:: Solutions to the Homeless Problem ::

:: Saturday, December 06, 2003 ::

Include BitPass in Your Blog rather than PayPal


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (106) Comments


There are many so-called homeless blog websites authored by famous homeless people such as Kevin Barbieux at TN, Morgan Brown at VT, Crystal Evans at MA, ...etc. They were either having no way for the reader to send money to them or no easy way. Some use PayPal, others use credit card ...etc... But, the best solution I found should be using BitPass for the following reasons:

1. BitPass has very little overhead for as small as a penny collection, if any, to allow small donation of just a dime or quarter possible. Most panhandlers in New York City area collecting a dime or quarter easily. People throw out $1 or more to show their sympathy and willing to help is rare. People, like myself, give out $20 bill even hardly seen. If you see articles in New York Times or others interviewing homeless and got some odd story like once in a while hit a $100 donation from a guy working at Wall Street; that could be me. So, any homeless blog website having PayPal and expect visitors to donate big amounts and frequently is not realistic. However, many homeless blogs having hundreds of regular visitors, if they include BitPass to let regular visitors to throw in a dime or a quarter easily, I am sure most people would donate regularly, and basic income can establish.

2. BitPass use anonymous paying scheme that fits the ePanhandling model. Although I always introduce myself to the panhandlers in New York City when I give them $20 to help them, most of people throw a dime or quarter to help panhandlers on street would not bother to leave name or identity. So, with PayPal included in the homeless blog websites, most people would not donate because PayPal will reveal their identity such as name and address ...etc.

3. Homeless blog websites can be deemed as special topic local news websites that readers normally willing to pay a dime or quarter for interesting article. Just like when I outreached Hazleton PA for homeless I helped move off homelessness from New York City, I would pay a quarter for a local newspaper if the headline caught my attention. And BitPass was originally targeted for musician or artist to collect some small amount of their work, and many visitors think a dime or a quarter is what they would pay. PayPal's 2.9% plus 30 cents overhead could eat up ALL the small payments; BitPass won't.

4. Since the amount of donation or royalty on the article in the homeless blog can be as small as a penny by BitPass; it could be placed at every article, and not just one at the website like PayPal.

:: Mr Cheng 3:02 AM [+] ::
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Take Advantage of Cell Phone Recycle Program


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (156) Comments


One big problem for homeless is to stay contacted by social service, prospective employers, friends, relatives ...etc in a real time manner, and obtaining a cell phone may cost homeless people unaffordable upfront money due to free cell phone may require good financial credit which homeless not able to maintain. Now, homeless people may have an alternative due to the Cell phone industry to dial up recycling program

Of course, homeless or jobless people can also go to eBay to bid used cell phone handset at very low cost and get it turned on with the cell phone company with, say, $25. I have encountered a homeless guy at Wall St, who told me that his first day goal was to panhandle $25 to turn on his cell phone, and he was able to with a Please Spare Some Change cardboard sign in one day. Later on, after he got his cell phone turned on with phone number, he had a new sign with his phone number asking people to help him get a job. Although he did not get a job after a few weeks thru cardboard with a cell phone number, he was able to stay contacted with his relatives in Texas and later moved to Texas where he could get family support.

Below is what I wrote to Heloise after reading article Donate A Phone campaign under way

Dear Heloise,

As Homeless Solution Provider, I just wrote an other solution to help 8 million homeless people nationwide at my Homeless Solution website

http://homeless123.blogspot.com/

What I would suggest that you or your organization to do is to distribute the donated used cell phone to 8 million homeless people nationwide so that they can benefit from the cell phone service to stay in touch with social service worker, prospective employers, families, friends ...etc and move them off homelessness by themselves easier.

How do you think?

Cheng

:: Mr Cheng 6:28 PM [+] ::
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Provide Free Cell Phone to Homeless People by Department of Homeless Services


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (2034) Comments


I have explained the importance of a cell phone to people who became homeless and proved that it is one of the most important homeless solutions. I am further proposing that the Department of Homeless Services of any city should consider providing a free cell phone to homeless people in their city.

Morrisville State University has become the first university provide free cell phones to their students. With similar partnership between cell phone company and Department of Homeless Services, homeless people can have a free cell phone that would allow the city to contact homeless for easier to provide services, for statistics reasons, for security...etc. With free local calls and free imbound calls or weekend long distance unlimited minutes, homeless people would be able to find jobs, housing, resources much easier; they would also be able to contact their families, friends and relatives easier and cost effectively to stay mentally healthy and obtain resources and assistance as well.

Through my experience of help thousands of homeless people, the most difficult part for homeless to obtain a cell phone was that they could not pass the credit check; they have been unable to keep up their financial before eventually became homeless. Anyone able to maintain financial good credit can easily obtain a free cell phone these days with very little up front money. But, for people like Tracy who would provide homeless a cell phone to help them finding jobs would have to pay big deposit for them. Some organizations like "Coalition for the Homeless" may provide homeless a free voice mail, but it could not compete with a free incoming call cell phone and free local call cell phone on job seeking and other application for the homeless on the street.

For any Mayor candidate who believes cash assistance is not as good as providing homeless services should seriously consider using part of the GA (General Assistance) to secure homeless a free cell phone not only because it would make homeless not blocked by the credit check by cell phone company, but also it would turn the cell phone cost down to $1 a day. Homeless people suffering unable to keep up financial credit normally pay much more to public phone, to phone cards, or to prepaid cell phone like Virgin Island and lose to best part of cell phone with unlimited night minutes and weekend minutes. Without free unlimited nights and weekend limites, I would not have been able to help homeless to move off homelessness nationwide effectively; over 6,000 minutes over phone consulting to homeless remotely each month could reduce me and my followers the power to help homeless with our own earning.
:: Mr Cheng 11:22 PM [+] ::
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Batering Your Service and Surplus for Your Needs


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (348) Comments


Most homeless people are lack of cash and may have some surplus items in storage but in need of many things, like subway pass, food, shower, sleeping bag, sneaker... etc. And bartering seems to be one good solution, according to James Ramsey, The Homeless Guy in New York City


Hi there,

Just to let you know something to help you in case you have no money to buy whatever you need.

You can BARTER.

What is BARTER, or BARTERING?

A Definition of Barter

the direct exchange of goods or services--without an intervening medium of exchange or money--either according to established rates of exchange or by bargaining. Barter is common among nonliterate societies, particularly in those communities with some developed form of market. Goods may be bartered within a group as well as between groups, although gift exchange probably accounts for most intragroup trade, particularly in small and relatively simple societies.

Since I am homeless and at times without cash, I advertise either in my Barter Group, or in the Craiglist(NYC) Barter Section.

It saves stress and you will see that money is not always needed!!! You can barter food, clothes, a shower, or anything you have need.

Thanks,
James Ramsay

James doing cleaning services before he was evicted from the previous place when he was unable to keep up the rent. With bartering, he was able to exchange his cleaning services to obtain hundreds of flyers designed and printed for him so that he could circulate to obtain more paid cleaning jobs.


I used to barter my lawn services to an old couple in exchange for a furnished room when I was at college and did tutoring at school to make some cash for living. I also bartered my lawn service to a millionaire in exchange for the opportunity to eat and go out with the wealthy old lady, and therefore, I eyewitnessed how millionaires do and learned to be successful later.
:: Mr Cheng 11:12 AM [+] ::
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Create a Free Blog and Document All Your Homeless Thoughts and Activities


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (123) Comments


Most people when become homeless, they are under great pressure whether financial or social. One solution to keep their psychology balance is to create a free web log on the Internet. This will not only help organize the thoughts and plans of a homeless person, writing down journal is also a typical way a mental doctor will recommend to their patient. For example, The Homeless Guy in New York City has said that his homeless life seemed to have big improvement and hope once he started writing his blog. Also A Homeless Single Mom in Calgary, Alberta, Canada also shared the same experience. There are many others, of course, like the famous The Homeless Guy which was one of the pioneers.




:: Mr Cheng 6:49 PM [+] ::
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Support Mayoral Candidate with Workable Homeless Solutions


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (2123) Comments


In order to help homeless people to move off homelessness, one very powerful way is to elect a mayor who can provide workable homeless solutions. For example, I recently just endorsed Jim Reid as the mayor of San Francisco, more detail can be seen in Rich New Jersey man adopts S.F. candidate from San Francisco Examinar.


Jim Reid is a homebuilder who build this Shelter One model house to show only $12,000 a city can build a house to move homeless people off homelessness right away. This 10x10 small house has kitchen, microwave, refrigirator, tv, bathroom, washer dryer, desk, chair, Internet computer ...etc. that will give any single homeless person, immediately energy boopstrap once move into it, yet, the cost is so affordable.


:: Mr Cheng 2:59 AM [+] ::
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Encourage Mayor Candidates to Experience Homeless Life in Shelter


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (1123) Comments


It would help the mayors to understand the homeless issue better if they all have experienced the homeless life in shelters; so it make a lot sense to encourage mayor candidates to do so and see what their solutions are. Last year, the San Francisco Mayor Candidate went to experience homeless life in the shelter, according to Candidate goes homeless to investigate shelter care without cash. I think this would definitely help the prospective mayor to understand the homeless issues much better and provide useful solutions once elected.



:: Mr Cheng 2:22 PM [+] ::
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Pay Homeless' Cell Phone Bill


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (1406) Comments


Recently, Jack Davis, a Christian working homeless from Nashville TN, sent me an emergency email saying that due to his employer not able to paid him on time and owed him $238, he was not able to pay his cell phone bill, and, therefore, his cell phone was disconnected. So, I found a sponsor, Tracy Wang from Forest Hill, NY, to help Jack by paying his cell phone bill remotely after some exchange of email. Then his cell phone service is reconnected 30 minutes later.


As I mentioned in my earlier blog entry that a cell phone is the most useful help that any one or agency can provide to a homeless person on the street or living at a shelter because it would be much easier for the homeless to stay in contact, especially, by the prospective employers. In many situations, the prospective employers tend to more willing to hire someone with a cell phone, and many short term labor or service part time jobs require immediate response by the candidates. Some jobs like messenger in New York City, with or without a cell sometimes decides if a homeless person got the job or not.


Tracy Wang at Forest Hills NY is so nice to offer to pay homeless person a cell phone till she or he find a job, and I believe she is the first one I know in the United States that provide this most useful assistance to homeless. Unfortunately, I have not heard of any charity organization, nor government agency claim providing services to the homeless able to provide such useful assistance to any homeless. Some did provide pager or voice mailbox, which is far from the power of a cell phone. Ironically, many homeless, once got their cell phone, may not need Tracy to pay their phone bill because they, all of a sudden, found that unlimited long distance calls after 9pm each night and all day weekends would have paid for their phone card right away for $39 a month, not to mention 600 any time free minutes and other free services like Caller ID, voice mail, ...etc.



:: Mr Cheng 11:19 PM [+] ::
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Help Homeless to Rent a Furnish Room at the Unemployed Professional's Big House


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (309) Comments


My colleague at AT&T used to be Oracle Database Administrator and has been unemployeed for more than a year. He ran out his 9 month unemployment and still could not find any job. His mom told me when I took my father and family to visit them that he has to pay $1,600 a month to keep his 3br townhouse, and he was not going to be able to keep it for too many more months. So, I looked at the house and proposed a solution to rent out one or two furnished room; his mom said she would be very happy to get $400 for small furnished room and $460 for bigger one.


I am trying to match George that I helped every day at Dunellen NJ train station who has been on the street for close to one full year. Because George use Ivory Motel at Green Brook NJ about 5 times a month that costs him $52 plus tax each night he stayed to refresh himself. I proposed to charge him $300 a month for the furnished room for the moment and bring up to $400 later after he find a job. I am even willing to kick in one month rent to help both parties.


He would NEVER wanted to help homeless before when he was making handsome money as computer professionals; however, the situation totally change; his mom said, he better rent out both rooms and sleep at the sofa of the living room to keep the mortgage payment paid. Well, I told her, at least the sofa was $5,000 true leather comfortable sectional. I believe this is very workable solution.


Oh, by the way, he has sold 4 other rental condos that I helped him to buy dozen years ago and realized BIG gain, say, $100,000 each, but, it was ashamed that he lost more than half millions in stock crash; he also lost a young beatiful wife after he was laid off; the wife took his house in China and some money for over $100,000 worth. His mom told me that he has to put a stand to sell crafts on the street at New York City to get by now, and his life is like 20 years ago when he just immigrated to this country.


His 3br townhouse is at Somerset, New Jersey, near New Brunswick Train Station can easily access to New York City and Trenton NJ, and very close to Rutgers University. If you are homeless looking to get off street, this is very good chance. I am also trying to uncover other people with similar situation and need to rent out furnished rooms.


:: Mr Cheng 10:58 AM [+] ::
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Provide Sizable Cash Assistance and Low Interest Long Term Loan to Homeless People


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (309) Comments


There is no simpler and fastest way of helping homeless to move off homelessness than providing cash assistance and low interest long term loan. Recently I have helped The Homeless Guy at Nashville TN to move off homelessness on 1/1/03 by providing him $1,000 cash assistance through Pay Pal after lenghthy debate over The Homeless Guy Discussion Board. This was also reported by The State. Apparently, none of hundreds of homeless avocates realized that sizable cash assistance is the best way to get homeless off street.


I also helped Lynn, a single mom with 1 year and 4 year old daughters and run away husband of Revealing Our Story at Sauk Rapids, MN to obtain a used car by providing a long term car loan of $4,000. Before that the car loan company charging her 19.5% interest due to her credit rating, and monthly $282 car loan payment was a big problem after loss of job. My car loan charges 0% interest while the monthly payment has been only $100. Another $3,000 rent loan was able to help the family move to their 2br apartment from temporary sheltor and moved most of their furniture kept in the storage. They became very productive and NOT to worry about rent for coming 6 months, and the payment will not start until 1/3/2004 and $100 per month is chosen to pay the loan. So, they were off homeless since 1/26/03.There were also over $1,000 cash assistance to start with. Some debates and explanation can be found in Revealing Our Story Message Board. The total cash helped the family has increased to over $10,300 and Lynn got back to work as technical manager and husband also returned to the family and found a sales position at a software company. They filed income tax joinly by 4/15/03.


Another on going case is Tigerkitty at Blacksburg VA. She was homeless for 4 years, and now under the lease termination due to not able to pay the rent on time. The situation was somehow tricky that the lease was under someone else's name since 2 year ago her credit rating prevented her from obtaining this apartment. I have sent her $120 grant and $750 loan to pay the deposit for the new house she found for her family of 6, husband, 2 kids of her own, and 2 kids of husband with ex. $50 a month payment for 15 months to pay back the loan is somehow manageble by her. Later I also loaned her another $500 for the moving since there are always big deposits on Utility and telephone for homeless people who do not have acceptable credit ratio. Recently, I also sent her yet another $500 and a used computer to help her.


:: Mr Cheng 3:59 PM [+] ::
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Asian Instant Noodle Soup is Cheap, Light and Delicious for Homeless at All Levels


Recently I realized that Asian Instant Noodle Soup is one of the best solutions for the homeless on the street, living in shelter or even sharing a furnished room. Many non homeless people also find that Joe at the Jersey City, New Jersey, he carries a medium size of bag with all his personal belongings including clothers, toothpaste, soap ...etc, while sleeping at the parking deck of a residential apartment building between two cars, instant noodle is his favorite and very light for him to carry and so cheap to buy, e.g. 10 to 25 cents a pack. He normally get the hot water from store like Burger King and sink the noolde for 10 minutes, then ready to eat. He sometimes also eat the noodle dry with a coup of water or some fruit he can find.


Homeless people staying at shelter or furnished room after move off homelessness can eat instant noodle easily. Like The Homeless Guy can eat instant noolde any time he feel hungrey staying at the Stadium Inn at Nashville TN.


Even I myself eating instant noodle sometimes at [+] ::
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For homeless, the Internet is a link to jobs and loved ones


Internet has been a very cost effective way for the homeless to stay touched and yet free, A recent article For homeless, the Internet is link to jobs and loved ones has reported many stories of how homeless people can benefit from the Internet.


In general, a homeless can go to any local public library to access Internet connected computer free or local Internet Cafe, sending emails, surfing webpages, looking for jobs on the carreer website, document blogs ...etc. One very successful example is The Homeless Guy Bog created by Kevin Barbieux which even accept the donation through Pay Pal that later help him to get off street.


:: Mr Cheng 10:34 AM [+] ::
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Homeless sleeping in car can park at Walmart parking lot


There are many homeless people living in car or van at night, and in addition to many other places, Walmart parking lot is a good place to park. Not only because Walmart has officially welcome their customers to park on their parking lot over night, but also because it is so convenient and there are thousands Walmart locations all over the country. Walmart has restroom to use, free water to drink and fruit and food to buy for breakfast, lunch or dinner at very low price. It also provide auto maintenance products and parts. When it is too cold in the car or van, it is handy to buy a sleeping bag or blanket right in Walmart.


:: Mr Cheng 10:47 PM [+] ::
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Email Homeless People Cash Assistance through Pay Pal


Posted by Mr. Cheng with (8) Comments


I have proposed to used email, Yahoo Instant Messenger, blog...etc. to help homeless get off street and continue moving up. In addition, using Pay Pal to send money through email to help homeless get off street remotely is another very powerful way. For example, I, at New Jersey, just email $1,000 to help Kevin Barbieux, The Homeless Guy at Nashville TN, through Pay Pal to help him get off street by end of January 2003 as the goal he has set.

Date:Tue, 31 Dec 2002 21:03:42 -0800
From:service@paypal.com | This is Spam | Add to Address Book
To:wjcheng@yahoo.com
Subject:Receipt for your Payment

This email confirms that you have paid kevin_barbieux@hotmail.com $1,000.00 using PayPal.
This credit card transaction will appear on your bill as "PAYPAL*KEVINBARBIEU".
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Payment Details:
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Amount: $1,000.00
Currency: U.S. Dollars
Transaction ID: 5B1782657F5854106
Quantity: 1
Item/Product Name: Helping The Homeless Guy Get Off Street
Buyer: Mr. Cheng
------------------------------
Business Information:
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Business: kevin_barbieux@hotmail.com
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:: Mr Cheng 12:23 AM [+] ::
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