At this stage, this blog is just a planning tool, a forum for my vision of HCOA. Any ideas, comments, or suggestions from site visitors are welcome. As I have no funding at all yet, I want to take this time to refine this idea and make it truly viable. I'm tired of waiting for the Public Officials to fix glaring community issues. They don't. HCOA is grassroots.
Basically I envision every major city (starting with Miami-Dade), will have an HCOA clubhouse. This clubhouse will be a 15,000 to 30,000 square foot building which will house administration offices and offer member services. The space in this clubhouse will be divided into three sections.
The first section is the services area. This will be located up forward with all offices, classrooms, computer rooms, kitchen area, recreation areas, showers area, etc. The back of the clubhouse will be divded into two areas. On one side will be rows and rows of large lockers for Basic clubhouse members. On the other side will be a similiar matrix of lockable closest (at least 3 times larger than the lockers) for Premium members.
To join HCOA, any homeless person can come to the clubhouse and get a membership card. There will be a list of member services at no cost. Membership is free.
However, to maintain the club financially, there will be two usage plans available. These plans will allow the members access to either lockers or closets to store their items securely.
The Basic Plan will cost $5.00 per month. It will give the member access to a regular locker from 5AM - 11PM daily. Access to shower 2 times per week. Access to laundry 1 per month. Access to computer room and recreation room anytime during their posted hours for 2 hours per day.
The Premium Plan will cost $20.00 per month. This plan will be geared to members wiith regular employment or steady income. Members of this plan with have access to a storage closet 24 hours per day. Access to showers daily. Access to laundry 2 times per month. Unlimited access to the recreation and computer room during posted hours.
Both plans will have grace periods. A person can come in, get storage space, and under the Basic plan run a tab for $30 (6 months grace). The Premium member can run a tab for $60 (3 months grace). This will allow avenues for income to be worked out, while the person has a secure place to maintain their personal items and clothing.
All of this is to aid the homeless person while they job search or save money for future housing and/or transportation.
This is my basic idea for HCOA. I forsee offering classes, inexpensive bag lunches, and many other services that will help the homeless person maintain and improve themselves while living on the streets or searching for a job. I want prospective employers to have no idea the person he or she is considering for a position is homeless at the time.
In my opinion, this is the smart way to help homeless people transition back into the mainstream.
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Monday, March 30, 2009
What's My Big Idea!
My big idea is that with Capitalism comes homelessness, because few safety nets exist for people who don't make it or fit in. Corporations have a strict set of guidelines for employment. Many people due to their peculiar biology, mental problems, or natural temperament cannot fit into that world; and therefore find themselves outcast. Through no desire of their own, they become unable to support themselves; or because of a lasting criminal mistake, they are not given a second chance to start over.
Whatever the cause many people are stuck in homelessness. Why deny this? To keep wages down, at least 5% unemployment is desirable in the Capitalistic schema, so there is always going to be citizens facing the possibility of homelessness. My dresam is to make being homeless easier on everyone, with ideas that truly solve problems.
I believe with a minimal dollar comittment, a city like Miami can make homelessness much less of an eyesore; and even a safety net of sorts. If my vision of the Homeless Club of America is ever issued in to being; I believe it can help all parties and society in general. Keep reading this blog as I formulate and log my ideas for all to ponder. As a homeless person myself, I will only promote ideas that give real benefits to the homeless and society; with realistic associated costs so that no one feels like the homeless are taking advantage of the world.
I can honestly say, be glad if you never have to be homeless; because this is psychologically the hardest way of life imaginable. Every free meal or dollar bill, is paid for in depression and a drop in self-esteem. Trying to channel an animal like focus on plain survival is something no human can do easily. Alcohol and drugs are often just a way to fill an overlong, hopeless day. Life inside a hole is hardly a life at all. No wonder many homeless just give up or try to go to jail.
Whatever the cause many people are stuck in homelessness. Why deny this? To keep wages down, at least 5% unemployment is desirable in the Capitalistic schema, so there is always going to be citizens facing the possibility of homelessness. My dresam is to make being homeless easier on everyone, with ideas that truly solve problems.
I believe with a minimal dollar comittment, a city like Miami can make homelessness much less of an eyesore; and even a safety net of sorts. If my vision of the Homeless Club of America is ever issued in to being; I believe it can help all parties and society in general. Keep reading this blog as I formulate and log my ideas for all to ponder. As a homeless person myself, I will only promote ideas that give real benefits to the homeless and society; with realistic associated costs so that no one feels like the homeless are taking advantage of the world.
I can honestly say, be glad if you never have to be homeless; because this is psychologically the hardest way of life imaginable. Every free meal or dollar bill, is paid for in depression and a drop in self-esteem. Trying to channel an animal like focus on plain survival is something no human can do easily. Alcohol and drugs are often just a way to fill an overlong, hopeless day. Life inside a hole is hardly a life at all. No wonder many homeless just give up or try to go to jail.
Monday, February 9, 2009
Introducing the Homeless Club of America (HCA)
Hello World,
My name is Tony. I am a homeless veteran living on the streets of Miami (Dade County). If you want to read my story, please go to the "About Me" section of this blog.
Basically, after watching the homeless struggle (and sometimes not struggle) on the streets of Miami for months, I decided it's time to do something constructive to help this local problem.
With an economy on the brink, homelessness will become an unavoidable fact of life in every city. Capitalism is not an economic system that has any built-in protection for even the most resourceful. You fall off that train, and another might not be coming ever! But people are not refuse. They cannot be put in a landfill out of the way of the Capitalistic empire, to biodegrade.
They are like plastic, and will still be around years later (albeit a little beat up).
Anyway the Homeless Club of America is a brainchild of mine, that will actually help homeless people be able to work more than they can now and thus help themselves more. My vision is simple. Create a club that present and past homeless people can join as members. Starting in Miami, I want to build HCA Clubhouses that simply do one thing--facilitate the homeless so that no barriers to finding permanent, temporary, full-time, or part-time work exists.
The function of the HCA Clubhouse will be to provide access to storage closets (or lockers) with 24 hour access. To provide shower/cloth change stations for the verified employed. To provide laundry machines to the homeless. To provide bag lunches for those requesting.
Basically, the streets will still provide food and a place to sleep for the homeless. The HCA Clubhouse will be there to mitigate those other barriers (like what to do with my belongings) that prevent a lot of homeless people from actually working or job searching. As a homeless person I know from experience, this is a major problem.
My name is Tony. I am a homeless veteran living on the streets of Miami (Dade County). If you want to read my story, please go to the "About Me" section of this blog.
Basically, after watching the homeless struggle (and sometimes not struggle) on the streets of Miami for months, I decided it's time to do something constructive to help this local problem.
With an economy on the brink, homelessness will become an unavoidable fact of life in every city. Capitalism is not an economic system that has any built-in protection for even the most resourceful. You fall off that train, and another might not be coming ever! But people are not refuse. They cannot be put in a landfill out of the way of the Capitalistic empire, to biodegrade.
They are like plastic, and will still be around years later (albeit a little beat up).
Anyway the Homeless Club of America is a brainchild of mine, that will actually help homeless people be able to work more than they can now and thus help themselves more. My vision is simple. Create a club that present and past homeless people can join as members. Starting in Miami, I want to build HCA Clubhouses that simply do one thing--facilitate the homeless so that no barriers to finding permanent, temporary, full-time, or part-time work exists.
The function of the HCA Clubhouse will be to provide access to storage closets (or lockers) with 24 hour access. To provide shower/cloth change stations for the verified employed. To provide laundry machines to the homeless. To provide bag lunches for those requesting.
Basically, the streets will still provide food and a place to sleep for the homeless. The HCA Clubhouse will be there to mitigate those other barriers (like what to do with my belongings) that prevent a lot of homeless people from actually working or job searching. As a homeless person I know from experience, this is a major problem.
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