Skip1.org Skips Bureaucracy to House @LostAwareness

Today I witnessed our homeless friend, Rd (@lostawareness), move into a gorgeous apartment. It really is nothing short of a miracle that this even happened and I am so very grateful to Shelene Bryan and Skip.org for making it all happened.

If you have been following me for awhile you've heard me talk about Rd. Maybe you even saw us speak at 140 Conference LA. Rd, who we all now know on twitter as @lostawareness, was days away from being homeless when she found me on twitter. I have to say, social media played a huge part in her finding support and now a home.

InvisiblePeople.tv and Skip1 was a match made on social media. Early on I became friends with Matt and Drew. This other guy, Chris Brogan, also played a part in connecting us. Then Shelene holds a Skip1 fundraiser for InvisiblePeople.tv, and now Rd is in housing. Something like that!

I wish it was always this easy. We (homeless services) sure make it hard to house anyone. The hoops we have to jump through to get someone into housing are insane. Rd qualified for HPRP funding (Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program) that would help with move in costs. The paperwork for the landlord was 9 pages. To get $1,000 in assistance would probably cost $5,000 in admin costs. Worse yet, once the paperwork is approved, there is an 18 day wait for an inspection and who knows what else. That would mean Rd would have to remain living in a winter shelter for another three weeks or more.

Ya just have to love Shelene, when I faxed the paperwork to her she called me and said "we are going to skip it" and through Skip1.org helped with the needed move in costs!

As I type this I cannot stop thinking about what Rd must be feeling tonight. I remember my first apartment after homelessness. I lived in a church for seven years and made the conscious decision to live their one more year to save money to buy all new stuff. I didn't want ANYTHING donated! I was so sick of wearing donated clothes and eating donated food -- donated this and donated that! After I saved up enough I rented an empty apartment. I then went shopping to by furniture and everything I needed, and had every item delivered on the same day. I opened my new empty apartment one Saturday and by the end of the day it was filled with all brand new stuff. Maybe the best day off my life! Because of Shelene's forward thinking and huge heart Rd has a furnished apartment with all new, cool stuff. I am so happy for her.

Thank you Shelene for helping me help a woman who might never have found housing through the homeless services system. Thank you everyone who supports Skip1.org. We are ending homelessness one person at a time!

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• FlipShare
• @LostAwareness
• skip1
• skip1.org
• invisiblepeople.tv
• homeless
• homelessness

[madrywallmike]

Wow this is Great, welcome Home RD, We Thank God for you <3 :O}

[b1p0l4rt]

Congratulations Rd!! Thank you Skip 1!!!! And thank you Mark for showing her story. Without it, Rd would still be out there. LIKE!!!!

[godawefulll]

Awesome news:) Btw, you look like the singer from Metallica;)...

[cdltpx]

Good for her she if going to be very happy in her new HOME! It takes so much for each person that is seems impossible to get all the clean cut a home let alone those with social issues. Tough job great work.

[Socksee]

awesome : )

[doingithomeless]

Congrats @lostawareness. No longer lost! :)

[delicflower]

I am sooo happy for RD. So many people get caught up in drugs and lose ambition for life, but she never did. She deserves this so much. :)

[DestinyQx]

wait, i remember seeing her in 2 other videos, that's great, she finally is getting on track :)