about Philadelphia's Poverty

An Open Letter About the poor and homeless in Philadelphia.

 

Tracy Gibson   // 12:52 PM (17 minutes ago) // to me

Dear Ms. Liz Hersh,

Office of Homeless Services

City of Philadelphia

1401 John Fitzgerald Kennedy Boulevard

Profile # 10

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102

From, MR. Tracy Charles Gibson

670 North 41st Street

Apartment B

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 – 5202

1 [ 215 ] 823 – 9985

BRotherTracy11@GMail.Com

Dear Ms. Liz,

**I read a recent article where you were interviewed.  You showed much vigor and care in How you are handling the homeless situation in Philadelphia.  I don’t have the credentials or fortitude to do the work you do, as I work on a number of issues and situations facing our world and our city.

****************I do have some suggestions for you that I will offer for free. I would like to reserve the right to speak directly to groups of homeless people & poor people to discuss these issues, however, if that can be made to happen. ONE OF THE FIRST THINGS THAT NEEDS TO HAPPEN IS TO ASK THE HOMELESS IF THEY WANT TO STAY POOR AND HOMELESS. SOME OF THEM DO. I KNOW BECAUSE I HAVE FRIENDS WHO WANT TO STAY RIGHT IN THAT SITUATION!

•1] Homeless people need to be seen as a resource.  Many of them can work, and I don’t men selling homeless newspapers, but making a great wage for themselves, paying city, state and federal taxes and making a good Way for themselves.

•2] They need help managing their money and must begin to value not making emotional purchases at the beginning of the month ( when many of them get their funds) such as for, a WAWA Soda and Sandwich, illegal drugs, marijuana, or clothing and shoes they don’t need. [ All we can do is make suggestions because the last time I looked this was a free country where people have the right to make their own choices.]

•They should be told that they have the funds in their possession to free themselves from poverty.  Poor people can save money -- a dollar or two at a time—and save it in banks such as the Black bank, United Bank, and by June, when the investment account matures [ I use a vacation club account] , they will have about $555.00. They can get a cashier’s check and take it to 16th and Market Street to the Fidelity Investments and buy stock in their favorite companies. This will be a great hedge against inflation, a Way to increase their credit score, and a Way to get out of the mentality of ``poverty thinking,’’ while making themselves part of a big solution for our country not part of ``those people’’ who are a problem.

•* There must be a more organized Way to help homeless people and other poor people to access the places where food is offered for free at church missions, and the food must be more nutritious and plentiful.  If we are going to give poor people salty, fatty foods, white rice, white bread and white potatoes, we might as well not give them any food at all. Many people are obese or suffering from diabetes or high blood pressure.  They deserve high quality food because GOD doesn’t make second class people no matter where we end up in life. They also need training in How to prepare nutritious foods correctly & in a healthy manner.

• Poor and homeless people also need access to places like gyms and other exercise facilities such as Planet Fitness as long as they can maintain a high level of hygiene & cleanliness. [ Those who willingly participate should get some kind of monitory or rent rebate benefit.]  This would have to be done on a limited basis at first because I am sure private gyms don’t want their regular memberships to be put off in any way. This will be a mental health and a physical health benefit for the poor and homeless.  

I think what some of these positive actions do is begin to make the poor part of our society instead of a sector we have to ``look after.’’  I Am sending this letter to Mayor James Kenney; State Senator Vincent Hughes; City Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds-Brown; & Vanessa Lowery Brown, my State Representative.  Please call if you can arrange for me to talk directly to poor people in Philadelphia. I thank you for your kind consideration and I trust you had a terrific vacation and are ready for new challenges in the New Year.   

 

 

Gratefully True,

 

MR. Tracy Charles Gibson,

Community Activist, Chef and Business Executive.