New & Improved Annual Homelessness Marathon blog

The Annual Homelessness Marathon now features an all new and improved Annual Homelessness Marathon blog.

Make sure to check it out and bookmark it today. If you have bookmarks or links to this particular blog, please update them to direct to the new blog instead: i.e., homelessness-marathon.blogspot.com

Thank you!

*Must-Read* Article: Profile of People Living Homeless in VT

David Gram, an Associated Press Writer for the Vermont Bureau, penned a must-read article profiling people living homeless within the state that helps to illustrate how [h]omelessness is not just an urban problem, here [via Barre - Montpelier Times Argus; Sunday, December 24, 2006].

Read my thoughts and insights on the subject, here [via a diary installment of mine posted to the Green Mountain Daily blog (Sunday, December 24, 2006)].

[cross-posted from Norsehorse's Home Turf, here]

10th Annual Homelessness Marathon

The Tenth Annual Homelessness Marathon will originate from Fresno, California.

A 14 hour radio broadcast featuring the voices and stories of homeless people from around the U.S. The Homelessness Marathon features live call-ins all night long via a national toll-free number. The Homelessness Marathon is available for free to all non-commercial stations.

The broadcast will start at 7PM(est) on Tuesday, February 20th, and it will end at 9AM(est) on Wednesday, February 21, 2007.

Streaming audio will be available at Pacifica.org

Visit the Annual Homelessness Marathon Website for additional information.

Statement by Jeremy Alderson: Declaration of Principles

I am the director of the Homelessness Marathon, an annual, live 14-hour radio broadcast that focuses on homelessness and poverty in America (www.homelessnessmarathon.org). Perhaps because my only role in the anti-poverty movement is communicating with the public, it has bothered me for some time that, unless one believes in ten-year-plans and police sweeps, there really isn't anything out there that we can say we all agree to as a movement. So I have drafted the Declaration of Principles below. I know it won't satisfy everyone or maybe even anyone, but I am hoping that it will provide a basis for discussion.

Is such a declaration needed? Does the draft declaration below really express what's right? What changes should be made? I would welcome answers to these questions and many others, including many that I probably haven't even thought of.

We have posted this declaration on the Homelessness Marathon's blog site and we invite people to post their comments there. The blog is at: homelessnessmarathon.blogspot.com


Sincerely,

Jeremy Weir Alderson
Director, Homelessness Marathon

Declaration of Principles
We the undersigned believe that the elimination of poverty is a moral duty for society. We believe that fulfilling this duty makes for a better society. And we believe that there are many ways to fulfill this duty, but that all of them should be guided by these principles:

• 1. The most severe forms of poverty must be addressed on an emergency
  basis.


• 2. National efforts to eliminate poverty must be funded through the national budget and must focus on changes in the system not in the poor. These changes should include:


• A universal living wage and universal health care


• A full employment economy.


• Investment in public housing and public transportation.


• Benefits for the truly needy that truly keep them out of need.


• Fair taxes on corporations and wealth.


• Recognition of food, shelter, health care and education as the rights of citizens.


• 3. Within these guidelines, we support a wide variety of approaches to poverty, including those based on charity, personal uplift, supportive services and economic opportunity.

Posted on behalf of Jeremy Alderson, per his request.

Vlog Post: A Cold City

A moving photograph documentary dealing with homeless life versus college life in Boston, MA.

[via YouTube, here; posted on February 07, 2006, by Ender1]

Vlog Post: Cold Night

A look at the lives of the homeless.

[via YouTube, here; posted on November 30, 2005, by ucastovia]

Vlog Post: Homeless in Dallas

John Lunt recently vlogged up a short video clip concerning homelessness as experienced by people living homeless in the City of Dallas, Texas (here):

[via Walking In The Way; via YouTube (on February 16, 2006), here].

[note: vlog = video blog]

Wrapping Up & Closing Down

Snapshot of The Tabernacle of Truth via the Homelessness Marathon Webcam:


The Tabernacle of Truth is taken down after the end of the 9th Annual Homelessness Marathon broadcast.

Nobody Signs Off from the Annual Homelessness Marathon for Final Time as Director: Retires On-Air in Closing Remarks

Snapshots of The Tabernacle of Truth via the Homelessness Marathon Webcam:


Just before the end of the broadcast, I called in and got on-air with Nobody for a few moments were we talked about the blog a little.

He mentioned to me that he plans to read it at some point. As such and since he is retiring as director of the marathon, if you are so inclined, make sure to post a comment to this blog post for Jeremy in honor of him and his work over the years.

Final Hour of Broadcast - Upcoming: 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM [ET]

Short Program: Rural Homelessness
Long Program: A panel of Katrina survivors in Atlanta

*Update*: The panelists for the long program did not show up, so it is open mike time once again.

Snapshots of The Tabernacle of Truth via the Homelessness Marathon Webcam:


Nobody wraps up the last hour of the 9th annaul 14-hour Homelessness Marathon national radio broadcast with an open mike session.


Nobody is joined by a local volunteer and someone else with a camera during the last final minutes.

Discuss what you hear during this hour of the broadcast by posting comments to this blog post.