Campus Connection

A commonly heard cliché about Charm is that it needs “cleaning up,” an expression synonymous with reducing crime, eliminating drug sales and making the streets safer. It also encompasses a solution to city “eyesores” such as its homeless. In homeless sweeps conducted by the city a few weeks ago, a large number of homeless were forcibly evicted from locations in downtown Baltimore where they had commonly spent their nights. City

Students at the University of Maryland-Baltimore have made strides toward aiding the homeless, most notably through the effort of Project Jumpstart, a student-run organization aimed at ameliorating homelessness in the community. Since its inception in January 2005 by Daniel Andersen, the former Graduate Student Association president, and Julie Della-Maria, a radiation oncology post-doctoral fellow, Project Jumpstart members have undertaken regular food, toiletries and clothes collection drives, held fundraising happy hours and also arranged two benefit concerts at Westminster Hall, the last of which featured a glass-blowing exhibit and wine tasting. The organization has been the object of much acclaim, both on and off campus.

To express solidarity with the current plight of the homeless and to protest their eviction from the streets, Project Jumpstart organized a “sleep out” on the evening of August 22 at the corner of Guilford Ave. and Bath St.—just blocks away from City Hall. A few nights earlier near the same location, James and Rowan, one such homeless couple, were intimidated and then evicted by Baltimore City Police.

“‘If you don’t move your stuff, we’re going to throw it away’,” recounted Rowan quoting the police officer. “This part of the city has a lot of businesses and we’re an eyesore to the folk who come here.”

James noted the challenges preventing a homeless couple from staying together at nights. “We can’t live together at the same shelter because there are separate shelters for men and women, they don’t have shelters where couples can go to any more,” he said.

About eight UMB students were in attendance prior to the sleep-out distributing clothes and food or simply to show their support.  Another group of six UMB students and staff joined about ten students from Towson in participating in the sleep-out itself.   University

Many of those students in attendance frequently participated in the bi-weekly campus food, clothing and toiletries collection drives every Tuesday and Friday organized by Project Jumpstart. “Even the Friday evening drives see a fair amount of participation since the time commitment is only about an hour and a half,” said second year law student Kara Rademacher who was at the venue that night with a banner reading “NIMBY is not the answer,” using an acronym referring to “not in my backyard.”

Like many other Project Jumpstart participants, she feels completely at ease in the presence of people otherwise considered outcasts of society. “Sure, many of them have problems dealing with addiction and may lack certain social skills, but by and large they could easily fit into the mainstream,” she contends.

“Homelessness is not a choice,” said Kirk, “and it is common to blame the victims for their plight. Homelessness has increased in incidence since the ‘80s due to unfavorable economic factors. It doesn’t affect single males alone but encompasses entire families too. Just as we have advocated rights for disenfranchised groups in the past, it is time the homeless are recognized as an underprivileged group…The school has been very encouraging towards PJS and towards helping out the underprivileged in general….it’s also heartening to see so much participation from all schools across campus.”

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