This is Jason, he is 58 years old, a Veteran, and quite the visionary.
Last time he was in the HinS office was June 30, 2012, he was homeless, had been for 13 years, told me when he finds housing he would be back to discuss putting his dreams into action.
So yesterday JJ walks in and says, “I’ve got housing, let’s talk about putting my vision into action!”
He has housing through the DESC Aurora House, we are all getting used to saying THANK YOU DESC, just saying, if you work for DESC you should give yourself a LOVE HUG, you are beautiful, all of you!
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
Preacher John is in need of a guitar.
If you have one just sitting in a closet at home you might consider giving it to him, he’ll fill it with the blues, your guitar will live like never before, making those on the sidewalk smile and reach out.
He’s out most nights in front of Roxy’s in Fremont, now just singing, sharing his wonderful voice.
Homeless In Seattle office address is 142 NW Canal Street, Seattle WA 98107. Please call first 206-330-1142
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
http://www.facebook.com/HomelessInSeattle
Down along the Viaduct, just off Main Street, a man leaning against an old brick building smiled at us from the other side of the street. It was such a big beautiful smile that it just pulled us over to him.
Meet Abraham Ahmed, he is from Somalia, is as nice as can be, is blessed with a seriously beautiful smile. Right now he is going through the program at the Bread Of Life Mission. Wow, so many lives being touched by the work that is going on there.
Abraham asked Dawndra where she is from, she said, “Here, I live in West Seattle.” I asked him where he is from and he asked back if I meant originally, I said yes, and he then told us that he had moved here from Somalia, but that when he got here he discovered that he had already been here once before, that it was 2,000 years ago.
I have been wondering where I was 2,000 years ago, such a wonderful conversation we had with Abraham.
Pioneer Square neighborhood | Rex
Dinkus came by the office today for a visit, I showed him the Homeless In Seattle T-shirt with his face on it and the slogan THINK LIKE DINK, he loveLOVED it! I think he was more excited than when he found out about his housing!
Check out the November 9th posting and consider getting your very own THINK LIKE DINK shirt!
To order send message to:
FacingHomelessnessSeattle@gmail.com
Please specify size, color, and type of cut. Shirts are $20 each, plus $5 if we need to mail to you. THANKS!!!
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
Preacher John came by today to pick up a sleeping bag, his was soaked through from last night’s near constant downpour.
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
http://www.facebook.com/HomelessInSeattle
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
For those of you that have been following Homeless In Seattle you already know who Lynie Vinyard is, you have heard her share her goodGOOD energy and LOVE towards many of those in our community.
One of the most beautiful moments on HinS was when Joseph Pidgeon received the guitar Lynie gave to him, he could hardly speak he was so moved by her kindness.
Lynie has given to many of those here on HinS, which includes letters of loving encouragement, she has been a serious force of good, more than a few living on the street refer to her as an angel.
What you may not know is that Lynie lives in Missouri, that is right, a little town outside of Jefferson City, Missouri and yesterday she flew out for three days to meet many of those that she has sent kindness to long-distance.
Yesterday, when Dinkus saw Lynie for the first time, coming to his bench along the canal, he said, “Li, Li, Lin…”, to which Lynie said yes, it’s Lynie, and Dinkus burst out, “From Missouri?!!” They chatted and laughed like they have known each other for years. Dinkus said, “You fell from the sky into Dinkus McGank’s world, I love you!”
THANK YOU Lynie, a community size heart-felt thank you from ALL of Homeless in Seattle.
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
After picking Lynie up from the SeaTac Airport we stopped in at Nickelsville for a visit, Lynie wanted to drop off a few books for the kids. At the front desk we were greeted by Alex and Logan, Alex signed us in and Logan showed us around, I have to say, we were treated to the best guided-tour ever of the camp.
Make sure when you go for you own visit you ask for Logan, he’s 8 years old and knows everything and shares beautiful insights too, cool stuff that an 8 year old notices. You will loveLOVE it, Logan is just as sweet as can be.
Nickelsville neighborhood | Rex
You know when you talk with someone and in the first two minutes you get a really good feeling about them, that you are going to like them a good deal, well meet Carlos.
Carlos is homeless right now, living at Nickelsville. He’s working his butt off for $10.00 hour doing construction labor, but he is also skilled at most of the sub-contract trades, including welding.
He talked about the importance of saving, says he tells his new friends this, that each time they finish a job they need to make sure they have something pulled aside for the future. He is trying to move up and out and mostly on with his life. He has a big spirit, I know he will make it happen.
If you have any construction related work PLEASE consider extending Carlos an opportunity, he’s a good man. You can call Nickelsville directly and ask for him or you can contact HomelessInSeattle at 206-330-1142.
Even if you are not in a position to hire someone right now, think about going down to Nickelsville to chat with Carlos or anyone there, you will go there thinking you are reaching out and realize when you leave that it is you that has been touched.
Thanks in advance!
Nickelsville neighborhood | Rex
My friend Mark came into the office this morning all smiles, I asked how last night went with sleeping under the bridge and he said, “It went good, on my back, looking up, waiting for the great trawler in the sky.” I wasn’t sure what he meant, so I asked if he was talking about God and he said no, just wishing I could be out on a fishing boat!
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
This is Jason, or “JJ”, or “Doc” if you knew him when he was living at Nickelsville. JJ is 58 years old, a Veteran, homeless and quite the visionary.
He has many dreams, big ones, ones that he has thought through with remarkable clarity, the type that when you listen to it you say to yourself, yep, that should happen, for sure.
Here is one of his visions, he wants to create a Iraq Afghanistan War Memorial. He can take you through the details but in short, it would be a building of rooms, the first would have spirit candles for each person that died in the war that was from the State of Washington, each candle would have a picture of the soldier and a brief life description, there would also be a private room where you could take the candle to and sit down to watch a video of that persons life, to get to know that soldier as a human being, not just as a statistic, the next room would talk about the total loss of life on both sides of the conflict, how the same grieving is going on in the country we are at war with, the next room would explain the financial cost of the war, how we have spent over 3.5 trillion dollars, explained in a way that helps us understand how much money that really is, the final room would offer thoughts of how that money could have been used, how the world could have been made a much better place with those resources, asking you to think for yourself, to question, is there not a better way?
Thank you JJ for sharing your beautiful vision with us.
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
I know this does not fall necessarily into the “needs” column, but a number of times when Mark has come into the office I have asked if there is anything he needs and he has said, “I sure could use some cowboy boots.” I say really, and he says yep and then smiles in a way that his eyes close, it is very endearing.
So yesterday when he came in and mentioned the cowboy boots again, I said what size, he said 10 1/2 and I said let’s see if we can find some. I know it would make his day. Thanks.
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
Meet Leslie Depue, 48 years old, born in California, mother of two sons, has been homeless for 24 years.
When you talk with Leslie she easily shares her life journey, she tells you freely that she has a good deal of mental illness, whichincludes bi-polar, borderline schizophrenia, agoraphobia, and three or four other conditions that I didn’t recognize.
I asked her how she manages and she says she has a hard time, that there is a war going on in my head, kills my self-esteem.
She goes on to tell you more, with watery eyes, that she is very sorry about leaving her sons when they were just 1 and 3 years old, who were raised by their father and are doing great, is so proud of them, says they don’t blame her because they know she struggles.
Beyond the history of her life, Leslie tells you she feels like she has never been human, feels like she belongs to another species, has always felt this way, she doesn’t get the material thing being made more important than the heart thing, says it should be all about who you touch in life not about the things you collect. She doesn’t get it when she says hello to someone and they look at her like she is crazy.
The whole time we talk she holds a stuffed animal named Lucy-No-Neck-Dragon. I asked her about it and she says, “Yep, lots of people think I am weird holding on to her, but she makes me feel comfortable.”
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
GoodGood friends T-Bone and Dinkus goofing around yesterday, down by the canal, spirits lifted with all that Seattle sunshine!
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
This is Shawn, I don’t know much about him other than he was homeless, I met him briefly when his friend Tommy brought him to the office to get his photo taken.
Yesterday Tommy came by to tell me that Shawn had died last week of a drug overdose, we talked again this morning about it, he is pretty down right now about losing his friend, so much pain living on the street.
Wishing now that I had taken the time to get to know you a bit better Shawn. Rest In Peace.
Fremont neighborhood | Rex
