TOLEDO STREETS NEW SP APER Issue 104 $1 One Dollar suggested donation. Your donation directly benefits the vendor. Please only buy from badged vendors. Two Local Business Toledo Streets Owners Embody the Spirit of Resilience Interviews with Diana Spiess, owner of Essence Mind Body Studio, and Jeff Davis, owner of Aqua Hut Scuba and Travel on how they stay resilient. Page 4 Newspaper Annual Calendar Fundraiser Goes Virtual Every year Toledo Streets Newspaper Vendors hit the streets supplied with disposable cameras, and in search of images that capture our community from their unique perspective. Page 8 INSPIRING HOPE • FOSTERING COMMUNITY • CULTIVATING CHANGE Toledo Streets is a member of the International Network of Street Newspapers
TOLEDO STREETS NEW SP APER About the cover: Art Director Ed Conn uses a collage technique to capture the challenges of staying resilient in 2020. 3 4 6 7 p 8 Photos from TSN 2021 Calendar Vendor wishes "A Pair of Winter Boots" p 14 Vendor Holiday Wishes 11 8 12 p 4 Two Resilient Business Owners Speak Out 14 Page 2 Puzzle Page 13 Resilience, My old friend There is no arguing that the events of 2020 have affected just about everyone, in a way that we have never been affected as a population before. Two Local Businesses Embody the Spirit of Resilience Jeff Davis, owner of Aqua Hut Scuba and Travel and Diana Spiess, owner of Essence Mind Body Studio stay engaged and focused through the pandemic. St. Paul's Church Marketplace for All People COVID-19 has put a damper on everyone’s life in some way, but for those who live on the streets of Toledo, it spelled a lack of access to regular meals - until area churches jumped in to fi ll that void. Resilience in Reading You did it! You made it to the fi nal stretch of 2020. Whatever suffering you endured this year, you made it though with resiliency, patience, and hopefully, a dose of kindness toward your fellow humans. TSN Annual Calendar Fundraiser Goes Virtual Every year Toledo Streets Newspaper Vendors hit the streets supplied with disposable cameras, and in search of images that capture our community from their unique perspective. Be Resilient Adversity. Resilience.They travel together - locked arm in arm. Without adversity, there is no resilience. Our Vendor Holiday Wishes "A place of my own", "Toilet paper/supplies","People to get along". These and other wishes along with how our vendors spend their earnings. Supporting our Vendors Has Never Been So Important
Resilience, My old friend By Claire McKenna, Vendor Manager There is no arguing that the events of 2020 have affected just about everyone, in a way that we have never been affected as a population before. This year has been full of heartbreak for families who have lost someone to COVID-19 and loneliness while not being able to connect with the people who normally offer us support. But this year has also been fi lled with beauty and, you guessed it, resiliency. We have watched communities come together in a way they never have before despite not being able to physically come together. We have witnessed people rediscovering what it means to care for one another including those who need it the most. Toledo Streets Newspaper was able to raise over $12,000 for our vendors because the community understood that while places were shutting down, our vendors, like many other people, would be losing their primary or only source of income. Unlike many others, our vendors could not fi le for unemployment and would have been left out the cold, again. Instead The TSN Community stepped up for them as you have done many times before and showed them that you were thinking of them, even when you were uncertain about things in your own life. I think each one of us has discovered or rediscovered how resilient we are as the events of this year have unfolded. From a glass half full perspective, I think we have learned how strong we are and how adaptable we can be. But this is not a new discovery at Toledo Streets Newspaper and is defi nitely not a new experience for our vendors. If I had to describe our vendors with one word it would be resilient. The life events our vendors have survived and adapted to continue to amaze me, even after my almost two years of working here. And yet, they are some of the most optimistic, upbeat, grateful, hardy, tender, and loving people I know. They are resilient. They have seen and experienced evil in this world yet still believe in good. They have been abandoned yet still allow themselves to be vulnerable in this community. They have been shut down, pushed aside and degraded yet work to reclaim their worthiness and voice. I have no doubt that they could survive without us. They have fi gured that out many times before. But it is beautiful and rewarding to work in a place that applauds resilience and allows survivors to fl ourish instead of just survive. You have allowed Toledo Streets to do that and allowed our vendors fl ourish. Thank you. The Buck Starts Here Toledo Streets and its vendors are a powerful, community driven solution to the problem of homelessness. Our vendors earn their way out of their individual situations through a collaboration of journalism, local business partners and their own hard work. Use these four steps to be a part of the solution. Meet Vendors Buy a Paper Get Informed Take Action • Vendors -- the people who sell the paper -- are at the core of Toledo Streets' mission. Each year more than 70 indiviuals work as vendors with Toledo Streets. At any given time, more than 25 vendors are at work, in the rain, snow, or heat. Vendors play an active role in the management of TS, meeting regularly to discuss issues of concern and even serving on our board. • With the money made selling the newspaper, vendors are able to secure basic needs, independence and dignity, and work toward obtaining housing. Vendors buy papers for a quarter and sell them for a $1, keeping all income and tips for each sale. Toledo Streets tries to tie its editorial to three basic principals: • Inspiring Hope, Fostering Community, and Cultivating Change. We are a member of INSP, our global organization of street papers around the world which provides us with content relevent to social justice, homelessness, and street community around the world. • Donate to the organization and give vendors experiencing homelessness and poverty a hand up. It supports not only the paper but also issues throughout NW Ohio. • Volunteer your time and expertise and help the organization grow. • Share Toledo Streets with your network, and tell people about the organization. Page 3
Diana Spiess, owner of Essence Mind Body Studio Q: Before we go into how you and Essence Mind Body Studio maintained a high level of resilience during this pandemic, can you tell me how you came to this practice/business? Diana Spiess, Owner of Essence Mind Body Studio Two Local Businesses Embody the Spirit of Resilience Essence Mind Body Studio and Aqua Hut Scuba and Travel Stay Engaged and Focused Through The Pandemic By Ed Conn In the first week of March 2020, Saga and I were in the San Francisco Bay Area taking care of family matters, visiting and socializing with old friends, and jumping from one hotel and restaurant to another. The Coronavirus was here on the west coast, we knew that, but outside of taking a few precautions, we did not feel a sense that this would turn to a full-scale pandemic. A week after our return home to Ohio, that metric shifted dramatically. On March 16, Governor DeWine issued all gyms and fitness clubs to shut down, a day after he had issued no indoor service order for restaurants and bars. Over the next couple of weeks, countries began to restrict travel to residents only, and then a complete shutdown of access in or out. Page 4 Fitness and travel businesses would be severely affected by these orders, but would be devastated if they lost their entire client base. Diana Spiess, owner of Essence, moved quickly to set up online Zoom classes from her offsite studio space. A: I have been in the fitness/ wellness industry once I was 19 years old...so for 30 years! I was a 2-sport all-state athlete in high school and began teaching fitness class in college at 19 years old after going through an extensive training at the University of Toledo. Since then, I’ve done decades of training and education non-stop and, before starting essence, I was a fitness Director at the YMCA of Greater Toledo where I managed over 70 wellness staff. Q: Early this year, we started getting news about Coronavirus hitting the west and east coasts even before the first reported case in Ohio. When did you start preparing your business for what seems to some to be the inevitable spread of the virus? A: I closed essence a day before we were mandated closed and through the entire closed period, I watched and planned. I had a lot of experience with online teaching due to my health coaching and I taught classes through the entire shut-down. My husband is a maintenance I so love helping my clients live their healthiest Diana Spiess Jeff Davis, owner of Aqua Hut began to monitor the countries where he had trips booked and kept his clients informed of restrictions and closures. Both Diana and Jeff went beyond and above to keep their clients connected, healthy, and engaged. I had the opportunity last month to exchange Questions and Answers with Diana and Jeff to find what they did to stay resilient in 2020. filled me in on all that is used for sanitization and sterilization and I began my search for UV lights, strong hepa filters with UV lights, and more. I studied what they were finding out with COVID and combined it with my education in exercise science. Q: Fitness related studios in Ohio were some of the first businesses to be required to shut down. How quickly did you transition to online classes? How did your customers and staff react? A: I started teaching 24 hours after the mandated closing online. The essence clients jumped right specialist and has worked as a Director, at a state facility, and now is at a COVID hospital. He in. The staff did not start teaching online until we opened back up. This was so unpredictable and figuring out how to deal with payroll and unemployment based on an unknown time-frame for the closing was not easy at all. So, during the closing, I taught all and a couple instructors subbed for me. Then, once we opened, I transitioned them to teaching in-studio and online both. Q: During this time when studios remained closed under state order, what did you do personally to maintain a level of resilience? How did you stay grounded? A: I practiced what I teach. I took lots of time to do what brings me joy: time with my kiddos, my photography work, time in nature, kept strong my yoga, meditation, and works outs, and I kept a daily journal. Q: Many of your classes are a hybrid of in-studio and Zoom. How is this working for you and how is it being received by your clients? What are your in-studio protocols? A: We have received great feedback with the hybrid and options to be both in-studio and online. Currently, we have pulled back to only online since Lucas County has a stay-at-home order in place. Having the hybrid makes it easy to transition as the COVID numbers are going so high. We have a strict mask protocol for everyone in-studio and we keep spring space requirements. We have folks sign in to agree to all protocols at the door each time, we take temperatures at the door, and we limit how many are coming in at once. Our staff sanitizes and UV sterilizes after all equipment and spaces have been used. Q: With no clear end in sight of the virus, how do you see your business going forward into 2021? A: I am doing all I can to see things moving forward cautiously but still moving. We have a very strong community at essence and I am doing all I can to help folks stay on course with their health and wellness care. We will sustain the online options indefinitely and, as the community numbers allow, we will be in-studio as much as we can be. Q: Anything else you would like
to share? A: I cannot explain how much I feel the love and support throughout the essence community. It has been a true blessing to have the online options to keep in touch with our high-risk clients, those that live far away, and those who’s lives just need them to be online for now. We have had no new cases of COVID being contracted through time at essence and that is very important to me and my staff. We care so deeply and, although we miss being in-studio now again, we will keep adapting to what is needed to keep all of the community the safest and functioning as well as can be. I so love helping my clients live their healthiest and through all of this, I am amazed at what some have accomplished and the focus they’ve been able to sustain. It has not been easy for some, but they have stayed their course and it leaves me knowing that I have had a positive impact through such an unprecedented, diffi cult time. Jeff Davis, owner of Aqua Hut Scuba and Travel Q: Before we go into how you and Aqua Hut maintained a high level of resilience during this pandemic, can you tell me how you came to scuba business? A: Scuba started as a P.E. credit in college BGSU 1978. A friend asked me if I wanted to take scuba because his roommate was a certifi ed diver. I always thought it was fun (loved Cousteau shows growing up) but never took it any farther. After about 6 weeks of snorkeling we had a chance to breathe off a tank and I was hooked forever. I bought what equipment I could afford and did every type of dive possible my fi rst year. As I tell my clients it’s my Happy Place. Around a year later I became an Instructor and that fall the owner of Aqua Hut sold me the business (offi cially took over January 1980). This is where the story starts. Q: Early this year, we started getting news about Coronavirus hitting the west and east coasts even before the fi rst reported case in Ohio. When did you start preparing your business for what seems to some to be inevitable spread of the virus? A: It fi rst affected my business in February, that’s when we thought our Trip to Chuuk Lagoon might be canceled (it became cancelled while clients were in Hawaii on the way there to dive). I started planning at the beginning of March by paying off my building and consolidating manufacturer debt on 0% credit cards with 18 months to pay. Q: A large portion of your business is travel, primarily scuba related trips abroad. When did travel restrictions start effecting your business? A: Our last trip was March 14-21 (in fact we brought them home a day early because the Bahamas shut down). Since then we’ve canceled St. Lucia (twice), St Eustatius, Explorer Ventures, Roatan, Misool and Cayman Brac. We then promoted more local diving. Q: During the time we were in stay at home/stay closed orders were in effect, what did you do personally to maintain a level of resilience? In other words, how did you stay sane? A: The fi rst two days of the shutdown I made a video on how to make the perfect Caiparinha, and watched Netfl ix. After that I got into how can I make money and keep my customers active. This is where most businesses fail, they give up. Q: Tell me what role social media played in keeping you connected with your clients? A: This is where we used social media to our advantage. We started the month of April by donating some of Jeff Davis, Owner of Aqua Hut with Simony Silva We then used the same social media to advertise equipment at a discount allowed by my manufacturer. Sales went through the roof and people signed up for classes or even donated money to help the cause. Personally Aqua Hut donated $5000 of profi ts during April. Q: Aqua Hut was very active this season certifying divers? What “Don’t let life’s events determine your attitude, let your attitude determine your life” Jeff Davis our instructional fees when people signed up for classes that month to feed fi rst responders. We used local restaurant Poco Loco (they kept my credit card on fi le) and every time a person signed up for class we took a portion of our fee and would buy food for fi rst responders. Karel from Poco Loco would deliver the food, then send me a picture and we would Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter it. We always mentioned who would receive the food, and who bought the classes. We would always thank Poco Loco and tried to get people to understand the importance to buy local. was your protocols for keeping clients safe and still engaged? A: First we did a video on how we sanitized equipment. Because we don’t teach group classes we didn’t have to worry about group size. We only teach private, couples or families. We also stopped renting life support systems and this encouraged clients to buy their own equipment. We use social media the way it’s meant to be used, we promote adventure always positive and nothing negative. We take pictures and promote on social media this could be you… Q: Some countries are opening up to US passport holders, others are still closed. How is this effecting your travel business in 2021 and beyond? A: At this time we try to book trips to who’s open (Cozumel 3 trips this year all full). We already have 12 trips next year and most are full. I plan on adding more because my clients want it. In fact we’re booking trips all the way to 2023, if you love adventure you’ll travel. At Aqua Hut Scuba and Travel we say “We scuba Dive, We Travel, We Explore!!! We’re Aqua Hut Scuba and Travel!!! Join us in this adventure we call life!!!” Q: Anything else you would like to share? A: I have a saying I tell clients “Don’t let life’s events determine your attitude, let your attitude determine your life.” Now let’s plan a scuba adventure!!! Page 5
St. Paul's Church Marketplace for All People BY KAREN GERHARDINGER COVID-19 has put a damper on everyone’s life in some way, but for those who live on the streets of Toledo, it spelled a lack of access to regular meals - until area churches jumped in to fill that void. Sitting under a pop-up tent outside St. Paul’s United Methodist Church at 1201 Madison St. in Toledo, volunteer coordinator Keiyonda King is bundled against the cold as she and a team of volunteers hand out bags filled with food – two sandwiches, granola bars, chips, a sweet and two waters. Until mid-March, Keiyonda managed volunteers at Marketplace For All People, a St. Paul’s UMC program that provides clothing, blankets, household goods and programming for the homeless and low income residents of downtown and the North End. While St. Paul’s also has a food pantry that’s open once a week, providing daily meals wasn’t part of the program - until early May. That’s when Rev. Mary Sullivan learned that Cherry Street Mission had to shut its doors to non-residents because of social distancing and COVID-19 concerns. That closure impacted hundreds of members of the homeless population, who relied on the nonprofit for breakfast and lunch. As a result of the closure, Sullivan was hearing about people who were not eating between dinner one day and dinner the next day. “We’ve got to feed these folks as a congregation and a nonprofit,” Sullivan said. She got on the phone to find out what other area organizations were doing to provide meals so that St. Paul’s could fill in the gaps. Food For Thought, Faith Matters, Toledo Street News, St. Paul’s Lutheran and Salem Lutheran all have programs, but breakfast and lunch seemed to be the biggest need. By June, a revamped Marketplace for All People was launched as a six-daya-week program to provide the brunch bags. Operated in partnership with St. Paul’s Community Center, the food program is supported by donations and volunteers from several United Methodist churches, including Braden, Epworth, Hope Toledo, Hope Whitehouse, Maumee, Perrysburg First, Oregon Faith, Riverpoint and Wayne, as well as St. Paul’s Lutheran downtown and St. Martin De Porres Catholic parish. “When we shut down Marketplace, it morphed into a feeding program,” said board member Sherry Walker said. An estimated 70 to 80 adults come by for meais on those days, Walker estimates. Among those is George, who lost his wallet and identification in February and is waiting for a copy of his social security card so that he can start apartment hunting. Without an ID, he wasn’t allowed to get in anywhere to eat, he said. “This helps feed the people who are sleeping on the streets and don’t have a meal. Sometimes it might be the only Page 6 meal they get in a day,” George said. Michael, a volunteer serving up hot coffee, now lives in an apartment, but he remembers how difficult it was during his two years of living on Adams Street. When camping outside, especially during cold months, people need to find a place to get a warm meal and hot cup of coffee in the morning, he explained. So when he heard from fellow volunteer Al that Marketplace was reopening, he hopped on the bus from his South End home to join in volunteering. “I used to be homeless. Now I’ve got my own place, by the grace of God,” he said. “I want to give back to the less fortunate. When they closed down the shelter, there was no place for them to go.” While area agencies have funding to open emergency shelter, it may be January before anything materializes, Sullivan said. So the church and St. Paul’s Community Center next door are working together to create warm dinners that can be picked up every day except Saturday. The day before Thanksgiving, the group gave out boxed meals to the homeless. In the meantime, Sullivan is also looking at options for those who don’t have a warm place to sleep – such as sleeping bags that can be worn as a jacket, or pup tents that can be set up in the parking lot. Marketplace recently reopened on a scaled back version, by appointment only. Keiyonda is happy to take clients through the shop and the food pantry. “This place helped my family,” Keiyonda said, motioning around the church. “I have anxiety through the roof. But every time I came here I felt secure.” Keiyonda accessed multiple resources in order to feed and clothe her family, but she found St. Paul’s UMC and Sullivan’s Friday sermons to be calming. Now she’s planted, Keiyonda said. “Marketplace is built on the assumption that everyone has gifts,” Sullivan said. “We help them discover the strengths that God blessed them with.” Both are looking forward to the day when COVID-19 no long limits the services that area shelters can offer the homeless. When that happens, Marketplace will get back to offering some of the other programming that was just getting underway earlier this year, including craft classes that utilize items in the shop to create repurposed gifts. Or the cooking class that showed how to feed a family of four for just $4.00 a day. Or the sewing class to provide the skills to upcycle items. In her 13 years with the church, Sullivan said she has learned just how vulnerable the homeless can be. Some are homeless because they want the lifestyle. Others suffer from mental health or addiction issues. One segment of the population may find a sofa to sleep on at night but spend days on the streets. “These are ones our society sees as disposable,” Sullivan said. “We may be feeding and clothing them, but we are also trying to have a relationship with them. That’s the bigger thing.” • St. Paul’s Community Center, which was founded in the basement of St. Paul’s United Methodist Church in 1975, is a separate, non-profit entity that provides food, shelter, support services, and job and housing referrals to the homeless, indigent and mentally ill. Normally the center houses 30 residents and opens up its cafeteria area in the winter for overnight stays, said CEO Joe Habib. Because of COVID-19, Habib and other shelter operators have been scrambling to make plans for emergency shelter for non-residents - while at the same time providing six feet of separation. On November 23, the center launched a new Winter Crisis initiative that will make another 45 beds available. Thanks to some funding, the 30 to 35 residents of St. Paul’s Community Center will be moved to a Toledo hotel, where they will receive case management services as they make their next step toward permanent housing. The 30 beds normally used by residents will be opened up for overnight stays and the cafeteria will be set up to allow in 15 to 20 individuals who aren’t already receiving help. “This will open up the shelter for additional individuals to come and get out of the cold and spend the night,” Habib said. And, it also provides an opportunity for interaction between case managers and individuals who might be ready to begin the process toward permanent housing.
Resilience in Reading byFranco Vitella You did it! You made it to the final stretch of 2020. Whatever suffering you endured this year, you made it though with resiliency, patience, and hopefully, a dose of kindness toward your fellow humans. Together we will see this through, but if you need a word of encouragement, some of these books (available at your local branch of the Toledo Lucas County Public Library) might help you dig deep and be resilient in the face of it all. True Grit by Charles Portis Charles Portis’ 1969 western novel has something for everybody: strong female narrator Mattie Ross, the no-good outlaw on the run Tom Chaney, and the timelessly memorable Rooster Cogburn. It is an adventure novel, a tale of retribution, and a rag-tag group of characters that unite under a common goal despite their very different motivations. If ever a novel existed that could bridge the gaps of divisiveness in the current state of everything and give us the lift of resilience we all need, it’s True Grit. Don’t Tell Me to Relax: Emotional Resilience in the Age of Rage, Feels, and Freak-Outs by Ralph de la Rosa So, uh, who’s stressed out? Psychotherapist Ralph de la Rosa offers a dose of resilience for the times when mindfulness and other practices can’t get you out your rut, combining aspects of neuroscience, biology, spirituality, and more – all are probably better ways to deal with emotion than rage eating a pint of ice cream… which I will admit I have done a few times lately. Endurance: Shackleton’s Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing Sometimes when I assess my feelings about the pandemic I begin to think about how I am fortunate to be in a position to do something for others, like supporting local businesses, donating money to organizations doing good, or volunteering my time to an important cause. It may not be much, but anything you can do to make life better for somebody else is worthwhile, and in many ways, is an act of resiliency. At the same time, it can be comforting to think about how you’re not trapped on an ice-bound ship on an Antarctic expedition, which Endurance recounts. This book is a model of resourcefulness, improvisation, preparedness, and how sometimes resiliency can be conjured up from the worst of circumstances. Dear Life by Rachel Clarke Palliative care doctor Rachel Clarke’s Dear Life sheds light on the world of hospice care, where many lives end. Because we so often deny death – especially our own – it’s easy to fall into the trappings that resiliency matters only in situations when we will continue to live, or how at some point, even the most resilient will not be able to overcome life’s only certainty. Clarke’s book serves as a stark and clear memento mori, reminding us that sometimes just being alive is the only resilience you need. Although all Library locations are currently closed to walk-in traffic during the Toledo-Lucas County Health Department stay-at-home advisory, we are maintaining our regular open hours and have many ways to help you: Activities to Go: Visit any location for contactless pick up of the latest set of Activities to Go. Each envelope has directions and supplies for fun activities at home for preschoolers, kids ages 5 – 10, or teens. Book Bundles: We’ll put together a Book Bundle for children, teens and adults. Choose a category or let us surprise you. Complete a request form or call any location. Computer use by appointment: Call 419-2595200 or any location to schedule one hour of computer time. Customers age 2 and older are required to wear masks. If you have a medical exemption we ask that you make a computer reservation at one of our locations with an accommodation space. Accommodation spaces are available at Heatherdowns, Kent, Main, Mott, Oregon, Reynolds Corners, Sanger, Sylvania, and West Toledo. Connecting Kids to Meals grab and go meal distribution will continue at locations currently offering this service. eMedia: Download books, audiobooks, magazines, music, and videos to play on your devices. Need help getting started with eMedia? Call us at 419.259.5200 or try our online chat! Grab & Go pick up: Just request books in the catalog or by phone from any location. When you are notified the materials have arrived, Page 7
Toledo Streets Annual Calendar Fundraiser is Happening…. Online! Every year Toledo Streets Newspaper Vendors hit the streets supplied with disposable cameras, and in search of images that capture our community from their unique perspective. The goal is to discover images of our city from the eyes of those with an intimate knowledge of our Toledo Streets. Each image included in our annual calendar is a photograph taken by one of our skilled and dedicated vendors. These local artists work hard to capture these images every year and we share them with you as a way to further establish our vision of inspiring hope, fostering community and cultivating change. Because of the global pandemic, our fundraiser looks a little different this year. We are still producing our annual calendar with photos our TSN vendors have taken from around the city. However, in lieu of an in-person event, we are moving our calendar sales to pre-orders online. We will be offering a “DriveUp” Event on December 10th for those who have pre-ordered calendars to pick up their purchases with a brief transaction in front of our downtown office. Supporters will also have an option of having their calendars shipped directly to them, though we think you’ll want to join us at the event. As we are not gathering in person, we are relying on our friends and supporters of Toledo Streets to get the word out about our TSN Calendar. Please go to www.toledostreets.com/shop to purchase one now! They make perfect holiday gifts for family, friends, coworkers, bosses etc. Thank you for continuing to support us, especially through this challenging year! Page 8 Artist Maura Ama Artist Ivan Kende with assistance from Yusuf Lateef and Dave McIntyre coordinated by Art Corner Toledo Artist Mario Tore
ma er mato coordinated by Art Corner ero in collaboration with BGSU faculty and students. Page 9
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Adversity. Resilience.They travel together- locked arm in arm. Without adversity, there is no resilience. Billy Graham said it best when he stated, “Comfort and prosperity have never enriched the world as much as adversity. Out of pain and problems have come the sweetest songs, the most poignant poems, the most gripping stories and most inspiring lives.” Nature also has made a statement about adversity and continues to do so every day. Look at the adversity the larvae faces as it struggles to break through the chrysalis on route to its freedom. It’s in the larvae’s struggle that the liquid from its swollen body is forced into its wings. Eventually, a butterfl y emerges! Take away the adversity- the larvae’s resilient struggle, we are simply left with a caterpillar. Amidst COVID 19, we as a human race are facing adverse times. Social isolation, depression, anxiety, suicide, and addiction are on the rapid rise. Unemployment and the stress of home schooling has added fuel to the fi re. Perhaps the biggest adverse challenge has been the lack of predictability. I have found that people can often handle stress and diffi cult times if they know what challenge they are facing and if there is an end date. The unknowns of the COVID-19 virus have not provided this information and is the very defi nition of adversity. So how does one develop strength and resilience? I would humbly suggest building and committing to a healthy, simple habit. This will provide you strength and predictability. The positive mental health will be an add-on bonus. One habit I have developed over the years is taking a daily 30-minute walk fi rst thing in the morning. During that time, I get my physical, mental, and spiritual exercise. I pray and meditate on God’s will and word over my life. His peace then calms me and His will for me grounds me. My mind is renewed. Also, the physical nature of the walk releases endorphins which elevates my emotional health. On several occasions, I have returned home from my walk to fi nd my daughters awake. Being younger and involved in competitive sports, they often poke fun at me stating that during my morning routine, I don’t even break a sweat. I am quick to point out however that while I do not travel far nor fast, I am faithful. This makes a world of difference. If you are struggling with adversity and all of the noise that is out there, shut it down. Again, build a simple routine or habit and commit to it. United States Admiral William H. McRaven agrees and has written all about this as well. He further sugPage 11 gests that if you want to change the world, start off by making your bed. Adversity nor trauma need to lead to a post-traumatic stress disorder. In fact, they often build resilience under most circumstances. A vast majority of the time, people develop post traumatic strengths. Today, take that one fi rst step to start a positive habit and resilience will follow.
t is that time of year again. Although there are lots of differences between this holiday season and past ones, we all still have hopes for this holiday season. We asked our vendor what their holiday wishes are because we thought it would provide us and you with a good insight into the wishes of our vendors. We also asked them how they utilize the money they earn from selling papers. Here at the office, we know the power that your donation has on a vendor’s self-esteem, attitude, and belief. But there is also the power and dignity your donation gives a vendor in providing for themselves. From all of us at TSN, we are wishing you a happy and safe holiday season. Our Vendor Holiday Wishes I What Vendors Use the Money they get from papers for? Clothes, food, and Kool-Aid A place to stay Electric bill and food Clothes and food Food Saving it for a place Survival Gear until I have a place Rent Page 12
From The Director’s Desk: Supporting Toledo Streets Newspaper has never been so important. By Arika Michaelis At the heart of Toledo Streets Newspaper are the more than 138 people that experience homelessness and poverty that the organization serves each year through the sales of the newspaper. We believe in building a safe community that works to break the cycle of poverty and empower entrepreneurs to be the best they can be. Through the sales of the newspaper we are helping build relationships between readers, vendors and businesses throughout Toledo. When you support Toledo Streets with the purchase of a newspaper, you are helping give someone a hand up. You are saying, “I believe in humanity, one dollar and one conversation at a time.” Thank you. “I have seen people change their lives, get housed and get help because of Toledo Streets Newspaper.” - Wanda, TSN Vendor Toledo Streets plays such an important role for hundreds of people in the community. We help prevent individuals and families from experiencing homelessness through the sales of the publication. We also work to give people on the streets the stability to access housing — sometimes for the fi rst time in years. Last, but not least, we also fully understand the role we play locally in providing readers with quality news and the voices of the people. It takes a village. No question. This year has been a challenging year for all of us given COVID-19, the current political climate and the many racial injustices facing our community and nation. Saying that, we believe together we can continue to do great things. Toledo Streets Newspaper has supported our vendors and people on the streets throughout the pandemic and will continue to do so. We also remain committed to seeking justice for all people. We believe in a better and just world and that together we can do great things. In short, we believe in love and humanity. This year, we are asking for your support. In this edition of the paper you’ll fi nd a clip out section to mail Page 13 back to us. We are humbly asking for your support this holiday season. Your donations will go to support the vendors at Toledo Streets and the newspaper itself. (You can invest in Toledo Streets by giving a gift today at www.toledostreets.com/donate-today or by simply sending a check to Toledo Streets at 913 Madison, Toledo, OH 43604. All donations are tax deductible.) Again, we can’t thank you enough for your love and support this holiday season. Toledo Street is a small train carrying a heavy load in our community, and it’s your support that will help us climb to new mountaintops. It’s your support that will make the difference. Thank you and happy holidays. da � $1000 I AM INCLUDING A ONE-TIME DONATION OF: COVERS COST OF PRINTING ONE MONTH OF TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � $500 ELIMINATES BARRIERS TO EMPLOYMENT BY PROVIDING ALL NEW VENDORS WITH VESTS, SIGNS AND BADGES � $250 SUPPORTS TOLEDO STREETS EMPLOY VENDORS’ CREATIVITY IN STORY-TELLING, POETRY, PHOTOGRAPHY AND MORE � $100 � $50 PROVIDES ESSENTIAL SUPPLIES SUCH AS SOCKS, HATS, HAND-WARMERS AND PONCHOS TO TSN VENDORS SETS 20 NEW VENDORS UP FOR SUCCESS AFTER ORIENTATION BY PROVIDING THEM WITH 10 FREE PAPERS EACH � $______ A GIFT AT ANY LEVEL MAKES A DIFFERENCE NAME ___________________________________________________________ ADDRESS ________________________________________________________ CITY _______________________________ STATE __________ ZIP________ TELEPHONE ____________________________ EMAIL_______________ � I AM INTERESTED IN RECEIVING EMAIL NEWSLETTERS FROM TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER � I WOULD LIKE TO BE CONTACTED ABOUT HOW MY COMPANY/ORGANIZATION CAN SUPPORT TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER TOLEDO STREETS NEWSPAPER CREATES INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE EXPERIENCING HOMELESSNESS AND POVERTY BY PRODUCING A NEWSPAPER AND OTHER MEDIA THAT ARE CATALYSTS FOR INDIVIDUAL AND SOCIAL CHANGE
PuzzlePage THEME: FAMOUS LANDMARKS ACROSS 1. Octagonal sign 5. "Don't have a ____!" 8. Can of worms 12. Pathetic 13. Spanish sparkling wine 14. Pico de gallo 15. WWII side 16. Like word of mouth 17. Church song 18. *Victoria in Zimbabwe or Horseshoe in Canada 20. *Home to Rock of Cashel and Blarney Castle 21. Massachusetts university 22. "____ Be Home For Christmas" 23. Olympic torch, e.g. 25. On the move 28. Menu words 29. *Golden Gate or Mackinac 32. Goodbye, to bambino 34. Ruling in Islamic law 36. Variable, abbr. 37. Can, with thou 38. South American monkey 39. *Versailles or Buckingham 41. Thus far 42. Yoko's John 44. Collectively 46. Party bowlful 47. Memory failure 49. Goals 51. *St. Basil's or Canterbury 55. Independent, slang 56. Initial stake 57. Field of Dreams state 58. More than one stylus 59. Barnes and Noble or Barnum and Bailey 60. Jaunty rhythm in music 61. Don Quixote's enemy 62. Urge Spot to attack 63. Besides DOWN 1. BBQ side 2. Taxon, pl. 3. Fail to mention 4. Bygone Spanish money 5. Jeweler's unit 6. Egg-like curves 7. *The Western one in Israel or the Great one in China 8. *La Sagrada Familia or St. Peter's 9. Having wings 10. ____ of Man 11. Scottish cap 13. Ceiling panel in the Pantheon 14. Type of wheat 19. Cuban dance 22. Glacier matter 23. Medieval knight's spiky weapon 24. Coffee shop order 25. *Home to Taj Mahal 26. Phonograph record 27. Artist's support 28. Back, at sea 30. Director Reitman 31. Indian restaurant staple 33. Giant Hall-of-Famer 35. *Moulin Rouge or Netherland's landmark 37. Incense without prefix 39. Weasel-related onomatopoeia 40. Enigma machine's output 43. One born to Japanese immigrants 45. Roman magistrate 47. Hawaiian veranda 48. V.C. Andrews' "Flowers in the ____" 49. Naysayer's favorite prefix 50. Bucolic poem 51. Type in all ____ 52. Agitate 53. Hole punchers 54. Like the White Rabbit 55. Any doctrine Landmarks Page 14 Solutions
TOLEDO STREETS NEW SP APER Mail: 913 Madison Street Toledo, OHIO 43604 TOLEDO STREETS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CORP. Board of Directors – 2020 Chair Lauren M. Webber Vice-Chair Tom Kroma Treasurer Lauren M. Webber Secretary Kristy Lee Czyzewski Ken Leslie Michelle Issacs a new job, because he lost his old job because of presiding judge, Leonie Mengel, as he summed up the case after the two-day trial. Michael P. has said that he wants to fi nd attack. “I was drunk,” he admitted in the courtroom. “Otherwise I wouldn’t have done such a stupid thing.” P. seemed depressed as he described in court how he felt that his life had been slipping through his fi ngers. He has suffered for many years from a rare nerve disease: problems with walking and balance are consequences of the disease and sometimes he is unable to leave the house despite using medication. The fact that he could only calm his nerves with alcohol was confi rmed by an expert. Did the combination of alcohol and pills make him aggressive? This possibility cannot be excluded, according to the expert. However, “how [the attack] actually happened remains unclear,” said the his sentence, mainly as a result of his behaviour after the attack. While it is true that he ran away on the night of the attack, shortly afterwards he apologised to the victim in person on several occasions. And, although the victim told him that he didn’t need to go to the police, P. did so a little while later. “I wanted to take responsibility for what I did,” he said in court. Sven, his victim, did not appear in court, but later said in a conversation with Hinz&Kunzt that, “if he hadn’t contacted the police then they never would have found him, so he has my respect for that.” Michael P. only vaguely remembers the The 27-year-old got off so lightly, in terms of Seifert, the coroner, in the court proceedings that were held nearly seven months after the attack. Sven, a homeless man, had to be taken by ambulance for treatment in hospital. The sentence for the attacker was rather mild: he was sentenced to one year and three months in custody for causing grievous bodily harm and given a further two years on probation. This was just what the prosecution asked for. After he completes his sentence, Michael P. will be a free man. “He was incredibly lucky,” said Dragane he could sleep deeply. It was 6.20pm when a dark fi gure suddenly appeared in front of him at the Ohlsdorf station in Hamburg, where he had settled down to sleep. Then things kicked off. “I was only just able to prop myself up,” the 45-year-old remembers. Then came the pain as a 12-centimetrelong cut was slashed across Sven’s throat. It could have been fatal. Vendor Representative Marthia Russell Julie M. McKinnon Ken Leslie Chris Csonka Deb Morris Zobaida Falah • Kristy Lee Czyzewski• • Treasurer Lauren M. Webber Secretary • Vice-Chair Tom Kroma For Sven, the attack came out of nowhere. In the evening, he had some drinks so that By Benjamin Laufer and Jonas Füllner Ohlsdorf station in Hamburg when he was slashed across the neck in an unprovoked attack that could have cost him his life. His life-threatening injuries were infl icted on him by a 27-year-old, who admitted that he was drunk at the time of the attack and who later handed himself into police after running away from the scene of the crime. Hinz&Kunzt learns more about the attack and its repercussions. Translated from German by Hazel Alton Courtesy of Hinz&Kunzt / INSP.ngo • • • • Bryce Roberts Chair respect the space of other vendors, particularly the space of vendors who have been at a spot longer, and will position myself at least two blocks away from a working vendor unless otherwise approved; 45-year-old Sven was sleeping outside • “I get scared by every little noise”: The aftermath of a violent attack • Board of Directors – 2018 Mail: 913 Madison Street Toledo, OHIO 43604 CONTINUED FROM P 3TOLEDO STREETS WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, CORP. OUR GLOBAL INSP COMMUNITYOur Global INSP Community Page 19 understand I am not a legal employee of Toledo Streets but a contracted worker responsible for my own well-being and income; • not buy/sell Toledo Streets under the infl uence of drugs or alcohol; agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper; his illness. “I want to get my life back on track,” he said, after four months in custody. Sven’s life has been unsettled since the attack last winter. “Sleeping has changed,” he explains, “I get scared by every little noise.” Sven would most like to have his own apartment, or at least a room of his own. When you have your own place, he says, “you can sleep properly again.” agree to treat others- customers, staff and other vendors - respectfully, and I will not “hard sell”, threaten or pressure customers; only purchase the paper from Toledo Streets staff or volunteers and will not sell papers to other vendors; agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for Toledo Streets by any other means; All vendors must agree to the following code of conduct to: The following list is our Vendor Code of Conduct, which every vendor reads through 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 positively impact the city. While Toledo Streets is a non-profi t program, and its vendors are independent contractors, we still have expectations of how vendors should conduct themselves while selling and representing the paper. Vendor Code of Conduct understand Toledo Streets strives to be a paper that covers homelessness and poverty issues while providing a source of income for the unhoused and underprivileged. I will try to help in this effort and spread the word. understand my badge is the property of Toledo Streets and will not deface it. I will present my badge when purchasing the papers and display my badge when selling papers. I realize badges cost $1 to replace when lost or damaged; always have in my possession the following when selling Toledo Streets: my Toledo Streets badge, a Toledo Streets sign, a vendor’s license waiver from the mayor, and Toledo Streets papers; agree to only use professional signs provided by Toledo Streets; Abby Sullivan Shannon Nowak Shawn Clark Amy Saylor LaParis Grimes Wanda Boudrie Toledo Streets is a monthly publication called a street paper. We are part of a worldwide movement of street papers that seeks to provide simple economic opportunities to homeless individuals and those experiencing poverty. Our vendors purchase each paper for $.25 and ask for a dollar donation. In exchange for their time and effort in selling the paper, they keep the difference. They are asking for a hand up, not a hand out. By purchasing the paper, you have helped someone struggling to make it. Not just in terms of money, but also in dignity of doing something for themselves. We thank you. FREELANCE PHOTOGRAPHER Crystal Jankowski Our Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR John Keegan WRITING TEAM LEADER Jonie McIntire ART DIRECTOR Ed Conn Toledo Streets seeks to empower individuals struggling with extreme poverty to participate on a new level in the community through self-employment, job training, and contributorship. Our Mission Toledo Streets is a registered nonprofi t corporation in Ohio. While your gifts to the vendors, who are independent contractors, are not taxed deductible, any donations you make directly to our organization are deductible. These monies go to supporting programming, which includes job training and skills development. Our vendors purchase each paper for $.25 and ask for a dollar donation. In exchange for their time and effort in selling the paper, they keep the difference. They are asking for a hand up, not a hand out. By purchasing the paper, you have helped someone struggling to make it. Not just in terms of money, but also in dignity of doing something for themselves. We thank you. Toledo Streets is a monthly publication called a street paper. We are part of a worldwide movemment of street papers that seeks to provide simple economic opportunities to homeless individuals and those experiencing poverty. Toledo Streets is a registered nonprofi t corporation in Ohio. While your gifts to the vendors, who are independent contractors, are not tax deductible, any donations you make directly to our organization are deductible. These monies go to supporting programming, which includes job training and skills development. Our Mission Toledo Streets seeks to empower individuals struggling with extreme poverty to participate on a new level in the community through self-employment, job training, and contributorship. Our Staff EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Arika Michaelis VENDOR MANAGER Claire McKenna ART DIRECTOR Ed Conn INTERNS John Brindley, II Julia Holder Trinity Episcopal Church Vendor Code of Conduct As a vendor representing Toledo Streets Newspaper , I: • • • • • • • • • • • • agree not to ask for more than a dollar or solicit donations for agree to treat all others—customers, staff, pressure customers. agree to stay off other private Toledo property and highway understand I am not a legal employee of for my own well-being and income. Streets Newspaper Toledo under the in luence vendors—respectfully, exit Toledo and ramps when selling Streets Newspaper agree to sell no additional goods or products when selling the paper. will not buy/sell of agree to only use professional signs provided by Streets badge, a Streets sign, and Toledo Toledo Streets understand my badge, vest, and sign are the property of them in any way. Toledo will always have in my possession the following when selling Toledo but drugs I Streets will Toledo a or Streets Newspaper. Toledo papers. Toledo understand that when you are wearing your vest you are representing inappropriate behavior while representing by any not contracted alcohol. will respect the space of other vendors and will position myself at least two blocks away from a working vendor unless otherwise approved. Streets Newspaper agree that badges and signs are $5 to replace and vests are $10 to replace. Toledo Streets Newspaper may result in Streets Newspaper : my Toledo will and Streets Newspaper, disciplinary not alter thus action any other means. “hard sell,” threaten Streets Newspaper. worker responsible or Page 15
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