January 2017 E-Newsletter
Elders on the Street, and in the Pews 
- from the director

60% of the people sleeping on the pews at St. Boniface are over the age of 50.  75% self-identified as having a disability of some sort in our last survey.  

In addition to the fact that our homeless population is aging ( In 1990, 11%  of single homeless adults  were 50 or older; in 2016, it is 50%), a ccording to researchers at UC San Francisco, homeless people in their fifties have more geriatric conditions than those living in homes who are decades older. "They had a harder time using transportation, taking their medications, managing money, applying for benefits, arranging a job interview and finding a lawyer. They had higher rates of cognitive and visual impairment and urinary incontinence. And they were more likely to fall and to be depressed." 

The article discussing the research went on to say that these are problems you  would expect from people in the 70's, 80's, or 90's, not in their 50's.  
 
This is what we are seeing day in and day out at Gubbio.  A majority of our guests are struggling with daily activities.  This picture perfectly sums up what  some of our guests are trying to manage while living on the streets.  W e are now calling the ambulance  almost daily for suffering and sick guests.      

When I reflect on these stats, I think about Gandhi's statement, "The true measure of any society can be found in how it treats its most vulnerable members." And I think that we desperately need to do better with our elders who are struggling, suffering, and dying on the streets.  

- Laura Slattery  

"Let us rise up with those overlooked and undervalued by society."

Check out this inspiring and insightful 3 minute video of 15-year old Royce Mann speaking on Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.  Amen, amen, amen!




Detour Walking Tours
 
The other day a group of young adults came into the church. They ended up coming to the back of the church with a big bag of toiletries to donate! They had heard about The Gubbio Project while on a guided audio tour, called Detour Walking Tours. They were from all over the world and were astounded by the community at Gubbio and were mesmerized by our project.

If you haven't - check out Detour Walking Tours - and check out the Tenderloin one. They're all over San Francisco and other big cities around the world.
Check out the Tenderloin Walking Tour and learn more about the neighborhood we're in!


Better Homes and Gardens Today
A Public Art Project by Megan Wilson and Christopher Statton

As an extension of their project Better Homes & Gardens Today artists and activists Megan Wilson and Christopher Statton have created t-shirts that display the Arabic word for "Home" and are available for $20/each through the project's website www.BetterHomesAndGardensToday.org.

All proceeds from the sales will go towards providing at least 150 hard-boiled eggs weekly for the guests of The Gubbio Project. While bread is often available for those struggling with housing instability, protein is less accessible, yet it is critical to maintaining good health.
Better Homes & Gardens Today aims to:
 
1. Heighten awareness around "home" and the realities of homelessness;

2. Cultivate a dialog within communities and amongst disparate groups about housing instability; and

3. Raise money to benefit the Gubbio Project, the Coalition On Homelessness, and At The Crossroads, organizations working to address homelessness in San Francisco.
City Seeking Volunteers for Homeless Count

Calling all volunteers! SF needs your help for the '17 Homeless Point-in Time count. Thursday, January 26th, 2017. Sign up at:  http://bit.ly/2iFlgN6

 #EveryoneCounts 


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