Harbor Island Homeless BBQ is On!

Ok, we're well on our way, thanks to the Harbor Island Alliance, who gave us 10 free ferry vouchers!
I'm now up to 12 ppl, so I've got ferry, bus and train fare for everyone who needs it, and a few bucks left to spend on food, but it's getting tight, and word is getting out, so theres a couple more ppl who would like go, but at this point I can't cover them.

Please any help you can give will be a great help! This thing getting bigger than I hoped! Lol
However thats a good thing!
Please hit that donate button

Gary

Ahhhhh

That is all
Just wanted to share with my fellow downtrodden :)

THANK YOU to the Harbor Island Alliance!!

I have been going crazy these past couple of weeks trying to pull this 4th of July BBQ together at the Boston Harbor Islands for some of the homeless at my shelter and the womens shelter.
It was really starting to look hopeless and only had enough to get a few people there, and didnt even know how I was going to get food on the table yet. However thanks to the Boston Harbor Alliance I have the ferry covered for 10 of us, thanks to them donating the Ferry vouchers!!
I can't thank you enough! Now I'm able to cover the train and bus fare for 10 people and get some food to get us started!!
Many take something like this for granted, but a day out to get away from the hardships of our day to day routine is so incredibly important for moral, self esteem, and just to remind you what it is you're working towards regaining in your life!
Thank you so much, I am now able to bring all the right people who deserve this day because they work so hard at repairing their lives!

I am still collecting donations for additional food, since I now have the WONDERFUL problem of having more mouths to feed!! :) These are the kind of problems I like!

For great updates on activities at the islands, please follow them on Twitter at @34islandsboston

CNN Story on Homelessness and Social Networking

I'm flattered to get a brief mention in this story, however it's a great piece on the true power of social networking sites, and the great work that's being done by some people that I'm very honored to call friends!

CLICK HERE TO VIEW CNN STORY

Not homeless enough, Part 2

This is a responce to my friend @Joseph2Dogs on Twitter. He wrote an article on his blog, called "To All you homeless Traitors There I said It!!!"

First let me respond to where he says he won't be popular for this. Joseph I am probably your main demographic here, and I have nothing but respect for you, and nothing pleases more than unpolished, even brutal honest emotion. So we're good, and I'm going to return just as straight and unpolished ;)

First in regards to different levels of homelessness, or what some might not consider "homeless" enough.
I have said from day one, that in regards to my bout with homelessness, I've had it pretty damn good, and frankly it's going to get even smoother for me. Do I feel guilt about that? Absolutely not. I came into a situation, did some homework, got into a clean safe environment, and then from there started making opportunities for myself.
Do I ever claim to speak as the voice of homelessness? Absolutely not. I speak as what I am, one guy, with some personal shit that got me here, and trying to make some good out of my time here.


Yes, I go to a bed at night. Actually before night, I haven't walked freely in the night air in 2 months.
Do I get a meal at night? Some nights yes, some nights no. I have food stamps, so I'm covered on off nights. Do I feel guilt about that? Not a fucking chance buddy. I was a workaholic for DECADES, till some bad shit happened, then I basically unraveled, and could never really catch up or get a solid handle on my life. So I've paid a lot of money to Uncle Sam, so I feel no guilt in taking a little back.
Will I take more? Well frankly I qualify for SSI or SSDI, but at this point working with my doctors to see if I can just get back to work and tell Social Security "Thanks but no thanks".
That being said, I will be getting disabled housing because of my PTSD. Do I feel guilt about that? Not a fucking chance. That is what it's there for. I haven't operated properly in years, through no fault of my own.

I'll also be utilizing the system to fund a college degree. While doctors were poking around in my head, they found something, a 147 IQ, that I never did much with due to ADHD. Thats not bragging, I'm ashamed I was smart as my parents always told me and did nothing solid with it! LOL.
They want to help me get an advanced degree and help me find a career path in human services where hopefully I can make an actual difference one day.
So should I take all of this, and throw it away, and go grab a sleeping bag and sleep under the stars in solidarity? Once again.... not a fucking chance buddy! ;)
So once again I don't claim to speak for the homeless. I don't claim to have it as bad as others, and I certainly don't claim to be trying to save the world.
However I am here in this situation, I am trying to help people where and when I can as I see fit and able, and I will use, or even abuse, any resource given to me to make the best of this situation. The difference is most like myself, get in and out, and never speak of it again. I'm at least here telling my story, and will continue to work towards something positive when this is done.
This has changed my life in every single way, but if it hasn't made the changes that you would like it to, then my only response can be... "Oh well"

Without a home,
Gary

Homelessness does keep you humble

Certain things you should be able to be exited about, yet can't.
I remember when my first article was published in the paper, but I didn't have the dollar to buy a copy.
Now today I had a mention on CNN, but did I get to see it? Of course not! Lol

Forever humble,
Gary

Boston Legal

So as I'm at this cross road in life, it's become very clear to me, and to anyone who reads this blog, that I've taken strongly to helping those less equipped to help themselves.
So the question becomes how do I make this into a career and make enough to live while helping worthy causes?
While i'm getting great personal satisfaction helping others from within while living in a shelter, I certainly dont want to remain in homeless shelters helping those within it's walls forever.
So how do I continue to help?
More importantly, how do I make real change and real difference. Social work is great, but the more I learn from helping others is that most social workers hands are tied by the system they work under.
So the real question becomes how do I untie their hands?......... LAW

Not etched in stone yet, but with more and more serious thought I'm thinking pursuing a law degree might be the most effective answer for me.

My "dream team"(psych/case mngr/life coach), as I call them, are dying to hear me say that I'm ready to start working on advanced degrees, so I have a feeling this will please them as well :) Not that this is about them, I just know they'll be excited.

So watch out world. I'm from the mean streets of Brooklyn, i'm highly intelligent, and I have first hand knowledge of problems in the system for the homeless, and one day i'll have my law degree.
I am a triple threat!!

That being said, will you guys PLEASE help me get this 4th of July BBQ going properly? Donate!
These are all sober, clean, good people working at repairing their lives, they... and myself.... need a good fun day to remember what we're working for!

Thanks for listening,
Gary aka John Doe