What are you going to do to save me?

Oh, I was fixin’ to chew fire today. I was bemused, annoyed, and inconvenienced today when a young woman demanded to know what I was going to do for her next. She had been in a motel for 2 weeks, been driven to her doctor appointment, and taken shopping at the grocery store. This, however, […]

Soap, a barrier between homelessness and health in the days of the Corona

“Wash your hands for 20 seconds with soap and water.” This is a basic precaution that I remember teaching the Brownie Girl Scout Troup I led. Now, with the Corona Virus landing in flu season, the news is filled with reminders to wash hands. I get emails instructing me to wash hands before touching things […]

Living is the Hard Part

people that have taught me, taunted me, and now have haunted me.

Waiting at the Canoga Park police department. Worth it.

I’m at the LAPD Canoga Park police station to file a trespassing and harassment and battery report with a freaked out client. We’ve waited an hour. I I’m going to say that that was totally worth the wait. We met my officer Hernandez he was very helpful. He explained restraining orders and trespass notices. He […]

#2020LACountyHIConference take aways

I’m sitting at this conference in a lovely room with 600 other people (I did 3rd grade math , 10 bodies per table, 40 tables in the room and an overflow room). This is what I’m taking from the conference… Granted, I’m cranky from spending $24 parking and being turned away from the registration… California […]

See my light across the water…

You can get here. Can we discuss how amazeballs Sheila Kuehl is? I just love her, and adore her because she makes change happen for the folks who really need a voice.

The Homeless Scorecard

Sometimes I work with someone who is homeless and it is like playing a game of “Bingo blackout”, where almost every cause or reinforcement of poverty/homelessmess is present. This is not a fun game…it it the mental checklist I use to sort needs and plan care. Using this I can see and sort needs and […]

Ummmm, not on the list

#2020LACountyHIConference , I registered but I’m “not on the list” so I’ve been told to wait in the lobby while everyone has breakfast. I am hoping that the poor planning of this LA County conference isn’t indicative of why we have a homeless crisis.

Mothering While Social Working

I. An Army of One (sorry US armed forces), but it feels right to say that. As a single mom, I’m the transportation and coordinating and some carer for a third grader. Being the more responsible part of her life givers (read, parents) this means she is on better hands with me than her father […]

Councilmember Bob Blumenfield and Homelessness

From Bob Blumenfield’s email updates … You might recognize a face in the back row Blumenfield Seeks Additional Funds for Homeless Intervention in Emergency Rooms On February 18 the City Council passed Councilmember Bob Blumenfield’s motion formally requesting funding for his initiative, the Homeless Housing and Recovery Project (HHRP) into the City’s grant […]