last night

i picked up Jean Wilson from UPR (United Peace Relief) and Aaron Timlin from the CAID and headed to ann arbor to find the homeless tent city Camp Take Notice
that Catherine Jun from the Detroit News wrote about.

I even had to call her for specifics on their location and she
gave rather good ones. she told me there are about 7 tents.

on the Exit ramp I saw a guy at the end of the exit ramp...tons of cars..i honked and
hoped out and he followed me to my trunk and i gave him a back pack
and asked him where the camp was he told me where across the 3 lanes
of traffic and down the hill into the woods. i asked if he lived there
he tole me no but he told me someone is usually there.he told me to
park on the side street..i told him i was heading to apple bees, jun
suggested that and told me to be careful crossing the road..so nice

i asked him his name he told me Chuck i told him mine and thanked him.

we parked and heading up the embankment, poor Aaron did not have on
winter boots, jean and i are all decked out in winter clothes and
boots.

i went to the trunk but we decided to not take back packs but come
back if needed for them

we see a path in the snow and follow it.and cross the road through
traffic..to the other side where there is another path in the snow.i
decide to run to chuck after i waved at him and him back.i tell them i
will catch up.

chuck and i chat ..i ask if he is not living there where is he
living..he told me he got off the streets,in a room...took him years
he said to get through the system but it finally happened..i asked if
it was that difficult he told me unbelievable.

i gave him my extra pair of gloves and headed toward the path down the
other side of the exit ramp cuz Aaron was signaling me to come.

i caught up and we followed a well defined path in the snow into the
woods to a clearing where there was a nicely painted sign for Camp
Take Notice
and words underneath that Aaron pointed out the first letter of all of
them spelled out 'mission'..nice. i have a picture of it.

jean is ahead of us and at first i notice the kitchen area, yes they
have one..and tents laid out all around it ...about 8 then 3 farther
back into the woods too. it all very extreme camping.

i call around and follow the paths to see if anyone is around, no answer.

i ask if they mind going back and getting the backpacks to leave here
and Aaron suggests a note too. jean is taking video and images of the
area..we slowly head back. i take 2 more pix..something i do not
normally do btw.

we load up and i have 14 packs so we trek them back and leave them
with the note in the kitchen area. i tell them who we are and why we
stopped and about the event coming up in Detroit in june ot create a
homeless squat community in Detroit and that we would like to help
them as we know they have 30 days to move, less actually, and that we
would like to have them at the event..or even to move to Detroit but
to come to the event regardless, yes i would figure out travel. i left
my number.

we headed back and went out to eat at the cass to talk about how to
help and brainstorm and make things happen in detroit!

!!


well last night i got a text from them: "Camp Take Notice just got back en masse and discovered your gifts! amazing! Thankyou"

i wrote back telling them i hoped they were useful


the wrote back again today from Camp Take Notice; one young man said. this restored his faith in humanity.& they acknowledge the work put into the packs!! GO TEAM!! for helping back so many awesome back packs!

i wrote them the i have more supplies if that was not enough and told them i can beg for more stuff if they tell me what they need. ...i cried at their text!

so happy that a connection was made....

well just now i googled the words on the sign i took a picture of;





Michigan Itinerant Shelter System Interdependent Out of Necessity and found a blog by them which is not too up to date..but i do plan to follow!

http://missiona2.blogspot.com/


i do NOT normally take pix of my project...but i did last night...
here is a communal kitchen where we left the back packs



and the article said they had 30 days to move....so considering you can NOT see them from the road...my guess is someone from the shopping center where you could tracks in the snow showing people went to the parking lot that way ..called and complained...my guess

hoping to stay in contact with them






i just found a video on them from faux news;

Time for the Dirty Show again- come visit the Cunts!

Dirty Show and the "Love a Cunt; Titties and Clitties" fundraiser....come get a body print!!

Its that time of year again..... and I will be at the Dirty Show for my fourth year in a row! come by the next twoo weekends on Friday and Saturday, and get printed!! we are in the back area through the 10 foot tall vagina...yes...that is what i said.


"Titties and Clitties" by the Cunts

"Titties and Clitties" offer you the experience of being the subject of an intimate performance piece where you are the canvas, the medium and the art!

Every woman is a unique and lovely creature just as every breast and cunt is
unique and incredible, therefore each single print made from your body will be a one of a kind impression of the foundation of your femininity.

Some of us produce very abstract results while others are very anatomical but all of them are beautiful!

Come and create a distinct and extraordinary piece of art that speaks of you from the most erotic places on your body.

Love a Cunt


This year I am raising money for the Homeless Pack Back Project...and the new Chapter of Burners without Borders in Detroit look us up on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=140622&id=139544484100#!/pages/Burners-without-Borders-Detroit/139544484100


and like say about the word CUNT. this is a very derogatory word in our culture and that is Exactly why i use it ....to take away its power. Historically this word was not used to insult women but it was considered in some past cultures as very positive and i know many women who use this word freely to help dissolve the negativity it now has and reclaim the word.

January 12, 2009 i decided to write a few companies two in Michigan asking for donations. i have never asked for company donations ..its beggin on a whole new level.

I hit up two i will not yet mention..still waiting to hear back from them but i will write about wrote a letter to Grabbers asking for handwarmer donations. i described to them what i do and all about the backpacks and the event to pack them. and sent them the Burners without Borders Detroit facebook page link
(http://www.facebook.com/pages/Burners-without-Borders-Detroit/139544484100)



And not even a week later...the same exact day i gave out my LAST handwarmer i got an email from them informing me that they have agreed to help by giving donations as it follows their concept of “Sharing the Warmth”. YEA!! Nice timing!
http://www.warmers.com/

and they asked that i ....

Please help us increase awareness of our products and brand by communicating the following discount code to friends and attendees of your event.

Enter discount code during checkout: GRABBERE2010...

and get 15% off will be applied to total order along with free shipping

Code valid until 06/30/2010


SWEET!!! thank you so much!!! so very nice of them!!
Sorry i missed you guys at the Plymouth Ice festival!

These volunteers for the homeless know how to pack a good cause

These volunteers for the homeless know how to pack a good cause

http://www.hamtramckreview.com/2010/01/these-volunteers-for-the-homeless-know-how-to-pack-a-good-cause/



By Ian Perrotta

Review Staffwriter

It looks like Mother Nature finally got the memo and winter has arrived. Fortunately for Detroit’s homeless, the Burners without Borders organization was already here.
What exactly does that mean? It means that thanks to the organization, over 100 of the local homeless population will be provided with a survival backpack to help combat the harsh Detroit winter.

It all started back in 2005, after the Burning Man festival in Nevada. That was the year of Hurricane Katrina, and when festival revelers saw what was happening – or more precisely what wasn’t happening – they banded together in an effort to help the citizens of New Orleans. Those “Burners” sought to minimize the devastation caused by the hurricane by lending their expertise in survival camping to the victims of the storm, as well as pitching in wherever else their help was needed.

Flash forward five years, and not much – other than location and organization size – has changed. Work continues to be donated where needed, and chapters have sprung up on five continents.

Locally, the Detroit chapter has been a pet project of Hamtramck resident Danielle ‘doxie’ Kaltz. Last Sunday (Jan. 10), she hosted a “Backpack Packing Party” in the basement of her Trowbridge apartment, and with the help of over a dozen volunteers stuffed over 100 backpacks with some basic survival essentials.

“We’ve been real fortunate that the winter has been mild, with no negative-degree temperatures and overwhelmed shelters so far,” says Kaltz, “but that doesn’t mean help isn’t needed.”

That help can certainly come from the backpacks, which were put together by an assembly line of volunteers. Each backpack was stuffed with socks, gloves, a hat, juice, water, a Nutri-Grain bar, four-to-five canned goods from various food groups, a can opener, a toiletry pack that included toothpaste, a toothbrush and ChapStick, and a poncho. FEMA emergency blankets were then tied to the packs with a scarf to finish them off.

“The backpacks are a great way to bridge the gap between the haves and the have-nots,” Kaltz told the group of volunteers. “They make it easier and safer to approach the homeless. Especially if you’ve never done it – all you have to do is roll down your window and say ‘Hi’. Just be sure to ask them their name, and tell them yours. It makes them human.”

That’s the type of enthusiasm that literally has strangers coming up to Kaltz and offering to assist her endeavor. Indeed, several volunteers were unacquainted with Kaltz before Sunday, and even the supplies came from people eager to help. The actual backpacks were purchased with a generous cash donation, and over 300 pairs of gloves came from Angela Palaian, who collected donations for the backpacks at two recent events she coordinated.

“The fact that doxie is intuitive enough of a person to walk outsiders through such a foreign process – fundraising, organizing, and street outreach – speaks a lot about her humanity. This is exactly why I want to do things for her. She knows how to treat people with love and respect.”

The backpack packing event was so successful in generating donations that there were actually several bags of clothes and other supplies that were unable to be packed away. Nothing went to waste, not even the bags that the clothes came in. The extra supplies were donated to the United Peace Relief, which will distribute them throughout the homeless community utilizing a bio-diesel bus under the guidance of Jean Wilson.

If you’d like to help the Burners without Borders cause, feel free to contact Danielle Kaltz at doxiedetroit@gmail.com or call her at (313) 608-4580.

Free or lost cost CLOTHING RESOURCES

CLOTHING RESOURCES

can help with people in general or people who need clothing for interviews or wedding.

http://julieslist.homestead.com/ClothingResources.html

Need this page updated..and expanded

if i had more time i would create a resource page for services like this on a website that lists ALL the Non-profits in the city so they can network and know of other groups out there so they could pool resources, network and not have so many small repeat services but band together to create stronger more far reaching ones ..


im allowed to dream...how else can i figure out my goals!

http://www.clickondetroit.com/family/5572140/detail.html

aluminum insultor

I got this email in December from a guy who had read about me in the Hamtramck Review..interesting idea!!

---


I had hoped to send you this before the frigid weather came...and was only reminded by having my gas meter removed yesterday for either updating to digital or because of tampering...I've gotten both reasons...Monday they will install a new meter...removal could have been Monday too, but they're stupid ***holes (sorry)...till then it's 37 degrees in my living room, and counting down.

So I have taken out the aluminum foil and have lined my hat and gloves...aluminum foil is an excellent insulator and retains body heat, but doesn't work so well on feet because it shreds from the walking, but might be OK for keeping feet toasty while sleeping...I'll try tonight.

Spread this tip to those you come in contact with...if you haven't already. Perhaps I could leave you a few rolls of HD aluminum foil at Cafe 1923 with your name on it...or some other place of convenience to you.

--Gary F.
Hamtown




Well then no kidding he left me 4 rolls of heavy duty foil!

necessity IS the mother of invention!

Detroit Threads

hats off to Mike at Detroit Threads for having a Free box outside his store in Hamtramck for people to get coats and cloths.

I have pulled few coats out of the box for the homeless and taken them directly to the streets!

Keep it up!

lesson learned...but still concerned.

Random memories of November

I stop at Avalon often in the mornings..yea I know it’s a pricy habit I cant afford but I do not make time to cook for myself..of that I am very guilty.

Well there is a guy who is often outside in the mornings and I cannot remember his name but he often asks for money I tell him I will buy him something instead …he always asks for orange juice. Most times he is there when I come out but once he was not and I have not seen him since..i do hope he is ok..


I got a ton of socks from the gleaners fundraiser and I keep packs of them in my car at a time and hand them out to people at lights as it’s a quick interaction and hand off on my way to work..i do this with handwarmers too when I have them!

Oh I made a BIG mistake this year…by giving Miss Cheryl my phone number..no no no ..i will not do this again. She called my many times on many days when I asked her repeatedly to only call me on Thursdays so I could find her after I got of the soup kitchen at St. Lads so I could give her what ever I got hot that night. She never called me on Thursdays but let some heart wretching messages about needing my help and asking me to come to her home. She lives in the projects by Hamtramck. I never went even though I did try to call back, no answers…most likely the calls were made from pay phones, yes some still do exist. Mostly in poor neighborhoods where people can not afford cell phones. This went on for about a month then she stopped calling.

i do hope she is ok.

But back in mid November

Dates are fuzzy as it has taken me so long to type these blogs up.

Most Saturdays I have a ritual of going to Eastern Market and shopping, I just love to start my weekends this way.

Sarah L and I have been going together for some time now and on a few occasions she would hit the streets with me afterwards.

She also had to path idea of hitting up distributors for bulk food about to go bad so we could get at a discount after we had bought a case of oranges the guy said he couldn’t really give a discount.

So we went to a guy she has worked with and he gave us a case of nanas to give out..no charge! Thank you sir!

I took Sarah to NSO (neighborhood service organization) on Third at MLK. There are always people around there and we would give out whatever cloths I happened to have, what ever food she happened to have from her job in a pro kitchen and the food we would get from market in bulk.

Well one day we were giving out oranges and this guy was yelling at us to come over to him across the street and in the field where he was sitting. I told him to come over to us and went on with distributing. After we were done and had a few oranges left he was still yelling at us and I asked her if she would be cool with going over there.

We went over and the loud mouths name was Marcus and his other friend Joe. Joe was an ex-marine and he and I had a very nice conversation about what I am doing and what he is doing and how he is making ends meet. He was very respectful and someone who I felt as a grandfatherly figure.

Sarah little did I know was not having as nice a convo as I was. Marcus was dealing on her and calling her a lesbian cuz she was not interested. Nice guy.
I know she can handle herself but I had called him out earlier for being rude and yelling to us and for being lazy and lying. Joe liked that about me and I would have called him out about being out of line to Sarah had I know too!


The Next week Marcus was there again this time he came up to us and I told him he better mind his P &Q’s…he was sassy but he did!.

Sunday January 10, 2010- Packing Back Packs

Hello!!!


Sunday January 10, 2010 is the date where we, that could be you too, will be packing all the backpacks I got donated earlier this year and all the ones i have collected since.

We have about 100 so far as well as tons of canned food, can openers (must have those!), ponchos, socks, gloves, hats, hygiene products and blankets.

The packing will take place at my home and people are welcome to take Back packs with them if they feel comfortable approaching homeless, if not i will get them all out on the streets.

I have bags and bags of clothes too that need sorting; womens, children, men, coats, clothes... many of which will go to UPR (United Peace Relief Detroit) so they can distribute at a big event they are planning.

I look forward to mingling with people as we create the backpacks and form new friendships! Hope your among them!

~d

Gleaners Fundraiser was a success

Gleaners Fundraiser


Monday December 14th, 2009 a great group of people gathered at Cafe Felix to raise money for Gleaners Food Bank.

Many also brought socks and food to help support Burners without Borders Detroit. Just under 100 pairs of socks were collected to help keep homeless warm!

Here is a link the images I took; http://capzles.com/#/39fe20aa-f3c8-4a0c-a8d8-7e560c3f6cd3/

Thank you to everyone who showed and donated it was a wonderful evening!

~d

BIG PHAT THANK YOU!!

I would like to Thank Angela Pal for her helping Burners without Borders this weekend during her awesome DUBSTEP CIRCUS event held at the Leland.

She collected donations of food and hats for the cause and dropped off 5 boxes at my place last night!

The event was a huge success, stay tuned for future parties http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=195461586430 (this page has video of the event!)

Here is a great link to the event by Phototastic; http://photasticimages.net/blog/2009/12/14/the-dubstep-circus-womp/comment-page-1/#comment-258


THANK YOU to EVERY Person who donated! i am grateful!
~d

LOVEBAGS!!!!

ahh i just learned about this site!!

lovebags.org
http://www.facebook.com/lovebagsorg?ref=ts&v=wall

they do what i ask people to do... keep food in your cars and give it out ...

they use plastic ziplocks in stead of backpacks like i do... i like the idea of people having a way to carry their belongs..but both totally work!! yea!

i hit them up in an email and hope to hear from them!!

~d

ps. i need socks!!

December 5th- Homeless Vet Chair-ity event

Its Tomorrow!!! finally here...Mercy Street (who i divulge i am on there board as a volunteer member) has all the chairs in the Tangent Gallery and they look Great!


Chair-ity Ball is a play on words. As you read this, up to 100 ordinary chairs are being transformed by a wide range of artists into both abstract art and functional, arty chairs, for Metro Detroit homes, studios and gift-giving. We've had a ball working on them. Online preview is available at www.mercy-street.com. All chairs are to be sold through live and silent auction, with sales to benefit the Michigan Veterans Foundation and Veteran's Haven, organizations that assist homeless veterans in southeast Michigan. Mercy Street is staging this important community event, because while only about six percent of folks in Michigan are veterans, vets reportedly make up about a third of Michigan's homeless population.

There will be both a live and silent auction, music, food and a cash bar. Dress code, smart casual. Kimberly's Catering will provide the food while Charles Wickins,The English Auctioneer, will spice up the auction. We may also have a surprise celebrity emcee on hand. Also to be presented for auction at the Chair-ity Ball, sponsored by HOUR Detroit, the Westchester Barbershop, Haven, the Plymouth Coffee Bean Company and Mudgie's Deli, will be a veterans memorial sculpture. Valuable sports memorabilia will be up for auction as well, and prizes will be offered for the most compelling chairs. This will be a fun evening, and we invite you to join us.

Save the date of December 5, 2009. The time: 7-10 p.m. Location: Tangent Gallery, New Center Area. Address: 715 E. Milwaukee, Detroit, MI 48202.

Reserve your tickets by calling 734-276-1842. They are only $10 per person until the week prior (through November 27), and $20 thereafter, and at the door.

http://sites.google.com/site/chairityball/

http://detnews.com/article/20091130/ENT05/911300352/Chair-ity-Ball-to-aid-homeless-veterans

http://www.journalgroup.com/Wayne/10412/chairity-event-to-aid-veterans

Gleaners fundraiser at Cafe Felix Dec 14--come on out!

Amazing friends of mine are putting on a fundraiser for Gleaners

Wont YOU come! its 1/2 off martin night! ~d

Please join me December 14th, from 6-9 PM at Cafe Felix for a gathering
in support of Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan.

There is unprecedented demand (http://www.freep.com/article/200911220300/NEWS06/911220433) for food support across the entire Metro Detroit are...a. We ask you to help by bringing a monetary donation to our benefit gathering.

Cash is best- as it allows Gleaners to leverage more food and feed more people than
with canned donations. As added incentive, an anonymous donor will match up to the first $1500.

We suggest a $10 donation, although please feel comfortable giving at the
level that makes sense within your own budget. You can use Visa/MC
or bring a check made out to: "Gleaners Community Food Bank of
Southeastern Michigan" with your name, address and phone number. We'll
have forms available to ensure you get a tax deduction and Gleaners
will send you a receipt.

In addition, please bring socks or gloves (really).
Our friend Danielle Kaltz has made it her mission to feed and
clothe homeless in Detroit. She is hoping you can help with a donation
of men's socks, which she can distribute to people living on the
street. These are critical to keeping people warm this winter as they
can be used on both feet and hands.

Please bring family and friends to share a coffee or martini
(half-off!). The more the merrier, and the greater the impact! More
than just a charity event, we also see this gathering as a way to build
community and get to know new and interesting people.

Ypsilanti SOS needs help;

From the Ypsilanti SOS;


Dear Friends,

We are in desperate need for volunteers to be van riders. These giving individuals ride in our vans to keep our children content and quiet so that we can have safe rides to and from our daycare center in Ann Arbor. This is a description of this selfless service:
7:30 am – volunteer would need to be at 114 N. River St.,Ypsilanti, MI (the SOS Crisis Center). Volunteer will ride in the van and help with the children. Volunteer will stay at our daycare until11:30 am when a staff member would be able to drive the volunteer back to River St. During this time, the volunteer will help with the children at the daycare center. If the volunteer could get a ride from the daycare center then he/she would be finished at about 9:30 am.

Afternoon riders – These volunteers would have to be a tour daycare in Ann Arbor, MI at 4:30 pm. They would help us with the children and return to 114 N. River St.,Ypsilanti, MI at approximately 6:30 pm.

We need help for each shift 5 days a week. Can you help us? Call me; we need you!

Our licensing requires that we must have these riders.
Please help us. We are DESPERATE!

Mimi Weisberg
Volunteer Recruitment Specialist
SOS Community Services
101 S. Huron Street,
Ypsilanti, MI 48197Phone:
734.961-1210Fax: 734.485.8739
SOS Line: 734.485.8730SOS
Housing Crisis Line: 734.484.4300

Want to reach out to homeless families and children and others in crisis in your community? Visit www.soscs.org to find out how you can volunteer and donate.

Burners without Borders....fan logo test

this is a test to see what this will look like!! please post it if you support BWB..and i hope you do!!

thanks

Danielle Kaltz is a fan of

Burners without Borders Detroit

Create your Fan Badge

Manual

November 7 2009

Meet sarah in the Market after wrangling koi and dogs on the island. She was with Lisa…we all chat and shop and then after Sarah and I decide to walk the Dejuindre Cut. And its still gorgeous outside..and as we approached the end we could see construction workers and I started to get worried as I could not exactly recall if Manuals place was directly at the end or not…well I tried not to get upset and asked if she minded if we go look and as we were heading there the field next to the workers was empty…my heart sunk until we come over the small hill and I could she his shack.

It is much smaller than last winter, like it had been torn down. He was not home. But his shopping cart was. I was so happy his place was still there I started to cry as we continued our walk. I asked if she was cool going around the block as I like to take new routes. And I am glad we did cuz a man was approaching us from down the second block and it ended up being Manual!

I spoke his name and asked if he remembered me. Mind you he speaks Spanish and damn it all to hell I have not yet learned to speak it so we have a language barrier. I speak to him about coming around again as the weather gets cold and ask about his shoes. He has on good boots! I tell him I will see him soon, he tells me ‘everyday’ I tell him we shall see. And he gives me a magazine he has in hands..its some ladies mag. I take his kind gesture and introduce him to Sarah and we part ways.

I was very happy to see him and he looked healthier than last year..but it was not winter yet and living in his shack esp in the worse condition it was in was sure to take its toll.
Spent the next few hours sharing life love and stories with Sarah who is a sage for her age and someone I am so grateful to have in my life…to be called her friend.

I am blessed with some amazing people in my life and I am so glad I now understand that I can call on them in my time of need, or when they call on me, to accept there love and support and challenges and pushing and listening and words and just no non-sense bull shit to help me to continue to become the person I know I can be. To each of them I am honored.

Friday night 11-7-09.. a doozy

That night I was on my way to Union Street for Christophers (not Breedlove) birthday gathering and I dropped off soup and bread to four guys I meet on the street. And then after dinner I ran into Larry the 5gallon bucket drum guy- he is a regular in the Corridor. I told him we meet last winter at Avalon a few times, he remembered me. I told him I had no money but if he would like my leftover I would gladly give them to him..and I tried to remember what I had but completely space..and he was like ‘its all right-it will not go to waste’ I then ran to my rental and got him some canned chicken noodle soup and a loaf of bread.

I remember the first time I saw him a few years ago she scared me to be honest. He has a haggarded face and a mean scrowl and just looks angry. Well fuck he might be right. I am glad though that I have gotten over my fear of him and I really do like the fact he plays though 5gallon buckets even if they are loud as fuck and don’t have a great rhythm..who cares he is at least working at something and giving back in a way if you ask me.



Even later that Friday night…on way home I exit off of I75 at Holbrook and see a cop car pulled over to the left at the light talking to a person who I figure must have been beggin on the corner as its getting more and more regular in the past few weeks. I roll down my window to listen but cant really hear anything. The light turns red but they don’t pull away so I decide to pull in front of them and make a left in hopes that they will pull away, again they don’t. At this time I notice at this time it’s a woman so I want to wait for sure now.
I pull into the Coney, which btw has been celebrating it anniversary for like 3 months now…just take the banner down!..and I pull out the exit back onto Holbrook and wait for the cops to go away…its like 5 minutes before they do and I see this person coming toward me then notice there belongings at the light where they must have been begging. I pull up and flip a bitch and ask if she is hungry. She tells me yes and I hop out and pop the trunk and start to give her soup and bread…then she says to me..’I doubt it but area you going into Hamtramck?”, I tell her yes why..and she asked me for a ride. I ask her where to and just to the 75 service drive and Caniff…exactly the way I go home. I tell her to get in..and guess what…she got in the back seat too. WTF? Safer maybe?

We chat as I drive her. I ask her name, its Cheryl and I tell her mine. She asks if I am married, I swallow hard and tell her no. (a question I got asked a few times at the soup kitchen and like 5 times since over this last week…I never get asked that ? so why now?)
She then asks if I have babies..i look at her and gently shake my head. She tells me she an 8 year old and that she is 49 and she just got them a small place over in the projects on the other side of 75. I tell her I am proud of her and wish her well, she was proud too you could tell. She told me she will be looking out for me and will notice my hair …I told her I will be looking out for her as well…and I will be!