Author: Liam Greenwell
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RISING TIDE: The fight against the criminalization of homelessness
Last month, the Homeless Empowerment Project’s Vincent Flanagan, in his last action before leaving his post as executive director of Spare Change News, testified before the Massachusetts State House regarding a Homeless Bill of Rights. The law would make it illegal for an employer to discriminate based on whether an applicant has a permanent address…
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GIVING BACK: Activist Cleve Rae starts Homeless Inclusion Initiative
Cleve Rea, an activist for the homeless community, is starting a new program to pair homeless individuals and families with concerned citizen mentors, he announced on Spare Change News TV on August 31. The program, dubbed the Boston Homeless Inclusion Initiative, will provide a support system and community for homeless individuals and families. A major…
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FREE STUFF: 30 free activities this fall
Here’s a list of 30 things to do this fall. Good news? It’s all free. Every Thursday: free admission to ICA. Pretend to be a tourist and walk the Freedom Trail. Watch the stars at the Museum of Science’s free “Astronomy After Hours” every Friday (weather permitting). Free tours of Symphony Hall. Volunteer for Urban…
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CRUCIAL FUNDING: State legislature overrides veto on youth homelessness funding
Gov. Charlie Baker’s veto of funding to combat youth homelessness has been overridden by both the Massachusetts Senate and the House of Representatives unanimously. The $2 million in new funding had been recommended by the Massachusetts Conference Committee and was the result of a multi-year effort by several organizations to increase funding specifically for the…
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YOUTH TO YOUTH: Y2Y Harvard Square shelter to open this winter
The Y2Y shelter in Harvard Square has started construction and is on track for a November opening. The shelter, headed by Co-Executive Directors Sam Greenberg and Sarah Rosenkrantz, will serve homeless youth between the ages of 18 and 24. Employing a unique “youth-to-youth” model, the shelter will have 22 beds, assigned by lottery, and will…
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BON VOYAGE: Vincent Flanagan leaves Homeless Empowerment Project
“Arguing and advocating are something that are part of my being,” begins Vincent Flanagan, outgoing executive director of the Homeless Empowerment Project (HEP). Flanagan, who has held the position since May 2012, announced last month that he would be leaving. The Homeless Empowerment Project is the nonprofit which publishes Spare Change News. Flanagan, soft-spoken but…
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FAMILY HOMELESSNESS: Census results show rise in homeless families
The Boston Public Health Commission recently released the findings of its 35th annual homeless census, which tracks the homeless population in the city of Boston. The census found an unsettlingly large increase in the amount of homeless families: the number grew a full 25 percent, up from 1,234 households last year to 1,543 this year.…
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YANKOVIC'S GREATEST HITS: Top 10 parody song countdown
From his memorable nerd anthems to his onslaught of food parodies, here are our favorite “Weird” Al singles spanning three decades: 1. Eat It, 1984. Best Line: “Get yourself an egg and beat it.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcJjMnHoIBI 2. Like A Surgeon, 1985. Best Line: “It’s a fact … I’m a quack. The disgrace of the AMA.”…