Asheville Homeless Network

<body link="#0000ff" bgcolor="#ffffff" alink="#ff0000" vlink="#800080" text="#000000"><font face="Arial"></font> <center><font face="Arial"><br> <br><br> <font size="+2"><strong>Welcome to the Asheville Homeless Network</strong></font></font> <p><font face="Arial"><img alt="" src="./images/cowboy1.jpg" width="400" border="0"><br> <font size="0">by Jay Hahn</font></font></p></center> <center> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center"> <script type="text/javascript" src="http://www.worldtimeserver.com/clocks/embed.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript" language="JavaScript">objUSNC = new Object;objUSNC.wtsclock = "wtsclock024.swf";objUSNC.color = "228B22";objUSNC.wtsid = "US-NC";objUSNC.width = 200;objUSNC.height = 200;objUSNC.wmode = "transparent";showClock(objUSNC);</script><br> </td></tr> <tr> <td align="center"> <h2>Asheville</h2></td></tr></tbody></table></center> <center><font face="Arial"><font size="+1" color="red"><strong>On December 6, 2005, Elaine F. Marshall, the Secretary of State of the State of North Carolina, registered<br> Asheville Homeless Network as a Non-Profit Corporation under the laws of this State. <br> Our 501(c)(3) IRS status was approved in September 2007, effective December 6, 2005.</strong></font></font></center> <center><font face="Arial"><strong><a href="http://weatherpixie.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://weatherpixie.com/displayimg.php?place=KAVL&trooper=39&type=F" alt="The WeatherPixie" width="124" border="0" height="175"></a></strong></font></center><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><strong>Mission Statement:</strong> The Asheville Homeless Network is a coalition of homeless people, formerly homeless people, and their allies for the purpose of identifying and providing information on services in the areas of housing, food, and medical care, and other needs as identified.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><strong></strong></font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><br> </font></strong></font> <center> <form method="get" action="http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/homelessinasheville"> <table bgcolor="#ffffcc" border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="center"><em>Subscribe to homelessinasheville</em></td></tr> <tr> <td><input name="user" value="enter email address" size="20" type="text"></td> <td><input alt="Click here to join homelessinasheville" name="Click here to join homelessinasheville" src="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/yg/img/i/us/ui/join.gif" type="image" border="0"></td></tr> <tr align="center"> <td colspan="2"> Powered by <a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/">groups.yahoo.com</a> </td></tr></tbody></table></form></center> <p><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"></font></strong></font></p> <div align="center"><font size="6" face="Arial"><strong><font face="Arial">Why You Should Donate</font></strong></font><font size="6"> </font><font size="6" face="Arial"><strong><font face="Arial">To AHN</font></strong></font><br> </div> <p><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><strong><font face="Arial"><font size="5">Since August 2007, AHN has received $17,000 in donations; with this money we have:</font></font></strong></font></font></p> <ul> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">held weekly meetings EVERY Thursday (other than national holidays) – many thanks to Rosanne at Grove Corner Market for lending us her space</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">given out hundreds of bus tickets, dozens of monthly bus passes, and 5 annual bus passes (over $5,000)</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">given away over 1,000 pairs of socks </font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">given away over 50 blankets</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">created and given away over 150 knit caps</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">paid housing or utility deposits for 8 individuals</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">paid to repair 4 vehicles</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">paid to get 3 vehicles out of city impound lots</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">paid for gas for at least 10 individuals</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">helped several individuals keep their phone service</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">maintained our informational website</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">printed and distributed hundreds of copies of our two brochures, which have been borrowed from by other organizations</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">provided 8 individuals with working computers (and have 6 more which could be repaired)</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">taught 3 individuals how to work on computers</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font size="5" face="Arial">worked closely with the City’s Homeless Initiative</font></li> <li><font size="5" face="Arial">attended regular monthly meetings of the Asheville-Buncombe Coalition for the Homeless </font><br> </li></ul> <p><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><strong><font face="Arial"><font size="5"><br> AHN has NOT:<br> </font></font></strong></font></font></p> <ul> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">pai</font></font><font face="Arial"><font size="5">d for office or building expenses</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">paid a single penny in salaries</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">treated homeless people with lack of respect</font></font></font></font></li> <li><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><font face="Arial"><font size="5">made people</font></font><font face="Arial"><font size="5"> jump through any hoops, tangle with red tape, or asked them to do something which they were not comfortable doin</font></font><font face="Arial"><font size="5">g</font></font></font></font></li></ul> <p><font face="Arial"><font size="+3"><strong><font face="Arial"><font size="5">Ask yourself: What would other organizations  accomplish with $17,000?<br> <br></font></font></strong><font face="Arial"><font size="5">All AHN officers and staff are homeless, technically homeless, or formerly homeless persons, and have been for all of the 5+ years of our existence.<br> <br> We don’t just <strong>help</strong> the homeless, we <strong>ARE</strong> the homeless.</font></font><strong><font face="Arial"><font size="5"><br> <br> Please donate today; your donation is tax-deductible.  We believe a donation to Asheville Homeless Network will provide more direct help for the homeless than any other potential use of your money.</font></font></strong></font></font></p> <p><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"> </font></strong></font></p> <p><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">E-mail us at <a href="mailto:ashevillehomeless@yahoo.com">ashevillehomeless@yahoo.com</a>.</font></strong></font></p><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">Officers for 2006-7 are:</font></strong></font> <ul><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">President: Gerald L. "Moss" Bliss, D.D.<br> Vice President: Paquita Lanaux-Jennings<br> Secretary-Treasurer: Michael L. Paglia<br> </font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"> </font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">P.O. Box 205<br> Asheville, NC 28802</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">Phone: (828) 552-0505 (cell)</font></strong></font></ul> <hr><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">October 18, 2007: See our wonderful new <a href="HomeYes.html">Press Release!</a></font></strong></font> <hr><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">The Asheville Homeless Network was born in a tent in January 2003, when Gwenn Parr (now McCourry) noticed that what organizations existed for the purpose of helping the homeless of Asheville didn't coordinate their activities effectively. Red tape and confusion made it virtually impossible for a person to access the help they needed.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">Among the goals envisioned at that time were: (a) getting information to the homeless population about what help was available and where; (b) making information available about their rights and the local laws that affected them; (c) lining up organizations and churches to help individuals directly; (d) changing the public's perception of who the homeless are; and (e) educating City and County officials as to their needs.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">In the years we have been operating, members of our organization have met with City officials (including Asheville's new Police Chief); networked with other organizations that help the homeless; provided craft supplies and markets for finished crafts for homeless artists; helped homeless campers find safe and legal camping spots; helped a couple stranded families pass through Asheville; and helped locate individuals who were thought to be missing and helped them re-establish contact with family members. All of this was done with no government involvement, aid, or assistance -- and with virtually no money. This website, created by Moss Bliss in April 2004, has been the central hub of information and assistance.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">The 10 Year Plan to End Homelessness is a good start, and AHN had a representative on the Task Force, but there are gaping holes and it has yet to be implemented. More measures to prevent people BECOMING homeless are needed. Housing is needed now, not somewhere down the road and not just for the "worst 10% of offenders". With the planned closing of more mental health facilities across North Carolina, there will be a corresponding rise in the homeless population. Many of these people will be ill-equipped to handle the activities and stresses of day-to-day life without assistance, and will end up on our streets.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">There is still much more to be done. Homelessness is not a theoretical issue to be debated in ivory towers and have inadequate funds thrown at it in ineffective ways. Studies show that the average family is only three-to-six paychecks away from homelessness. We invite help and participation from all sectors, in all forms, and promise to be there to coordinate getting that help directly where it can do the most good. Donations of fabric or other artistic materials, money, and time are welcome, and are gravely needed.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">No shelter currently exists in Asheville where families can be housed together; new, repressive laws (including one which bans anyone who has ever been arrested with an open container of alcohol from entering a city park or building) need to be repealed; there are few legal places to camp out, and police and sheriff involvement is still strongly negative; and public perceptions are slow to change.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">Milestones: First By-Laws adopted April 24, 2004. Accepted as a member of the Asheville-Buncombe Coalition for the Homeless June 2005. Incorporated as a North Carolina Nonprofit on December 6, 2005. Applied for IRS 501(c)(3) status January 2007. Received major donation ($15,000) August 2007.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">From our founding in January of 2003 to the present date, Asheville Homeless Network has been the nation's ONLY stand-alone membership organization for homeless people. We are not affiliated with any organization - religious, charitable, or otherwise - although we welcome sponsors. We are a member of the Asheville-Buncombe Coalition for the Homeless (all other members are local service organizations). We incorporated as a North Carolina Non-profit Corporation on December 6, 2005, and were granted IRS status as a non-profit corporation under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3) corporation in October 2007 (back-dated to December 6, 2005), which will improve our ability to raise funds and apply for grants.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">We have met once a week almost every week since April of 2003.   Meetings are at The Perch, inside Grove Corner Market on the Grove Arcade. Meetings are at 2:00 pm on Thursdays. Some meetings are to discuss "business" of the organization, and all are welcome, while others may be scheduled as Support Group meetings. Support Group is very personal, and should only be attended by homeless people and other regular AHN members.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1">Most news and events are now (effective Feb 20, 2008) being posted to Our Blog. The link is below.</font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><a href="/blog">Our Blog</a><br> <a href="contact.html">Contact Us!</a><br> <a href="bylaws.html">By-Laws of AHN</a><br> <a href="resource.html">Community Resources</a><br> <a href="projects.html">Our Projects</a> - <font color="red">updated!</font><br> <a href="maps.html">Maps and Views</a><br> <a href="laws.html">Homeless Laws</a><br> <a href="events.html">Meetings and Archived Events</a><br> <a href="news.html">News Articles</a><br> <a href="photos.html">Our Pictures</a><br> <a href="links.html">Our Links</a><br> </font></strong></font> <center><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font color="green"><strong>Make a Donation to Asheville Homeless Network</strong></font><strong></strong><br> </font></strong></font> <form action="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr" method="post"><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><input name="cmd" value="_s-xclick" type="hidden"><input src="https://www.paypal.com/en_US/i/btn/x-click-but04.gif" name="submit" alt="Make payments with PayPal - it's fast, free and secure!" type="image" border="0"><input name="encrypted" value="-----BEGIN PKCS7-----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-----END PKCS7-----" type="hidden"></font></strong></font></form></center><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font face="Arial">Asheville Homeless Network is raising funds to support our projects and activities. We do not have administrative costs except for paper and ink (much of which is donated), website fees ($70 per year), P.O. Box ($40 per year), and whatever we need for supplies for our programs. Any funds beyond those needs will be used to plug a hole in the system somewhere to the best of our ability. All worker hours are donated; we take nothing for administrative costs. You can help us continue our growth by clicking on the PayPal button above, or mail your contribution to Asheville Homeless Network, P.O. Box 205, Asheville, NC 28802. Donations of fabric, yarn, art and craft supplies, or anything that our members can turn into income are always welcome.</font></font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font face="Arial">Asheville Homeless Network is a non-profit corporation under section 501(c)(3) organization of the Internal Revenue Code.</font></font></strong></font> <center><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font face="Arial"><font color="green"><br> </font></font></font></strong></font></center><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font face="Arial"><font color="green"></font> Please visit: Anup Shah, <a href="http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Poverty.asp">Causes of Poverty</a>, GlobalIssues.org, Last updated: Monday, July 02, 2007</font></font></strong></font> <div align="center"> <center> <form action="http://www.sparesomechange.com/search/engine"> <table border="0" cellpadding="4" cellspacing="0"> <tbody> <tr> <td rowspan="2"><a href="http://www.sparesomechange.com"><img alt="Even People Who Have Housing Will Find Useful Links Here On The Homeless Search Engine (even people who have minimum wage jobs still need help finding low income resources). Fighting Homelessness (1 link at a time) By Giving A Hand Finding Resources To Combat Poverty" src="http://www.sparesomechange.com/images/homeless-search5.gif" width="185" border="0" height="59"></a></td> <td><input value="" name="find" size="20"> <input style="border: 2px outset #808080; background-color: #ffffff" value="search" type="submit"></td></tr> <tr> <td><input checked="checked" value="AND" name="findtype" type="radio"><font class="homelesness">All words</font> <input value="OR" name="findtype" type="radio"><font class="homelesness">Any word <font size="1">or </font><a href="http://www.sparesomechange.com/search/engine/add.asp"><font size="1">Add</font></a></font></td></tr></tbody></table></form></center></div><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font face="Arial"> </font></font></strong></font><font face="Arial"><strong><font size="+1"><font face="Arial"><font size="+1"></font></font></font></strong></font> </body>