GTT is actively seeking an Executive Director (“ED”) to serve 30+ hours a week, with potential for full time as funds become available.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE JOB POSTING.

CLICK HERE FOR THE COMPLETE JOB DESCRIPTION.

The Girls Think Tank, David Ross, and the Basic Dignity Coalition are pushing for Portland Loos – solar-powered prefab flush toilets (with external water station) designed to be open 24/7, deter crime, vandalism, and loitering. The Loo is a cost-effective way for San Diego to provide outdoor toilets downtown, win-win for businesses, residents, tourists, taxi cab drivers, and civil servants alike, and a critical need as emphasized in a Grand Jury report released just last month entitled: “Homeless in San Diego.”

Thanks to all who showed up at city council to support the Basic Dignity Coalition’s proposal for the Portland Loos, as well as those of you who were there with us in spirit. To view the city council presentation or video highlights, click here: http://granicus.sandiego.gov/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=3&clip_id=4161 (redevelopment agency at 3:05), or here: http://www.youtube.com/user/GirlsThinkTank

BUT WAIT, WE HAVE MORE WORK TO DO!

While City Council has earmarked funds for the Portland Loos in CCDC’s funds, it is not yet in the bag. GTT and the Basic Dignity Coalition will work side-by-side with CCDC to get input from key community groups on locations and maintenance costs. Endorsement from the downtown community is critical to final approval in order to make the Loo plan a reality. Please help us in building support for basic dignity downtown!

What you can do:

Learn more about the Portland Loo. http://www.portlandonline.com/water/index.cfm?c=48561
-Ask your community group to endorse the Portland loos
-Tell your city council member that you support the plan for the Portland Loos.
-Email us at girlsthinktank@gmail.com if you or others you know live, work, or own a business downtown, particularly in the East Village.
-Sign up to be on our task force for community outreach to get support for the Portland Loo plan – email girlsthinktank@gmail.com.
-Attend a basic dignity coalition meeting: we meet the first Thursday of every month at 6 pm at 655 W. Broadway, 19th Floor. Come join us!

Please click here and check out the memo, which mentions our Basic Dignity Campaign and Launch Event, as well as the solution we proposed to purchase the Portland Loo, a successful model in Portland. Go GTT!

Click here to read our press release about the Basic Dignity Launch Event and Campaign!

And, make sure to check out more photos from our May 22nd event on our Facebook page… Click Here!

Donation/Ticket Type:

Ticket $15.00 Ticket and T-shirt $30.00 Table at Sponsorship Level $200.00 T-shirt only $20.00 Child – age 6 – 12 – age 5 and under free $5.00

Get One Ticket – Give One Ticket ($15):

$15 suggested donation (add a T-shirt $15; T-shirt separately is $20)
For a suggested donation of $15, get a ticket that gives you a meal AND gives a meal to a homeless neighbor

(Children 5 and under: FREE; Ages 6-12: $5)

Sponsorship Level/Table on the Green ($200):

Supporters will be recognized on GTT’s Website and Event Program and Choose one of the following:

(1) Table on the Green: Table for 10 and 2 water bottles. (LIMIT of 10 TABLES at the event)
(2) Water for 50: 25 water bottles for you and 25 for our homeless neighbors
(3) $200+ In-kind Food Donation: Donation of meals, drinks, or snacks for the event

Water & Bathrooms for All San Diegans
IMAGINE THAT!

We are at it again — on May 22, Balboa Park is the place to be as the Girls Think Tank Homeless Coalition launches a new campaign, Basic Dignity: Water & Bathrooms for All San Diegans.

Come to 6th Avenue & Laurel Street on May 22, 2010, any time between 12 – 4pm for food, live music, Street Stories videos, art-making, kids activities, dancing, and much more! Invited speakers include Congressman Bob Filner (Chair of the Veterans Affairs Committee), City Council members Marti Emerald and Donna Frye, David Ross, and Scott Silverman, founder of the nonprofit Second Chance. Musical guests include SoulRaye, a neo-pop/soul /funk duo whose members are downtown residents, as well as the band As the Sun Sets: Fire!, Terry Matsuoka on folk/beach vibe guitar, and island/rock singer-songwriter Charlie Imes.

To attend, we are asking for a suggested donation of $15 that includes admission and a meal for you and for a homeless neighbor.

>>  PLEASE CLICK HERE NOW TO REGISTER BEFORE TICKETS ARE SOLD OUT!  >>

>>  CLICK TO CHECK OUT OUR PRESS RELEASE WITH MORE DETAILS ON THE EVENT  >>

Click Here To Read All About Jen!

Jen Douglas, Our New Executive Director!

As many of you know, the Girls Think Tank has teamed up with several individuals and groups to form a Coalition on Homelessness in San Diego. Our current goal is to get public restrooms and water fountains downtown. Many of us take for granted these simple necessities that are present in our daily lives; however, if you take a look around you’ll notice that San Diego is a ‘world city’ that lacks these basic facilities that so many other places maintain.

As such, the Coalition has drafted a resolution to recognize access to drinking water and bathrooms as a fundamental human right. From the resolution, we have generated a petition to be signed by any San Diego resident.

Our goal for the petition is to collect 5,000 SIGNATURES BY APRIL 10, 2010. We will then present the signatures to the San Diego City Council, and educate them as to how many San Diegans feel strongly about this issue.

CLICK HERE for the link to the petition!

The entries can be confidential at your election. It only takes a minute of your time, but the change it can achieve is invaluable. Please circulate the link to all of your friends, post it as a note or even a status on facebook!

Additionally, we need your help to get more signatures at an upcoming event! CLICK HERE to find out where you can meet up with us to help collect signatures!

Thank you for your doing your part! We’ll keep you posted as we progress!

GTT

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 gearing up for our 4th Annual donation drive for San Diego’s homeless and need your help.  Would you consider putting up a bin up at work, your child’s school, neighborhood coffee shop, or place of worship for donations such as gently-used sleeping bags, blankets, tents, tote bags, warm clothing, shoes, new socks or undies, beanies, gloves, toiletries, feminine products, and non-perishable foods?  We can send you a flyer to post and are happy to arrange pick ups for any donations collected.  Let us know by emailing girlsthinktank@gmail.com.   

Upcoming Schedule for Distributing Winter Survival Packs to Homeless Community

We need your helping hands in getting the much-needed supplies out to the streets!  Please join us at one of these events:

• Looking for a hands-on service project for you and your family to help give back this holiday weekend?  Meet us at 2 pm on Saturday Nov. 28th at corner of 16th St. and Island Ave. downtown.  We will distribute Winter Survival Packs, serve pizza, and take surveys of people living on the streets to see if they have access to the basics (water, food, shelter, toilets, etc.) in San Diego. 
• Help us honor our homeless veterans this holiday season!  Meet us at 5:45 pm on Wednesday Dec. 16th in the lobby of 655 W. Broadway to help load up and car pool to the winter vet shelter located behind Goodwill in Point Loma (3663 Rosecrans St.).  We will distribute Packs, books, other critical supplies, and would love to bring home baked cookies if we have volunteers to make them again this year. 

Email girlsthinktank@gmail.com for more details or directions.  Let us know if you can bring hot food or other supplies.  Last year, homemade brownies brought BIG smiles to the faces of the vets.  

GTT Coalition on Homelessness

We are building a coalition of individuals, city officials, community leaders, and organizations who share a vision of a city that cares for and responds to the needs of the homeless.  We are planning a campaign kick off for citywide access to the most basic needs – water and toilets.  Please join us Thursday, Dec. 3rd at 6 pm at the law firm of Coughlin Stoia, 655 W. Broaway, 19th floor.  Pizza will be provided.  Please RSVP by emailing girlsthinktank@gmail.com.    

We look forward to seeing you this Winter!

Your Friends at GTT