The holiday season for some homeless military veterans in San Diego brightens on December 16, 2009, with the distribution of 150 Winter Survival Backpacks, filled with hats, gloves, toiletries, blankets, and food, along with donated clothing, books, and home-baked treats.

The nonprofit Girls Think Tank (GTT) put together the 4th annual event, recruiting volunteers and donors from around the county, as a way to give back to veterans. GTT event organizer Amlyu Weas said, “with the Winter Survivor Backpack project, Girls Think Tank and its supporters are able to show thanks to military veterans who have served our nation and given of themselves. As President John Fitzgerald Kennedy said, ‘as we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.’ ”

In a statement about the event, U.S. Representative Bob Filner of San Diego said, “It is imperative we take care of our homeless veterans all year around especially in the cold winter months.” Filner is chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

The event happens at 6:15 p.m., outside the veterans winter shelter, located on Sports Arena Boulevard, behind Goodwill, 3663 Rosecrans, in the Loma Portal area. The shelter, which opened December 9th and operates for 120 days, houses and provides services for 150 male veterans. The City of San Diego program is operated by the Veterans Village of San Diego.

In November, GTT gave out Winter Survival Backpacks outside the winter shelter downtown and has distributed approximately 1000 backpacks since the project began four years ago. Individuals and organizations are encouraged to collect used clothing for upcoming GTT events this winter.

Girls Think Tank started in 2006 when local attorney Rachel Jensen, tired of idly passing by a homeless neighbor, gathered girlfriends for a dinner party and brainstormed solutions. They decided to start Girls Think Tank, with a theme of empowerment and individual action to make a difference in our community. A $20 donation, 1 hour of time: microjustice – like microcredit, hands-on and direct – is the Girls Think Tank model. The new GTT Homeless Coalition will launch a Basic Dignity campaign in 2010. The Coalition includes GTT members, social service and homeless groups, places of worship, businesses, residents, and homeless persons. For more information about GTT and the Winter Backpack Survival project, email girlsthinktank@gmail.com or visit GirlsThinkTank.org. GTT is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in San Diego.

We are excited about our third community meeting on homelessness scheduled for this Thursday, October 8th at 6 pm at 655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900 in downtown San Diego. 
 
At our last meeting, a diverse group of stakeholders came together around one table and decided to form the Girls Think Tank Coalition on Homelessness and to start a citywide campaign for short-term needs of water and toilets and longer-term sustainable solutions.
 
This Thursday, we will continue planning a campaign for changing the way we are approaching homelessness in San Diego.  Our fabulous board member Jen Lai brought in Jun Chong, a highly-respected and well-accomplished community organizer who has worked extensively in poor communities and knows how to build campaigns.  Jun will be attending the meeting with the aim of assisting with strategy and developing a work plan.    
 
We hope you can make it!  It is going to be an exciting dialogue.  Please let us know you’re coming so that we will make sure to have enough pizza by emailing us at girlsthinktank@gmail.com.  See you there!!

For their week of service, students at the Art Institute of San Diego are creating “umbrellas for peace” in conjunction with the Lamb Umbrellas for Peace project, which GTT will distribute to our city’s homeless, along with GTT’s first-ever dignity tents, on Saturday, April 25th at 11:30 am @ Neil Good Day Center (299 17th St between Imperial Ave & K St).  Come on out!

Even if you can’t make it, consider donating that used tent sitting in your basement or closet. It will protect homeless families turned out on the streets by the closing of the winter shelter from the elements and overexposure this summer.

Kelly Davis wrote a fabulous article in the Jan. 20, 2009 issue of City Beat about David Ross’ heroic mission to provide public toilets downtown, and of city council’s failure to live up to its agreement to fund them.  Thankfully, newly-elected City Council Marti Emerald has put the matter up for reconsideration and we strongly urge city council to vote to fund the port-o-johns.  It’s a shame that America’s finest city can’t even provide a place for people to relieve themselves with dignity.   

‘A great success’

Two port-o-potties times more than five months of use equals lots of icky stuff that’s not on the streets of East Village

Labor Donated by Clean Up Crew -- Thank you!!

Labor Donated by Clean Up Crew -- Thank you!!

By Kelly Davis

• Wednesday, Dec. 10th @ 6 pm  Distribution of packs and baby bags at downtown winter shelter.
• Thursday, Dec. 18th @ 6 pm     Distribution of packs and baby bags at veterans’ winter shelter.  
• Wednesday, Jan. 7th @ 6 pm     Assembly of 2nd phase packs and baby bags at Coughlin Stoia, 
                                                             655 W.  Broadway, Suite 1900.
• Thursday, Jan. 15th @ 6 pm      Distribution of packs and baby bags at downtown winter shelter.
• Saturday, Jan. 31st @ 1 pm       Distribution of packs and baby bags at Neil Good Day Center.

Also let us know if you can donate hot food for any of the distributions.  Last year, homemade cookies brought BIG smiles to the faces of homeless vets.  

Thank you for making our Second Annual Community Picnic (Think Gather Feed) in Balboa Park a huge success!  Because of all the support of our amazing volunteers, supporters, performers, speakers, and co-sponsors, we fed 400 people at the picnic and got great input on the needs of folks with inadequate housing in San Diego.  

To celebrate our fabulous volunteers and supporters, we invite you all to a VIP reception on Thursday, November 20th at 6 pm, at the law firm of Coughlin Stoia Geller Rudman & Robbins, 655 W. Broadway, Suite 1900, in downtown San Diego where we will provide drinks and food.  At 7 pm, we will launch our Winter Survival Pack and Baby Bag project, assembling the packs and bags to help keep folks warm on the streets of San Diego this winter.

If you can’t make it to this assembly, look out for our full schedule for this winter’s homeless outreach project which we will be circulating soon.

Would you be willing to put a bin up at work for donations?  We’re looking for sleeping bags, blankets, backpacks, tote bags, warm clothing, shoes, coats, beanies, gloves, and non-perishable foods. Also we’d appreciate new onesies, undies, diapers, and baby wipes.  Click here for a flyer you can post nearby the bin and/or circulate to your colleagues, friends and families. 

Hope to see you this winter!!

City councilmember Donna Frye breaking bread at community picnic

Join us for a community picnic on Sunday, October 12, 2008, from Noon to 4 p.m. in Balboa Park (6th Ave north of Laurel Street).  This year’s theme is “Local Voices for Community Solutions” to poverty and homelessness.

At the picnic, we’re gathering our members, families and friends to break bread with our homeless neighbors; hear great speakers like long-time homeless advocate Congressman Bob Filner, street guru “Waterman” David Ross, and Shakti Rising’s Shannon Thompson; enjoy performances by local artists including our own Corina Rose, Terry Matsuoka, the Super Sonic Samba School, and DJ Quist; and participate in family games.  The League of Women Voters will be registering voters for the upcoming elections to get out the “street vote” and we will hold small group “story circles” about the issues particularly affecting the poor and homeless in our community.

Your $10 minimum donation will provide BBQ lunch for you and a person in need.  Every penny raised will go directly toward keeping folks warm on San Diego’s streets this winter.  We’re raising money for our winter survival backpacks, which will be loaded (as they have the past 2 winters) with sleeping bags or fleece blankets, knit caps, gloves, socks, ponchos, toiletries, water, non-perishable foods, and laminated resource and phone cards to put people on the streets in contact with people who can help them get back on their feet.  This year, we are adding GTT baby bags — homemade bags with baby wipes, pacifiers, infant bibs, infant socks, receiving blanket, wash cloths, baby bottles, cream or ointment, baby wash/shampoo and onesies for expectant or new mothers.

Co-sponsoring organizations include Foundation for Change, Shakti Rising, Lotus Outreach, The Resolved Church, the League of Women Voters, Progressive San Diego, and the Isaiah Project.  We’re looking for volunteers to help get the word out on the street and lend a helping hand on the day of, whether it’s flipping burgers (veggy too!), registering voters, or helping to clean up afterwards.  Working together, we can create community-based solutions to poverty and homelessness!

BUY YOUR TICKETS HERE TO THE GTT COMMUNITY PICNIC! 

Downloadable 2008 Picnic Flyer

Our monthly meeting is next Thurs., Sept. 18th at 7 pm at Audra’s home, 3450 2nd Ave, Unit 25, San Diego 92103 (in Hillcrest/Banker’s Hill at corner of 2nd and Upas).  We’ll be discussing issues facing low-income seniors in San Diego, and Melinda Bell (volunteer coordinator) from Jewish Family Service will speak about the challenges for elderly as they struggle to make ends meet.  With loved ones gone or living across the country, they are often forgotten by the community they live in.  Melinda will discuss some programs that the JFS has to serve San Diego seniors, and we will discuss/brainstorm ways that GTT can help out in our community.  Bring food or drink to share, or even just your thoughts and ideas!

Please rsvp by emailing us at girlsthinktank@gmail.com if you’re planning to attend so we can plan accordingly.  If you need directions, call Audra at 619.793.4668.

GTT First Annual Community Picnic

It’s almost that time of the year again!  We had a great success at our first annual community picnic and can’t wait for our second, which will take place on Sunday, October 12th in Balboa Park from noon to 4 p.m.  Please come help us plan our fall community picnic to benefit GTT’s homelessness outreach project on Wed., September 3rd, at 6:30 p.m., at Farzeen’s place, 1465 C Street, Unit 3418, San Diego, 92101.  Bring food or drink to share, and we will brainstorm how to repeat and even improve upon the success of last year’s community picnic!  Also, if your organization would like to participate as a co-sponsor or supporter of this inspiring event, please contact us at girlsthinktank@gmail.com.