Author: nswadmin

My Responsibility to America

During the month of May, Northwest Compass is celebrating all active military and veterans, leading up to Memorial Day, when we honor the brave men and women who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. We are honored to have as one of our guest bloggers this month, Aidan Busch. As a winner in the VFW 2017 National Voice of Democracy Program, the Palatine High School senior wrote poignantly and eloquently about the true cost of liberty and freedom, and his responsibility to America. Aidan was sponsored by VFW Post 1337 in Mount Prospect, Illinois and his essay follows:

When I was seven years old, I made my first dollar. I remember less about how I made it and more about being incredibly anxious to spend it. I couldn’t wait to buy something to call my own, a possession that was mine, purchased with my own hard-earned funds. I didn’t realize at the time, however, that not everything can be purchased with a piece of green paper graced with the likeness of George Washington.

Some things can be bought, while others must be paid for. For instance, it’s easy enough to go to the grocery store and buy a loaf of bread. No one denies the fact that it is a simple matter to purchase a hammer and box of nails from the hardware store. One can buy an American flag or star-spangled bunting without too much difficulty. However, some things cannot be purchased with a swipe of a credit card. Some things are not readily accessible in Aisle 4 of the supermarket, between refried beans and Tabasco sauce. Liberty is one of these things. Liberty cannot be placed in a shopping cart, or casually tossed in your trunk to take home. No, Liberty is unique in that you cannot buy it. It is something that has been paid for by others. More specifically, veterans, and those who have laid down their lives in service of freedom. You cannot simply “get” liberty by filling out a mail-order form and putting a stamp on it. People have died, paying the ultimate price, so that I may live and enjoy my liberty. They gave up their opportunity to make choices and live their lives free of worry and persecution so that I, someone who has never known that struggle, may enjoy Liberty.

Liberty.

Patrick Henry is famous for his “Give me Liberty or give me Death” speech. But If I may be so bold, I would revise this statement. I would change it to “Liberty, because of death.” When I say death I don’t mean the sad kind, though death certainly is a melancholy affair. No, I mean sacrifice, the willing substitution of a life, an American life, so that I may live an existence of freedom and Liberty. Those who have paid have missed some of life’s most important moments, not being present for things that seem incomprehensible to miss to the average citizen. Events such as the birth of a child, the death of a parent, a daughter’s graduation, a son’s birthday party, supporting a spouse through an illnesses, teaching their child to throw a football, swing a bat or ride a bike. Missing opportunities to watch that squeaky first fifth grade band concert, or make countless trips to and from the soccer fields. They have missed these major or seemingly minor life opportunities so that I may enjoy them without fear or worry.

This is where I am responsible. Being American is unique in that each and every one of us is standing on ground stained with the blood of patriots. Many of us do not realize that our weekly trip to the grocery store is possible only because those who came before us, and fight for us, have died to make it possible. In some countries, one must kiss the entire family goodbye before leaving the house because they do not know if they will return. In America, we have the relative fortune of forgetting that we do not have these luxuries for free. They have been paid for. It is my responsibility to refuse to take these liberties for granted. It is my responsibility to ensure that every death and every act of service by an American, from March 5, 1770 to the day I die, is not wasted.

I can honor these sacrifices in a very practical way by the way I conduct myself on a daily basis. It is my personal responsibility to use these freedoms afforded to me at such a high price in a responsible manner that reflects the original sacrifice. Everyday opportunities abound, like running ahead to hold the door for a young mother pushing a stroller, or helping an elderly neighbor take out their trash. Removing my hat, placing my hand on my heart and standing tall when the national anthem is played. By putting others first, I am honoring what has already been done for me.

It is my responsibility to act as if I am walking on hallowed ground, every step paid for by the blood of Americans. It is the veterans, and those who have served our dear country in life and death, who deserve our undying gratitude and attention.

My responsibility is to remember. To remember those few, the white, black, Latino, Asian, male, female, and American few, who have given up their liberty, their peace, to give me mine. If we forget the sacrifice of these few, we will become an ungrateful nation incapable of appreciating the true value of our liberty. Because after all, it was not purchased, but paid for.

Northwest Compass wishes to thank friends and loved ones of service members who have given their lives in service to America, active military and veterans and Aidan Busch for allowing us to re-publish his essay here. We echo Aidan’s sentiment that it is our responsibility to never forget. We welcome your feedback in the comments.

Volunteering Can Lead to Improved Health

People who volunteer can have a wide range of reasons for getting involved. Some want to help those less fortunate, others may want to give back to the community, while some may see it as a way to make new friends or fill their retirement days with something other than bad golf. However, research shows that an even bigger benefit awaits those who volunteer: better health! This sounds like the ultimate win-win, doesn’t it?

The positive effects of volunteer work on health are many and varied. Simply by taking the step to volunteer, you engage yourself both physically and mentally. In filling a volunteer role, you may improve your self-confidence, reduce your stress level, and even help counteract depression. In fact, helping others often leads to that “feel-good” feeling similar to what a good workout provides. And the older you are, the more pronounced the effects can be.

Folks don’t typically volunteer simply to improve their own health profiles. As a by-product, though, it’s a good one. For example, helping out at Food Connection because you’re concerned about food insecurity in the community is a laudable reason for volunteering. You may help unload and sort donations, organize products on the shelves, pack boxes for customers, and engage clients and fellow volunteers as they move through the process. The clients receive much needed sustenance, which may be the reason you volunteered in the first place, while the physical activity, interactions with clientele, camaraderie with fellow volunteers, and the “high” you’ll get as you witness the effects of your work make your efforts even more worthwhile.

So, thinking of others and volunteering your time and talents to help is wonderful, and doing so while also improving your own well-being can make it even better. Why not take the first step and contact +1 847 392 2344 or [email protected]. Please visit our Get Involved page to learn more about available opportunities.

Zoning Out the Homeless People

Approximately 1% of the United States population is homeless. Do you see them? Fundamentally, the causes of homelessness are financial insufficiency or physical and mental disabilities. 300 million people go about their day, paying little or no attention to the suffering and injustice all around them, and trust the government would handle the situation.

Locally, citywide bans on things that homeless people do are on the rise. Laws placing restrictions on loitering, panhandling, resting or sleeping in public have increased nationwide since 2009. One in ten cities nationwide have passed laws prohibiting residents from handing homeless people food, 53% of American cities prohibit sitting or lying down in certain public places, and 43% of cities prohibit someone from sleeping in their car. Initially we ignore homelessness, and now more and more cities are making it illegal. Is this a long-term resolution? Do cities have the manpower to enforce these new laws?

Tampa has “zoned out” homeless people with a zero-tolerance decree by the city officials. Zoned out human beings? It turned out that homeless people were considered “bad for business” and presented a negative image. An inviting downtown park recently spent $32,784 of the taxpayer’s money to put up a tall metal fence with pad locks on every gate and a sign warning “NO TRESPASSING KEEP OUT.” That same week, volunteers who after years of feeding homeless people in another park were arrested for it.

A handful of cities have tried setting up “safe zones” or sanctioned homeless encampments that provide access to sanitary facilities, social services and security, but it’s unusual and costly for a state to do so. Phoenix and Utah gave free homes to a limited number of homeless families in 2005. Now the programs are going bankrupt and the locations are condemned. The pace of new affordable housing development is not keeping up with demand. An important question remains unanswered, “Where should people go while the number of homeless people outstrips the number of homes and shelter beds?”

Portland, Oregon, and Seattle allowed legal camping, but struggled with safety issues, just as Honolulu did when it set up a camp in the early ’90s that had to be shut down by police. Honolulu is currently considering passing a law to criminalize homelessness. Zero tolerance of homelessness and suffering? The bustling business areas of Miami have designated “No Panhandling Zones,” arresting offenders. A town in Connecticut passed a regulation banning homeless people from occupying local motels which served as emergency shelters.

Exclusionary zoning policies have played their part in limiting housing opportunities for our neighbors with no permanent housing. By restricting property uses, zoning incidentally impedes low-income housing opportunities and, thus, stands in the way of a solution to homelessness. Zoning regulations are enacted by the local legislative body and enforced by local officials. A city’s zoning power is derived from a grant of power through an enabling act commonly found in state statures, which transfers these powers to the municipality. Zoning is a function of the state’s police power, created to protect the health, safety, morals and general welfare of its citizens.

When economic regulations thwart the operation of free persons to produce and control property, prices rise and quality usually falls. Without freedom to pursue economic opportunities, poor Americans are resigned to live at the tax payers expense, and the taxpayers must support the poor at a higher cost because the regulations have caused prices to rise. It’s a vicious cycle.

The homelessness issues are complicated. We need to: impact litigation, increase policy advocacy, and continue public education. Zoning is a governmental function, carried out through boards made up of elected officials. To help our goal to end homelessness you need to vote and write to your officials.

Letter to a Homeless Veteran

Dear Veteran,

I’m saddened that veterans are homeless in the richest nation on Earth. You served this country, risking your life for our freedoms, and seem to be so easily forgotten. Do you feel invisible? It would be inconceivable to me if I did not witness it with my own eyes. I learned that 11 percent of America’s homeless population are veterans. Many of our heroes have fallen, and we step over them. I believe it’s our duty to care.

I’m sure we agree with our nation’s core truths about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. You served and some fought defending those words. So, what went wrong? How does this happen? How can I be a better advocate?

I’m sorry your country was not there for you the way you were there for your country. I’m sorry that the promises given to every citizen did not apply to you. I’m sorry our country’s trade agreements and foreign aid were more important than your well-being after being discharged. I’m sorry for ignoring you, and believe we all share in the blame for your homelessness or possible death while living on the streets.

Here I am, safe, healthy, happy, while you struggle to survive. We need to provide you with resources to help you overcome your issues and have a good life.

From this day forward, each time I see a homeless person I will ask them if they served our country, and if so thank them for their service, and beg their forgiveness.

Join your neighbors in connecting local veterans, active military, and their families to critical resources. Northwest Compass and Evanston Vet Center will host a Veterans Resource Fair in our Mt. Prospect offices on Saturday, March 18th.

Who Are Your Neighbors?

At a fundamental level, as human beings, we are all the same; each one of us aspires to happiness and each one of us does not wish to suffer. Whenever I have the opportunity, I try to draw people’s attention to what we, as members of the human family, have in common, and the deep interconnected nature of our existence and welfare.

When I was a kid in the 60’s growing up on the Northwest side of Chicago, we knew all our neighbors and hung out with them every day. It was fun, and helped build a sense of community. During these days of two-paycheck parents commuting and cocooning because they’re afraid to let their kids run unsupervised outside, it is becoming increasingly common to buy a house and eight years later realize that you have never met your neighbors. Why is it so easy to just stay in a little bubble, and not interact with those around us? These times seem to hold a great deal of division instead of unity. February is a month dedicated to Love, and a great time to help your neighbors and community.

How would you describe your neighborhood today? Do you know everyone on the block? Do you feel safe and secure in there? Is your neighborhood comprised of a community of people working together toward a common goal or individual families living independent lives?

Some people are very fortunate to have great neighbors that they interact with every day. Some neighborhoods thrive on over-the-fence conversations each day. Having someone close by to socialize with can create wonderful friendships that may not have otherwise happened. Psychologists at the University of Michigan just completed new research that tested how socially connected people felt and how healthy they were. Turns out, feeling socially connected to your community reduces the risk of a heart attack…a lot. But building trust can be hard. A 2016 Pew Research survey revealed that only half of Americans (52%) say they trust all or most of their neighbors.

Being on friendly terms with your neighbors can lead to better life. Good neighbors watch out for each other and their property. Living in a proactive neighborhood can increase your family’s safety, as multiple sets of eyes and ears can help thwart criminal activity and promote a safer area. There’s an old cliché about borrowing a cup of sugar from your neighbor. It really is convenient to have someone close by who can help you out when you need an egg to finish a cake, borrow a shovel or drag in your trash cans when you’re gone. The crossing guard on the corner where my dad lives in Des Plaines noticed his need for help, and began to drive him grocery shopping once a week. These examples surround us.

Neighbors can unite in joint ventures, plant a mutual garden, host a community yard sale, or maybe a block party. If you get to know your neighbors more intimately they may share their troubles, which can be an opportunity for you to help. If you hear that a neighbor just got home from the hospital you could make them a casserole. The neighbor two doors away shares that he lost his job you can secretly donate a gift card. When you discover a family living in their car parked in the vacant lot down your block, invite them for dinner and listen to their story.

Giving to your neighbors is contagious. Once you start, it’s hard to stop. This month let’s reach out, get involved, plan an event or make a connection. Be the kind of neighbor you want to have.

Mindfulness Matters

The New Year is a perfect time to come to the quiet, examine your inner self and mindfully create new goals. The term mindfulness has become popular as more studies reveal that people who practice a type of meditation called “Mindfulness” are happier than those who don’t.

Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing one’s awareness on the present moment, while calmly acknowledging and accepting one’s feelings, thoughts and bodily sensations. This state of mind involves acceptance, so pay attention to your thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in any given moment. I’m reminded of Jesse Jackson’s quote, “Never look down on someone unless you are helping him up.”

When we practice mindfulness, our thoughts tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing the past or imagining the future. Find a quiet space, close your eyes for a moment and take a few deep breaths. As you inhale think ‘I am’ and as you exhale think ‘relaxed’. Visualize poverty and the suffering that surrounds it. How does it make you feel? Does it bring forth a desire to help or anger? If anger surfaces, explore the reasons and attempt to let them go. Imagine one of your loved ones is hungry with no place to sleep.

Research suggests practicing regular mindfulness exercises makes us more likely to help someone in need, and increases activity in brain networks involved in understanding the suffering of others and regulating emotions. Evidence suggests it might boost self-compassion as well. Practicing mindfulness brings an element of compassion, gratitude, confidence, and kindness towards oneself. Once a person is mindful of his/her own intrinsic attributes, he/she can carry them over to others.

While we cannot eliminate the hardships people face in life, we can help empower those in need to overcome obstacles and trauma. The homeless services in our community provide people with tools to help build confidence, resilience, and a mindset to conquer difficulties and disadvantages, despite the many hurdles they face.

I have seen how inner reflection can turn into outward action, and helps people transcend barriers of race, gender, and economic status. My deep belief is that everyone deserves compassion, kindness, equal opportunity, education and security.

Join Northwest Compass with an open heart to raise awareness of the needs of your neighbors.

Invisible Young Adults: No Place To Call Home

Let’s talk about young adults, 18-25, in our community with no place to call home. They risk living on the streets to escape abusive homes, or they’ve no relatives to turn to. Imagine being eighteen, out of school, no home, no employable skills, no money for college and sleeping on a dark street under a dumpster, in a beat up old car, or in the furnace room of a school’s basement.

Do you recall turning eighteen and uncovering a sense of freedom? Were your parents able to teach you the skills needed to live on your own or assist you financially? One major reason for youth homelessness is parental conflict ending in the parent demanding they move out. Other causes include running away from alternate care situations or finding themselves unable to afford rent, bills and groceries.

This vulnerable population can fall through the cracks. Many struggle in hidden homelessness situations, such as rough sleeping (on the streets) or squatting (sleeping in abandoned buildings). Some go to desperate measures to avoid the dangers of sleeping rough, including committing a crime or resorting to sex work to get a roof over their heads.

Homeless youth need support and a good role model. While the schools and other support systems in our Northwest Suburbs are doing everything they can to get our homeless youth in school and keep them there, earlier intervention is essential to prevent them from developing higher needs and falling into long term homelessness. Local schools and agencies are attempting to address the gaps in education, social support networks, barriers to employment, and affordable housing.

Mature families may require temporary assistance as a result of job loss or other isolated events and rebound quickly. Statistics show undeveloped families with parents under twenty-five are far more likely to return to emergency shelters since they lack the job or life skills to move forward on their own. This at-risk population needs education about what it is to be a successful adult, hopefully before they have babies of their own. If America is going to get serious about ending the cycle of homelessness, focusing on our youth is a great starting point.

Locally, Northwest Compass is committed to ending the cycle of youth homelessness and has created a new program called HYPE (Helping Youth on the Path to Empowerment) a new coordinated system adopting new methods of providing existing services through better alignment of housing resources, education, training and employment services, as well as an array of supportive services.

Celebrate Giving Tuesday With Your Neighbors

Giving Tuesday, launched by New York’s United Nations Foundations in 2011, expands each year. Do you sense a noble desire to give back? I hope this blog can help you to redefine your philosophy of philanthropy. This is your opportunity to give back in your own community by supporting our vision to rid the northwest suburbs of homelessness and hunger.

Let me point out the duality of poverty and charitable giving. Do you hold the same view of helping poverty as your parents did? Attitudes about poverty have remained largely consistent over time despite dramatic economic and social change. A recent survey of public opinion regarding people’s attitudes of the poor reveals sharp differences. One group seems void of empathy toward the poor, and believes the homeless should just try harder. The opposite view states jobs are hard to find, and social service programs help people get back on their feet. What view do you hold?

I’ve worked in social services in the Northwest suburbs of Chicago for over thirty years, and seen many changes. In 1990 welfare got a major overhaul. The number of poor Americans dropped sharply in that decade as programs transformed their vision from recurring giving to educating the poor. Clients were able to attend job training, and independent living skills classes in an effect to stand on their own. Poverty rose again in 2007 because of the recession. I witnessed more need than money budgeted to fill the need.

The face of poverty today does include those families who have been poor for several generations and unable to break free. Additionally, we assist middle-class families unable to pay the rising cost of living, discharged veterans with no employment and young adults who can’t secure their first job even after graduating from college. At Northwest Compass we hold the belief that poverty is a temporary condition. Who of us hasn’t felt hard times or known someone who has? Most of our clients want to be self-reliant. Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Our goal is to educate our clients, so they can feed themselves for a lifetime, and we need your support.

Donating money or time increases one’s capacity for expressing love, and generates gratitude. This action requires a selflessness, which can be challenging. Some people respond from their heads by judging what the person or agency may do with the gift. Can you open your heart, and give? A study at Harvard business school reveals that giving to others directly correlates to an increased sense of individual happiness.

Express your gratitude while increasing your personal happiness by clicking the Donate tab at www.northwestcompass.org. Any amount makes a difference and is tax deductible. Our agency is Guidestar Exchange Gold, and a BBB Accredited Charity with a commitment to transparency.

From Fighting a War to Emptying a Dishwasher

To honor Veterans on this Veterans Day, I wanted to discuss the difficult yet brave things with which many veterans struggle. For some, it’s not the fighting in the war itself, but the aftermath of grief and re-entry into civilian life.

Problems caused by re-integration and grief are completely normal and expected upon arrival home from deployment. Some veterans experience difficulties leaving trauma and the combat mindset behind. Difficult emotions and a variety of physical symptoms initially haunt them despite the best efforts of the military and their families. When back in civilian life, veterans report feeling out of place; they don’t fit in anymore. Some re-enlist for this reason. One day you’re fighting a war, and the next day you’re back home. Imagine: going from a daily challenge of keeping the members of your unit and yourself alive, to a daily task of emptying the dishwasher.

A personal loss for soldiers, often overlooked, deals with their integrity and identity. Exposed to prolonged violence, their attitude toward themselves and the world shifts. A soldier isn’t the same person after deployment. When preforming mundane, everyday tasks, such as shopping, unpredicted events may trigger a reaction learned in combat creating unfortunate stress and potential harm.

It’s painful losing comrades in war. Bonds with unit members are described by many veterans as some of the closest relationships they have formed in their lives, a kind of brotherhood. Dealing with these losses in war, followed by the separation from their ‘brothers’ when deployed, is a life-long journey.

Being strong is a message drilled into a soldier’s mind. Emotions and grief are seen as a sign of weakness. The demands of commanding officers’ voices echo in their heads. But when they arrive home, they are encouraged to stop denying their emotions in order to be normal again. This is utterly contradictory, and causes some veterans to shut down.

As veterans rejoin their families, it may seem like everyone has learned to manage without them. They have gone from a combat unit where everyone’s lives depended on each other, to a family unit where they feel they are no longer needed. Their children may be afraid of them. They stare into the bathroom mirror and wonder, who is this person? Veterans from the World Wars who had trouble readjusting were said to have shell shock, or be overly nervous. Many who came home suppressed their pain and emotions, in order to get on with life. Did they really? Ask them or their families. Many are still unwilling to tell their stories having now lived most of their adult lives suppressing these emotions.

The medical field has advanced their understanding of combat disorders, now termed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. There is no formula for dealing with loss and re-entry. Each soldier’s journey toward a more normal life is unique. In clinical trials with combat veterans suffering with PTSD, grief symptoms were detected at very high levels of intensity as far as 30 years after active duty. The Department of Veterans Affairs states most veterans successfully readjust with few major problems. But if a veteran continues to suffer symptoms after a few months, professional help should be consulted. We can support our troops with patience and understanding. Re-integration and dealing with loss is a process that cannot be rushed.

For veterans wanting support, there are resources available to help them through the transitional period. If you want to help veterans, get to know your local service providers. Investigate these groups and get involved, or pursue supporting them with financial contributions.

Join me, especially on November 11, in saying to veterans everywhere “Thank you for your service”. With your help, we can help all veterans build a new dream in this great country they protected.

Busting the Myths of Homelessness

If you don’t think there are any homeless people in your community take a closer look around. What do they look like these days? Veterans of war suffering with PTSD, individuals suffering from mental illness or drug and alcohol problems, single moms running from a domestic violence situation, middle age out of work professionals who can no longer care for their families, and are temporarily squeezed into a relative’s basement. Perhaps a seventeen-year-old female who ran away from an abusive home and now lives in her broken-down car or a disabled adult male, who has no way to care for themself. Another family with a sick child lost everything to pay their medical bills, while down the road a family is working hard making minimum wages and can’t afford food or rent.

I challenged myself to be more aware and took one week to observe the homeless in my surroundings. Suddenly they appeared no longer invisible to me.

At the intersection of Mt. Prospect and Central Rds. in Mt. Prospect I drove by a family of four, mom and dad with two small children sitting on the corner. Dad held a sign up begging for money for food.

Coming out of Macy’s in Schaumburg I discovered an old man asleep on a Starbucks chair, with six overflowing shopping bags holding all his belongings next to him. The heat of the day dripped from his forehead. I said hello, and he didn’t respond. I checked his pulse and he mumbled. He was alive!

In downtown Des Plaines in the Walgreens parking lot an elderly woman sat on a bench mumbling to herself while guarding the cart that held all her belongings.

Near downtown Palatine a car is parked on a neighborhood street. It’s filled to the brim with boxes and a blanket and pillow. I wonder who is sleeping in there at night.

What would you do if you saw a person in need? Drive by too busy to help? Yell out your car window at them to go back to their own country? Or shout out telling them that they are losers littering your neighborhood. Look the other way and pretend not to have seen them? Convince yourself they’re not really homeless. Fool yourself with the myth of my parent’s generation that “bums too lazy to work” or “they’ll use the money to buy drugs or alcohol”. We have all been guilty of such reactions.

Do you know how to help? A new awareness can be the first step to dispelling your stereotypes. If you’re in a hurry make a plan to do some research or donate to the local agencies. Offer them the same respect you would to a friend or family member. Open your heart and respond with kindness and a smile. Make eye contact when you chat with them, it helps them feel visible. Offer them some food or a few dollars. Create a card that lists all the local shelters, pantries and food kitchens. Store your old blankets or clothes in your trunk to donate to the next homeless person you see. Give them the number to Northwest Compass 847-392-2344, or call our outreach program with the location, and time of day, so one of our outreach staff can go help them. Volunteer! Northwest Compass has many opportunities. Giving back restores balance in your community and your soul.