With sweeps and fascist policing/immigration tactics ramping up all over the country, we must make sure our initiatives to fight them are informed by, come from and are supported by the people who are directly impacted!!! Street outreach is how we do this!
Join WRAP on Tuesday, July 22 on zoom at 3pm pst | 4pm mt | 6pm et for a training on the different methodologies, context and implementation of street outreach! There will be examples from WRAP members who represent organizations in different states who have been fighting back against criminalization and sweeps in their communities.
This training comes at an important time where the livelihoods of our unhoused neighbors continue to be faced with an onslaught of attacks (320 laws that make it a crime to be homeless have been introduced since Grant’s passed a year ago!!!. NHLC) This training is for anyone who is interested in learning about street outreach as a way to build accountability in their organizing!
RSVP: bit.ly/wrapoutreach
Civil Rights Outreach
The preliminary findings from our street outreach to over 1657 homeless people in 16 communities shows:
*82% of survey respondents reported being harassed, cited, or arrested for sleeping.
*77% of survey respondents reported being harassed, cited, or arrested for sitting or lying on the sidewalk.
*75% of survey respondents reported being harassed, cited, or arrested for loitering or hanging out.
Sweeps Outreach
A sample from the 270 outreaches tabulated so far:
*85% not offered any storage –
*77% had their belongings thrown away during the sweep
*76% ended up back in the streets
73% were given stay away orders from the area
*88% not offered any services
of those given referrals 78% of the referrals were unsuccessful,
*6% were offered a shelter bed, by far largest “service” offered
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