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Corner Blog Amy Altadonna said...
Your website and pictures are interesting
to me because they are so straightforward...the questions that you are trying to answer for us are the ones that everyone
wonders about and almost no one is brave enough to ask. I think the questions about whether these people have families and
what the role of the family is, and what happened to get people out there panhandling are scary questions, because if these
women have relatable stories, then we have to acknowledge that it could be any one of us out there, maybe just from hard luck
and not because of bad choices. I think that must be why we don't usually stop and talk to people who are begging; we want
them to be messed up or addicts, not nice people like "us".
@ 8:17 PM
Susan said...
I have had a heart for the homeless for years. I have often used a percentage of the
proceeds from the sale of my art for helping the homeless. Four years ago the average age of homelessness in America was 9
years old. I am not sure if that average is still correct today but it tells me that homelessness goes way beyond just men
standing on the corner begging. It deeply affects the women and children as well. The men are usually more visible but the
women and children are there, too. I am so excited about this project. I believe it will help raise awareness of homelessness
and that will eventually make a difference. Awareness is one of the first keys to opening a door to solutions. May our hearts
be softened and our eyes opened to the pain and struggles being endured by the many nameless people standing behind their
signs on our street corners. I think that if each of us would for one minute try to imagine ourselves being in their shoes,
then we would think twice about the cruel obscenities we yell from the safety of our cars and the rude behavior we exhibit
by throwing things at them when we pass by. They are real people, just like us, with feelings, hopes and dreams. It is true
that some are there by choice, but many are there because of circumstances beyond their control that have happened in their
lives. The least we can do is show them the consideration and respect they deserve as fellow human beings.
@ 3:32 PM
Stephanie
said...
Other people have asked me about her. I look for her every time I go downtown
but I haven’t seen her. I will keep looking and I’ll stop to talk to her when I find her.
It can be heart wrenching to talk to women who beg on the street. Sometimes I can't bring myself to face their pain.
I took a break for 2 weeks. I wasn't sure if I would be able to go back out, but then I saw a young women begging near the
pet store on Wendover and I just had to talk to her. She is only 25 years old. She is homeless. She stays in the shelters
sometimes, but they feel like prison to her. She is too young to be out on the street. Most women her age are finished
with school and are beginning their new careers. So - I'm back out there getting more stories and sharing them with
you.
@ 4:47 PM
Mack said...
Saw a new woman begging today downtown on the corner of Spring and Friendly where the big
old house burned down years ago. Looked like she was wearing bedroom slippers covered with plastic bags or something. I’d
loved to know her story.
Steve said...
I enjoyed the presentation. I thought your
insights into the plight of the homeless and women who beg were fascinating.
Mack said… Before a mixed audience of about fifty folks, we had about 10-15
minutes to present Pushed to the Corner. We showed pictures of the women begging, gave a brief overview of our efforts,
and shared a couple of poems about flying the signs. It was a community minded audience, so it was a good introduction. We
were told that we made a positive impression and that our poetry that we read carried some heartfelt impact.
9:39 pm edt
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