The Nashville Homeless Power Project officially launched its its book, Homeless Power: Our Stories of Survival and Struggle, at a party at the Metro Courthouse last night. A lively and diverse crowd assembled to check out the book and shed light on the challenges faced by the city’s homeless citizens.

The book is a collaboration between NHPP and the Vanderbilt Human Rights and the Arts Project intended to raise funds and educate the public about homelessness. It is available for a donation of $20 via an order form on the NHPP Web site.

One NHPP member (first photo above, at right) who is homeless addressed the crowd. In an emotional and impassioned speech, she expressed gratitude and joy at seeing so many local homeless residents “get their own voices out” rather than having others speak for them. She advocated for more affordable housing and higher wages as much-needed solutions to homelessness.

Several Vanderbilt students who have directly participated in the book’s development (second photo above) presented NHPP with a framed poem compiled from quotations from the many stories the book features. The students read the poem aloud, and the selections were powerful. Here are a few:

• “Homelessness is not a crime.”
• “Every day I wake up wanting to get off the streets.”
• “People look at us like we are nobody, nothing.”
• “Pretty soon we’re invisible.”

Homelessness has been a controversial and politicized topic of late, especially as it relates to recently remodeled Church Street Park and to the anti-panhandling ordinance that the Metro Council recently deferred. Regardless of one’s opinions on homelessness, its impact and possible solutions, though, I think it’s fair to concede that there is plenty of work left to be done. The support services and available options for people who are homeless, while much improved in many ways compared with the past, aren’t enough to solve the problem, if it can ultimately be solved. I’m in favor of any reasonable initiatives that can make housing easier to attain and maintain and lead to fewer lives lived and lost on the streets.

Newly redesigned Church Street Park reopens today. Although The Tennessean is reporting in this morning’s edition that the park was scheduled to open at dawn, the area is still restricted with caution tape as of 7 a.m. Signs posted on the property state that the park will reopen with a public ceremony at noon today. It has been widely speculated that the park redesign is intended to reduce loitering by providing reduced seating. Early today several homeless residents (two of whom are pictured above) were sitting nearby. Another was overheard asking when the park will reopen.

• One of my all-time favorite bands, The Samples (official Web site featuring a signature tune, Little Silver Ring) is playing 3rd and Lindsley tonight. I’ve enjoyed the pensive, powerful music of Sean Kelly and Company since being introduced to it by a classmate from Colorado in 1991. If you’re looking for something to do, and you’re not already going to see the Disco Biscuits tonight, check this performance by a band described as a “cross between The Police and the Grateful Dead” playing “reggae influenced rock/pop” out. [Image: Wikipedia]
• It seems hard to believe now, but eventual blockbuster acts such as Dave Mathews Band and Hootie and the Blowfish opened for the Samples in the early 90s. Although that kind of success has eluded Kelly and his fellow musicians, the Samples have continued to release enjoyable, thoughtful music that addresses topics as diverse as love, sustainability, politics, innocence and mortality along the way.
• Reverend Kenneth Locke of Downtown Presbyterian Church says Nashville needs more public restrooms downtown. Is he right? I tend to agree with him, though we need to navigate possible problems such as vandalism and cottaging in advance if we’re going to take this on. I’m not sure we’re ready for restroom attendants, either.
• Aspiring Preds suitor Jim Balsillie is still maintaining a Web site where Ontario fans can put down season ticket deposits for the “Hamilton Predators.” Thanks for the offer, Jim, but no thanks. (Hat tip to Paul McCann.)
• Preds fans, put your clicks where your mouth is, or something like that, by completing WSMV’s online survey about whether the city should do more to help the team. It’s divided 50/50 as I write this post.

• Jackson Miller rode a motorcycle all the way from Nashville to D.C. this weekend, and he’s learned a few things along the way: “People really don’t mean to almost kill motorcyclists, it is just easy to zone off when driving a car.” [Image: Jaxn.org]
• Kevin Barbieux is talking about gift bags to help people who are homeless with toiletries and other items, and he’s got some very good suggestions.
• Brave thoughts and words from Kateo on her sexuality. Thanks for such a candid and honest post, Kate.
• Newscoma has started an intriguing conversation about the new biography of late Peanuts creator Charles Schultz and why our faults only make us more approachable, not less talented.

What is the most generous gift we have to give? If you ask Alan Graham, president and founder of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, the answer is ourselves. “We need to change the way people serve the homeless and the poor,” said Graham. “We need to serve them with love, participating not merely with our checkbooks but with our lives.”

There are plenty of material needs in the world today, more than any one of us could ever satisfy. Working to fulfill those needs is a noble aim–one that should not be abandoned–but there is more to life than just staying alive. Our greatest need as human beings, Graham argues, is not physical but spiritual. We need each other, and we need God.

According to Graham, the leading cause of homelessness in the United States is the loss of family. I think those of us who are fortunate enough to have never been “adrift,” as Graham describes those who are homeless, take for granted what a tremendous loss that must be.

Graham spoke this past Sunday at Benton Chapel on the Vanderbilt campus, where the Saint Augustine’s Chapel congregation worships each week. He was in town to help kick off the launch of the Nashville chapter of MLF, a mission intended not only to feed the hungry but to “give them the gift of fellowship, friendship and abundant meals.”

The challenge for each of us, said Graham, is to do more than “just give [the indigent] what we think they need . . . but to give them the abundant love of God.” “Each of us can give a little,” he continued, “and a lot can be done.” I definitely agree.

[Hat tip to Kevin Barbieux, who I had the pleasure of meeting briefly during the service on Sunday. If you've ever wondered what "palliative" means, stick around for an explanation from him. Hint: It has a lot to do with this post.]

A few years ago, I heard a story on NPR entitled, “Volunteering on the wrong day.” It explained how well-intentioned people inadvertently make the holidays tougher on nonprofit organizations, especially soup kitchens and homeless missions, by donating their time on Thanksgiving or Christmas. Instead of receiving much-needed help, the organizations have to try to find responsibilities for the volunteers because available hands heavily outweigh the amount of work to be done.

Jeffrey at The Gathering raised an interesting and related question recently: The Christmas Spirit–Why Not All Year? I don’t know the answer, but I do think the challenge is for us as individuals to look for ways to help others out of sincere desire, not just because the calendar suggests that it’s the right thing to do. Soup kitchens are often desperate for help and for financial support in July, not in December.

Many people remember people in need and good causes when the holiday season reminds us. There’s nothing wrong with that, and I’m not suggesting we stop promoting that element of Christmas. Maybe the concept of Christmas in July, which is generally more punchline than passion, can teach us something: Help when the need is there, not when it’s convenient.

The Tennessean addressed the issue of homelessness downtown today in today’s issue. Local blogger Kevin Barbieux responded with some words of wisdom:

“[T]hankfully, we all are quickly re-learning that harassing the homeless, shooing them away, or trying to sweep them under the proverbial rug, just doesn’t get the results we want…

Hopefully, everyone will quickly get to the point of admitting that the best thing for everyone, the only true workable solution, is to give the services to the homeless that will actually lead to them getting off the streets and on to better lives.

The Rescue Mission has been on operation for more than 50 years, the Campus For Human Development for 20 years, and yet have we seen any real change in the homeless plight by these organizations? A new approach is needed, such as could become reality if the Nashville Homelessness Commission would actually achieve it’s goals. The best hope for all concerned lies with the Commission. If somebody would light a fire under their collective rear-ends, we’d see some real and positive changes taking place.”

I’m familiar with both the Mission and the Campus, and I think they do meaningful and important work. Kevin has a good point, though: There is still a sizable homeless population in Nashville that needs help despite all of this good work. My question to him and in general is what are these “real and positive changes” that are needed? Affordable housing often comes up quickly in discussions about the homeless, but what would that look like specifically? What specifics might help the problem that aren’t currently in place?

The quote of the day, in my opinion, comes from guitar manufacturer George Gruhn, who is quoted in the Tennessean story: “When someone’s sleeping at my back door and defecating there, do I like it? No.” I’d have to agree with that.