[HPN] Fw: HOMEWARD: Richmond's Regional Response to Homelessness

[I CAN America]

RE:

----- Original Message ----- From: Rebecca Lee

HOMEWARD: Richmond's Regional Response to Homelessness, in conjunction with
their "Creativity Workgroup" did a very successful and interesting project last
year. They purchased a number of throw-away cameras and handed them out to
homeless persons.  They were asked to take pictures of life and the world from
their perspective.  The pictures were developed, some blown up to picture frame
size and framed, and then they held a gallery opening for the community.  Those
submitting pictures received sweatshirts that had (on one side) a camera with
the words "what's right with this picture?" and the other side said "as seen
through the eyes of the homeless".  It was a great success.  Interestingly
enough, most of the pictures were not of sad images, but rather smiling faces
and groupings of friends, and excellent city-scapes.  There were certainly
pictures of "inhabited doorways" "smitties" "tent cities down by the river"
"shopping carts" and the like.  Of note was a particularly beautiful picture of
the city-scape looking from somewhat above and across the river.  My initial
thought was "how great the city looked" and then I realized that the picture was
this man's "wake-up view" from his bed under the protection of one of the
overpasses by the highway.  This display has now become a part of HOMEWARD's
permanent display and it has also "toured" the city, being shown in churches and
other public forums.


Rebecca "Becky" Lee
Director - Community Initiatives
United Way Services
224 E. Broad Street
P. O. Box 12209
Richmond, VA  23241
(804) 771-5858  [o]
(804) 775-6486  [f]


-----Original Message-----
From: Henry Pashkow [mailto:hpashkow@earthlink.net]
Sent: Saturday, February 05, 2000 12:54 PM
To: HOMELESS DISCUSSION LIST
Cc: espeedli@adphila.org
Subject:


Several men at our shelter - St. John's Hospice in Philadelphia - have
demonstrated an interest in artistic expression, like music, sculpting,
painting and drawing, writing, and the like.
This is good in and of itself.  But it also represents energy that may be
transferred to other activities leading to independent living, or, leading
more enriching lives.  We're thinking of getting  some students from the
various schools in this area to come in and perform, or teach, or both if
we can.  But in order to harness this energy to transferable activities, we
may have to establish a connection between the two in some concrete way,
and then find a way to support it.
If you've had experience along these lines, I'd really like to hear about it.
Thanks,
Henry Pashkow
Case Manager
St. John's Hospice
Philadelphia, PA