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Homelessness Marathon


What is the Homelessness Marathon?

The Homelessness Marathon is an annual 14-hour radio broadcast featuring the voices and stories of homeless people from around the United States. The Homelessness Marathon features the voices of the homeless in the host community and live call-ins all night long via a national toll-free number. The Homeless Marathon will be broadcast for fourteen hours from February 23rd at 6pm until February 24 at 8am. Listen to all or part only on 90.1 FM KKFI. Learn more about the marathon and listen to past broadcasts at their website: www.homelessnessmarathon.org

Will Kansas City Do The Right Thing?

The marathon promised no magic bullet or any changes at all. It is up to us here in Kansas City to make what we will with what we learned. We need to examine what we as a community are doing now, if it is effective and what changes need to be made to help those still in need.

We have a golden opportunity in the next four weeks to really make a difference. With races for KCMO Mayor and City Council in full swing now is the time to go to forums, and campaign events and ask these candidates what they are going to do, or demand that they get serious about helping the poor and homeless among us. Not all changes to public policy will cost money and some of them can actually save money. Once the decisions have been made we will still need to keep our elected officials informed. Real Democracy starts after the election.

What Can We Do as a Community?

Get invovled in the Greater KC Homelessness Task Force and help develop a plan to address homelessness in our area. Check them out on Facebook www.facebook.com/HomelessnessTaskForceOfGreaterKansasCity or on their webpage www.kcmo.org/CKCMO/Depts/NeighborhoodAndCommunityServices/HTF/index.htm

There are also some ideas on the Homelessness Marathon website, www.homelessnessmarathon.org that are not being tried now. Check out the white paper that Jeremy wrote at the request of the KC Homelessness Task Force. Click on the Our View link on the left side of the page.

**If you know a church, business or the owner of an empty parking lot that would be willing to allow folks temporarily living in their car to stay in their lot please let us know. hmKansascity@yahoo.com

What Can I Do as an Individual?

The Homeless Services Coalition of Greater Kansas City can help If you would like to find a shelter or service provider to volunteer with. Their website is www.hscgks.org or their hotline for the homeless – 816-474-4599 or the United Way's helpline @ 211 in the Kc Metro.

Most of all you can treat everyone you meet with respect and dignity no matter what their station in life.

Contacts and Resources