Word On The Street

This Needle and the poison it puts out is Enemy Number One on the Streets of Syracuse. Since 2011 IMFK has lost over 30 friends and just about half were overdoses. Today’s we came across a woman who was physically suffering in her body, it was so heart breaking and it was all related to a bad Heroine injection site. The struggle is real with addiction there is no easy way out its all about the pain of discipline. Many of our friends want to break away form the monster of Heroine but the fear of withdrawal as well as the moving away from all they know can be scary. Its amazing to see the physiological battle that must be fought first before an attempt to clean the body of this toxin. Thats why Relationship Building is so important when assisting our friends outdoors. They need to be able to trust us enough that they will allow us to lead them down their sober roads. Our mission is to Love our friends and show them love when they feel like no one sees them. Everyone has a surrender moment and our hope is that when our friends are ready for change we will be standing right there with open arms waiting for them. Today we met our new friend in trouble believe with us that she will start to trust us enough to assist her out from under the bridge. Together with your support we are building hope and changing lives.

Today’s Bacon Cheeseburger made away for first contact to be made with a woman who was suffering.

We met our new friend sitting under a bridge and in severe pain. She had an infection going on with her foot from injecting herself with a dirty needle. Dr. Lehmann asset her and gave her a prescription of Antibiotics. We were able to feed her get some vital information and make some calls for her. Today was day 1 believing that as our relationship moves forward we will hear more of the Story behind the Cardboard sign.

Today was a great day for Hire Ground not only did they clean up our community they also received a Surprise Visit from Mayor Ben Walsh. The Mayor was passing through the City seen our work Crew and made a stop not just to thank them but also to encourage them and to let them know that He and the City are behind them. He encouraged them to stay connected and to take advantage of the services that Hire Ground can connect them to. He shared with them the origins of the partnership between the City, County and IMFK. When the Mayor was Deputy Commissioner he road out with Our street outreach and was able to meet many of our friends outdoors including our Friend Steve. Ben met Steve when Steve was living outdoors and was able to reconnect with Steve for a visit when He was running for Mayor after Steve made a move to come indoors. Fast forward two years and now Mayor Ben Walsh is a true advocate as a City leader in coming up with out of the box strategies to assist all our friends who feel Invisible. He was able to see first hand that true change is possible for our friends if we can just collaborate as a community for those who are suffering. Mayor Walsh we not only thank you for your support but we want to say thank you for believing in our mission to Build Hope and Change Lives

John and Leigh Ann

Working at the Onondaga County Lakeview Amphitheater today allowed our friends to obtain dignity while working. Partnership with our County and City has been vital in building stronger Relationships not just with our homeless friends but Panhandlers as well. The Hire Ground Program is geared towards engaging folks by not just working with in the 5 hour work day, we are doing assessments and a deep dive type engagement. Carolyn our Care Manager sits with every participant to find out what we can do to meet our friends needs whether its coming in off the streets or going to a rehab to get clean and sober. Some of our participants are not addressing there medical needs so we connect them to House Calls for the Homeless with Dr. Lehmann for their physical issues or we connect them to mental health providers through out our community. Collaboration is a real Key to our friends being successful in their personal journeys. Thank you for your support because of  YOU and our partnership we are truly making a difference in OUR Community!

Today we celebrate Steve’s Birthday and 5 years of sobriety and leaving homelessness behind. It was July 7 th 2015 3 days before his birthday when Leigh Ann and I were doing street outreach and came upon Steve in a real serious situation. Steve was laying on the ground in the sleeping back we gave him the week before. As I approached Steve I could see there was something not right. Steve looked up at me and said he could not feel his legs and that he has not been able to walk for 3 days. You can just imagine what that meant him laying there in his own waste broken drunk and trapped. We could not leave him there we called the ambulance followed them up to the hospital and stayed with him through the whole process. Steve’s blood alcohol level was 4.0 at emergency room. We worked with Social Work department at hospital and arranged for Steve to be transported to a rehab center upon discharge for physical therapy to make sure he could walk properly again. During the 4 week stay at rehab we made arrangements for him to get into housing. After the 4 weeks Steve landed in his own place and became our right hand man out on the streets of Syracuse. Now its been 5 years and 3 days from that event and Steve is reunited with his children and living in S. Carolina. Please celebrate with us on Steve’s Day by wishing Him a Happy Birthday.