Miracle workers
JR had been homeless for nearly twelve years. He lived in his car but as of Aug. 19, he has his own place at Lei Kupuna. The path to having his own place was a difficult one. Thanks to two outstanding caseworkers who really cared, JR unlocked his front door.
Deanette Staudinger of Care Hawaii in Hilo was the catalyst in connecting JR with the Veteran’s Housing program. JR had tried for nearly a year to receive his discharge papers from the Veteran’s Association. Ms. Staudinger made that happen quicker than anyone imagined. She was attentive, caring and conscientious to make it happen.
Neav McAlister with the VA Homeless Veterans Program was the second miracle worker. Ms. McAlister worked for months with the housing program and the VA for JR’s placement.
Miracles do happen but it takes dedicated, caring and hardworking caseworkers to bring solutions to the homeless.
Felicita Ballesteros
Kona
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Call it what it is
Thank you, to Dr. Blum for his Aug. 10 “My Turn” commentary. Dr. Blum is right to raise concern about whether we’re doing enough to stop Hitler-like race-baiting. I think it’s troubling that on July 14 when a House amendment was proposed to monitor neo-Nazi/white supremist activity in our law enforcement and the military, every single Republican voted against it (all 208).
Inflamed rhetoric continues, contributing to a 150% increase in hate crimes against Asians falsely blamed for the Covid pandemic. Take for example the Aug. 8 Bloomberg commentary entitled “Biden’s Border Fiasco is Expanding”. The suggestion that there’s a “surging border crisis” typifies how exaggeration is used to stoke anxiety that brown-skinned people are flooding into America unchecked.
Of course, there’s no mention of President Biden’s success in the July 12 meeting with President Obrador, who agreed that Mexico would invest $1.5 billion in “smart border technology” to cooperate in dealing with the numerous border complexities. Nor is there mention of the many intelligent, well-informed humanitarian solutions that are already in the making. But the commentary’s derogatory fear-mongering about terrorists, drugs and illegals does effectively put a bounty on the head of every brown-skinned person in America.
While Canada and New Zealand have classified the Proud Boys as neo-fascist terrorists, here in America it upsets me that people slyly villainizing those they deem “different” are offered “bothsidesism” respect. Race-baiting isn’t just an “opinion.” Call it what it is. It’s hate, pure and simple.
Martha Hodges
Kailua Kona
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Tell us about it
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