How Did You Observe World Homeless Day?

by Josie Raymond · 2010-10-11 16:10:00 UTC
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Yesterday was the first ever "World Homeless Day," a day of activism in recognition of the continuing problem of worldwide homelessness. It was an international grassroots event, but the focus was on local measures. After all, if every community wiped out its unique "homeless problem," there wouldn't be any more homelessness.

Did you observe it? How?

Here are some ways that people around the world participated in World Homeless Day and raised awareness among their neighbors:

In preparation for 10/10/10, the Portland Rescue Mission in Oregon provided lists of 10 things to say to a homeless person, 10 things to donate and more for concerned citizens.

Community groups in Calgary organized a pancake breakfast and barbecue in a park where homeless and housed people broke bread together. The owner of a bakery called Sugar Shack Cakes baked 700 cupcakes for the picnic.

In San Francisco, radical housing advocates and their group, Creative Housing Liberation, took over an empty building to draw attention to the discrepancy between empty space and people living on the streets.

Look at this touching photo of children in wheelchairs demonstrating to recognize the day in Bangladesh.

A variety of service providers held an information fair in a park in San Luis Obispo, California after community members donated enough to cover rental costs.

Toledo, Ohio saw prayer sessions, candle lightings and the launching of paper boats in solidarity with the homeless.

This is a small selection of what was truly an international phenomenon. Chat with other activists about what worked on the International Homeless Forum. And check out the PSA below from John Mellencamp and 1Matters.org. The date's not as catchy, but World Homelessness Day will be an annual event, held next year on 10/10/11. It's never too early to start planning events and developing allies.

Josie Raymond is a Change.org editor who has reported from the streets of the South Bronx, written for several magazines that folded (not her fault) and fixed thousands of typos.
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