Week 4

Front Steps provides homeless individuals all around Austin acknowledgment, support and a plan for a successful life. Many of these individuals are neglected and immediately labeled as deviants in society, who chose the path of homelessness. Front Steps is an activist group that helps break this label and the stereotype many hold. I'm would be lying if I was to say I never held this stereotype about the homeless community. After hearing some of the stories and difficulties some of these individuals have gone through, there is no way I could ever stereotype the homeless community again. Front Steps believes that all people deserve the dignity of having a safe place to call home. The mission of the program is to provide a pathway home through shelter, affordable housing, and community education. Front Steps helps empower homeless individuals and educate the community. One of the most amazing things about this program is that it does not turn away individuals regardless of their circumstances. Everyone deserves an equal chance for a comfortable life, despite the things they have done or gone through. Front Steps is all about returning hope to the homeless. When you think of the homeless community in Austin, you can't help but address the issue of pan-handling. This is a tough issue and very controversial. The program recommends that we do not give to pan-handlers, as many of these individuals are struggling with drug addiction, and there is no way of telling if your "gift" is helping or hurting them. The program recommends that we say "no thank you" instead of merely ignoring the person all together. The homeless community in Austin needs acknowledgment and support. Ignoring them, makes this more and more of an issue and takes a toll on an individual.

Week 3

Front Steps' opened the ARCH building in 2004. I believe this is the biggest step Austin has taken to deal with the issue of homelessness challenging society today. The first floor contains a clinic that provides health care and specialized services for the population. The second floor has a large commercial kitchen and dining room that serves up to 100 meals a night to the clients that stay overnight. The third floor contains a 100 bed shelter and an open terrace. The ARCH building houses up to 200 men every night, 200 men that aren't forced to sleep on the streets of Austin. Homeless individuals are often discriminated against and judged for the position they have been forced to. Programs such as ARCH don't discriminate against these individuals and offer them the basic human rights they deserve. Many hold the stereotype that homeless individuals who choose their lifestyle by not getting a job. To counter-argue this, homeless individuals are unfairly discriminated against when they apply for jobs and apply for housing. Front Step empowers these individuals and focuses its attention on helping these individuals get their foot back into employment, so they can house and take care of themselves.

Week 2

Front Steps runs ARCH, The Austin Resource Center for the homeless. ARCH is basically the serves first point of entry into the homeless social service system for many of Austin’s adults experiencing homelessness. It is designed to assess client needs, provide information on how and where to access services, and meet the basic emergency needs of homeless adults. The ARCH also provides sleeping areas for homeless people to rest, day or night, and a Day Resource Center to get out of the elements during the day. ARCH is located in the heart of Austin, downtown 7th street. A few weeks ago I was walking down 7th street and double the amount of homeless individuals outside ARCH as I had ever seen. A homeless man stopped and asked me for money. I gave him the only change I had, 50 cents, and asked him why there were so many people out. To my horror he said, “it’s the end of the month... everyone just got paid and is looking for drugs.” This sent an absolute pain of sorrow and awe down my spine. I didn’t understand. I thought homeless individuals went to ARCH to seek help for a better future, but I was being too optimistic. Many of these individuals have gone through more traumatic experiences than I could ever imagine, collapsing into a state of decay and becoming reliant on drugs and alcohol. These individuals seek help but many are still fighting their addictions. This does not mean we should give up on them. Instead, we should fight harder for them so they want to save themselves. ARCH offers men and women access to a number of basic needs services including lockers, phones, showers, hygiene items, clothing, laundry, mail and messaging. By encouraging the homeless and keeping them on the right path, ARCH is helping eliminate homelessness in Austin.

Week 1

A common perception of homelessness in Austin is a life of drug dependency, alcohol abuse, panhandeling, or criminals. According to "Solutions for Homeless Chronic Alcoholics in Austin," a recently released study co-authored by ARCH Executive Director Helen M. Varty and Knox-Woollard Professional Management: Of the approximately 3,451 homeless people in Austin, "Austin is short 1,800 units of housing for this population, which represents an unmet need of 52% for the homeless in our community." Another common misperception is that many of those are homeless don’t to anything to help themselves, but the truth is many don’t know how to help themselves. Front Steps’ mission is to provide a pathway home through shelter, affordable housing and community education. Front Step gives homeless individuals the resources they need to change their life around by providing excellent case management, support and shelter service; transitioning people experiencing chronic homelessness to a variety of sustainable housing options; and educating the community about the needs of men and women experiencing homeless and innovative approaches to meeting those needs. Front Steps is a local activist group help fighting homelessness in Austin. I believe the strategies they employ to help the homeless are the most successful means of ending homelessness in Austin. Imagine driving down the feeder road of i-35. You stop a red light and you see a homeless man holding up the sign “Need Money for Food”. You can give the man enough money for another meal, or you can refer him to the resources that will help him have food everyday.