Atlanta Fox 5 did a story on homelessness in Athens, Georgia Sunday.
Here is the link...
Eight people live there now, it gets as high as 30. I think the story was supposed to be, "tent cities springing up everywhere because the economy sucks and hey, we have a tent city". The tent city in Athens has been there forever, 17 years, and the people who live there have their reasons for being there. Its in the woods along a trail, strewn with debris. A lot of drugs and crime.
Tent City Athens is a good place to start saying lets do better than this.
My heart and soul go into the non-profit I work with, helped found, and have nurtured since 2007,
The Stable Foundation.
BTW This was my first day on the job as the interim Executive Director, my dream job.
As bold (naive and idealistic ) as it may be, the mission of TSF is to eradicate homelessness in Athens, GA.
Athens is known for its bad poverty rate of 31%, yes 31%. It has a homeless population of 500-1000.
Athens Clarke County has 225+ homeless kids in the county. If that stat does not make you want to change the status quo, I don't know what does.
Anyways, "Housing First" does three things:
- Prevents a homeless situation from occurring, 2. Rapid Rehousing and 3. Connection to services and people
Providing housing since March 2008, TSF has 2200+ individual nights served, 16 people no longer homeless or at risk. 100% rate with graduates in stable housing.
TSF has an average of $12 per night for housing.
Housing is the place to start.
With housing secured, a list of priorities is developed and implemented addressing health, well being, employment, child care, education, food, a phone, or a car.
A network of people care about you, know what is going on in your life, and always have your best interest at heart. A group of people who would do anything to help or just be there to listen and understand.
What do any of us want? To love people around us, to be loved. Friendships and security. Resources that can be called upon.
Its amazing how quickly change comes to someone primed for it. Our clients live in the moment, thankful for the things in front of them. Barriers fall, positive change happens quickly.
Homelessness is a small part of the entire make up of a human. A label at best. A category where we can project all of out worst fears and stereotypes.
The cure for homelessness is easy, provide a home.
We should encourage a proactive view of homelessness. Engage and provide solutions now, rather than reacting to pressure later. Or kicking the issue down the road a few more years.
Housing for eight people is not that big of a deal. Turning tent city into a positive symbol with nice single unit dwellings, walkways, lights, front porches? That would be something.
A couple other organizations in Athens that are quite good are Athens Habitat for Humanity and Athens Land Trust. Also the Northeast Georgia Homeless Coalition needs to provide some planning and guidance to the community and city leaders.
We will get there.
Thanks for listening, first time diarist here.