The Third World Dark Ages Have Arrived

I am on such a tear this morning. First I read that the number of MIDDLE INCOME ($48,000 - $85,000) persons without health insurance has increased by 40%! Then I think about the Texas School Board, and I'm apoplectic. What is wrong with this state and this country? We are becoming so third world.....AND.....the Dark Ages have come to Texas.

How can we allow a few fundamentalist right wingers to totally re-write history?? How can we allow our neighbors, co-workers, friends, and children to be left with NO health insurance?? Where is the outcry? Why aren't we marching?

Here's the problem: The Centrists and Liberals who support Health Care Reform and objective reporting of history just aren't irrational and emotional enough. We think that SURELY people will see the insanity of what's happening. We talk rationally about it.....try to persuade with facts.....feel morally superior......meanwhile, we are getting our butts kicked!!

Until we are willing to meet the insanity and over-the-top emotion with the same level of power, we will continue to see a few totally bulldoze the majority. I'm not saying that we have to be insane or totally irrational. BUT, and this is VERY important, we MUST be willing to get back in their faces and shout them down, bullhorns and all.

There's a saying in AA....insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome. That is what we are doing. We keep trying to persuade the Right to be rational, objective. NEVER gonna happen. Where is our Glen Beck? Where is our Rush Limbaugh? Come on, guys....you have to give it to 'em....they know how to get folks riled up! We, on the other hand, are pitiful. And Obama isn't helping. He could use a few lessons from the Right on how to get his troops mobilized. As it is, we are SUNK!

As it is, a few radical extremist folks will set the direction for this entire nation. And I am not speaking of Conservatives. I'm speaking of the one or two on the Texas School Board Commission, the few in the Senate and House, the one or two who know how to work the media. Until we learn from their tactics, we will continue to have our faces pushed in the dirt. Is that where you want to be?? Not me.

I'm ready to march. Anyone want to go with me?

New Beginnings

Today is March 1, and that means Spring can't be that far away! I learned this morning that Daylight Savings Time starts Sunday, March 14, AND I saw jonquils blooming yesterday. Now, I know that I could never be so lucky as to think we won't have any more crummy weather. But, by the time March gets here, I feel like there is at least light at the end of the tunnel. Sun is shining today, and that is ALWAYS good news.

We associate Spring with new beginnings, new life, hope. My father always has a bunch of new foals in the Spring, hibernating animals venture forth with their new families, rivers swell with melting ice, grass grows, leaves turn green, flowers bloom.....the earth wakes up. What a burst of life!

And speaking of new beginnings and a new life, I just heard from one of our case managers that she is moving to Austin to work with foster kids who are aging out of the care of the Department of Family and Protective Services. She is a former foster youth herself and has an incredibly deep passion to help these aging-out teens know what services are available to them as they transition from the care of the state to being on their own.

Did you know that foster teens are eligible for tuition waivers for college? Or that they are supposed to get a transition allowance? Or that they can stay in care as long as they are in school if they want to? Or, that they can go back into care once they have aged out if they find they aren't making it on their own? Most foster teens have no idea that these services are available to them. There are a myriad of reasons for this, but Courtney, our case manager, knows EVERY service for which they are eligible.

Although her moving to Austin is a real loss for us, she is living her dream and will have such a meaningful impact on the lives of young people in the foster care system. She came to see me today to thank me for the opportunity to work with our teens at Promise House. I think we are the lucky ones. With her heart and passion for this work, she will go far.

What a thrill it is for me to see our young employees progress through their careers. Even though Promise House is many times the first stop on their ladder to success, watching them gain experience, confidence, and expertise here that they will carry with them throughout their careers is well worth it.

Like many of our teens, our young employees may move on from Promise House; but they carry us in their hearts forever. I'm not quite sure why, but it is VERY hard to ever really leave PH.

There are always endings before beginnings. The end of winter brings spring. The end of service at Promise House brings a new opportunity, the opening of a new door. Another young professional will join the Promise House family, and life at PH goes on. And.....spring is almost here!

Alot of Help From Our Friends

People ask me all the time how we do the work we do. Well, actually, we do it with a lot of help from our friends. Through our many collaborations, Promise House provides over $1,000,000 worth of in-kind services to our teens and families every year! If we had to pay for these services, we'd be in big trouble, and our expenses would almost double.

So, what are these services? Well, when you think of everything it takes to raise a child, that is what we provide. Here are just a few:

• Medical Services through the Parkland HOMES Van and Parkland Hospital Services
• Dental services through the First Presbyterian Stewpot's dental program and Parkland's Dental Van
• Food through the North Texas Food Bank
• Child care slots through the Vogel Alcove
• STD education through Planned Parenthood
• Hygiene supplies from individual and corporate contributors
• Shoes through the Wilkinson Center's annual shoe drive via Pay Less Shoes
• Two on-site DISD classrooms with certified DISD teachers
• Baby supplies from Captain Hope's Kids
• Baby showers from various churches

On top of those listed above, Promise House is connected to ALL metroplex colleges and universities. Via our training institute, graduate and post-graduate level psychology, social work, marriage and family, and counseling interns receive free clinical supervision in return for providing counseling to ALL our teens and family members. Talk about win-win!

And, we continue to develop new collaborations. This summer, we will be working with the University of Dallas on a 7-week math/science/astronomy camp, with the last week being a trip to Western States University in Colorado to view the stars through a HUGE telescope--all paid for through a grant written and submitted by the university. How cool is that??

In addition, we are hoping that Junior Players will be awarded a grant they submitted that will provide on-site theatre and drama training for our teens. AND, we recently began discussions with Junior Achievement to take part in their Finance Park financial literacy program this coming year. Finally, we will be working with Dallas Metrocare to provide psychiatric services to our teens this coming year.

These collaborations are so exciting and SO beneficial to our teens. And instead of a little help from our friends, Promise House is incredibly fortunate to be getting ALOT of help from our friends.

Thank you. The part you play in healing our kids is immeasurable.

Snow Day!

Dallas is blanketed in snow. Really a beautiful sight. A snow like this brings out the kid in us. My assistant just got back from running errands and told me she never saw so many different kinds of snowmen--she even saw a square one! If I had the right parka on, I'd go make snow angels--my favorite thing to do as a kid.

Snow this heavy quiets things. It hushes footsteps, makes you want to whisper. The world seems brighter, even with gray skies. Because it is such a rarity here, everyone's talking about it, watching it, wondering how long it will last. I'm sure if it did this all winter, I'd be sick to death of it, but today it is beautiful, almost heavenly.

When I let my dogs out this morning, they were like, "Huh? What? What is this?". Millie, the prissy one, tiptoed through it to do her business. Tucker, the hulk, went barreling all over the yard, jumping up and down, having a great time. Neither one could find a familiar scent--the snow covered everything!

The mermaid in my fountain looked like the Snow Queen, my Japanese Maple was gorgeous, with each limb lined with powder, and my crepe myrtles looked like a row of huge snow bouquets. Even the garbage cans looked better with their coats of snow!

In a few days the beauty will turn to ugly slush. But for today, Dallas is dressed in her finest white coat of the season! Enjoy!

Rise Up!!

So, it's February, the ground hog saw his shadow, and spring seems very far away. I'm sure it seems especially far away to those teens who are sleeping outside, trying to keep warm. We continue to bring in three or four teens a NIGHT directly from the streets. With the help of our fabulous Street Outreach, Shelter, and Transitional Living teams, they have all been taken care of....so far. If going home was an option, they went home, some with the help of Greyhound's "Home Free" program (free bus ticket for runaways to go home), others were moved into our transitional living program, some were helped to find a job and apartment, and a couple are in our shelter. But we are out of room, and yet, they keep coming. So, they sleep on pull-out couches or cots in our living room.

HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO SAY, UNTIL THESE KIDS ARE TAKEN CARE OF, WE WILL NEVER END HOMELESSNESS??? We have 30, count them, 30 girls on our waiting list for an apartment. What do they do while they wait? Double up, sofa surf, stay with someone they shouldn't be staying with, roam the streets.

These are GOOD kids. One young woman in our transitional living program is on track to be VALEDICTORIAN of her high school. And she has done this while dealing with a totally unacceptable living situation. Just think what she could do with support???

Now I know why I haven't posted much in a month. I just didn't want to get angry all over again. Where is the justice for these teens? Where is the help? The Family Youth Services Bureau is the only federal agency that provides funds for transitional living programs for teens; BUT they only fund about 90 a year NATIONALLY. The Department of Housing and Urban Development will not accept any new projects unless they are permanent supportive housing for "chronically" homeless. Well, guess what? These teens haven't been on the street long enough to be chronic---but they WILL be, I promise you, unless they get help.

I'm also tired of being nice about this. Why don't we WAKE UP and see what is around us?? Those of us in this field have been saying for YEARS that the population of teens aging out of foster care is going to cause a second homelessness crisis. Statistic? Forty-two (42%) percent will be homeless at least once within two (2) years.

One glimmer of hope, the Department of Family and Protective Services is developing programs for teens to stay in care up to age 21; or to come back into care if they have aged out and haven't done well. But there is soooo much more that needs to be done,

So, if any of you out there are looking for a cause, are looking to change a life, want to witness miracles; or if you have alot of money just sitting around, and you're wondering what to do with it??? HERE IS YOUR CAUSE.

We were all teens once. We know how tough it is to get through those years,even with help. Our teens are trying to navigate those years under horrendous conditions. As I say over and over again, if it was your kid on the street, you would want all the help you could get.

I'm not asking for your help anymore, though. I'm challenging you to take up this cause for the sake of these kids, our community, our country.

They are the ones who need all the help they can get.....WILL YOU RISE UP?

Way Too Young

So, I’ve been doing some research on teen prostitution. Did you know that the AVERAGE age of teens getting into prostitution is 14??? And that a girl on the street will be approached by a “pimp” within 48 hours of her arrival on the streets? And, that the age of girls that “johns” want is getting lower??? And, that teen prostitution crosses all socio-economic levels, all races? And, that 99% of girls who get into prostitution were sexually abused as a child? And, that law enforcement was arresting these girls, but not the pimps or johns? And, that it takes less than a week for a girl to believe she has no alternative but to stay with her “pimp”? And, that although the average age is 14, it is not unusual for 12 year olds to be picked up for prostituting? And that many of the girls who come into PH directly from the street are prostituting?

The good news? There is finally some attention being paid to the fact that these girls are VICTIMS, not criminals. Law enforcement has begun to change their philosophy on arrest of these young girls. Youth-serving agencies are becoming educated on best practice treatment for these kids and on attending to their critical needs. One of the most immediate needs of these girls is medical attention; most have some kind of STD, could be pregnant, or HIV positive.

As long as law enforcement fails to focus on the perpetrators of these girls, NO progress will be made. Unfortunately, historically, the perpetrator was the LAST to be arrested. However, I've yet to meet a girl who entered prostitution willingly. I don't think they wake up one morning and say, "Hmmm, I think I'll become a prostitute". Let's change the focus to where it will have an impact--on the perpetrators of these young women.

Don’t mean to be a downer on Friday, but these are our kids…..they are lost children. It behooves us at PH and as a community to know all we can about this issue, and embrace these teens just as we do others.

What I Learned on My Christmas Vacation

My holiday is almost over, and since I like to have everything wrapped up in nice packages, I thought I'd do the same with my time off. So, here is what I learned this holiday season:

1. If you sit around all day and watch T.V. and/or movies, you WILL gain weight.
2. As I said in my pre-holiday missive, all families are dysfunctional--and mine certainly is--but I had a blast with them this year.
3. Snuggies were the top White Elephant gift.
4. Milk Duds call to me at ANY movie theatre at ANY time, day or night.
5. One can tire of going to movies.
6. Promise House CAN survive without me.
7. Great surprises are in store if you're open to them.
8. I LOVE being around my and my friends' grown children.
9. I'm over New Year's Eve.
10. NEVER go to a movie at North Park right after Christmas unless you have a limousine and a driver.
11. My father is a real person.
12. My brother is a younger my father.
13. My oldest sister has been transformed.
14. My twin sisters should be in a movie.
15. Old, and I do mean chronologically, family friends are delightful.
16. I LOVE being in my house alone.
17. Amelia has to have been sent from heaven.
18. I'm probably going to end up with Hermit Crabs that should be going to Austin with my youngest.
19. My dogs are great people to talk to--they don't talk back.
20. I still love my almost step-kids madly--but not as much as I love my fabulous, gorgeous, brilliant, funny, daughters.
21. My son-in-law is fabulous.
22. I make dynamite black-eyed peas and cornbread.
23. I'm with the bears--we should hibernate til spring, which I could do very easily.
24. Meryl Streep is a goddess.
25. I'm newly in love with Alec Baldwin and re-in love with Robert Downy, Jr..

So, all in all, I think this holiday season was a hit. It's back to organized life on Monday, but surely all that I have learned over the last 2 1/2 weeks will keep me in good stead as I struggle to get back in the harness.

I turn 59 Wednesday (Epiphany for those of you who are Christian), and my own Epiphany for this season is that fun lurks everywhere--you just have to be open to it.

Happy New Year. May you have your own Epiphanies throughout this new decade.