Caring for One Another

Caring for One Another:

Each time there is an extreme weather event - whether it’s rain, snow, or extreme heat - I think about the times when I was homeless and fighting to stay awake, or begging to fall asleep, just to escape the reality of knowing that I didn’t have a place to call home, and that I couldn’t see a way out of my situation. This is a feeling that was felt through the streets amongst all of us who were experiencing homelessness. These situations are as real as it gets. The fact is, some of us have a home and some of us don’t and as we saw last week throughout the city, we, as a collective, can support one another throughout these times. We all have moments of needing community, services, and support, and last week with temperatures in the 90s and no easy way to get relief, was one of those moments.

Last Thursday, Facing Homelessness collaborated with hair stylist and artist Arianna (owner of the Cobra Syndicate hair Salon) and her partner Syd (owner of Kottu food truck) to provide a day of care for our Window of Kindness visitors as part of their “Best Day Ever” project. The event ran from 2-5 pm and Arianna and Syd, in addition to sharing their resources and talents, helped turn our parking lot into an oasis from the heat.

The event featured two free haircut stations, Syd’s food truck serving delicious burgers with side salads, many cold beverages donated by our community, a couch lounge area where our clients could relax, and most importantly, eight canopies that filled our whole parking lot with shade. Additional small businesses who supported this effort included Kendra from Monkey Grind Espresso and her partner Nick who set up a cold coffee station, Aurelio, who works at Rituel hair salon and provided additional haircutting as he does often in encampments, and Sarah Nayani, owner of Grow Girl -Seattle, who donated 12 gorgeous bouquets of flowers that made the space feel that much more warm and welcoming.

To all of these beautiful community members, including volunteers who helped us set up and break down the event, as well as those who donated their time, talent, and treasure, THANK YOU! It takes a village coming together to create a beautiful and caring environment such as this and to pivot when circumstances, like an extreme weather event, occur!

Clients had the space to relax, read, eat, listen to music, and everyone had the space to build new relationships and find moments of joy and connection whether through donating, being in service to one another, or sitting and having conversations.

We do want to acknowledge that while this was happening at Facing Homelessness, the City was facilitating sweeps and forcing people to move, many with no destination. As we imagine the future, we hope to see an end to these violent acts of exclusion and expulsion that only do more harm and reproduce trauma for folks experiencing homelessness. We hope instead to see more spaces of welcoming and community care, spaces for people to gather and receive the resources we all need including, housing, food security, safety, space to rest, compassion and community.

University District | Karina

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/

and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!

#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness #Kindness #theblockprojectject

Jen Adams

"I was homeless from 2007 to 2014… I've been doing outreach work ever since. In fact, I started while I was homeless. I started this work in 2012. I do this because I’ve been there, I’ve seen it.....That is why now that I work at Scofflaw Mitigation Team and at the Safe Parking lot of the U Heights center, I know that in order for us as a society to assist, we must first truly try to understand what brought each individual to the situation they are in.” - Jen Adams

In May of this year, the City of Seattle started re-implementing a policy that prohibits vehicles to be parked on the same block for more than 72 hours. If one violates that policy, their vehicle can be impounded. These parking sanctions were put to a halt at the height of the pandemic giving everyone a space to shelter in place and avoid contact with others as well as moment to breathe and recuperate from the financial and human loss we collectively experienced. But that “moment to breathe” has not been enough for many members of our communities and the pandemic put many people in significantly worse situations than before.

For folks living in their vehicles, having their home impounded means living unsheltered. It means losing their safe space, their most important belongings, and an inability to reclaim their home due to unaffordable fees. For many of us, having a vehicle towed might be an inconvenience, but for people living in their vehicles it is devastating.

The University Heights Community Center and Scofflaw Mitigation Team, among other advocates and organizations, work very hard to assist folks whose cars are impounded by mitigating tickets and offering case management services - steering individuals towards finding stability and a healthy living and working environment.

At Facing Homelessness’ Window of Kindness we regularly see the impacts of the 72-hour rule, as well as the sweeps that have also been reinstated. Our visitors arrive having lost most or all of their possessions and are seeking support. We wanted to put a spot light on this issue and offer ideas for how our community can get involved so we met with Jen Adams of the Scofflaw Mitigation team. Jen graciously gave us her time and talked with us about her experiences with this issue and collaborating with the U Heights Safe Parking Lot program which is providing much needed support for folks living in their vehicles.

"I've tried to recover people's vehicles when they get sent to a tow yard so at least folks can recover their belongings and work tools. Clients report some of their items are missing and it does not feel like a secure place. That is what it means to experience this new parking regulation.”

When Jen was living unhoused she met our founder Rex and got to know Facing Homelessness. She is sharing her story and the story of her work in vehicle resident outreach, in hopes that those that have never experienced such a situation may understand the effects of the City’s 72-hour policy and take action to help.

"It took me a long time to claw my way out of being unhoused; I realized that very few people listened to me, to us. They othered me. We need to dig deep with people, to find out what their issues are so that we can help them steer their ship. I always say to the people I am working with, I'm not taking your ship. I don't want to drive it. I want to teach you how to steer it. Because everybody has a purpose and I want you to be able to find it.”

"In other places of the world, you can build a hut and live in it in peace. But not here: You're not allowed to exist. Not at all. We don't want to see you. We want you gone. We want you moved out of our sights and waterfront views. You can't be here, but we won’t also tell you where to go. That is why we need more safe parking lot spaces and social services like the ones we offer, like the ones Facing Homelessness offers. And if you're drowning in substance use disorder, let’s understand that it is a disease. It is because something bad happened. And now you're out in the middle of nowhere without a door to lock, without a way to keep your stuff and now you're spinning in circles because you don't know what to do. You just keep doing drugs to numb the pain so you can go on. That is why we must approach each one of us with kindness.”

Jen is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to navigating the system. She has the important numbers for tow yards, court dates and times for people who are low-income. “We tell everybody if they get a yellow sticker that they need to move the vehicle immediately. Because this administration is towing. Heavily. Right now there are a lot of people losing their vehicles. If it's not in their name, if the tabs aren’t current, it can be taken quickly.”

Jen’s knowledge and resources are critical for folks who rely on their vehicles for shelter. Some vehicles may not have been moved for a very long time over the past two years, and now may have mechanical issues.

"These are poor people who cannot afford anything. Whether or not they're on substances is beside the point. Because people housed are also on substances. This is affordable housing. This is the fact that five people can't share a house in the U district anymore. Apartments and structured housing have changed completely.”

We know that many of these folks are working towards being housed in a stable environment, surrounded by a supportive community, and being able to be employed with all their basic human needs being met. Loosing a vehicle serving as a home is a major setback on that journey. Jen notes the incredible resilience she sees in the face of these challenges.

What can we do? By raising awareness in our communities, we can educate and push our elected officials to implement kinder and more empathic regulations and invest in more affordable housing and safe parking lots. We encourage you to share this story with your family and friends and to think critically about ways we can create a safer space for all of us. If you know anyone who is living in a vehicle in threat of being towed, they can call 206-659-5512 with their name, plate, license and registration information.

The safer and more successful marginalized communities are, the more prosperous our city becomes for all of us. Check out the U Heights Center as well as Scofflaw Mitigation Team to see ways you can volunteer or donate!

Thank you Jen Adams, the Scofflaw Mitigation Team and University Heights for all of your advocacy and support for folks living in their vehicles!

University District | Clàudia

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/
and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness #Kindness #theblockproject

feelGOOD

When was the last time you got a haircut?

For some of our Window of Kindness visitors, it’s been years, and for others, even decades.

On Saturday, May 28th, Facing Homelessness hosted a free haircut event as part of our Window of Kindness Program in partnership with Arianna, who volunteered her talent and skills as a hairdresser. Arianna shared the following about her connection to homelessness and why she was moved to support our clients “As a child, I had a foster sister who was around when I was born. She was at least 18 years older than me; she had experienced numerous trauma growing up; so by the time my parents were able to foster her, she had already been out on the streets…for a long time, she babysat me. She was a very important part of my life. Thanks to my experience with my sister, I started to know the homeless folks on my walk from the ferry to Capitol Hill, and they eventually became my friends…I brought them books and care packages. They were always human to me, they were always important.”

Arianna also experienced housing insecurity so being able to navigate out of homelessness, and wanting to share her passion, Arianna was inspired to find a way to contribute her skills in cosmetology to support folks who’re living unhoused, and who are unable to access this resource.

When we talk about “coming closer” and “getting Involved” with something you’re skilled with, and/or passionate about, it is because we see individuals, families, school, sports, and church communities and more sharing in this way . Each one of us has something special we can share with one another, whether it’s a listening ear, a contagious smile, our time, being an amazing hairstylist, or whatever else it may be! If anything is certain in our world, it’s that we all have kindness that we can share with one another, and we all have ways we can get involved with something we are passionate about.

The Window of Kindness is one space that allows us to not only show kindness, but use it, and share it with others and we can create our own spaces. “If you are willing, just briefly, to take a moment and sit with someone and listen... to their soul, their heart, where they may have been unseen, unheard or misunderstood, you may give them something small, or you may be giving them something mighty. Give your heart and patience, we all need it. We all deserve it”. - Arianna

University District | Clàudia

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/
and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#JustSayHello #FacingHomelessness #Kindness #theblockproject

happyFEET

When visitors show up at our Window of Kindness program, feet sore and tired after several miles of walking, one of the first things they tend to ask for is a pair of socks. For folks living outside, clean socks are an absolute necessity AND a very difficult thing to come by. Dirty, wet socks often cause painful and debilitating infections that make walking – and by extension, surviving outside – harder and harder.

We offer all types of socks including black, white, patterned and sport socks but black and white are most important. We have been fortunate that Bombas has partnered with Facing Homelessness to keep up our supply of black socks. Our white sock supply can be a bit more unpredictable and our current supply is nearly depleted.

Our visitors often request white socks because they more readily show foot infections, which are crucial to catch early on so that they don’t progress. For folks without a home, a new pair of white socks might be the difference between maintaining their health and developing a life-threatening and entirely preventable foot condition.

From our earliest days, we’ve been fortunate enough to honor our visitors’ requests for this basic need all thanks to YOUR generous support. Now, we’re asking you to help our visitors out once again!

We are grateful for any and all support, whether that’s one pair of socks or one hundred! We would love to see you in person if you would like to drop off socks or they can be delivered to Facing Homelessness | 4001 9th Ave Ne | Seattle, WA 98105. We welcome any brand, though here is one high quality and easy option on our Amazon Wishlist: https://www.amazon.com/.../ref=cm_sw_r_cp_ep_ws...

A warm and gracious thank you to all of you who are able to contribute to happyFEET and communityCARE!

One thing to please note: we are asking for new socks only! We want to make sure our visitors receive socks that are clean and will last. If you do have gently used, high quality socks that you’d like to donate, we’d recommend the sock closet at University Heights Community Center (it’s right next to the community fridge!).

ThankYOU!

University District Neighborhood | Kristina & Karina

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you’re moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/
and click on the ‘donate’ button and consider a gift that is meaningful to you--even a “monthly recurring” donation of just $5 in support of the work. Thank you!
#facinghomelessness #theblockproject #windowofkindness #justsayhello

overflowingLOVE

We are constantly filled with gratitude for the incredibly generous community members who regularly bring food for our Window of Kindness! Our hearts swell every time one of you knocks on our Windows with food in arms, because we know how important it has been for our unhoused neighbors who visit us each day.

Our community has stepped up even more now after we’ve recently opened on Saturdays, bringing food weekly or even several times each week so that we will always have something to offer our visitors.

With this amazing and vital growth in food donations, we need to make sure our food is safely stored. We rely on three mini fridges and a mini freezer, collected over the past two years, to ensure donations are safely stored. It is becoming more challenging fitting this delicious food into our four small fridges and we need to maximize the space in our office!

For that reason, we are making a big ask to our community: for a clean, full sized fridge that will allow us to continue to properly store the food that you all so graciously donate and accommodate more donations to meet the growing needs of our clients!

If you or someone you know happens to have a fridge they no longer want and/or are looking to donate we would love to hear from you! We would so appreciate it if it could be delivered to our office (we currently lack the equipment to pick it up and transport it here). Please contact karina@facinghomelessness.org and we can see what might be possible.

If we receive a larger fridge, we would love to donate our mini fridges to any community members or organizations who need one, so please also let us know if you or someone you know is interested.

thankYOU! Because you have shown up so graciously, we will continue to meet the growing need of our visitors!

University District Neighborhood| Kristina & Karina

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you’re moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/ and click on the ‘donate’ button and consider a gift that is meaningful to you--even a “monthly recurring” donation of just $5 in support of the work. Thank you!
#facinghomelessness #windowofkindness #TheBLOCKProject #kindness

JustsayHELLO

JUST SAY HELLO| Part Two

This is the second post in a series offering thoughts on connecting with our neighbors in need.

We all have days when we don’t want to engage with others. There are factors in our lives that make us more introverted or extroverted, more or less trusting. This is just as true for unhoused folks as anyone else.

Experiencing homelessness can be traumatic! We often hear reports of neighbors in need being disrespected, or even physically hurt or abused by others. As the person not currently experiencing homelessness, I believe it’s my responsibility to ensure that I’m not adding to the trauma of folks who are. I try to remember that the experience a person has with me could either hurt or help them, especially when that person is vulnerable because of the situation they are facing.

Let the other person guide the interaction. Remember days when you’ve wanted to be left alone, and other days when you’ve eagerly looked for a connection with others? It’s important to recognize the individuals we encounter who appear to need help may not want to interact with us! Just because someone is in a challenging situation, we can’t assume they want us to get involved. If our goal is to authentically connect with and help someone in need, it’s our responsibility to watch for cues and respond accordingly. Body language reveals a lot about whether a person is open to interaction, and if so, at what level. Respecting their feelings is critical!

When a person who seems to be in need obviously doesn’t want to interact with me, or seems to resent my intrusion into their world, I try to remember that perspective is perfectly understandable! I have no idea what they’ve been dealing with, so as far as I’m concerned, it’s their right to be reserved or grumpy and my responsibility not to judge.. When I sense a response like that, I try to withdraw tactfully with kindness and don’t take it personally. And sometimes I encounter a person on the street who is obviously agitated, so I just stay out of their way. I use common sense and trust that feeling in my gut to guide me in how best to relate to someone.

On the other hand, sometimes folks seem to be starving for a little love and attention. If that appears to be the case, when I have the time and feel comfortable, I engage in longer conversations, especially to listen and offer empathy for whatever they are dealing with. If a person is sitting down on the curb or sidewalk, I often sit down with them, so we are on the same level. Because of our life situations, there is a de facto power imbalance between us, so I try to minimize that as much as I can.

Appropriate respectful touch. If I have been visiting with someone and felt we’ve made a connection, I often ask them if they want a hug, though I watch their body language so I can quickly withdraw the offer if they seem uncomfortable with the suggestion. I try to remember not to assume my comfort level is the only one that matters (especially since COVID). Also, when I hand someone a power bar or some cash, I might make a point to hold their hand briefly if it seems appropriate to the situation and feels right. I remember being on the street as a kid and feeling like a pariah; someone who, if they weren’t invisible, ought to be. So, it’s important to me to convey my care through respectful touch when I can, to help them feel seen and valued. Some of the most poignant moments I have ever experienced were when I used my hands to warm the rough frigid hands of a neighbor standing in the cold (then I offer gloves!). But I only do this in situations where the person seems open to that kind of interaction based on their facial expression and body language, and our mutual eye contact. If I’m ever in doubt, I won’t go that far. I try to carefully walk the fine line of respecting someone’s space and autonomy, while also recognizing the person in front of me may be hungry for human contact.

Sometimes, time and caring attention can be the best gift you can give someone! But always lead with empathy and let their words and body language help guide you; and when in doubt, just smile and say “hello!”

Shared in the loving spirit of this community,
Shelli| Facing Homelessness Board Member

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you’re moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/ and click on the ‘donate’ button and consider a gift that is meaningful to you--even a “monthly recurring” donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#facinghomelessness #justsayhello #TheBLOCKProject #kindness #windowofkindness

JustsayHELLO

JUST SAY HELLO| Part One

So, you see a person standing outside the grocery store with a hopeful look on their face. You know too many of our neighbors are trying to survive without housing or other basic needs. And you care! But you’re not sure what to do. So, maybe you avoid eye contact and rush into the store, hoping they are gone by the time you come out again, but promising yourself you’ll do something to help next time.

Not everyone feels comfortable right away when it comes to approaching and connecting with a person who appears to be in need, someone who might be living unhoused. But it has been my experience that it helps to be prepared and it gets easier with practice. In a series of posts, I’m going to share some strategies that have helped me engage in a supportive way.

Start with the right frame of mind. It’s so important to walk up to someone with sincere nonjudgement and kindness in your heart! Your feelings and intentions can be felt by the other person. If you’ve had a crazy day and you’re feeling stressed, this might be a time when a nod and a gentle “Hello” as you walk by is the best choice. Save more personal interactions for another day. Don’t assume someone wants to interact with you. Never force an interaction and don’t assume anything. Try to be mindful of their comfort level and potential need for privacy, which are more important than your desire to help. Make eye contact and watch their body language. If either are telling you not to approach, a nod, a smile and a friendly “hello” might be the best strategy.

Introduce yourself. If you feel ready to do more and you sense an openness to interaction, act the same way with a person flying a sign asking for help as you would with anyone else: With courtesy and respect. Say “hello,” tell them your name, and then ask them for theirs. (Bonus: try to remember it so you can address them by name the next time you see them!) Have you ever had someone you just recently met call you by name? It has the potential to make a person feel especially valued.

Depending on your comfort level and their reaction to you (as well as your vaccination status), you might also offer to shake their hand (especially if you are both masked), just as you would if you were being introduced to a new colleague. A polite introduction can go a long way in helping someone feel seen and cared for.

Offer through a question. You don’t need to wait for someone to ask for help. If the opportunity presents itself, you might ask them:

“Could you use a little help today?” This is often what I say if I’m offering something to someone.

“Can I buy you a sandwich?” Shopping for them while you are shopping for yourself is a great way to handle that grocery store scenario.

“Is there anything I can do to help?” And if their request is more than you feel comfortable doing, you might say, “I’m sorry, I can’t do that for you, but I’d be happy to >fill in the blank< if that would help?” It’s OK to have boundaries and respect your own comfort level.

Keep a little cash handy. I hate fumbling through my wallet when a person asks for help, so I always keep two or three dollar bills ready in my pocket or coin purse, and in the console of my car. If you feel uncomfortable giving cash, you might invest in some food gift cards to carry with you.

Keep snacks or other essentials in your purse, backpack or car. I carry extra protein bars in my purse, and keep extra water bottles, socks, or care kits, gloves and hand warmers in the winter just behind the passenger seat of my car so I can safely and easily grab them to hand out at a stop sign. But safety first! As much as I want to help someone, when in my car, my rule is to think of the person’s safety first. If my handing them something as I’m driving by might put them in danger of being hit by another car, I don’t do it.

If engaging with someone in need is new to you, start small. It helps to prepare ahead of time so you feel less awkward in the moment. And remember— they are just another beautiful important person like you. Regardless of their circumstances, they deserve the good things in life as much as you do.

If you’re ever in doubt, Just Say Hello. Being seen is a basic human need, and “hello” is the simplest entry point. Sometimes a hello is all we can give and that’s OK. Social connection is healing—for all of us. So……What is your favorite way to say “Hello?” Let us know!

Shared in the loving spirit of this community,

Shelli| Facing Homelessness Board Member

A QUIET THOUGHT - If you're moved by the goodness of this community, please visit http://www.facinghomelessness.org/
and click on the 'donate' button and consider a "monthly recurring" donation of just $5 in support of the work. THANK YOU!
#Kindness #FacingHomelessness #JustSayHello