It is good for me that I was afflicted, That I may learn Your statutes. - King David in Psalms
I photographed the homeless in America from 1983 to about 1997. I photographed the homeless in other nations from 1984-1988. Starting at age 15 I have been homeless from time to time. I also engaged in a number of other activities to advocate for this population. I will be placing more photographs on the web and adding more on this subject in the months to come.
Drug and Alcohol ministry at Cleveland City Mission with the Gospel House 1991
(Homeless Vision Project) There were two projects:
The first was Eye Care for Cleveland which I started when my employer at the time allowed me to use their equipment to screen homeless men at the Cleveland City Mission at night on my time as part of Health Care for the Homeless Clinics. I ask for and received the support of First Lady Barbara Bush in a effort to expand the program.
Eye Care For Cleveland
Looking for help for the program
The second program was started at the suggestion of Dr. Eric Eleff a retinal specialist which received broad political support and community involvement. The program collected used eye glasses and redistributed them to those in need.
It operated in a gray area but when I was able to get the support of Cole Vision the largest optical retailer in the country, Mike White the Mayor of Cleveland, Jay Westbrook the President of Cleveland City Council, Stephanie Tubbs Jones the County Prosecutor, Tim Hagan a County Commissioner, Catholic Church Bishop Pilla and a large number of optometrist supporting you, it worked out OK. We collect around 4,000 glasses the first week. The program was shifted to Health Care for the Homeless. When the program ended The remaining glasses where given to the Cleveland Sight Center for a project in Central America
Eye Glass Project
None of the vision programs could have exsisted without the support of Robert G. Wiley, M.D., William Martin, M.D. and the Cleveland Eye Clinic who where my employers at the time. I handled their marketing and was community outreach coordinator (Review of Ophthalmology Reach Out with Free Glaucoma Screenings ).
Art Projects:
Lazarus Project Photo Distric News N.Y., N.Y.
Homelessness a view from the street 1996 20 artist travelling exhibit.
Homless Still: A Second View of the Street 1997 a multiple site county wide juried multi-media exhibit 1997 around 100+ artist.
