November 11, 2008

"Election time provides a perfect opportunity for people who are experiencing homelessness in our country to advocate for their own rights," says Katy Kelleghan, Associate Director of Heartland Alliance's Healthcare for the Homeless program.

Heartland Alliance participants include first-time voters, domestic violence survivors, and people struggling to emerge from poverty. Several Heartland programs provided these participants with information on voter registration, voting rights, and polling place locations.

Heartland Alliance's Healthcare for the Homeless program recently helped homeless patients register to vote. "Finding a place to sleep and something to eat is the first thing on their mind, not 'how am I going to vote.' We wanted to make it accessible for patients to register to vote." As the registration deadline approached, volunteers offered voter registration onsite at Heartland Alliance's Uptown community health center.

The voter registration drive was led by volunteers who have experienced homelessness, been patients of Heartland Alliance's health care services, or both. Jim, a patient of the Healthcare for the Homeless program, volunteered and received special training to register homeless voters. Several members of Heartland Alliance's Consumer Advisory Board, which consists of homeless or formerly homeless people who have been served by Heartland Alliance's health care services, staffed the registration table.

On Election Day, the newly registered voters cast their ballots at the same local affordable housing facility where Jim now lives. Jim, who was recently recognized for his extraordinary leadership, is clearly passionate about giving the homeless a voice in the process of changing and ending homelessness.

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