— from Domenic Verbano —
My fellow islanders, I have a problem. I care about homeless people. They pull at my heart. I see them here, where we live. I see them wandering around the streets of Eastsound. They come into the Co-op, where I work. They buy small amounts of food. I am usually shocked when I see them. They are usually so debilitated… I know one of them pretty well. I have known him for a while. He is kind, meek, and unassuming.
Lately, I have been bringing him food after work. I told him the other day that I would have some. He looked at me with such ego-less, meek gratitude in his eyes. I had never seen that before. God, he could be a Buddhist Saint! I was taken back by what I saw. His heart was pure, it is his body that is deranged. Has this ostracized suffering purified him? I think so.
A companion of his came in with him on a different day. He had open sores all over his face. Was this Meth addiction? I was really in shock. We have a social blind-spot with these people. Arn’t we going to help them? They are suffering. Compared to them, I am affluent.
I created a GoFundMe account specifically for my friend, to get him off the street, to house him for the winter. See I have open to him, and now his suffering is my suffering. Will you also open? Can you help?
I believe we can easily solve the homeless problem here. We need a homeless shelter, and have needed one in the decade I have been here, on Orcas. With the all the wealth here, it shouldn’t be hard. “To the least of these…”
I am putting out the call: Turn your attention to your fellow human being. They are suffering also. Ultimately, their suffering is your suffering. You cannot cage yourself against humanities’ unity. All beings on Planet Earth are united together, and we live in and feel all suffering on this planet, whether we consciously realize it or not.
Here is a link to donate to my friend, to help him find shelter. I will tightly steward these funds.
Larger donations, made in pursuit of helping the homeless in general on Orcas Island, can be directed to the Orcas Community Resource Center at 360-376-3184. I find them to be excellent and dedicated people. Tell them you want your money to work on, like homelessness, and they will direct it accordingly.
We are all ultimately, unified. Let’s start acting like it.
This is a great idea. Thank you. I was helping about 4 people who were either homeless or on the verge of losing their residence. There are serious drug problems on the island for sure.
Bless your heart. I hope your friend comes to see us at the Food Bank (if not, please send him in). I agree that it is hard to believe we have such a problem here but I guess there is no reason we should be exempt! Thanks for the links you provide. I hope others will be touched by your letter also.
We do have a shelter, but only on the coldest nights. I agree though. A group of tiny houses could do it, at least temporarily, but the prospect of getting people to agree on the details of that is discouraging.
Beautiful, heartfelt letter; thank you Domenic. Often homelessness and addiction go hand in hand. Both problems need solutions. There is a a “village” of tiny houses in Portland Oregon called “dignity village.” there are rules for staying there such as no drugs, no alcohol, no stealing – people abide by them if they want to stay. It has commons areas, outdoor cooking space, and you can google it and find youtube videos about it. With all the wealth here, can’t we find it in our hearts, skillsets, and purses, to make this possible?
Opening churches on the coldest nights is great, but it’s often the nights of flood rains that people get both wet AND cold – then they get sick. We need a place and ways where people can get back on their feet. They take pride in their houses, paint them up prettily and artistically. Often these people are creative, smart, and just need a chance.
I have no idea how to handle the drug problem but pretending it doesn’t exist is not the answer. Perhaps, like Amsterdam, we should provide safe spaces for junkies to shoot up until they can get clean and taper off the drugs. Perhaps doctors should stop giving out opiates so freely. I have no answers but your letter touched my heart.
I have a homeless friend here on Orcas Island. He is a loving and giving man, an Elder and it hurts me to think that he is homeless. He is in great pain when he walks. He Can be “Homed” but there are no homes available for him or almost Anyone in Eastsound. One of the reasons is that a group of investors formed an LLC and bought up homes left and right in Eastsound for Vacation Rentals. It seems to me that this is illegal under The Growth Management Act, after all 56 percent of the Island’s population is Mandated to live(squeezed)in Eastsound.
As long as The People accept the crumbs from the Table thrown to them from the table of the greedy, Orcas Island will continue in its’ downhill destruction.
There’s a striking correlation between self-induced drug addiction, the swelling of tent cities up and down the West Coast over the last 5-10 years and methods of addressing the problem over the last 5-10 years.
There’s a striking difference between home-bred Americans who’ve become dysfunctional such that they can’t toast a slice of bread and the thousands of 6-figure salaried jobs going unclaimed daily, which could be claimed if our method of addressing dysfuction were helpful rather than condemnation disguised as love —eg, there’s an upcoming EDC confab where one could begin down a road of personal development, discovery and relative emanicipation (god forbid).
There’s a striking comparison between this and an illiterate, truly dirt poor central american mother w/ todler in tow who sells herself to reach our southern border, mounts a 20 ft bob-wired fence with baby on-board but who’d never ever settle for drugs or tent city living (yet still this form of immigration is catastrophic for our society’s future and can’t be the model).
If the source of dysfuction is drug-related then medical care is the need, not free housing. Asking all struggling families if they’ll fund the poor choices people self-inflict when its a few here and there is one thing; when it’s a growing epidemic we ask why? What is “helping” this problem mushroom into a cascading structural failure system-wide?
Or do we not ask, feed the problem and seal our children’s fate?
Always a difficult line to walk. How does a society help those less fortunate without it being perceived as an incentive to stay dependent on the “dole?” How do we decide when an addiction is a medical illness or simply a poor personal choice? How does Orcas assure affordable housing for people with low incomes while trying to keep the character of the island the same as it was (Rural) decades ago and not increase the population by incentivizing people to come with subsidized healthcare and housing, good ferries, low crime, legal pot, and plentiful organic food options?
How do I as an individual offer a hand up to a fellow person without it being just a handout?
To answer to Neil Kaye’s comment; who do you think is coming to Orcas in droves? (hint: it’s not poor drug addicts and low income people “on the dole.” The demographic has rapidly shifted; there have been plenty of articles about it. Median income here last I checked was $58,000 a year… what service-sector person is making that? I’m not sure that school teachers are making that.
I get it that drug addiction is a “poor choice,” as is alcoholism. I None of our “welfare” programs are really designed to give a hand up; rather they give a meagre handout and take away with the other hand, making sure that economically, a person can’t get up and out of the system. The cruelty inherent in a system that would allow ANYONE to be homeless is what must be addressed. That cruelty – or kindness- starts with us.
What’s an EDC confab – for those of us who don’t think in acronyms, tweets, and bytes?
Continuing thoughts about homelessness and the systems that condone it:
What started out as Domenic Verbano’s heartfelt letter and action on behalf of the homeless has turned into a philosophical debate. If you haven’t been homeless, it’s hard to imagine from up in some ivory tower. I’m shocked to see that people who responded in kind from their hearts, got voted down into minus numbers. That says a lot about the compassion (or lack of it) for a human plight. Who are we to judge, when we don’t know what traumas or tragedies may have driven someone else’s choices – good or bad?
Speaking of poor choices, though:
Spirit Eagle makes a good point that according to the Growth Management Act, 54%+ of the people are mandated to live (not vacation) within the UGA. Instead, thanks to stripping of environmental protections and the hard sell of our little town, Eastsound has become the “hip, high-real estate” district with the curse of gentrification. How ironic that it was supposed to be a “walking village,” yet cars rule the day and more streets are punched through the wetland. The very people the UGAs are supposed to house, are forced out – and more forests fall due to the “need” for more housing, and we trash the most important wetland in SJC – Eastsound Swale. Then we purport to judge drug addiction and homelessness – never admitting that gentrification may be the real driver.
Sadie, we all agree that Orcas is a “Garden of Eden” luring people for many reasons. Frequently, people post “rants” about outsiders arriving and taking over, ruining the island’s character, etc. At the same time, Dominick is saying that Orcas needs to provide more services to those who are disadvantaged. I simply am questioning if so doing acts as an incentive for even more people to come to Orcas. That doesn’t mean I’m against it or that I think it’s wrong. I’m simply pointing out that policies have intended and unintended consequences.
People coming in DROVES despite the frequent posts here of a takeover occurring. Using US Census data, the population of Orcas in 2000 was 4453, in 2007 was 4961, in 2010 was 5387, and in 2017 was 5481. The American Community Survey (2018) reports a 2.4% population rise on Orcas from 2010-2017. I am certainly NOT saying that only poor people come to Orcas, but I am also certain that neither is it only well healed retirees. In 2000 the median household income on Orcas was about 44,000. Factoring in economic changes in the last 19 years, the 58,000 you cite isn’t that different is it? It’s also BELOW the Washington State average (over 62,000.)
As a physician, I am more prone to see addiction as a medical illness and not simply a “poor choice.”
But, how do we provide affordable housing for everyone who wants to live in paradise and not overwhelm the island’s carrying capacity?
Sadie–per your Q–the EDC confab–informal meeting– was announced back on Dec 30…see below. It’s coming up on 1/16/19 at the Orcas Library (2-3pm) and it covers areas that if interested could lead to coding classes on-online, at a local comm college, or other informal tutorial/training gig…(perhaps recommended by those at the EDC meeting on 1/16). There are plenty of jobs in these areas that go unfilled daily because not enough US Citizens have the very learnable skills & training req’d; many of the tech companies have to rely on J-1 visa applicants imported from overseas to fill these well-paid jobs. These jobs start off at well over 100k/yr and shoot up from there as experience grows. “Hand-ups” would be plentiful in this area & self-reliance roots firmly planted leading to a more capable, well-adjusted human being who understands the nuanced differences between independence, interdependence and dependence. Of course, if a person is so addicted to drugs so as to not be capable of a Barista(o) job at Starbucks then get he/she to the hospital, get clean, and return to society to do your part as a fellow human being. I see much more than Orcas & up close; W. Coast attitudes aid & abet mental illness & drug addiction & it shows, GLOBALLY.
Life’s full of amazing gifts BUT YOU MUST SHOW UP TO CLAIM THEM!
EDC Invites SJC Knowledge Workers to Informal Meetup on Orcas
Wednesday, January 16, 2 – 3 p.m., Orcas Library
There is much more that should be said. We need our police to know that it is OK to stop the drug flow onto this island.
We need some kind of “social safety net” that can help catch and educate young people so they don’t fall into what is unfortunately our common island culture of drug use. A work program? Something.
Building a shelter is a great idea, but as commented here, where do you put it? Can we find a solution that works for all? Likely not. But, we can find a solution that works for most people.
I remember when the housing crisis was starting to be felt, someone suggested we create a trailer park. While some scoffed at this, including myself, now I think it is exactly what we need.
An affordable trailer park is probably a very good idea. As most of us realize, the real problem for housing on this island is that, for the service working class, they don’t make enough to house them. Housing prices, rental prices have been driven up, and a service worker who is making $15 an hour (or less) just cannot afford it.
So, tiny house village? Trailer park? We are going to have to do something. OPAL is doing its’ part, but I really don’t appreciate their wholesale slaughter of the Earth to do it. That may be harsh, but that’s how I feel.
We can solve this, with a little creativity. We have the skills, we have the will, we have the imagination, let’s do this.
Chris, how many computer or gig economy jobs are open on Orcas that are paying over 100,000? Who are these employers on Orcas and where are they advertising for workers?
The yearly “Point-In-Time” Homeless Count info is here:
https://www.sanjuanjournal.com/news/san-juan-county-homeless-count-declines/
See also:
https://public.tableau.com/profile/comhau#!/vizhome/WashingtonStateHomelessSystemPerformanceYeartoYearComparison-DRAFT/YeartoYearDashboard
Good question and point well made, Neil.
Orcas isn’t a place droves beckon to for employment opportunities, advancement and world-class experience that will set the tone for the remainder of one’s life, which includes being able to later live on Orcas in home you purchase.
In other words, if you pay your dues and implement priorities that show vision, maturity and intelligence, you can learn what you must and certainly work remotely from Orcas when you’ve reached the requisite skill level and professionalism.
Point being, there are so many intelligent ways to sculpt one’s life, which from afar looks like simple good fortune, but on closer examination is the deliberate byproduct of applied intelligence, the application of reality-based assessments & course corrections and the workings of a modern human animal 2.0 updated for performance, a beautiful life of daily appreciation & gratitude (and no blaming of others or excuse-making).
It really works. In my practice as a lawyer over the years I’ve helped set up so many in their own businesses, watch them come alive and self-power as if watching human internal combustion take them where they wanted to go. With today’s social / structural approval of the gig economy, the opportunities are ten-fold.
It’s how the universe works—if you think life here is tough, try the vacuum of space at zero gravity (or microgravity to be precise).
We have it so EASY, folks.
Stop the drugs! Reality’s far more exotic!
Thanks for those numbers Brian. Interesting to study the numbers at the State and County levels and then compare them with the frequency of encounters.
Are there similar studies on drug addiction and meth labs in the State as well as in the County island by island?
Those state numbers for homelessness are from 2017; this is 2019. Where are the 2018 numbers? And as stated in the information; the system for counting seems not entirely accurate if they only take one count at some point in time. I’d be interested to see what 2018 shows because I see more and more homeless people; and many of the ones I know are not on drugs. They just don’t make enough to afford the high rents here or there is nothing to rent, so they live in their cars or campers. I noticed also that the rules were changed and now, substandard housing is no longer counted – only cars and campers ETC. There’s a lot of substandard dumps with high rent rates if a person can afford them. A room in a house can go for as much as $6-700 a month.
The first link I provided, Sadie, contains the county press release for the 2018 data. It also provides some information on the methodology.
Also perhaps of interest:
https://www.businessinsider.com/homeless-population-usa-states-2018-11
Unfortunately, “Statistics” don’t have faces. See the faces and the Souls within those bodies. It is a different way to look at this problem. “There, but for God, go I!”
I wonder about all of those “Thumbs Down” Comments on the compassionate responses to Domenic’s plea for his friend. Is This what Orcas has deteriorated into? “Thumbs Down” on attempting to help others? You can’t come to this place and throw away the Key to Your hearts. This IS a Heart-Centered Island. None of us deserve to be here if We are compassionless Robots! This Island used to be known as “Paradise and that was because it WAS a Heart-centered Community!
consider looking at this world/Island as one in which we are truly all in this Together.
For those of you who understand this, and want to do it:
There is a Global Guided Meditation that has over 3 million people attending daily on a call, together.
It is awesome, it is changing the planet, this collective meditation.
Metaphysics: thoughts creating reality, is real. It is how the universe works. What you concentrate on manifests in material reality.
If you want to join in the world-wide meditation that takes place live @ 12 noon Pacific time, everyday there is a link here:
https://global8000meditation.org/
Best to you all,
Love to you all.
I hope you all wake up in time.
Best to you,
Domenic Verbano
There is no more time to pussy-foot around.