Tampa homeless program uses unpaid, destitute residents as steady labor force, revenue source

[Fuddnik]

Source: Tampa Bay Times

AMPA — Before every Tampa Bay Buccaneers home game, dozens of men gather in the yard at New Beginnings of Tampa, one of the city's largest homeless programs.


The men — many of them recovering alcoholics and drug addicts — are about to work a concessions stand behind Raymond James Stadium's iconic pirate ship, serving beer and food to football fans. First, a supervisor for New Beginnings tries to pump them up. "Thank God we have these events," he tells them. "They bring in the prime finances."

But not for the workers. They leave the game sweat-soaked and as penniless as they arrived. The money for their labor goes to New Beginnings. The men receive only shelter and food.

For years, New Beginnings founder and CEO Tom Atchison has sent his unpaid homeless labor crews to Tampa Bay Rays, Lightning and Bucs games, the Daytona 500 and the Florida State Fair. For their shelter, he's had homeless people work in construction, landscaping, telemarketing, moving, painting, even grant-writing.

Atchison calls it "work therapy." Homeless advocates and labor lawyers call it exploitative, and possibly illegal. It is the latest questionable way Atchison has used homeless people, and public money, a Tampa Bay Times investigation has found.

Read more: http://www.tampabay.com/news/specials/tampa-homeless-program-uses-unpaid-destitute-residents-as-steady-labor/2208350

---

He calls it "Work Therapy". I call it slave labor.

And Aramark pops up again and again.

[olddots]

1. where does all this evil greed come from ?

nt.

[TygrBright]

2. The same place it has always come from.

Inside us.

We're born with both the evil greed, in the form of self-interest, and the good selflessness, in the form of altruism. Evolution requires both: Self-interest allows us to survive to pass on our genes; altruism allows us to band together and protect one another, to allow our children to survive to pass on our genes.

What we do with what's inside us is the conundrum of our species. All of our "values systems" and "philosophies" and "religions" and "ideologies" reflect those two evolutionary gifts to some degree, and place them in the context that social animals need, to share and pass on knowledge about survival.

Unfortunately, millenia of patriarchy locked us into a hierarchical model of social organization where we assume that power must be a zero-sum game, and that has largely tipped the balance in the "greed is good" direction.

sadly,
Bright

[lark]

6. I agree that greed is inside all (most?) of us

I also think that the Repugs, on behalf of the 1%, have glorified greed and made it acceptable to far too many folks these days. They've completely changed the narrative from "greedy heartless capitalists" to "job makers" though the first one is far more accurate. Although these right wingers in general are bible thumpers as well, they ignore all parts of the bible discussing charity and taking care of the needy since it doesn't fit their concerns. They talk and talk about the Catholic church and it's right to stop their members from using even contraception, much less abortion, but totally ignore the church when it talks about the needy.

[atreides1]

7. I respectfully disagree

I believe that just like racism or bigotry, greed is something that is learned!

[DRoseDARs]

9. The Bible, in this case. It's a "faith" organization.

Slavery is A-OK in the Bible and the Old Testament God encourages it.

[seveneyes]

3. receive only shelter and food

How many hours do they need to work for shelter and food?
How many hours do those not homeless need to work for shelter and food?

[FLPanhandle]

10. Good question. We all work for food and shelter.

How much work is expected of them for their food and shelter?

[Blue_Tires]

4. I'm surprised more wealthy "philanthropists" haven't started similar programs

I mean they aren't even trying to hide it:

"When they come in the program — this sounds a bit bad — they become our property to help us help them become new people," said Anthony Raburn, a minister who works with Atchison. "There are expenses that go along with that."


Money laundering, stealing social security checks, forced servitude all in the name of Christianity...It's like a conservative wet dream...And I have no doubt the books are thoroughly cooked to show the program *barely* runs in the black, in case anyone starts asking to get paid...

[charliea]

16. Our Property == Our Slaves?

Please note in the longer article, there are federal laws that require groups like this to keep track of the hours worked, to make sure that they are receiving the Federal minimum pay of $7.25/hr. Since New Beginnings (aka Slavery 2.0) doesn't even keep track they don't have to cook the books, they don't have any! Also a former insider said that all supplemental payments, SS, SSI, etc. received by the new property are immediately moved to New Beginnings accounts, or maybe just the owner's.

PhD from a defunct online university eh? I can print one of those on my system right now.

[albino65]

5. It's called slavery. They have a habit of it down there. n/t

[Turbineguy]

8. A question of semantics, republican style.

A mugger who hits you on the head is unselfish. To hit himself on the head, that, would be selfish.

[Scuba]

11. Slave labor, just another corporate goal on the way to maximizing profits.

[JCMach1]

12. surprised Repubs haven't wanted to bring back workhouses yet...

[The Wielding Truth]

13. Oh, they do. First they have to do away with the dept of labor. That will take the next Rep. Pres..

[AngryOldDem]

19. Newt Gingrich wanted to. n/t

[turbinetree]

14. Time

Last edited Tue Dec 2, 2014, 04:27 PM - Edit history (2)

Its time for a Union representative if they have any in the, right for less state, to go down and sign up some new members.
I would like to know why the NFLPA, NHPLA, MLPA unions are not saying anything about this they get there income from these "SALES", they are just as guilty as this dirt bag, by not saying anything


I would like to have this conversation updated this is outrageous that the all of these player unions are not saying anything about this I think its time to give these players and there unions a call and say something, they are a union they are suppose to represent all the people that go to there games.
And please don't give me that they are millionaires, we know they make a lot of money from the T.V rights and off the tax payers who helped build the stadium they play in, but start acting like you really care, I mean really show us something more than the hot dogging on the field.
This right wing hypocrite using these human beings, and I mean using these human beings need have labor charges brought against him and to have his license to operate pulled, where are the players on this issue, they should be outraged, I making my calls

[Thor_MN]

15. "many of them recovering alcoholics and drug addicts"

Serving beer is "work therapy" for recovering alcoholics?

[Blue_Tires]

17. that's what is so despicable -- preying on/exploiting the people most in need of a fresh start

and turning a new page in their lives...

[AngryOldDem]

18. The homeless are an endlessly deep force for cheap labor.

Day labor firms are also notorious. They come around shelters and other places where homeless people congregate with offers of good money in turn for work. They make anyone interested meet at a spot at an ungodly hour (say 4:30 am) where they are then bused to wherever they're working. Air freight places are common. Once there, they are on their feet for upwards of 10 hours, with hardly any breaks of any kind. Then, they have to wait around to get paid, IF they get paid when they leave. (And yes, the pay sucks. Barely minimum.) Oh, and these jobs are often hours away from where the people are picked up, so they spend a lot of time on a school bus.

Obviously, this is wrong. But I think a trend is happening that some homeless programs are mentoring their clients in teaching them skills that they can take with them and will make them good money. Woodworking and furniture making are two such programs. I knew a guy who taught both to some homeless men, and they wound up opening a small furniture store in a suburban mall. There's another program like this where I'm now living.

There are ways to get people back on their feet without trashing their self-worth and dignity.

But please, folks, don't think that all homeless programs are run this way or exploit those who come to them for help.