homeless – kimi blog

20170109

Two Ruiz-Madden bills that provide help and identity to the homeless are now law in New Jersey

homeless not hopeless — Source: helpsfhomeless.org

09 January 2017

TRENTON – Two pieces of legislation sponsored by Senator M. Teresa Ruiz and Senator Fred H. Madden focusing on helping the homeless in New Jersey received was signed into law today.

“It must be a top priority of government to protect the health, safety and welfare of our residents,” said Senator Ruiz (D-Essex). “Providing basic government documents to those without a permanent residence free of charge is the right thing to do, since these documents are vital to accessing any number of services and to obtaining housing and employment.” read more

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Laws making it illegal to feed homeless in 33 cities must be reversed

On HuffPo, Rabbi Shmuly Yanklowitz writes about the 90 year old man arrested for feeding the homeless: “Arnold Abbott in Fort Lauderdale was arrested twice for publicly helping feed the vulnerable in his community.” And adds:

Astonishingly, according to the National Coalition for the Homeless, 33 American cities passed new restrictions on feeding the homeless between January 2013-April 2014.

Jews are commanded against following these laws, since we are obligated to feed and tend to the most vulnerable in our midst. The Shulchan Aruch writes: read more

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America’s war on compassion – and cellphone charging?

Add this story to the growing evidence that a war is being waged in America to make compassion a crime and to deny the most basic services to our #neighborswithnoaddress – the vast US homeless population of over half a million people. Which by the way ‘but for the Grace of God‘ could be you or me. Emily Green of Street Roots News reports on the plight of “Jackie”, whom police arrested for theft for charging her cellphone in an outside receptacle located in a planter box in Old Town, Portland. This story was reported by Street Roots, a Portland newspaper that serves the poor and homeless. read more

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Wyndham, don’t persecute the homeless

My statement to Wyndham Hotels on their Facebook page:

Your ambiguous statement about the homeless couple you threw out into 9º weather altho a benefactor had paid for the room for them is just meaningless lip service. You need to do better with a policy change. You also refused to refund the room fee the benefactor paid. That’s plain nasty.

The generous benefactors paid for three nights for the homeless couple and did give it back, but only after 110,000 people signed a Care2 Petition condemning Wyndham’s actions. read more

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French woman thinks Richard Gere is homeless & gives him leftover pizza

The Guardian reports on this truly funny story:

When a bunch of people emerged from subway tunnels and told this lady’s husband to stop filming his wife and surroundings with his little camera, the couple understood that something strange was going on. Two days later the French tourist learned what, when she spotted her photo in a newspaper! The homeless man to whom she had given her left-over pizza was actually actor Richard Gere, who was preparing for an upcoming movie role by walking around the streets of Manhattan in character as a homeless man, rummaging through garbage cans for scraps of food. read more

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Being caring is not noble, it’s essential.

Please, let’s never forget how important it is to care for people more vulnerable than ourselves. Recently I told about Narayanan Krishnan who walked away from a good job to devote his life to caring for India’s homeless (I love this story). And here’s another one, right here in the US!

Dr. Jim Withers started off dressing like a homeless man to gain the trust of homeless people living on the streets of Pittsburgh in order to give them free medical treatment. His guide was a formerly homeless man who told him, “Don’t dress like a doctor and don’t act like a jerk.” The pair once told clients the medicines in their backpacks were samples from pharmaceutical companies, but since he became a hero to the street community, Dr. Withers doesn’t need to pretend any more. read more

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Please Support Newark Grassroots Humanity Group Services!

Thanks for your interest in supporting the Newark Grassroots Humanity Group, an entirely community funded and staffed collaboration of individuals and non-profit organizations which provides humanitarian aid to Newark’s “neighbors with no address” (aka homeless people). The group’s principal mission is to provide a warm location, food and social service connections to

How to Donate

Tax deductible financial donations for the Warming Station are being accepted by Partners in Acts (PACTS). You can make a donation: read more

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Krishnan shares food & love with his city’s homeless, elderly, ill

Narayanan Krishnan cares for his city’s homeless, elderly, mentally ill. He worked for a major hotel in Bangalore and one day thought, I am feeding the rich but the poor of my region are dying for want of food. Now every day he feeds these people, bathes them and cuts their hair.

The philanthropist says, “Everybody has got 5.5 liters of blood. I am just a man.” On the social controversy of a person of his social class hugging and caring for the people India calls ‘Untouchables’ he says, “Food is one part, love is another part. The love and affection which you show will give them mental nutrition. Life’s ultimate purpose is to give. Start giving,” he urges. “Feel the joy of giving!” read more

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Make Thanksgiving 2014 for the Hungry & Homeless!

How about you? This year, will you help make Thanksgiving wonderful for the many who don’t have the wherewithal to do it themselves? We are talking about those without a home … or lacking family to share the holiday cheer.

There are plenty of opportunities to roast turkeys and bake pies in the days leading up to the holiday and to share food and love on Thanksgiving Day with community members in need of TLC and cheerful company. We are also collecting money, gift cards and clothing! If you have an event to share or questions about how and what to donate, reach out to me on Facebook or Twitter. read more

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Feeding homeless will get you arrested in Raleigh and over 50 US cities – Es prohibído por ley alimentar a los desamparados en Raleigh NC

Raleigh NC police stop Love Wins from feeding homeless

Do you know that in over 50 large US cities it’s illegal to share food with the homeless? Members of the church Love Wins in Raleigh, North Carolina learned this yesterday when they were threatened with arrest for distributing food to homeless in a park. The state of civil society in the United States is in much worse trouble than most people know.

¿ILEGAL SERVIR ALIMENTOS a desamparados en Raleigh, Carolina del Norte? Puede sonar a broma, pero la realidad es que oficiales de esa ciudad amenazaron con arrestar a voluntarios de la iglesia Love Wins que se disponían a repartirle comida a los necesitados en un parque. Hoy la noticia recorre las redes.
http://www.eldiariony.com/ilegal-distribuir-alimentos-desamparados-raleigh-carolina-norte-iglesia-love-wins read more