Homeless For The Holidays
 

Well, it finally happened: my lousy luck with jobs crossed paths with my apartment rent. I thought I would get a last minute reprieve when I lined up a job driving deliveries for a bakery, but when I went to get a copy of my driving record I found my license had been suspended. They sent me letters saying they needed paperwork from the Veterans' Administration, but they sent them to my old address.

I spent a lonely, boring frustrating day yesterday walking around town doing nothing, since everything was closed but Wal-Mart. I even spent a few hours there just hanging out.

For the time being I'm staying at the local Rescue Mission. The good news is there are day-labor places close by, where you work for a day and get paid the same day. The bad news is I couldn't work yesterday because they too were closed, I couldn't work today because I still had paperwork to take care of and Friday I have to go to the VA for a checkup to see if I can get my license back. Tomorrow I get to work and earn money, and hopefully Saturday as well.

The worst part in all this is that I can't play SHIII for the forseeable future.

Christ Steve man, I really don't know what to say other than take care of yourself and I hope you can get a job soon.

It's typical of these days though really, you go into the forces, do a service helping to protect your nation, but when you come back to civvie street no-one gives a damn. Well, no-one in the government anyway.

Anything I can do to help, just ask

Well, we give a damn even if they don't. Hang in there bud. We're thinking of you. I wish there were some wise word I could give you but there arn't. Don't let the bastards grind you down.

Quick update: it's only been a day, but I worked some and made some money today. I figure a few days of this and I'll have enough to tide me through two week's work at a real temp place. They only pay once a week but they pay better.

I've already found a little studio apartment I can get into for just $265 per month. After that I'll have enough to get my motorcycle fixed; then I can work on getting into a place I can live with.

Things aren't so bad; it's just that I can't work on all my projects and I CAN'T PLAY SHIII!!!:damn: :rotfl:

Man that is bad! Let us know how you're doing!

-S

Hi Steve,

I work for Volunteers of America Los angeles. We run a Homless Veterens Reintegration Program in Downtown L A. Now that is too far for us to help you directly but maybe there is an HVRP in your area that could. I assume it is Salt Lake City.

Anyways, I can put a call into the Department of Labor (they provide the grants for all HVRP programs across the country) tomorrow morning to see if they fund one in your area.

Listed below are typical HVRP services:

Housing referrals

Vocational training contacts

Job search assistance

Resume Preparation

Referrals to employers

Job retention services

In the mean time take a look at this site in Salt Lake City.
http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,600158177,00.html

Also Kelly services has security positions which are pretty easy to get if you do not have a criminal record.

http://local.yahoo.com/details;_ylt=....0Murg--&lcscb=

TSA also gives veterans a huge break on testing for their security jobs but they take awhile to get. Of course they pay a lot more too. I believe Salt Lake is a hub airport so their should be lots of jobs there too.

http://www.tsa.gov/public/

Thanks for that reference, Neon. It's just down the street from where I'm at now (well, a couple of miles, but that's an easy walk). I'll check it out tomorrow.

As for the rest, as I said I've been in a shelter for the week, and when I prove I'm working I can probably stay longer.

I'll check in here again tomorrow.

Geez....sorry to hear this news Steve. Sure puts my petty problems into perspective. :cry:

I tried to go down to the Veteran's Thrift Store today, but couldn't find it. Came back here and looked again-I had the address wrong. I'll try again tomorrow.

For a lot of this there are good jobs available but a lot of them have schedules I can't meet without transportation. I'll get it worked out soon enough.

Hang in there steve, your a tough guy, I am sure your situation will get better.

I am really sorry to hear that Steve, good luck. We all have rough times.

Two-week update. I got out of the Rescue Mission and into the Road Home, and actual shelter. The bad news is there are over two hundred guys in the dorm. The good news is there are far fewer restrictions: you only have to check in before the 22:00 closing time; you can use the showers any time and they have an on-site laundry and day room with TV.

Steve Whalen (swhalen76) from SubClub came into town Saturday, homeless as well, and I've been helping him find his way around.

My biggest frustration has been crossed wires with the VA people, so I'm not working nearly as much as I'd like while I play catch-up with them. We'll see how the rest of this week goes.

Steve,
Are you still living in West Valley City? Didn't SLC build a tram or something that runs north/south. If you could escape from WVC and get into SLC, that would help a lot. I have a trip to SLC in my future,( my grandma is in the final stages of alsheimers) sp. I guess you'll be a little harder to find:damn: . Do you have family there? Maybe there needs to be a rescue "Sailor Steve" mission.


PS, I suspect the imfamous Drebbel is behind all of it.:arrgh!:

McBee

Oh, no. Sorry you didn't know. I moved from West Valley (Kearns, actually) more than a year ago and was living in the Brickyard area, 3300 South and 1300 East.

My new address at the homeless shelter IS right downtown, so that's no problem. As I've said, I'm working a day-pay job and planning on moving up.

Things are fine, really (except of course for no playing music with friends, no Thursday game night with other friends and no SHIII).

bump, rescue mission planned:up: