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Tilted Cat Head
Administrator
Location: Manhattan, NY
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Willravel
I realize that you live in NYC, and as such see many homeless people, but I speak with them every day and I can tell you that this attitude is no where near as common as one might think. Most of those who have given up have done so because they feel that the opportunities simply do not exist even if they do their best. I've been working to create job placement services in the downtown area and I can tell you it's damned hard to find a company who is willing to hire someone they know to have been homeless. The deck is stacked against them.
Life may be a competition, but we're a social species. We are demonstrated to work well together. People who have strong familial bonds and strong friendships are likely to be emotionally healthier. Sure we compete but do we do so to the point that the "loser" is starving on the street with no reasonable hope of ever having a normal life again? I'd say we all lose when that happens.
But drive alone does not guarantee success, even eventual success. Ability, drive, and intelligence does not guarantee success. There are no guarantees, because life isn't fair. That's just it, though: life may not be fair but we can sure do a lot to make it as fair as we can.
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Not true that the deck is stacked against them. There are many programs in many cities to hire people who are excons and homeless.
POSTINGS: Coming to Harlem; A Ben & Jerry's For the Homeless - New York Times
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The venture will be owned by Joseph H. Holland in partnership with Harlem Ark of Freedom, a nonprofit community organization that operates HARKhomes, a shelter on West 129th Street for homeless men. Some of the shop's employees will be shelter residents.
"We will provide permanent and transitional employment for some in the community who have a hard time finding jobs," said Mr. Holland, the project's developer and founder of Ark of Freedom.
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Common Ground The Times Square
employs people to care for the building, also a joint storefront with Ben & Jerry's and Starbucks to employ people who live within the housing facility.
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Acquired by Common Ground in 1991, the Times Square is the largest permanent supportive housing project in the nation. A once-stately neighborhood fixture that had fallen into serious disrepair, Common Ground carefully preserved the building’s historic character while redeveloping it into housing for 652 low-income and formerly homeless individuals and persons living with HIV/AIDS.
The Times Square combines permanent affordable housing with a range of on-site social services provided by Common Ground’s social service partner, the Center for Urban Community Services. Individualized support services are designed to help tenants maintain their housing, address health issues, and pursue education and employment. On-site assistance with physical and mental health issues and substance abuse is available to all tenants, six days a week. Property management services, including 24-hour security, are provided by Common Ground’s affiliated not-for-profit property management company, Common Ground Community.
Common Ground’s Tenant Services staff offers programs and activities to enhance a sense of community, e.g., a six-week financial literacy workshop, a community health fair, and workshops covering topics such as portrait drawing and cooking. Common areas include a garden roof deck (available for rent to the public); a computer laboratory; a library; an art studio; a medical clinic; 24-hour laundry facilities; a rehearsal space featuring floor-to-ceiling dance mirrors and a piano; and an exercise room.
The Top of the Times, a spacious community room on the top floor with sweeping views of the city, is used for tenant events, and provides revenue for the building through rentals to the general public.
The building, which is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, features a double-height lobby which serves as a gallery for displaying the work of local and community artists. Rooms are fully furnished, with private baths, kitchenettes, and ceiling fans.
The Times Square has received several awards for its innovative programs and historic preservation and design, including the Rudy Bruner and Bard Awards, and has been featured in national media including The New York Times, CBS’s 60 Minutes, and National Public Radio.
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Common Ground is building a new residence near where I currently live. Again, I'd prefer an NGO as opposed to a government agency or program.
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Common Ground’s commitment to ending homelessness is brought to life through the buildings it owns and manages. Whether by preserving historic landmarks or developing innovative new buildings, collaborating with partners or acting on our own, we create housing that is safe, affordable, and an asset to the surrounding community.
Under construction:
The Andrews (The Bowery, Manhattan)—146 units
Brook Avenue (South Bronx)—190 units
Cedarwoods (Willimantic, Connecticut)—70 units
The Domenech (Brownsville, Brooklyn)—72 units
Hegeman Avenue (Brownsville, Brooklyn)—124 units
The Hollander Foundation Building (Hartford,Connecticut) -80 Units
King Place(New Haven, CT)-2 units
The Lee (Lower East Side, Manhattan)—263 units
Montrose Veterans Residence (Westchester County, New York)–96 units
Schermerhorn House (Downtown, Brooklyn)—217 units
Our current residences include:
The Aurora (Midtown Manhattan)–178 units
The Christopher (Chelsea, Manhattan)–207 units
Kossuth Street (New Haven, Connecticut)–2 units
The Prince (The Bowery, Manhattan)–80 units
The Prince George (Midtown Manhattan)–416 units
The Times Square (Times Square, Manhattan)–652 units
Windham House (Willimantic, Connecticut)–50 units
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__________________
I don't care if you are black, white, purple, green, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, hippie, cop, bum, admin, user, English, Irish, French, Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Buddhist, Muslim, indian, cowboy, tall, short, fat, skinny, emo, punk, mod, rocker, straight, gay, lesbian, jock, nerd, geek, Democrat, Republican, Libertarian, Independent, driver, pedestrian, or bicyclist, either you're an asshole or you're not.
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