Category Archives: Ford

***2012 ANNOUNCEMENT from the Founder***

29 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in 501c3, Chevrolet, Ford, Homeless, homelessness, Intervention, Mobile Crisis, Nonprofit Grants, Nonprofits, Philanthopy, Private Foundations, Tax Deductions, Trucks

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12/28/2011 @ 11:15pm

Hello All, I am writing today to make an announcement about Straight Ahead Outreach – Taking back your life Inc., and the future.

First, Some simple facts of reality:

1)  Straight Ahead Outreach is small.  A micro 501c3 nonprofit.  It basically consists of me the Founder, who is also the CEO, Senior Case Manager, food & supplies shopper, Mobile Crisis Unit driver/mechanic and care giver to all we come into contact with and quite simply, the provider of all our services. I do this work full-time with no secular employment. I do not take a wage.  In addition there is my fiance Pat and she is the Vice President and she is secular employed, which has enabled me to do this work full-time.  However, it has simply placed to much of a financial hardship on us to do so.  In addition there are two very part-time volunteers in the Knoxville, TN area who help us help others there.  None of us take any wages from Straight Ahead Outreach activities or funds.   Pat and I are in the Clearwater/St. Petersburg FL area.  We are in Florida because our paying jobs in Knoxville TN dissipated in  early 2009 and we had no income coming in and it was the way we funded Straight Ahead Outreach activities in Knoxville TN.

2) We, I, have made myself available 24/7/365 days a year since 2007.  We became a 501c3 nonprofit on 1/1/2010.  However,  Since 1985 – 2007, I made myself available as my schedule and life allowed. The impact has been worth it, but has taken a toll on me, my fiance and my personal life.  But for some reason, here we still are.

3)  Straight Ahead Outreach does not receive any federal funding, nor do we seek any.  We only are able to provide our services when we receive private donations from the General Public or Private Foundations.  Currently and since January 2011 – today, 12/28/2011 we have received approximately $1300.00 in total cash donations and we have been unable to put barely any of our own personal funds in like we did last year.  With the level and quantity of services we normally provide, $1300.00 is minute and embarrassing to me as Founder.  I know I am not good at raising money, and I do not “blow our horn” enough.  But, I just do not believe in boasting about what we do all the time, I believe more in simply “doing it”. Last year we put approximately $9600 of our own funds into our roughly $20,000.00 year of activities in 2010.  We personally borrowed money this year to put tires on the Mobile Crisis van to keep it on the road.  From 1985 to 2008, everything I ever did for the homeless and or suicidals came out of our own personal wages/pockets.  This 2011 has simply brought us to our knees, a really bad year.  We no longer have funds to provide gas and food monies to our volunteers in Knoxville, TN to operate and help those in need there who call us.

4)  On my birthday this last September 19th, the transmission gave out on our 1995 Chevrolet 250,000 mile van which we use for our Mobile Crisis unit, our only vehicle and only personally owned vehicle.  Since that day we have been without our own vehicle and or a proper Mobile Crisis Vehicle.  Thanks to a friend, we are borrowing her car, but that needs to be returned as it is not ours.  So, needless to say, I am unable to get to our Friends In Need like I was able to before.  Even if the van was fixed or if we had a brand new one, we do not have the funds needed for fuel as it takes alot of fuel to perform the services we provide.

5)  You may ask…well why don’t they receive grants?  Grants are easy to get right?  No.  Much of the grants out there from even Private Foundations are designed for specific areas or “type” of “program”.   For instance, we are what I have labeled us…a Mobile Crisis Unit. Ok, well thats easy right?  No.  You see, most grants cover Mobile Crisis Units because they are for Mental Health/Suicide specifically.  Or maybe for a housing program, or education, or transportation or the like.  The problem is, Straight Ahead Outreach does it all.  We have a different definition of Crisis and Mobile Crisis.  You can read about it here.

6) We did NOT have to become a 501c3 nonprofit.  Nope, we sure didn’t.  The reason we decided to file for nonprofit status was to be accountable to the IRS and to you the General Public.  We could have flown under the radar for a long time as long as we stayed under $25,000.00. Heck, as long as an org is under $10-$15,000.00 budget they are still a nonprofit, it is just that the donations they receive “might not” be tax deductible unless they are a 501c3.  We wanted to be legit in all ways and accountable.

Ok….so, Basically, I believe you get the idea.  We simply cannot continue without the funds or the vehicle to perform our services.   AND, I am horrible at raising funds.  My work, expertise and concentration is in helping our Friends In Need.  I despise the process of raising (begging for) money.  You see, we are a real life 501c3 nonprofit.  Donations made to us including vehicles, money, property, and more are tax deductible under the full extent of the IRS federal Tax Code.

Sooooo here ya go….the announcement….

*****  2012  ANNOUNCEMENT*****

As of January 1, 2012, Straight Ahead Outreach-Taking Back Your Life Inc., will not be taking on any new clients or Friends In Need.  We will discontinue assistance to current Friends In Need and we will discontinue reaching out to those we see on the road as we drive (which is my biggest weakness and call) as I want to help them all.  If we do receive donations, they will go first to replace our Mobile Crisis Unit van and to build up a funding pool to help those in need in the way we believe they should be helped and to properly operate, equip and supply our organization.  You see, all our donations in the past have gone to help those in need and barely any to the operating costs and needs of our organization.  We will then assist those in need on a part-time basis and “as able, when able” basis.  Simply, if we do not have the equipment and or supplies to perform our services, the services cannot be performed, the organization, well…..this announcement happens.  I know this is not the first announcement you have seen like this in 2011 where a nonprofit no longer has funds to operate.  It is a tragedy.

I will assess our organizations viability and if we feel we can successfully secure any Private Foundation grants in order to operate beyond 2012 or if Straight Ahead Outreach needs to be dissolved as a 501c3 nonprofit.  That decision will be made by the end of this, our calendar year of 2012 which will be 12/31/2012.

So, there it is.  We have done a great deal of work including some things you may not know such as bringing our homeless Friends In Need to our personal home many times for dinner, laundry, showers, fun and also to live with us for 4-5 months at a time covering ALL their needs financially through donations received and our own personal funds.

I simply cannot do this any longer unless we have the needed funds to operate the services.  The gasoline for the van is not free, the food we provide to those we assist is not free, the bandages are not free, the tires for the van are not free, the apartments or motel stays we provide for those in need are not free, the water and soap to do their laundry is not free, the storage for their belongings is not free, the printing ink and paper is not free, our cell phones are not free and the cable service for me to run this website is not free.  I don’t know, maybe Jesus has a different plan for Straight Ahead Outreach or me for that matter.

I am not here to impress.  Straight Ahead Outreach – Taking back Your Life Inc., was not created to impress anyone.  It, I and anyone involved with Straight Ahead Outreach are here to help others.  Period.

So here ya go, if you want to give to a very serious organization and help save us.  That wonderful Donate button (PayPal Secure) follows and is there for you to push and make a donation.  We would love to meet anyone who donates and talk about what we do and why it is good for you and those in need.  That way you get to know us.  ***If we do receive donations, but have not received $15,000.00 worth of donations by 12/31/2012 we will refund all donations. 

I sincerely Thank You for taking the time to read this long letter and for any donations you may feel inclined to provide to saving our organization in 2012.

Lance Greene – Founder

Cell: 865-964-1461

Still In Need of Assistance – TAX DEDUCTIBLE

30 Friday Sep 2011

Posted by in 501c3, Auto Repairs, charities, Chevrolet, Clearwater FL, donate, Emergency Shelter, Ford, GMC, homelessness, Knoxville TN, Mobile Crisis, Nonprofit, St. Petersburg FL, Tampa Bay, Vans

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REPEATED POST – AS POSTED ON 9/22/2011

9/22/2011

Our Mobile Crisis Unit needs Your Help today.

2011 has just about brought Straight Ahead Outreach to the brink of ending its path of helping those in need.  We have not given up however, but we need YOUR help to continue even in the most minimal of ways.  We continue to help our Friends In Need as best we can.  Funds are simply non-existent.  We are a 501c3 nonprofit.  All donations are fully tax deductible under the 501c3 IRS Code.

Our Mobile Crisis van provides numerous benefits to those in need who we help in many ways. You can go to our WHAT and HOW pages here to see what all we do. The biggest value i see is our “Being There” for our Friends In Need when they need us most.  Its that look on their faces when we show up to provide them some relief, some Hope.  It is priceless.

We are needing your help to repair the transmission in our Our 1995 Chevrolet  Mobile Crisis van pictured above or to replace the van.  However, repair is fine as the engine in the van seems strong even with the 240,000 miles on it.   It is our only vehicle for Straight Ahead Outreach and actually mine and Pat’s only personal vehicle which we use for Straight Ahead Outreach activities.

1) $2000.00 = Funds Needed to repair & Rebuild Transmission, replace U-Joints and replace the rear-end differential pinion grease seal in our current van as pictured above.

2) $5000.00 = Funds needed to replace current van with a van like this pictured here ….

Please Help Today.  We realize it is difficult for you personally to see the Value in it for you.  I ask you please to see the Value Your Help provides to our Friends In Need.  That Value is realized when Straight Ahead Outreach is able to simply “Be There” at the right Time for one of our Friends In Need.   It is priceless.

Thank you, Lance Greene / Founder

If Not You, Then Who?

Plain and Simple Fact.

We rely on folks like You for funds.  Folks like You rely on folks like us to do the work.  

Knoxville TN – St. Petersburg FL – Clearwater FL – Tampa Bay FL areas

GMC, Chevrolet, Ford Vans work best for our activities.

Mobile Crisis Unit Needs YOUR Help……..

22 Thursday Sep 2011

Posted by in 501c3, Auto Dealers, Auto Repairs, charities, Chevrolet, Clearwater FL, donate, Ford, friends in need, GMC, Homeless, homelessness, Knoxville TN, St. Petersburg FL, Tampa Bay, Vans

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9/22/2011

Our Mobile Crisis Unit needs Your Help today.

 2011 has just about brought Straight Ahead Outreach to the brink of ending its path of helping those in need.  We have not given up however, but we need YOUR help to continue even in the most minimal of ways.  We continue to help our Friends In Need as best we can.  Funds are simply non-existent.  We are a 501c3 nonprofit.  All donations are fully tax deductible under the 501c3 IRS Code.

Our Mobile Crisis van provides numerous benefits to those in need who we help in many ways. You can go to our WHAT and HOW pages here to see what all we do. The biggest value i see is our “Being There” for our Friends In Need when they need us most.  Its that look on their faces when we show up to provide them some relief, some Hope.  It is priceless.

We are needing your help to repair the transmission in our Our 1995 Chevrolet  Mobile Crisis van pictured above or to replace the van.  However, repair is fine as the engine in the van seems strong even with the 240,000 miles on it.   It is our only vehicle for Straight Ahead Outreach and actually mine and Pat’s only personal vehicle which we use for Straight Ahead Outreach activities.

1) $2000.00 = Funds Needed to repair & Rebuild Transmission, replace U-Joints and replace the rear-end differential pinion grease seal in our current van as pictured above.

2) $5000.00 = Funds needed to replace current van with a van like this pictured here ….

Please Help Today.  We realize it is difficult for you personally to see the Value in it for you.  I ask you please to see the Value Your Help provides to our Friends In Need.  That Value is realized when Straight Ahead Outreach is able to simply “Be There” at the right Time for one of our Friends In Need.   It is priceless.

Thank you, Lance Greene / Founder

If Not You, Then Who?

 Plain and Simple Fact.

We rely on folks like You for funds.  Folks like You rely on folks like us to do the work.  

Knoxville TN – St. Petersburg FL – Clearwater FL – Tampa Bay FL areas

GMC, Chevrolet, Ford Vans work best for our activities.

Professional References for STA

16 Tuesday Aug 2011

Posted by in 501c3, charities, charity, Chevrolet, Clearwater FL, donate, donations, Donors, Families, Ford, friends in need, GMC, homelessness, Intervention, Jesus, Knoxville TN, Mobile Crisis, Police, Shelters, St. Petersburg FL, Suicide Intervention, Tampa Bay, Trucks, Uncategorized, Vans

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TOMLINSON ADULT LEARNING CENTER: PLEASE CLICK ON THE FOLLOWING LINK TO VIEW A PDF OF THE REFERENCE LETTER:  TOMLINSON LETTER OF REFERENCE

REFERENCES BELOW ARE AS POSTED ON LANCE GREENE’S LINKEDIN ACCOUNT

HTTP://WWW.LINKEDIN.COM/PUB/LANCE-GREENE/14/119/A38

JYL WALKER

, Artisan, Jyl Walker Jewelry Designs (business partner)
was with another company when working with you

“I met Lance quite by chance about a year ago. Through many discussions and following his work, what I can say about Lance is that he is much like a “Mother Theresa” in that he is a hands on, in the mix support system for many who have been forgotten. He is dedicated to those he serves, caring and compassionate beyond most.” December 7, 2010

AARON WILLIAMS

, Director of Technology and Media, Heroes for the Homeless (business partner)
was with another company when working with you

“Lance is a caring and effective starter. His work is a genuine testament to his drive and passion. His focus and hard work yield remarkable results, as shown by Straight Ahead Outreach. He is a true asset to the community and a value to his colleagues.” December 5, 2010

DAVID GARGAN

, Owner, Eco Clean Carpet Care (colleague)
worked directly with you

“Lance works on every project with complete dedication. His attention to details is amazing. I was always very confident in asking Lance to take on more responsibility knowing he would make things happen.”December 5, 2010

TIM HUFF – VINTAGE INTERIORS

 (client)
Tim hired you as a Helping homeless people in 2009

Top qualities: Great Results, Personable, High Integrity

“Lance Greene is an angel on Earth. He has devoted his life to helping the homeless in so many ways. He finds them housing along with life essentials. He helps them find jobs and couseling. He has a wonderful organization with Straight Ahead Outreach. I don’t think there’s a better person out there than Lance.”December 7, 2010

LINDA THOMAS

, Senior Accountant, Knoxville’s Community Development Corp (KCDC) (business partner)
was with another company when working with you

“Lance Greene is a dedicated individual who works hard to help others. Going the extra “mile” in his efforts to help others get back on track with their lives. We had a mutual client and he worked very hard to assist this client to obtain housing and get back to living her own life. He is very dedicated in his work.” December 6, 2010

PATRICIA MISHLER

, Vice President/Treasurer/Secretary, Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) (colleague)
worked directly with you

“I have known Lance for the past seven years. Lance is my fiancé and we are business partners in Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life), Inc. Lance is an enthusiastic, sincere, extremely competent individual who has an excellent rapport with people of all backgrounds. Lance is dedicated, hardworking, and demonstrates excellent leadership and resolve in his work. Lance’s communication skills are exceptional and his kind, compassionate nature comes out in his approach to complex problems or obstacles. I say with respect and appreciation – I am fortunate to know Lance in both business and personal environments and I unreservedly support his work, goals, integrity, and his concern for mankind”   December 6, 2010

The below Reference Letter is from an email letter received by a local Friend In Need in Florida.

GWEN 2011

Here I am again, begging shamelessly for your help with this problem. This is really important.  Please go to the link below, and read about the current plight of my friends Lance and Pat. They operate a LEGITIMATE 501c3 charity here in Pinellas and in Knoxville, TN.  It is called Straight Ahead (STA) Outreach (Taking Back Your Life), and it helps people in crisis. They help people who have been failed by the system, fallen between the cracks, turned out of shelters and nursing homes, and REALLY need help to survive drugs, homelessness, attempted suicide, starvation, illness and death.

http://homelesscrisis.wordpress.com/2011/07/12/help-spread-the-word-please/

But Lance and Pat do MUCH more than just scrape up remnants of OD’d street people.  They go without food and medicine in order to give their money to help people with families find food, medical care, transportation, jobs and places to live. They travel around the county picking up donated articles to help people in nursing homes and ALFs. Shelters and government agencies call Straight Ahead for assistance.  And STA does this without funding of any kind.  It is amazing how much they do with NO MONEY except a few small donations from a few nice people who have stumbled on STA.  Their clients are not all nameless faceless people separated from “us” by circumstance or accident of birth.  I have met some of their clients, who are nice people, just trying to get by.  I have been privileged to provide some help, in a small way.  In fact, I am a client myself.

Yes, I said it. Straight Ahead helps ME as well. My health has taken a bad turn and I am no longer able to drive, or shop for myself.  Lance and Pat run my errands, bring my groceries, pick up prescriptions, do handyman work at my house, help me box up and donate stuff, take me places when I can’t get there on my own, and carry my packages. They have done my dishes, laundry, moved furniture and vacuumed. They talk to me by phone and text late into the night and keep my spirits up when I am in too much pain to sleep and I need a friend. They were here for me after my husband died and this week after my brother died, offering comforting hugs and moral support. They walk my dogs on days when I can’t get out. They jumped in their old van and drove 20 miles up from Tyrone when I got my wheelchair stuck in the mud while walking the dogs one evening after dinner.  If you live in my neighborhood, you have seen their van in my driveway every week. Last year I donated a couple of truckloads of excess household goods.  None of the stuff I donated was sold; it was all given to help people here in Pinellas County.

I’m am forwarding this via BCC to 10 of my friends. I am BEGGING you, once again, to forward it to 10 of your friends, anywhere in the country.  PLEASE keep it going.  Go to the link and read about their need. You don’t need to donate anything, but if you ARE moved to help financially, donation is quick and painless on their website. They keep excellent records and will provide a detailed receipt, on request, for your tax return. You can stay anonymous if you like.  You won’t be added to any mailing lists.  This is not a scam.  Please do it now. Read about them and pass this on.

THANK YOU!
Gwen

Reviews as posted on Great Nonprofits:  

Please click on the following link to Great Nonprofits: http://bit.ly/rcyrSH

2011 Financials Snapshot Update

22 Friday Jul 2011

Posted by in 501c3, charities, Chevrolet, Children, Clearwater FL, Diploma, disability, donations, Education, Families, Financial Statement, Financials, Ford, friends in need, Fundraising, GED, Health Care, Help, Homeless, homeless children, Homeless Veterans, Homelesscrisis, Housing, Intervention, Jesus, Knoxville TN, Mobile Crisis, Navy Veterans, Philanthropists, Police, Real Estate, Sheriff, St. Petersburg FL, Straight Ahead Outreach, Tampa Bay, Trucks, Uncategorized, Vans, Vehicle Repairs, Veterans

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7/22/2011

Thank You for stopping by. 

We wanted to give everyone a brief snapshot of our year so far.  Our operating year is Jan – Dec.  

Total Donations received to date in 2011:   $1195.00

 Plain and Simple Fact.

We need to rely on folks like You for funds.  Folks like You need to rely on folks like us to do the work.  

If Not You, Then Who?

Since January of this year, we have assisted on a one on one basis over 100 people with a number of our services.  In addition, just this month we have placed two laptop computers on a “loaner” basis to two of our Friends In Need in order to provide them better access to look for jobs, housing and other needs rather than accessing the “Chronic Assistance Cycle”, we are showing them to do it on their own.  This weekend we plan spending time with two of them training them more on the use of the Internet, Microsoft Word and Excel.  The goal is to build them to self-reliance as soon as possible and get them Up&Out of the Chronic Assistance Cycle.  In addition, we will be meeting with 3 others this weekend for follow up interviews.  It all takes fuel and funds for meals at these meetings.  Remember, we are meeting and spending Time with those in need.  These are not Golf outings. 

We spend extensive time with all of those we encounter.  It takes money.  Plain and Simple Fact.

If you do the math, assisting over 100 people with food, clothing, transportation, extensive time and more, while funds raised is $1195.00. This breaks down to available funds of $11.95 for each person we have assisted.  It simply is not enough.  The money needs to come from somewhere.   When needed monetary donations do not come in, we are placed in a situation where we must use our personal funds.  When our personal funds are depleted as they are now…….then what?

We provide the communities in which we operate an extremely valuable service.  We need your help to continue this service. 

Help STA Fight Social decay.  Donate Today. 

Please Donate anything you can right now.  Please, even $1.00 will help as it all adds up together.  We are a 501c3 nonprofit and your donations are tax deductible under the full extent of the law.

**Mobile Crisis van update.  It is running and we are driving it, but the transmission still will not shift into high gear.  Still needing to replace the van as it has over 235,000 miles and is beginning to nickle and dime us.

We Thank You for taking the time today to read and visit our site.  We Thank You in advance for making a Monetary Donation today.

Lance Greene/Founder

The Best Phone Call Ever!

19 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in 501c3, AMVETS, charities, charity, Clearwater FL, Death, disability, donate, Ford, GMC, Health Care, Homeless, Homeless Veterans, homelessness, Housing, Jesus, Knox County Sheriff, Knoxville TN, Mobile Crisis, Navy Veterans, Philanthropists, Police, Real Estate, Sheriff, St. Petersburg FL, Straight Ahead Outreach, Suicide Intervention, Veterans

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7/19/2011

It couldn’t have been better.  It came at a much needed time.  The best call of my past 26 years of helping those in need.   The Best Phone Call Ever.

For the last 26 years, i have had this talent of seeming to be able to just be able to tell innately that those i have helped are “ok”.

Except for one.  There has been one on my mind since the day we met him back in 2008 in Knoxville, TN.  A United States of America Navy Veteran who has been without a place to call home for over 15 years, roaming the streets of Knoxville, TN. Yep, lots to his story.  The bottom line of his story though?  I care deeply for him as a person as i do most of those we help.  Yep, i said most.

Since September 19th, 2010 (which is happens to be my birthday) i have wondered if “James” was still alive.   Last year on September 19th, 2010, i flew from St. Petersburg, FL to Knoxville, TN to take care of some much needed things for our disabled friend DONNA in Oak Ridge, TN along with see some of the others we help in Knoxville.  ”James” is one of those.

James and i have been through a great deal together.  My former boss had allowed me the privilege to hire James at his company.  It provided James with a little money and me the extra one on one time i needed to try and influence James to Taking Back His Life.   After time i had to let James go from that company, but we left friends/aquaintences.  However, we still kept in contact with him, seeing him often in Knoxville.

The interaction with James was always intense.  He is a brilliant man with numerous talents.  He just had issues he needed to address and his and mine conversations addressed those issues on a number of occasions.

On one particular occasion, due to a confrontation James got into at a local business, was after i had dropped him off with his belongings in order for him to check into a motel.  I headed down Chapman Highway back towards Knoxville, but something told me to go back, something told me things were going to get ugly.  So, i pulled a u-turn and put the pedal to the floor heading back to the motel.  They were not going to rent to him.  Just as i had told him and he argued with me on.

With in seconds our Mobile crisis van was surrounded by 4 Sheriff Deputies.  James was inside.  Long long story short, the Sheriffs released James into my custody.  They were going to take him to jail.

Again, James is close to my heart and this did not faze me as to how i felt about his possible future success.  I would continue to try.

We rode together down Chapman Highway and i pulled into a Walmart parking lot.  James and i sat there and talked for hours.  James is a tough, tough individual.  It was intense, very intense.  James cried, he broke down and cried.  To me…that was a major success.  We were addressing very deep ugly issues within James. Things he feared and felt for years.  It was not fun and it was not pretty.  But it was.

Then, some months later, after not seeing James for some time, it was January.  January 16th, 2009.  Pat and i were leaving Knoxville, TN for Florida because we had lost our secular jobs, the very jobs which at the time funded our organization via our personal wages. Pat was being offered a position with her previous employer here in Largo, Fl.  We had to take it or lose everything we had.  We were in the Market Square Kitchen to say good bye to some of those in need we had helped.  It was emotional.  We did not want to move from Knoxville.  It would be tougher to continue our work there although we do to this very day, this exact moment.  As we arrived to meet our friends at the Market Square Kitchen, there sat James at an outside table, well dressed in his Penny Loafers as he likes to do, leather jacket and nice slacks and shirt.  Keep in mind he is what we as a society call homeless.  He is a USA Navy Veteran.  He had heard from another that we were moving and he could come there to see us off……if he wanted to.  Remember, our last talk was severely tough.  Severely painful for James.  However, evidently severely full of impact and meaning to him.  I could have only hoped and prayed for that, which i did.

As Pat and i were getting ready to leave, after we had said our good byes to everyone and we were in our Mobile Crisis van, i had to give James something out of the van and so he met me at the side door of the Market Square Kitchen.  As i handed James the item, he told me thanks for everything (tears now coming as i write this), “be careful” and hope to see you again soon…….then he floored me……………………………………..

He told me……………….”I Love You.  Thank You. Really.  I mean it”.

It took all i had to keep myself composed.  I told him, I love you too James.   I got into the van, waited for James to go out of site, turned to Patrica and fell apart.  Bawled my eyes out!  As Oprah puts it i did the “Ugly Cry”  :-))!

Back to September 19th, 2010.  So i had flown to Knoxville TN from St. Pete.  One of the things on my list was to find James and see how he was.  I found his “camp” in Knoxville where he slept at the time, but i could not find him.  I am excellent at finding people i am looking for.  I could not find James himself.  I left a note at his camp site on my business card which he is very familiar with.  I was in Knoxville for a few days.  Nothing, heard nothing from James.  I asked around at the other orgs in town but no one had seen him.  Most of that reason is James never liked to access the Assistance World all that much.  I never found him.  I looked for hours on two different days.  Nothing.  It started to settle in me that the worst had happened.  I could ALWAYS locate James, but not now.  All i could think was he was dead.

I was horrified, on 9/19/2010, my birthday.  Probably the worst birthday of my life.  I figured James was laying dead somewhere after being beaten or something and i simply couldn’t find him. I have beat the hell out of myself every single day since that 9/19/2010 day/week not being able to locate him.  I have asked people to look for me, put “feelers” out for him, continually emailed him hoping for a response, any response. I prayed and had conversation after conversation with Jesus right up to and including this very moment.  Patricia was back in St. Pete and i was in Knoxville trying to deal with all the ugliness there.

And then…………….THIS last Thursday….. JULY 14th, 2011.  I get an email saying……..CALL ME ASAP.  Easy work here.

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAt????!!!!!!    You have to be kidding me!   Yep it was JAMES!  Alive and well!

I have to say it………….Thank You Jesus!  Now i know what You have been doing all this time.  Exactly what i asked for.  :-))!

I called James that evening at 7:00pm, 7/14/2011, approx a year and two months after i had been looking for him.  We spoke about his job there in Knoxville TN which he is very happy with.  Last time we seen James he was a dishwasher and not happy in 2009.  The time before that was our “ugly talk” James and i had in the Walmart parking lot after the Sheriffs had released him to me in 2008.

* James did not have a real job

*James did not have a car or any sort of transportation

*James felt his life would be hopeless

*James did not have a drivers license

*James, a Navy Vet should have been on disability but was not

* James did not have a home or any where to stay with friends.  He was without a roof over his head. Yep he was what society labels as homeless.

Then James explained to me:

** He enjoys his new, real job

** He now has a Mini Van of his own

** He now has his drivers license back

** He now has his own apartment with really nice furniture (as he doesn’t bring junk into his apt)

** He now has his disability which he worked to get on his own through a lawyer he obtained

** He now has money in the bank, which he is determined to hang onto.

******  He is indeed ALIVE!  He has done it through his own determination.

He listened, he heard, he hurt, he got mad and he did it!  He did it!

And that my friends……………..is………………The Best Phone Call Ever!

And that my friends is how it works.

Social Decay has ended, been defeated in this former Friend In Need in Knoxville, TN.  James is now as our Mission Statement says……”A Positive contributing Force”  in the Knoxville, TN Community once again.

James, succeeded in Taking Back His Life.

Lance Greene/Founder :-))!

Help Spread The Word Please…..

12 Tuesday Jul 2011

Posted by in 501c3, Auto Dealers, Auto Repairs, Cars, charities, charity, Chevrolet, Clearwater FL, donations, Ford, GMC, Homeless, homelessness, Knoxville TN, Mobile Crisis, Philanthropists, Real Estate, St. Petersburg FL, Straight Ahead Outreach, Tampa Bay, Truck Stops, Trucks, Vans, Vehicle Repairs

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7/12/11

Hello everyone.  We are writing this blog today and will be emailing it out also.   We are asking you to simply Help Us Spread The Word Please.

Yesterday, our Mobile Crisis/Intervention Unit van began its further decent into non-existence.   It is a 1995 Chevrolet Cargo van with approx 235,000 miles on it.  It has been good to us.  It is actually Lance Greene & Pat Mishlers’ personal vehicle and only vehicle.   It gets used for all of STA’s Mobile Crisis activities.

Last week i repaired the water pump myself.  I installed new front brakes about 3 months ago.  We put new tires on it about 2 months ago.

Now, the transmission is not shifting into high gear.  If we continue to drive it, which we will, the van will be out of commission soon.  Very soon.  It also needs new U-Joints, a thermostat, rear brakes badly and a windshield wiper motor.   The most important being the transmission however.

That will mean, Straight Ahead Outreach (Taking Back Your Life) Inc. and its Mobile crisis/Intervention Unit will be out of commission other than what we do on the phones and computer to help our Friends In Need.

Our Mobile Crisis van is our 2nd most important tool.  Our phones are our most important.  We are contacted by agencies, other Friends In Need, and friends & relatives of people in need by phone or they see our van and approach us.  We then get to them in our Mobile Crisis Van.  We do not expect them to get to us as we are 100% Mobile.  We do not have a facility.

We either need help to get this van repaired or a replacement van.  We are a nonprofit.  We receive no federal funding and very little donations from the general public.   We work hard and make huge one on one impacts in those we help, our Friends In Need.

If you or anyone you may know wishes to Donate to this specific need, please,…. please email me at:  straightaheadlwg@gmail.com and advise me of that.  Or you may simply call me at: 865-964-1461.  Why?   Because if we do not raise enough to take care of the repairs, then we want to return the monies to you which you donated with the repairs in mind.  We/STA does not wish to keep funds which you gave for a specific purpose if we do not or are not able to carry out that specific situation.  What i mean here is, for example, if we get 50 people to give $20.00 that simply is not going to cover the costs.  So, we would not want to mislead those 50 people into giving $20.00 and then not be able to use it on the repairs.   Your Money is simply just too valuable these days for it not to be spent where it was intended.  We realize this and respect it.

The needed repairs would cost approx $4000.00

We could replace the van for approx  $11,000.00

We are asking you today to please simply pass this information on to as many people you can to Help Us Spread The Word.

Will you please pass this on now?  If you pass it on to 10 people and they do the same and so on, we are bound to come across someone who can help us with this urgent situation. 

Thank you for your time,

Lance Greene/Founder

If you choose, you may click here on the Donate button and Help via PayPal.  If we do not raise enough funds for the repairs or a replacement vehicle we will be happy to refund your donation.

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