Photo above is from the homeless civil rights demonstration December 19, 2007
The 2008 One Night Count found more than 2,600 persons surviving outside in greater Seattle on a winter night when emergency shelters were full.
Meanwhile, the Mayor's Office continues to pursue a policy of demolishing homeless people's encampments and throwing away their property without providing any alternative shelter. It is inhumane and immoral to punish people for living outside when there is not enough shelter or affordable housing to meet the need.
Mayor Nickels should stop all non-emergency sweeps immediately and expand housing and services instead of criminalizing survival. Join me in signing a petition telling the Mayor to help, not harass, homeless people.
You might also be interested to know that on March 13th, Real Change is organizing a campout at City Hall, along with a full day of demonstrations around downtown to turn up the heat on this issue. They need sign wavers and petition gatherers for daytime shifts on the 13th, people to bring a tent and a friend and spend the night at City Hall, and people to come help take
down the temporary encampment on Friday the 14th.
Sign up to help, or sign a petition calling for an end to the sweeps at
"HERE"
For more information, contact Natalie at 206-441-3247 ext. 213.**
1 comment:
The date that is under the picture is wrong. This was a picture taken at the first Overnight Camp Out for Change at City Hall put on by the Real Change Organizing Project. The date of the event was actually December 19, 2007. Amazingly, we went from an idea to holding the event in just two weeks. On a cold, rainy December night with that short notice, and that close to Christmas, we were able to still attract 150 people to the rally, and around 50 people who camped out overnight.
I don't see this as indicative of how popular RCOP is, nor how good our group is at organizing. It is more indicative of how large and how bad the situation has become, and how as a result people are willing to fight back.
This most recent Overnight Camp Out at City Hall for Change attracted around 50 volunteers who did daytime visibility work around the city, 200 people to a dinner served at City Hall, and around 150 campers.
Real Change Organizing Project has promised Mayor Nickels that we will be back every three months until everyone who is living outdoors without shelter is safe.
Doug M.
Real Change Organizing Project
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