Homeless and Low-Income Philadelphians Will Evaluate Presidential Debate
October 15, 8:30 p.m.
Project H.O.M.E. –
1515 Fairmount Avenue
[PHILADELPHIA] The eyes of the nation will be set on the presidential debate on Friday evening as Barack Obama and John McCain meet head to head for their final debate. At Project H.O.M.E., a group of homeless, formerly homeless, ex-offender, and low-income Philadelphians will be watching and discussing what the next president should do about issues of homelessness and poverty. Vote for Homes! coalition members from shelters and allies will watch the debate and analyze if the candidates discuss ways to secure more affordable housing, better healthcare, and more jobs.
“Because there is a lack of affordable and subsidized housing for the 60,000-plus people who need it in Philadelphia, I want to get answers from the candidates about how, as President, they can make changes and work through the state and local governments to provide housing,” said Connie Naylor, a long-time Vote for Homes! volunteer and resident of Travelers Aid Society of Philadelphia. “By volunteering with Vote for Homes!, I feel like it doesn’t take that much effort to get people out to vote,” Naylor continued.
Vote for Homes! has helped to register and mobilize voters among the homeless and advocacy communities and helped to promote issues important to these constituencies through the last several election cycles. The Vote for Homes! coalition has registered over 13,000 voters who are homeless, low-income, and/or ex-offenders since 1999. In 2007-08 Vote for Homes! registered over 1,500 new voters and held several public events including a candidates forum (see www.voteforhomes.org).
