When municipalities don’t invest in addressing homelessness on the front end, they end up paying for it on the back end. Memphis and Shelby County still haven’t collectively decided to make a financial commitment to our residents experiencing homelessness and poverty. The irony is that we end up paying more at the jail and emergency rooms than if we invested in direct homeless services and affordable housing in the first place.
This week, Tonyaa Weathersbee from the Commercial Appeal spoke with H.O.P.E. Organizing Coordinator, Tamara Hendrix, about a subject she is all too familiar with; Why do those experiencing homelessness spend so much time at the ER? There are in fact, a number of reasons; it is safer than a shelter, it’s free while Memphis shelters are not, no one will bother or harass you, they let you sleep, and of course many need medication or have illnesses that are worsened by a lack of resources.
Read the full article, HERE!
Summer Survival Continues, YOU can help!
Our Summer Survival campaign is underway! Throughout this summer, H.O.P.E. members are feeding vulnerable and hungry folks, and their children at Morris Park. We are providing sandwiches, bottled water, and chips, as well as hygiene kits. We’re always in need of more volunteers to help distribute items, which is a great opportunity for anyone who may need community service hours. Youth volunteers are welcome, but must be accompanied by an adult if under 18. We need your help to make this summer great for those in need!
During our first Summer Survival day, we gave away 50 snack bags! Folks were so happy and excited to see us because some of them literally did not know where the next meal was coming from. The next Summer Survival date is this Thursday July 12th, so there is still time to donate and volunteer with H.O.P.E!
For more information about how you can help donate or support HOPE or those who do the work to combat homelessness,or would like to put on a HOPE shirt and volunteer, contact Tamara Hendrix, (901)725.4990 or tamara@midsouthpeace.org.
Feed the Movement!
H.O.P.E. would like to thank Marcos Pizza for providing pizzas for the H.O.P.E meetings on the 1st Wednesday of the month. H.O.P.E is a supportive advocacy group for people with the experiences of homelessness. One of the ways in which we learn about the aforementioned needs and strategize how we can best support one another through this work is through our weekly Wednesday meetings in which we invite people experiencing homelessness to fellowship, share, and brainstorm. It is very important that H.O.P.E. continues to hear from the homeless community about the differing levels of oppression that many of us may face when attempting to navigate through the impending hardships of scarce services available in Memphis. For many groups and organizations offering free food at meetings is a plus for their attendees, but for H.O.P.E. it is a necessity, due to the fact that most often the meal offered at H.O.P.E. meetings may be the only meal they will have that day.
As H.O.P.E. grows in numbers our expenses grow as well. How can you help? You can help by donating prepared foods on Wednesdays to our meeting that afternoon. Don’t have time to cook or buy prepared foods and bring them to our meeting space? We also accept monetary donations towards this cause. Neither of those options seem feasible for you presently? We are also looking for restaurants willing to donate food to our meetings. As always, all forms of donations are completely tax deductible.
If you would like to discuss how you can offer support to HOPE please call Tamara @ 901-254-5964 or email tamara@midsouthpeace.org