Winter Reflections of Then and Now: Before and After the SocksPlus Campaign
Winter is the hardest time of year for those homeless people that are sleeping outside. For whatever reason - whether it be mental or social issues, bad experiences in the shelters, or just the fact that a husband and wife don't want to be separated by having to go to different shelters - many tough it out in tents and under bridges and walk the streets of Cleveland during the day. One thing that has made their lives a lot easier over the years is the ability of outreach workers to provide them with socks, gloves, hats, warm clothing, and boots. These items make a big difference to homeless families, couples and individuals.
The SocksPlus Campaign for Cleveland’s Homeless, created by the Community West Foundation, has made that possible. This campaign is and has been making an impact on Cleveland’s homeless population for the last few years. The campaign started in the winter of 2014/2015 and it has grown into a huge undertaking, involving people from every community. Children are even making appeals and having collection drives across the Northeastern Ohio area to collect items that outreach workers can take to those who live outside. Collection drives are sponsored by businesses, organizations and other diverse groups. They are popping up everywhere and they are a wonderful source of provision for those in need!
One of the most difficult tasks an outreach worker has is to approach a homeless individual who is not dressed correctly for the weather. They are cold and suffering; some have frostbite and cannot stop shivering. Before SocksPlus, it was common to see homeless individuals with bags tied over their tennis shoes to serve as boots. It was normal to find individuals with holes in their shoes and wet socks and feet. It was typical to find people suffering without gloves, hats or warm socks. It was never easy knowing that people were suffering in the cold and you had no hats or gloves or socks to give them to provide some warmth. Before the SocksPlus Campaign outreach workers would have to call on churches and put out notices of what was needed for an individual and what sizes was needed and then wait. It could take days or a week to get an individual geared up with warm socks, boots, gloves and a hat. They were definitely hard to come by, because there were so many who were sleeping outside and they all needed winter gear once the weather started changing. The SocksPlus Campaign by Community West Foundation has made that difficult task as easy as a trip to the NEOCH offices to get winter gear for their clients.
Thanks to the SocksPlus Campaign, NEOCH has given out over 500 pairs of brand new winter boots; thousands of pair of warm, heavy, winter socks; and thousands of pairs of gloves and hats since its inception. The supply seems to come as the needs occur. SocksPlus has provided an endless supply of socks and winter apparel for those who need them the most. The SocksPlus campaign has taken the sting out of the pain of having freezing hands and feet, as outreach workers now have supplies of socks, gloves and hats in their vehicles. Also, they can bring their clients to NEOCH’s offices to get a warm pair of new men’s and women’s boots for unsheltered clients. This helps in another way too; it allows the outreach workers to get to the task at hand, finding housing and shelter and help for these individuals, some who have been newly evicted from their homes and don’t know where to turn.
Outreach workers see the most suffering in the winter. There is a look in someone’s eyes when they have had enough and are on the verge of giving up. Finding men and women so cold that they can't stop shivering is never easy. We know how bad it can be in bad weather to walk from a car to a building. Can you imagine having no warm building to go to when your home is a tent in the woods? Campfires help but it is not the same as being able to go inside to warm up. It is very difficult for those who chose to stay outside - they can't even keep their water from freezing.
All of us working together to do a little part is what is needed to bring hope and provisions to those who are caught in the terrible situation of becoming homeless. Homelessness is not just their problem - it is ours also. We can all do something. We can give to the SocksPlus Campaign by Community West Foundation, we can collect socks, blankets, hats and gloves, hoodies and coats that can be distributed by outreach workers. We can encourage people experiencing homelessness who we meet with a friendly greeting. We can buy 1 extra can of soup when we go shopping. We can keep $5.00 McDonald’s gift cards in our cars. There is a lot each of us can do. Not all are comfortable to go out to the streets, but we all can do something to make a difference in the lives of people who are suffering with homelessness. In winter, it is especially urgent - needing a pair of boots or gloves and having to wait can mean the difference between suffering and comfort and having warm feet.
We are so thankful for the Community West Foundation and the SocksPlus Campaign. It has made life so much easier for outreach workers to have the tools needed to provide some of the basic needs of homeless individuals. You can donate to SocksPlus through the link below.
The staff at NEOCH
We must Provide by Anonymous
“Hey. I need a bed; I lost my apartment.” Often this phrase is uttered by a person who was housed after many years of living on the streets or in a shelter. The way we have set up some programs in the homeless continuum of care short-changes the individuals it is designed to help. How are they doing that by providing them with free programs? So many things are given for free, that some homeless people have lost the ability and/or desire to do things for themselves. They don’t want to work or pay for anything. They want free clothes, shoes, food and shelter.
The Rapid Rehousing Program is a program some people use to take advantage of the system, instead of using the help to get out of homelessness permanently. They use it as an extension of free living, and then come back into the shelter system as if nothing has happened, expecting the system to continue to provide for them.
If a person has an income, they should be responsible for some percentage of their own personal care, even in the shelter. If a person has mental health issues, then they should be able to get the support they need to live outside the shelter system and pay a percentage of their income. Anybody getting SSI or SSDI should also have a support system in place that helps them manage their affairs so that they are able to get and keep housing.
People who are dealing with drug and/or alcohol addictions and are not ready to stop using need a payee that will responsibly manage their money. This would ensure that their rent and other bills are paid, while at the same time giving them an allowance that can be used any way that they want. Perhaps over time the process of contributing to their own well-being will change their mental image of themselves to someone who wants to provide more for themselves than just getting high.
With these changes, over time they may want to live differently; learning that being self-sufficient is better than being given everything. Learning that it is possible to obtain new furniture or a tv, to buy clothes regularly, and develop new friendships that will enhance their lives. But first they must learn to take on some responsibility again.
Placing a man in a house without the tools and willingness to take care of himself is a recipe for failure. If we are going to make a lasting impact in reducing the numbers of people who are homeless, then we must find ways to help those individuals develop the skills to take care of themselves. Giving free food and clothing is not enough. We must also provide education and money management training in addition to support programs so that people can stand on their own as they find their way back into society.
When Are You Leaving?
By H.M. Williams
“When are you leaving?” she asked as I came out to sit on the porch.
I looked at her as multiple responses ran through my head, and I tried to decide which one I would give her.
“When do you want me to leave?” I asked when I finally decided to acknowledge her question.
She looked at me, I looked at her, and it seemed we were having an age-old staring contest, which she had no chance of winning. Just as I thought, she looked away first, and I smiled at my small victory, knowing I was going to pay for it when she opened her mouth.
“Today,” she finally uttered.
“Okay,” was my only response, knowing as she looked at me that she wanted me to beg her, like she was so accustomed to others doing. She, forgetting who she was talking to, unaware that it was never going to happen.
In all my dramatic flair, I stood up, whipped the sheet I had tied around my neck, like I was super chick or somebody, and asked her if she was done talking to me.
She looked at me and said, “Yes.”
After doing my laundry and watching a few of my shows, and let me not forget, I took my Fire Stick off her TV. Yes, I waited until she was in the middle of a movie to do it, and yes, she was big mad. No, I didn’t care, because she couldn’t have possibly thought I was going to leave it there when she asked me to leave, and yes, I could have waited for the movie to end, but then it wouldn’t have been a petty move on my part.
I walked out her door and didn’t look back, partly because I didn’t want to turn into a pillar of salt the way Lot’s wife did. In no way am I identifying myself with her, but I wasn’t taking any chances, just in case there was a memo I didn’t read, but also because that scripture popped in my head as I walked out.
I walked my happy tail on downtown. I didn’t know what was going to happen to me or what I was going to do, I just knew that was where I needed to go. So I got to stepping and of course I stopped many, many, many, many, many, many times along the way. It seemed like it took ffffoooorrrreeeevvvveeeerrr to get there, with so many interesting sights and things happening along my journey; things I still laugh about to this day.
Oh my gosh, I’ve got to tell y’all this! Before I got downtown, my phone rang. I looked at the number, and was like, “What the hell is he calling me for?” not knowing that the term ‘what the hell’ would soon become my mantra for the next few months. But I digress, and almost forgot what I was going to tell y’all. It was an ex, who I hadn’t spoken to in almost a year, because it seemed like dude had some mental health issues that I wanted to beat out of him, since he refused to get medication. Or perhaps, it could’ve been he just seemed to have lost his rabbit mind when it came to him saying little slick stuff that he thought would make me bow down to him, or become one of those silly women who will allow a man to treat them any ole kind of way, just so they can say they have a man. There I go digressing, but this dude seems to have a knack for knowing when something isn’t right with me (eye rolling). Anywho, I answered the phone and sat down to talk to him.
I was on West 25th street when he called, so I sat down to talk to him, only to witness two guys fighting; the shorter of the two was talking to the much taller one while he was beating him up, and it totally took my mind off my situation. Especially since they went four rounds, and it wasn’t over until the short guy got tired of beating the other guy up AND I’m still on the phone with my caller who refused to hang up. It was a rare moment when I didn’t want to get off the phone with him, and I talked to him while I walked the rest of the way downtown, talked to him when I got to the Square and the rest of the night. I didn’t get off the phone with him until eight next morning, and yes, I had not one, but two battery packs that I had charged before I left her house.
So, I finally get the opportunity to call 211 and after fifty-eleven million questions about me not having alcohol, drug, mental health or domestic violence issues, and the long pauses in between, because I guess the person on the other end didn’t know what to say, or how to proceed, knowing that I didn’t fit any of the homeless stereotypes, she finally told me to go to intake at Bishop Cosgrove.
And, that my friends, is when my journey began ……
To those that assisted me.
by Anonymous
It is nice to know that people care and are concerned about human life and suffering, and that they choose to help and listen to you to get a better understanding. I am often asked “Why,” when I ask for a hand. “Why don’t you go to the City Mission? Have you ever been to Cosgrove? Why don’t you go to the shelter at 2100?” I don’t go to those places, because I don’t want to be around stressful people; I want to be away from the frustration and anger. I prefer to deal with my problems in a place that is quiet and peaceful. I don’t want to be around the same old environment. I don’t want to be in a place that’s similar to being institutionalized.
I was homeless before. I always say, “Winners never quit and quitters never win.” I am sympathetic to the fact that life is hard, and not easy. Life is a struggle, yet to be a part of it is great. You have to be strong, determined, and not give up. Set goals, pursue them, and make them a reality. I feel you should be yourself, and not someone else’s idea of how, and who, you should be. Don’t give up. Be content to be human. Citizens have certain rights, and sometimes when you try to exercise your rights, you are intimidated, victimized, or punished. I dealt with these situations and issues many years ago. My SSI benefits were denied, then extended to me, and finally terminated. I was evicted from my home, my car was stolen, and I ended up on the streets.
Some people ask why I would choose to be homeless. I am an independent man, and proud, to a certain degree. I choose to not put my problems on my family and friends. I panhandled and sold a few flowers every now and then. I ended up sleeping in different places with my friends and around downtown. Downtown, I was often approached by the police, ticketed and sometimes taken to jail, whether I was in the wrong or not. When I’d try to get housing, I’d go through the proper channels, but because of false information on my record, I’d be denied housing.
Eventually my friends moved on. I spent birthdays and holidays alone, away from friends and family. Bewildered, disoriented, mentally and physically ripped apart, those days and nights were hard, cold, and lonely. Everyday things in life that the average person takes for granted, are difficult for a homeless person to achieve.
When everything around you seems to be a disaster and a struggle, meeting someone with a friendly face, a helping hand and a word of encouragement is greatly appreciated. I think there are a few people who would assist me like Jim, Paul, Sarah, and Bridget. There are others who would help me and they know who they are. Thank you for your help.
I cannot thank you enough.
Signed,
Anonymous
RTA Update
The RTA announced at its board meeting on March 27, after months of protest from riders, that bus fares are frozen for now. They had announced in March 2016 that fares would increase in a two-step process; first in August 2016, and again in August 2018. In August 2016, fares increased from $2.25 for a one-way ticket and $5.00 for an all-day pass to the current rates of $2.50 one-way and $5.50 for an all-day pass. In August 2018, fares were to increase again to $2.75 for a one-way trip and $6.00 for an all-day pass. However, pressure from riders stopped the second fare increase from taking effect. The RTA will now freeze fares at their current level for at least one year.
According to the RTA, it will use this time to study its future schedule of fares. One proposal would be to create a reduced fare for lower-income riders. Another proposal, floated by RTA board member Trevor Elkins, is to reduce fares from their current level back to pre-August 2016 levels, including $5.00 for an all-day pass.
In the midst of all these changes, riders also suffered substantial cuts to bus service in March, severely reducing the frequency of service on several bus routes. For example, the #22 bus that runs down Lorain (the fourth most-ridden route in RTA’s system, with over 1.5 million annual riders) was reduced to twice an hour in the evenings. Similar cuts occurred on the #14 Kinsman, #15 Harvard, #81 Storer bus routes, and many more.
Riders have endured blow after blow over the past decade. Indeed, RTA eliminated transfers on one-way trips in 2009. Frustratingly, as service was cut, many bus routes were also shortened, increasing the need to change buses, and making more transfers necessary.
At the time transfers were eliminated, the all-day bus pass increased to $5.00 – an all-day bus pass became the easiest way to travel on RTA’s system. Since then, the all-day bus pass fare increased to $5.50, causing all kinds of headaches for people scrounging for exact change: there’s no way to get change on the bus. In particular, low-income and homeless RTA riders are disproportionately impacted by the RTA’s fare hikes and service cuts.
The riders organization Clevelanders for Public Transit (CPT) is organizing a Fair Fares campaign to reduce RTA’s fares and decriminalize the act of fare dodging. Currently, not having an activated fare card on the bus is a criminal offense. Transit police are known to profile riders based on their race and target them for fare evasion. Recently, a Cleveland judge ordered them to stop checking riders’ fares, arguing it amounted to an unconstitutional search of the rider’s person.
If the RTA is to improve, riders need to organize. Riders interested in organizing should contact:
Clevelanders For Public Transit – clefortransit.org – 216-714-2164
NEW AND IMPROVED BADGES for Vendors
By Dolores Manley
To all of our new and old customers: we have new and improved badges. Our new badges are clearer and more professional looking.. The new badge has the vendor’s picture, name, DOB and expiration date on it along with their ID number. It has the number to call if there are problems with the vendor. The new badges will help keep fraudulent vendors from collecting money using The Cleveland Street Chronicle name and reputation to get rich.
The new badge has a better picture of the person’s face. They also have a feature on the badge that cannot be duplicated. When approached by a Street Chronicle seller, ask him or her to let you see their badge. If the vendor refuses, it could possibly be a vendor with a fraudulent badge. You can call NEOCH’s office at (216) 432-0540 to confirm that the vendor is actually a legitimate badged vendor able to sell The Street Chronicle.
I have been selling The Cleveland Street Chronicle for over 20 years and other vendors might say that I am rich. Believe me, it is not so. Also, you can sell the paper. The vendor keeps $1.00 of the issue sales price and the rest, 25 cents goes to NEOCH outreach and the Street Card.
The paper also lists shelters and agencies where people can get help. If you are new to Cleveland and you need a job, the training to become a vendor is at the NEOCH offices. Call for NEOCH an appointment at (216) 432-0540 for the time of the training. If you call for an appointment and make arrangements to sell the paper, you get 10 papers free to start out. Your $1.25 goes to support people that are working to sell the paper. You do not have to be homeless to be a vendor and sell the paper.
The Street Chronicle is an alternative to panhandling. It is not begging; it is a legitimate way to earn money selling a real paper, written and sold by licensed vendors in the city of Cleveland
MYTHS, MOTHS AND BUTTERFLIES
by Joyce Robinson
A myth is defined as a traditional story, especially one concerning the early history of a people, or explaining some natural or social phenomenon, and typically involves supernatural beings or events. They are synonymous with folk tales, legends, fables and lore. A myth is also defined as a widely held, but false, belief or idea.
Moths and butterflies belong to the order of insects called LEPIDOPTERA, which are identified by two pairs of scaled wings and the fact that they undergo a complete metamorphosis. According to www.merriam-webster.com, metamorphosis is defined as “a typically marked and more or less abrupt developmental change in the form or structure of an animal (such as a butterfly or frog).”
Butterflies are active by day, have clubbed antennae, typically have a slender body with brightly colored wings that are covered with microscopic scales, and hold their wings erect when at rest.
Moths are chiefly nocturnal, have feathery antennae, typically have a stout body, drab coloration, and wings that fold flat when resting.
There are many myths about moths and butterflies. In mythology, a white butterfly can mean that angels are watching over you and that you are being protected. If a white butterfly makes a sudden appearance in the home, it means that good luck will follow. To see or have one land on you is a sign of good luck. Some people enjoy watching butterflies, and some enjoy collecting them. In order to attract butterflies, people stop using pesticides in their yards and gardens, grow native plants, plant the right colors, and create beautiful spaces.
Compared to butterflies, moths get a bad rap. In mythology, a white moth is sometimes seen as a symbol of death or ill wishes. In real life, instead of trying to attract moths, people see signs of the presence of moths as a bad thing. When people see signs of moth activity, such as tiny holes in clothes, clothing that looks dusty or discolored or smell musty, people set out moth traps and do what they can to get rid of them.
Humans belong to the order HOMO SAPIENS, characterized by erect posture, bipedal locomotion, high manual dexterity, and heavy tool use. They generally trend toward larger, more complex brains and societies, and they, too, undergo complete metamorphosis defined as “a striking alteration in appearance, character, or circumstances (such as when humans become homeless).”
Myths abound about humans as well. Disenfranchised people are usually looked upon in negative terms. Like moths, homeless people especially are given a bad rap. Some of the myths surrounding homeless people include: homeless people are lazy and don't want to work, homelessness is always related to mental illness, most homeless people are addicted to drugs and alcohol, homelessness is only a problem in big cities, homeless people live in the streets, and homelessness is going away.
Homeless people are punished by criminalizing them for their homeless state. Instead of punishing people for their current homeless state, why not try to find alternative solutions that will help homeless people become productive members of society? We could provide life skills training for when they become housed, provide more shelters with better trained employees, have separate shelters for those with mental illness, and have more access to high school completion and college entrance programs.
In order to stop or change these ideas about homelessness, we should do what we can to stop or reject the myths that abound and help people to create new truths!
My Memories of Being at the West Side Market
By Michael Boyd
My great-great grandmother took me to the West Side Market for the first time when I was a child, in 1971. As an adult, I think back on how it used to be and see how it has changed over the years. The area wasn’t called Ohio City back then, just W 25th. There’s a bunch of old houses now, but at the time, they were relatively new. The area was more diverse than it is now. There would always be a lot of people at the Market, just like it is on Saturdays nowadays.
I remember seeing live chickens at the Market! My grandmother told me to never buy a Cornish hen because it was really a pigeon! When she told me that, I thought that you could have Cornish hen every day, because of all the pigeons that were at the Market every day.
I also remember stealing apples from the West Side Market, with my cousin, when I was 7 or 8 years old. We lived in the projects that used to be near the Market, but never thought that the people would chase us all the way back to where we lived, and tell on us. My cousin and I never stole again after being beat for stealing those apples.
Now, many years later, there are a lot of new faces, including new owners. There are also some old friends like Greg at Stand 60; the hot dog people in the front who give me coffee; Travis also gives me coffee –you can smell his coffee as soon as you enter the market; and also the police.
I really appreciate the management at the West Side Market who allows The Cleveland Street Chronicle vendors to sell our papers at there. I’ve been selling the newspaper ever since I met Melvin “Buzzy” Bryant, who introduced me to the newspaper that was at the time called the Homeless Grapevine.
When I met Buzzy, we were both living on the streets and trying to hustle up money. One day, I asked Buzzy for money and he reached into his pocket and gave it to me. The next time I saw him, I decided to try to bully him out of some money. He looked at me and told me that I didn’t have to bully him out of money, he’d just give it to me. He did, and then he introduced me to the Homeless Grapevine newspaper and NEOCH. I’ve been selling the paper ever since. Buzzy and I were friends from that time until his death in December 2017.
The West Side Market and West 25th Street areas have gone through quite a few changes over the years. Even though I moved out of the area, I feel like I never left the neighborhood. Maybe because I always come back to it.
Metanoia Project helps the Homeless
By Artie Price
The Metanoia Project at St Malachi School is open Friday through Monday nights from 7pm – 7am, and any night between Mid-November and Mid-April when the weather gets extreme.
When they are open, homeless people can come in and eat, and sleep on cots and mats on the floor. Many nights they have meals. They offer showers in the evenings and coffee in the morning. Other services they provide are helping people get Social Security cards and birth certificates. They help with finding housing for individuals. Sometimes there are doctors and nurses there. The doctors and nurses give flu shots and give people physicals.
People who need to sleep at Metanoia come in at all hours of the night. They get something to eat and then go to bed. There are many reasons people come to Metanoia to sleep. One is that people lose their houses. Some have had problems with drugs or alcohol.
Everyone gets up at 5:30 am. They are served breakfast at 6:00 and they are ready to leave at 6:50 am. They usually have around 80 guests every night and people are very happy to be able to sleep inside. It is a very nice place to stay if you are homeless and have nowhere else to go.
Carl Cook is trying to make things better for people experiencing homelessness. Carl has been doing it for a long time and he was homeless himself at one time.
Father Tony lets me come down to volunteer to help out the homeless twice a month. I usually go on Wednesdays and Saturdays. I love helping at Metanoia, because God told me to and I love to help people out and it makes me feel good. I know when I get down, someone will help me because I helped others. I volunteer and hand out blankets. We give them peanut butter and jelly sandwiches before bed. We also give them coffee. On Saturday mornings we serve them a hot breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausages and toast.
All of the staff are good people. There are around eight people who come in and volunteer every night. They help clean, they help cook, they help set up and they help get the tables back up and the room back together in the morning.
Metanoia is a great service for the community. Many people work together to provide services for those that are homeless. Different churches come in and bring food and provide the evening meals. They have prayer circles are for whoever wants to join.
They are trying to get funding to keep Metanoia open all year for individuals who don’t have a place to sleep at night
Memories of Buzzy
“He was an amazing person, friend and co-worker and I am really going to miss him. My heart is still broken that he is gone. It is not going to be the same without him.”
Tammy Hobbs
“He always had an amazing smile and a genuine greeting. He always enjoyed people and made everyone feel like you were his best friend. He was full of wisdom and always looked at things with a mature perspective and he tried to learn from everything. He will be truly missed.” Denise Moore
“I am going to miss Buzzy a lot; without him being at the Westside Market and NEOCH offices things will not be the same because he was part of the crew.”
Mike Owens
“Buzzy was a good friend and he would do a lot to help a person out. He was a lot of fun to be around. I have known him for a long time and I will miss him.“
Kim “Supermutt” Goodman
“I’ll never forget Buzzy. We did a lot of things together. Nobody could have been a bigger Indians fan than he was. He went to many games a year down at the stadium. He was my friend for 30 years. I am totally going to miss him. I was to go before him. We harassed each other all the time. “
Raymond Jacobs
“I am going to miss Buzzy. He was fun, flirty and in his mind, a Lady’s Man! He always had a smile on his face as well as a quick wit. I’m going to miss reading his wonderfully informative articles and just miss his presence.”
Joyce Robinson
“He had a winning smile and a great attitude, and he would give you the shirt off of his back. That is one thing people didn’t realize about him. Damn, I am going to miss him.”
Angelo Anderson
The Indigent Cremation Program Through the City of Cleveland
If a person is indigent and cannot afford a burial, the Cleveland Department of Public Health offers an Indigent Cremation Program. The deceased person has to have been a resident of the City of Cleveland with a Cleveland address, even if the address is a shelter. The next of kin can call (216) 664-2317 to apply for the program. They have to provide the following:
Deceased’s Name
Date of Birth
Date of Death
City of Cleveland Address
Social Security #
Place where the body is
Name and Number of Person applying for the Indigent Cremation Program
The program includes the cremation and a brief viewing for the immediate family only.
By Ohio law each city has to have something in place for indigent cremations. If outside of a city, call the municipality or township in which the person resided. If the deceased person is outside of the City of Cleveland, call the city or township where the person resided. “If the person was a legal resident of the county, the proper officers of the township or municipal corporation in which the person's body was found shall cause it to be buried or cremated at the expense of the township or municipal corporation in which the person had a legal residence at the time of death,” per section 1713.34 of the Revised Code.[i]
[i] Accessed 2/26/18 at http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/gp9.15.
In Loving Memory of Buzzy Bryant
By Tammy Hobbs
One of my co-workers called me on Tuesday, December 26, 2017, to tell me that Buzzy Bryant had passed away on Christmas Day. That was a very hard pill to swallow. I felt like I was dreaming. I vaguely remember saying “What!?!”
I could never imagine losing someone who’d had so much life, so much love, and so much compassion for everyone. He was a very caring person, and would do anything for anybody. He would even give the shirt off of his back. Buzzy had a heart of gold! He would go broke, giving you his last dollar to make sure that you were able to eat a meal.
I worked with Buzzy for over three years. When I first started selling the paper, he would tell me to think about how much money I wanted to make that day, how many papers I needed to sell, and then he would tell me to never sell the paper without a smile on my face. He would say to me, “Always be positive! Put a big smile on your face and have faith when you’re selling the Chronicle.”
I’m feeling so emotional right now, but I want everyone to know how good a man and what a great friend Buzzy was. I want everyone to know that he will truly be missed and never forgotten. I also want Buzzy’s family to know that they are in my thoughts and in my prayers.
I’ve lost a good friend, but God has gained an angel.
Rest In Paradise, Buzzy Bryant! You will always be in my heart!
In Memory of Buzzy
By Raymond Jacobs
About 30 years ago I met Buzzy in prison. He actually met me first. He said, “Hi, my name is Buzzy. I’m going to be your friend.” I looked at him and said, “I don’t need no buzzards and I don’t need no friends.” He said he thought I was cool because that was what everyone had said. When I asked him what I was going to do with a short sawed off midget that escaped from Ringling Bros., he started laughing. I said the only crime he could have committed was an escape from Ringling Bros. One day, while in prison, Buzzy came into my dorm illegally. I hid him in a locker until the police left because they were looking for him. That was when we became friends.
After prison, I panhandled on 9th and Euclid. One day, Buzzy stopped his car and gave me a hundred dollar bill. Then he said, “I bet we’re friends now!” I told him we were friends before this. I told him I had no way to pay him back. He never asked for it back.
Buzzy and I used to go to baseball games. He was an Indians fan, and I’m a diehard Yankees fan. We’d also go out to eat a lot. We argued, fought and disagreed about many things, but we were the best of friends. When push came to shove, we were there for each other.
When Buzzy was homeless, I let him stay at my house. I let him sleep in my personal chair. When I had to move, Buzzy and Kim helped me move. ”It’s us against the world,” is what we used to say. We were a trio. You always saw the three of us together. When I needed to buy a TV, Buzzy took me to Walmart so I could get it. There are so many stories I could tell about Buzzy, but it would take a lifetime.
The Saturday before Christmas, Buzzy worked behind the market selling papers. When his shift ended, he came to West 25th and Market on my corner to see me. I told him I didn’t need no buzzards over here. He asked me if I called him a vulture and I said, “yes.” We both started laughing. Then Buzzy asked me to watch his stuff while he went to Family Dollar. He came back, grabbed his stuff and said, “Merry Christmas,” and walked across the street and jumped on the bus. That was the last time I saw Buzzy.
On Christmas Eve, I called Buzzy to wish him a Merry Christmas. He said he was very, very tired. Buzzy didn’t like Tom Brady so I told him Brady had broken both of his arms and Buzzy told me he would check that out in the morning. But he went to sleep and never woke up, so he never got to check it out.
I hope Buzzy is Resting in Peace. R.I.P. Buzzy.
Diana Robinson is Homeless Again!
By Diana Robinson
I am 60 years old and homeless … again. It’s hard enough to be homeless, even more so when you are old, and blind, like me.
I have five children – three daughters and two sons. My sons are in no position to help themselves, much less help me, so my daughters help me. My middle daughter bought a home and asked me to come live with her. In October or November 2017, I gave up my apartment, where I’d lived for 12 years, put my furniture in storage, and went to live with my daughter and her two children. I moved in with her, because I thought that if I stayed with her I could help her with the children, and she’d help me catch up on my bills. I now feel that giving up my place was the worst mistake I ever made.
My daughter helps me a lot, but dealing with her two children - 13 years old and 6 years old - is hard. I do not get along with my grandchildren. They are very rude and ill-mannered. It’s very hurtful to think that someone I birthed would have children who act the way hers do. Some children and youth, like my grandchildren, seem to have no respect for their elders.
The problems started at the end of December 2017. My 13 year old grandson would get bored, then pick on his younger brother. The real trouble started one day after he picked up his younger brother, and slammed him on top of me while I was asleep…on the floor! When I got mad at him and locked him in his room, my daughter got mad at me. After that, I started staying with each of my three daughters for a week at a time.
My oldest daughter’s children (14 and 16) don’t talk back, but they don’t always feed me. The younger one will more than the older one. Because of the hours my daughter works, the older one will usually wait until her mother is awake before feeding me. My youngest daughter’s little girl is very respectful. We sometimes bump heads, but she does try to fix me something to eat.
Related or not, it’s difficult for two adult women to live under the same roof! Now I’m trying to find another place for seniors, but it’s been hard for me. My caseworker thinks that I should stay with my daughter! I think I’ll talk with another caseworker who may be more helpful.
Figure 8
by Black Byrd
Time does heal almost everything, but most of all I believe it allows one to self-reflect. When I turned thirty years old, I began to realize how blessed I am to have been raised by “THE VILLAGE” made of INFINITE COLORS!
When you open up the top of the figure 8 and wrap it around the family and bring it to the bottom which is the foundation, you will get INFINITE colors of LOVE.
A village of hearts of infinite mothers, as well as infinite colors. It hasn’t even been two years and I have lost three branches of my tree. As a matter of fact, it wasn’t even a year between the first two deaths in my family. I was awakened with a phone call that another branch broke this very morning of January 24th, 2018. Nonetheless, I have to acknowledge the other live branches from my honorary brothers, therefore making the “GREAT 8” of my poem.
Happy Mother’s Day to “THE VILLAGE” - A Village of hearts of infinite colors.
The Color of 8 Great Hearts
Creative
Opulent
Luminous
Overflowing
Righteous
Faithful
Up risen
LOVE
8
Happy Mother’s Day
To: Mommy
From and Written By: Yogi
Footsteps in the sand
I understand
The sound of truth.
House of tiny, little pitter-patter of feet.
Yes, mama, those feet were mine, and you stayed at my threshold.
This is dedicated to my village of aunts, who were mothers to me, and who recently transitioned to another realm, and are still greatly missed in this one.
To lead me, to teach me how to shine in God’s wisdom of grace and divine truth:
Thou shall honor and obey.
Believe me that the love you have given me,
My blessings,
Came through you from God’s gift.
Thank you
Happy Mother’s Day
Gloria Dixon 2016
Andrea Crosby 2016
Connie Anderson 2017
Barbara Bell 2018
Francis Saxton 2016
Diane Moore 2017
Francine Lewis 2017
Delphine Moten 2016
Changes at the Shelter
They say the “Winds of Change” are upon us, much like the Scorpion’s power ballad. The scorpion’s greatest weapon is its stealth. Hardy and insidious, it attacks its victims with laser like accuracy, but is known for its patience and versatility. The deadliest species preys on the weakest victims. Yet regimes can collapse; years of abuse and torture will soon come to an end. Who knew that a band of misfits could bring down one of the largest organizations in the area? Many said they were too large to fail, but failure is not something that anyone can avoid forever.
Every day people ask me how I feel about the new ownership of the shelter. Every day, I count the slash marks until May. What is it like to be in an environment where violence, bullying, filth, gangs, drugs, racism, and abuse are not only encouraged, but rewarded? It can make anyone projectile vomit. When asked how things are currently, I often state, “We have vending machines now.” For I spend a lot of my day looking for change, maybe a penny, dime or sometimes a quarter falls my way. There’s an easy way out, one that could fill my pockets with hundreds of dollars, but I’d like to think that I’m someone who has learned from their mistakes. I could never claim to be perfect, but I would also never want anyone to experience the travesties that I’ve endured and continue to endure every day. Luckily, but not really so much out of luck, I finally found the right people. But it was a very long journey, and it still does not make up for what I have to see and endure everyday. People, who claim to have changed, rather than rise above, aim only to bring people down to their level. A level so low, few can ever achieve it.
I’ve been offered practically anything in the world to just keep quiet, but as I will also say, until my dying breath, I will not sit silent. Advocating is not just for oneself, but for those who are too afraid to voice their mind, or just don’t know how. Sometimes, remembering almost everything can be quite a curse, but fortunately, we can all use adversity to our advantage. I never again want to hear the words, “It’s worse elsewhere” or “We’re only required to provide you with …” or to have to eat pizza with enough salt in it to put you into renal failure, because the weak use power to corrupt instead of accepting that power is merely knowledge to be shared. Integrity cannot be taught, and once lost, it is not just picked back up. Fake tears do not a river make. The tears I’ve seen them shed only lead them to Hades.
The greatest hoax lies in the fact that to exploit the weak for personal gain is common practice, and therefore, should be blindly accepted. Innocent children die everyday, and we want to accept that its ok, just because the system is flawed. (Bear in mind, age is on quite a sliding scale here). Problems don’t go away. Infections fester and spread unless the source is removed. One cannot just remove the scorpion’s stingers, one must eradicate the scorpions. Can you imagine a place where people just watch you die and do nothing? Sadly, I can. I always say that I’m tired of the dead talking; we need to ensure the living have their say regardless of where they stand on the socioeconomic ladder. So thank you everyone who made this change possible; you know who you are. And please pray that we no longer treat people like vending machine choices. We are not just numbers you push, we are not just spare change, we are individuals. We deserve vindication and justice.
By Buzzy
When your Life is going down hill
And it’s not just simply Thrill after thrill,
When your homes been Lost and you are homeless still,
And one day You’ll be back, if it is God’s will,
When all this stuff is going wrong,
you Say to yourself, how long will this BS go on,
When living day by day is one Continuous song
and all you want is to belong,
When you wake-up in the morning Wanting to scream,
and as the day goes on you shout what does it mean,
When you’ve been in every Shelter and experienced every scene,
And you remember when Times were full and now there lean,
With all this stuff going
On in your life day after day, you wonder to yourself,
WHO GIVES A DAMN ?!!
Keep The Faith!!
Buzzy
A Lot Has Happened Since My Last Article
By Kim “Supermutt” Goodman
In my last article I wrote about the problems I had when I bought my Zone 3 license from City Hall. For those who didn’t read my last article, I bought a permit from the city of Cleveland to sell the necklaces that I make and they placed me in a “dead zone,” an area with little or no foot traffic. Nothing has changed; I’m still in the dead zone. When I talked to Capital Projects and the License and Assessments’ office, I didn’t get any resolution to my problem. In so many words I was told to wait until next year, and warned that if I got caught selling outside of my assigned spot, I would get a $150 ticket and a violation on my license.
A couple of people who were in a good spot got their licenses revoked for the year due to rule violations. Instead of allowing me and others who bought licenses to move out of our dead zones and into better spots, the good spots were given to the people who were on the waiting list. I don’t think it was fair that those of us who paid for a spot and were placed in a dead zone were forced to stay, while people who hadn’t even bought their licenses yet got the opportunity to sell their products in a good spot.
I paid $195 for my Zone 3 permit and never got the opportunity to make my money back. To some people $195 is not that much, but to me it is a lot of money. My spot is on 14th and Carnegie, and no one going to a Cavs game is going to park near there and walk down to the Q. I took a big loss on the Cavs games. The Indians went to the playoffs and I took a loss. I still have my Zone 1 license for the Browns, and I did make my money back on that one at the beginning of the season. However, the Browns didn’t play good football this year, so sales dropped big time because fans stopped going to the game.
I enjoy being an entrepreneur and selling the merchandise that I make is something that I love to do. I look at it as sharing my talent with the world. Selling my merchandise was something that I did outside of selling the paper and it made up about 60 percent of my earned income. Now the paper is the only earned income I have. Since August, I have lost a big chunk of my earned income.
In September I lost my place of residence and had to move. The move took a lot out of me mentally, emotionally, physically and financially. Many of the good subsidized apartments had long waiting lists or no vacancies. When I applied for each apartment, I had to pay a fee just to apply. One of the fees was $10, a couple were $25, but most were $35, and one was $40. Some of those I looked at that didn’t have an application fee were either in unsafe neighborhoods or weren’t in good condition. I have bad credit, so many times I got turned down. The bad thing about looking for a good apartment in a nice area is that if you get turned down, you lose your money because the fee is not returned, none of it. I wasted over $400 just trying to find an apartment, but by the grace of God, I finally found one.
After being accepted into the apartment, I had to come up with the security deposit and the first month’s rent. I tried to reach out to nonprofit organizations and churches for help, but I wasn’t eligible. I don’t have kids, I’m not chronically homeless, I’m not severely mentally ill, and I didn’t just get out of jail, prison or a rehab. I am just someone who lost my place of residence and needed a little help to move. I had to make a choice and I made the one I felt was right. I could have put my personal belonging in storage and become homeless until I received the help I needed, but I chose to earn the money I needed on my own. I did the right thing by selling more papers. I did the wrong things by selling my necklaces and other items I made in places I was wasn’t supposed to sell them. I could have gotten a ticket if I had gotten caught, but at the time I was desperate for money. At times I even panhandled a little.
I finally scraped up my security deposit and first month’s rent. I didn’t have any more money so I had to start moving some of my stuff on the bus by myself because I couldn’t afford to pay anyone to help me. In addition to moving, I still had to sell papers in order to pay someone to help me with the stuff I couldn’t move alone. During my move I broke a toe, hurt my back, strained every muscle in my body and exhausted all my funds. Some days I didn’t eat and other days I only ate one meal.. It took me a whole month to actually complete my move.
I am enjoying my apartment, but I had to adjust to it. It is not easy to transition from living in a house with a yard to living in an apartment with not even a balcony. What I miss most is barbequing, because I was one of those people who barbequed year-round, even when it was freezing cold. During my move, many of my bills didn’t get paid, so now I’m busy trying to play catch up. Hopefully I can do it before my lights and gas are shut off. I hope that one day I can enjoy the simple pleasures of WIFI and basic cable. I haven’t been this broke in a while. I had gotten used to buying my own food and cooking my own meals, but now I have to rely on food pantries for groceries and meal sites sometime for food. Hopefully this will only be temporary.
Since I can’t sell the items that I make on the street until August 2018, I created a website to sell my products. I hope that when I renew my permits in August, I get a better spot so I can go back to earning more money. I am also a writer, so I will also use my website to promote the books that I write and to share information that I know. If you would like to visit my website, the web address is: www.supermuttsworld.com
A Tribute to Buzzy
by Michael Owens
When I first met Buzzy and we started talking, I knew we were going to be friends. We would sit around and chew the fat, and tell jokes and laugh about them. Buzzy could get you laughing with no problem.
It’s not the same at the meetings and at the Market now that Buzzy is gone. When he would come to the meetings, he would start telling jokes and make us all laugh. Now the meetings seem boring without him there. We all seemed like family when he was around and now he is gone but not forgotten.
Buzzy and I always talked about selling the paper at the Westside Market. He gave me tips about selling the paper. He told me to always be nice to people and that the public is always right. He told me to always keep my mind on the job and not to concentrate on anything else but selling the paper.
He was always there when I needed help and would help anyone who needed it. He would hang around when I was selling the paper, and if I needed a break, he would take over for me. We would buy each other coffee and help each other out with things that we needed. We always worked well together.
Buzzy had regular customers that would faithfully come and buy the paper from him. They were nice people and they had respect for him selling the paper. They would give him a tip every once in a while. Sometimes they would bring us food or a sandwich. Buzzy was well known at the market and had many people who were regular customers.
Buzzy started selling at the market years ago when the paper was called the Grapevine. He continued to sell when the paper changed over to the Cleveland Street Chronicle. He was always eager to help if anyone had a problem, and he always had an answer to solve the problem.
Buzzy was a gentleman who was always nice to people, and he talked to people with respect. He spent a lot of time talking to people, and he was able to make friends easily.
I miss seeing him and not being able to talk to him. His regular customers miss him. They have said that they hated the fact that he is no longer there to sell them the paper. Many people were shocked at his passing which was so sudden. It’s going to take a while to get used to him not being there to sell papers and help people out. May he rest in peace!
A Homeless Man I Know
by Bobbette Robinson
I know a man who lives with a woman, who likes to beat him all the time. He doesn’t fight back because she has sons who also used to beat him up! She beats him in front of his friends, who tell him that because she’s a woman, he shouldn’t hit her. Her sons stopped beating him up, but she didn’t! She keeps beating him with that cane, but he can’t fight back because her sons might beat him up to defend their mother. She has beat him so much that he has seizures.
This lady he is living with keeps saying that she will call the police on him, but she hasn’t done that just yet. She buys him clothes and shoes and gives him money every month, but then she beats him and says she wants him out of her house! He goes to his daughter’s house when the lady puts him out, but the family is tired of him doing that.
He’s very sick! He’s so sick that his eyes are yellow from drinking so much. He drinks every day, and he has “the shakes.”
He won’t go to a shelter and let them help him find housing. I think he is afraid, not of living in a shelter, but because he has a warrant for his arrest and doesn’t want to go to jail. He cashed someone’s check illegally and because he doesn’t want to do the time, he has been dodging the police.
He works at a friend’s barber shop. The friend, who he tells everyone he is his brother, is really his brother-in-law. He doesn’t want to give the lady any of the money he makes at the shop to help pay the bills or buy food, but sometimes, he buys her a beer or two.
There are many reasons why people become homeless, and this man is dealing with two of them – domestic violence and alcohol abuse. Rather than go to jail, he’d rather deal with her. There is nothing that I can do for him, except to listen when he feels like talking.