It was March, 1993. I don’t remember the precise date. My wife and I were homeless and strung out on heroin, getting sick (withdrawal), and out of money. I was at Porter Square shaking a cup and trying to come up with an idea so we could get fix money to, “get well.” My wife,…
One Morning At The Mall
The Chestnut Hill Mall was a comfortable temperature, I noted, as three women passed me, power-walking the length of the mall. They’d reach the end, turn about, and come back, over and over again. As I watched them I noticed a man carrying two battered plastic garbage bags enter the mall. His clothing was somewhat…
Letting In The New Year
It was 11 degrees on the outside thermometer this morning. It is two days after my 65th birthday, December 8th. If I had known I was going to live this long I would have taken better care of myself. I’m actually not complaining. I’m really lucky to be here. It’s Grace, my friends, Grace. I…
Making The Jump: Carl Lewis talks to SCN about life beyond nine Olympic gold medals and his role as an FAO Goodwill Ambassador
He competed in five Olympic Games, won nine gold medals and was named Olympian of the century by Sports Illustrated. Now Carl Lewis is setting his sights on an even bigger goal: to help end hunger. In an exclusive interview with SNS he explains why. From athletic diets to fighting hunger. It might not seem…
Worldwide Vendor Spotlight: Gregory Henry Daugherty
Despite being more commonly found in Cambridge’s Harvard Square, Spare Change News vendor Gregory Henry Daugherty boasts he was a born and raised Bostonian “I’m from Boston. Born and raised in Boston – not Cambridge, Boston. I went to Boston Trade High School, and did everything in Boston. Here, you’ve got more people into a…
Q&A with Allan Clear, Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Coalition
This past November, Spare Change News participated in a collaborative article with the Street News Service on harm reduction. For part of the article, which was written by Katie Hyslop, Spare Change interviewed Allan Clear, Executive Director of the Harm Reduction Coalition. The Hrc is a national organization that provides education and training in harm…
Quality Dental Plan: A New Option for A Healthy Mouth
Quality Dental Plan, founded three years ago in Oregon by Dan Marut, DMD, is an innovative approach to dental care. In the years to come it could prove to be an effective alternative to traditional dental plans across the United States. The mission statement reads: “At Quality Dental Plan, you save money for the whole…
Holiday Bliss, Not Holiday Stress
Most of us take the holiday season w-a-a-a-a-y too seriously. Watching people as they go about the business of observing this necessary tradition, putting up that particular tree, sending out politically correct cards and selecting the perfect gift, all while staying on a budget, observing ship-by dates and trying to remain holiday cheerful, often seems…
‘Tis the Season to be Jolly
We have been through a lot this year: celebrating the second year of Barak Obama’s presidency and some wondering if they made the right choice; the announcement of the impending end of the war in Iraq; and last but not least, the floundering economy, which had some losing their jobs and homes and those who…
Deval Patrick Speaks at Rosie's Places
Nearly fifty low-income and homeless women listened and asked questions as Governor Deval Patrick highlighted his time as governor. During the elections Governor Deval Patrick made an appearance at Rosie’s Place, a women’s shelter in Boston. During his visit he spoke to nearly fifty women and stressed issues surrounding Housing, CORI Reform and MassHealth. During…