Social Justice Moment: Homelessness Task Force
"Homeless Advocacy: Help Ourselves Mutual Aid"
On August 21, 2024, I woke up from a nap to the notification that there was another camp clearing off the rail trail and I hopped on my kick scooter. I didn't know how I might be able to help, but I wasn't going to let that stop me. I'd had a midday meeting for the Homelessness Task Force postponed and, well, this was the boots-on-the-ground form of what we were supposed to discuss anyway.
The first woman I came upon was stopped with a wagon full of things and I asked her how I could help. She told me the location where she was piling her things at the nearby church and then paused to ask, "Wait, where do I know you from?"
The answer was on my shirt: Beacon, Inc.
When she gave me her name, I remembered writing it down many times for help with services, bus tickets, and showers--things most of us rarely (if ever) have to ask for, let alone to strangers. And yet after I helped her deconstruct her shelter, she thanked me.
She thanked me for helping destroy her shelter and cart away her belongings.
The next person I ran into was a downtown resource officer who knows me because of a series of meetings some of our congregants at UUCB had at the Perry Township Hall. We met with the trustee and other advocates in the community to help address street homelessness less through strategic planning and more by following some practices of mutual aid that center human relations.
On the day of the clearing, the officer said to me, resigned, “Today, I'm the bad guy.” I told him I knew him better than that. Because even if I can't absolve him for any harm he's doing in his role, I know his orders come from elsewhere, and he also devotes personal funds to providing supplies to people like those he was displacing.
However, showing up once again put me in contact with service providers and a student organization known as Help Ourselves Mutual Aid (HOMA).
I first encountered HOMA two years ago for my birthday in December when I served meals with them in Seminary Park. You may have seen them with their banner, but what you miss if you don't get closer is how they empower people experiencing homelessness to participate in their own self determination. They embody true mutual aid, captured in the sentiment, “No leaders; no flakes.”
After the camp clearing, HOMA began a new initiative to help secure new spaces for displaced residents to camp where participants could check in on campers and attend to their needs. Without expectations of anything but common humanity, I've witnessed (and sometimes helped) as the organization established trust; organized a system of attending to immediate needs of shelter, food, and toiletries; and even helped campers travel in attempts of obtaining housing and/or jobs. Rather than waiting for funding from grants or other sources, the members have pooled their own funds and resources to provide for the neighbors they serve.
Now that winter is settling in, the organization has been focused on providing winterizing supplies. But the collective budget of students is radically insufficient to account for the deep needs of helping our unhoused neighbors.
This is where you can play a part.
Our congregation has had collection bins for a little over a month receiving your generous donations towards the efforts of HOMA. Around the holidays, I visited the camp of the woman I saw on the day of the camp clearings. As she hugged the members who were present, she said with great emotion, “I'm so thankful to have you guys around. You're a real blessing, and you help us out so much!”
Even as the organization has had to cut back their materials to what is donated and the essentials for winterizing, the communities they're working with feel a deep sense of belonging from all they/we do. And I'm not asking you to hop on your scooters or donate your time trudging into the woods, but anything you can offer helps. In particular, HOMA needs more single-occupant tents, thermal bedding, gloves, coats, sweatshirts, hats, and hand warmers. Additionally, you can donate directly to outreach efforts by visiting https://helpourselves.org/ where you can see a breakdown of expenses on materials and several ways to donate–including PayPal, Stripe, and Venmo.
If you have further questions or want to get involved in other ways, don't hesitate to reach out to me using this contact form. The Homelessness Task Force thanks you for the part you play to help us in Building Community for all our neighbors, regardless of housing status.
Thank you for any and all you do, because when you help our neighbors, we help ourselves.
Jason Michálek, Co-chair of Homelessness Task Force
