[HPN] 8-year-old wants national homeless holiday

[William Tinker]

----- Original Message -----
From: k rupoetry <krupoetry@hotmail.com>
To: <wtinker@fcgnetworks.net>; <nhhomeless@egroups.com>
Cc: <rosalie@worldpath.net>; <catrinac@fcgnetworks.net>;
<katrina_tinker@itsinspections.com>
Sent: Friday, February 25, 2000 11:44 PM
Subject: Re: [nhhomeless] 8-year-old wants national homeless holiday


 Can somebody inform Tyler that there is already a day set aside in February
 to recognize the struggles that the homeless face daily...it is called
 Homeless Unity Day.  Feb. 20, by law in Massachusetts since the mid 80's,
is
 an annual day of homeless awareness for programs, workshops, etc.  These
 cities and other states should all settle on the same date for a national
 Homeless Unity day for next February.


 <sananda@hotmail.com>
 To: <homelessworld@egroups.com>
 Sent: Tuesday, February 22, 2000 3:28 AM



   Monday, February 21, 2000, 10:12 p.m. Pacific

   Boy helps the homeless get a day of recognition

>   by Lisa L. Diaz
>   Seattle Times Eastside bureau
>
>   While some 8-year-olds are glued to the television or computer, Tyler
> Warren
>   is out stumping for a national day of recognition for the homeless.
>
>   So far, he's won over the Kent and Newcastle city councils, which have
>   adopted Homeless Day resolutions. But the second-grader from Star Lake
>   Elementary School in Kent says he won't be satisfied until Congress
takes
>   action on his dream.
>
>   The idea, says the well-spoken boy, is for everyone to donate a blanket,
a
>   coat, money or food on one day in February to help those less fortunate.
>
>   Tyler said he got the idea after seeing a man and woman in Kent late
last
>   year huddled on a street corner wearing layer upon layer of torn
clothing.
>   It was a clear, cold day. The man held up a sign, silently begging for
> help
>   - not an uncommon sight.
>   Tyler said he began thinking of how to help the homeless.
>
>   'I didn't think it was fair'
>
>   According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, even in a
>   booming economy at least 2.3 million people, or nearly 1 percent of the
>   population, will experience homelessness in their lives at least once.
>
>   "I didn't think it was fair they didn't have anything," Tyler said. "It
> came
>   back into my mind, and I said, `I´m going to do it now and I´m not going
> to
>   wait.´ "
>
>   Hearing of various official national days, such as United Nations Day
and
>   Professional Secretaries Day, he thought why not a Homeless Day?
>
>   But he needed to start locally. He approached his mother.
>
>   "It took me a minute to understand what he was asking," Sara Warren
said.
>   "He asked me how you make a day. I had to figure it out. I was very
> touched
>   by his concern and his willingness to give."
>
> >From that point, Sara and her husband, Terry Warren, took an active role
in
>   helping Tyler.
>
>   On Dec. 14 Tyler wrote a letter that was sent to more than 50 city,
state
>   and school officials: "I think we should have a special day called
> Homeless
>   Day. That's when you donate something for the homeless like blankets,
> coats,
>   gloves, money or food. Feb. 16 would be a good day because it's still
cold
>   and it's after Christmas. This would be good for the homeless. How can
we
>   make this a national holiday?"
>
>   The city of Newcastle adopted Feb. 16 as Homeless Day, and Kent named
Feb.
>   29 as Help the Homeless Day this year and plans to pick another date
next
>   year.
> The Kent and Federal Way school districts also are starting to raise money
>   to help the homeless, and U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton, R-Wash., sent Tyler
>   information on how to make a national holiday.
>
>   Some officials didn't respond
>
>   Tyler's father said he was surprised by the quick response by some
cities
>   and schools, and the lack of response from others. He said they are
> waiting
>   for a response from Gov. Gary Locke and from officials from such cities
as
>   Seattle, Bellevue and Issaquah.
>
>   "The more cities we get to proclaim Homeless Day in the month of
February"
>   the better the chance to make a national day, Terry Warren said.
>
>   His son is getting a lot of attention for his drive, something that
makes
>   his 13-year-old brother envious, but he's good-natured about it.
>
>   "I think I should have come up with it first," Zac Warren quipped. "But
he
>   did a good job. I wouldn't have thought about that."
>
>   On Tuesday night, Tyler accepted Kent's proclamation from Mayor Jim
White.
>
>   "I really do like that you guys are trying to help me get a national
>   holiday, so I just say `thank you,´ " he said to the City Council.
>
>   Lisa L. Diaz's phone message number is 206-464-2376. Her e-mail address
is
>   ldiaz@seattletimes.com.
>
>   Copyright © 2000 The Seattle Times Company