Turf
A Community for Homeless Youth and Families
Our Turf

Self

"If I am not for myself, who will be for me?
And if I am only for myself, what am I?
And if not now - when?
--Rabbi Hillel

Most of us who grew up in the Land That Made Dysfunctional Famous don't have outstanding self-esteem to begin with; the traumas and losses that lead to homelessness usually wear down what was there. Being isolated and ignored as invisible has a very slimming effect on the sense of self. Claiming emotional ground can be even harder than claiming physical ground -- and gaining physical ground comes easier once we've got emotional ground.

Physical & Medical Help

A great many mental and emotional problems come down to physical, medical problems or poor nutrition. Personally, I believe low blood sugar has broken up more relationships that any other cause. Before you make any major decisions about your self or your life, please check out the food and medical help resources and make sure your body's not making the decisions for you.

Mental Health & Recovery Support

Many mental health issues, like depression, mania, schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, even what has been called borderline personality disorder, are the result of biochemistry -- not your relationship with your mother, or the sins of your father, or your lack of moral fiber. Sometimes they can be managed with medication, sometimes they can be managed without it. Often you will still have a lot of work to do putting your life together after you get off the particular biochemical ride you were on -- but it will be easier, after.

Mental health issues, recovery from addiction, and recovery from abuse are all easier to handle with professional help. You may or may not be able to find qualified help in your physical location. Peer support can also help, a lot.

Spiritual Ground

Finding your own spirituality.

Telling your story

Talking about yourself and being heard is amazing. Sometimes it can even stop the thoughts from spinning around in your head and let you move on.

Creating

The human drive to create is as great, or greater, than the will to physically survive.

Learning

Curiousity may have killed the cat, but it also kept bringing him back to life to find out what happened next. In medical studies, people who read a lot have a greater recovery and survival rate from all forms of illness and trauma.

Helping

Just because you need does not mean you cannot also give. You don't have to have the perfect words to tell someone, "I know you're hurting, and I'm sorry." You don't have to draw like Michelangelo to make a child smile. Even if you can't save the rainforest, you can plant a tree anywhere. You may never know how such little acts of love help, but they are the major part of what changes the world.

Virtual Turf

Build your own webpage, your virtual turf on the Net.

 

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Cultivating Turf in Seattle's Homeless Youth Gardens

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Anitra L. Freeman
c/o Real Change Homeless Empowerment Project
2129 Second Avenue Seattle WA 98104 USA
(206) 441-3247 (206) 441-8847 e-mail: anitra@spamcop.net