This week was an amazing week for me. Three years ago when I lost my cushy, six-figure marketing job I aggressively went after executive employment in homeless services. For some time I was back involved helping people with socks and water on weekends, so since unemployment is a chance to go after dreams I thought I would chase mine. Unfortunately, because of the economy, I found a nightmare. No one would hire me – not homeless services – not McDonald’s.
This week the National Alliance to End Homelessness flew me in to their annual homeless conference in Washington, DC. It was truly an honor, but in all honesty I have all of you to thank. Here I am a guy with a cellphone, laptop and social media. Even though I have a great resume, and my creative projects have raised millions of dollars for nonprofits, the only job I could find in homeless services was a low-paying case manager gig. Please note: I am grateful for Path Achieve Glendale for hiring me, and I also feel like it was meant to be since I learned so much. The point I am trying to make is that not one homeless services organization would hire me to help with their marketing, yet InvisiblePeople.tv’s even with a very limited budget has had more impact than maybe all the other big-budget homeless services marketing campaigns combined. For this I must thank each and every one of you for your continued support.
Here are a few highlights of the event:
100KHomes launched their new campaign (I’ll blog more about this)
My interview with Officer Robert Martinez from Santa Monica Homeless Liaison Program Unit
Delegate Charniele Herring’s keynote – AMAZING
You can watch HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan by clicking here
It was an honor to meet Dr. Jim O’Connell. Here is my interview with Becky Kanis, Dr. Jim O’Connell and Linda Kaufman, Chief Operating Officer, Pathways DC
All of these feeds were done with a $60 camera on a cheap laptop – mine! Homeless services are behind on anything internet related especially social media. Information at this conference effects us all because homelessness touches all of us in one way or another. This information needs to be on the internet.
Today most tools are free or low cost. There is no excuse anymore to not have a social media and internet presence. If I can do all this with a cellphone, laptop and lots of enthusiasm you too make make things happen. Just do it!
Again – thank you everyone for supporting me and very special thanks to NAEH for believing in me enough to allow me to run around with my laptop like the madman that I am!
