Honoring the Fallen on Memorial Day

Today is Memorial Day. Formerly known as Decoration Day, today we remember the soldiers who died in service to our country.

One of the facts that is constantly overlooked on Memorial Day is that "about one-third of the adult homeless population have served their country in the Armed Services" according to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs:
http://www1.va.gov/homeless/page.cfm?pg=1

As we celebrate those who have lost their lives in service to our country, one of the best ways that we can honor them is to care their comrades who still carry the memory of their lost brothers and sisters with them.

Consider donating to one of your local homeless ministries today in honor of our fallen heroes, and those who survived to struggle under the burden of homelessness.

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More on the new HAC

Thanks to PegasusNews.com's Catherine Cuellar and Scott Guthrie for posting the first story from the actual event cited below: Dallas celebrates opening of long-awaited homeless assistance center


I had the fortunate opportunity to stand next to Scott during the event and speak to him briefly about my perspective on the affair. I am grateful for his honest approach to the event -- pointing out both its highs and its lows. Kudos for his bravery.

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The Opening of "the Bridge"

Congratulations to the Metro Dallas Homeless Alliance for today's wonderful announcement: the grand opening of The Bridge, Dallas' homeless assistance center. The event drew hundreds of neighbors together to celebrate this wonderful step forward.

But let us remember: this is a mighty step forward, but we have not reached the end of our journey to end chronic homelessness. The road ahead is long, and we must walk it hand-in-hand with our neighbors... those who are homeless and otherwise.

I was greatly encouraged by the editors of The Dallas Morning News, who made a similar statement in their editorial this morning: Editorial: A step toward ending homelessness.

Ending homelessness in Dallas is a marathon event, not a 100-yard dash. Today's opening of The Bridge homeless center in downtown marks an innovative change in the way this city confronts the homeless problem. But it's important to remember that this is still just an initial step in a long and arduous slog.

Thanks also to one of The Dallas Morning News' finest reporters, Kim Horner, for prefacing the event with this piece: $21 million downtown Dallas facility will focus on chronically homeless

The Associated Press also covered it here: New homeless center opens in Dallas

It was also good to see Our Girl Friday, Catherine Cuellar, at the event for Pegasus News, which covered the event here: The Bridge, Dallas' new homeless assistance shelter, opens Tuesday. PegNews is a gracious host of Larry James' Urban Daily. In fact, one of his recent blogs that they cross-posted was "The Business Case for Ending Homelessness".

Again, congratulations to the MDHA for this momentous event.

And congratulations to Judy Noble, wife of my dear friend and college mentor Peter Noble, for launching the MDHA's new Web site:

http://www.MDHADallas.org/

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Dallas County's homeless population

Related to the story below, Dallas County's homeless population growing.

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DMN says "Keep your dollar, help the homeless"

The Dallas Morning News ran an op-ed that said "Keep your dollar, help the homeless." It's an interesting read.

I am torn.

If you take away all my money, my home, my family -- every support system I have -- I am sure that I would really appreciate all that you could give to the Stewpot or the Bridge.

I am pretty certain I could also really use a nice drink or two, preferably in your company.

What do you think?



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VIDEO: Destination Home (Remix)

Thanks to our friends at the Pursuant Group for quickly re-editing our Destination Home video for today's deadline for the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives' "Portraits of Compassion" video story contest.

I cannot praise their work enough. The original video was a very tight 4:36, but I had to cut it down to under 3:30 for this competition. I gave them 24 hours notice... and they still pulled it off. I hope that you enjoy their work, and consider contacting them. Let them know that you saw their work for CDM!




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Destination Home: VIDEO

Featuring the stories of some of our formerly homeless neighbors who now have housing through Central Dallas Ministries. This video debuted at the Urban Ministries Prayer Breakfast with Tom Leppert, the Mayor of Dallas.



This is the second year that we've presented a video at the Prayer Breakfast related to homelessness. Last year, when we were joined by the candidates for Mayor (including Tom Leppert), we presented this video that includes interviews of people who are still living on the streets.


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Dallas mayor urges businesses to fight homelessness

Thank you to Phil Cubeta for not only joining me at Central Dallas Ministries' recent Urban Ministries Prayer Breakfast, but for citing the event on his blog, Gift Hub: "Of Metrics and Prayers for the Poor".

The Dallas Morning News also covered the event in their article, "Dallas mayor urges businesses to fight homelessness." This article is cited below.

To grow physically and spiritually, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert said Thursday the city must embrace the needs of its most vulnerable residents – particularly the homeless – and not leave them behind while those stronger thrive.

“To progress together, we need to understand the needs of others,” Mr. Leppert said during a keynote address before about 1,000 people at the Urban Ministries Prayer Breakfast at Dallas’ Hilton Anatole hotel.

Economic constraints, such as limited housing options and high gasoline prices, remain barriers to the homeless engaging in mainstream society, Mr. Leppert said.

But Dallas is poised to significantly improve homeless residents’ lives through the opening this spring of a new downtown homeless assistance center, the mayor explained. Mr. Leppert also said he envisions the creation of a $20 million housing trust fund that could be included in the city’s next public works bond package. Top city staffers project placing such a package before voters within three or four years.

The public sector, however, can only provide so much funding, Mr. Leppert said.

“The private sector must step up,” Mr. Leppert said. “Government can’t do everything and shouldn’t do everything. It should set a foundation, it should set priorities.”

To that point, the mayor called on area businesses to support, through word and checkbook, efforts combating homelessness and its root causes. General investments in Dallas will also create a stronger economic climate benefiting the entire community.

“Investments are, at their heart, a belief that we can create opportunities,” said Mr. Leppert, a career businessman and self-made millionaire who often crafts his political messages in economic terms.

But this morning, he stood before the crowd as part preacher and part politician.

Quoting Mother Teresa, Mr. Leppert said that the good one does today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway, he implored.

“In the end, it is between you and God,” he said.

Supporters hail Mr. Leppert’s ideas for reducing homelessness as at once compassionate and realistic.

But some homeless advocates have derided as callous one particular program Mr. Leppert strongly advocates: the Lend a Hand campaign, which calls on Dallasites to resist giving panhandlers money.

Instead, the campaign recommends, drop pocket change in any of several dozen lock boxes provided throughout the downtown area. Backers call it a vehicle for better supporting organizations dedicated to helping the homeless.

Larry James, chief executive officer of the Central Dallas Ministries, rejects such criticism of Mr. Leppert. He says the mayor’s efforts will only help the plight of Dallas’ homeless residents.

“This mayor is the real deal,” Mr. James said. “Tom Leppert cares about every street, every corner and every person in this city … He’s refreshing in every respect.”

Thank you also to the sponsors of the event:

Providing Hope
The John and Dorothy Castle Advised Fund of The Dallas Foundation

Providing Housing
Baron and Blue Foundation
Clay Cooley Automotive Group
Jon and Linda Halbert Family Foundation
Morning Star Family Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. J. McDonald Williams

Providing Health
Anonymous
Champion Partners, LTD
Church of the Incarnation
Texas Instruments
Thompson & Knight Foundation

Providing Hunger Relief
Abilene Christian University
Anonymous
Argent Property Company
Bank of America
Baylor Health Care System
Beaird Commercial Realty
The Beck Group
Don J. Clevenger
Scott Collier/The Staubach Company
Cornerstone Christian Church
Wesley and Teresa Crawford
East Dallas Christian Church
Embrey Interests LTD
Holmes Murphy & Associates
Dan and Sue Hopkins
Willie and Gigi Hornberger
Sam and Patricia Ligon
Sarah Losinger
Schuyler and Lila Marshall
Leadership Network
North Texas Food Bank
Glenn and Gabriella Owen
The Rees-Jones Foundation
Riverside Church of Christ
Dave and Cathy Shipley
Blake and Erynn Shipley
Kay and Kevin Thomason
Jim and Rhonda Walton
Walton’s Garden Center

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The Homeless Need Homes (or, "Duhhhhhh")

Thanks to the Chronicle of Philanthropy for highlighting this major announcement, which has even made it to the pages of The Wall Street Journal.

Major Study Supports 'Housing First' Approach to Homelessness

A four-year study whose results will be announced today indicates that putting up homeless people in subsidized housing, even without focusing on other medical or behavioral problems first, saves the public money and reduces chronic homelessness, reports The Wall Street Journal.

The study, conducted by a number of hospitals and nonprofit groups, concluded that providing people with a home and a case manager at a cost of $12,000 per year saved taxpayer money because the once-homeless person spent less time in hospitals and emergency rooms.

Some homelessness experts, however, remain skeptical of the approach, especially for drug abusers and alcoholics. And the program appears to work only in conjunction with intensive follow-up by social workers. Still, the study seems likely to shift homelessness policy in the United States.

Read The Chronicle of Philanthropy's article here, including a link to The Chronicle's article on the housing-first movement and efforts to end homelessness by 2014. There was also an article about "Housing First" in last June's The Boston Globe.

At Central Dallas Ministries, we are working to provide permanent supportive housing to the chronically homeless in our community. Here is a video that we put together around this time last year... some interviews with our friends who are living on the street.