PLEASE MEET ALEXIEL:
Sometimes we don’t have the answers, sometimes we don’t have any idea how to move forward, and sometimes all we have is our passion and hearts to lead us in the right direction. Today we would like to share the amazing talent of Miranda Sheh and how she built a beautiful connection with a BLOCK Resident, by sharing her unique skills and offering to create “Memory Art”.
After attending an FH orientation Miranda shared, “As you mentioned in the orientation, a big component is people feeling invisible, and I know through my portraits, people feel deeply seen...”
Miranda generously offered her skills and Facing Homelessness staff connected her to Alexiel, a BLOCK Home Resident.
Alexiel shared with us “My partner and I have been through quite a lot since moving to Seattle... This portrait represents us remembering who we are and what drove us to become the people we are today!”
It’s these types of interactions that lead us in that right direction. We may not know where we’re heading, but at least we know it is done with the right intention, and as long as LOVE is at the center of our hearts, we will always be headed where we’re intended to go.
“My work aims to bring people from all walks of life and backgrounds to the same table, a table where we each have the opportunity to offer our invaluable voice from our unique lens and leadership. Doing so allows us to experience the gifts and healing light within each of us. Come be seen, come be.”
BIG thanks to Miranda for reminding us of the importance of connection, of being seen, and what it means to contribute in a way that feels meaningful and meets us all where we are. And to Alexiel and their partner for sharing your beauty with this community.
Karina | University District
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!
#justsayhello #facinghomelessness #TheBLOCKProject #kindness #windowofkindness
nextSTEPS
PLEASE MEET JASON:
An area in Woodland Park stretching from the bocce ball courts south has a great many tents with folks living homeless. Safely speaking there are 100 people living there, some say as many as 200. Word is spreading fast that a city sWEEP is imminent.
If you have ever been present when a sweep is taking place you know the horror of it. It’s nothing like the intellectual policy discussions that take place in government offices, coffee shops and dinner tables by the most of us. Rather, it is a gut wrenching experience of tears felt by the few. Trauma is layered upon trauma as folks have minutes to pack everything up and leave. Those away, out doing errands or working a job, come back to their homes finding everything gone. It is horrible.
It is also easy to see why sweeps happen. People want their parks back for a long list of valid reasons. I remember as a young boy going many times to Woodland Park with my dad around 4:00 AM with flashlights to catch earthworms on our way to go fishing in Puget Sound. I love those memories.
The problem is that we have a polarized environment of SWEEPS vs. NO SWEEPS. Sadly, all of this back&forth energy is addressing the symptom not the cause. It gets us nowhere. Both sides feel they are right because they are right, nobody is wrong here.
What is wrong is the failed system that allows so many to suffer without basic needs being met. The conversation shouldn’t be about sweeps, it should be about why do we have homelessness in the first place and what are we going to do about it?
When asking, “What are we going to do about it?”, it is a question for our highest and best self. A place of acknowledging that every single person is deserving of our love and attention. All solutions must begin by holding true to this belief.
Please meet Jason. He’s 23 years old. He grew up in Snohomish. For the last year he’s been living in a tent at Woodland Park. He says he’s trying to figure his life out, “I’ve not given a f*** for so long and now that I want to, I have to learn how.”
Jason, a soft-spoken man, has already at his young age seen more pain than I have in all the extra 40 years I’ve lived. When he was 18 his older brother died in his arms. It was heart-breaking life shattering. “My brother was my dude. He picked me up from school, taught me how to work on cars and talk to girls.”
Jason then rapped a song to me about his brother dying, his struggle with it all, the complex difficulties of his family, his parents and others not seeing him, life at Green Lake being homeless, and on and on. I could feel myself beginning to tear up with how instantly vulnerable and beautiful he was in that moment. When he finished and I thanked him for sharing he said, “I don’t have anybody I can talk to about stuff, when I mention my brother dying people go quiet, they don’t know what to say, it gets uncomfortable.”
I asked what he wants to do when he figures it all out. He said, “I want to help people. I want to be a drug-rehab therapist. But yeah, I gotta figure myself out first. You can lose yourself out here.”
Like many, Jason is worried about the impending sweep. It's one more thing. When asked what he needed, he replied, “I could really use some socks and good sturdy size 14 boots.”
If you can be of help to Jason please let us know in the comments below and then ship to: Facing Homelessness ℅ Jason - 4001 9th Ave NE, Seattle WA 98105. A heartfelt THANKS in advance!!!
Woodland Park | Rex
*For additional stories please visit https://www.facebook.com/goodoldlistening
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!
#justsayhello #facinghomelessness #TheBLOCKProject #kindness #windowofkindness
communityASK
PLEASE MEET RANDY:
We would like to make an important ASK of our community right now. Please take a moment to give your PRAYERS and LOVE to Randy Peters. He is in the hospital battling COVID. The doctors have placed him in an emergency medically induced coma.
Randy's wife Linda Soriano sent this message - "I'm so distraught and having a hard time focusing on prayer. Please pass the word requesting prayers for Randy."
As Linda shared about Randy she then relayed she too had tested positive and was not feeling well. With some encouragement she agreed to call 911 and is now on her way to the hospital. Our hearts are so very heavy knowing these two fine humans are suffering.
Randy and Linda are beautiful pillars of our community. Their service for those struggling on our streets has been constant and always given with LOVE. Facing Homelessness has been fortunate to have their involvement in a number of our programs such as our Community CleanUPs and the Window of Kindness. We are forever grateful for their shining example of compassion.
Randy and Linda need us now. Please send all your healing thoughts, energy, and prayers.
We loveLOVE you Randy and Linda.
Seattle neighborhoods | Rex
New Executive Director
PLEASE MEET KEVIN:
Welcome Kevin Glackin-Coley, Facing Homelessness' New Executive Director!
As many of you know, we have been actively searching for a new executive director at Facing Homelessness. We have a belief, borne of experience, that the right person always shows up at the right time. And so it is with joy and full hearts that we introduce Kevin Glackin-Coley as our new executive director! Kevin joined this amazing community on August 4.
Kevin’s professional and personal life are rooted in service, with a throughline of building relationship with people experiencing homelessness. He spent 16 years as Director of St. Leo Food Connection within St. Leo Catholic Parish in Tacoma-Lakewood where he grew a simple food bank into a more comprehensive set of services to meet the needs that emerged from the community. After making a values-based decision to leave the organization, he more recently worked as Director of Special Projects at Tacoma Pierce County Coalition to End Homelessness. During this time he led strategic planning efforts, increased shelter beds for the winter season, and expanded outreach about the COVID-19 vaccine to our unhoused neighbors.
We’re glad we found each other! Kevin is a visionary servant leader who prizes relationship. We know he’ll lift up the amazing ideas and strengths of our staff and community of housed and unhoused neighbors, and guide us in our work to inspire deliberate relationship building and community engagement as a pathway to ending homelessness.
"I am excited to join the team and work of Facing Homelessness. In my years of working with people experiencing homelessness it has become increasingly clear to me that, to quote Dorothy Day, "we have all known the long loneliness and the only solution is love and love comes from community." Facing Homelessness's commitment to fostering relationships between housed and unhoused neighbors is rooted in this same vision and I look forward to helping us deepen and expand our shared work." -- Kevin Glackin-Coley
Kevin is eager to engage with this great community and we look forward to upcoming opportunities to work together (in person!) soon. We remain so grateful for your continued love and support!
John Mullin, Facing Homelessness Board President
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 #windowofkindness #kindness #TheBLOCKProject
loveYOU
REST IN PEACE, JAMES:
James lived homeless for over 40 years. The last twenty of those he was full-time at the 520 off-ramp in the Montlake neighborhood. He slept under the concrete ramp at night and begged at the stop-light during the day for his only income. He was hated and loved.
James died July 15, 2021 from complications following a major stroke suffered in November. He was 55 years old.
He was hated for all the reasons people can hate the homeless. He was always dirty with tattered clothes. He smelled. His language was often difficult to understand. At times he was angry and frustrated. His behavior when begging moved from being motionless with his hands cupped out in front of him to other times his arms flailing and head shaking. Some people were afraid of him. All of it fitting neatly the negative stereotype of homelessness.
If that is the James you saw, you missed seeing what a beautiful beautiful man he was.
James was gentle and kind. He laughed easily. He loved people and honored friendships. It’s hard to know how many people lowered their car window to offer something kind to him, and how many of those then turned into friendships. I do know this - if you were able to push through the negative stereotype to see him, you found a man profoundly worth knowing. Despite all his suffering, he stayed positive. He smiled with his whole face and laughed with his whole body. There was a charm to him that left you feeling good and glad you spent time sharing the moment.
James never flew-a-sign when begging. He didn’t because he was illiterate. He dropped out of school around the age of twelve and became homeless at 15. He lived a very different and difficult life with a great deal of suffering. There were times when he was so sick I didn’t think he would recover or winters I didn’t think he would make through. He was a true survivor.
James was helped greatly by the Facing Homelessness community. A wide range of items were donated and brought to him over the years. This included pants, shirts, shoes, coats, hats, sleeping bags, tarps, tents and food gift cards. Lots of food gift cards!
For each of the last six years we would post on the Facing Homelessness FB page when James had a birthday coming up on January 7th. People were asked to send birthday cards, telling him how much he’s loved. It still makes me smile bigBIG for how important this was for him. Cakes were baked and cards poured in from all over the country and around the world. On one of his birthdays James received more than a hundred cards! We would sit with him and read every single one out loud. The words were always beautiful. Sometimes we had to read them again because he was so busy checking to see if any money had been included. When he would find a $5 or $10 he would put it on his forehead, yell out loud, “THANK YOU THANK YOU!!” and then kiss it! For weeks and weeks, sometimes months, after his birthday he would ask, “Did any more cards come in for me?”
Over the years people tried to help James. There were those that wanted to teach him to read, or help find him work. Others waded into the complexity of looking for housing. Kind beautiful people made a big difference for him. In the end though everyone found the barriers he was experiencing to be too overwhelming.
That is until James met Blair Jordan. Blair was a student at the University of Washington in the business school when she lowered her car window and said hello to James. It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. She would end up making it her personal mission to get him inside. And she did!
In April of 2020 James moved into the Kerner-Scott House run by DESC. There are no words to describe how beautiful that moment was. James was now sleeping in a bed. James was cooking his own food in his own kitchen. James was showering, shaving, and wearing clean clothes.
When Blair first said hello to James she could not have known she would be changing his life. She also could not have known she would be changing her own life. Blair’s career veered away from business into social work. She got a job doing outreach at DESC and currently works at REACH as a Screening & Outreach Coordinator. She will tell you, “Every day I am motivated to do this work because of James, he changed my life.”
James is survived by his two sisters Becky and Thurnice who live in Texas and a large chosen family of friends here in Seattle. He will be dearly missed by all those that knew him, loved him, and were changed by him. Love you James.
PLEASE JOIN US for a Community Celebration for James on August 17th 6:00 PM at East Montlake Park. Everyone is welcome!!!
This gathering will be held at the last place James lived outside, where he was told he would be moving inside. We are inviting everyone to come and take part in honoring James’ life. Parking will be tight. If you can bus, bike, or walk, please do. Even though it is outside, we are asking everyone to wear a mask. If you can make it, please let us know in the comments of this post. If you would like to share a story or feelings about James at the celebration, or have any questions whatsoever, please email me at rex@block-architects.com.
Montlake Neighborhood | Rex
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 #windowofkindness #kindness #TheBLOCKProject
killingFLOOR
PLEASE MEET NATE:
The small camp intrigued me. There was curious energy, but not exactly the welcoming sort. A young man lay in the shade. There were a few chairs and a guitar case near the concrete bulkhead. A small tent. The man sat up as I approached. I felt tense eyes lock on with precision and suspicion. I hesitated, but soon sensed tentative permission to proceed with caution. Nate stood as I approached. We shared a few words. I handed him a water bottle and started to leave. But the tension eased and there was a hint of trust in his eyes. “Have a seat.” he said. “Let’s talk.”
Nate was angry. His wallet was stolen earlier. His eyes caught fire as he spoke ruthlessly of finding the thief. “I’m the most Christian non-Christian you’ll ever know. And I’ve been restraining myself lately. Trying to stay positive. But I’m about to snap. And right now I need a shot that would kill an elephant.”
Nate spoke of his life and family. The tension gripped as he reached for his guitar case, revealing a worn wooden hollow body arch top. “You see, I’ve got a beef with God and the devil.” he explained as he donned his brass slide. He winced as he positioned his guitar against an abscessed needle wound.
The air wept with sweet sound as Nate warmed up, drawing his slide deep. Extracting cries of hopelessness and despair from the simple acoustic instrument. He slid gracefully into a haunting rendition of the classic Depression era Skip James number, “Hard Time Killing Floor Blues.” Nate explained that this version was a homage to his friend who was shot in front of his wife and children during a home invasion in Houston.
Nate grew up in Texas. He suffered during his childhood. He speaks bitterly of the hypocrisy of his family and conservative Christian minister father. His brothers were divided when his parents split, deepening his anger and confusion. “I got tired of the lies. I was outcast by the Church, by the school. They rejected me, so I became their worst nightmare. I became a hell raising asshole and I like it.” Nate joined the armed services at age 17 and served honorably for several years.
Nate is an accomplished bluesman, and goes by the street name “Swamp.” “I play ramshackle back-porch devil music.” There’s fire in his eyes and chaos in his soul. He’s played clubs throughout the South and Northwest. The words MOJO HAND are tattooed across his fingers. “The Blues are a highly spiritual and emotional tool,” Nate explains, “Everyone’s searching from door to door looking for heaven.” Nate explains that heroin has its downsides, but helps him stay the course. “I’m not happy as an active alcoholic addict. And I’m not happy as a sober one. “And when I do pills or drink, I wake up in jail. But never with heroin.”
Nate exudes raw honesty and unprocessed truth. His music purges poison and passion from the bilge of his soul. His stories disturb me or make me laugh. He speaks of cruel revenge for those who have wronged him. But kindness lurks cautiously behind the anger.
Nate lit a cigarette and set his guitar aside. He exhaled a plume, and with head down explained, “I’ve gotten better about letting go. I ain’t gonna kill anyone. I’m a good Samaritan out here. I’ve been so kind to people.”
Beacon Hill Neighborhood | Damian
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 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
babyDOLL
PLEASE MEET JAMMIE:
It’s a hot day in Seattle. The sun pounds on tents and trash in the industrial zone. The air smells of diesel and musty rubbage. Trains and trucks thunder by and sirens blast as the post-COVID pace picks up in the Jet City. I hadn’t seen my friends around here in a while.
A sweating bald man sits on a Radio Shack speaker. His hands are black with dirt and grease. He’s working on a purple glitter stingray bike with a plastic Star Wars figure on the handle bars. “Who lives around here?” I asked. “A black guy named Whitey, Andor, Man Hands Kim and Blandy. Oh, and there’s a pregnant gal in the RV over there.” He squinted in the sun, pointing his crescent wrench. “Jammie?” I asked. “Yeah, I think so.” A good day was in store. All old friends. A big mouth shirtless guy in a pickup sped by recklessly. He flipped us off while shouting fuck-you to the long line of tents. I knew I was in the right place.
I anticipated Jammie’s upbeat greeting and hug. Her positivity and peace sign. But no answer as I knocked on the funky old RV. I pulled the sun-bleached drape aside at the open window and looked in. I felt the heat escape. An uncomfortable pregnant woman lay awkwardly on the floor. “What do you need Jammie?” Without motion or eye contact she whispered, “A large Oreo shake.” “That’s all?” I asked.
We met Jammie four years ago. She was taking care of her partner at the time, who was badly burned in an encampment fire. You may remember her. She has appeared in stories here a couple times. She has lived many places since, enduring long winters and ravaging sweeps. Surviving under tarps, tents, and bridges, Jammie asks for nothing. Maybe a little food sometimes. Once a bra and some socks. She mostly likes to visit. To hang out. She enjoys the company of good people. She likes dressing up. Makeup and jewelry.
Jammie lives a rough life but you wouldn’t know it from her appearance or attitude. When I returned with the shake and some chicken strips she lit up with the familiar smile and attitude. “I’m off hard drugs.” She said. And Jammie can’t lie to us. We know her too well. We know what Jammie looks like when she’s doing drugs. And when she is not. And today Jammie looks good. But tired and hot.
I felt pretty good after talking with Jammie, Andor, and a few others. Jammie smiled and flashed her trademark peace sign as I drove off. I looked back and waved as I almost hit the guy on the purple stingray bike as he swerved around the street making road adjustments.
We expect Jammie to be taken in by a shelter for homeless mothers when her baby girl arrives in October, but she will have many needs. We would like to raise $1800 to help her along with the many things she will need as a new mom.
Funds are used by Facing Homelessness to procure this ask. No funds will go directly to Jammie and no funds go to Facing Homelessness. If there are funds remaining, they will go to another person who is in need.
Georgetown Neighborhood | Damian
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
communityACTION
PLEASE MEET SEAN:
Please meet Sean. He's a reallyREALLY good guy. Over the past month his life has been turned upside down.
Sean works full-time as a mason. He also takes side masonry jobs. While working one of these side-jobs he fell 7'-0" off a ladder and shattered his heel. Instantly everything changed for him.
He spent two weeks in the hospital with doctors reconstructing his foot. When released he came home to find he'd been booted from his shared housing arrangement. His roommate's girlfriend had moved in. Without income there was nothing he could do.
He went to a friend's condo for some temporary couch surfing. A week later he found that his truck had been towed. He hadn't registered it with the condo-office.
In a matter of several weeks Sean went from living inside fully employed to being homeless without work and without his truck and tools.
By the time Facing Homelessness talked with Sean he was without HOPE. Early in our conversation he said, "I am so grateful that FH will listen to what I've been going through. I don't know where to turn." This is one of the things the FH COMMUNITY does best - to listen, connect, and be in community with each other.
Sean's truck had been in the tow yard for ten days. The fee was nearly $1,200.00 and all he had was $300. Facing Homelessness picked up the rest. For just under $900 this community helped keep Sean on a path of pulling himself back into housing.
We can Just Say Hello. We can get to know each other to be there in times of celebration and in times of need.
Sean has another month of healing before he can get back to work. If anybody has a small masonry job needing to be addressed, like tuckpointing a brick chimney, please let us know. We would love to connect you up with our new buddy Sean!
Wallingford Neighborhood | Rex
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
thankYOU
THANK YOU!
Just over a week ago we wrapped up GiveBIG 2021 and with BIG BIG BIG thanks to 112 extremely generous Facing Homelessness donors we raised over $13,589!
We've said it before and we'll say it again, this community makes all we do at Facing Homelessness possible. When we set a goal, you say YES and push us over the finish line and beyond. Together we are building the world we want to live in. One BLOCK Home, one Window of Kindness shift, one conversation or smile at a time. Thank you.
The Facing Homelessness team| University District Neighborhood
Jennifer, Berns, Phoebe, Karina, Tomasz, Lisa, Ariel and Caroline
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!
#justsayhello #facinghomelessness #kindness #TheBLOCKProject
the Justice Of Accountability
THE JUSTICE OF ACCOUNTABILITY:
Today, the staff and board of Facing Homelessness pause in our thoughts, work, and lives to recognize and consider the implications of the guilty verdict in George Floyd's death. We hold, with mixed and deeply held emotions, that today marks the end of a trial, but it does not end the work, or the conflict, or the need for hearing what is true for the other. Ahead of us lies the still-unrealized need to honor, liberate, and serve the other.
The trial has ended but the march for justice has not. Let's keep walking together.
". . . it is accountability which is the first step towards justice, and now the cause of justice is in your hands." -- Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison.
U-District Neighborhood| Sue
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!
#justsayhello #facinghomelessness #kindness #TheBLOCKProject
goodbyeFRIEND
PLEASE MEET RONNIE:
I'm beyond sad and very sorry to share that our goodGOOD friend Ronnie LaBranche has died.
I met Ronnie about 11 years ago, back when my architecture practice was along the canal in Fremont. Ronnie lived most of his life homeless. During the time I knew him he mostly camped out of a tent or every so often in a broken down RV.
Ronnie was a survivor. Even though he scared me a bit at first, we connected immediately. We were the same age and grew up probably a mile from each other, him in Ballard and myself on the north side of Queen Anne Hill. I wondered how many times we passed as young kids roaming neighborhoods on our bikes.
Ronnie shared openly about the struggles of growing up homeless. Most of his experiences would have dropped me to my knees. For him they were normal, including the craziness of being in gangs and all that came with that life.
I remember when he told me he had been shot early in his teens. He must have seen my eyes widen and said, "Do you wanna see the bullet hole?" He then lifted up his shirt and pointed to his belly button showing me where the bullet entered him, and then immediately turned around, dropped his pants and underwear, and pointed to his anus, saying, "This is where it came out!"
It took me a second to process, but then we both started to laugh, and kept laughing. That was Ronnie. He always had me guessing what was coming next. He was tough as nails, fearless, funny, loyal and, here's the part that you'd miss unless you got to know him, he had a beautiful sensitive caring heart. Despite his extremely difficult life, he was a really good man.
Early on in our friendship I remember a time he sat down in my office looking depressed. I asked what was going on. After a long silence he said, "I've not told you about my daughter. I still can't say her name without crying uncontrollably." He then shared that it was the year anniversary of her auto accident death. She was just 20 years old. I held Ronnie for a long time as his whole body shook from sobbing. It makes me tear up still just typing it now.
More often Ronnie was the one cheering others up. His kind heart and endless life energy looked out for those struggling. He brought countless young people to my office that had just fallen into homelessness, wanting to help them get connected and prepared for the struggle ahead.
Ronnie was perpetual motion. His survival on the street was a combination of smarts, ingenuity and simple hard work. For money he would scrap metal. Nothing was wasted or thrown away. Everything had multiple functions.
Ronnie also had a twinkle in his eye. He liked people. One of my favorite memories was when Diane Bell brought her daughter Karina, who was in the Girl Scouts, to my office with 53 boxes of girl-scout-cookies to handout to the homeless. Ronnie was there and immediately yelled out loud, "THOSE ARE MY FAVORITE COOKIES IN THE WHOLE WORLD!!" Karina, rather than shying away, leaned forward and handed him a box of thin mints! They became instant friends! Before Ronnie left he emptied out his bag and at the bottom pulled out a women's watch he had found on the street. He gave it to Karina. It was her first watch. The moment was priceless.
There are too many Ronnie memories to share. I'll post a few more with the pictures in the comments below.
I also want to let you know that Ronnie made it into housing a few months before he passed. I think the journey had just been too hard on him and once inside he could finally let go.
Rest In Peace Ronnie. THANK YOU for your dear friendship and all that you taught me. Your spirit is all BEAUTIFUL!
Ballard Neighborhood | Rex
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!
#justsayhello #facinghomelessness #kindness #TheBLOCKProject
makingHOMES
makingHOMES:
“We did it!” It’s easy to look around after completing a new BLOCK Home and take pride in our accomplishment, particularly now that BLOCK Homes are built entirely by community volunteers. Smiles are exchanged, tools are stowed away, and there is an awareness that, soon, one more person will no longer live unsheltered in Seattle. We feel JOY in having built this home with little more than the simple decision made by regular people to do so.
After construction, the next crucial step is required, and that step is taken collectively through the Facing Homelessness network of love. That’s where we invite you in.
Care is shown in the little things--hand towels, a natural soap, privacy curtains, a mug to drink something warm from. These details and provisions, and the care behind them, demonstrate our love for new friends moving into BLOCK Homes. Throughout the trials of COVID-19, and all that life has brought this last year, hosts are still saying “Yes, in my backyard.” We are on track to build at least five new homes in backyards across Seattle--from West Seattle, to Ballard, to Mount Baker. Within these five homes are countless connections, opportunities to care, to come closer, and to be part of the solution.
In order to prepare a BLOCK Home for a new resident, or possibly a mother and infant, we provide “Welcome Home Kits” upon move in. Guided by our resident’s needs, these kits include custom made curtains, sheets, towels, and privacy dividers. We make sure our residents have the pots, pans, and utensils they need to cook a hot meal, and the plates and bowls to eat it with. Through the provisions of Welcome Home Kits, new residents can focus on settling in, enjoying privacy, and continuing their work of healing from the traumas of homelessness.
Each full Welcome Home Kit costs $1,000. Due to the very specific sizing and needs of the BLOCK homes, we cannot accept in kind donations at this time, so please donate through the Paypal link, or send a check with “Welcome Home Kit” in the memo line, and we’ll take it from there. Every gift helps transform houses into HOMES. Our goal is to raise $5,000 for 5 BLOCK Homes. As always, together we are Facing Homelessness.
Welcome Home Kit: https://www.paypal.com/donate?hosted_button_id=K928P352YVBF6
No funds will go to Facing Homelessness. Any funds in excess of $5,000 will remain in the Welcome Home Kit fund for future Welcome Home Kits.
Crown Hill Neighborhood | Phoebe, Barron, and Sue
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 #kindness #yesinmybackyard #theblockproject
beingHUMAN
PLEASE MEET MIKE QUINLAN:
This is Mike Quinlan of the Montlake Bicycle Shop giving Jane, who lives homeless in this tent, a bicycle. So darnDARN BEAUTIFUL!
I want to try and connect this beautiful act to why it's so important for each of us to reach out and take part in the journey of understanding and ultimately ending the community crisis that is homelessness.
A man who lives in a home near the Miller Playfield called. He said, "The community feels unsafe when using the field with people living homeless there." Then he added, "I'm an advocate for the children." I thanked him for that. I respectfully shared that all the people living in those tents are someone's child. He said, "Amen."
At the first tent I asked out loud, "Anybody in there?" A faint "yeah" came back. When I asked if they wanted socks three voices in unison said loudly, "Yes!" A young man unzipped the tent flap and said hello with kind eyes. They had set up their tent here because of being asked to move from the last spot.
At the next tent another young man answered back to the sock offer with a, "Yes Sir." When he came outside I asked where he was from, telling him nobody around here called me Sir. He said that he was from Texas, was looking for work, had never been homeless before. As we turned to go he thanked us again for the socks and then added, "But mostly, thank you for taking the time to talk with me."
At the next tent we met Jane. She was distraught because a good deal of her and her boyfriend's things had been stolen, including her bicycle. I let her know that Facing Homelessness and Montlake Bicycle Shop had partnered in the past to get bicycles for folks living outside. She was overwhelmed with joy over this possibility.
The next day, this same man who had called saying the community feels unsafe using the field, who had been afraid to visit those living there, on his own brought water to several of the folks he had met on our walk. I'm not saying he does not still have concerns, he does.
What I am saying is that when we come closer to the issue of homelessness, and we do so with an open heart, we not only provide service to those struggling, but we move ourselves forward to join the solution in ending homelessness.
Three days later Mike Quinlan delivered a new bicycle to Jane.
Just Say Hello.
Capitol Hill Neighborhood | Rex
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 #yesinmybackyard #kindness #TheBLOCKProject Montlake Bicycle Shop
beautifulHUMAN
PLEASE MEET PATRICK:
A few days ago my friend Michelle, who lives chronically homeless, called to let me know Patrick had passed. My stomach tightened. A feeling of sadness surrounded me.
I saw him a week ago, yelling to him from across the street. He started to cross over to talk, but I said, "Hey, I gotta run, I'll see you later, soon!" I tear up knowing I won't be able to see him again.
If I'm completely honest, there is anger there too. How is that we have not figured out how to provide housing for everyone? Is this as good as we can do? Are we okay with the way it is?
Patrick was 64 years old when he died. He grew up in Ballard. He was as sweet and kind of a man that you'll ever meet. Everyone that knew him, knew that to be true. He brought each of us joy.
He was a regular at the Fremont Cafe Ladro coffee shop. I remember once offering to buy him a cup of coffee while talking with him outside. He said, "No thank you, the nice people here usually give me a cup when I come in." When I was leaving I went over to thank the employees for the kindness given to Patrick and both behind the counter said it was nothing, that Patrick was an extremely nice man, that they loved him.
There are many worlds swirling around us in every moment. We're oblivious to most of them. Only when we stop to take an interest does that world truly become visible. If you take the time to look closer into the world of homelessness, you will find a depth of beauty there that will open and change you profoundly.
Patrick created this change for many by sharing his humanity.
Once I saw him sitting on a bench with his head in his hands, then a few days later he was leaning up against a building in an alley. I came over to ask if he was okay, he said, "Two of my brothers passed away." It was weighing heavily on him, so much sadness.
So often the dehumanization of homelessness has us forgetting that we all have feelings, that the heart feels love and pain whether you live inside or outside.
Patrick is one of those folks that had an extra charm to him, a twinkle in his eye. He was always happy to see you, eager to share thoughts or concerns. I remember once, as he was leaving the FH office, he stopped, turned to us and said, "Sometimes I get claustrophobic living in this universe!"
You are free from it all now my friend. So many blessings to you for being such an extremely beautiful human being. I just want to say, THANK YOU, for being you. You will be missed and always LOVED.
Ballard Neighborhood | Rex
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 #yesinmybackyard
windowFACES
PLEASE HEAR KARINA:
Karina answers the phone. “I’m obviously concerned,” she breathes into the phone. “This whole week we’ve heard that it’s supposed to snow. It has me worried.” Karina runs the Window of Kindness and sees firsthand how the needs among our unsheltered friends and neighbors become more acute as the temperatures drop. New faces, longer lines, and hectic service hours are all symptoms of the pandemic, and they are increasing. She knows our supplies are in demand and decreasing. At the window, life-saving supplies are given to neighbors living outside. People also come for conversation, a kind face, deep compassion, and someone who knows their name. Karina is all of these things, and she’s under pressure with winter’s harsh arrival.
“Somebody was recently hospitalized because of frostbite. Their toes were amputated.” There’s a pause again. “It’s going to happen even more in the weeks to come. It’s making me sad. We need more supplies. I feel helpless.” Now, it’s my turn to inhale.
“Seeing people freezing, barely able to move their hands, shivering out in the cold . . . it’s really impacting me. I see people suffering. It’s not that I hear people complaining. It’s just seeing it with my own eyes. No one has to say anything, I can tell from their faces.” Karina holds so many stories. “People are getting sick from the cold. Emotions have been intense this week. We lift spirits, but we haven’t had blankets. People are getting discouraged when we don’t have sleeping bags. It’s harder to say no and see their reactions.”
This, friends, is why we ask you to come closer. COVID limits proximity, but that hasn’t applied to the window, or to Karina. She’s been here, every week, throughout the entirety of the pandemic. Karina knows the look of suffering in someone's eyes when they smile, thank her, and turn to brave another cold night in frost-bitten Seattle. Now, we need you.
Our friends need sleeping bags, tents, tarps, blankets, and hand-warmers. Can you commit to sending something for next week? And maybe the week after? A steady stream of supplies will save lives. Drop off or mail to: 4001 9th Ave NE Seattle, WA 98105. Thank you.
University District Neighborhood | Barron
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! #facinghomelessness #justsayhello #kindness #TheBLOCKProject #yesinmybackyard
heartACHE
PLEASE MEET PETER:
Two weeks ago we told you about the passing of our longtime friend Joseph Pidgeon. Today we sadly share that Peter Suom, another dear friend who lived homeless, has passed.
Peter was 28 years old when he came to Seattle. It's a long story but the short of it is that his car overheated on the highway, just outside of Moses Lake where he lived. Before he could get it moved it was ticketed&towed, he lost everything, including his identification. He decided to come to Seattle to start over.
I met Peter shortly after he arrived. He was standing on the slim sliver of concrete that separates the 520 on&off-ramps in the Montlake neighborhood. I said hello and he immediately shared that it was the first time he'd flown a sign, saying, "I've never been homeless before." He was having a hard time being okay asking for money. We became fast friends.
Peter was a reader, reading one to two books a week. Once Facing Homelessness was able to get him a sleeping bag and tent the only thing he asked for after that were books. And books he received! For the next three years this community supplied Peter with a constant stream of reading material. People would roll their window down and say something like, "Hey, you're the reader aren't you? I have a book for you!" Packages of books were being mailed to our office from all over the country!
It was overwhelmingly beautiful for Peter. He said, "I hope people realize that we don't want to be homeless, if there is a way out, we look for it, some of us will find it. The people that care, that say hello or even just wave, do make a difference for those struggling. It helps on a daily basis, when you are hungry or desperate, to get some kindness gives you strength to not make bad decisions. Thank you for that."
And lots&lots of KINDNESS did show up to make a difference for Peter. In addition to the books and encouraging remarks on the street, this community made a big deal of his birthday each year with birthday cards mailed in and cakes baked and delivered!
The biggest act of kindness came when Blair Jordan, a young woman in her 20s, befriended Peter through this page. Blair would visit Peter almost daily to be of help to him. At one point she found him a job, which sadly he was unable to hold due to mental health issues. Eventually Blair connected Peter with Plymouth Housing where he lived for the last 3 1/2 years.
It was through her friendship with Peter that Blair met James Dobbs, who was also living under the freeway off-ramp and homeless for 40 years. James is currently at the UW Medical Center struggling with complications.
Blair will tell you that Peter and James changed her life.
When she first met Peter she was enrolling at the UW for a Business Entrepreneurship degree to do real-estate development. While advocating for them she began to meet people in the social services world, including those working the HOST program at DESC, which became her first job after graduating! So long real-estate development! Now she is at REACH doing out-reach on the street. Her goal is to open a Harm Reduction Skilled Nursing Facility which I have no doubt she will accomplish!
In this moment of sadness I am reminded of how beautiful Peter was as a human being. How gentle and grateful he always was and how easily he shared his smile and friendship.
While Peter is gone, he lives on in the beautiful positive change he created in those lives that reached out to him. From the simplest smile that so many received, to the life-direction change he helped put into motion for Blair. LOVE you Peter. RIP my friend,
Montlake Neighborhood | Rex
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!
#facinghomelessness #justsayhello #kindness #TheBLOCKProject #yesinmybackyard
findingHOME
PLEASE MEET JAMES:
Many of you who follow this page have known and walked with us alongside James over the past nine years. He is an important and beloved member of this community.
Many of you know James was homeless for over 40 years, that he lived in the Montlake neighborhood under the overpass and was a part of that neighborhood and community. Many of you met him during the years he flew a cardboard sign at the 520 off-ramp. There, he met people in their cars, and so many from this community connected with him through a simple smile and through other support.
Many of you have participated in sending James birthday cards over the years to remind him that no distance or separation will stand between our love for him, and his deep belonging to this community.
2020 was a hard year for so many of us. This has been especially true for James.
In February 2020, James was admitted to the hospital and at the time was still living outside. You may remember this post in which Rex acknowledged the grief and the praise surrounding James’ life living homeless in Seattle. https://www.facebook.com/HomelessInSeattle/posts/2992756594102897. At the time of the post, YOU raised emergency funds to help James when he exited the hospital so he could purchase essential items. THANK YOU! Through it all, James remains resilient, kind, and hopeful, modeling an unparalleled bravery in his character.
In May 2020, James received housing with support from a network of caring individuals, most importantly his friend and advocate Blair Jordan!
https://www.facebook.com/HomelessInSeattle/posts/3223229951055559.
You were there when we CELEBRATED with James and supported this major transition by sending him cards, items for his new home, and expressing your love for him (He never stops talking about the cards). Moving is a huge deal, even more so if you have been living outside in survival mode for 40 years. For everything YOU did to welcome James home, THANK YOU!
In December 2020, James was urgently admitted to the hospital again after suffering a stroke. During his time in the hospital, he contracted COVID-19, and James SURVIVED, again, unwilling to bow to the misfortunate life throws at him.
Day by day, James perseveres in a struggle for life, for housing, and for love. You are part of that wrestling, and as a community we have James’ back. It is time once again to show up for James in all of the beautiful ways this community has over the years. If you don’t know James, we hope you will take a minute to see him and recognize his profound resilience. He has weathered odds that would have brought many to their knees.
James’ birthday was January 7th, just last week, and we once again ask you to celebrate James and remind him of our care by sending him a birthday card. Cards can be sent to Facing Homelessness | 4001 9th Ave NE | Seattle 98105. We will make sure the cards are received by James’ friend Blair who will help him read your beautiful messages. As always, if you want to include $5 or a gift card, please do!
James wants to return to his permanent housing, the home he has created, and not to return to the streets of Seattle. Given the situation with his health, he needs extra support for this to be possible. His case management team and friend Blair are working on connecting James to various resources to support him longer term. In the meantime, we would like to raise $1,000 to help modify his apartment to accommodate a wheelchair, and to provide him with clothing and food.
Funds are used by Facing Homelessness to procure this ask. No funds will go directly to James and no funds go to Facing Homelessness. If there are funds remaining, they will go to another person who is in need.
THANK YOU! With love and deep appreciation,
South Seattle | Barron and Jennifer
UPDATE! Donation link has been taken down because YOU have raised just over $1,050 for James, in such a small time, WOW! This will be a HUGE help and support to James in helping him get the necessities he needs. THANK YOU for all of your generosity and your beautiful comments of love, support, and connection. This is a great example of how big of an impact communities can make when we work together, alongside our unhoused neighbors. SO much love to all of you!
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!
#facinghomelessness #justsayhello #kindness #yesinmybackyard #theblockproject
soaringHIGH
PLEASE MEET JOSEPH:
With a heavy heart I want to share with you that Joseph Pidgeon passed away December 26, 2020. He died in bed at the age of 63 years old in a Plymouth Housing building downtown Seattle.
Who was Joseph you might ask?
What comes first to mind is that he was BEAUTIFUL. His beauty was connected to his smarts, which informed his humor, which fueled a certain mischievousness, which made him infinitely endearing! Joseph was also a father of three, a veteran, high-rise construction worker, musician, crossword puzzle wizard, and for about 20 of his last 21 years, he lived homeless.
When I first met Joseph it was winter. He had a blanket wrapped around him sitting in a wheelchair in the Fremont neighborhood. He was playing his guitar. As I approached I could hear him singing, '...people are strange', by The Doors. It made me smile, which made him smile, which was the beginning of our friendship.
Joseph had already been homeless for 10 years when we met. His life was caught in the spiral of alcoholism. It was difficult to witness. He was a sensitive man. He shared lots of feelings about his life, sometimes with frustration, sometimes with tears.
Joseph loveLOVED crossword puzzles. He could do the Sunday NY Times puzzle, the hardest of the week, in several hours. He was a good story-teller, loved a big laugh. One of the first adventures he told me about was how he'd climbed to the top of the 600' KIRO radio tower on Queen Anne Hill, not coming down until it became a media sensation, helicopters buzzing in circles! I doubted that he really did it, until I checked on the internet and found the article.
One day, several years later, Joseph came into my architecture office with his cane, sat down next to my drafting desk and said, "I want to thank you for your friendship and also say goodbye." He then told me he had a gun hidden outside and was going to kill himself. We talked and cried for an hour or so. I asked if I could call his case-manager, who then called the police. Five minutes later there were four officers talking gently with him, asking how he was doing. One officer put his hand on Joseph's shoulder and said, "Come on buddy, we are going to get you some help." Joseph looked up and replied, "I don't need help, I need love."
Patty Doyle was one of the very first volunteers for Facing Homelessness. She was retired and used her time to give love to those struggling outside. Joseph needed love and Patty gave it in the form of countless trips to the VA for treatments, trips to the emergency room, trips to the store for food or clothing, and endless phone calls and meetings advocating for Joseph. They became best friends. My heart hurts for Patty and her loss.
I want to give a special THANK YOU to Plymouth Housing for giving Joseph a place to stay. Both Patty and Plymouth made a profound difference in Joseph's life.
Thank you Joseph for sharing your beauty with us. Your friends and family, including Kristine your daughter, will miss you dearly.
Keep soaring higher and higher Joseph! LOVE.
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
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!
#facinghomelessness #justsayhello #kindness #yesinmybackyard #theblockproject