Aaron Reddin onLife, Liberty, and Pursuit of Jesusness

I have so much faith in young people.  I believe in young people much more than I do old.  Sorry old people! 

If you give kids a vision for how they can make serious impacts on a worthy cause, they don’t play around.  If teenagers know that they can personally do something BIG that’s going to affect the lives of others, they go to work.  They do their part bigger than you and I do.  They do it with excellence, and they take pride in it! 

Don’t believe me?  Take a look at what happened when one local youth pastor encouraged kids through his Facebook status to bring toilet paper for the Union Rescue Mission to church camp with them. 

If you want something done right, get young people involved.  3,821 rolls of TP.

So the NY Times comes out yesterday and reports that New York City is “deporting” the homeless.  You know, sending them “home”.  Only problem is that THEY DON’T HAVE A HOME!!!! 

The program they are running sends homeless to live with family members that have to agree to take them in.  So let me break this down:

1.  Clients are homeless. 

2.  A family member in somewhere other than NYC has to take them into their home. 

3.  Upon arrival, the client is still without permanent housing, job, transportation, money, food, etc. etc. 

4.  Naive family member takes on the burden of all these needs, or the client is forced to get in line in SOMEONE ELSE’S  system until somehow they finally find the magic cure in that new location. 

Sounds freakin’ brilliant to me!!!  Yeah right.  This is asinine. 

What’s more?  Mayor Bloomberg, under serious attack by the public everywhere, has now tried to defend the shipping of homeless people by explaining the amount of of money that NYC will be saving. 

INSANITY!!!  Way to really help people Bloomberg!  I’m sorry but this just fires me up!! 

Read HERE, the story from yesterday explaining the program.  And, read HERE where the mayor tried to defend this pathetic “effort”.

The Arkansas Children’s Hospital Foundation has got to be proud of one local young lady.  Michelle Miles raises money in her sleep basically for the foundation. 

I have seen the debate about the necessity of social media when it comes to Non-Profit Organizations.  Frankly, I don’t know what there is to debate. 

Michelle has raised tens of thousand of dollars, and the only time she has lifted a finger was to type.  Over $50,000 just by creating a Facebook Cause, and watching it grow.  That’s pretty much the easiest fundraising effort I’ve seen. 

I have started a Cause for the Union Rescue Mission where I serve as the Director of Men’s Ministries, and have not seen quite the amount of money that Michelle’s Cause has seen, but I won’t complain about the easiest 2 grand that I’ve ever raised. 

If your NPO is not taking advantage of the networking and fundraising potential that lies in the use of social media, GET WITH IT!!!

The NonProfit Times did a full story on Michelle and her efforts, and I encourage you to read it HERE.

I received a phone call today informing me that I am one of Little Rock’s most wanted…..yeah that’s what I thought too….

Turns out, the LRPD will be coming to “arrest” me next Wednesday and take me to “jail” for a little while.  Fun! 

What did I do?  NOTHING!!!  I have to raise my “bail” to get out.  My bail has been set at $2,000 and it will all go to Jerry’s Kids/MDA. 

So, since I know you think it’s funny that I’m going to jail, I now require you to pledge a donation to help kids who suffer from muscular dystrophy.  You may contact me directly to do so, or you may bring it by Cajun’s Warf in Little Rock next Wednesday around 1:30pm.  Thanks everyone!!

Today we were ultra blessed at the Union Rescue Mission by THECITYCHURCH!  These folks found a need that we had and went CRAZY!! 

I met with their pastor Daren Neely a few weeks ago and he told me about their vision for impacting Little Rock and that they wanted to do something big for us.  Man did they ever hook us up! 

You may wonder why we would need so much TP, bleach, Pine Sol, and laundry soap…..

Well, ask a member of THECITYCHURCH because they saw the need today!  Thank you guys so much for this huge blessing!!

Keep your eye on this church, they are about to do some big things in Central Arkansas! 

To find out how you or your church can step up

to impact the homeless community of Arkansas, visit http://urmission.org or contact me via any methods listed on the contact page of this website.

I can’t watch this enough.  Winner of Tropfest NY 2008.  What a masterpiece by Jason van Genderen.  Beautiful, inspiring, moving.  This piece makes me cry tears of anger, and tears of passion.  See for yourself.

The root is often questioned, but I can tell you all about the branches. 

It’s fairly easy to see, if you click my little “bio” page up there, that things haven’t always been real clear for me.  Everything moves so fast in my head that I can’t keep up, with my brain or my life.  There is a constant “noise” going on up here.  It’s been going as long as I can remember. 

As a teen, I tried anything and everything to try and slow it down and shut it up.  Self medication. 

It was only about a year ago that I was officially diagnosed.  ADHD.  Makes sense. 

But this past Sunday when my bride appeared in all her beauty, the world stood still.  I had not taken my medication that day as I usually do, but for those few moments in time everything calmed.  As she looked at me, and I at her and we said our vows.  As Shane read from Ephesians.  As letters to one another were read aloud.  Even as a hang glider circled just off the edge of the mountain, I was tuned in. 

I have never experienced such a moment in my life!  God showed up, and showed off!  He likes to do that, ya know.  He brought to fruition that which he set out to do a long time ago.  I’m so thankful for his faithfulness and mercy. 

Just look here at my face, if you want to see the happiest moment of my life!!!

That’s me, with my incredible wife! 

Thank you Lord for never giving up on me, or us!

Today, is the day.  Today I will marry my best friend.  After 14 years of friendship, today we will seal the deal for eternity. 

This is how I’m getting ready for the day…..

So I guess you will understand why I won’t be blogging, twittering, facebooking, or doing any other media related actions for about a week.  Don’t run off on me, I’ll be back!! 

Until then, cheers!

In case you’ve been hiding for the last several years, I want to fill you in.  Arkansas has a serious drug problem.  I know, you’re shocked.  But what you may not really know, is that we have an even more serious problem than that.  We have a treatment problem. 

In the state of Arkansas, 95% of the drug abusers/addicts who NEED treatment, don’t have access to it.  That’s a problem.  Which is more serious, the fact that we have an abundance of drugs in our state, or the fact that those who have fallen prey to it have no help defeating it?  That’s a big question. 

If someone needs and is willing to go into treatment for drugs/alcohol, it needs to be available.  The good news is that a recent poll shows that 70% of Arkansans would support raising taxes on beer, wine, and liquor to help provide more treatment programs in the state.

Opinion Research and Associates, Inc. conducted the poll on 400 residents that were registered voters.  Only 22% said they would strongly oppose such a tax increase on alcohol for this purpose.  Funny that 90% of them agreed that drug addiction in AR is moderate to severe problem. 

There are some very great efforts in the state right now to turn the problem of treatment shortage around. 

Once such effort is Project 95, which is named after that 95% which has no access to treatment.  The committee forming Project 95 is made up of Legislators, consumers, state officials, providers, and community leaders. 

It is also my understanding that adolescents and pregnant women may now receive treatment through DHS.  This new substance abuse program will serve youth who are enrolled in Medicaid, including children in the protective services or juvenile justice service systems.  It will also serve pregnant and postpartum women (60 days after child birth).  Funding for this is approx. 5 million annually, coming from an earmark in the recent and controversial tobacco tax that was passed. 

One source of treatment that is all too often overlooked as a viable option, are the faith-based treatment programs that offer free or very close to free programs.  I know of 3 in Little Rock alone.  Obviously one being the one that I oversee at the Union Rescue Mission.  We, like other faith-based treatment programs offer 9 months of treatment.  There is no charge for going through this program.  The only the we ask is that each person place a $75 deposit in our safe, and upon completion of the program the guest will get it back.  That’s it.  No hidden fees or payment plans.  Everyone must do some chores to keep the place up, but that’s nothing compared to the 10′s of thousands one might pay for a secular treatment program. 

You will probably hear more about these programs the closer we get to September, which is National Recovery Month.  We plan on releasing a few PSA’s to address the need of treatment for Arkansans.  If would like to help by filming, producing, or directing these for us, please contact me.  Also, I would love to hear your thoughts on a tax increase on alcoholic beverages to help fund more treatment options in the state of Arkansas, so feel free to comment below!

HUD reports that of the 664,414 homeless in January 2008, only about 124,135 are experiencing “chronic homelessness”.  In other words, not even a quarter (19%) of the total number of homeless people counted, would have fit into our “idea” of what a homeless person looks like. 

The 2008 Annual Homeless Assessment says on page 34 that from 10/1/07 until 9/30/08, approximately 1 in every 190 people in the U.S. used a homeless residential facility at some point.

The report says that 159,142 families with children were sheltered in 2008. 

These numbers may be surprising to you.  The sad thing is that you see the “chronic homeless” person on the streets and you can identify him/her.  You most likely would never be able to pick out sheltered homeless people.  Yet they are out there.  The moms, the dads, the siblings and children, and even the grandparents make up the entire homeless population. 

This the the point that I so often try to convey to people:  Most homeless people are not out begging for your money.  They are out trying to make their own! 

1,594,000 people used an emergency shelter in that same 12 month period mentioned above!

There was a 9% increase from 2007 to 2008 in the number of homeless persons in families.

Wow, I could take number after number and try to convince you that homelessness is not a waste of our time and money.  I could spend all day doing this, but hey, that’s what HUD has already done.  Check the report out for yourself and at least look at the highlights.  They’ve made it very easy to skim through and still have your whole world rocked!  View the report in it’s entirety HERE.

The Little Rock Board of Directors will consider a resolution from member Erma Hendriz at the Board Meeting on July 21st to halt consideration of the City acquiring the old Job Corps building for use as a day resource center for the homeless.

A group of Little Rock residents asked city directors at the last Board meeting to drop plans for a homeless day center in a vacant building in their downtown neighborhood. 

Mayor Mark Stodola wants the city to inspect a former Job Corps building owned by the federal government to see whether it is worth further exploration for a day center. A day center provides homeless people with a place to shower, wash clothes and meet with social workers.

Along with a half-dozen residents, Ward 1 Director Erma Hendrix advocated against further exploring the building’s potential. The issue was not on the agenda, but Hendrix’s ward includes the building at 21st and Vance streets.  She was able to move up a vote on a resolution she sponsored that would stop the city from considering the building for a day center.

Advocates for and against using the building are asking people to attend the meeting on July 21st to voice their support for or against the resolution.  The meeting will begin at 6 pm at City Hall.  The issue  will also be discussed at the agenda meeting tomorrow at 4 pm at City Hall.  If you are unable to attend the meeting, you can let the board members know how you feel about the resolution by CLICKING HERE.

This post is provided by the SOAR Network Information and Resource Sharing Center.  Please visit http://soarnetwork.org.

I’m sure you have grown up experiencing one or both of these “methods”.  Hear two of the experts duke it out over which is the best way to go. 

Personally, convenience is HUGE in my preference.  It’s much easier for me to make it to Sunday School since I’m already there for church anyway!!  Not to mention that you actually LEARN the Bible.  Every single time I have been in a small group, I have gotten frustrated because I wasn’t learning or growing, and I would sit at some one’s house wishing I was at home doing all the things that needed to be done. 

Anyway, enough about me, watch this for yourself!!

Read more about the contenders and download this video HERE.

The Main Event from Sunday School vs Small Groups on Vimeo.

The Weekend Theater here in Little Rock is stepping up to show more than a musical, they are showing their high level of social consciousness. 

In an effort to help the Union Rescue Misison with our summer water drive, H2 – h0meless, The Weekend Theater will be collecting donations at each showing of Rent.  Rent will be shown each weekend from July 10 – August 1st. 

That’s not it!!  The Weekend Theater has also stated that they will be matching up to $150 in donations to the water drive. 

H2 – h0meless is an effort by the Union Rescue Mission to keep Central Arkansas’ homeless population cool and hydrated the these miserably hot summer months.

For information on location and show-times, please click HERE.

The National Coalition for the Homeless will be hosting a conference call on 7/8/09 at 4pm, to discuss public policy surrounding homelessness. 

I’m anxious to hear more about the Protecting Tenants at Foreclosure Act, which the NCH will be discussing, along with the HEARTH Act.

The call is open to the public, and you can find out the details HERE.

The Wall Street Journal writes about homeless who are able to stay “connected” even though they are living in shelters and even under bridges! 

With the dependence on the Internet still increasing even today, in some ways it’s critical for homeless to keep some type of access to the online world.  Communicating with friends and family and job searches are just some of the online needs of those who are on the streets. 

Twitter, Flickr, Facebook and the like are ways that the homeless are able to feel, if just for a moment, like everyone else. 

I’m sure some will argue that their priorities are not right for the fight to get off the streets, but tell that to the homeless man who is writing computer programming that he will eventually be able to sell. 

See the article HERE.

Your thoughts??