations. Please take the time to watch it.
I'd like to ask you - the Philadelphia blogging community - to get behind this event. Here's how:
1. Spread word of it on your blogs.
2. Discuss homelessness and poverty and how you feel about it. Discuss solutions you feel would help, solutions you feel are not working and solutions you feel are helping.
3. If you have a Blogad account, send your offer code to Harry to host a free advertisement for the event - like the one in our right hand rail.
4. Share word of your involvement in this thread or by posting in the Breaking the Cycle category here at Philly Future.
5. Most important - come to the event! Members of the Philly Future volunteer team (we are sponsors) will be there. If you are coming - share it here and on your blogs. Details here.
6. For those without a Blogads account, we have an alternate HTML version of the ad (Thanks to Howard and Matt):
<a href="http://www.projecthome.org/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.phillyfuture.org/files/images/project-home-ad_1_0.gif" alt="Project H.O.M.E."></a>
<a href="http://www.projecthome.org/" target="_blank"><img src="http://www.phillyfuture.org/files/images/project_home_ad2_0.gif" alt="Project H.O.M.E."></a>
Bravo..powerful, poignant and on point
Bravo, Karl, Bravo .There are also other groups that help the homeless too...Philabundance http://www.philabundance.org/ is one.
AND you are right about homelessness, as the great economic divide continues in this country, opportunity is less in many cases.
Thank you. Today we are in awe of the sheer power of your words. Bravo.
tell the neocons this story
my situation was similar to yours at 17. I guess I never wanted to talk about it, and of course I felt like I was the only one to go thru anything like it. after reading yours, I realize the difference between us and the radical conservatives may indeed be this kind of experience. they either forget or have never experienced jumping from the nest the way we have, and mistake our compassion for others who go thru it for weakness of character.
what can we do to make homelessness less perilous for those who follow us, those new adults whose only crime is inexperience? do we really want to make it easier? I certainly wouldn't want any 17-year-old to nearly lose their life as I had, but how else can we teach the reality that life as an adult doesn't include an "easy" button?
inspiring
Karl - you continue to inspire with your ever increasing personal entries both here and on your personal blog in the months I've known you. To write so freely as you have on such a hard to write about [in a diary let alone in public] subject only pushes the rest of us to do the same. I'll surely be talking up this subject especially in the coming days and weeks leading up to the event we will be attending. Mayor Street's pledge only adds to the message you're trying to impart onto us. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for sharing, Karl
Hopefully this will help spur more constructive dialogue on an issue that affects everyone in one form or another. It'd be great to hear views on this from all angles, with the folks of the Philly blogging community sharing their own on-point ideas and solutions.
kudos once again
As Albert said, you never cease to inspire and motivate. I've posted my contribution, I only wish I could write as well and communicate as poignantly as you.
Homeless
Street Slave has recently posted a new streaming media interview with John, A Houston Texas homeless man who has been living on the streets since November after a back injury, his interview is uncut and full of insight to the life of a homeless person. you can see his interview by clicking here