Let’s not forget all the displaced pets that now fill shelters across North America, because their owners can no longer care for them. These lost souls who loved their people unconditionally, now sitting in kennels, hoping their last minutes will bring someone along that will give them a chance at life. Perhaps some can open their home to foster a pet, or make a donation to your local shelter to help feed the influx of animals. If you have time perhaps you can go volunteer to walk a couple dogs a day so they have reprieve from their tight quarters. Sponsor a pet, to give them more precious time to find a new forever home. Please don’t forget our four legged friends, they too are sufferring from this economic crisis.

Mugsy I think it is usual to think of what you did as a “bandaid” but if each of us did a similar thing, that becomes much more. I am part of the palliative care team at our local hospital and we got an alert that a very sick father of 7 was going to have no way to provide a Christmas for them. Each of us did a little bit over a day or 2 and we helped him have that holiday. It took each of us a little time, but meant so much. We have never met them. Our nephew is in Afghanistan and I sent him some granola bars made by the local farmer and his wife. He and his buddies loved them, so I have sent more. The farmer refuses to let me pay because he says that our nephew is paying him with his service. A group of knitters heard about how cold it is in places like this and are now knitting special mittens with open fingers for these servicemen and women for free. Bandaids, perhaps but SO much more. Think of what 1 good deed does for so many. Happy New Year. Peace and good health.

This is my way of helping out when and where I can, I live in a rural small town and we all know the neighbors fairly well here. The first of December as I was taking some presents to a neighbor with 5 kids I noticed that they had recieved shut off notices with their housing bills ie: lights and water, so I stold their mail, I then took the bills to the businesses and paid the bills in full with the “secret” I did not want them to know that I had done it so that they would not feel beholden to me. A few days later my neighbor posted thank you notes on all of the doors on our block. I have again went and paid their bills in full and will continue to for 6 more months. If at that time they still need some help I will see what I can do but I have been taking out of my savings to pay for them and I am not sure if I will be able to after that time.

In the past I’ve done many things directly and indirectly to be a contributing member of my communities. And starting right now I need to manage my time, work a lot more, and also I want to contribute in a planned way to make the best use of resources, and in line with larger ‘legacy’ goals. 1) What is most distressing to you in what’s happening today? Homelessness and basic want distresses me greatly because it is a nearly impossible position to recover from and it squanders lives. Families have gone from middle-class homes to tent cities because of lost jobs and foreclosed homes, and because the system was gamed by the same banks that rec’d hundreds of billions in bailouts for which there is no accountabilty. Katrina recovery is still a national disgrace. Catholic Charities and similiar organizations are tapped dry by a need so vast it feels staggering. We need systemic changes and bold plans…which I believe are coming Jan 20th…something akin to WPA/Marshall Plan with that sense of urgency and also effectiveness, because I believe we have a crisis as much of imagination/leadership and distribution as we do of resources: i.e., with people desparate for homes, jobs and college scholarships, 1/3 of our landfills are filled with recyclable construction ‘debris’ [one person’s trash etc.] and there are empty surplus military bases, empty warehouses, millions of empty bank owned homes. We need programs like a national corps that can do quick/basic renovations to surplus properties to get people housed, and at the same time provide volunteers with college scholarships in exchange for their service time. With money tight we can barter even on a national level. There’s so much at stake. Here is a homeless child’s testimony to Congress: My name is David Bright. I am ten years old. I am homeless. I am often hungry. Right now I live in the Martinique Hotel. The Martinique is a mad house. The hallways are dangerous. Many things could happen to you while you’re in the hallways. Like you could be raped or shot. The roaches and rats are a big problem too. But being raped is worse. There are people who rape little boys in the hallways. I am offten hungry because I don’t get enough to eat. Homeless kids are taken to schools far way. When the bus comes late I can’t even get breakfast at school. When I arrive the bell rings, then breakfast just stops. I can’t think in school when I’m hungry. My mind just stops thinking and this can’t go on forever. That’s because I want to learn. I want to get a good education. Learning is fun for me. There are too many little kids in the hotel who never go to school. There just is not enough room in the schools for them. Just like there’s not enough homes for poor children and not enough food. When I grow up I will the President of the United States. When I am the President every American will have a home. Every American will have something to eat every day. Everyone in America will have a little money in his pocket. When I am President no ten year old boy like me will have to put his head down on the desk at school because it hurts to be hungy.” -David Bright 2) What are you doing — what could you do — to change it? What I have done thus far includes working very hard in the past three presidential elections, including as precinct captain, etc., to get a Democrat in the White House. 50%+ of my last 8 years ‘donated’ to this effort. And I have given directly and indirectly to the homeless including literally giving beyond everything extra away; rolling large pieces of luggage, clothes/shoes/coats, money, inspirational books, food, furniture/bedding, etc. My entire drive to get a grant to UCLA writing program, finish it in 1/2 the time and with a completed book that is professionally edited, etc. was to create a vehicle to fund high-impact homeless programs including animal rescue. I devoted 100 hrs a week to this project untill I shattered my foot and then my brother died, and I let my project become derailed. So now it’s the New Year, I’ve relocated to a spiritually renewing place, am very energized with our new president and I have an even greater sense of purpose to ramp back up on my project, make it something sustainable and unique and in my brother’s honor.

I have collected three trash bags of winter coats, hats, etc. for the local Catholic Charities, and today is delivery day. They are a great org., no questions asked when people come through the door for religous purpose,. just willing to lend a hand. There is not always the money I would like to hand to them, but I find other ways to help them and the commnunity where I llive. Blessings, Linda

As many of you already know, there was a young woman, Jane Doe, a 28-year-old Lesbian who was gang-raped in the Bay Area about a month ago. Although the perpetrators have been caught and charged as well with a felony hate crime, largely due to a huge outpouring of insistence on the party of the East Bay community, this young woman is in need of moving expenses, since she’s too traumatized to return to her neighborhood. So if you could send along a check of any size, that would be great. Jane Doe Trust Fund c/o Community Violence Solutions Attention: Ms. Jo Ann Douglas Community Violence Solutions 2101 Van Ness Avenue San Pablo, CA 94806