All week we have been tweeting about the importance of voting “no” on Prop B. In this blog, we are going to explain how the outcome of Prop B will affect the homeless population and take a look at what organizations are lobbying for the passing of Prop B. 

What is Prop B?

If passed, Prop B would reinstate the Austin Governance that puts a camping ban in public areas. Prop B would ban camping anywhere that is not allowed by the Parks and Recreation Department. It would also ban sitting or laying down on public sidewalks. The Proposition would also ban panhandling from 7 pm to 7 am. 

How did it come about?

This proposition came about because in 2019 Austin City Council revoked the governance that would ticket homeless people for the same reasons above, public camping, laying down, or panhandling. 

Since 2019 the homeless population in Austin has been able to come out of the creeks, thickets, and woods that they otherwise had to hide in because their way of living was no longer a crime. Due to the homeless being able to be in freeway underpasses and median areas now, it seems like they have multiplied in numbers. However, it is more accurate to say that we can simply see how many of them there really are. 

Before, when public camping was criminalized, the homeless would have to live in unsafe areas like creek beds and thickets and other areas not fit for human habitation. They would have to endure harmful animals like snakes encroaching on their living situations. For those living in dried out creek beds, they would have to worry about flash flooding and losing all their belongings

Who is behind Prop B

Save Austin Now is a Political Action Committee or PAC that was co-founded by Travis County Republican Party Chair Member Matt Mackowiak. He led a petition to reinstate the old rules that would criminalize homelessness and make it less visible. He is arguing that the homeless population leads to health and safety hazards and makes Austin “less safe”

Save Austin Now is arguing that the homeless make everyone less safe, which they have not factually proved. However, if this was the case, then Save Austin Now should be working towards ways that they can help house the homeless population or create more shelter space. Instead, they are only really interested in having the homeless population be out of sight out of mind so that they can have their peaceful lives back where they would not be faced with the stain on society that is the way we treat those who are less fortunate. Save Austin Now would rather treat the homeless population like outcasts instead of helping them.

Especially with the effect that the COVID-19 Pandemic has had on housing security and income, it is ever more apparent that anyone can become homeless.If we as a society in Austin are to ban public camping, we need to be prepared with a solution for safely housing them. 

You can check your voting registration status here on the Texas Secretary of State website

 

Written By: Analisa 

Edited By: Nick

 

Tags: Prop B, Austin, Texas, Homelessness, Social Justice

 

Most people think that the only way to give back to the homeless is through giving them money. This belief results in people not helping the homeless in general because they don’t want to give up their money, and for good reasons too.

Luckily, I’m here to tell you that there are so many more ways to help people experiencing homelessness rather than just giving homeless individuals money, they can even benefit them even more!

 

 Volunteer at Your Local Nonprofit

The best way to give back to the homeless is through volunteering. Not only are you helping out your community but you’re also showing kindness to those who are suffering at the moment.

It is common for the homeless to feel invisible and unworthy, but volunteering gives hope to those in need and makes them feel less invisible and more loved and supported. Showing this type of kindness can also help motivate and keep others hopeful for their next chapter in life.

If you’re in the Austin area then check out one of our previous blog posts on nonprofits that benefit the homeless population in Austin, Texas to help yourself get started.

Carry Around Snacks and Supplies

Another great and easy way to help out the homeless near you is by creating a care package and keeping it in your car, so the next time you see a homeless person at a stop light you can give that to them instead of money.

Many homeless people will be more grateful when given a snack pack instead of money, this is because it shows that you put in the time and effort to make something specifically for them.

Check out our blog post on the do’s and don’ts when it comes to making a homeless care package.

Donate to Food Pantries

Do you have canned goods piling up in your pantry? If yes, AWESOME because now you can donate that food to your local food pantry so they can cook it and serve it to the homeless in your area.

This is such an easy and quick way to help out the homeless near you. Every action counts!! Don’t forget to check with your local food pantries to see what foods they need the most…

Here is a link to all of the current food pantries located here in Austin, Texas.

Food for Homeless Pets

Most individuals experiencing homelessness are seen with a pet by their side mainly because animals provide a sense of love and companionship.

However, this can result in many homeless people having to spend their already scarce money on their beloved pets instead of on the things they need to stay alive, like food and water for example.

If you have a pet at home, then set aside some of your pets’ food into some baggies and hand it off to the next homeless person you see with a pet. They will be forever happy and grateful.

 

Your Turn to Make A Difference

Now that we have given you some tools and ideas to help out your local homeless community, you can officially make a difference instead of giving the homeless money.

Continue to follow our SEU Combats Homelessness campaign for more information and resources on ways to support the homeless community in Austin, Texas.

 

Follow us on Social Media!

Twitter: @seu_ch 

Instagram: @seu.ch 

 

Written By: Jayne Richardson

Edited By: Analisa Flores 

 

Tags: Austin, Texas, Homeless, Volunteer, Donate, DIY, Giveback

 

Written by: Nick M. Edited by: Jayne R.  

Caritas of Austin is a non-profit organization whose mission is to, “prevent and end homelessness for people in Greater Austin”. It helps individuals who are facing homelessness get homes, groceries, jobs, and educational opportunities to learn life skills. Their values are respect, equity, commitment, excellence, and innovation. 

The History of Caritas of Austin

Caritas of Austin was founded in 1964 by the individual, Monsignor Richard McCabe. The intention was to create a way for all individuals, whatever their condition, to have their basic needs met. Unfortunately, the founder passed away in 2009 but their dream is still alive with Caritas of Austin still meeting people’s needs. Caritas of Austin is not affiliated with any religious group however, many religions and groups support and donate to Caritas of Austin because they believe in the cause they are going towards. 

Food 

Caritas of Austin assists homelessness in several ways. The first way they help is by giving food to those in need. They have a Community Kitchen, open Monday- Friday from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The second way they help with food is through their Pantry. The pantry allows those in need to have, take-home groceries. 

Housing 

One of the main ways they help the homeless is through housing. They have several options to provide individuals with housing. The first one is Permanent Supportive Housing, which not only provides individuals with housing but also according to their website, “onsite supportive services, and mental health counseling for disabled individuals experiencing long-term homelessness”. The second way they help with housing is through Housing Stability, which meets people with housing when they are at their lowest point, for instance when facing a medical crisis or lost a job. They also have a Youth Program, which helps provide housing to youth facing homelessness.

Education 

One of the special things about Caritas of Austin is how they help transform an individual to meet their full potential. One of the ways they do this is by using education and life skills. Some of the classes they offer are financial literacy, health, and well-being, life skills, employment workforce training, speaker series. All the classes that Caritas of Austin offers are…. 100% FREE to their clients!

Employment 

Caritas of Austin does not stop just at educating they also help as a connection to assist individuals in need to get jobs. They gathered around 280 local employers to provide job opportunities to those in need. They help these individuals with: resume development, interview preparation, provide work uniforms and tools, support pursuing higher education, and individualized employment goals and plans.

Ways To Get Involved  

Caritas of Austin is always looking for volunteers to join in assisting these individuals to have a better life. You can help by giving your time, donations, or supplies. However big or small, every hand that helps counts towards making a difference in someone’s life. Here are some of the ways you can help: 

• At-Home Volunteer Opportunities 
• Serve Lunch In Community Kitchen
• Work With Clients Directly
• Provide Administrative Support To Staff Members
• Help With Donation Deliveries and Pick-ups  

Tags: Austin, Non-profit, Homeless, Texas, Food, Housing, Education, Jobs 

 

Early Voting: April 19-27, 2021

Election: May 1, 2021

The City Council of Austin, Texas is voting on Proposition B May, 1 2021. Now is the time to use our voices and come together to combat homelessness. It’s up to us, Austin.

Our campaign urges you to vote NO on Proposition B, here’s why.

 

What is Prop B?

Proposition B is a prohibition on sitting, lying, and camping and limiting solicitation in public areas. According to Ballotpedia, “A “yes” vote supports making it a criminal offense (Class C misdemeanor punishable by a fine) for anyone to sit, lie down, or camp in public areas and prohibiting solicitation of money or other things of value at specific hours and locations.”

The election will be held on May 1, 2021 and needs a majority vote for approval.

 

Why vote NO 

Putting homeless people in jail for being homeless is NOT the solution. Supporting Prop B does not do any good for the homeless community. It criminalizes a lot of actions homeless people have to take in order to survive. 

The current situation of homeless people living in public places is an inconvenience for everyone. People going through homelessness don’t have a home and often have to sleep in tents or on the street. Their trash pollutes our city. Some people have negative experiences with homeless people asking them for money or food or other things. 

What will Prop B do? Put homeless people away. It will get them off the streets but not into better living conditions. The little belonging they may have will be taken and their freedom will be stripped away. It will make the homeless people disappear, but not solve the homeless problem here in Austin. 

Homeless people are not disposable. They are a part of the Austin community just like the rest of us, and they should be treated as such. Prop B does not SOLVE anything. 

 

Alternatives

City Council should be more focused on coming up with real solutions to the homelessness issue here in Austin. Investing time and money into better housing options for the homeless and new programs to help them is what will really make a difference and create a long lasting impact on their lives to bring and keep them out of homelessness. 

For example, Mobile Loaves and Fishes just announced that they are planning to expand their Community First! Village, a 51-acre master planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing for people going through homelessness. They are planning to add 1,400 new homes. 

Other organizations like ECHO, Front Steps, Caritas of Austin, etc. work tirelessly to help the homeless community in Austin through volunteer programs and donations. 

These are the kinds of things our City Council should be putting their efforts and money into. Real solutions that will help the homeless community and end homelessness. 

 

What can you do?

Vote. Use your voice to vote NO on Proposition B. Our homeless community is suffering and it’s up to the rest of us to help them. Continue to follow our campaign for more information and resources on how to help the homeless community in Austin, Texas!

 

Follow us on Social Media!

Twitter: @seu_ch

Instagram: @seu.ch

 

Written by: Bianca I

Edited by: Jayne R 

Tags: Austin, Texas, Homeless, Proposition B, Prop B, Vote

 

This year Earth Day falls on April 20-22. Climate change greatly affects the homeless population. Homeless people will be affected by heat waves, air pollution, severe floods and storms. 

 

The Problems Homeless People Face

The homeless are also at an increased risk of danger due to their exposure to the elements. With homeless people having to seek shelter outside usually under freeways, in forests and other public places, they are at an increased risk of danger. 

 

Most recently, the homeless in Texas suffered through the polar vortex that devastated Texans and left many without power and water for days. For those that had to endure the elements from within their homes, there were accounts of death from frigid temperatures. Imagine having to seek shelter outdoors during that storm. For many of Texas’s homeless, that is just what they did. 

 

With an increased risk of inclement weather, the climate arguably affects homeless people the most. On top of all that, the homeless are usually people with underlying diseases and health issues. While having these issues they also are in more urban areas which means that they suffer greatly from diseases associated with being in urban areas. 

 

While some homeless people sleep in shelters or other similar living conditions, there are a subgroup of people that live in condition that are not meant for human habitation. 

 

With climate change projected to increase temperatures, especially in the summer months. Homeless people face the struggle of being able to stay hydrated and safe during summer heat waves. Having to stay in the elements during these months also poses long term health issues like skin cancer due to prolonged sun exposure and inadequate protection from UV rays. 

 

Increased air pollution poses a big risk to the homeless as well. With a study noting that an increase in air pollution would lead to an increased cardiovascular and respiratory mortality rate. 

 

The same study noted that floods account for 40% of all natural disaster damage and injury. With floods also being the most frequent natural disaster, they also pose a grave danger to the homeless population. While floods largely displace housed people, the homeless population is overlooked when it comes to making sure that housing areas are safe from flooding. It is crucial that through earth day efforts we take action to support the homeless population through flood disasters. 

 

Homelessness is an environmental issue and something that everyone needs to pitch in to fix. This earth day and every day after, seek ways to help the plant. 

 

How You Can Help

This Earth Day, consider adopting a plant based diet that will affect the earth less. You could also look for takeout options with biodegradable packaging instead of plastic packaging. When thinking about purchasing a new car, consider an electric option instead of a car that requires fossil fuels. 

 

There are so many ways that we all can help the planet in small ways that add up to big amounts. In order to reach sustainable earth goals, it is going to take all of us. The homeless population is at an  especially increased risk and needs our help. 

 

Written By: Analisa Flores

 

Tags: Earth Day, Environment, Homeless

 

Written By: Nick M. Edited By Bianca I

Mobile Loaves & Fishes is a widely known non-profit organization that caters to help the homeless community in the Austin area. The main three sections where they reach the homeless community are the Truck Ministry, Community First! Village, and Community Works. Here’s an overview of each of them and how you can volunteer with Mobile Loaves & Fishes! 

 

How It Started

The non-profit organization Mobile Loaves & Fishes first began in 1988. Five members of the Saint John Neumann Catholic Church started catering to the Austin homeless community by handing out food to them from their cars. Then, a former homeless man joined their group and acted as a guide to the streets. Their initial goal was to deliver 75 sack lunches a day to the homeless men and women on the streets. They accomplished that goal and were eventually able to purchase a 1997 Ford F-250 pick-up truck with a catering bed.

 

Truck Ministry

Their mission is to “provide food and clothing, cultivate community and promote dignity to our homeless brothers and sisters in need.” One of the ways they have accomplished this is by their truck ministry. The truck ministry allows volunteers to provide food, clothing, hygiene products, and other life-sustaining items 365 days a year to the homeless community. Over the years, there have been over 22,000 volunteers giving out 5.5 million meals. 

 

Community First! Village 

According to Mobile Loaves & Fishes, the “Community First! Village is a 51-acre master-planned community that provides affordable, permanent housing and a supportive community for men and women coming out of chronic homelessness.” This contains two phases. Phase 1 contains 27 acres and will be able to house 200 homeless individuals in need. Some of the things included in phase 1 are RV homes, capitol city metro bus stop, a community market, and an organic farm. Phase 2 contains additional 21 acres which will provide a total of more than 500 homes in the whole project. Some of the things included in phase 2 are outdoor kitchens, 200 micro-homes, and a community works entrepreneur hub.

 

Community Works 

The community works program helps individuals who have experienced homelessness find new skills and purposes in life to eventually earn an income. This will take place within the Community First! Village. The Community Market is the place where products and goods made by the individuals will be displayed. Some of the other areas include Genesis Gardens, Goodness Press, Car Care, Culinary, and Art House. 

 

How Can I Help?

Mobile Loaves & Fishes runs from volunteers. It’s from the help of the individuals in Austin that has made Mobile Loaves & Fishes all it has become today. You can volunteer with the Truck Ministry and Community First! Village today! This organization has proven that volunteering can make a world of a difference and we encourage all of Austin to take part in that. We have to work together to combat homelessness. Check out their website to see how you can get involved! 

• Truck Ministry Volunteer
• Community First! Village Volunteer

 

 

 

Not all of us have the time to volunteer at homeless shelters every weekend, but what if I told you there was a quick and inexpensive way you can help a homeless person? You could do it right now after reading this blog.  If you read the title then you’ve guessed it: homeless care packages! 

Making homeless care packages is a great DIY way to help the homeless community. Here’s a guide on how to make them! 

General Tips

 

Homeless people do not have a lot of space to store things in, so use travel size or single-serve items that are easy to carry and store. 

Use a Ziploc bag with a zipper on it for your homeless care package. The Ziploc bags with the seal tend to stop sealing after a while. The ones with the zipper also act as a reusable bag for the homeless person to store things in after using the items you give them. 

Food Items 

Non-perishable food items that are easy to eat are the best to put in homeless care packages! Here is a list of some options: 

• Water Bottle 
• Packaged Tuna 
• Applesauce 
• Raisins and other Dried Fruit 
• Peanut Butter Cracker Packs 

Food items to avoid would be hard foods that need strong teeth and foods that are difficult to chew. Things like:

• Nuts 
• Gum 
• Granola Bars 

Be sure to include utensils with food items that call for them! 

Toiletries 

Here is a general list of toiletries to include in your homeless care packages: 

• Toothbrush and Toothpaste
• Bandages 
• Wet Wipes (individually wrapped) 
• Sunscreen 
• Lotion (unscented) 
• Nail Clipper 
• Lip Balm 
• Tissues 
• Comb or Brush 

Here is a list of some toiletries to avoid putting in homeless care packages because they have alcohol in them (which is bad for potential addicts) or because they are offered in homeless shelters where they can shower: 

• Hand sanitizer 
• Mouth Wash
• Soap

Keep in mind the different hygienic needs between men and women. Care packages for homeless men should include things like razors and other male hygiene products. Care packages for women should include pads and other female hygiene products. 

Also, toiletries in homeless care packages should be unscented because many people will be sensitive to the fragrances. 

Clothing Items 

Did you know the number 1 most asked-for clothing item in homeless shelters is socks? Now you know! 

Here is a list of clothing items to include in your homeless care packages: 

• Socks (thick, high quality, thermal, or wool are best)
• Gloves (high quality) 
• Reusable Face Mask 

Most clothing items should be avoided because it is hard to judge a person’s size. Also, many homeless shelters provide gently used clothing. 

Miscellaneous Items 

• Written card with homeless shelters and homeless resources on it 
• Flashlight 
• First Aid Kit 
• Hand Warmers 
• Utensils 
• Quarters for laundry 
• Tarp 
• Sewing Kit 

A handwritten card is so important. It shows that you care about this person and the resources you provide to them on that card will help them so much even after you have given them the care package. 

Your Turn

Now that you’ve learned all about how to make homeless care packages, it’s time to make some! Rally up your family members or roommates and make a few to help the homeless community in your area. 

Make sure to go with a group when delivering homeless care packages. Tip: keep some extras in your car, so you have something to offer when you encounter someone in need during your daily outings!

Continue to follow our SEU Combats Homelessness campaign for more information and resources on how to help the homeless community in Austin, Texas! 

Follow us on Social Media!

Twitter: @seu_ch

Instagram: @seu.ch

 

Written by: Bianca I

Edited by: Nick M

 

Tags: Austin, Texas, Homeless, Homeless Care Package, DIY