A statement from Health Care for the Homeless:
Health Care for the Homeless stands in solidarity with people across the United States and around the world mourning and protesting the death of George Floyd. We stand with those who remember Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Botham Jean, Sandra Bland, Freddie Gray, Tamir Rice, Michael Brown, Eric Garner, Trayvon Martin and countless others who died unnecessarily at the hands of police or white assailants. We stand with clients and staff who live in legitimate fear that their names and those of their loved ones could be added to this list while walking, driving, exercising, playing, working or sleeping in the privacy of their own homes. We acknowledge that these lives matter. We resolve to say their names.
Health Care for the Homeless stands in solidarity with black and brown people who are dying at disproportionate rates from COVID-19, just as they do from other acute and chronic health conditions. We stand with them as they are forced to endure more violence in their communities, lower wages at work, less access to quality health care throughout their lives, more incarceration by the justice system and fewer options for housing than their white counterparts. We acknowledge that our health care system contributes to this oppression through pervasive interpersonal, institutional and systemic racism. We resolve to identify, understand and address the ways our agency is complicit in creating these disparities.
Health Care for the Homeless stands in solidarity with our staff and clients who feel anger, anguish, anxiety, exhaustion and frustration as African Americans. George Floyd was killed when an officer knelt on his neck for eight minutes and 46 seconds while three others who heard Mr. Floyd’s pleas for breath stood by and said nothing. We acknowledge that we too often remain silent when witnessing the injustices around us. We understand that advancing our mission to end homelessness requires addressing the role of structural racism in the perpetuation of poverty. We resolve to do our part toward creating a racially equitable society.
You don’t need a home to vote. That’s why we’re on-site and ready to help clients register until the 10/13 deadline. Make sure YOU are registered to vote and request your mail-in ballot by 10/20. https://bit.ly/342HTkd
Today, we celebrate the HOME Act officially becoming law! Thanks to everyone who advocated alongside us to eliminate discrimination based on source of income. Read more from Maryland Matters about other significant changes that went into effect today around discrimination and racial equity in housing and employment. https://bit.ly/3nbOz82
Thanks to Domino Sugar Baltimore for sponsoring the #RockYourSocks5K for the 3rd year! Join them in supporting our neighbors without homes by registering for our virtual 5K today! http://giving.hchmd.org/5k
Wow! Thanks to an incredible partnership with Bank of America, 46,000 Marylanders, including 6,000 of those we serve, will receive brand new masks to keep themselves and our community safe. Read more from The Daily Record.
THEDAILYRECORD.COM
Bank of America giving 46K face masks to underserved communities in Baltimore
Have you found a new fitness routine during #COVID19? Maggie, Yogi Albert and Daryl shared what’s helping them stay active through the pandemic. https://bit.ly/3k3pNVC
The next Community of Practice is TOMORROW 10/22. Baltimore City Health Commissioner at Baltimore City Health Department Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Job Opportunities Task Force CEO Caryn York, Baltimore Police Department Commissioner Michael Harrison and Baltimore County Police Department Chief of Police Melissa Hyatt will join President and CEO Kevin Lindamood to discuss Building Community Trust: Race, Policing and Community Trauma Register now! bit.ly/2GwrWdG
Over 300 people now have two things we all need to stay safe this winter: a flu shot and a winter coat. Thanks to Constellation for helping us support our neighbors without homes for the 8th year in a row.
“Housing is integral to health.”
We are proud to join public health leaders in calling on public officials to do more to prevent evictions during this global pandemic.
Join us in signing here.
bit.ly/37kPY6P
DOCS.GOOGLE.COM
Sign on to Letter to Governor Hogan, Speaker Jones, and Senate President Ferguson to Prevent Evictions
Still need your flu shot? Baltimore County residents can stop by Cow Palace at the MD State Fairgrounds this weekend to get a FREE flu shot. Masks are required. Find more information and schedule an appointment here.
BALTIMORESUN.COM
Free flu vaccines available at Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium this weekend
It’s not JUST about the wild socks this year. You can earn additional #RockYourSocks5K gear to complement your socks based on their amount you raise. Register now and get fundraising so that you can build your own 5K outfit–head to toe! https://bit.ly/3kt9nGf
Last weekend, nearly 200 runners, walkers, dancers and hikers from Baltimore to California joined us for #RockYourSocks5K. Together, they raised nearly $60,000. That's enough to cover a full year of care for 120 of our neighbors without homes! Relive the wild weekend here. bit.ly/3pmITtb
In 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. spoke of a beloved community – 64 years later his vision & approach are still crucial. Read about what it will take to create a beloved community in Baltimore in this piece from Director of Engagement Eddie Martin, Jr. bit.ly/3eMs45O
Starting Thursday (11/12), Baltimore will reinstate stricter #COVID19 restrictions as we enter the “second-wave,” with Baltimore seeing an average of 103 new cases per-day. Read more from The Baltimore Sun.
BALTIMORESUN.COM
Baltimore orders restaurants to close early, bars without food to shut down as coronavirus cases rise
Whew! What a weekend of wild socks, fitness and fundraising! Thank you to everyone who registered, fundraised and cheered from home.
The countdown to the #RockYourSocks5K weekend is here! Tomorrow morning, community members across Baltimore will pull on their wildest socks and spend the weekend rocking out. There’s still time to join them by registering now!
GIVING.HCHMD.ORG
2020 Rock Your Socks 5K
Health Care for the Homeless promised you, our community, to pursue racial equity and inclusion in all we do. We have begun this work in earnest. Hold us accountable. Read more from President & CEO Kevin Lindamood here. bit.ly/2MoJETH
Armed with needles and thread, retired Baltimore teacher Claire Ritterhoff has crafted and donated over 300 cloth masks to keep our neighbors without homes safe. Learn how you can join Claire and hundreds of other donors here. bit.ly/3ahkrCz
Nick Brooks, Workforce Development Coordinator at Youth Empowered Society (YES) first met Q when she came in with her daughter looking for help. Learn more about how Nick and his team support young people experiencing homelessness T #HCHChocolate on 3/6. chocolateaffair.org
Nearly 190 people joined last week’s Community of Practice on Addressing Food Insecurity: Race, Access and Health with Baltimore City Health Department Health Commissioner drtishcommish, Co-Founder & Servant-Director of Black Yield Institute Eric Jackson, Executive Director of Moveable Feast Susan Elias and President and CEO Kevin Lindamood. Watch the full conversation here. bit.ly/hchmdcommunity4
There’s still time to register for tomorrow’s Community of Practice on Homelessness. Join Baltimore City Health Department Health Commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa, Co-Founder & Servant-Director of Black Yield Institute Eric Jackson, Executive Director of Moveable Feast Susan Elias and President and CEO Kevin Lindamood for a discussion on Addressing Food Insecurity: Race, Access and Health. bit.ly/37whUEz