2 $ JANUARY 24, 2025 | VOLUME 16 | ISSUE 3 YOUR PURCHASE BENEFITS THE VENDORS. PLEASE BUY ONLY FROM BADGED VENDORS. Warning: homeless people at work. page 6 FELICIA WILBERT #234 ASK YOUR VENDOR: WHY DO YOU SELL THE PAPER? GROUNDCOVER NEWS AND SOLUTIONS FROM THE GROUND UP | WASHTENAW COUNTY, MICH. February 3-9, 2025 is Vendor Appreciation Week! THIS PAPER WAS BOUGHT FROM Street photos by Barry Chattillion • Proposal: Housing-development accelerator • Charbonneau: Open your eyes to housing inequity. PAGE 4 @groundcovernews, include vendor name and vendor #
2 GROUNDCOVER NEWS GROUNDCOVER Screen printing at the Groundcover office 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. I Bring a shirt or fabric item! Thank you Wolverine Street Medicine for free wellness services! THURSDAY 2/6 celebrity selling Some familiar faces will be selling with Groundcover vendors around downtown A2 during the morning and afternoon! • People's Food Co-op • Main and Liberty • North U and State Street • 4th Ave and Liberty Street • Argus Farm Stop GROUNDCOVER NEWS HAPPY HOUR DANCE PARTY @ LIVE, 6:30-9PM proceeds go to Groundcover! SUNDAY 2/9 Ypsi vendor meet + greet at Bridge Cafe 217 W Michigan Ave 10 a.m. - 12 p.m. If you would like to support any of the Vendor Appreciation Week activities, email lindsay@groundcovernews.com. Follow along on social media for updates! PROVIDING ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITIES FOR SELF-DETERMINED INDIVIDUALS IMPACTED BY POVERTY, PRODUCING A STREET NEWSPAPER THAT GIVES A PLATFORM TO UNDERREPRESENTED VOICES IN WASHTENAW COUNTY, PROMOTING AN ACTION TO BUILD A JUST, CARING AND INCLUSIVE SOCIETY. Groundcover News, a 501(c)(3) organization, was founded in April 2010 as a means to empower lowincome persons to make the transitions from homeless to housed, and from jobless to employed. Vendors purchase each copy of our regular editions of Groundcover News at our office for 50 cents. This money goes towards production costs. Vendors work selling the paper on the street for $2, keeping all income and tips from each sale. Street papers like Groundcover News exist in cities all over the United States, as well as in more than 40 other countries, in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of homeless people and combat the increase in poverty. Our paper is a proud member of the International Network of Street Papers. STAFF Lindsay Calka — publisher Cynthia Price — editor Michelle Lardie-Guzek — intern ISSUE CONTRIBUTORS Elizabeth Bauman Jim Clark Elka Chamberlain Anna Gersh Jonathan Glass Mike Jones Ken Parks Denise Shearer Felicia Wilbert PROOFREADERS Susan Beckett Elliot Cubit GROUNDCOVER NEWS ADVERTISING RATES Size 1/8 1/6 1/4 1/2 full page Black/White $110.00 $145.00 $200.00 $375.00 $650.00 Color $150.00 $200.00 $265.00 $500.00 $900.00 Dimensions (W x H in inches) 5 X 3 or 2.5 X 6.5 5 X 4 5 X 6.25 5 X 13 or 10.25 X 6.5 10.25 X 13 Zach Dortzbach Matthew Rohlman Steve Ross Dillon Schweers Anabel Sicko Allison Wei VOLUNTEERS Jane Atkins Jessi Averill Sim Bose Luiza Duarte Caetano Jacob Fallman Glenn Gates Jonathan Glass Bella Fernandez Robert Klingler Ari Ruczynski Harrison Slutzky Jack Weinberg Mary Wisgerhof Max Wisgerhof Melanie Wenzel CONTACT US Story and photo submissions: submissions@groundcovernews.com Advertising and partnerships: contact@groundcovernews.com Office: 423 S. 4th Ave., Ann Arbor Mon-Sat, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. Phone: 734-263-2098 @groundcover @groundcovernews DONATE, LISTEN TO OLD ISSUES + LEARN MORE www.groundcovernews.org PACKAGE PRICING Three Months/Six Issues: 15% off Six Months/Twelve Issues: 25% off Full Year/Twenty-four Issues: 35% off Only run for two weeks/one issue: 40% off Additional 20% discount for money saving coupons Spa day FRIDAY 2/7 JANUARY 24, 2025 february 3-9, 2025 VENDOR APPRECIATION WEEK MONDAY 2/3 TUESDAY 2/4 SATURDAY 2/8
JANUARY 24, 2025 ON MY CORNER ASK YOUR VENDOR Why do you sell the paper? It’s a helping hand up. It’s a very lucrative job that allows you the freedom from the 9-5 routine. It also reminds readers how precious the newspaper can be. Groundcover encourages vendors to be creative! — Felicia Wilbert, #234 I love working with people. I love meeting students! — Juliano Sanchez, #174 I became a salesman at a young age and so I can sell any product ... and I especially love this product. I need money, too! — Joe Woods, #103 To have my own money in my pocket! — Roberto Isla Caballero, #347 To pay bills and to socialize with others. — Mike Jones, #113 January is one of the most challenging months of the year, but January can also be enjoyable. In January you can do a lot of selfcare for yourself and can do a lot of care for others, too. You can buy something nice and good for your friends and family. You can also make snacks and goodies for your family. Similar to during the holidays, you can write loving cards to your friends, and you can do self-care like decorating and baking things for yourself and others. In the month of January, focus on other goals that you set for the New Year, even if it’s having a better attitude toward your life and people. I GROUNDCOVER NEWS Joyful in the month of January staycation at home with the ones you love or just yourself. I feel sorry for people who don’t DENISE SHEARER Groundcover vendor No. 485 like to listen to old folk music and old music from the 50s, 60s and 70s. I like to be with friends and do staycations at home. I like to watch movies and be with people who I trust. It’s also good to have a have a place to be. I wish I could be someone’s friend who doesn’t have a place to be and share things with them, but the world is not that easy and trusting so I can't do that easily. I wish there was a way to comfort and be a friend to people who are down. I also like to be a good friend all year round, not just during the winter months. We would stick together and go out to movies and watch movies together. These are the joys of January I can think of right now, other than that January can be an early Valentine’s Day. dear GROUNDCOVER VENDORS, Mike Jones, your persistence in becoming an accomplished writer and generous human being inspire me! Shelley, thank you for your ongoing dedication and service to Groundcover News! Every other Friday I am excited to open up the issue and see what is inside. The paper is getting better and better and I love that I never know what to expect. What a gift Groundcover is to our city! Thank you to all the writers who have contirbuted and all the vendors who make it available to purchase. Joe — it has been amazing to watch you grow and flourish this past year. I'm proud to be your friend! Felicia, your infectious enthusiasm for Groundcover News, writing and your family make the world a happier place. Hailu, thank you for relentlessly promoting the Groundcover mission. Shoutout to Will Shakespeare — who I first met at Mercy House. Your ever friendly attitude and ever-moving mind never cease to amaze me! Thank you Wayne for encouraging me to get involved with Groundcover. I'm very happy to be here!! From Sim. To all vendors: Thank you for the work you do! I know that selling papers all day isn't easy but the conversations I've had with some of you have broadened my world and I'm always touched by the joy and heartbreak in your stories while reading the paper. Terri Demar might be the funniest vendor out there. #isaidwhatisaid 3 B-Man, your style is iconic! Jim, the effort and initiative you bring to improving yourself and Groundcover is truly remarkable and impressive. Thank you for ALL you do for this community. La Shawn helps me think more critically, be kinder, and in a lot of ways, know myself better. The world is a better place because Ken Parks is in it. love, YOUR CUSTOMERS I love Denise's writings and drawings! Dear Panda, I love what a go-getter you are. Along with your artwork, I’ve been happy to turn my money over to you to buy a Groundcover! And to benefit from your knowledge of Ann Arbor through your articles. When I lived in Ypsi, I would drive specially to Kerrytown to buy a paper from Schillington!
4 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR VOICES No way home Standing on the corner, I’m not invisible. I notice how you cross over to the other side to avoid me. Those of you brave enough to walk by me, as you approach, are expecting me to ask you for something. You see the situation before you, I am holding this smile and a newspaper. Don’t be a Snooby! (A person who looks down on others.) You assume the worst because you don’t know my story. However, along with being a hard worker, I have always been a generous, kind, loving and easy-going person. That’s why I was taken advantage of! I thrust myself into writing because it’s the only thing that can’t hurt or be taken from me. Growing up in Detroit, my mother always told me how my father was abusive to her. At the age of four I was told to go upstairs and hide. I was not the hiding type. I stood there and watched when my father broke into the house and was swinging a hammer at my mother’s lover. She was at the top of the stairs with me. I remember her tossing a gun to her lover. He caught the gun and correctly. I always felt a void, longing for a FELICIA WILBERT Groundcover vendor No. 234 emptied it on my father! That left me not knowing one side of my whole family. I blocked the memory; however, I often had a recurring dream about the house on Cadillac Street. She married Carl (the lover). He was very abusive to me and my two brothers. He knew my sister had a different father. My mother was quite the lying cheater as far as her marriage vows. Carl never abused my sister. I grew up believing what my mother declared to be the truth about my dad. As a child you believe in your parent or parents. You’re naïve, expecting to be guided close-knit family. At 21, I had a baby — the first grandchild in the family. I always told my mother we were supposed to be loving and good to each other, considering we have less than 100 family members. Trusting your mother is a risky thing these days. You would never expect your mother and sister to be part of a church cult. It’s painful for me to express. However, it must be told: raping and trafficking your own grandchild — even having him hypnotized, thinking he would never remember what happened to him. It probably would’ve worked if only she would have left him alone. Fortunately for us, a guilty conscience never rests. In 2014 my son was shot four times in his back with a .22 caliber gun. My mother and the church cult were hoping to silence him. I thank God he made it through. Relocating from Florida, where we lived, was my first experience of being homeless. My state of mind was fragile. I did not have anyone who I could talk to or trust. I was shattered and felt alone. This was my only child, fighting for his life. My family showed up at the hospital pretending to care. Only checking to see if he was going to pass. Who could I trust considering my mother had just called me on that Monday before my child was shot and warned me that my child would be shot?! I had to be strong for my child and my grandson, never letting them see me cry. Holding back all tears, squinting through all the fear! The final nails that were supposed to annihilate and destroy me and my family occurred in 2022. My sister invited us over for Fourth of July. They set us up, my only sister and her husband. Knowing that their nephew (my son) is transgender, and was still healing from the last episode in his life, they gender-bashed him, and threatened to kill him and his son (my grandson). Even our other relatives would not tell the police the truth. My sister pressed charges against my son for pulling his see NO WAY HOME next page JANUARY 24, 2025 People in the neighborhood: Nate's story In an article titled “Engaging the homeless paranoid patient” on the National Library of Medicine website, it is reported that the estimated percentage of homelessness caused by mental illness, particularly schizoaffective paranoia, is around 23%. People with this disorder are distrusting of the medical community for their own reasons, but one common and very real reason they don’t like the healthcare system is because of forced medications. Nate is a 6’6” white male in his mid 40s. He was diagnosed with bipolar manic/depression and schizophrenia at the age of 15. Currently homeless, Nate has made a life of managing his mental health and surviving his condition. Nate started his story, “People think I’m intimidating, but I'm really a nice, gentle guy. I moved to Dexter, Michigan with my family in ‘86 from Austin, Texas, where I was born. My father was really abusive, so I moved to Ann Arbor to live with my mother at the age of 12.” Nate is the second oldest of two brothers and has two younger sisters. He has a dog Cash, whom he loves and who keeps him honest. I asked, “How did you become homeless?” Nate answered, “I’ve been on SSI since just out of high school and have been homeless off and on ever since. My mental illness makes it hard to stay in one place. I’m staying in shelters and day centers right now. The last time I became homeless was recently. I was calling the police about some issues I was having, but they said I was just being paranoid. As a result I was arrested and that's when the court decided Community Mental Health needed to intervene.” That intervention resulted in him losing his apartment. “How is your medication being managed?” I asked. Nate replied, “I’ve been on medications for the last fifteen years. Community Mental Health stripped me of the medications I was on and started over; which is just mind boggling.” I asked, “Was this court-ordered?” “Yes,” Nate said. “They took away medications that were working, which JIM CLARK Groundcover vendor No. 139 only made my paranoia worse. Now they are trying to build me back up [on a new medication]. It’s been over a year now. I’ve been telling them for months that I have depression and need help. They just recently put me on Wellbutrin [an antidepressant] which was about a month ago. Meanwhile, all they had me on was an injection and a sleeping pill.” “Tell me about the injection,” I continued. “It was a medication they introduced to me and asked if I would take it. I can’t remember precisely if I was yea or nay, but it didn’t sound good. The CMH worker said I was mandated by the court to do what they say to do, so I was going to get the shot. I was pissed about it and rightfully so. I am the best advocate I can be with my other doctors; we had good medications and they took that away,” he replied. I asked Nate whether the injection was forced on him, and he said, “Yes.” I then asked, “What happened next?” “I asked the CMH worker to look up the Invega shot and she told me a lot of bad things about it, “ he said. “She said I might have to be hospitalized. There are permanent things that can happen if one is not taken off carefully. I’ve gained a lot of weight, more than forty pounds since they started injecting me. Nate outside Purple House. “The court won’t let me off of it, but I’m told I’m getting an apartment soon. So I’m hoping by showing them I’m paying bills and staying sober and not calling the police they will see I’m doing better and reconsider.” Finally, I asked, “If you were handed a golden opportunity, what would it be?” “To have better healthcare.” I added, “If you could have a free ride to college, what would you study?” Nate’s answer was: “I would like to get a degree in cyber security.”
JANUARY 24, 2025 ANN ARBOR Ann Arbor put $1 million aside to brace for Trump's administration changes, but is it enough? MIKE JONES Groundcover vendor No. 113 ANNA GERSH Board President On December 16, 2024, Ann Arbor City Council voted 9-1 to pass a contingency fund of $1 million to prepare for president-elect Donald J. Trump’s coming administration. On January 20, 2025 Donald J. Trump was sworn into office. Concerned citizens and those in local and state government are waiting to see what he will do concerning many issues. On January 21 we already started getting answers. He pardoned all those who were convicted in the January 6 insurrection. He has put a “freeze” on immigration and he has signed a collection of executive orders, some of which have already triggered legal push back. Americans and individuals around the world are worrying about these as well and other actions including pulling the United States out of the Paris Climate Agreement (again!) and the World Health Organization. Trump has been saying what he will and will not do all throughout his campaign. He pledged mass deportations of immigrants and steep cuts to education and other departments. He’s created a Department of Government Efficiency, a presidential advisory committee to help him select as many opportunities as possible to cut spending, although we believe he is still making plans to continue cutting taxes for the super wealthy and bloated corporations who have made record profits in recent years. Former President Joe Biden and Senator Bernie Sanders have warned of excessive concessions to the rich like Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos. They warn of a world where the super wealthy will have greater influence on government in the United States. This transparent new order was on full display at the inauguration where these billionaires stood on the dais with the incoming president and his family. As a result of uncertainty about federal funding for local human services, Ann Arbor City Council voted 9-1 to actively prepare for President Trump — but will that be enough? This $1M was set aside and taken from the $2.8M that was approved by council from general fund reserves. This $2.8M was to be used for many planned projects including strengthening our energy alternatives, public safety support, parking subsidies to city employees and improvements to the James L. Crawford Elks Lodge, one of the City’s bicentennial legacy projects. City Administrator Milton Dohoney said at the city council meeting that part of the reason for wanting this set-aside is that “we feel the need to be proactive in this instance; we’re talking about a coming uncertainty and we don’t know the speed with which it will come. Anything can happen.” Groundcover News reached out to the city administrator for an interview to discuss both the limitations and the goals of such an allocation. Mr. Dohoney responded personally but declined an interview, stating that without knowing what sorts of requests might be made on the funds, he wasn’t prepared to guess how this million dollars might actually be spent. Ann Arbor Mayor Chistopher Taylor, lacking details, said funds could be used in a multitude of ways like “immigration and city projects.” He also went on to say the city is seeing a surplus in their funds due to property taxes coming in above budgeted amounts and more money coming in from marijuana businesses. With extra money, the city has voted to invest in city projects and city employee pay and now this set-aside can help us address potential emergency funding. “We have put aside $1 million so that we are able to be responsive to the needs of our residents in the event that the directionality from the federal government changes quickly,” the mayor said. Ann Arbor Councilwoman Jen Eyer says the all-Democrat City Council is trying to be proactive and there’s no underlying political motive. We decided to hit the streets and see how the residents of Ann Arbor were feeling about the $1M reserve. We started at the heart of the city, 5th and Liberty, found a good spot out of the wind and asked passers by if they’d mind sharing their thoughts on this action with our readers. Here's what they said. Bradley: I voted for Trump this time; I think he was making a lot more sense. Am I nervous he’ll make a lot of cuts? If we voted him in, that’s the best we can do. John: That’s insane. A lot of people come here for help. Ann Arbor does a lot more than a lot of places, and I think the sentiment is great, but if there are real needs it won’t be enough. Sophia: I guess I don’t know enough about it to have an opinion. I want to know what the city plans to do with the money. Greg: It’s a great gesture, but it’s a drop in the bucket. Sunday, February 9 • 10am–5pm Downtown Library NO WAY HOME from last page gun and holding it up in the air after her husband threatened to kill him and his son. She stated to the police that she wanted to help him. We have been scraping constantly, dodging all the crap thrown at us by the State: taking his Social Security away for two years without any explanation and constantly denying his appeal. We've had to move from state to state trying to find help. All with no family support. My cousins insult me, calling me dumb. Several have said to me, “Don’t worry — when you find out you're gonna kill them!” Now I know why; I was too blind to see what my mother and my sister were doing all along. I have always believed and said: time tells everything, so you better be good, because time will tell on you! Pray for us, it’s going to be a battle! Author's note: Thank you Truth Or Lies fans I apologize for the delay. I was writing my third book. A comedy mystery “The Ad-Dam Fam,” available on Amazon. Granna was a True story. Please help me and my family. We are homeless once again asking for your blessing. Vendor number 234. This fiber-filled day will have a full slate of demos and presentations, with a lobby full of local vendors. This year we’re focusing on the history and origin of fiber arts. Drop-in for a sampling of fiber arts projects and hands on quilting, spinning, and weaving activities! View the 2025 vendor list and more at aadl.org/aafax. GROUNDCOVER NEWS What’s Happening at the Ann Arbor District Library Open 10am–8pm Daily Hang out in any of our five locations across town, browsing books, magazines, newspapers, and more, or check out movies, CDs, art prints, musical instruments, and home tools— you name it! Study and meeting rooms, fast and free WiFi, and plenty of places to sit and hang out. Unusual Stuff to Borrow There’s more to borrow at AADL than books, music, and movies. To name a few, there are games, telescopes, stories-to-go kits, and home tools. Check out these unusual yet handy items during your next library visit. Fifth Avenue Press AADL founded Fifth Avenue Press in 2017 to support the local writing community and promote the creation of original content. The imprint publishes works by authors who live in Washtenaw County. Consider submitting your finished manuscript to Fifth Avenue Press today at fifthave. aadl.org. FEATURED EVENT 5
6 GROUNDCOVER NEWS EMPLOYMENT Warning: homeless people at work ELKA CHAMBERLAIN Groundcover contributor My January writing assignment was simply, “working while homeless.” The vagueness of this prompt was exacerbated by the fact that I immediately began bubbling ideas and angles reflective of my work and life experience with homelessness. As I began talking to people I quickly found myself feeling overwhelmed with all of the important intertwined issues needing to be covered. To develop the story, I reviewed published information about the intersectionality of homelessness and employment, spoke with dozens of people about their working-while-homeless experiences and then pounded the pavement to follow up on leads based on community members' input and federal guidelines in the literature. I found there is the need to address the stigma that homeless people are lazy, don’t want to work, or should try harder, as well as the need to dispel the myth that having enough income or resources automatically equates to housing stability and a better quality of life. To begin the process of contradicting the stereotype that homeless people are lazy, don’t work and need to try harder, I present three significant findings. First, according to a 2021 article published by the University of Chicago, 53% of the sheltered homeless surveyed had at least some form of formal employment within the year, and 40.4% of the unsheltered surveyed had formal income sources. The second statistic, found on a HUDstamped fact sheet about the Workforce Innovation and Opportunities ACT of 2014, states as many as 90% of homeless people want to work. Thirdly, everyone I spoke to this month either does have some sort of income, has had some sort of income over the past year or is working towards increasing income, with half deriving that income from paid employment. Part of my journey with researching this topic was recognizing that some of current research is based on biased, out-ofdate sources. Research, available for free from the University of Chicago, claims most homeless-related studies are heavily dependent on data that is local, outdated, self-reported and/or taken from government sources such as the U.S. Census, the Point-In-Time Count, and other safety-net statistics. When considering how to share the results of currently vulnerable community members’ experiences with working while homeless, I had to make difficult decisions related to how to retell their stories. After my pavement experience, which included traumatic interactions with the Veterans Administration, Shelter Association of Washtenaw County, Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, Social Security Administration, and Michigan Works, I found myself in tears buying $8 eggs, reading the contents of a fresh spinach box (bought at a Bridgecard discount), and pondering when silicone and natural flavoring became curry ingredients. I woke the next morning to a scattering of multiple unworking stoves, frozen water and a nonfunctional Buddy Heater. I decided to refer to my direct sources as “Buddy” in an effort to help honor anonymity requests. When struggling with how to organize community members’ feedback related to employment I considered the MDHHS Housing and Homeless Services link, which claims they work Arielle has worked at 7-Eleven since September 2024, while experiencing homelessness in Ann Arbor. Because of the insufficient pay, she has to seek a second job. to “make homelessness rare, brief, and one time … with the goal of moving them [individuals and families] into stable housing as quickly as possible and providing the supports needed to achieve permanent housing stability.” Despite the division’s goal, overall homelessness is increasing, available community supports are not sufficient, and the community’s overall housing stability is declining. One of the myths about homeless people is that they don’t have enough money and therefore they need more job skills. To dispel the myth that it is always true that people experiencing homelessness have a need to increase their job skills, consider that some Buddys who reported only one episode of homelessness reported that it was during a transitional phase to completing further education. While opportunity for education and skills training may be a great option for some, unfortunately, many employment programs are for specific groups such as youth, people with disabilities and veterans. A recent visit to the Michigan Works office was somewhat disappointing. When this writer asked the only worker visible about employment support for the homeless, the only result was a pile of flyers for jobs including the Wayne County Sheriff's Office, University of Michigan Health System, and Kroger — all of which are places many homeless people are already ineligible for because of mandatory background checks that reveal past invovlement with the carceral system. Despite the existence of employGeorge Clark serves lunch out of the Fed-Up Food Truck, where he works part-time. He struggles to cash, and therefore use, his paycheck without a bank account. Photo submitted. ment opportunities, several factors were described as barriers to obtaining employment. Many people described multiple forms of discrimination. One example of discrimination is based on sharing the same address known to be utilized by homeless people. One Buddy explained they knew they were being discriminated against because when they tried an alternate address they started getting call backs immediately. Transportation is another barrier, as it is often necessary to travel for both training programs and higher-paying employment. While there may be potential for support to address transportation needs; these processes often take longer than employers are willing to wait. A Buddy shared they are currently unable to repair their vehicle, which is impacting their training schedule. One Buddy shared an experience where they rented a car for work expecting the cost of the car would be offset by travel reimbursements, only to not earn enough money to cover anything; this led to an eviction. Another Buddy explained if they had had a vehicle they would easily be able to get a job in maintenance earning at least a living wage, but the need to travel beyond public transportation service areas and after hours is prohibitive for them. A major challenge shared by several people was lack of a telephone and/or internet to apply for jobs and communicate with prospective employers. Not having access to a consistent phone or internet service also makes navigation more difficult and time-consuming. While there is potential to obtain a government phone, that process presents such barriers as requiring access to technology, identification, proof of eligibility, a shipping address, or email — or a person has to be lucky enough to run into one of the people distributing phones out of their trunk. Another challenge is a lot of jobs won’t allow you to apply without government ID, or will insist on original copies of IDs before starting employment. One Buddy complained that they couldn’t cash checks easily because ID is required to start a bank account. It is a challenge that if you lose your ID or it gets damaged or stolen, there is a cost to get it replaced. see WORKING page 8 JANUARY 24, 2025
JANUARY 24, 2025 TRANSPORTATION GROUNDCOVER NEWS 7
8 GROUNDCOVER NEWS VENDOR VOICES I hereby resolve ... When asked about my New Year’s Resolutions, I replied, “to finish what I started.” I’m not talking about the end of my life, though I am getting closer. There are projects I want to finish before I die, and finishing my autobiography is the big one. I got as far as the 6th grade and have 70-some years to go. Since my birthday is the Day of Che, October 8 is a double celebration. On my 80th, a good number of us watched “Finally Got The News” at the State Theater, and on my 82nd a smaller number watched “Salt Of The Earth” at the Friends Meeting House. For October 8, 2025, I hope to watch “The Motorcycle Diaries” with you as part of the celebration. In the words of Che, “We are realists, we dream the impossible,” and “At the risk of sounding ridiculous, it must be said that the true revolutionary is guided by great feelings of love.” I think you will love this film. Robert Redford affirmed the importance of the original language to get the feel of the story and good subtitles for the meaning of the spoken word. It’s an artistic treat. This will be another potluck social, probably the Sunday before or after October 8, and I hope to have good news on the progress of the autobiography, as well as a shared sound system so everyone can hear. Washtenaw Community College said they have no classes for that but do have systems available for students. They recommended I work with my hearing aid, smart phone and an app, KEN PARKS Groundcover vendor No. 490 so it’s off to hearing aid technicians. Meanwhile, my life's work continues. Maybe we will have a “Greenhouse Hostel” as a model for tiny houses in the context of the Accessory Dwelling Units ordinance. City planning commission members were at the Groundcover office and we discussed the inclusion of permaculture design into the permit and inspection protocol. This process needs follow-through. If we learn composting to deal with all our waste, it will revolutionize waste water treament. Our base camp on Corrizo Comecrudo land in Texas used wood shavings as the first step in our bathroom bucket. It was odorless and the first step in composting human fecal waste. These are the changes that Mother Earth will welcome as we learn the lessons of climate chaos and create an interactive friendly environment for ourselves and all sentient beings. Taking responsibility for the results of our actions is the big challenge we face. If we engage in the struggle for freedom, the stages of the path will promote our creative labor to work on the transformation of our lives. We will learn to move the money from war to meeting human needs. Discovering who we are will be a grand learning experiment. The impermanence of our bodies will be welcomed as we learn to heal and prepare for a timely death when that time comes. Untimely death will be with us for some time, so ongoing prayer for those surprised by death will help us in this collective transition which of course has individual experience at its heart. To be fully present, you have to do it yourself, but you don’t do it alone. Those of us experiencing aging in its last stages will be welcomed as we learn to embrace life without the denial of death. It will be OK to die in celebration at this new kind of birthday party. When we experience life and death as a seamless whole, our awareness will be on the path to full and complete awakening. Writing about these matters steps beyond our ability to think. Our understanding of the nature of the mind is in a collective gridlock due to obstacles that are encouraged by a culture of control through a chain of command with which you must be in compliance or face the death penalty. I learned much from Mumia Abu Jamal. His book “Live from Death Row” is a classic of prison literature. Prison Radio will deepen your educational experience. Keep in tune with the Prisoner Creative Arts Project. The University of Michigan promotes this exhibit which I hope will feature art from Guantanamo and Israeli prisons. I had the great honor of giving my copy of Mumia’s most famous book to Assata Shakur (Black freedom fighter and auntie of Tupac) when the Pastors for Peace Caravan to Cuba met with her in the 1990s. Her presence is deeply empowering. I hope we all can share something about our resolutions for 2025. Many of us want peace with justice in our time. How are we doing? Health is the issue of our day. Physical and mental health run hand-inhand. When both do well, peace will be that much closer. Dr. Jack Kruse’s advice on sunlight and reducing bluelight stress is a good place to start. He has an excellent post at his own podcast, “Sun Education.” Learn about heteroplasmy, charge density and the light choices you make. It will improve mitochondrial function, that is, energy production. Let us tune in to the simple living that promotes health. Feed your mind the awareness that arises with a natural breath. Find the teachers who help you reach the next level of awakening. They are ready for you. One of them, Ernest Becker, wrote “The Denial of Death” and “Escape From Evil.” His intellectual honesty and clarity will open your mind to the possibility of science as a lifestyle. Facing reality and embracing our power will be a big change. The adventure is happening now! JANUARY 24, 2025 WORKING from page 6 Low-wages and under-employment are frequently cited as causes for homelessness. Shockingly, of the people I surveyed, not a single homeless person was working at a job earning minimum wage. Some examples of current or recent hourly wages were $15 on the lower end at Burger King; Shelter Association and FedUp employees reported earning approximately the local living wage at around $19; and hourly wages were reported as high as $23 at We the People Opportunity Farm. As of December 2, 2024, MSHDA’s Washtenaw County Payment Standard for a one bedroom is valued at $1,357 and a two bedroom at $1,618. An individual working fulltime at $23 an hour could find a one bedroom and qualify based on income and someone working full-time at $15 could share a two-bedroom or find a studio. Unfortunately, most with formal income reported not being offered enough work hours to be considered full-time. Another disappointing realization made during the process of talking with the Buddys was that many people who are eligible for SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) are not even fully linked to services. SOAR is a special expedited process to apply for social security benefits only available to those experiencing or at risk of homelessness who have a serious mental illness, medical impairment, and/or co-occurring substance use disorder. One Buddy shared that they had received benefits since the age of 12, yet they went to prison (for a crime they didn’t commit) and since being released have been without any financial means. At this time this person has recently started the process of getting linked to services through Community Mental Health. While not everyone with a substance use disorder and/or mental diagnosis qualifies for SOAR, some Buddys do attribute homelessness and lack of employment to not being supported during a time of crisis. Another Buddy who was recently approved for SSI/SSDI reported he hired a lawyer to help and it still took years. Some people who are employed fall under the category of gig workers. This category refers to those who may have some income, but they are likely working for cash or at least don’t get a taxable paycheck. In this category, some Buddys report sex work, selling drugs, mowing lawns, snow removal or hard labor. Some Buddys reported DoorDashing or using their trucks for odd hauling; however, both of the individuals do not have running vehicles at this moment for Uber or Lyft. One Buddy shared they donate plasma, explaining there are two companies in the community, Octapharma and Biolife, that have a twice-weekly donation schedule and earn about $60 each time they donate. The challenge with donating plasma is donation requires identification, an address which cannot be a homeless shelter, and it may cost up to $4 to access deposits at an ATM. I would like to thank the dozens of people I spoke with this month about their working while homeless experiences. I wish I had enough space to include more of the dialogue and will continue to carry the memories from our discussions. As a working homeless person, I would like to express my gratitude to my local support network, which allows me to wash laundry twice a week, shower daily, get propane to keep me warm and have options to cook allergy-friendly foods. Thanks also to the community of my alma mater, Eastern Michigan University, who helped me achieve my undergraduate dream of practicing social work from the comfort of my tent with a classic car parked near it.
JANUARY 24, 2025 PUZZLES GROUNDCOVER NEWS CROSSWORD International Network of Street Papers 9 Groundcover Vendor Code While Groundcover is a non-profit, and paper vendors are self-employed contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. The following is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads and signs before receiving a badge and papers. We request that if you discover a vendor violating any tenets of the Code, please contact us and provide as many details as possible. Our paper and our vendors should be positively impacting our County. • Groundcover will be distributed for a voluntary donation. I agree not to ask for more than the cover price or solicit donations by any other means. • When selling Groundcover, I will always have the current biweekly issue of Groundcover available for customer purchase. • I agree not to sell additional goods or products when selling the paper or to panhandle, including panhandling with only one paper or selling an issue more than 4 weeks old. • I will wear and display my badge when selling papers and refrain from wearing it or other Groundcover gear when engaged in other activities. • I will only purchase the paper from Groundcover Staff and will not sell to or buy papers from other Groundcover vendors, especially vendors who have been suspended or terminated. • I agree to treat all customers, staff, and other vendors respectfully. I will not “hard sell,” threaten, harass or pressure customers, staff, or other vendors verbally or physically. • I will not sell Groundcover under the influence of drugs or alcohol. • I understand that I am not a legal employee of Groundcover but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income. • I understand that my badge is property of Groundcover and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers. • I agree to stay off private property when selling Groundcover. • I understand to refrain from selling on public buses, federal property or stores unless there is permission from the owner. • I agree to stay at least one block away from another vendor in downtown areas. I will also abide by the Vendor Corner Policy. • I understand that Groundcover strives to be a paper that covers topics of homelessness and poverty while providing sources of income for the homeless. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. If you would like to report a violation of the Vendor Code or leave positive review of a Vendor experience please email contact@ groundcovernews.com or fill out the contact form on our website. ACROSS 1. Literally, "for this" 6. "Eh" 10. Mosque V.I.P. 14. Jungle climber 15. Figure skater's jump 16. "Buona ___" (Italian greeting) 17. Artist's stand 18. Try for a part 19. "Don't bet ___!" 20. One who doesn't go with the flow 23. Batman and Robin, e.g. 24. Dressing ingredient 25. Staple for every teenage boy's room 30. Deposit on teeth 34. Action film staple 35. Largest pelvic bone 37. Electron tube 38. Expert 40. Capital of Pas-de-Calais 42. Baby holder 43. Blow 45. Watch 47. Former French coin 48. Overlay 50. Idaho changed one of these from 420 to 419.9 to discourage theft 52. Sonata, e.g. 54. "Walking on Thin Ice" singer 55. Frosh, e.g. 61. Small ox 62. Leave port 63. Addition symbol 65. Bagpiper's wear 66. "Aeneid" figure 67. "Farewell, mon ami" 68. Bridge toll unit 69. Ashcroft's predecessor 70. Rush's drummer Neil DOWN 1. A pint, maybe 2. "Buenos ___" 3. "And ___ thou slain the Jabberwock?" 4. Iroquoian language 5. Kidney stones 6. Often stunning, colorful garment from the Indian subcontinent 7. Beasts of burden 8. Keisters 9. Behind the times 10. Related chemically 11. Children's ___ 12. Bone-dry 13. "Welcome" site 21. Aussie "bear" 22. "Good grief!" 25. Winter Olympian 26. Blue hue 27. Computer woe 28. An ICBM 29. Jewish festival 31. Bit of statuary 32. "Bye" 33. Disprove 36. O. Henry's "The Gift of the ___" 39. Current 41. Grain storage container 44. Binge drink 46. It gets taken off before a photo gets taken 49. Baby bottle 51. Hair ointment 53. Close call 55. Alternative to Windows 56. Former Steelers coach Chuck 57. Animal with a mane 58. "Not to mention ..." 59. "Mi chiamano Mimi," e.g. 60. At no time, poetically 61. Alias 64. "For shame!"
10 GROUNDCOVER NEWS RECOVERY JONATHAN GLASS Groundcover contributor What do you get when you combine a single mom of two young children, nearly no resources, and a recently-beaten addiction? If your heart is in the right place, and you’re willing to do the work, you get anything you set your mind to! Glynis Anderson beat insurmountable odds to have the effect of a tidal wave — wiping out substance use disorders, mental illnesses and destigmatizing those who society has marginalized. This month Anderson is retiring from her CEO role at Home of New Vision, a multi-million-dollar non-profit agency she founded that services Washtenaw and Jackson counties. This is her story. When you tell the story of a woman like Glynis Anderson, it’s not just her story you tell — you tell the stories of the million people she helped. While helping a million people may seem like hyperbole, it’s probably a bit modest. A little of Glynis lives in every life she’s touched, directly or indirectly. The old Gaelic blessing, “May the devil not know you’re dead until 100 years after you die,” can be modified to, “May the devil never know you retired!” Glynis Anderson opened the gates of hell for countless souls and facilitated their releasing themselves from it. In doing so, she gave them the resources to succeed. With professional help and through the recoveree’s own self-efficacy, thousands upon thousands have removed the shackles of addiction and moved to a life of freedom. If it’s true that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere (MLK Jr.), then anyone who lightens the burden of another lightens the burden of the whole world. In measurable ways, Glynis Anderson has changed the world. The clinical director at Home of New Vision, Wendy Klinski, attributes her own success to Anderson’s help. Anderson helped Klinski open Monroe’s Engagement Center in 2018, which over the years has helped thousands of people. Engagement Centers are short term treatment centers, usually day-by-day, that get people off the street to take a hot shower, wash their clothes, sleep in a warm bed, and seek more permanent treatment options. Anderson pioneered the engagement center model that’s been adopted across Michigan. All freestanding engagement centers in Michigan have Anderson’s fingerprint upon them. Klinski said, “If it wasn’t for the innovative work that Glynis Anderson has pioneered in Ann Arbor, I wouldn’t have been successful in my career in Monroe.” If Glynis hadn’t chosen to advocate for those in need, it becomes the premise for the classic film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” where an angel shows George Bailey what the world would have been like without him. What if Glynis Anderson had decided to make lots and lots of money without working for the welfare of society? Those who went on to have families of their own, in sobriety, are grateful Anderson chose a magnanimous path. Some alumni from Home of New Vision became business owners, nurses, florists, personal trainers, you name it. One notable alumni is an advocacy director at the state level and a former director of Constituent Affairs at the U.S. Senate. Lives have been changed and destinies forever altered because of the efforts of one woman and a dedicated team of likeminded professionals. Today, Home of New Vision is 85% - 90% staffed by those in long-term recovery. Anderson dedicated her life to proving that with enough TLC and patience, anybody can recover if they want it enough! Anderson knows well not to despise small beginnings. Home of New Vision began with one female client in 1996. The agency hadn’t officially opened, but Anderson lost no time in welcoming the woman. According to operations director DaMira Anderson, “Glynis did not want to lose this woman or that woman’s chance for recovery, so she invited her to stay on our couch until HNV could officially open.” Friend and business partner Robbie Renkes joined Anderson in 2001. According to Renkes, “That was when Home of New Vision’s growth began to snowball into an avalanche. However, it wasn’t for several years that we hit the turning point financially. Before that there were times we were really struggling. We would sit around the table and decide who would get paid that week. If someone’s mortgage or car payment was due, they would get paid and the rest of us would wait another week. To this day, there are two payrolls at Home of New Vision, on alternating Fridays. Still, there was a therapist who practically worked for free for a long time named Barbara Nordman. I think she eventually got all her pay, but Glynis "We took anyone with a willingness to be helped" — Robbie Renkes, on the early days of running Home of New Vision with Glynis Anderson JANUARY 24, 2025 Celebrating the career of recovery visionary Glynis Anderson named a conference room after her in the Ann Arbor office. That was the secret to our success, dedicated, hard-working people.” Anderson and her dedicated team built Home of New Vision by hand, brick by brick. Reminiscing about the early days, Renkes said, “Glynis and I used to go to garage sales to find things to furnish the transitional homes with because we didn’t have the money to go and buy things at the store. That wasn’t in the budget.” Renkes laughed as she recalled an email she wrote out of frustration. She and Anderson had asked a favor and were disappointed with the refusal. Renkes wrote, “I can’t believe they’re not willing to do this. My God! You and I have moved so much furniture on our own that we should have 'Two Women and a Truck' tattooed on our asses!” Anderson and her team of recovery pioneers bore a great deal on their shoulders. As they opened recovery house after recovery house, there were several residents who couldn’t pay and had nowhere else to go. Renkes remembers, “But we took anyone with a willingness to be helped.” If the business was in the red that month, Anderson somehow got HNV through the financial trouble. Putting people ahead of profits is Anderson’s calling card. There are many competing programs that do not adhere to a “people first” policy according to Renkes. There used to be, and still are, some treatment programs that are abusive. Anderson didn’t want to be like those agencies and took an entirely different approach, one of honoring and respecting the individual and giving as many chances as they needed within reason. Renkes said, “These places would - frequently abandon people in their recovery because of a relapse. Sometimes, these agencies would put people out in the middle of the night. But Glynis didn’t see the sense in discharging people for relapsing; rather, Glynis would increase their level of service. A big part of Glynis’s legacy is meeting people where they’re at, engagement over time and creating a safe haven. She will always be there for people.” Anderson’s professional accomplishments include a broad range of academic accolades, prestigious awards, and speaking engagements. Recognizing the need for safe, structured, and nurturing environments tailored to unique needs, she was inspired to create a program that would provide women and their families the tools to heal and succeed. Despite being in early recovery and a single parent, Anderson pursued higher education with relentless determination, earning an Associate degree in Criminal Justice, a Bachelor’s Degree in Human Resource Administration, a Master’s Degree in Social Work, and a Certified Addictions Counselor (CACII) license, and that was the foundation for a lifetime of service. Anderson was inspired by the words of former first lady Betty Ford, “Until we expand treatment opportunities for women and tailor programs to their specific needs, we will make little progress in helping addicted women recover from drug and alcohol dependency.” Anderson’s impact extends beyond Home of New Vision. She is a parttime lecturer at Eastern Michigan University’s School of Social Work and has been a guest lecturer at the University of Michigan’s Medical School. She is a board member for A Brighter Way, an advocacy group helping the formerly incarcerated reenter society and get work. Home of New Vision received the prestigious SAMHSA grant in 2008. The SAMHSA grant only goes to eight agencies in see GLYNIS next page
JANUARY 24, 2025 HISTORY GLYNIS from last page the United States. This milestone solidified Anderson’s role as a national leader in behavioral health. Anderson has left the organization in good shape by working with her successor over the years, and Heather Williams has been named the next CEO for Home of New Vision. Renkes said, “I was glad she got the nod. She’s the perfect candidate. I think she’ll maintain the spirit Glynis infused into the agency.” Thank you Glynis for all your sacrifice and hard work. Anderson got clean in 1990, and it helps to realize that everything in this article, and many, many other stories that aren’t in this article, were done by one woman in recovery from a substance use disorder. Undoubtedly, there were dark days and nights between her sobriety date and her retirement that could have stopped her, but she kept going! Because of her tenaciousness and perseverance, Anderson’s career is one for the history books. If you’re reading this and you have a use disorder or mental health illness, and life’s become unmanageable, there is hope! You can recover too. GROUNDCOVER NEWS 11 PUZZLE SOLUTIONS
12 GROUNDCOVER NEWS FOOD Coconut cluster pie ELIZABETH BAUMAN Groundcover contributor Ingredients: 2 eggs ½ cup butter, cubed 1 cup sugar 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 3/4 cup milk (any type, or heavy cream) 1 cup + 3 tablespoons flaked coconut ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 1 frozen pie crust Whipped cream, for serving Add the milk and blend. Stir in 1 cup Directions: Preheat the oven to 350F. In a large bowl, beat the eggs lightly. Cut the butter into small cubes and add to the bowl along with the sugar. Set an electric mixer to medium speed and mix until blended. Add in the flour and blend again. coconut flakes and vanilla. Pour the coconut custard into the pie shell. Top with the remaining coconut flakes, you can toast if desired. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, until firm. Let the pie cool for 1 hour before slicing and serving. Top with whipped cream. JANUARY 24, 2025 HAPPY HOUR + DANCE PARTY BENEFIT SHOW @ LIVE A2 FRIDAY, FEB. 7TH 6:30-9PM $5 OFF NATURAL FOODS MARKET 216 N. FOURTH AVENUE ANN ARBOR, MI PHONE (734) 994 - 9174 • PEOPLESFOOD.COOP ANY PURCHASE OF $30 OR MORE One coupon per transaction. Must present coupon at the time of purchase. Coupon good for in-store only. No other discounts or coop cards apply. Not valid for gift cards, case purchases, beer or wine. OFFER EXPIRES 2/6/2025
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