Soul Food is a weekly sharing of thoughts, prayers and experiences that nourish Bethesda members in our work of being family to those who have none. It is emailed each Monday to all staff and volunteers, and to those others who wish to request it.
If you would like to receive Soul Food every week via email, simply send your email address to soulfood@bethesdaproject.org.
The following are recent Soul Food emails distributed by Director of Community Life Tony Medwid:
January 30, 2012
January 23, 2012
January 16, 2012
January 9, 2012
January 3, 2012
December 27, 2011
December 19, 2011
December 12, 2011
December 5, 2011
November 28, 2011
November 21, 2011
November 14, 2011
November 7, 2011
October 31, 2011
October 24, 2011
October 17, 2011
October 10, 2011
October 3, 2011
September 26, 2011
September 19, 2011
September 12, 2011
September 5, 2011
August 29, 2011
August 22, 2011
August 15, 2011
| Hunger grips Pa.'s First District, report finds | |
| A new report that astonished even experts on hunger shows that half of all households with children in Pennsylvania's First Congressional District can't always afford to buy enough food. | |
| The district - which includes Kensington, parts of North and South Philadelphia, and Chester - is the second-hungriest place for families in the United States, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), the leading anti-hunger nonprofit in the nation. | |
| The report seems to establish Philadelphia as a locus of American poverty. With an overall poverty rate of 25 percent, Philadelphia is the poorest big city (population over one million) in the country. | |
| Mariana Chilton of Drexel University's School of Public Health said, "I'm more than surprised, I'm devastated." | |
| Added Chilton, the area's leading expert on hunger: "The magnitude of this issue is worse than I have been able to track in my research." | |
| Referencing Philadelphia's reputation as a "meds and eds" mecca - renowned for its top medical-research and higher-education institutions - Chilton added, "How can we have that distinguishing factor when our children are hungry? There's something wrong with that." | |
| -- August 12, 2011 By Alfred Lubrano, Inquirer Staff Writer | |
August 8, 2011
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August 1, 2011
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July 25, 2011
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July 18, 2011
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July 11, 2011
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July 4, 2011
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| HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY | |
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The Lord has sent me to bring glad
tidings to the lowly to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives and release to the prisoners. |
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| -- Isaiah 61: 1 | |
June 27, 2011
| "I've had a rough life. When I was sick, the owners sold the building. Where was I supposed to go? I was angry with God. How could God let this happen to me? | |
| "I used to go from door to door, ringing people's doorbells, begging on the street. God wasn't in my life – he didn't care. Why did this have to happen to me? | |
| "Then for almost two years I was in a woman's shelter, and I would go to the church next door. It was there that I met God again, and he finally heard my prayer. A friend of mine at the shelter moved to Bethesda and she told me about it. It sounded nice. I applied and was lucky! I got picked and moved in. | |
| "Today God's back in my life. I feel His presence. I know he's there. He heard me when I prayed to him. Today I'm under His protection." | |
| -- Bethesda Resident 'Laurie' | |
June 20, 2011
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The care of another person – even material, bodily care – is spiritual in essence. |
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Bread for myself is a material question; bread for my neighbor is spiritual one. |
| -- Jacques Maritain |
June 13, 2011
| Is it not one of our problems today that we have separated ourselves from the poor and the wounded and the suffering? We have too much time to discuss and theorize and have lost the yearning for God which comes when we are faced with the sufferings of people. | |
| -- Jean Vanier | |
June 6, 2011
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Homeless bill stirs protest; DiCicco says he'll modify it |
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By JAN RANSOM & MOHANA RAVINDRANATH Philadelphia Daily News Posted Friday, June 3, 2011 |
| After scores of protesters gathered outside City Hall yesterday to oppose his bill targeting homelessness, City Councilman Frank DiCicco agreed to make sure the measure specifically addresses aggressive panhandling. |
| Councilwoman Jannie Blackwell, who organized the rally along with Sister Mary Scullion, president of Project H.O.M.E., has opposed the bill, which would allow police to cite the homeless without first having them speak with social service workers. |
| "Some people felt [the bill] would create an opportunity for police abuse," DiCicco said after canceling a hearing scheduled on the bill yesterday. "I have amendments that would water down the definition that was creating some concern about police being immediately able to lock up individuals who happen to be homeless. |
| "That was never the intention. The intention has to do with stopping behavior in terms of aggressive panhandling, rude behavior and stuff like that." |
| Click here to read more. |
May 31, 2011
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Join Bethesda Project in Opposing the City Council Bill to Amend the Sidewalk Behavior Ordinance |
| Dear Friends, |
| We are writing you to ask your support in an urgent advocacy campaign. Bethesda Project is joining with other organizations throughout the city to oppose a bill introduced in Philadelphia City Council by Councilman Frank DiCicco (bill #110386) which would give police more power to issue citations to persons who are homeless on the streets. This bill diverts us from the real work of continuing to develop effective solutions to meet the needs of men and women living on our streets. |
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SEND A
LETTER Join this effort by sending a letter to Mayor Michael Nutter and all members of Philadelphia City Council, urging them to oppose this bill and instead keep the focus on real solutions. To sign that letter, click here. |
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COME TO THE
JUNE 2 HEARING There will be a press conference on Thursday, June 2, at 1:00 p.m. outside City Hall, just prior to the 2:00 Streets and Services hearing on the bill. Councilwoman Blackwell and Sister Mary Scullion will be two of the main speakers. We need a large presence at the press conference and at the hearing. Please plan to join us. |
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SIGN ON TO
THE SOLUTIONS NOT CITATIONS CAMPAIGN For more information on this campaign and to read the official position paper, click here. To sign on your organization or if you want to get more involved, contact Will O'Brien at willobrien@projecthome.org. You can also follow this campaign on Facebook. |
| Thank you for being part of this important effort! |
|
Homelessness
is Not a Crime Keep the Focus on Real Solutions |
May 23, 2011
| Philadelphia Commits to House 50 as Registry Week Ends | |
| Philadelphia Mayor Michael A. Nutter joined City and Federal officials this afternoon to announce the results of Philadelphia's Homeless Outreach (Registry) Week. At the event, officials reaffirmed the city's commitment to house 50 of its most vulnerable homeless people over the next year. | |
| Despite rain and cold temperatures, 250 volunteers took to the streets and parks of Philadelphia this week in the predawn hours to compile a by-name, photo-detailed database of people living on the streets. Participants in the event surveyed 528 individuals in Philadelphia, identifying more than 51% of them as physically vulnerable and at increased risk of death. The first individual to be housed through the campaign moved into his new apartment on Wednesday! | |
| May 20, 2011 posting: http://100khomes.org | |
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To read more.... http://100khomes.org/blog/philadelphia-commits-to-house-50-as-registry-week-ends |
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May 16, 2011
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May 9, 2011
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May 2, 2011
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April 25, 2011
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Philadelphia
Outreach Week May 15 - 20, 2011 |
| Common Ground's 100,000 Homes Campaign is a grassroots effort to find and place the most vulnerable, long-term homeless individuals into 100,000 households across the country by July 2013. |
| As part of Common Ground's 100,000 Homes Campaign and in partnership with the City of Philadelphia, Project H.O.M.E., Pathways to Housing Philadelphia, United Way of SEPA, Mental Health Association of SEPA, Horizon House, Bethesda Project and Broad St Ministry, we are planning a weeklong effort to identify and help persons who are homeless obtain and sustain permanent housing. |
| The goal of Philadelphia Outreach Week is to create a by-name registry of people living on our streets and shelters, so we can prioritize those who have been out there the longest and who are the most vulnerable. What we learn together during this week will help us reduce chronic homelessness in Philadelphia. |
| The campaign is recruiting dedicated volunteers to canvass Philadelphia streets and shelters to survey the city's most vulnerable homeless individuals and families. To ensure the most accurate count possible, we will survey individuals during the early morning hours for three consecutive days. The survey findings will be presented to the community at the conclusion of Philadelphia Outreach Week on May 20. |
| Visit our web site at www.100KHomesPhilly.org to volunteer. If you have questions, contact Jake Bowling, the Outreach Coordinator, at jbowling@mhasp.org or 267.507.3816! |
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April 18, 2011
| We are taught, "Remember the stranger, for you were strangers in the Land of Egypt." | |
| During Passover, let us never forget the festival's theme of freedom. May we be mindful of those who are enslaved by poverty and hunger, by illness or by prejudice, by homelessness and by hopelessness. May the festival inspire us to yet another act of tzedakah, to help the needy of our larger community, wherever in the world they may be. Let our voices and our deeds struggle for the freedom of all humanity. Our Passover Haggadah tells us that we are not truly free until all men and women live at liberty and in peace. May we rejoice in our own freedom by committing ourselves to the liberty of others. | |
| -- Rabbi Barry H. Block | |
April 11, 2011
| I have always been close to God, but not in the 'church' kind of way. I spend time with God when I'm helping other people. I'm used to working 7 days a week, providing skilled care to people with medical disabilities. When it was my turn to be disabled, it hit me hard. I had an operation for a sciatic problem, got an infection in the hospital and almost died. I had to learn to walk all over again. Then I had to leave my apartment because it didn't have an elevator. | |
| I felt useless and helpless and remember crying out: "God, help me, I can't take this anymore! Take my hand and show me the path." Just then I had received some phone numbers from my social worker, and chose one at random. It turned out to be Bethesda at 722 North Broad Street. On Tuesday I spoke with the Housing Coordinator; on Friday I interviewed with the Case Manager, and on the next Monday I moved in to my new room. That was some kind of record! I was so elated that I played '722' that week and won enough for my deposit as well! Now, you know Someone is looking out for me. | |
| I am filled with gratitude today. I believe in God, and I believe in myself. | |
| -- Bethesda Resident | |
April 4, 2011
| City's Homeless Lose a Safe Space Downtown |
| By Ada Kulesza, Philadelphia Weekly March 30, 2011 |
| Six blocks south of City Hall, a cafe opens at 9:30 p.m. People waiting in line outside the gothic church file in with their duffel and trash bags. Some have suitcases on. They descend into the sparse church basement, where they sign in at the reception desk, greeting staff and claiming spots around the room. Men and women, mostly middle-aged, approach a long table where the "barista" fills their Styrofoam bowls and cups with pasta, soup, bread, salad and coffee. |
| ....This year, the 315 South Homeless Cafe opened on Jan. 4 with $115,000 grant from the city, and will serve its last meal on March 31. |
| Read more here. |
March 28, 2011
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Tommie Hawkins 9/30/1944 – 3/18/2011 |
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We commend to your memory long-time Bethesda member Tommie Hawkins, who passed away on Friday, March 18, 2011. |
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My Brother's House will honor Tommie
today at an 11AM memorial. |
| May He Rest in Peace. |
March 21, 2011
| The kind of fasting I want is this: | |
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Remove the chains of oppression and the yoke of injustice, and let the oppressed go free. |
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Share your food with the hungry and open your homes to the homeless poor. |
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Give clothes to those who have nothing to
wear, and provide for the needs of your flesh and blood. |
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| Then my favor will shine on you like the morning sun. | |
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-- Isaiah 58 |
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March 14, 2011
| I was an army brat and traveled around the world. I spent 5 years in the service and worked for 20 years in metal finishing. I wasn't a bum. But things came apart in the late '80's. Mental problems from my time in Viet Nam, divorce, and substance abuse – all at once. | |
| From 1992 I bounced from one shelter to another until I arrived at Bethesda. God intervened and gave me a place where I was treated with respect, like a decent human being. Today I have dreams and plans again. My life is sweet now, pleasing to God. | |
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-- Bethesda Resident |
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March 7, 2011
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Students from Assumption College in
Worcester, MA are the first of thirteen College groups which will visit Bethesda Project during their Spring Break. |
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We thank these wonderful volunteers for their generous and caring spirit. |
February 28, 2011
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February 21, 2011
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February 14, 2011
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February 7, 2011
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January 31, 2011
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God chose the foolish of the world to
shame the wise, and God chose the weak of the world to shame the strong, and God chose the lowly and despised of the world, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who are something, so that no human being might boast before God. |
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-- First Letter to the Corinthians, Chapter 1 |
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January 24, 2011
| Our goal is to build a community where the human spirit may flourish: A place that provides quality housing and supportive services where we can share with one another our unique personal resources, acknowledge our God-given dignity and goodness, and experience the opportunity for personal transformation. | |
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-- From the Bethesda Project Vision Statement |
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January 17, 2011
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January 10, 2011
| You who are rich, the poor have been appointed your companions in this life. You see them burdened by not having things, while you are burdened by having things. In not having things, the poor have nothing to support them; in having much, you are weighed down. By helping them with their need, you can diminish your own load. | |
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-- St. Augustine |
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January 3, 2011
December 27, 2010
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December 20, 2010
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December 13, 2010
| I don't like to think about when I was homeless. It was hard -- I was really down on myself. Then something happened -- I remember coming into the shelter at Christmas time and receiving some really nice Christmas gifts -- the real thing. I was so touched that people were willing to take a chance on someone like me. | |
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-- Formerly Homeless Bethesda Staff Person |
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December 6, 2010
| The deepest wisdom we can attain | |
| is to know that our destiny is to serve. | |
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-- Abraham Joshua Herschel |
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November 29, 2010
| Jesus was not a man for others. He was one with others. There is a world of difference in that. Jesus didn't seek the rights of lepers. He touched the leper even before he got around to curing him. He didn't champion the cause of the outcast. He was the outcast. He didn't fight for improved conditions for the prisoner. He simply said: "I was in prison." | |
| The strategy of Jesus is not centered in taking the right stand on issues, but rather in standing in the right place – with the outcaste and those relegated to the margins. | |
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-- Gregory Boyle, Tattoos on the Heart |
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November 22, 2010
| A Thanksgiving Prayer | |
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| O God, when I have food, | |
| help me to remember the hungry; | |
| When I have work, | |
| help me to remember the jobless; | |
| When I have a home, | |
| help me to remember those who have no home at all; | |
| When I am without pain, | |
| help me to remember those who suffer, | |
| And remembering, | |
| help me to destroy my complacency; | |
| bestir my compassion, | |
| and be concerned enough to help; | |
| By word and deed, | |
| those who cry out for what we take for granted. | |
| Amen. | |
| -- Samuel F. Pugh | |
November 15, 2010
| National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week |
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| November 15th - 19th, 2010 |
| Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week consists of a series of events designed to educate the campus community, increase community service, and build campus and community coalitions. More than 500 campuses and communities nationwide participate in this project by organizing education, service and advocacy events. |
| Local participating colleges include: Bryn Mawr College, Cabrini College, Haverford College, LaSalle University, Rosemont College, St Joseph's University, Swarthmore College, Temple University, University of Pennsylvania and Villanova University. |
November 8, 2010
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| Apartment complex built to help homeless veterans | |
| CHESTER — For several years, the building decrepitly sat along Meadow Lane, a shell of its glory days as a hospital for veterans. Occasionally, the vacant building caught fire, sending squatters scampering to find shelter elsewhere. | |
| Waiting for a savior, the multiple-story, 30,000-square-foot building changed owners a handful of times, but little improvements were made until a local investment group, Trimerge Investments LLC., purchased the property in June 2009. | |
| Turned into a 42-unit apartment complex, the investment group hopes Buchman Meadows will primarily house veterans struggling with homelessness or financial difficulties. | |
| To aid the veterans, the investors are paying for an on-sight Department of Veterans Affairs representative to facilitate various social services, including counseling, health evaluations and financial assistance. The investors plan to arrange classes on homeownership, family self-sufficiency and other applicable topics. They’ll also provide transportation to local veterans' centers. | |
| According to Project CHALENG, a VA program designed to assist homeless veterans, about 107,000 veterans were homeless in 2009, including 450 in Philadelphia. | |
| Interested applicants can call 484-841-6646 or contact homeforheroes@comcast.net | |
| jkopp@delcotimes.com |
-- Delaware County Times 11/06/10 |
November 1, 2010
| Growing up, my parents took us to church in downtown Hartford, CT. It was an unusual congregation: just us, a few other families and several elderly residents of Hartford's downtown SRO (single room occupancy) hotels. My parents befriended them, and they became part of our extended family. They came to our house in the suburbs every holiday, and we'd visit them if they were sick or to deliver food. We saw how important SROs and rooming houses were as housing for poor people without families. | |
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-- Rosanne Haggerty, Founder of Common Ground and the 100,000 Homes Campaign |
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October 25, 2010
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October 18, 2010
After interviewing Mother Teresa in Calcutta, a journalist summed up his admiration by saying: "Mother, most people wouldn't do this work for a million dollars."
Her reply was simple: "Neither would I."
October 11, 2010
| Coatesville VA Center Dedicates New Facility | |
| COATESVILLE — The Veterans Affairs Center hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday (09/30) for Independence Hall, a renovated facility which now hosts a new program by Philadelphia-based nonprofit Fresh Start Inc. | |
| The 40-bed program offers a transition period for male veterans dealing with homelessness and mental illness, allowing them to stay for up to six months. (An existing program, the Mary Walker House, which is run by another partner, allows female veterans to stay for up to two years.) | |
| According to Donna Primera, director of mental health services at the center, "Most of them are homeless because of their serious mental issue... and the fact that through the years they haven't developed the coping skills to learn to deal with their mental illness." | |
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-- 10/01/10, Katrina Dix, Daily Local News of Chester County |
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October 4, 2010
| Homelessness Rising Among Philadelphia Children | |
| Sister Mary Scullion of Project HOME is leading the charge to rehab an apartment building in the city's Tioga neighborhood for homeless adults and veterans. The project involves the total renovation of a foreclosed, 54-unit apartment building on the 2100 block of W. Venango Street, in Tioga. | |
| Sister Mary Scullion, leader of Project HOME, says the property will turned into permanent housing for three groups: | |
| "Quality, affordable, sustainable housing for our fellow citizens who experience homelessness, for our veterans who served our country so honorably, and for low-income individuals and families in the Tioga section of our city." | |
| Nine million dollars in federal stimulus money will cover most of the $10½-million price tag. The project is due to be completed in about a year. | |
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-- Reported by KYW City Hall Bureau Chief Mike Dunn, Sept. 29, 2010 |
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September
27,
2010
I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the homeless in a safe and
supportive environment. Thank you, Bethesda!
Center for Student Missions Volunteer
September 20, 2010
If you do away with the yoke of oppression,
with the pointing finger and malicious talk,
and if you spend yourselves in behalf of the hungry
and satisfy the needs of the oppressed,
then your light will rise in the darkness,
and your night will become like the noonday.
Isaiah 58: 9-10
September 13, 2010
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September 6, 2010
| Labor Day 2010 |
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Master Worker of the
Universe, apprentice us to You and one another, so that we may labor side by side in Your work of creation. |
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Instill in us the resolve to
build a world where all may earn a living wage; where women and men are valued equally in Your work; where the disabled and elderly receive dignified care; where immigrants are free from exploitation. |
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Creator God, transform our
hearts and minds. Remind us that we are all one people — Your people. Amen. |
August 30, 2010
| When you put on a luncheon or a banquet, don't invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you. | |
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-- Luke 14: 12-14 |
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August 23, 2010
| Homelessness Rising Among Philadelphia Children | |
| More Philadelphia children are becoming homeless, according to a new report. KYW's Pat Loeb reports that the research finds one in 94 children in the city experienced homelessness last year. | |
| The report is a collaborative effort of five agencies, including the People's Emergency Center. PEC's Joe Willard says they looked at data from the city's Office of Supportive Housing from 2008 and 2009: | |
| "When you add up the total number of children served by emergency housing and traditional housing providers in Philadelphia, that number is approximately 5,000 children and youth." | |
| He says the increase over the two years was 12 percent, and growth was particularly high among children under five. | |
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-- KYW Newsradio -- 8/20/2010 |
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August 16, 2010
| Rich and Poor -- Equal Births | |
| Carefully examine yourself and see how you stand in relation to the poor. Look at yourself, not at what you possess. Why do you scorn your brother or sister? In your mothers' wombs both of you were naked. In truth, even when you have departed this life, and your bodies have rotted, when your souls have been sent forth, can the bones of the rich and poor people be told apart? | |
| I am speaking of the condition of humankind in which all are born. For both things are true: a person becomes rich here and a poor person will not be here forever. | |
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-- St. Augustine -- Commentary on Psalm 103, 7 |
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August 9, 2010
What an incredible summer I have had at Our Brothers' Place! I especially enjoyed cooking in the kitchen, serving food, and getting to chat with the men in the afternoons. It was really moving to hear their stories; I have learned so much about homelessness because I was able to interact with the men. Thank you so much for giving us the opportunity to be part of such a wonderful community. -- Summer Intern from Pendel Hill
August 2, 2010
| The Hidden Homeless: Teenagers | |
| "When we think of homeless people, we tend to think of adults or families. They're the most visible members of our homeless population," said Cordella Hill, executive director of Covenant House in Philadelphia. "But most of us are not aware of the teenagers, they're unseen." | |
| Covenant House, which has locations in other cities, serves between 400 and 500 kids a year. Hill said those numbers are steadily rising. | |
| Hill said in Philadelphia, Covenant House is the only shelter where homeless teens can come right in off the streets and get a bed. Normally homeless individuals have to go through some kind of placement. In adult shelters, homeless teens report they don't feel safe. | |
| According to Hill, in Philadelphia, there are more than 2,000 homeless children and youth in homeless shelters across the city on any given day. | |
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-- Philadelphia Tribune, Larry Miller, Jul 28, 2010 |
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| Read more: http://newamericamedia.org/2010/07/the-hidden-homeless-teenagers.php | |
July 26, 2010
I used to go from shelter to shelter, but never felt alone. I think the people at My Brother's House and St. John's Hospice made the difference for me. When I was with them, I had the sense that God hadn't given up on me – that He still cared about me and was still sticking with me. -- Current Bethesda Resident
July 19, 2010
I miss you all so much!!! (Even though) my internship is up, I would like to volunteer on weekends -- I really want to come in and see everyone. For my first essay requirement for college I have chosen to write about Poverty in Philadelphia. I chose this topic because I had such a good experience with Bethesda and I feel such passion for helping people in need. Thank you so much - I could not have asked for a better internship!! -- From a Summer Intern's letter
July 12, 2010
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| Shaun Donovan, the U.S. Housing and Urban Development secretary, called homelessness "a preventable tragedy." That is especially true in such a wealthy nation. | |
| The latest homeless statistics in a government report show the need for more funding: 1.6 million people spent time in shelters last year. There are about 3,000 homeless people in Philadelphia. | |
| Those numbers will likely only rise as more veterans return from the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. The numbers are already going up as a result of the recession, high unemployment, and mounting foreclosures. Families have been especially hard-hit, with the number of homeless jumping by 30 percent from 2007 to 2009. | |
Independence Day 2010
| Set free the oppressed, break every yoke; | |
| Share your bread with the hungry, shelter the oppressed and the homeless; | |
| Cloth the naked, and do not turn your back on your own. | |
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-- Isaiah 58 |
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June 28, 2010
| "Foxes have holes and birds have nests, | |
| but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head." | |
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-- Luke 9:58 |
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June 21, 2010
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Number of homeless down, but homeless families up |
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| Roughly 170,000 families spent at least one night in a shelter in 2009, up from 159,000 families in 2008 and 131,000 in 2007, according to the Housing and Urban Development Department's annual report to Congress released Wednesday. That increase, the report said, "is almost certainly related to the recession." | |
| Overall, 1.56 million people spent at least one night in emergency shelters or transitional housing, the report said. One-third of those individuals were part of a homeless family. | |
| Chronic homelessness dropped 30 percent since 2006, which the report said may be due to an increase in resources. | |
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-- The Associated Press |
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June 14, 2010
| A pessimist sees a glass of water as being half-empty; | |
| An optimist sees the same glass as half-full. | |
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But a compassionate person sees a glass of water |
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| And starts looking for someone who might be thirsty. | |
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-- G. Donald Gale |
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June 7, 2010
| For three years, running the homeless to success | |
| In 2007, a North Dakota transplant named Anne Mahlum came up with an unusual way of helping the city's homeless population: She would start a running club for them, encouraging self-sufficiency while promoting good health. Since then, Back on My Feet and its unlikely premise have exploded. The Philadelphia-based nonprofit has already expanded to Baltimore, Boston and Washington, D.C. A Chicago chapter is expected to open before year's end. | |
| The organization marks its third anniversary this month and will soon announce its 2011 expansion plans, which include reaching into five more cities. That growth rate far exceeds anything Mahlum imagined when she first asked a few homeless men to join her on her daily run. | |
| What's been built is more than a running club, although attending the thrice-weekly 5:35 a.m. runs is important. Participants in Back on My Feet are rewarded for their commitment to the exercise and encouraged to transfer it to other areas of their lives. That could mean earning a GED or finding a job or moving out of the shelter and into a personal home. | |
| "These people encourage you. They don't view you differently because of your past," said Antonio LaBoy, 49, as he looked around at the 40 people gathered before dawn to run together. "I look and I see unity of the group. I see friendship. These people are my friends." | |
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-- NATALIE POMPILIO, Philadelphia Daily News |
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Memorial Day Weekend, 2010
| This weekend remember our homeless veterans: |
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23% of homeless population are veterans |
| National Coalition for the Homeless |
May 24, 2010
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May 17, 2010
We had so little to bring -- but look what God did with it. -- Phyllis Martin, Bethesda Project Co-founder
May 10, 2010
| Jon Bon Jovi tours Dallas homeless shelters as part of charitable mission | |
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By JANA J. MARTIN / The Dallas Morning News |
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| After two sold-out weekend shows in Dallas at the American Airlines Center, Jon Bon Jovi played to a much smaller crowd on Monday. And it wasn't in typical rock star fashion. | |
| Instead, he continued his education on how communities can combat homelessness, taking tours of CityWalk@Akard and the Casa Youth Emergency Shelter. | |
| "It's one soul at a time," Bon Jovi said. | |
| Since Bon Jovi started the nonprofit Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation (formerly the Philadelphia Soul Charitable Foundation) in 2006, he has built 250 affordable housing units in Philadelphia to the tune of $6 million. | |
May 3, 2010
I was really glad when I heard that Father Domenic will be our new director, because he understands us. I look forward to being friends with him again. -- Longtime Bethesda Resident
April 26, 2010
Our goal is to build a community where the human spirit may flourish: a place that provides quality housing and supportive services, where we can share with one another our unique personal resources, acknowledge our God-given dignity and goodness, and experience the opportunity for personal transformation. -- from the Bethesda Project Vision Statement
April 19, 2010
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April 12, 2010
| All the great religions insist | |
| that the test of true spirituality | |
| is practical compassion. | |
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-- Karen Armstrong |
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April 5, 2010
After Jesus had washed his disciples' feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. -- John 13: 12-15, From the Holy Week Liturgy
March 29, 2010
Once on the Great Sabbath the rabbi of Roptchiz came home from the house of prayer with weary steps. "Why are you so tired?" asked his wife. "I had to speak of the poor and their many needs for the coming Passover." "And what did you accomplish with your sermon?" his wife asked. "Only half of what is needed," he answered. "I think the poor are now ready to receive. But I don't know whether the rich are ready to give." -- Tales of the Hasidim
March 23, 2010
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March 22, 2010
| Recent data from the National Conference on Citizenship reveals that 72% of respondents have cut back on civic involvement because of the current recession but 40% of respondents who are frequent participants in religious services have increased their level of civic engagement. |
| Over the last four years Bethesda Project volunteer visits are up by 98% and volunteer hours have increased by 68%, thanks in large measure to the volunteer coordination efforts of our Community Life Assistants during those years: Nora Spriggs, Rebekah Rosenfeld, Nicki Olivier and Junior Fisco. |
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Our thanks to them and to YOU! |
March 15, 2010
| Brotherly Love: One School's Homeless Project |
| Students at the Mathematics, Civics and Sciences Charter School in Center City Philadelphia are helping the homeless one sandwich at a time. |
| Every Thursday for four years, 17-year-old Antoine Adams has manned the meat and bread line, feeding those living on the street. In that time, he's learned something about himself. "It really makes me grateful for what I have," Antoine said, "and to be a part of this, I'm really honored." |
| Every student brings in a dollar to pay for the weekly $800 to $1000 cost for the homeless project. Sixteen-year-old Sharee Morgan said those that directly work on it learn something about homelessness and something special about themselves. |
| In four years, the group has made 54,000 sandwiches and raised thousands of dollars to fund the project. But as one student put it, the rewards they get are priceless. |
March 8, 2010
| He that does good for good's sake | |
| seeks neither paradise nor reward | |
| but is sure of both in the end. | |
|
-- William Penn |
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March 1, 2010
| Fraternity brothers pitch in to ease the hurt of homelessness |
| Joshua Deephouse slips into his sleeping bag and lays his head down on the thin plastic covering the ground. The temperature tonight is hovering just above 30 degrees; he feels every rush of air through his tent and hears every sound as he prepares to sleep outside. |
| The Temple University senior and president of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity chapter organized a camp-out to raise awareness over the plight of homelessness. |
| "It's a different experience if you're not accustomed to camping," said ATO fraternity vice president Matthew Jacob. "We do this once a year; homeless people, they don't have a choice — and that's the whole point of this camp-out." |
| -- For story and video: http://www.temple.edu/newsroom/2009_2010/02/stories/Campout.htm |
February 22, 2010
| Suburban homelessness rising | |
| Homelessness in rural and suburban America is straining shelters this winter as the economy founders and joblessness hovers near double digits — a "perfect storm of foreclosures, unemployment and a shortage of affordable housing," in one official's eyes. | |
| "We are seeing many families that never before sought government help," said Greg Blass, commissioner of Social Services in Suffolk County on eastern Long Island. "We see a spiral in food stamps, heating assistance applications; Medicaid is skyrocketing," Blass added. "It is truly reaching a stage of being alarming." | |
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-- The Associated Press, February 17, 2010 |
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February 15, 2010
| I'll tell you what it really means |
| to worship the LORD: |
| Remove the chains of prisoners who are chained unjustly. |
| Free those who are abused! |
| Share your food with those who are hungry; |
| share your home with the poor and homeless. |
| Give clothes to those in need; don't turn away your relatives. |
| Then your light will shine like the dawning sun, |
| and you will quickly be healed. |
| -- Isaiah, 58: 6-8 |
February 8, 2010
We are a family of friends which most of our members never had. We understand that real care for the poor and the little people of the world means being in love for the long haul. -- Gary Smith
February 1, 2010
| There are three rules for dealing with those who come to us: | |
| 1. Kindness; | |
| 2. Kindness; | |
| 3. Kindness. | |
| -- Bishop Fulton J. Sheen |
January 25, 2010
The first couple of times we came, it was kind of tough; then everything changed. I remembered the names of some of the guests and one of them said, "Welcome back!" They knew me and I knew them. It was just a human kind of thing. -- College Volunteer at OBP
January 18, 2010
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January 11, 2010
We are a family of friends which most of our members never had. We understand that real care for the poor and the little people of the world means being in love for the long haul. -- Gary Smith
January 4, 2010
I don't like to think about when I was homeless. It was hard -- I was really down on myself. Then something happened -- I remember coming into the shelter at Christmas time and receiving some really nice Christmas gifts -- the real thing. I was so touched that people were willing to take a chance on a 'bum' like me. -- Formerly Homeless Staff Person
December 28, 2009
| The Work of Christmas | |
| When the song of the angels is stilled, | |
| When the star in the sky is gone, | |
| When the kings and princes are home, | |
| When the shepherds are back with their flock, | |
| The work of Christmas begins: | |
| To find the lost, | |
| To heal the broken, | |
| To feed the hungry | |
| To release the prisoners, | |
| To rebuild the nations, | |
| To bring peace among people, | |
| To make music in the heart. | |
| -- Howard Thurman |
December 21, 2009
| Join us and Mayor Nutter to commemorate | ||
 |
Homeless Memorial Day Today: Monday, December 21 City Hall Courtyard 4:30-5:30 PM We will REMEMBER homeless and formerly homeless Philadelphians who died during 2009 |
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| and CALL for a renewed commitment to end homelessness. | ||
| Participating organizations: Arch Street United Methodist Church – Bethesda Project – Broad Street Ministry – Catholic Health East – Covenant House – Depaul USA – Dignity Housing – Episcopal Community Services – Homeless Advocacy Project – Horizon House – House of Grace Catholic Worker – Impact Services Corporation – JEVS – Lutheran Settlement House – Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania – Pathways to Housing –Philadelphia Veterans Multi-Service & Education Center – PRO-ACT – Project H.O.M.E. – Public Health Management Corporation – Ready Willing & Able – Resources for Human Development/Ridge Center –RHD/People's Choice & Silver Springs Centers – SELF Inc. – St. Francis Inn – St. John’s Hospice – Sunday Breakfast Rescue Mission – Tenant Union Representative Network – Traveler’s Aid Philadelphia – Youth Emergency Service | ||
December 14, 2009
| Hunger, family homelessness on rise in U.S. cities | |
| The U.S. Conference of Mayors said cities reported a 26 percent jump in demand for hunger assistance over the past year, the largest average increase since 1991. | |
| Middle-class families as well as the uninsured, elderly, working poor and homeless increasingly looked for help with hunger, which was mainly fueled by unemployment, high housing costs and low wages. | |
| Looking ahead to 2010, cities said they expect it will be difficult to meet increased demands for food due to the impact of state and local budget cuts, a decrease in grocery store donations and higher food costs. | |
| Just over three-fourths of the cities reported a jump in homeless families due to the recession and lack of affordable housing. Individual homelessness, on the other hand, was level or down in 16 of the cities. | |
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-- REUTERS, December 8, 2009 |
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December 7, 2009
| Through the Cracks | |
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Stimulus money for the homeless doesn't help those in the most dire need. |
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| (The...) chronically homeless, (Angelo) Sgro says, need intensive and long-term case management — the very thing that was de-funded by the Bush administration, and which nobody wants to fund now. "That's what's missing from the federal stimulus, any kind of long-term case management," Sgro says, "I'm disappointed. I thought we'd be able to use this money to help the chronically homeless." | |
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-- Isaiah Thompson, City Paper, 12/01/09 |
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See article: |
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November 30, 2009
November 23, 2009
November 16, 2009
| Students to sleep outdoors, host food drive | |
| Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, sponsored by Campus Ministry, will help educate the Villanova community about the issues of poverty around the globe. | |
| In addition to the events on Sunday, Nov 15, others include canned goods collections, reflections, a food drive, a clothing drive and several speakers. | |
| During last year's Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, over 130 runners signed up for the Hunger Run, raising over $1,300. At the sleep-out last year, 35 of the 50 attendees slept outside the entire night. | |
|
-- The Villanovan |
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November 9, 2009
| Be not forgetful to offer hospitality to strangers, | |
| for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. | |
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-- Hebrews 13: 1-2 |
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November 2, 2009
October 26, 2009
October 19, 2009
October 12, 2009
October 5, 2009
September 28, 2009
| Kol Tzedek Synagogue (West Philadelphia) |
| Sponsors Food Donation on Yom Kippur |
| "Bethesda" derives its name from "Beit" and "Chesed," meaning "house of loving-kindness" in Hebrew. The founders of Bethesda Project -- a prayer group from Daylesford, PA -- drew inspiration from Isaiah 58 when they saw homelessness on the rise in the late 1970s: |
| Is such the fast that I have chosen? the day for a man to afflict his soul?... |
| Wilt thou call this a fast, and an acceptable day to the LORD?... |
| Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou |
| bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? |
| Help us answer Isaiah's challenge through small contributions -- like donating food. |
| -- that can add up to a huge difference in someone's life |
| Please bring any of the following to Calvary when you come to Yom Kippur services! |
| - ground coffee |
| - dry spaghetti |
| - canned beans and other canned goods |
| - macaroni & cheese |
| - other staples in box or canned forms |
| http://www.kol-tzedek.org |
September 21, 2009
| Did film (Soloist) get a mental illness right? By Dan Gottlieb | |
| Dear Dan, | |
| I watched the movie The Soloist about Steve Lopez's relationship with Nathaniel Ayers , the inspirational homeless musician in L.A. I'm wondering if you can share your insights on the authenticity of the movie, especially regarding the relationship between Ayers and Lopez and the mental illness symptoms of the homeless people depicted in the film. I'm a theology teacher in a Catholic high school and in my senior classes, we study homelessness: the realities, causes and consequences. I'm thinking that this movie may be useful. I look forward to any insights you can offer me. - Suzy Eyler | |
| "...our responsibility as a community is to do what we can to see (the) diamond." – Dan Gottlieb | |
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For Dr. Dan Gottieb’s complete response, click here |
September 14, 2009
| My brothers and sisters, |
| what good is it if people claim they have faith |
| but don't act like it? |
| Can that kind of faith save them? |
| Suppose a brother or sister has no clothes or food. |
| Suppose one of you says to them, |
| "I hope everything turns out fine for you. |
| Keep warm. |
| Eat well." |
| And you do nothing about what they really need. | |
| Then what good have you done? | |
| It is the same with faith. | |
| If it doesn't cause us to do something, | |
| it's dead. | |
| -- James 2, 14-18 | |
September 7, 2009
August 31, 2009
August 24, 2009
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Caring is the privilege of every person |
|
| -- Henri Nouwen | |
August 17, 2009
August 10, 2009
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Phila. center to aid homeless veterans |
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|
On any given night across the country, an
estimated 131,000 veterans are homeless - living in shelters, on
streets, or doubling up with friends.
President Obama has declared "zero tolerance"
for homelessness among those who have served in the military, and a
newly created center in Philadelphia will help his administration
decide how best to tackle the problem.
In October, the Department of Veterans
Affairs will open the National Center on Homelessness Among Veterans
in University City, near the VA Medical Center of Philadelphia. Its
purpose will be to steer national policy, conduct research, and
educate the operators of VA programs on the most effective methods
for reducing homelessness.
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|
|
-- By Jennifer Lin, Philadelphia Inquirer, 8/09/09 |
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August 3, 2009
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The quality of mercy is not strain'd, |
|
| -- The Merchant Of Venice | |
July 27, 2009
| A man brought Elisha twenty loaves of bread. Elisha said, "Give it to the people so they can eat." "There's not enough here for a hundred people," his servant said. "Just give it to them," Elisha replied. "The LORD has promised there will be more than enough." The servant served the bread to the people. They ate and still had some left over, just as the LORD had promised. -- 2 Kings: 4:42-44 |
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Bethesda thanks all of our friends who
supported the 2009 Picnic with their gifts of donuts,
hot dogs, hamburgers, sausages, sandwich rolls,
coleslaw, potato salad, pasta salad, beverages, chips,
cookies, fresh fruit, water balloons, gift cards, tents,
and other practical expressions of your love. 185 of our Bethesda family members feasted on your kindness and generosity. |
July 20, 2009
July 13, 2009
|
Just a few nights ago, homeless men slept in
the doorways of an empty two-story building along an alley between
the Loews Hotel and St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church in
Center City.
But yesterday, a crane arrived to begin
tearing down the old school to make way for permanent housing for
homeless men and women.
Eighteen months from now, 79 people battling
mental illness or addictions will move into a $25 million,
eight-story apartment building.
The facility will have 24 rooms for formerly
homeless men and women working with the Bethesda Project to recover
from addictions, and 55 efficiency apartments for homeless people
with mental illness working with Project H.O.M.E.
"This building is important," said Angelo
Sgro, Director of Bethesda Project, "because we are creating
desperately needed permanent, supported housing for people with
special needs in an area of the city with an abundance of social
services, transportation, and social opportunities."
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|
|
-- By Jennifer Lin, Inquirer Staff Writer, July 9, 2009 |
|
July 6, 2009
June 29, 2009
June 22, 2009
| First lady to lead Cabinet officers in volunteer efforts | |
|
WASHINGTON — Led by Michelle Obama, top
members of the Obama administration will fan out across the country
next week to participate in community service projects as part of a
high-profile effort to spark volunteer work through the summer.
"It's a way of saying you may not think you can do much, but here is something you can do," said U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, who'll serve breakfast to the homeless at the Second Chance Cafe at The Bridge in Dallas, where he formerly served as mayor.
He's worked at the cafe before and wanted to
underscore the need for year-round help. "During Thanksgiving and
Christmas, people are acutely aware of the need to help feed the
hungry, but homelessness and hunger is a year-round phenomenon.
During the summer is when they go begging for help," Kirk said.
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|
| By Steven Thomma, McClatchy Newspapers | |
June 15, 2009
| First Ever Report Card On Homeless Children Released | |
| by KYW's Kim Glovas | |
|
The first ever national report on homeless
children has been released. The National Center on Family
Homelessness unveiled the report at a forum in Philadelphia. The
report, titled "America's Youngest Outcasts," is the first ever
attempt at providing hard information on the number of homeless
children in each state, their health and where they stand
educationally.
Pennsylvania stands 14th in the national ranking of taking care of its homeless, and has more than 43,000 homeless children. |
|
| KYW Newsradio Tuesday, 09 June 2009 | |
June 8, 2009
June 1, 2009
Memorial Day, 2009
May 18, 2009
May 11, 2009
May 4, 2009
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The most authentic thing about us is our
capacity to create, to overcome, to endure, to transform, to love, and to be greater than our suffering |
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|
-- Ben Okri |
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April 27, 2009
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Hollywood looks at mental illness | |
| Friday, April 24th, 2009 | ||
| By: Maiken Scott | ||
| mscott@whyy.org | ||
| The film The Soloist opens today. Mental health advocates are glad the movie, based on a Steve Lopez book, is drawing attention to mental illness and homelessness. They hope audiences take away the right lessons from the film. | ||
| To listen to the 4 minute interview, click on: | ||
| http://whyy.org/cms/news/health-science/behavioral-health-health-science/2009/04/24/hollywood-looks-at-mental-illness/7117 | ||
April 20, 2009
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of their possessions was their own, but they shared everything they had.
And God's grace was so powerfully at work in them all that there were no needy persons among them. -- Acts 4
April 13, 2009
April 6, 2009
After Jesus had washed his disciples' feet and had put his outer garment back on, he sat down again. Then he said: Do you understand what I have done? You call me your teacher and Lord, and you should, because that is who I am. And if your Lord and teacher has washed your feet, you should do the same for each other. I have set the example, and you should do for each other exactly what I have done for you. -- John 13: 12-15, From the Holy Thursday Liturgy
March 30, 2009
At every Seder, Jews open the door to beckon the spirit of Eliyahu, the prophet Elijah. Elijah was a farmer in the 9th century, who was a fighter for freedom and independence for common people. Before he died, he promised he would return once each generation in the guise of a homeless person. He said he would know, by the way he was treated, whether people had reached a level of humanity that would make them ready for the messiah. -- Bethesda Staff Person
March 23, 2009
| These people loved me back into shape. | |
| My mind’s cleared up. I’ve got my self esteem. | |
| I wake up happy. | |
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-- Bethesda Resident |
|
March 16, 2009
When I was at the Bethesda Café (8th and Arch Sts) on Sunday night there was a new guest, 21 years old and crying. She had nothing but the clothes she was wearing. She came over to me, we prayed and she continued crying. But what she said to me was exactly what and why we do what we do.... She aid she feels SAFE at the Café. -- Bethesda Café Volunteer
March 9, 2009
| Please join us for our annual Volunteers Appreciation Night! |
| If you have prepared, delivered or served |
| Bethesda casseroles, meals, or snacks; |
| If you have led Bingo, songs, work groups, discussions |
| or special presentations at our houses; |
| If you have talked with us, listened to us, surveyed us, |
| taken us shopping, cleaned our corridors, or worked in our gardens; |
| If you have been friends and family to us, |
| we want to thank you on: |
| Wednesday, April 1, 2009 |
| Old First Reformed Church |
| 4th and Race Streets |
| Philadelphia, PA 19106 |
| Click here for the invitation, map with directions, |
| and on-street parking permit |
March 2, 2009
| I'll tell you what it really means to worship the LORD: | ||
| Remove the chains of prisoners who are held unjustly; | ||
| free those who are abused! | ||
| Share your food with those who are hungry; and share | ||
| your home with the poor and homeless. | ||
| Give clothes to those in need. | ||
| Then your light will shine in the dark, | ||
| and your darkest hour will be like the noonday sun. | ||
| -- Isaiah 58 | ||
February 23, 2009
|
Mission Statement |
| Seeking God’s guidance and believing that we are responsible to each other as members of one family, the mission of Bethesda Project is to find and care for the abandoned poor and be family with those who have none. |
|
Vision Statement |
| Bethesda Project is a faith-based community dedicated to serving the abandoned poor. We have chosen to focus our energies on those who are homeless. |
| Bethesda Project’s fundamental commitment is to create a community where men and women on the margins of a complex society find sanctuary and have their basic needs met in the company of a loving, compassionate and caring family. We are also committed to offering programs facilitating social and economic reintegration into society. |
| Our goal is to build a community where the human spirit may flourish: a place that provides quality housing and supportive services where we can share with one another our unique personal resources, acknowledge our God-given dignity and goodness, and experience the opportunity for personal transformation. |
February 16, 2009
 Bethesda
Family Members:We have appealed to you for help for many things over the years. To the best of my knowledge, we have never asked you to contact government representatives on our behalf. These are not ordinary times, however. We are faced with an extraordinary challenge to our ability to provide a safe and secure environment to our guests at Our Brothers’ Place (OBP), the shelter we run under a city contract at 907 Hamilton Street. We have already lost our entire social service staff for fiscal 2010. Further cuts of as much as 30% are contemplated by the mayor. I am convinced that even a 10% cut to the budget at OBP will reduce our program to a warehouse for human beings that is unacceptable to us. Please visit bethesdaproject.org to learn how to contact city officials and lend your voice to our homeless brothers and sisters. Thank you, Angelo Sgro Executive Director Bethesda Project |
February 9, 2009
Being Family with Those Who Have None
| When: | Thursday, February 12, 2009 at 12:00PM |
| Where: | Bethesda Cafe, 740 Arch Street, 215-685-4610 |
| Cost: | FREE |
Bring your lunch to the Bethesda Project Café and talk with our long-time volunteers about how they make personal connections with homeless men and women. Tony Medwid will lead a discussion about the long-term personal and societal impact of these relationships.
"Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.
Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.
Walk beside me and be my friend."
- Albert Camus
February 2, 2009
You who are looking forward to meeting God in heaven:
attend to him now lying under the arches;
attend to him hungry,
attend to him shivering with cold,
attend to him needy,
attend to him a foreigner.
-- St. Augustine
January 26, 2009
"Here is a test to find out if your mission on earth is finished: if you’re alive, it isn’t." -- Richard Bach
January 19, 2009
 |
| -- Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. |
January 12, 2009
| BETHESDA PROJECT IS
A PROUD COMMUNITY PARTNER OF THE FREE LIBRARY'S ONE BOOK, ONE PHILADELPHIA PROGRAM. |
| JOIN US FOR TWO FREE
EVENTS WITH BETHESDA STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS! |
| THIS YEAR'S BOOK SELECTION, THE SOLOIST, TELLS THE TRUE STORY OF THE FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN JOURNALIST STEVE LOPEZ AND STREET MUSICIAN NATHANIEL AYERS. WE WILL EXPLORE ISSUES ABOUT HOMELESSNESS THAT THE BOOK RAISES. CHECK OUT THE LIBRARY'S WEBSITE OR ANY BRANCH FOR A FULL CALENDAR OF EVENTS OR TO CHECK OUT A COPY OF THE BOOK. |
| HOW DID THIS HAPPEN? A FRANK TALK ABOUT HOMELESSNESS |
| WHEN: MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 7:00PM |
| WHERE: PHILADELPHIA CITY INSTITUTE, LOCUST & 19TH STREET |
| Angelo Sgro, Executive Director of Bethesda Project and long-time Philadelphia mental health professional and activist, will discuss the perfect storm of social injustice, mental illness, drugs, and economics that contributes to the ongoing homelessness crisis. |
| BEING FAMILY WITH THOSE WHO HAVE NONE |
| WHEN: THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 12:00PM |
| WHERE: BETHESDA CAFE, 740 ARCH STREET, 215-685-4610 |
| Bring your lunch to the Bethesda Project Café and talk with long-time volunteers of one of the city's largest and oldest homeless services organizations about how they make positive connections with homeless men and women. Bethesda Project Community Life Director Tony Medwid will lead a discussion about the long-term personal and societal impact of these relationships. Beverages will be provided. |
January 5, 2009
|
|
Play Misty for me: |
| See the Philadelphia Weekly article: Where the Sidewalk Ends by Tara Murtha: |
| http://www.philadelphiaweekly.com/articles/18116/columns--laptop-anthropologist |
December 29, 2008
Profile of Hunger in Philadelphia:
During the last year, requests for food assistance have increased 23 percent in Philadelphia. Those requesting assistance for the first time include families with children, employed persons, and senior citizens who are raising grandchildren.
An eight percent decrease in budgets for emergency food purchases during the same period
has forced providers to reduce the amount and variety of food purchased, resulting in a 26 percent decrease in the amount of food distributed in Philadelphia.
Profile of Homelessness in Philadelphia:
Overall, the number of people experiencing homelessness increased 3 percent in Philadelphia over the past year.
TOTAL POPULATION: 1,449, 634
PERCENT BELOW POVERTY LINE: 23.80%
From
U.S. Conference of Mayors 2008 Status Report on Hunger & Homelessness