“For those who are trapped in poverty and have many other circumstances that make daily existence difficult, it is even more challenging if you’re not connected to the internet,” said Sunne Wright McPeak, CEO of the California Emerging Technology Fund. “This is as much a problem if not more so today if you’re trying to navigate any system or get assistance, find shelter, find food and help without having the internet.”
Author: Lisa Gieskes
MORE THAN SHELTER: A Town Hall About Homelessness and Community: Join Us Online on Wednesday, May 10, 6:00-7:30 p.m. ET
How should we understand the increasing demonization and criminalization of homelessness across America? Is shelter alone enough for meeting the call of this moment, or merely an essential starting place? What can leaders in this field teach us about invoking empathy and critical analysis in responding to this complex set of issues?
Since Becoming Fine-Free, Over 21,000 Items Have Been Returned to Houston Public Libraries, Officials Say
Heatherwick Studio Designs “Wellbeing” Library in Maryland
“UK-headquartered architect Heatherwick Studio has designed a community library for Howard County Libraries in Maryland, USA with a focus on wellbeing and diversity.”
Long Beach Library
The public can now donate various goods and gift cards to help people who are unhoused at all city library locations and other sites throughout Long Beach.
Manhattan Public Library’s New Resource
MPL recently put together a new resource, “For Neighbors in Need,” a listing of local organizations that help those in need. This resource lists locations where people can go for assistance with food, clothing, laundry, hygiene, shelter, mental health and physical health. You can find this list at mhklibrary.org/for-neighbors-in-need, or as a handout at the Reference Desk on the second floor.
Professor Launches LGBTQIA+ Emergency Fund
“Nearly one in four transgender young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 experience homelessness, nearly double the rate of their peers, according to the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention and mental health organization for LGBTQIA+ young people.”
More ‘Freedom Libraries’ Arrive in Louisiana State Prisons: ‘If we build it, they will come’
“Unlike prison libraries, which are not accessible around the clock, the portable Freedom Libraries are housed in the dorms, allowing 24-hour access to hundreds of books.”
City Leaders Give Update on Rapid Shelter Columbia
“A new step in tackling chronic homeless in Columbia is set to open its doors in under a week.”
City Setting the Stage to Make Old Central Library a Homeless Shelter
The city has begun initial work to use a portion of the long-vacant old Central Library to shelter homeless residents.