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Stands for radio old. You are listening to frost radio, bringing the crystallization of new ideas to the airwaves. The views expressed in this show are not necessarily those of w, are you w or Case Western Reserve University? Listen to frost radio. This is Dan. I'm in here in the studio with a special guest. Don Messick who has been a longtime activist to working with a day, laborers, organizing committee. All right, let me make sure the levels are working here. He's a longtime activist working. With the day, laborers, organizing committee. He's also been selected as a representative on the committee of residents at the Shelter, 2100 Lakeside to represent the concerns of the residents to the Salvation Army. We are going to talk about a series of issues today. In particular, though. One of the things we're going to talk about is some of the issues that were done as well as several people in The Residence at 2100, were hoping to raise with both the mayoral candidates this past Sunday at a a forum at 2100, that didn't go through. If things work out. We are currently trying to call up both of the offices of Raymond, Pierce, and Jane Campbell trying to get somebody on the line from each of their offices. And hopefully, if that does work out within the hour, you will hear some Donald post some questions to their offices, and we'll give them each 10 minutes, but for the first half hour, We're just going to go over some of the issues and go from there. How's it sound on? It?

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Sounds just find an good morning. Good morning. Pretty good. You want to introduce yourself out to the listening audience and give people a little bit of your personal background? Sure. Good morning. W r. UW, students and listeners and this is just let you know. Our listening audience, pretty much covers the entire city of Cleveland as well as the suburbs, the Metropolitan region, so you little station here. Has a lot of impact and oh, yeah. Oh,

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yeah, great. Great. Well, hi. I'd like to introduce myself. I'm a, I'm a homeless guy. The week. My name is Don mehsud. Give you a little brief history. I've been homeless for approximately a year. The place I stay at is a downtown homeless, shelter, formerly an old warehouse, but now it's home. I've never actually had to live out on the streets. I was fortunate, God has blessed me and providing shelter for me. I have to thank Salvation Army and all those citizens that have helped the homeless shelter. We have a approximately 400 men as residents down there. As Dan said, I'm one of the men that speaks for all the rest of the men. I'm a we have a few men that sit on a residents committee where we give our input to. Help programs. And, and Deal with issues that do exist in our community. This is just a brief question for you, this committee. Do you want to give us a sense of the background? How long has it been up and running? Well, we were able to start our committee approximately a month ago. Brian Davis. The head of the northeastern Ohio Coalition for the Homeless was instrumental in starting a residents committee. It represents the men that come into the emergency shelter every night. The men that are involved in. Work program where they have a permanent bed and are working towards becoming on homeless. We also have a drug and alcohol program at 2100 called level one. I tend to represent just about every one of those groups. Hmm. As you've been in all different.

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Yeah. I'm very each different area in that shelter is sad to say. I've been down there as long as I have been, but it's been. It's been a very eye-opening experience. Yeah. And just just to give us those longtime listeners out there, a sense of what's going on. A lot of the issues that we've raised on this show were raised in a forum last spring, detailing people who are currently homeless, has thoughts on the state of social services within the city of Cleveland. And as you can imagine one of the social services that received numerous complaints was the shelters. This is kind of an outgrowth of the concerns of the residents who live in the shelter, and finding ways, in which they can address their, their concerns in a, in a structural, you know, in a structure where they won't be, essentially, they won't face retribution as a result of raising. These concerns regarding specifically staff Behavior as well as other issues. Well known. I must really have too much fear of that because what we'd like to do is help the problems that we have. If we were just to get out and complain about things. Nothing would be accomplished. We'd like to also be very very instrumental in finding solutions to the problems. Think that would be the best way for us to direct our efforts is to try and better. The shelter system as far as the programs available to man. the problems that we have in the shelter on a daily basis and where the future for our shelter will be and I guess one of the things I had to dress myself when I became Homeless was the definition of homeless. Just what do you listeners? See in your mind when you hear the word homeless? Because you might be very wrong homeless when you do, when you say a homeless person that person is not necessarily. The one that's rummaging through a garbage can on Public Square. Doesn't always have a cup in his hand asking for, you know, your spare change is not always the one that it's being fed off of a soup wagon. People can become homeless for a lot of different reasons. I heard at one time that difference between in a between being in a home and homeless is matter of a paycheck or two for any one of us. So to become sensitive to the homeless. It is is important to become sensitive to your fellow man. But for the grace of God, that could be you. And often times you look, when you walk downtown or when you walk anywhere, you would, you really would be quite surprised to learn that. Some people are homeless. I mean, even going into the shelter itself, you'll find people dressed up wearing suits. You'll find people, you know, looking, you know, very well groomed. I'm done taking care of, you find other people who are just gotten off the job and are obviously in their work clothes and dirty, but just like other folks who are getting off their jobs and their work clothes and dirty who are homeless,

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and then wearing a tuxedo shirt and black pants. They look like they're ready to go to a formal ball. Yeah, right. And and many of them actually, as we learned when we went to the jobs with Justice convention, many of them are working as Kate. Jurors Within These downtown restaurants. You yourself have worked at the Indians facility. Yeah. A Gateway Jacobs Field, Jacobs Field. And in addition to the numerous light manufacturing type jobs that people are involved in. So I mean, I guess the the stereotypical homeless person is really it tends to be the person who's most out there most Isabel. But those also tend to be the people who are least representative of the overall homeless population, but not to say their issues are important, but just that they're not necessarily. The Stereotype doesn't really fit the population. Yeah, we don't all You know, have a history of being home with some of us have a longer history of being viable, members of society. And the goal that I'd like to see the shelter adopt is to help ma'am. More be a viable member of society. Sure. And we've got a couple guys that are security guards. So, Yay, big be aware that the next time you walk into the bank that man that's of the security guard could live at a homeless shelter and keep in mind too that there's also quite a few women who are are homeless, who are in similar positions. As the men may have issues that are may have several issues that are different than the men, but also have some common issues related to the men who are homeless with respect. Their workplace experiences in particular with respect to workplace experiences. One of the recent things that came out in the study that was introduced at city council and should be available at www.oneonone.org or for the Northeast trial Coalition for the homeless states that really the most common job women are doing is punch press and that the other women are working alongside you. At Jacobs Field and doing several of these, similar positions and out there. And I guess the one other thing I would say, I mean, it depends too on how you Define viable. Because if you Define viable as working, remember that there are many people who are homeless, who are still viable, if

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your are they pay taxes? Just as, as well as the next guy. Mmm-hmm, because they pay taxes. They have a voice that should be listened to sure. Well, and even, I mean, Those those folks who because of various mental illnesses or disabilities can't work. I mean they we need to listen to their voices as well. But they'll the large number of people who are homeless are in fact, working in and paying taxes. And I supposed to tell you the truth, anybody out there is paying taxes because if you look at sales taxes and things like that, everyone has to buy

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food irish-speaking basically about federal income tax. Yeah Yeah you mentioned. Something that really strikes, a soft know my heart. The mental health problem that we have with homeless people. Right now. We have very few beds available to the mentally ill are being released. A lot of times out of mental institutions, directly out onto the streets. These are people that really need a lot of care. We really have to reach out to these people. They can always help themselves. What we should do is to try and help them right now that the one mental health sheltered that I'm aware of wheelies is the man, every day to roam the streets of Cleveland. And those are probably the people that you think of, when you hear the word homeless, they talk to themselves. They talked to telephone poles day. They speak loud. They walk around. In a very frantic way. Sometimes quite often, they'll go to drugs and alcohol to find a little bit of relief from their situation, but that's not the judge and I don't think we should judge people. I think what we should do is help people. That's what God really wants is to do for each other is to help each other out, right? I'd like to see these men and women both to have these mental health issues, is to have a few more workers. In the shelters in the food centers to deal with their problems to bring that their problems to some some medical and psychological care. These people really need our attention. These are the people that really make us feel uncomfortable when we're walking through Public Square. And you see a guy talking to himself. It's not a very nice thing to see what I'd like is for them to get some more attention, some more counseling medication when necessary to help them with their demons. To go on to address the homeless problem that we have here in our city. As we have overcrowding our shelters. We have a lack of knowledge available for for people that want to become on homeless. I think we need a Clearing House in the city of Cleveland for the information on programs and alternative housing transitional housing. To become available to the homeless community so that they don't have to search around for this information to find out what programs are available. If we could have one board possibly working with the city. If there was a staff member on the mayors. Right hand, left hand, whatever that it would be tuned into the homeless issues. It could be very important in solving some of these problems right now. Speaking of the mayor's potential mayor's both the offices have been contacted and neither. Neither of the offices are going to comment on the radio. Today. We will see if we can get them on the radio next week and see if we can find a way in which So both these candidates can specifically address the concerns and interests of those who are currently homeless. There was a forum that was scheduled for this Sunday in the men's shelter. I believe initially both. The candidates were going to appear for reasons. I'm not fully aware of Jane Campbell canceled her, her appearance and as a result. The Salvation Army, disinvited Raymond Pierce. So we're going to put both the cannot give both those candidates or their offices are staff members from their offices. The opportunity to address these issues on Frost radio. If will give you at least each each of the offices 15 minutes. And if one office takes up the time, Other one doesn't, so be it all the more power to the office, that does take up that time. We're not going.

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I'd like to offer the other candidate whichever. One does answer our questions or wants to speak with this equal time. I know, of course, that's what I that's what I'm saying. We're going to offer them both equal time, but that's the best we can do. And if only ones going to take us up on it, then to some extent that just shows that one, maybe is going to go that little extra effort and Try and try and address these issues. Just just let me just say this one quick Point. Part of the reason why we are doing this, there was a forum in which the candidates prior to the initial primary election. We're going to address issues of homelessness and housing for a variety of reasons. The issue of homelessness really didn't get addressed at At form. And now we're essentially trying to trying to put both the candidates on record as to what their particular policies will be J. And none of us really want to admit that there's homelessness. Yeah, it's a sensitive issue and I think another thing and this is, you know, in part part something we need to work on you and and me, but many of these Candidates don't currently see the homeless as a viable, political force in and of themselves. One and two, I guess it appears that they don't feel the homeless issues and this at this point. Well, I could be wrong and I hope they both prove me wrong, but potentially, they are currently don't see these varieties homeless issues as viable issues to pursue not. Say issues such as issues, such as prescription drug, benefits are important in many of the issues. Actually. I think it once we get into the homeless issues in depth and in detail and many ways, we start discovering that there are not in fact homeless issues per se, but issues of General concern

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to. It's a it's a human rights issue. Exactly. And she is, we need to treat people like people and and really We love one another, a lot more just to tell the candidates. I personally speaking, I am a registered voter and I did participate in the primary election. Yeah, and I think there are more men that are at the shelter. I can't speak for the women, but I can't speak for the men that stay at 2100 Lakeside and say that they've all quite a few of them. Have received voter registration cards, right whether or not they voted that, that's on them, but personally speaking, I did vote. I'd like to have Edward heard as far as a political process, it's useless for me to complain about it after the fact, if I don't participate in the elections might as well. Just keep my mouth shut. Yeah. Well, I think once we continue building organization within those who are most vulnerable, within the city of Cleveland those who have been left out of the political process and the Past 30 years or at least as long as I can remember, I think once we can build organizing there and we can demonstrate. I mean like you just said yourself, 400 people live in 2100. If I'm not mistaken, the difference of votes between Pierce and Campbell within the primary election was approximately 1,000 votes. So there you have half the difference. If one of those candidates could convince those 400 people. And if we, I mean, if we were organized enough where we could vote in Block, where the candidates should one of them could certainly win My Vault. And, and without a doubt. I still haven't made up my mind, you

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know, my, the jury's still out on that one. Personally, speaking to. So, so why don't we in case there are folks out there who are interested in, what are the issues? Of importance, you started getting into some of them. Yeah. Well I did, I really don't want to put the candidates on the spot on the radio here because copies are the questions that the man in the shelter sat down and compiled. We have some very intelligent questions. Yeah. Well, I don't think it's putting them on the spot. And from what you've told me before the questions have already been mailed to the are where mailing of the candidates I think frankly. I think it's only fair. The public gets to know to what some of these questions are. And so that perhaps, when they get the opportunity and run into various political candidates or in the future when we need their help. I think it would make sense for them at least to be aware of what some of the questions are.

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Well, the ranks of the homeless grow everyday, if any of you don't know, this city of Cleveland has been forced to make a lot of budget cuts. What we'd like to know first, a speaking speaking for the men at the shelter is what changes are going to be made to. The budget Will services be cut to homeless and eventually how well the city of Cleveland's budget be balanced. Hmm right now mental health shelters in the mental health system in general, the state and the county. There are Cuts being made to that budget. I think of worst-case scenario is you're going to see a lot of quote on quote crazy people out on the street when these people really need some care. Yeah, it is really, I mean, there's there's really not any room to be. I mean cutting right now, especially if you look at the conditions within the shelter, which we've highlighted on the show in the past an overcrowding is very proud. And I mean, it's not like these men are being coddled. No, you know, I sleep on the floor and then Errors are floor. I'm

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accomplished if they can get a bed and then don't think about a bed in your, your traditional sense of the word I think about it is a bunk with a guy up on top here with maybe hasn't washed his feet when the guys feet, right? That's not a real pretty scenario here. You'd really have a and the women's shelter is, although perhaps worse on them, on the floor. They get little mats, and they also Keep on the floor. They don't even have the luxury of a bed. Yeah, the shelter

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system could stand to be expanded so that these people are treated like people. I mean, they're essentially refugee camps in the sense that people for a variety of reasons from different walks of life have been displaced. And Heck. If you dismantle those refugee camps, like you said, you know, we're going to have a situation where people Have to survive and they're going to do what they need to survive, and it's not going to be pretty. No, it shouldn't certainly won't. As matter of fact, the colder, the weather gets the more crowded. The shelters are going to become the people that that I'd like to call them the Gosh, it's the word is casing right now. I guess the the full contact homeless or out there living on park benches and things like that. Sure. And we've had went the colder, it gets these people are going to need to get it into in the shelter. They're going to need a roof over their head, some warmth some food and they won't be able to live out on the streets. And this is something in his long. As I've been working on these issues in the city of Cleveland. I have never seen. Shelter at full capacity in the middle of the summer. No, they can have outside and now. Well, but this summer it was about as a more full than you could ever imagine. And when those people from the the the people who for a variety of reasons, don't you know, a variety, very good reasons. Don't want to stay in the shelter when they have to because it's 10 degrees below zero.

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Where are they gonna go? Where they going to go? And And those are, those are questions that remain unanswered and we have yet to see a commitment on behalf of our public officials to take responsibility for answering these questions. Well, one of the questions we wanted to propose to the candidates was a form of transitional shelter, see whether or not, we could get some, some help in establishing a transitional shelter with it. It's a fact that we have to expand the shelter. Just a minute, there needs to be more shelters. For a man that is working. It wants to become home to and not stay homeless. There needs to be training on how to get back into the routine of paying bills when you've been homeless for a while you fall out of their routine. We need to make people aware of life skills. Again that are important in in blending bag in A lot of these men. I've been homeless for a while and they're going to have a hard time learning on how to pay bills and balance checkbooks and things like that, how to form a budget for their daily needs for their month, for their food, for their transportation because the service has been provided for them while they were homeless. Well, let me ask you this but a little bit to play The Devil's Advocate here. I remember, actually, when I was homeless myself in, 99, For I was in New York City and I went to a drop-in center to take showers and the drop-in center, you know, is offering, I was in a homeless Youth Shelter and I'll drop in Center was offering. These courses on how to balance our checkbooks and tell you the truth. Most of us thought those were act, you know, just kind of ridiculous. I mean, not just when I first

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was involved in, I thought was pretty silly stuff. But you know, I was surprised to find that there's there's a few men that are in the shelters. It can't read. Oh, yeah. Rudimentary reading and writing skills. Yeah, don't you think those would be more? I mean, in terms? The state of having a course, in balancing a budget terms of having literacy courses and the way to find out if math men and women need these. These literacy courses is to ask them, basic questions about budgets and check books and things like that. Because then you find out just where people are where they are learning skills and their literary, you know, their literacy level that's to me at least would make sense in terms of direct them. Then I know a lot of people would, perhaps not want. I mean, there would perhaps not want to

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wear do funny things. I like that on. You heard a man tell me was that he didn't have his glasses. That's why he couldn't read this. This form. He had to fill out and I was offering to fill it out for him. And then I thought, gosh, I've never seen him with his glasses. Maybe he doesn't even need glasses. He just can't read. So that was a. I had to get in touch with With my sensitivity there to towards somebody else's problems it, since it's kind of interesting to. I mean, to some extent. There's more of a stigma attached to not being able to read then to being an addict. In this particular. Then that's to give the credit to the substance abuse. Programs have really kind of the programs that are available to people that do have addiction and problems are wonderful programs. We say in the rooms stick around keep coming back, you know, because they're there is a better way, but that's not to say that all the homeless people are addicts or alcoholics and my illiterate

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even though by no means, by no means, we've got men to go to college. Like we said before that the jobs at the fellows home when they got some great job. Some on there just a moment away from getting out of his problem, but then I think we do have to You know, and find ways in which people who do need these particular Services. I mean, we got to get away from the notion of Representative homeless because there's no such, there's no such thing, really. People have so many different issues and needs that when they're coming in there. And some of those, you know, some of those needs are our issues related to affordable housing and, and three injured. Our wages a problem, Fair wages. But but then there are these issues in terms of programs such as substance abuse programs are literacy

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programs. All of which are also necessary. Yeah, actually, what, it's just a general lack of understanding, of what a homeless person is. A lot of us, quote, a friend of mine, and he says, it is very few bars available for us to lift ourselves up off the streets, especially when you're fighting in trying to find housing. We need to have some some help. It's not impossible to ask for help. The help is there, but you have to go to so many different places to find out how to become on homeless. Right? Like I said before, if we could find a way to have this information in one spot, where it somebody said. Wow, I need glasses. Let's let's have that man. Go to one place and find out this information if Each glasses or if he needs to to find out counseling services available for mental health issues, addiction problems, alternative housing right. Now. How is he as a problem in general? Because there's very few places that have, let's say affordable, short-term housing. You've got poverty motels that that have been torn down in this city and There's been nothing available to replace them. I'd hate to think that, you know, the alternative for me besides staying in a shelter and being able to pay rent is to stay someplace like the Jay hotel. Pretty deplorable conditions. I think I'd rather stay in the show. But you know, what? A lot of those places. I mean, frankly that's it's a pretty sad State when the J hotel for many people does look better than the shelter be I mean, and I can understand what the very end to some extent. Very disheartening thing is, when you look around the city of Cleveland and you see abandoned buildings and with with a little bit, hold that thought one second because that's going to, we need to go that direction. But let me just open up the phones before we get too far in the show. If you would like to join in the conversation, you want to talk about anything that Been raised or add, a comment or two, or ask Don a question. Give us a call 368 2208. You're listening to frost radio and will be with you until noon. So you were just getting into the issue of abandoned.

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We've got some abandoned buildings that one reason or another are just sitting there and it will play. It would be a blessing if we could get some help it renovating these buildings. And Making these buildings instead of tearing them down. Making them available to people that need housing. We've got people in the shelters right now that are skilled. Tradesmen electricians. Carpenters my goodness that the trades, these guys know their skills that they all have. And we could Channel their skills. We could rebuild this city. Mmm-hmm. And I think that speaks to to our work with the day, laborers. Organizing committee is not only, I think if we if we found ways to break down some of the barriers with the buildings trades that are currently there, bring people into those trades and then I think that would open up all kinds of opportunities currently. There are some struggles. I guess what used to be called rosewater. 2000 is now being renovated by a real. Developers gotten all kinds of tax abatements, and he's using day laborers, to fix the place. Essentially paying minimum wage. Those aren't necessarily. That's not exactly what we're talking about. But in terms of actually doing self-help housing taking over buildings and fixing it up for for the, the homeless, or even, even fixing up the shelter itself. I mean, they don't even tap in at at 21:00 into the skills of Of their own residents in providing the jobs that are out there to fix up the shelter right now. Dan, the man that are participating in the level 1. Drug and alcohol program are being used as janitors and maintenance men, but that's a great thing because that gives them something positive to do and it helps him put back into the system, that's helping them. But I guess what I'm referring to isn't so much the general. Amens, but the fact, for example, this kitchen that's been in the works, that's been construction for a while. Like if they had, if they had brought together the skills and resources of the residents, that would have been built, that could have been built in the first few weeks or months.

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Well, our shelters been growing. Its it's gone from its infancy to to becoming more mature day by day is, it's unfortunate. We have to learn by our mistakes when we're living there. Yeah. Okay. Well, we had a caller who just called in a one. Ask a question, but didn't want to do in the air. So I'm going to pass it along. This person was asking about, are there any programs for homeless to help them

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feel better about themselves me? I guess he was talking about, he was saying that you sounded like, you had a pretty positive outlook on things, and it's good self-image and he was asking

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if there isn't anything for that. Well, hopefully homeless. Doesn't always mean helpless. I'd love to get out of homelessness. I'd say that there's very few people that really want to be homeless. Mmm. He's got programmatic available. But trying to trying to get access to him, trying to gain access to knowledge of the programs. There's too much running around, the has to be done. You got to ask too many people. You got to ask too many questions. You got to go from one end of town to the other and it would be a wonderful thing to see a central location. For services, and it seems to me to, with respect to that question. I, I think there are actually very unanimously, not addressing the community hiring all day. Yeah, that's exactly where I was going to go with this is that, you know, to some extent rather than necessarily having, okay. We need a course and, you know, how to have a positive outlook on life, which to me, would kind of be even, maybe a little bit more. Are laughable than having a course and check doing our checkbooks? Because if you're really down and now and then here, I'm saying no come to our course and had to have a positive outlook that may not work. But what could work is to change the structures that are continually treating people with disrespect and undermining their dignity. And here's where we're talking about things like setting up the community hiring Hall. Here's where we're talking about things such as setting up this residents committee. With the idea being that the dispatchers and the staff members that both of these facilities, be essentially held responsible and accountable to the population of workers and homeless folks that are residing in using those facilities so that they can't just use all kinds of profanities.

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Disrespect, it's unfortunate. We don't fill out applications when we become homeless or else, we'd know what issues we have to address. I think if the staff in the shelters and the staff at the the center is it, do you know food for the homeless and for those people that are on for the less fortunate that if we were a little more sensitive and possibly, if we could set up a system of evaluating. All the people that use these services and seeing where they are and where they want to go and what their basic skills were that we could find the help for them. We spoke before mental health issues. We also have basic health problems to if you're sick and you're homeless, that's seems to be a problem. I've heard from a lot of men and how you get your medicine without doing a lot of running around. These are problems to it. Yeah. We had something like a homeless Healthcare boy. That would be a great thing. Yeah, and I think to having a sense of a sense of involvement within how about Pride terms would be a good word and I think that's kind of what I'm getting at. In terms of pride, pride means that you have some kind of ownership or control or connection or attachment to what's going on in your life that you can feel proud of yourself. Yourself, but in part the way these these Services have been run currently is through very little direct involvement of the people here who are currently homeless and by that, I mean in terms of Designing the policies coming out in the future may or the city of Cleveland could be instrumental in the the topics that we're talking about without a doubt. I mean, if they had somebody an elected representative from One or two elective elected representatives from the homeless shelters,

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advised the mayor that has some history and in being homeless and is also not just hissed and this is something we're talking about in the car today. Not just history and being homeless because there's many people who are formerly homeless who no longer are accountable to the currently homeless. We really need people who are currently accountable in some way or another not to say they could be Formerly homeless are currently homeless themselves as long as they're accountable in one way or another to the people who are currently homeless and perhaps they don't even have to be homeless themselves, but they need to be aware of what the issues of concern are. And they need to know that if they start kind of essentially, that's, that's kind of what we established with the residents committee at the Variety shelter. Exactly act. That we're open to the men in the shelter. It's just sometimes it's difficult for a person who has a problem, go to go directly to the staff. And there are so many men in the in my particular shelter, where I stay that the staff members don't have enough time to listen to four hundred guys every day, right? They want to get him in, get him into a bed, get him fed. Let's keep this, you know, keep it going like that. Yeah, but what I do down there 2100 is, is I listen to these guys exact, I listen to their complaints. Listen to their Solutions, but the fact is it that I have to be sensitive. To what these guys problems are. These are my friends now, I never wish I'd met any of them, but they're my friends today. Yeah, let me just say this to. I think that first meeting I met you last fall the day. Laborers, organized. Then what was currently known as the low are then known as a low-wage Workers Union. You are not happy about the shelter. Can I sure wasn't you were, you are not as optimistic? Mr. Because right

00:42:20.300 - 00:43:41.800

hat, you know what I see it as an is it definitely. I've been awakened to the to this problem of being homeless. You never know what it's like until you actually experience it. Yeah, I think that's true with a lot of things in our lives, it until you have first-hand knowledge of it. You really don't understand it. I think that's why I asked the audience. To see a picture in their mind when they hear the word homeless. And what does that person look like with his home? Was because you guys might be surprised to see what I look like. I don't think you'd think I was homeless. Yeah, let's open up again. The lines are open for questions and comments, 368 to 208 will be with you until noon. You are listening to frost radio and I'm speaking with Don Messick current head of the rezidentura. If you're having memory and I'm a member of The Residency committee right now with, there's more than me on this committee. Unfortunately, it's hard to get us all there because we come from the different areas and the in the shelter. Well, we have I see seven names great. We're trying to replace a couple of guys that have left the shelter system for one reason or another man talking. God bless him. I wish you nothing but success. That's that's great.

00:43:42.000 - 00:44:56.200

I think that It's someone that leaves the shelter system and does become a success has a lot to say with what goes on in the shelters. They can come back. Please guys. Gals. Come back have something to do with these shelters in the future. Yeah. We need you. You know, we want to hear your success story. Well, in part for better for worse. That's what I've been trying to do myself and staying involved. Here. It is annual. You opened up my eyes to a lot of things. I never really wanted to become as active as I did. I'd been a lot happier if I took a back seat to some of these things but you and God have a lot to do with what I'm doing today. And I activities in this, in this situation that I'm in. I'm trying to become a more active member in my community, and my community is homeless. Yeah, and a lot of, I think that's the other thing. Just in terms of being active and being You know, involved in the issues of importance are playing a key role, not just for yourself, but for a lot of us in terms of our overall Outlook in life. Let's go on to caller. We've got a

00:44:56.200 - 00:46:57.600

a call. Caller, you're on the air. Yes. Hi. How are you? Armed and things like that. And she all she had to do was to bring in all her papers and get a police report. I didn't understand about the police report because if they want to know about how police record, all they got to do is they send up there with all them computers. All they got to do is put it up, you know, but she had to go downtown and pay six dollars. She got everything it as to the cat and they kept awaiting to tell her as if they didn't have nothing for her. Her. Now. I've had a lot of experience with these organizations. They sit up there. They get too big pain check and they don't have nobody and when somebody like her come through that need help, they use her, that get all the information and they get a file on her or when they get ready to get their new Grant. They use all these numbers and pretend like they help people's and they shouldn't be able to use people like that. They curse this girl. They had her thinking for three weeks that they can help when they was going to get help Place. Yeah, they really did get her hopes up, didn't they?

00:46:57.700 - 00:47:44.000

Yes, and they didn't do anybody like that, you know. No, they sure shouldn't. I think that goes back to people helping people and that this is a human rights issue. I think the administrators at run these programs really ought to start a a Ministry. Wait some investigating. I think that I've been thinking about called, and wanted to find out what are they doing up there and all this equipment? And who is they helping? I don't, I don't know anybody. Yeah. Well, we gotta take these people instead of being statistics. Instead of being numbers. We got to make these people. People. You've got to make their lives.

00:47:46.200 - 00:48:25.700

No, he'll probably you talk about. That's that's why we'd like to see someone on the mayor's staff be aware of the homeless problems. That a problem. But when I had my problem week by get we had help, we had good consoles, a good cash. You know what? I think this is a

00:48:25.700 - 00:49:51.900

a message help. This is a message that the politicians that are out there. I know what he'll listen to us. Listen to these people that have problems. because I yeah, well, hey, thank you so much for your call. Okay, we really appreciate it. Appreciate to show. Thank you. Okay, any more calls do we do I want to make one. I want to make one quick question or comment here on that has to do with the fact that we really need to be aware of some of the claims that are being made by some of the social service providers and how wonderful things are and how. And the way we need to check those claims is by looking at the people. Who are currently homeless and finding out what their issues are and whether their needs and concerns are being addressed. Think we need a watchdog committee. Yeah, I think this is very, you know, if you go down some of these Current public policy people and public officials really. I have a Snow Job into thinking that the needs are being met of people, but as that, the caller's comments just make is that there are some serious discrepancies here between what's being said. And It's sold in the budgets and the reports of these organizations to what the actual experiences are of people who are using these programs. All right, let's go onto car. Another caller

00:49:55.200 - 00:50:18.400

caller. You're on the air. Well, right now the the volunteers that we do have are usually involved in the feeding. The other man Salvation Army is is in charge of running the shelter. It's funded by the city and the county, a

00:50:18.400 - 00:50:35.800

good idea. A good idea would be to call the Salvation Army. We have a phone number available for the shelter at 2100 Lakeside and see what kind of community involvement you can participate in. Thank you very much. We appreciate your help. You're wanting to help.

00:50:37.900 - 00:52:59.800

Yeah, and you know, one, one thing I might add to that and this is just from my personal experiences and being in a shelter and I don't know if this issue has been dealt with in the past week, but some of those blankets are in just horrible their dish horrible there. It looks like I mean, essentially netting rather than a blanket. I mean, they've got so many holes in them. Yeah. Well, you know what, we're making the best out of a bad situation or a really, really? Yeah. I really would like to, you know, this might be my time to ask some folks for help in the city of Cleveland. That have hotels, motels places where you go through blankets. What do you do with your old ones? Yeah, we could use him and you know what and and for example people just in the community who are involved in a little commune in a community group and have don't throw it out. Actually it does. You know, I last 2100 Lakeside. Well, let me also just say this to for those listeners to have been we've been paying attention to these show, make sure where your donations are going to. And in fact, I don't know if you are willing to do this, but I would think the resident committee should also have some oversight and in the distribution of these resources that are coming to 2100, but without a doubt blankets are needed. I would, at least highly recommend that you earmark your blanket donations, at least to begin with for the Emergency side, because most of the resources that do come. No, I know that you yourself need resources and currently you're not anymore. Urgency side. That's where I started Dan. And, you know, what? These are the guys that really do need the help. And now we're very fortunate when. You know, right now I'm participating in the level 1 program. By the way, guys. Hi, how are you? God bless you. Yeah. I love you all. But the man that are in the emergency shelter, they are truly the underprivileged in this scenario. They're sleeping on Floors or sleeping in chairs. We've got man's available, but we've run out of mats. We still have guys sleeping in chairs. Like I said, yeah, these guys are always looking for a blanket. So, if you got some extra blankets at home, if you run a business where you go through, but blankets, you even and have to get rid of them and recycle your blankets to us, please, we could use him.

00:53:00.000 - 00:55:49.100

And the other thing too, is, if you're also interested in volunteering in terms of some of the advocacy issues, in terms of may be addressing some of the structural problems. Here that are in place. And, and some of the issues that Don's raising All City Hall. Let us know what you think. Call City Hall. Definitely. And also, why don't you call the Northeast to how Coalition, for the homeless 2411, 104 area code, 216 to 1624 1110 for, and you can plug into lots of different projects as many of you also know. I'm working on the day, laborers, organizing committee. So we can always use volunteers but without a doubt, there are issues in terms of improving the conditions of the shelters. In terms of actually building a political voice for the homeless, which is tied into questions of Pride as well, that the northeast Ohio Coalition for the homeless is working on just because we've lost a place to live. Don't take our pride from us and Heck if you know anything about securing abandoned. Ins and and involving people who are homeless on, yeah, we could do, we could use some more jobs. I don't know. I could, let's be, let's be creative in terms of actually finding solutions to I mean if we're not going to have needs met by the politicians in the city of Cleveland as the resident, and as a community, we may want to find ways in which we can find meet. Those needs in a way that will improve Move the conditions within neighborhoods. It's much better and in my experience as a person who has in the past taken over abandoned buildings to have those buildings occupied rather than maintain them as abandoned in your neighborhood. Yeah, please. If you do want to help in my particular shelter, the address is 2100, Lakeside zip code is for 411 for our phone number. There is area, code 216. I 6600 47. We recently gone through some changes in the administration of the shelter. I'd like to say that we'd like, to be the residents of 2100 would like to be involved in the path. That the program takes that the shelter program takes in the future and that Angelo, you're out there. We love you, man. Thanks for helping us. Yeah. God bless you. I hope you nothing but the The best and it's possible for you to come back. We'd welcome. You back with open arms. I know speaking for the guys. We'd love to know what's up, you know,

00:55:50.100 - 00:56:42.500

and that's an issue for another day. But just to give the audience an idea of what Don's talking about. Angelo Anderson was recently likely. She was our director at the shelter. He was the director at the shelter who many of the residents actually saw as one of their allies and advocates. He was homeless and a formerly homeless person himself who has been like go by the Salvation Army and will will in the future trying to dress what's going on there on that particular issue. Yeah, that's there's a letter being compiled and being sent to the Salvation Army and and telling them that we do support and so we thank him for trying to help us but let us help ourselves everybody out there. We are good people. We're not all crazy.

00:56:43.100 - 00:57:44.400

And lastly. I just want to say Don is only touched on a few of the points in this hour. There's several points. I thank you for having me here, Dan. So we're going to invite him back. And, you know, if we get any response next week in the next week, from either of the people running, for the mayor, the Merrill's if anybody would like either during Jami. All right. I've got a voicemail that way. Given time we can. Okay, one second. Let me just we will bring down back next week so he can pose a few questions to these candidates. And maybe if they do give us some forewarning, we can get a couple of the other members from the shelter to do the same. So, please give us a call and let us know what's going on there. If you are connected to either those campaigns. Yeah, you can call me. My voicemail is area code 216 6350. 190, my name is Don Messick. That's mes s ITT

00:57:45.000 - 00:58:21.500

and we will give your candidate the opportunity to explain their issues on the air from a radio station W. Ru W FM Cleveland that broadcast across the entire city of Cleveland and Beyond. So you have been listening to another edition of frost radio. We've been pleased to have Don Messick with us today. We hope you tune in in the future, too. Frost. We broadcast every Tuesday from 11:00 to 12:00 noon and stay tuned for eight infos select. God bless and help us help ourselves.