A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS TO EVERYONE!!!

We are on the verge of ending yet another year. We approach a new year with hope, promise and hopefully dreams to be fulfilled. On this very special day, Christmas, the birth of our savior, Jesus Christ, let us all reflect upon the sacrifices that Jesus made in order to save mankind and let us further reflect upon the sacrifices that those who were able to help the less fortunate made in order to provide a safe haven to them.

I write specifically about individuals who unselfishly sacrificed their personal lives and finances in order to benefit those who had nothing. I write about one individual, my friend, Sean Anthony Cononie. Sean has parted with his own finances in order to create and maintain the Homeless Voice Shelter in Hollywood, FL so that those less fortunate than he, could have a home once again.

We look upon Christmas as a day of giving, a day of thanks to God for allowing His son, Jesus Christ to save our souls through the ultimate sacrifice He had to pay.

All of us who have become homeless have toiled with the very thought that we were alone, unloved, unwanted and perceived as nothing less than dirt, yet, Sean saw things differently and took the ball and ran with it.

I have known Sean for over five years now and througout my tenure with the shelter I have seen not only the shelter grow for the better but Sean also growing with pride and satisfaction regarding helping so many people.

On behalf of all of us you have helped Sean, I thank you, for you truly are the example of what humanity should be. You constantly find ways to make those who need you feel wanted, your love for all is what keeps the shelter running so once again, thank you my dear friend.

I have a wish for all of you who are with the shelter, it is simple, it is straightforward and from my HEART.

I wish for all of you that God may grant you the PEACE you are looking for, the LOVE you all deserve and the HOPE for a better tomorrow.

I am so proud to be a part of you and so blessed that God loves me enough to allow me to do what I do each and every day, hopefully making your daily lives just a bit better.

On behalf of Lily and Ron, please accept our best wishes for a wonderful Christmas, remember, WE ARE ALL FAMILY and may God keep watching over all of you and know that you are no longer alone....you and I and Sean are FAMILY.

Merry Christmas everyone and may God bless you all my brothers and sisters.

Ron Gauthier

Christmas, the day Jesus Christ was born.

As we approach another Christmas day, I wonder how many out there realize the true meaning of this special Holiday.

For most it will be a day of exchanging presents, celebrating with wonderful food and libations, partying and so on.

For others, it will be another day of loneliness, tears and sadness. I write about the homeless, who once again will see this day come and go as yet another reminder of all they have lost.

I have a word of encouragement and support for these individuals, you are not alone my brothers and sisters. You are in my heart and in my prayers, remember that Jesus Christ was also born....HOMELESS.

This special day of celebration is about the birth of Christ, it is the very motivator that you and all of us must adopt into our lives each and every day. Do not despair, you are not alone, because, with each day comes the new promise and new hope that this day will be better than the last day as long as you put God and Christ in your hearts and into your lives.

I will post a special Christmas Day message to all of you, but in the meantime, please pray for the poor, the oppressed and the homeless in America, pray that they somehow find comfort and PEACE this Christmas and pray that their lives become a little more tolerable and a little less anxious this upcoming New Year.

Thanks again to all of you and may God bless you all.

Ron Gauthier

Hi Everyone!!!

I haven't left my blog, just bogged down lately and just wanted all of you to know that I'm fine and still fighting every day  for the poor, the oppressed and the homeless in America.

I do hope that all of you share your comments with me and remember to tell everyone you know to post comments as well. The more everyone is aware of what I'm trying to do, the sooner I can plead my case to Washington.

Thanks again to all of you and God bless you all.

Ron

We Have Much To Be Thankful For.

On this Thanksgiving day, we all have much to be thankful for. Those of you who are blessed with good fortune, a home and job security, a family who is there for you through thick and thin and good health are blessed by the graces of God for your well being.

Then come the homeless citizens in America. They too, believe it or not are also blessed. They may not have all the amenities that life has to offer, however, when it comes to homeless shelters and I single out the Homeless Voice Shelter in Hollywood, FL, these fine HUMAN BEINGS can no longer consider themselves homeless.

They all have a job in one way or another, true, they may not have a single family residence, they may not have enough money to place into a savings account, they may not have an automobile, BUT what they do have is a newfound family of brothers and sisters who have blended into a unique and loving group of individuals and have self-proclaimed themselves as FAMILY.

December 14, 2009 will mark my fifth anniversary with the Homeless Voice Shelter. I have been blessed with the trust of the director, my dear friend, Mr. Sean Anthony Cononie. I have been blessed with the friendship of the residents that occupy the shelter. Although I do not live at the facility, I am part of this organization every day of my life. I look forward to the new challenges that the shelter presents me with and I am so honored and so blessed to have been given this special gift from God....the gift of trying to help those less fortunate than me.

I ask you all on this day of Thanksgiving, to slow down your lives a bit, pause for a moment and think about what all of you have and then thank God and your families for being in your lives and then thank God for allowing formerly homeless people a chance to once again have a home.

This year, as I reflect upon my life as I do each and every Thanksgiving, I thank God for Sean Cononie, my friend and my brother, I thank God for Lily DeCoste, my fiancee, the ONE I have been blessed with for over four and a half years, I thank God for my sister Diane, a Carmelite nun who unselfishly has devoted her life to God and to mankind, my sister Denyse who with her husband Michael has raised such a wonderful family, my brother Gerry who has literally adopted his grandson who is afflicted with autism and has become his number one priority in life other than his wonderful wife Lynne, I thank God that He gives me the opportunity to wake up every morning to try as hard as I can to help the homeless.

My wish to all of you who read my blog is that all of you take the time necessary to be thankful for whatever comes into your lives, no matter how great, no matter how small, be thankful that you have what you have and please be kind and gentle toward the homeless, they are all like you and me, they are human beings, created in God's image and please remember that when God created us ALL, there was no price tag attached to what we became, because when our final judgement day arrives, our riches will only be tallied by what our hearts allowed to store regarding love for mankind.

On behalf of myself, my fiancee, my family and The Homeless Voice Shelter in Hollywood, FL, please allow me to wish to all of you and your families a blessed Thanksgiving and continued blessings throughout this Holiday season.

Thanks to all of you and may God Bless You All!!!

Ron Gauthier
Advocate for the poor, oppressed and homeless in America.

http://www.helpinghomelessinamerica.blogspot.com/

Open Up The Streets, The Homeless Are Coming, The Homeless Are Coming Thanks To A City Department's Heartlessness!!!

No, this is not Paul Revere's warning to the Colonials that the British are coming, this is Ron Gauthier's warning to the citizens of Hollywood, FL that the homeless are coming....yes, the homeless are coming.

This may appear to seem a bit outrageous or extreme, but the truth of the matter is, thanks to our local Fire Chief and his regulations, approximately eighty  formerly homeless human beings are about to once again become homeless in the city of Hollywood, FL.

A sudden fire code enforcement that strangely enough was dormant for the past seven years has surfaced, forcing The Homeless Voice Shelter in Hollywood, FL to evict these people back into the streets. Where is the logic, where is the compassion, where is the common sense in our so-called leaders of this community?

Many of you out there view the homeless as a bunch of bums, drinking beer, taking drugs and lazy people looking to live their lives on handouts and pan handling money to support their habits. I will admit that this scenario applies to some homeless people, they are the ones who choose to live their lives this way and nothing, nor no one will ever change their desires to live this way, however, the fine people that are about to be cast out into the streets of Hollywood, FL are hard working individuals with morals, values and YES folks, INTEGRITY....they were merely victims of our economic times caused by our government and they are once again about to become victims of yet another government, that of the Hollywood, FL Fire Chief.

It seems as though the city of Hollywood, FL will only acknowledge shelters that are funded by Federal programs....why so, because the city can't touch the Federal Government and who's to say that the city of Hollywood, known for corruption by its officials in the past, isn't getting kickbacks from someone to exempt those shelters and agencies that are publicly funded....think about it!!! This same individual, our local fire chief has received awards and commendations from a Federally funded shelter in the city of Hollywood.

The Homeless Voice Shelter is a non-profit organization accepting no funds from any government agency on any level.....perhaps the very fact that this shelter is self-sufficient and not in the political game of greasing palms is the reason they are now being targeted by our city officials as being a thorn in their sorry, political sides.

The Homeless Voice Shelter has been operating for better than a decade, providing a home, food, clothing and yes jobs for those who lost it all. These individuals have been able to save money through their hard work and move on, back into mainstream society and perfectly functional and lest we forget, once again becoming tax paying citizens. The shelter also houses human beings that have disabilites, human beings that have been abandoned by their loved ones for one reason or another. These disabled people now living at the shelter face being thrown out into the streets once again (and to make matters worse, while these same individuals go to the nearby bus stop to get transportation to their doctors or health clinics, they now have to await their bus, standing on their feet because the city officials have removed the bus stop near the shelter therefore giving them no means of comfort while waiting for the bus to arrive.)

This is their home, they are not on the streets, they are part of a family of men and women who care about eachother, take care of one another and love eachother as the only family they have and yet the City of Hollywood, FL Fire Chief doesn't care about that and would rather have all of you see them in your streets, your neighborhoods, your trash cans, looking for food, your back yards, looking for shelter....

We as citizens of a community pay property taxes in order to provide the services we require to live comfortably, yet, with YOUR hard earned money, your taxes are being applied to needless projects, your city officials do what they want to do, because they can. Your city officials are not listening to you, they could care less about you until that precious election year comes around, how ironic that this is the time they seem to remember you.

Without the Homeless Voice Shelter, many of the citizens we provide a home for would be out in the streets with nothing to look forward to, yet, our local Fire Chief could care less about that because of codes and regulations that are being enforced.

Let me ask you all, when did these city officials call you at home to ask your opinion as to how government in this city should be run. I fully understand that we elect officials to represent us and our best interests, but let's be REAL here, your city officials don't give a darn about you or me or the homeless. They are out to set policy that is in their best interest, not mine, not yours and certainly not that of the poor and homeless in this community.

I URGE YOU ALL WHO READ THIS LATEST POST TO WAKE UP, PROTEST TOWARD THE CITY OF HOLLYWOOD, FL and let your officials know that you do not want formerly homeless citizens who now have a better life and a more promising future to be cast out back into the streets due to some egotistic needs and illogical codes.....

Please help me help the homeless, because with your prayers, your support and your help, we can create a better life and a more fruitful future for those less fortunate than YOU!!!

Thank you and may God bless you all.

Ron Gauthier
Advocate for the poor, the oppressed and the homeless in America.

http://www.helpinghomelessinamerica.blogspot.com/

Thank God for what you have....then think a minute about what others have lost!!!

I have been away from my blog for a while, because, I've become a bit frustrated at the lack of comments or replies from anyone, however, I feel the need to write this and ask that you step back a moment and please think about what you have and then think about what others have lost.

You may have a beautiful home, a nice car, plenty of food on the table, a secure job and nothing in your life is going wrong. I thank God that if that characterizes you then I am happy for you and wish you continued success and happiness.

Now, let us all step back a minute and reflect upon those who are less fortunate, namely, the homeless who have lost everything and are struggling to figure out where their futures lie.

I once again ask all of you who do really care to open your eyes to homelessness in this country....help those less fortunate than you and pray that our government do something about allowing its citizens to be homeless.

Thank you as always and may God bless you all.

Ron Gauthier

http://www.helpinghomelessinamerica.blogspot.com/

REMEMBER THAT DOG SPELLED BACKWARDS IS.....GOD!!!

I am detouring from my regular reminder to all of you about homelessness tonight, because, this particular video touched me beyond imagination.

Baxter, the therapy dog, experienced abuse as a puppy, he was rescued from the ones who abused him, but as he became older, he became afflicted with arthritis. Ignoring his own problems, Baxter provided love for those who were nearing death by being there for them.

I write about this because I have a point to make regarding HUMAN BEINGS. If an animal can show love to those who are on the verge of leaving this world, foregoing his own ailments, why then cannot human beings be the same? 

Are we all so wrapped up in our own private worlds that nothing else seems to matter? This video brought tears to my eyes, that a wonderful little dog brought final peace to those nearing death and yet WE as humans seem to care less about our fellow man in some cases.....I leave you all with this thought, before you pass judgement upon your fellow human being, think about Baxter and then think again about what you will say regarding the poor, the oppressed and the homeless......that's all, I'm rendered speechless by this video.

Go to the link below, copy it and then paste it to your browser's search engine.....it's worth a view and then some.

God bless you all.

Ron Gauthier
Advocate for the poor, the oppressed and the homeless in America!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIrDbzoOxZc

A GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE??? I THINK NOT!!!

I am compelled to write this, partly with sorrow but mostly with disgust. Our forefathers founded this country on the principals of establishing a government " OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE AND FOR THE PEOPLE", yet we experience nothing less than a government of whomever has the most bucks to change what our Constitution was intended to be. I write not only of our so called leaders in Washington, but it trickles down to our state and particularly our local governments as well.

This evening's post is directed to the local government of the community in which I live. One of our city departments is bullying a local homeless shelter into throwing formerly homeless people out into the streets, you read this correctly, throwing formerly homeless people out into the streets to fend for themselves, simply because of certain codes that are now inexplicably being enforced after having been dormant for seven years.

It appears as though this particular city department has no feelings toward the homeless in my community and for that matter, why should they, they have a cushy job, enjoy a nice salary, have great benefits, all at the taxpayers' expense, I might add, but do they care about what happens to those who were rescued from the JAWS of homelessness and  are now, once again, being forced out, into the streets and back alleys of my community?

My answer to this question is: ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

This shelter has housed residents that would otherwise have been arrested as vagrants or lived in back alleys, dumpsters, anywhere they could seek shelter from the elements. They were given a home, food, clothes, a job and an opportunity to return to mainstream society, most of them are still residents of this shelter, but now, a majority of them will be forced back out into the streets because of REGULATIONS......REGULATIONS.....How disgusting, how pathetic, how heartless is this department for choosing who gets to stay at the shelter and who gets cast out, because of REGULATIONS.

Where have we evolved as a society, that allows a REGULATION  to overpower common sense and decency toward our fellow man? One would argue that codes, and regulations are placed in order to maintain order, control and to keep citizens happy and in most cases, codes and regulations work for the good of the community, however, when these so called codes and regulations affect hopeless human beings, that's where government on any level needs to put on the brakes, draw the line and step back a moment and reflect upon the values in which this country was founded.

I wonder how these officials of this particular city department would feel about codes and regulations if the shoe were on the other foot and if somehow, these officials over crowded their homes by  needing to house their family members  who were victims of losing all they had....let me guess, their answer would more than likely be, " what codes, what regulations? "

Think about it everyone.....rules and regulations are only words written and adopted by man, they are not gospel and somewhere along the way, we need to bend a little for the good of mankind! Please post your comments and as always, thank you and may God bless you, may God have mercy on us all!!!

Ron Gauthier

http://www.helpinghomelessinamerica.blogspot.com/

A HERO??? HE WOULD NEVER CONSIDER HIMSELF AS ONE!!!

We have heroes and then we have those who just think that it is the right thing to do. I write today about Mr. Sean Anthony Cononie, the director of the Cosac Foundation.

The Cosac Foundation operates The Homeless Voice shelter in Hollywood, FL., it also provides services to the local community and beyond via Helping People in America.

Mr. Cononie....(SEAN) is the hero to most who encounter him, yet will be the first to tell you that it is the right thing to do. When he was a young boy, attending Mass with his mother, he would notice that she would give extra to the poor box donation area located in the church. She would tell him that it is the right thing to do, help your fellow man Sean.

Throughout his youth and into High School and beyond, Sean devoted himself to helping those less fortunate than he. In his adult life, he parted with his own personal finances in order to open a shelter for the homeless. His goal nearly twelve years ago has not changed. "People need a place to stay, they need love and caring and I will stop at nothing to help those in need and reassure them that they are not alone and that there will always be US there for them."

To everyone who takes the time to read this latest post, I ask that you reflect upon the best and the worst times of your lives and think about what you did to repair any wrong or thank God for any good that has come into your lives.

Sean has created a home, jobs and a safe haven for those who otherwise would have been cast away by society. He has saved the lives of those who were addicted to drugs, making them productive members of society with new lives on their own. Sean has done so by giving what costs nothing, but means everything......LOVE.....that's right love, a simple four letter word with a million meanings.

Sean is modest when asked why he cares so much for the homeless. His answer to the question is that "simply put, all of us are human beings, created in God's image and no one person is above another regardless of that person's situation."

I urge you all who read this to log onto the website of The Homeless Voice and look at the archives, look at the current stories, donate your time and if possible your extra change to the cause, the cause that Sean Anthony Cononie created for the good of all those who would otherwise be left out on the street.

The Homeless Voice shelter is a non-profit shelter, receiving no assistance from any government agency on any level, so I ask you all to make a donation to the cause, the cause of whom I consider a HERO, blessed to have as a FRIEND and proud to be associated with his work....Mr. Sean Anthony Cononie, founder and director of The Cosac Foundation.

http://www.homelessvoice.org/

Thanks to you all and God Bless YOU.

Ron Gauthier

http://www.helpinghomelessinamerica.blogspot.com/

Poor People Have A Right To Earn A Living Too!!!

Attached is an email I sent to city officials in one of southeast Florida's cities.

The city officials are opposed to allowing vendors to sell their newspapers in their business territories, particularly the sale of the Homeless Voice Newspaper.

I urge you all to contact your city officials and help me make them aware of the fact that the poor also have a right to try to earn a living.

Thank you ALL for your help.

Ron Gauthier



I am totally opposed to the policy set forth by your city in not allowing the poor citizens of this region to sell newspapers within your business territorial boundaries.

The sale of newspapers has been a long standing tradition not only in this area, but, nationwide as well.

The poor have just as much a right to earn a living as anyone else and I therefore urge you to reconsider your decisions in not allowing them to sustain themselves through the sale of newspapers in your city.



Sincerely,



Ronald L. Gauthier

Advocate for the poor, oppressed and homeless in America

http://www.helpinghomelessinamerica.blogspot.com

IMAGINE

Hi to all,

John Lennon wrote a song entitled, "IMAGINE". I'm sure that all of you who remember this song as I do, love the meaning and the message behind it.

Just IMAGINE, an America that is ONE, an AMERICA that cares about its citizens, an AMERICA that shuns those who would leave US stranded for the sake of the almighty dollar.

WHAT A DREAMER I AM......America is no longer the land of opportunity, America is the land of whomever has the most financial stability to elect officials who will do NOTHING for AMERICA, but EVERYTHING for those who funded their campaigns.

I am a registered Democrat....however, whether one is Democratic or Republican....I would rather wipe the slate clean and denounce my affiliation to any party this country has to offer, because what we are offering is nothing more than sour grapes and rotten tomatoes in our political preferences.

I am a PATRIOT,  a person who believes in the values set forth by the founders of this nation. We were founded upon the beliefs and principals that we are all created as ONE nation under GOD, with LIBERTY and JUSTICE for ALL.

I ask you, where is there justice in allowing American citizens to become homeless? Where is there liberty in allowing BIG BUSINESS to dictate the outcome of a national election?

What has happened to this country? Are we all pathetic sheep, following the herd?

When you are home this evening, having eaten your dinner, taken your shower, sitting back and relaxing, watching your favorite television programs, think about those human beings out there, struggling to make ends meet. Think about those who no longer have a home and pray that the local restaurants have scrapped in their dumpsters, enough food to feed themselves and their homeless families.

WASHINGTON does not care about them, in fact, homeless people are nothing more than a MENACE to society....most of them don't vote, so why do we need them.....how pathetic......how sad that humans in need of help are treated like useless animals.

What is it going to take for ALL of us to wake up and demand an end to our GREAT COUNTRY being controlled by the pharmaceutical, tobacco and any other large industries?

REMEMBER THIS EVERYONE, "YES WE CAN". HOW PHONY, HOW PATRONIZING, HOW UNTRUE.....No we cannot continue to allow Washington and its so called specialists  rule us in the manner in which they choose. We need to stop the games, end the lies, fight for America, in America, not overseas, but in AMERICA.

Medicare is on the verge of elimination. Home ownership is in jeopardy. Social Security (remember that???) is on the verge of extinction, yet we keep being lured into believing that "YES WE CAN" do what is necessary to make this country rich and prosperous again.

We were all hipnotized into believing that this current administration could save this country, but how foolish we all were. The leaders of our country once again, JUST DON'T GET IT!!!

If making a trip to Finland in order to bring financial gain to his home state is our leader's top priority, then I am discouraged at where Washington's priorities stand.

FACE IT EVERYONE, MORE AND MORE AMERICANS ARE BECOMING HOMELESS.  Does Washington care? Absolutely NOT!!!!!!! 

We need to rise up everyone and send a message to all those we were led to believe would make a positive impact on us all. Get them all out of office, first by rebelling against the special interest groups controlling these puppets.

Perhaps, by then, we will have officials in our national, state and local governments serve us all for the better interest of a true cause, the cause of the American people and not that of Pfiezzer, Libby, Philip Morris, etc.

Thank you all and please, please post your comments. The games need to stop and we, together, need to take our country and its values back.

Ron Gauthier

Simply Amazing

Hello everyone,

I find it simply amazing that once again, our leaders just don't know how to prioritze when it comes to the American people, particularly the homeless, poor and oppressed citizens of this country.

Just a few short days ago, our government, namely the leader of this country and his family, not to mention their respective entourages, set out for a public relations/lobbying trip to Finland. The purpose of this trip was to convince the International Olympic Committee to select Chicago as the site for the next summer olympiad.

Now, I have nothing against the city of Chicago or the state of Illinois for that matter, but I do take issue with the fact that once again, millions of tax payer dollars were spent for WHAT.....a chance to bring a few bucks into the greater Chicago area. Was this trip really going to benefit this country, perhaps from a publicity standpoint, it may have done so, perhaps not, however, would the total income derived from having olympic games in Chicago have benefited the jobless factory workers in Detroit? Would those who are losing their homes to foreclosure have been able to reap some of that money to save their households? Oh, let me guess, I'll bet that some of that money would have been donated to help the homeless. Sure it would have.....

Why on God's green earth do we continue to allow Washington to wrecklessly spend OUR money for the sake of publicity? How can we as Americans continue to tolerate wasteful spending in Washington while our citizens are suffering, starving, out of work, out of their homes and wondering why this country has abandoned them?

I will post another remark concerning this issue, but, in the meantime, I urge you all to open your eyes to what is happening in Washington, I urge you to stop and think for a moment as to where we are headed....I urge you to please post your comments, I need your help folks.....we need to help eachother, because,we are on a path of sure destruction at our own expense.

Thanks to you all as always, and let us pray together that Washington gets its act together and soon, because time is running out for all of us and we are on the verge of becoming nothing more than a third world country.

Just imagine how our forefathers would feel, if they could see what they worked so hard for, a FREE AMERICA, a land of opportunity, a land for everyone to enjoy, simply destroyed by our current brand of government....our so called "YES WE CAN" leaders just don't get it, they are more concerned with winning a bid for an olympic event that will only benefit the region that they are from, how pathetic, how sorry I am for us all....we need to take OUR country back and take it from the special interest groups that continue to puppeteer the puppets we seem to elect to public office.

God bless you all,

Ron Gauthier

Homeless Children In America

Hello Everyone,

I found this YouTube video and wish to post it on tonight's blog. It says it all and literally will leave you speechless. I urge you all to please view this compelling video and join me in prayer that God may watch over these little angels on earth.

Take a moment to hug your children tonight and show them your love, your support and let them know and feel how blessed you are for having them in your lives.

Help me help homeless Americans, please share this video with all those you know and mostly with all those you love.

Thanks as always and may God Bless you all.

Ron Gauthier

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSaIMMetVUI

I Am Starving

No, not for food, God has blessed me with that....nor for love, I am blessed with that as well. I am, however, starving for a taste of common sense in this country. A taste of love and compassion toward our fellow man, a taste of decency in Washington, a decency toward the American citizens who get up every morning to do what is right for themselves and their families as well as their country.

I started this blog to help Americans see what homelessness is all about. I started this blog to create an awareness to all decent Americans that they may see the future of this country and what we may all become if we continue on this path of self-destruction.

MY FELLOW AMERICANS.....PLEASE, I URGE YOU TO STAND UP AS ONE AND PUSH TO ELIMINATE THE TOBACCO, PHARMACEUTICAL AND INDUSTRIAL LOBBYISTS CONTROLLING OUR ELECTED OFFICIALS.

We are in the state that we are in now because, once elected, our officials have no interest in serving our needs but elect to serve the interests of big business and special interest groups.

I ask you all, how can these officials sleep at night when just a few short blocks away from their plosh Washington apartments and suites, live dozens of homeless Americans, struggling to find shelter.

With Autumn upon us, the streets and back alleys not only in Washington, but throughout this country will become a bit colder, a bit more frightening and yet, our elected officials continue to authorize funding for Bush's Iraqi Fiasco....just imagine how many lives could be spared, how many homeless citizens could be home again, how many people could be fed if that money were allocated to the cause of American citizens.

I stated in last evening's blog that we are on the verge of yet another election year. We were lured into believing in the last election that "YES WE CAN", yet Washington still doesn't get it and NO WE CANNOT continue to allow America to follow the course it is now following.

Foreclosures are still rising, unemployment is going through the roof, homelessness is rising and yet our government continues to go about the business of taking one month summer breaks, worrying about how much of a salary increase its elected officials deserve and turning a deaf ear to the needs of its everyday citizens.

I need your help everyone, I need thousands of comments and posts and I promise you that with your help, together, we will be able to take matters into our own hands and do what is right for us all and lobby Washington on behalf of all of us, to open its eyes to the values and principals this country was founded upon.

Please tell your friends, neighbors, family members and co-workers about this blog and let us all stand up as truly "ONE NATION, UNDER GOD, WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL".

As always, thank you and and may God Bless you all.

Ron Gauthier

Tomorrow, maybe???

Another day has come and gone and still, homeless Americans are sleeping under bridges, living in back alleys, sheltering themselves in ditches or dumpsters. Yet, Washington keeps spending on needless wars, wasteful surveys and lobying for potential campaign contributors. I ask you all to step back a moment and think about when your Congressional or Senatorial Representatives picked up a telephone and called you to ask your opinion about our nation's issues.

NEVER, am I RIGHT??? Of course I'm right, but just wait folks, another election year is upon us in just a few more months, that is when these so called representatives of the PEOPLE will call upon us for our votes.

We have serious issues here at home, mortgages being foreclosed upon, unemployment at an alarming increase, jobs being lost to companies abroad, gasoline prices skyrocketing....need I go on?

Each and every day, Americans become homeless...yet Washington keeps sending those bucks out to fund the Iraqi war. The George Bush fiasco.....why are we continuing to elect officials who truly do not represent the constituencies they are supposed to serve.

I have stated many times in my lifetime that what America needs is a NEW REVOLUTION, not one with weapons or destruction, but rather one with the word, the pen, the pink slip to all of our representatives who still choose to serve the special interest groups at the expense of us all.

Not until we all stand up as ONE and elect those officials who will return to the values that this country was founded upon will we have a productive America once again. It all starts out by all of us strengthening eachother by loving our fellow man, extending a helping hand to those in need, and rekindling the pride we all had as being the greatest nation on earth.

I urge you to lobby your representatives in helping Americans FIRST, because strong and healthy, employed and housed Americans will make this land of ours the America that our forefathers planned it to be.

I ask that when you see a homeless person that you extend a greeting and perhaps offer help to your fellow human being. Let us all pray that God return to us the country we once knew and let us all band together to elect officials who will truly re-create a government of the people, by the people and for the people.

Thank you all and God Bless you all.

Ron Gauthier

Slide Show of Homeless People In America

I have just added a slide show of homeless Americans. As you will all see, they show human beings in back alleys, on streets across America, desperate for shelter, begging to be fed, praying for their lives to end. We all need to stop and reflect upon the plight of these human beings....that's right folks, human beings just like you and me.

In this land of opportunity called America, why is it that we continue to see the number of homeless increase, why are we not demanding from our government, funding to help the homeless rather than allowing funding to help a needless war in Iraq?

God created us all in His image, remember that Jesus too was homeless. Let us not crucify our fellow man but resurrect the homeless into productive contributors to our respective communities.

Please join me in creating awareness beyond compare regarding homelessness in this country. Help me make Washington and the leaders of every state in the union open their eyes to homelessness.

Thank you all for your comments, participation and prayers. God bless you all.

Ron Gauthier

Compassion

I had the opportunity to view and experience once again today, the compassion of staff members of the Homeless Voice Shelter in Hollywood, FL.

One of our clients was in dire straits, needing medication, needing help and Nick, Marilyn, Mike and Brian came to her assistance. Their unselfish manner in which they took care of LINDA, our client made me so proud to be associated with this fine organization.

Linda was homeless, she came to our shelter a short while ago and immediately made a positive impact on us all.

I won't go into details as to Linda's condition, but I will from my heart, express a sincere thank you to the staff that assited her in her needs and commend you all for a job well done.

I am proud and honored to be associated with you all, keep up the good work folks, you are in my heart.

Ron Gauthier

Welcome!!!

Hi Everyone,

I just created this blog and I'm very excited to see this evolve into what I hope and pray will be the beginning of the end to homelessness. Although I am hopeful, I am also a realist and realize that we may never wipe out homelessness in this country, however, if we all join in and share the comments posted on this blog with our families, friends and neighbors, perhaps we may be able to join together in helping the homeless and particularly the NON-PROFIT centers that unselfishly help those in need, without any government funding on any level.

I invite you all to check out the Homeless Voice Shelter in Hollywood, run by the Cosac Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping the homeless help themselves.

www.homelessvoice.org

I look forward to this wonderful journey and invite you all to participate in sharing your thoughts and comments with me.

Thank you.

Ron Gauthier

" Hope is the dream of a man awake! "

Hello friends,

Enclosed is an article I wrote a couple of years ago. I'd like to share it with all of you in hopes that it may create awareness to homelessness in this country. I invite you to share your comments with me and hope that this article will enlighten some and inspire most to help those less fortunate than us.


Thank you and God Bless you all.


Ron Gauthier

http://www.homelessvoice.org/

Voice Update Somewhere Over The Rainbow?
Issue:
June 2007
Author: Ronald L. Gauthier

Homeless, how does one describe this word and to whom does it apply, who does it affect? Is there hope for the homeless and is there really a somewhere, out there, over that elusive rainbow?
In the richest, most prosperous country in the world, the number of homeless in America continues to rise at an alarming rate.
I write this article solely for the purpose of creating awareness regarding our country’s homeless citizens. Contrary to what people may perceive them to be, the homeless in this country are human beings, beings created in God’s image. Regardless of one’s race, creed or religion, regardless of what may have created the situation or circumstance that resulted in a person becoming homeless, that person is no less of a human being than one who may have been blessed with financial and material wealth.
During the era of the “Great Depression”, this country banded together to help its brothers and sisters survive the economic downfall. In today’s society, we turn a deaf ear to the plight of the less fortunate. Why is that? Have we become so self-sufficient that no one else matters? Have we become a society that only accepts equals and abandon those in strife? Could it be perhaps that the homeless are perceived as non contributory members of society and therefore are ostracized into a world of abandonment and heartlessness?
Picture this if you will. A man is successful in business, trusts his advisors to make smart business decisions only to have the advisors squander and embezzle what he worked so hard for. The man becomes homeless, nowhere to turn and strives every day to make due with what is at hand and become a better person as a result of this.
A mother leaves a marriage filled with abuse, verbally and physically and her children are brainwashed into believing that she is the villain, they abandon her and she becomes homeless, yet every day she strives to do what is necessary to survive in her new environment and learns to cope with the fact that society has allowed this to happen.
A young adult, faced with the temptation of drugs and alcohol succumbs to them both and loses his job, friends and most importantly, his family. He is thrown out of his home and told to never come back, he is now homeless and desperately looking for help.
These are but a few examples of how one becomes homeless. We are but one or two paychecks away from losing it all, becoming homeless and having society forget about what that person once was and walking away from that person, letting him or her fend for themselves. There are cities is this land of opportunity known as America, that do not recognize the homeless. Instead, the homeless are considered vagrants, a menace to society and are placed in jail in order to keep the rest of society safe. “Give me your poor, your tired, your huddled masses.” That is what is inscribed on the Statue of Liberty. We are a country that welcomes all, yet shuns the homeless. Are not the homeless, poor, tired, weary and afraid of what their tomorrow will bring? Are not the homeless still part of this country, they were before they became homeless.
I have been fortunate and blessed to live among the homeless, kind people who all have one common goal, that is to help one another and work with each other to improve upon their circumstances. A band of brothers and sisters who have become a self proclaimed FAMILY. Our government needs to recognize that in order to survive as a nation, indivisible and under God, it must return to the values set forth by our forefathers and creating not only liberty but truly justice for ALL. There is no justice in allowing our citizens to become and remain homeless. We are fortunate in this country that there are those who recognize the need to restore dignity and pride back into the hearts and spirits of the homeless. These angels are those who have opened shelters for the homeless. The true heroes are those who opened these shelters privately, without federal, state or local assistance, who have given of themselves and parted with their own personal finances in order to create a home and a safe environment for these unfortunate human beings.
I became homeless in December of 2004 and like everyone who becomes homeless, I was afraid, discouraged, depressed and worried about what I might face tomorrow and the next day and for how long. I was welcomed with open arms and was told that there was no need to worry anymore, you are part of us now and as a family, we will be there for you and with you through thick and thin.
I have been with this shelter for nearly two and a half years now and have become a senior staff member of this fine organization. I thank God every day that He has blessed me with what I consider a new opportunity in my life. The opportunity to help others less fortunate than I, for I consider myself luckier than most and truly loved by God, because God has allowed me to help turn something negative into the most positive thing I could ever accomplish in life. My life with this shelter has become addictive, though I have never been involved with drugs nor alcohol in my life, I am addicted to the passionate work that greets me every single day at this shelter.
I do not live at the facility anymore, in fact for the past twenty months, I have been living in what is referred to as the staff house, a modest home a few miles north of the shelter. I begin my day early in the morning and finish it late at night. I look forward to each and every day and the new challenges that may arise.
I have no regrets and I consider this but a slight detour in the road of the life that God has created for me. My day and time will come when once again I will return to the life I once knew, but I will never leave the life that I now have. I will continue to work with the homeless and to create more public awareness to what I consider a travesty in this society of ours. There are bright, intelligent homeless people. There are homeless who simply need more care than others and simply ask that someone be there for them. I intend to be there for them until I breathe my last breath. I pray that we as citizens of the greatest country in the world, finally recognize that homelessness is no less serious than the state of our economy, homelessness is no less serious than a life threatening disease, homelessness is no less serious than war and terrorism. Homelessness is a serious issue that should be dealt with in a positive manner. If every citizen in this country would contribute the pocket change they have toward the homeless each and every day, we could wipe out homelessness and create an environment that would allow private shelters the ability to help retrain and counsel the homeless into a new life, a life that would enable them to return to mainstream society as valuable contributors to their respective communities.
So, I ask that the next time you see a homeless person on the street or if you see a homeless person selling a newspaper or asking for a contribution, please give this person the chance to return to the life he or she once had, the life that you so enjoy, please contribute with love and from the heart and realize that your help will eventually produce a productive and contributing member to your community.
Franklin Delano Roosevelt said that “The only thing we need to fear is fear itself.” We need not be afraid of the homeless but should remember that we as human beings have a moral responsibility to help our brothers and sisters in need. Remember that we are all created as one and in God’s image and after all, as Americans, isn’t love and generosity, compassion and care what makes this country the great nation that it is?