Do1Thing Blog

A homeless youth in Alaska is moved to write his story after participating in an event and Do1Thing. Read his moving story and as he says, “You can be a hero…One thing is all is takes.”

Unfounded Family by GM

Seventeen-years old, cold and hungry, with a will power feeding from rage and depression. A loving family lost at an early age has resulted in what I refer to as the ‘unwritten law’, that of the street family. Consisting of friends, siblings, and enemies that have come together to create an unfounded family. Without the bounds of normal parental discipline, they are left to fight for their rights, tooth and claw…

This story is not as uncommon as we are led to believe. Walk down the street in any populated area in this state and look closely at the youth of the area. The frayed clothing, fresh scars and impaired smiles accompanied by uninhibited laughter. It’s normal, yes, but their laughter is bellied by the strength of their control that hides their pain.

These kids, these teens we see as delinquents. They are much more than they seems. They are the martyrs of a dysfunctional society, the direct result of an unseen force which draws them together. That force has been called many things. I have named it “The Needless Desire”. Poetic it is, as is the irony that has placed these kids in the hard situations they have overcome. Each one has a stronger heart and soul than you could ever imagine. They deal with death and starvation coupled with depression and sickness. They do this on a daily basis.

All is takes it one thing…that’s all we ask. One action that helps a single light in the darkness develop into a burning sun to brighten their everyday lives. Some think that these kids put themselves into the situation they live in. They are right about a few of them, but the majority of these teens come from broken homes and run to street families to seek acceptance in any form. These searches result in tent camps, street gangs, and even in structured Mafioso-like regiments of disciplined kids who organize themselves into a loving family.

They are sometimes involved with drugs and other miscellaneous and mischievous criminal activities. Still more than half are involved with community events, school and work. By keeping themselves busy, they’ve found an escape from the dreary nights in shacks and shelters. Many become those delinquents I mentioned, but that’s because they have no structure with which to balance the anger and disappointment they feel. I am one such teen…Shocking, isn’t it?

I found a release. I began by seeking revenge on the system and found myself lacking the disposition to do so. I have been to the darkest recesses of my own mind, only to discover I needed one thing. I had to rid myself of “The Needless Desire”, for disruption and destruction, for conflict and confrontation. By accepting the open-armed embrace of Covenant House, I found myself. I found help…I found the one thing I required. By helping these teens like me, by doing that one thing, you may push these teens to doing for themselves what the world couldn’t.

Please, do one thing. Whether it be volunteering, donating or even spending time with a troubled teen you know. You can experience the satisfaction of knowing you have saved a lost soul from self destruction. You can be a hero…One thing is all is takes.”

Homeless youth from Covenant House in Alaska take part in a parade and wear Do1Thing t-shirts encouraging everyone to get involved and Do1Thing.

This email came into Do1Thing today. We hope others will be moved to donate $100 to be 1 of 500 to support a traveling Do1Thing. Gallery. Change only comes with knowledge and action.

“I am 1 of 500. I hope that this project sheds light on the fact that it is not our children to blame it us. We ignore the problems. We turn our backs on the innocent and helpless. We refuse to ask questions about our governments part in the lives of children. We should be so ashamed of ourselves for letting our most vulnerable citizens suffer.

I am a former homeless teen. At 14, my mother decided she would rather run of with a new boyfriend than protect her own daughter. I never asked for help. I didn’t know who to ask for help. When I was put in a group home, the lady who ran it let me leave. I hid and went hungry. I would never admit then how scared I was, but I was truly frightened beyond belief. Although that life made me strong, it also scarred me in ways that I am still learning about.

I am now dealing with the Foster system again. This time with my 2 year old niece who is being trapped in their clutches. In this case the only thing that went wrong was that this little girls mother passed away from a brain tumor and my brother lives in another state. I have finally been given permission to see my little niece but they refuse to let her stay with me and opt for a foster home. Where did this system get so screwed up? Why do these case workers playing God think it best to break families apart?” Former homeless youth, Christy

Moving emails continue to pour into Do1Thing. They encourage us to work harder to show these images nationwide to raise awareness, create change and encourage each and every one of us to Do1Thing to help.

This email from a former foster youth came in yesterday:

“I am sitting here crying my eyes out. I want to thank you for bringing to light this problem – so many people seem to want to ignore the people suffering on their own doorstep. I spent 3 years in foster care from age 15-18, and only by the grace of God have a family who supports me as an adult.

I am crying for the foster children that I knew along the way – the 28 kids I met in the group home, the foster brothers who ran away and turned up beaten – who could be anywhere now. I fear for them, wonder what has happened to their lives. I think about them being cold and homeless, and my heart shatters.

Foster care is already such a traumatic experience – it teaches you to believe you are expendable. If someone doesn’t want you, you’re gone in a heartbeat. And then to age out… It cements this thought process. Those who become successful are the exception to the rule, and in my opinion, that is a travesty.

I intend to become as involved as I can in making this known. No child should suffer alone, and as children of the State, we should not suffer as adults either.

Thank you, thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Submitted by a former foster youth: Mallory

A Community Steps Forward – Antwaun Fischer UPDATE

Great news out of Dayton, Ohio from one of the Do1Thing homeless youth featured in People Magazine

Sinclair officials see homeless 19-year-old in ‘People’, offer scholarship

Reprinted from The Dayton Daily News.
DAYTON — While living on the streets, 19-year-old Antwuan McCoy would walk through the night listening to jazz on his iPod, too afraid to sleep.

“I’d keep myself up just until daytime would come, when I know I’d be safe,” said the teen, who found himself homeless last year after he left home following a dispute with his mother.

McCoy now lives in an apartment at Daybreak, the Miami Valley’s only emergency youth shelter and a transitional housing program for young adults.

He just appeared in People magazine, which spotlighted him and other homeless teens from across the country who had been photographed for the Do 1 Thing project to raise awareness of homelessness.

McCoy’s picture, printed in black and white, caught the eye of officials at Sinclair Community College. Spokeswoman Natasha Baker said they are giving a scholarship to the 2008 Patterson Career Center graduate, who had been one of the leaders of the Respected Young Businessmen of Tomorrow club at his high school.

McCoy, who said he apologized to his mother and visits her on weekends, is thankful for the help he has received and hopes that sharing his story will help other homeless teens.

“Most people think they’re all alone but someone’s always watching,” he said. “As you can see, someone was watching me.”

Cafepress is a storefront, for on demand printing. Their take on the do1thing project.

“Do 1 Thing is using photography and multimedia as a means to put a face (well, technically thousands of faces) on the issue of teen homelessness. They too have a shop as additional support for their cause, and are using Web 2.0 as a platform to encourage participation in their project.

activism t-shirts Both projects illustrate that seemingly insurmountable issues like homelessness can be addressed by focusing efforts on a singular cause, and both projects show us that the power of Web 2.0 isn’t limited to democratizing restaurant reviews (though those of us who travel often do find that to be quite useful – so thanks, Yelpers).

In a time when the economic forecast is grim and even the news anchors seem depressed, it’s just nice to know that there are some everyday folks out there using the tools they have toward a greater social good. Rock on, activists.”

Read the entire article here: Cafepress

Job Corps, the nation’s largest career technical training and education program for students ages 16 through 24 reaches out to Do1Thing offering to provide services to homeless teens nationwide. Established by the U.S. Department of Labor program in 1964, Job Corps provides 60,000 students per year with hands-on training in America’s fastest growing careers.

And the best part? It’s at no cost to you.

If you’re a homeless teen, know a homeless teen, work with homeless teens between the ages of 16-24, please go to the Job Corps web site and get your teens the help they deserve. Job Corps

“What might seem as huge and frustrating injustices to us mostly likely seem like another day’s work for a social worker or a for-profit hospital board. For example, I was placed in a behavioral hospital for what I believe was an unprecedented and miserable amount of time. Many things angered me, but there was nothing I could do to advocate for myself and other foster youth.

I was placed in the hospital for almost six months. I was a junior in high school, being given an elementary education. I was being taught with people the same age as me who could barely read and solve basic math problems. My dignity was taken away; I was a nobody with no voice who could do very little about my situation….

We as a group have an unbelievable lobbying power together. We can bring injustices in the foster care system to light and into the faces of higher-ups in social service agencies that we were and are possibly still part of. We can lobby our legislatures for more financial aid and we can lobby for a more transparent and progressive social service agency. We can make a difference.”

-Michael R. (former foster youth)

These are the faces of orphans who have been bounced from home to home but now we’re happy to show you what can happen when teens get a helping hand. One of these foster youth is now working for a Congressman. Others are in school full time and others are working toward a promising career.

Do1Thing encourages you to check out the Orphan Foundation which serves thousands of former foster youth across the United States. Whether we’re providing them with college scholarships, connecting them with mentors and internships, sending them care packages, or testifying before Congress, OFA is a passionate champion of foster youth.

There are so many problems today, it’s hard to know where to start. Even the Obama Administration is taking the kitchen sink approach – throw it all in there and see how far we can get. But the president has also called on Americans to get involved…a renewed call to roll up our sleeves and help clean this up. A group of award winning photojournalists are doing just that – picking one issue – the growing number of homeless teenagers – and doing what they can. Do1Thing founder Najlah Feanny Hicks says it’s working.

NPR award winning veteran journalist Susan Barnett, producer and host of 51% – The Women’s Perspective features Do1Thing.org.

Listen here:

51 % The Women’s Perspective

Tyra Banks was moved by the Do1Thing project and after a recent taping of The Tyra Banks Show, Banks donated a wardrobe of clothes to homeless teens at Covenant House in New York City.

We’re grateful to Tyra for doing1thing and we hope you’ll find create ways to do1thing as well.

About Tyra: As an icon in the international, cultural, and entertainment communities, Tyra Banks has broken down barriers to become one of the most admired and watched individuals in media today.

Banks is on a mission to provide avenues for others to reach their ultimate goals. In her words: “I’m passionate about inspiring people to fulfill their own dreams and fantasies through entertainment that is engaging, uplifting, and of course, fun! This is my dream realized.”