Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Man With Sign; Blind, Hungry and Homeless Takes My Last Dollar

Photo by HNG

Man stood at a busy South side intersection corner trying to get noticed, but who wouldn't notice a blind man holding a sign that read "Help the blind, the Hungry and the Homless"

By H. Nelson Goodson
June 29, 2010

Milwaukee - An impressive experience that cost me, "my last dollar at the moment." Spotted a man just standing on the East-North side corner of the 2600 block of W. Greenfield Ave. and S. 27th St. (Layton Blvd.) holding a sign that read, "Help the blind, the Hungry, and the Homeless!!!!." The man was actually blind and seemed to be facing difficult times when the country and especially the City of Milwaukee is working to move out of a recession.
I asked him, What is your name? He responded Tony. Then I said, take this...he asked, how much is it?... told him a dollar, then he thank me and then smiled. Afterwards I told Tony, good luck!
As I left, I began to wonder, WOW some people have it worst then others and it doesn't open your eyes (reality) until a person like Tony crosses your path. Wish, I could have donated a few more dollars to Tony, But, if our paths cross again, then he will get a few extra ones. Great experience to help someone. Have you helped someone lately?
I had various people along S. Cesar E. Chavez Drive ask me for donations for their well being, but sometimes you get to notice the smell of a brewery and they just need some extra change to get enough cash to by a cold one.
For your interest, the State of Wisconsin, Department of Workforce Development (DWD) reported in June that the unemployment rate was at 8.5%, compared to 11.1% a year ago. In june, Milwaukee rank 7 on unemployment compared to rank 9 in the state a year ago.
In Milwaukee on any given night, an estimated 400 people under the age of 24 are homeless and looking for shelter, according to recent studies. In 2000, the Census reported that over 40% of children lived below the poverty level in the city.
Homelessness of the unemployed has increased in the state, but statistics are vage since, those who collected unemployment no longer qualify and have given up looking for work as a result of a lack of jobs, and are dropped from the tracking rates of the DWD.
Last week, Republicans in Congress blocked the approval of extended federal emergency unemployment benefits for people expected to lose their benefits by November. 
The City of Milwaukee was awarded $6.9 million in American Recovery Reinvestment Act funds for the Homeless Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP). These funds will be used to provide assistance such as rental vouchers and services to prevent individuals and families from becoming homeless and to help those who are experiencing homelessness to quickly, according to the City of Milwaukee.

DWD: May local jobs, and unemployment rates announced (PDF) link: http://bit.ly/diWJvc

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act in the City of Milwaukee http://bit.ly/c8XF4I

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