Archives for August 2018

The JJP is working with Juvenile Court to build networks of churches and organizations to address our high number of youth offenders and the lack of opportunities for court ordered community service, specifically in the areas of Hickory Hill & Bartlett. We believe that youth are the solution, not the problem so we work with these teens to help them find their place in their  communities through transformative service opportunities. Studies continue to show that punitive measures often lead to a continued life of crime as opposed to seeking more rehabilitative opportunities, MSPJC firmly adheres to the idea of working with those most affected by the issues. Help us build a better Memphis and partner with our youth.

The work of the Juvenile Justice Project unfortunately does not fund itself and we need your help! You can donate online at https://midsouthpeace.org/get-involved/donate-now/ and help keep the movement going!

Updates on the Co-op Memphis/HOPE House

H.O.P.E. has been partnering with Co-Op Memphis, a collective under the fiscal sponsorship umbrella of Mid-South Peace & Justice Center, to form an intentional community house, where clients who are experiencing homelessness can get hospitality like coffee, clean clothes, and assistance with job readiness. We will be hosting fundraisers in order to get the house renovated and ready to open, and we will be announcing a clean-up day, where supporters from the larger community can come and help us clean the house and do minor maintenance and repairs. Watch this space for updates on fundraisers and Open house days!

Project Homeless Connect 2018

It’s getting close! Project Homeless Connect 2018 is right around the corner, and HOPE wants YOU… to volunteer at this day-long service provider fair, where those people experiencing homelessness can access a host of services and resources under one roof. These services often include housing assessments, minor medical clinics, job resources, haircuts, and more.. It is on October 11 starting at 8AM, and will be held at the Cook Convention Center. Volunteer registration is now open, and you can choose from a list of duties and time-slots that best meet your availability and specific interest! For more info, and to register, just go to http://www.cafth.org/project-homeless-connect-2018.

JOIN HOPE At City Hall: Aug 28!

There have been a considerable number of deaths over the past years of people living on, or formerly living on the streets, many of whom H.O.P.E. members knew as friends until their passing. Our charge today, is that one death is far too many! We must let the powers that be know that we need more affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness. People are not expendable, and they certainly have rights. Housing is a human right! So, H.O.P.E. will stir the pot until this topic boils to the top and is an everyday topic.

H.O.P.E. is planning a Day at City Hall, 125 N. Main on August 28 at 4:30 p.m. Parking will be FREE in the Mud Island lot at Poplar & Front Street. Although we are not on the agenda, we are going to pull  comment cards for the ‘Public Comment’ section of the meeting. This may take some time, because we have to wait until the regular agenda is over. We want to pack the place with supporters and signs to demonstrate how unfair it is to allow people to die without a home and be forced to live in uninhabitable conditions. We want the council to feel our pain, and pledge to do something about these travisties. Please meet us on this day to stand up for those who can’t and be an advocate for people experiencing homelessness!

When young men in Shelby County are set to be tried as adults, they are kept in a special pod at Jail East, the women’s jail. These teens are often battling feelings of fear, anxiety, and uncertainty. The Juvenile Justice Project and members of the G.O.T. Power training department are partnering for a series of workshops with the youth at Jail East to assist these young people in developing skills for exploring their trauma, practicing self care through movement, and building leadership skills.

This past week, we had our first session at Jail East. We spent our time getting to know each other, getting comfortable moving in our bodies, and exploring our hopes for the future. We had a wonderful time getting to know these young men, who were suprisingly open and full of laughter. We are so excited to continue getting to know these resilient teens.

The JJP has also been continuing its core mission: working to assist Juvenile Court by building networks of churches and organizations to address our high number of youth offenders and the lack of opportunities for court ordered community service, specifically in the areas of Hickory Hill & Bartlett. We believe that youth are the solution, not the problem. We work with young people to help them find their place in the  community through transformative service opportunities. Studies continue to show that punitive measures lead to a continued contact with the criminal justice system, as opposed to seeking more rehabilitative and restorative alternatives. MSPJC believes that no ammount of empathy or academic knowledge can match the expertise that comes with lived experience. That’s why we’re working with young people who are the most directly affected by youth crime and violence to find solutions to these issues. Help us build a better Memphis, partner with our youth!

The important work of the Juvenile Justice Project  does not fund itself and we need your help! You can donate online HERE and help keep the movement going!

Greetings, transit warriors! We had a great time at MBRU’s August meeting! The group debriefed on our first town hall of the year, learned more about Pittsburgh, PA’s bus riders union, and talked about what Shelby County’s recent elections mean for public transit. Be sure to join us next month: Saturday, September 8th from 12-2 PM at A Step Ahead Foundation (Suite 451 in the Crosstown Concourse). 

As you may have noticed in our recent newsletters, there have been a considerable number of deaths over the past years of people living on, or formerly living on the streets., most of which H.O.P.E. members knew as friends until their passing. Our charge today, is that one death is far too many! We must let the powers that be know that we need more affordable housing for people experiencing homelessness. People are not expendable, and they certainly have rights. Housing is a human right! So, H.O.P.E. wants to keep stirring the pot until this topic boils to the top and is an everyday topic.

H.O.P.E. is planning a Day at City Hall, 125 N. Main on August 21 at 4:30 p.m. Parking will be FREE in the Mud Island lot at Poplar & Front Street. Although we are not on the agenda, we are going to pull  comment cards for the ‘Public Comment’ section of the meeting. This may take some time, because we have to wait until the regular agenda is over. We want to pack the place with supporters and signs to demonstrate how unfair it is to allow people to die without a home and be forced to live in uninhabitable conditions. We want the council to feel our pain, and pledge to do something about these travisties. Please meet us on this day to stand up for those who can’t and be an advocate for people experiencing homelessness!

Project Homeless Connect 2018
It’s that time of year once again, when we reach out to the community to recruit volunteers for Project Homeless Connect 2018, a day-long service fair where those people experiencing homelessness can access a host of services and resources under one roof. These services often include housing assesments, minor medical clinics, job resources, haircuts, and of course plenty of copiues of H.O.P.E.’s Memphis Survival Guide! PHC2018 is on October 11, starting at 8AM and will be held at the Cook Convention Center. You can help make this year a success! Volunteer registration is now open, just click, HERE. Volunteers must be 18 years of age. Training is required.

Greetings, transit warriors! MBRU’s monthly general meeting is almost here! Come join us, THIS Saturday, August 11th from 12-2 PM at A Step Ahead Foundation (Suite 451 in the Crosstown Concourse). We’ll be debriefing on our July town hall, highlighting more #TransitJustice from around the country, and diving into Memphis Business Journal’s recent cover story on MATA. We can’t wait to see you!