Tagged: homelessness

The last time Patricia Porsche was with us we learned why she became homeless by choice.  When we left off Trish had just worked her way back to being employed and out of a women's shelter.  Today we hear the rest of her story.

Being raised to be self-sufficient, gaining the rank of Sergeant during six years of military service and maintaining employment as an experienced office worker doesn't add up to homelessness for most of us.  Before 2007 Patricia Porsche probably would have agreed with you.

Central Standard takes a close look at the most recent homeless count in Kansas City and explore the implications of these findings on these often overlooked residents of our communities.  Our guests are Vickie Riddle, Executive Director of Homeless Services Coalition, Ehren Dohler, Kansas City 100,000 Homes Campaign manager and James Ponder, a former client of Dohler's who was once homeless and now lives in an apartment.

Until 1 a.m. every day, Kar Woo, a slender man with dark shoulder length hair that’s greying around his ears, drives around this brightly painted mini-van, with the Gandhi quote, “Be the Change,” printed in big red letters on the side.  He drives it between hospitals, domestic violence shelters, schools, bridges, treatment centers, and even jails, helping people who are homeless. 

Kansas City, Mo. – For years, Downtown Kansas City businesses hated the image of the throng of homeless walking the streets. It hurt attracting conventions. It kept away commerce. Until agencies got together to take daily needs of the desperate to the area where they spent their nights.