AUSTIN ADVOCATE

Stand Down Austin:
Homeless Gathering Achieves Plenty
By Lee Grimes

It was 9:00am Saturday the 18th of September. It looked like any other Saturday morning in Austin except three block section of Red River Street lined with buses. "Are they headed to Stand Down?" my new friend excitedly asked. The Austin Stand Down is a yearly gathering for homeless veterans, the homeless and anyone in need. The buses in question were actually headed to the Austin City Limits Music Festival in Zilker Park. It made for some pretty cramped conditions for the ride to the new location of the Stand Down at Reagan High School.

I had run into several friends at the 6th & Red River bus stop that had mistakenly gone to last years spot for the gathering in East Austin, but judging by the crowd which ballooned to several hundred by ten 'o clock.

"Stand Down" is a military term for time of rest and rejuvenation that soldiers have after coming in from the battlefield. And just what is the event about? Austin Stand Down might best be described as an expo of sorts. Typically 30 to 40 service providers have assigned booths or tables. They hand out information about services available to persons experiencing homelessness. Some of the providers can only help veterans but most are set up to assist anyone. AIDS Services of Austin, Animal Trustees, Austin Downtown Community Court, Safeplace and a slew of other non profits were on hand to pass out literature to and assist many who otherwise might not know what resources are available.

Many came to Stand Down looking for help in the form of a new back pack and sleeping bag. "I just came for the bag and a few clothes" Steve a construction worker and new resident of Austin explained. Like many of those in line outside the gym this morning, Steve’s belongings had been stolen. "Thank God for this" he exclaimed. All agreed Stand Down was one event well worth coming to. "Each year they have this I drink a little less the night before" said Maggie. "It's like Christmas. You have to get up early or you will miss out".

A system has recently been added to stop those that might bypass the various provider booths and head directly to the mountain of sleeping bags and back packs piled in the corner of the gym. Each new arrival was fitted with a wristband and each provider gives out a colored sticker to place on the band. Four such stickers are required to receive to receive a bag and a pack.

Many young folks are helping the homeless in Austin these days. The Austin Youth Project is no exception. They were involved in handing out the gently used clothing collected for the Stand Down. A huge mound of jeans, shirts and any type of clothing imaginable filled rows of tables that had been set up on the gym floor.

"I think this will fit you" a young fellow not more than twelve told me. I laughed and told him I was "fatter" than that. "Take all you want" his sidekick enthusiastically added. These kids were not just nice, they were extremely nice. I was struck by the respect they gave each person that came looking for clothes. I couldn't help but have a new outlook on life after encountering such friendly folks.

I ventured a little further and found an organization offering photo IDs. They were not official identification but as a teenage girl in front of me expressed, "If I was in an accident at least I could be identified". "Did you get your Capitol Metro bus pass?" a volunteer laminating a new ID asked. A group was providing the once thought to be discontinued "Mobility Impaired" passes (and payment in the form of a $3 money order) and along with help with completing the form.

By about 11:30, an enormous crowd had gathered in a court yard of the school. Many remarked that the lines moved much faster than some had thought upon arrival. A band was beginning to play some old style funk that everyone seemed to enjoy. “The Control Band” had the crowdn grooving to the music. Nearby two security guards tapped their toes and kind of shuffled to the music. This event was turning into a real party.

At 12 o’ clock sharp the smell of hot dogs chips and lemonade filled the air courtesy of Mobile Loaves and Fishes. Some opted for seconds while tireless volunteers continued to register people to vote in the up coming election.

With full stomachs, new backpacks and sleeping bags in hand, masses of people could be seen heading to the Capitol Metro bus stops in the area. When the bus I was on returned to 6th Street, tourists in town for the music festival were doing double takes. "Is everybody homeless in Austin or what?" I overheard a fellow in a Hawaiian shirt ask another man talking on a cell phone. "This is not typical of Austin", was the reply. I felt like explaining why 6th Street and many areas of the city had become a sea of backpacks and sleeping bags that day. About the unusual economic situations in central Texas and the plight of the homeless here. On second thought, I figured this guy and the others in shock seemed to be thinking "Has America come to this?” Were they being enlightened by witnessing Austin's homeless population out in full force? Some of these people have probably never seen the homeless up-close and personal. Paradigms weren't just shifting, they were shattering. Perhaps some were wondering if this could be them in a few years. I couldn't help but smile when the thought hit me.

Stand Down 2004 was a huge success. And it was pretty successful on 6th Street as well. We had all become silent advocates for change. This gathering was living up to its name.

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MHMR Drugs and Weight Gain
Melissa McKenzie

For many years the long-term side effects of psychiatric medications on weight, sleep, and sexual function have been known. Although problems exist with too much or little sleep and sexual dysfunction, weight gain is the most problematic. Weight gain is a well-documented side of psychotropic drugs, namely antipsychotics. Being that weight gain is one of the top contributors to discontinuing medications, it is a side effect that must be dealt with effectively. When it comes to treating psychosis or bipolar illness, health professionals have a hard enough time getting patients to stick with their psychotropic medications. After all, many patients in the throes of a psychiatric illness lack the insight that can motivate them to stay with therapy. Add to that the fact being a majority of patients gain significant amounts of weight while on antidepressants and mood stabilizers, one can wind up with a real compliance problem.

Patients are readily reporting these noted side effects on a regular basis. Six in 10 patients in a recent European survey complained that weight gain was a major hurdle for them when it came to Rx treatment. But help for drug-associated weight gain in some psychiatric patients may be here, according to Norman Sussman, M.D., a clinical professor of psychiatry at the New York University School of Medicine. However, is it the medication that is causing these effects? A new retrospective study has found that the correlation between newer antipsychotic medications and weight gain can be attributed to an increased caloric intake, rather than a change in metabolic rate. Weight gain is more a secondary result of [increased] caloric intake, which is believed to be caused by the drug increasing stimulus of the appetite control center. Researchers have also discovered that implementing nutritional counseling and dietary or nutritional changes can minimize any weight gain that might occur.

Investigators studied 32 patients at a Manhattan supportive residence where 57 formerly homeless patients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder live and eat meals. The patients were switched from, traditional drugs to newer, atypical medications, and had already been on the newer medications from one year to three years combined with self selected high-fat, multi portion diets. Over the next year, they gained an average of 11.5 pounds. During this time the researchers implemented dietary changes that included low fat foods with plenty of fruits and vegetables, controlled portions, and implemented low calorie beverages.
During a follow-up the patients were weighed again, 14 patients lost an average of 11 lbs., seven patients' weight remained the same and 11 gained an average of 11.5 lbs. Those who gained weight however, may have done so because patients were allowed to leave the premises and snack on non-diet food.

Significant weight gain can also be a problem in depressed patients taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. It has been noted there is a subgroup of patients who take SSRIs that typically gain 20 to 30 pounds. Clinicians tend to "explain it away" by assuming and implying an improved mood leads to a better appetite. But few of the said subgroup of patients report eating more, and most cannot lose the weight even with dieting.

Decreasing the weight problem has been noted in varying ways. The best course of action could possibly be to initially choose medications that do not have a history of inducing weight gain, however, often this is not possible. In some treatment-refractory cases, the drugs that will generally benefit the client also have the highest incidence of negative side effects. In such cases, augmenting treatments with other drugs is the most practical and available option. The best recommended way to decrease weight gain is a pharmacological augmentation or treatment of the drug-induced weight gain combined with a non-pharmacological intervention (diet and exercise).

Some doctors are attempting to offer positive advice on the weight gain. A motivational interview technique can be used to work with patient’s openness to a lifestyle change. Practical dietary education regarding the patient’s actual financial situation can be offered as well. This includes encouraging a low-fat, high-fiber diet rich in fruit and vegetables, and complex carbohydrates. Education and advice can be offered regarding the correlation between the ingestion of sugary drinks and food accompanied by weight gain. Also educational advice about exercise can be given including an increase in physical activity thus building on the patient’s usual daily activities. A group approach to encourage dietary change and motivate patients to increase levels of exercise is another successful way that also offers mutual psychological support. Using noted effective weight loss programs could increase the success of a weight loss process. Techniques such as self-monitoring, the use of rewards, stimulus control techniques, and distraction methods can as well aid in the lifestyle change.

Doctors are insistent the state of the art treatment should not be negated because of weight gain. Atypical drugs are clearly superior to traditional drugs as per numerous studies on efficacy, quality of life, side effects and cost effectiveness, resulting from reduced hospitalization noted over years of statistics. It should be noted that before making any changes in daily activities and medicated one should consult with their physician as all treatments are on a patient-by-patient case.

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The Yellow Bike Project

If you see an unlocked, all-yellow bike downtown or around campus, don’t hesitate to hop on and ride it wherever you need to go.

These “free-roaming” yellow bikes are part of Austin’s Yellow Bike Project, an all-volunteer, non-profit organization dedicated to promoting people-powered transportation. The Yellow Bike Project accepts donated bicycles; Yellow Bike volunteers make any necessary repairs to the bicycles, volunteers paint them yellow, and then they release the bikes into the community, placing them throughout the campus and downtown area. Anyone can ride a Yellow Bike as long as they leave the bike for others to ride once they’re done.

Austin’s Yellow Bike Project launched in 1997 with the release of 24 bicycles. Since then, the project has grown into Austin’s best free transportation resource, continuing to supply the community with yellow bikes and welcoming bikers to use the tool libraries in their two bike shops. The Yellow Bike Project recently moved their main workshop to East 51st Street, located at 2011 East 51st between Berkman and Manor Road. Inside this spacious warehouse, thousands of bike parts and tools line the walls, and several workstations are available for anyone to come in and use. Best of all, the friendly and patient Yellow Bike staff can help if you have questions about your bicycle. The East 51st St, Yellow Bike workshop is usually open from 6:00 or 7:00 until 10:00 pm on Mondays and Wednesday—Friday, but these hours are subject to change. Yellow Bike encourages you to call before you come to check the schedule. They can be reached at 457-9880 or through e-mail at austinyellowbike@juno.com.

There is also a smaller Yellow Bike shop behind the Wheatsville Co-op at 3101 Guadalupe. The recently renovated two-year-old shop also features a tool library for anyone to use as well as staff advice for anyone working on their bike. Like the East 51st St. location, the Wheatsville shop depends on volunteer effort to keep going and always welcomes volunteers. The Wheatsville workshop tool library is open Monday nights from 6-10 pm, Thursdays from 1-5 pm, and Saturdays from noon until 3 pm. The Wheatsville Shop also hosts Family Night from 6-9 pm on Wednesdays. This schedule is also subject to change so you should call 469-9247 ahead of time to make sure the shop will be open.

The Yellow Bike Project’s goal is to get a bike to anyone who wants one. They work toward this goal by offering the unique opportunity to build your own bicycle in exchange for volunteer time through their Earn-a-Bike program. If you come to Yellow Bike and volunteer--whether helping out with fixing Yellow Bikes or cleaning and sorting bike parts around the warehouse—then you can become eligible to build your very own bike free of charge. This is an incredible resource for anyone having difficulty affording transportation, and riding a bike is one of the cheapest and most enjoyable ways to get around Austin.

Austin’s Yellow Bike project is a true community project. No one owns the Yellow Bike Project, and no one makes a cash profit from the project. Yellow Bike survives and grows through community support and donations of time, bicycles, money, tools, parts and knowledge. It is the best and most accessible way for people to learn about bicycles and work towards earning their own bikes. Volunteer Coordinators host free bicycle repair workshops, so no experience at all is necessary to come and volunteer your time at Yellow Bike. The Yellow Bike Project hopes to demystify bicycle mechanics and show people hands-on skills they can use to maintain their own bikes, as well as offering the free use of their tool libraries for anyone who needs them. Yellow Bike is a collective, meaning that no one person runs the program but that a board of volunteers makes decisions about the project. This collective consists of volunteers who work at least 24 hours per season; members of the collective have unlimited access to shop tools and equal decision-making powers at Yellow Bike’s monthly meetings. Membership in the collective is encouraged.

Yellow Bike just released about a dozen new bicycles around the Wheatsville Co-Op on Guadalupe to coincide with the reopening of the new and improved Wheatsville workshop. The Yellow Bike Project often puts out new bikes to celebrate an event like a Yellow-Bike themed show or fundraiser. After the opening of the new East 51st St. Warehouse, the Project placed several yellow bikes around their new neighborhood near the public library and the Boys and Girls Club. But Yellow Bikes can more often be found in the central Austin downtown or on near campus. So if you see a yellow bike, please use it—that’s what they’re for! Let the yellow bike take you where you need to go. Just remember that Yellow Bikes are free to use but not to keep, and leave the bike for the next person who needs it. If you can make it to either of the workshops, Yellow Bike can always use your volunteer time, and if you want your own bike, don’t forget to ask them about the Earn-a-Bike program. The Yellow Bike project is dedicated to getting everyone on a bicycle and providing the knowledge and tools to maintain a bicycle. Riding a bike is the healthiest and most affordable mode of transportation there is, and there are many beautiful places in Austin to ride. Take advantage of this immensely valuable resource supporting human powered transportation through community participation.

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Trinity Center Going Strong
By Brenda Curran

Trinity Center opened last year and as of this date they are going strong.

Trinity Center is a faith-based organization dedicated to improving the spiritual, mental, and physical well being of the poor and homeless in inner city Austin.

In 1994, the people of St. David’s Episcopal Church launched a service initiative, eventually to be called Trinity Center, to respond to the needs of Austin’s downtown homeless and indigent citizens. Trinity Center’s goal is to serve as a safe haven to these individuals b6y providing spiritual, mental, and physical assistance and to be a source of fellowship, compassion, and hope for them.

The Center is operated by Terry Heller, Ph.D., who is the consultant on Education Policy & Research. Trinity Center is located at 304 East 7 Street, right inside the same building as St. David’s Church.

They are open Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. They have services on Sunday at 2 p.m. On Sunday there is a ministry called Trinity Streets, which offers a worship service to the downtown homeless. They also make occasional direct grants to clients and have an evening of recreation once a month. Then there is a meal served at 3 or 3:30 p.m.

In its relatively short history, Trinity Center’s success can be measured both by attendance at services and by the ambitions and diversity of its all-volunteer staff. When Trinity Streets opened its doors in 1999, they had 25 worshipers at their service and served meals to approximately 60 individuals.

Today those numbers have more than tripled and are still growing.

Some of the services that they perform are

1. Help with Greyhound Bus Tickets
2. Help with getting birth certificates
3. Help getting I.D. cards
4. Help with prescriptions

They have some clothing but do not really have a clothing closet. They also have a limited supply of food for people who have homes.

They serve coffee and refreshments in the morning.

Volunteers staff the Center. In addition they just hired a part-time Executive Director. Her name is Beverly Williams-Hawkins.

Father Kern Huff, a counselor is also located there. He says that his hopes and goals for the future are to expand services to include more spiritual endeavors. Right now they are just working on social services.

In addition to the services they offer they also have a private chapel where homeless people can kneel and pray. The light shines in the window and peace fills the room.

Their Vision for the Future is to expand its services to include Bible studies, ESL classes, health-related classes, and referral services. The Center will also provide increased capacity for emergency cold weather shelter. Eventually they plan to be open 40 hours per week plus Sundays.

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Yetie Detector
Story by Troy England Evitt
Illustration by Ashley Holt

Reconciliation

John and Linda hadn't seen each other since the Tupperware Debacle of '98. Sipping their little umbrella drinks and fishing nervously for conversation, they prayed for death to come swiftly.

Death came swiftly enough in the form of an impish little Chinese waiter and, although it wasn't the corporal sense of morality, the optimistic tone of the evening was about to go squish.

While Chinese restaurants are allowed to serve octopus, there are no statutes mandating that somebody take the time to kill the poor beast, often with newsworthy results.

Passersby incorrectly advised authorities that a man with "bagpipes" left Fighting Chang's Dragon Palace in pursuit of what investigators have come to refer to as "Linda".

The couple dining next to John and Linda recalled the two discussing movie times and making labored chit chat. Suddenly, an employee of the restaurant exhibited the heroics of yore by fleeing the immediate area and never being seen again.

Linda and John weren't so lucky. The ink sorta transformed them into one of those cute cuoples who pick out matching outfits, but the Tupperware lid sound of the creatures suckers repeatedly slapping them out the restaurant's exit was hardly cute. Like a bouncer in Neptune's court, the beast escorted them out of the restaurant and into a cab. The threesome were last heard arguing about where to cap off the evening.

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Coffee with Lee and Mick
View From the Bottom of a Second Cup

This conversation took place on a Winters day at a Austin soup kitchen. Sleet was begining to come down. This did not stop an angry young fellow from asking Mick to "Go outside and fight". Perhaps he did not like Micks passionate demenor or possibly he just couldn't handle the truths we were proclaiming. From that moment on Mick and I realised we had a mission. Ready or not Austin actually needed coffee with Lee and Mick.

Lee: I was listening to that old Areosmith song "Livin' on the Edge" on the way over here.

Mick: How appropriate.

Lee: You don't suppose...

Mick: That they were ever homeless? I doubt it, but "sick" yes. We are all somewhat sick at some point in our lives. No one escapes it.

Lee: You lost me.

Mick: A deficit - who hasn't had one? To put someone down for a lack of anything, even resources, is dead wrong.

Lee: Some would say the homeless don't try.

Mick: Within any group many scenarios exist. It is those whom do try that are worthy of assistance!

Lee: What about those who don't?

Mick: A case by case evaluation is needed.

Lee:I feel the stock term "homeless" is sort of all inclusive of so many different types of individuals that many outside the cirle of homelessness don't realise what a variety of persons are homeless.

Mick: Well put. It saddens me that that is the case.

Lee: I feel temporary labor services have, to an extent, created a new breed of homelessness.

Mick: The working poor.

Lee: Exactly. 40 dollars a day is basicly just pocket change in todays economy. It won't get you out of the woods. A lot of guys camp out because a cheap motel and meal would cost more than a days pay.

Mick: The city and private companies should do more to help homeless persons join the workforce and ten dollars an hour should be offered.

Lee: I think one barrier for many is transportation. I liked an idea you had last year about having more direct bus routes to the major employment areas of the city.

Mick: Direct routs would have an enourmous economic impact on the homeless community within a very short time.

Lee: Not to mention the impact such would have on the other demographic segments of the city as well. As it is now, to travel by bus to the Dell campus or Lakeline mall is a major excursion - several transfers - perhaps a three hour trip from downtown Austin.

Mick: That speaks for itself. No one is going to fool with doing that on a regular basis. Such poor service from Capitol Metro is unacceptable.

Lee: Some within the homeless community have suggested the poor service is intentional. You know, like the old song lyrics "keep em separated. It is theorized that some of the more upperscale communities have put presure on the powers that be to limit accessability to those communities.

Mick: hopefully at least some of the inadequate service is oversight, and it speaks volumes about the increased communication we need in this economic arena.

Lee: I feel citys should hire one individual who would be responsible for job growth. A person in such a capacity would make recomendations on transportation, housing, anything concerning economic vitality.

Mick: I don't know if Austin Employs a professional economist or not. You would think it would make sense but it's not something I've heard about.

Lee: I'd like to go to the next meeting about homeless issues at ARCH and present some of our ideas.

Mick: Unless we all speak out in these rough times, I'm afraid the economic indicators point to a worsning scenario for all.

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The Man With A Plan - Go Richard!

For the month of October, I have chosen Richard Elliot as the homeless man of the month. He has been homeless for several years.

Richard became interested in designing hemp jewelry. He does this craft at the Renaissance Market located at 23rd & Guadalupe. He does beautiful work with various pieces of jewelry all done by hand. He is very creative, dedicated and persistent about his craft.

Actually Richard's trade is a mechanic transmissions specialist. Even though he has been down on his luck in his life being homeless, Richard has bounced back with a new venture. By designing and selling his jewelry, he hopes to save enough money to by mechanic tools.

At least he isn't idle but is being productive. For this I admire his industrious labor.

So, to the community of Austin, Richard is determined to get on his feet with his new business. Everyone is more than welcome to come and take a gander at this awesome jewelry that he has created.

Best of luck to Richard as the newest entrepreneur. His business is Sweetleaf LTD. May he have great success and prosperity. Keep up the good work.

Rebecca A Jinks

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Homeless Prayer

Homeless, helpless, Hopeless
Hear my Cry
Hear my Prayer
Take me there to my Home
I've been a lot of places
Seen a lot of faces
I see the sadness in their eyes
I hear the pain when they speak
Doesn't mean they are weak
There is always hope
As long as you beleive in Him
So you don't give up
You don't give in
You Always Have a Friend
Amen

Rebecca A Jinks

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