January 11, 2009

TO: President-Elect Barack Obama

FROM: Ruben Botello, Founder
AMERICAN HOMELESS SOCIETY

Dear Mr. Obama:

I have been in and out of homelessness since being honorably discharged as a USMC Vietnam veteran in 1969. I wound up homeless then, in and out of homelessness with my two sons in the Eighties, and homeless on my own again in the Nineties.

I started the American Homeless Society in 1987 while my sons and I were homeless in California. I have been in several hunger strikes, marches and demonstrations for homeless rights since then but have seen little progress.

Today, in the Nonprofit Commons weekly meeting, a group of Nonprofit Commons members discussed their Mash-up Challenge project. I am voting for this project, and I am endorsing them.

Hi guys,

I work at a national non-profit organization called Do Something,
(dosomething.org) and we support kids empowering themselves and their
community by giving them $500 grants after approving their proposals for
the betterment of the community. We have created a game that involves
making the world a better place. Rather than killing people or trying to
make a million dollars, Karma Tycoon lets you run not-for-profit
organizations in 11 cities across the US while achieving the goal of
helping as many people as possible. Since we have just started it recently, I would love to hear your feedback on the game.  Check it out for yourself, www.karmatycoon.com

With Ukraine's President Yuschenko appealing today for radical improvement in child protection policies. 

http://en.for-ua.com/news/2007/03/13/165639.html

His priorities for 2007 include:

• passing and enforcing a law on the fulfillment of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child;
• promoting and encouraging adoption;
• introducing financial aid mechanisms to support children;
• eradicating homelessness among children;
• reforming the system of orphanages and children’s homes.

While I was in the shower a couple of minutes ago, I figured out this simple concept to help some homeless people:

If you own a bar, you want publicity, it has to reach out and make a positive connection to your bar. So you'd probably make some flyers and spread them. My simple concept adds to that, as follows:

1) Make flyers (postcard size)

• On the front side, 'One free beer for this good person'
• On the backside, '......... is a good person'
• Perhaps a little bit of design work to make it look 'official' (you'll understand if you read the rest)

2) Make contact with a homeless person who is willing to do some simple work