I'm Concerned for Your Future, Not Your Past

When I conduct the interviews for project Five-Star, I'm likely to get a wide variety of backgrounds. Some of them have spent time in prison, some have done drugs, drank alcohol to excess or wasted money gambling.

I've wasted my share of my life. I have never taken drugs, drank much alcohol (I hate the taste, to be honest) never spent time in prison (though a few of you might think I belong there).

I have gambled in my past. Even now I avoid casinos because if I go in, all my money goes out. So I have had somewhat of a tendency for addictive behavior.

But when I choose the participants, I'll be looking past their past (yes, pun intended). I don't care if they used to take drugs, if they used to drink until they passed out, if they used to blow a paycheck on a single night of binge drinking and whoring. I don't care what their sexual persuasion is (just don't come on to me, please).

I care about the here and now. Don't come into my classroom drunk, high or filled with amorous thoughts. Come prepared to learn. Come prepared to take what happened in the past and leave it behind. Come prepared to change. Even if you've already changed, I'll change you more.

Leave your prison mentality at the door. Leave your gangsta raps in the gutter. Leave your pants that are sagging - well, pull them up. Come dressed for success. If you don't have the clothes, just maybe I'll have the funds to donate the clothes to you. Maybe I can reach an agreement with a clothing store to give you a suit or two at no cost to you and a lower cost to Project Five-Star.

Come with a clean shirt and a tie. I know the shelter has a laundry, use it.

Don't try to lie to me. I've told a few lies and heard a lot more. If you don't want to tell me the whole truth during our interview, that's okay. But I can't help you if you hide things from me. If I accept you, and it turns out you did 10-20 for burglary, I can't help you get a job. If you're honest, though, and do the work I ask you to, and prove to me that you've changed, then I'll stand behind you and put my reputation on the line.

I'm concerned about your future. I want you to get that great job doing something you like with decent pay and a chance for advancement. I want to see you get an apartment or even a house to call your own, in a decent neighborhood. I'd like to see you get a car. We all want the best life we can get. We all want to do things we enjoy rather than be stuck somewhere for minimum wage just waiting for the shift to end so we can go back to a dingy apartment in a rough neighborhood, filled with the temptations that got us into this mess in the first place.

We'd all like to be as far from that as possible. Me included. So come prepared.

And you! The one reading this article who has all that stuff that we homeless only dream about! You, with the fancy car, the six-figure income and the large bank account, who tells people like us to get a job. Put your hand in your pocket, pull out your wallet and GIVE until it hurts, because all it takes is one bad stock, one bad investment, and you're in the same boat as tens of thousands of us who struggle to survive.

And if that happens, I'll reach my hand out to you and give you the same opportunity I give everyone else.

How Do We Know It's Working?

This is part of a continuing series of posts regarding Project Five-Star. In this post I will discuss how I intend to prove to donors or potential donors that I'm doing what I say I'm doing.

Back when I first wrote the Project Five-Star Book, all I had to work with was a cheap laptop computer and a web cam. Today, I have a better quality laptop, several web cams, and a full-fledged High Definition Sony HandiCam. I've taken a number of videos with it, and someday I might even make some money from them.

The idea for proving I'm doing what I say I'm doing, is to make everything above board. I intend to record every action I can and either live stream it, and/or post the video to youtube. Am I spending money on an attorney? I'll show as much of the transactions as the attorney will let me. Am I renting an office space? I'll show you which ones I look at. Am I interviewing potential participants? You guessed it. Everyone will sign a waiver (which is another good reason for having an attorney) which will allow me to put their stories on video.

Why? Because hearing that things are bad for the homeless from other sources is far different than seeing it and hearing it from their own mouths. The videos themselves might generate some income for the project, but really, I'm hoping to generate Donations. Period.

Once we've started to hold classes, I intend to live stream those classes on the project web site, which does not exist yet, but when it does, that's a little bit of proof that we've spent some of your money on the project. So you get to see how exactly I spend my time and your money, whether it's for materials such as computer parts, or lunch for me and my students.

The bottom line should be that the money that goes into the project should go as much as possible to helping the students. Even if I spend money on a used van, I intend for that van to have at least one camera in it at all times.

Because every donor deserves to know where their money is going.

Thank you for reading.

Michael Fox, Founder, Project Five-Star

Don't Do Anything Halfway

This is another in a string of posts of what I hope to accomplish with Project Five-Star. In this post, I'll examine the ethic I hope to instill into the project, as well as its participants.

The idea is: Five Stars. Not Four, not Three, certainly not Two or One. The goal is everything about the project will be the very best it can be.

That starts with me, I suppose. My past has been spotty at times, but I've never given anything but my best effort into whatever project I'm working on, whether it's writing, customer service, or any other aspect of my life.

Mind you, my best might not be as good as someone else's best. Or it might be better than most. If I have a task to do, though, I'll give 100% while others might say 'That's good enough.' Sorry, that won't work for Project Five-Star.

That's not to say I'm a perfectionist, far from it, but there's a difference between shoddy workmanship and something that functions, even if it's somewhat limited.

Say I'm looking for office space. Will I accept a dingy, small office just to get a better price? No. The groups I'll be leading need space and air.

Say I'm looking to feed my participants. Will stale donuts and a few 2-liter bottles of soda suffice? No. We've all been through bad, stale food. We want the best. Caviar? No. Fresh made sandwiches? Sure! A gallon of O.J.? Yeah, baby! Who wouldn't want that?

Now that I've got a clean, airy place to hold meetings, and fresh, healthy food to feed my 'peeps,' what next? Do I lecture them while they snooze?

Well, I hope to make the classes interesting enough so that no one feels the need for sleep. No one sleeps in my class and stays with the program. But that's as much my fault as theirs. So I intend to get them involved, play musical chairs often enough to keep them awake and take frequent 'stretch' breaks.

Let's say that we somehow raise enough money to go to phase 2, which involves training homeless men and women to build an administrative building and the first of 4 dorms. Do we use inferior tools? Do we use inferior materials? Do we use inferior and dangerous tactics to cut corners and raise the buildings? No. I intend to hire someone who can teach them how to build and use the tools we provide. I intend that no corners will be cut to save a little bit of money. It's your money, after all, that I'm using. Would you want it used improperly? Neither do I.

In the end, the higher standards we hold ourselves to will show in the work we do. I have to teach every participant to take pride in the work; to dress professionally; to act professionally. This is the only way that we - all of us - can drag ourselves out of the gutter, get to our feet, and stay there.

Project Five-Star is no place for those who want to just get by.

Thank you for reading!

Michael Fox, Founder, Project Five-Star

It Starts in Raleigh

It starts small. One man (me) teaching 20 people how to build and repair computers.

It starts with the first $5,000 in donations earmarked to go toward hiring a lawyer to help Project Five-Star become a Non-Profit 501 c3 Corporation. It starts with me finding volunteers to serve on the Board of Directors.

It starts with finding an office or better yet, a storefront where I can set up a conference table and then interview homeless men and women about their experiences and then see who, out of what will likely be hundreds of applications, stands the best chance of getting certified and getting a job outside of Project Five-Star.

It starts with your donation and who knows where it will end.

Thank you for taking the time to read this!

Michael Fox, Founder. Project Five-Star

Status: ???

I don't want anyone who is following this blog to think that just because I haven't posted in over a month that the project has lost steam. Excitement is starting to brew, but it's a slow buildup that I believe will boil over in a relatively short time.

First, some good news: The book: 'Project Five-Star: The Five points of Hope,' has been published and is available in several outlets. A hard copy of the book may be bought from Createspace.com, for $6.10. I make very little money from that, and any profit would go toward the project anyway. You may also buy it from Amazon.com, for %6.10, and I won't make any money at all from it.

If you have Kindle, you can get the book for 99 cents, and I don't know how much money I'll get from that. You may also find it for the Nook, also for 99 cents.

The next bit of news may or may not pan out. I let the guy that sleeps in the bunk above me read the book, and he and his fiance were impressed to the point where he thought he'd present it to his church to see if we can get donations rolling. I told him I'd make him a paid fundraiser if he could do that, but unfortunately, nothing more has come of that.

When you're homeless, it's easy for things like that to get lost in the shuffle, which is one reason why I haven't posted much, I've been trying to find myself a job.

And in between all that, I did send pdf copies of the book to several media outlets. I have not heard back from any of them. Promotion is hard work!!!

But I did want to post those two bits of good news and let those that do read this blog know that the project isn't dead. I'm fighting every day to get the word out!

Project Five-Star Initial Needs

Project Five-Star is in its initial stages of conception. Right now it is just a series of ideas I came up with while homeless myself. They are suggestions, really, of how a homeless shelter should be run and what it should do to a) help the homeless get off the streets, and b) help the homeless stay off the streets.

I’ve been working on these ideas for years, really, since my first bout with homelessness in 2005. Yet I’ve found that by myself I can’t accomplish much except give the appearance of complaining about so called free services.

So for Project Five-Star to really get off the ground I will need help. Here’s a list of things I need:

1. Legal counsel on how to set up a non-profit organization in North Carolina. I’ve done some research on the topic and all the research tells me that I really need a lawyer. This lawyer should be prepared to work pro bono, or at least get paid on a delayed basis, as I have no money to spare for a lawyer. This lawyer should help in getting all paperwork created and filed properly, including filing for tax-exempt status and any other status the project will need.

2. Once the Non-profit Corporation is set up, or even before, I’ll need a Board of Directors. All members of the board should be volunteers. I’ll start by volunteering myself. If I’m going to work as hard as I already have, and will should the project go forward, I want a say in how it’s run. I’d like to be the general manager of the complex, but I’ll step aside if the board wants to hire someone else. We’ll need other officers as well, all of whom should be prepared to volunteer their time until we get adequate funding to pay minimal salaries.

3. Office Space. I had thought that we could start with one small office, with me holding computer classes within it, but we may need more than one office. We should be prepared to pay for a year’s lease at the very least.

4. Since the members of the project will technically be working for the project, we’ll need an HR director to make sure we’re compliant with state and Federal regulations. This should probably be a paid position, but I’d still like to hire from the homeless or at least poorer population. This person should be prepared to train project members in the duties of an HR Director.

5. An accountant and/or a CFO who can keep track of  the money. Anyone who has tried to run a corporation knows that we need to know where the money goes, and so does the state and Federal governments.

6. Someone skilled in fund-raising. I am perhaps a bit too blunt to be the only one asking for money. The project needs someone who knows who to call for donations of cash and equipment. This should probably be a paid position, and again, I’d like to hire from within the homeless community.

7. Once we have adequate funding, offices, personnel and equipment, I will start giving classes on computer training. We’ll need computers to do that. I plan to train 10 people at a time for 4 hours a day, two separate classes. That means 10 computers for them, one for me. We either need funding to purchase them or have them donated.

8. Once we have a track record of helping homeless get computer jobs, fund-raising should be easier, and the next phase of the project can begin. We’ll need land. We’ll need an architect, preferably one who will donate time, but if not, funding for it. I don’t know how much land we’ll need, but the more, the better. I have ideas of expansion, but I’ve covered that in another blog.

9. We’ll need building supplies, equipment, and someone willing to train and certify our members in the use of the equipment and supplies. I anticipate having at least one expert on staff to train in each of the categories we want to train.

10.  We’ll need case-workers (or one experienced case-worker who can train members on the job) who will work with members on getting their needs met. This may include finding permanent jobs, and permanent housing. This should include meeting with the member in their charge to record success and failures. There should also be a record of money saved.

11. We’ll need a banking professional who can help us set up a credit union and train members on how to work in the banking industry.

12. We will need a web presence. I plan to set up an initial web site with basic information, but we need to train our members to build and maintain the web site, under supervision. We will need a domain name, and either a web site provider or a server of our own with the appropriate IP address. I would prefer the latter, as this gives our members some experience doing this on their own.

There will be other needs that come up as we start the process and build toward the inevitable outcome, but these are perhaps the most important to get us started. As I have stated before, this is an ambitious project and only by working together can we make it succeed.

Project Five-Star: The First Class

In the last blog I went over how I would like Project Five-Star to progress. The first stage is to get office space large enough to hold the first skills training class. Then we would need computers, both to work with and to work on, because the first training class will be to get A+ Certification.

A+ is a world-wide recognized way to show that you have computer hardware and software skills. It is either required or preferred when applying for computer jobs. In this job market, there will be more applicants that are certified in A+ than those that are not, so it is to the advantage of anyone trying to get a computer job to get that certification.

A+ is broken into two categories: Hardware and Software. As such, the first training class will also cover both hardware and software. Now, to be honest, I don’t have any computer certifications, but I’ve been working with computers, both hardware and software for most of my life. I would take the certification, if I had the money to spare, which I never seem to have. So after gaining an initial donation of money and computers, I’ll be taking the certification exam for each of the classes. I’d also like to be a certified trainer, but that can wait.

Once the proper certifications are met and the computers that we’ll need are procured, comes the recruitment. I’d like to train 10 men and women at a time, four hours a day, five days a week; two classes per day. It will be hard on me, to be sure, as in addition to the classes, I’ll be handling any administrative functions until Project Five-Star can afford its own staff. But to me it’s worth it, even if only half the classes passes.

The final project for each student in this class is to put together a computer from the parts, diagnose any problems that crop up and install Windows®. Once I’m satisfied that they can pass the Comptia test, we will use Project Five-Star funds to arrange the test and let each student take the exam. Those that pass will be allowed into the next class.

The second class (out of 3) is Red Hat Linux Administration. I’d like to arrange with Red Hat for a copy of their software and a license for 10 computers. The class will install the software on the same computers as Windows®, learning how to dual-boot in the process. Then they will learn the ins and outs of administration and basic system security. When I am satisfied that they are ready to take the certification exams, Project Five-Star funds will be used to pay for the exams. Those that pass will be allowed to take the final class in the series.

The final class in the series is Cisco training. They will learn how to set up a network using both Windows® and Red Hat Linux, and Cisco routers and Network Interface Cards. Once I am satisfied that they will pass certification, Project Five-Star will pay for the exams.

Now, during this time each member will have been considered as working for project Five-Star, as all members will once the whole system gets into place. I cannot estimate how long the process will take at this time, but let’s say six months for all three classes. That’s six months of experience that the member will be able to claim on a resume.

The classes will be recorded on video, and broadcast live on our web site, as a way of showing to the world that we’re making progress and that we’re open and above board.

Project Five-Star Tentative Plan

The entire concept of Project Five-Star is to have 4 dormitory buildings, one administrative building, a small factory building, perhaps a separate classroom building, and numerous shops surrounding the grounds, accessible to the general public.

Ambitious? Yes. Knowing full-well that the chances of getting the funding together - to put all that into action at once - are very small, I plan to start small. If appropriate funding can be found, I plan to rent office space, hopefully large enough for one class: a computer class, which I will personally train to get computer certifications in various fields, including A+, Red Hat (since they are in the Raleigh area), Cisco (same), and hopefully Microsoft. In addition to the office space, I would need enough computers or computer parts to teach the initial members how to build and repair a computer and then how to use the operating system well enough to pass A+ certification, which would be funded by either business or private donations. Once that is complete and the organization has a track-record I hope to repeat the process with additional funding until our track record shows that we can handle more.

The next step would be to secure funding to buy the appropriate amount of land, build the administrative building and the first dormitory. The labor would be provided by members, taught by a hired professional, or by one or more of the members if they have the skills needed.

The entire grounds on which the project will be built will be surrounded by an iron fence, not to keep people in, but to keep people who do not belong on the grounds out.

The administrative building, in the center of the complex, will house administrative offices, intake staff, classrooms and medical/dental/optical facilities.

The dormitory will house 25 members per floor, up to 10 floors of living space. The basement of the building will hold laundry facilities for cleaning sheets,  the main food preparation area, and the HVAC as well as general maintenance facilities. The first floor will hold a meeting area large enough to hold the entire building population, as well as several classrooms and offices.

Each living space floor will have a dining area, with food that has been prepared by the Five-Star cooking staff raised to that level by a dumb-waiter-type elevator. Three-Star members will place the food in a buffet-style setting, or on certain nights, the Five-Star staff may wait tables as if it were a restaurant setting, in order to gain Five-Star waiter experience. A supply of fresh fruit, drinks of all sorts and snacks should be available at all times.

The floor will be monitored by video by the security staff of each building (one of the offices on the first floor). Security Staff should be Five-Star trained. Each floor should also have two floor monitors on call at all times, also from the Five-Star Security program.

Each room, as stated in an earlier document, should be roughly 10 feet by 10 feet, with a shower, toilet and sink; one double bed per room, one occupant at all times, strictly enforced; one dresser, one nightstand, lamps and overhead lighting. Each room will contain a small washer and electric dryer. Each room should be wired for Internet, with WiFi also available.

Until the program can be fully activated, no One-Star members will be allowed into the program, however I expect the initial 250 rooms to be filled with 5 or 3-Star members very quickly.

The top of each building should be covered with solar panels, with the resulting electricity integrated into the power supply. This is to give the building staff and maintenance staff experience with high-tech building. The power, air and temperature of the building should be computer-controlled.

Once the administrative and dormitory buildings are set, work should begin on a small factory. I would like Five-Star members to be allowed to learn how to design and build the furniture used for the complex, as well as being sold in one of our retail shops at a later time. The factory would build furniture, including mattresses, small electronics and computers, and would use robotics programmed by our Five-Star Computer pros.

Once the initial group of men are situated into the program and are in their respective training programs, thought should be given to building the various shops that will surround the complex, all run by Five-Star members.. I expect a computer sales/repair shop, a Five-Star Restaurant, a furniture store, a Credit Union, a landscaping service, a movie theater (showing Five-Star films) and possibly other shops. Any money that comes from the sales and services goes toward the monthly expenses of the complex.

Also within the administrative building will be a recording studio, which will allow members to record their music or videos. Proceeds from sales of that music and video will be split with the artist.

And once those buildings are complete and the system has shown its effectiveness, additional dormitories and support buildings should be build. I would like to see a constant stream of building on the grounds.

And, of course, that needs a steady stream of money coming in.

It is an ambitious project, no doubt, but I believe it can work, and that is why I’m putting forth the effort to get it off the ground. If you are a philanthropist, looking for a project filled with hope for the future, this is the project for you. As I stated earlier, I’m quite willing to start out small and work my way up. One donation can go a long way.

Won’t you help?

Project Five-Star: The Five Points of Hope

I've heard the term 'a thousand points of light' and never really understood what President Bush meant by that. Was he talking about people helping? If so, we'll need a lot more than a thousand.
In thinking about the themes for Project Five Star, I've settled on my own little points, Points of Hope. Five of them, to match the whole 5-Star and a star theme in general.

Point One, at the top: Need a home, stay with us. The point of the project is to provide a decent shelter and food for men and women.
Point Two:  Get Healthy. No one likes being sick, let alone being homeless and sick. And who pays for it? We will. A combination of in-house services and our own insurance program will get you the care you need.
Point Three: Learn a Skill and Use It. Hard to find a job in today's economy that pays the bills, when you don't have the skills that are needed in your area. And it's not enough to say I know how to do something if you have no verifiable experience to show potential employers. So we'll open our own little shops, restaurants and services.
Point Four: Find a job. Once you have the skills and experience and can prove it, what's to stop you from finding work?
Point Five: Find a new home. Find yourself a decent place to stay and help us help others in need.

I really wanted to add another point: Find a hidden talent. But those 5 points are the most important.
I'm working on a web site for the Project. The home screen will use a 5-point star and those main points to go along with them. It would be nice if some provider could give us some web space to put it on.

Project Five-Star Overview

Project Five Star is a conceptual process for the elimination of homelessness. At it’s core it will provide safe, secure shelter and high quality food for individual male and female adults who are homeless. It will provide basic education and specialized education so that these homeless people will be able to find jobs upon the completion of the program. It will provide necessary medical, dental and optical services for those that are part of its program. It will provide them for an outlet for their talents and use income from that to help sustain operations.
The buildings needed will consist of: 4 10-story buildings suitable for dormitories. Each building will house 250 men or women. One building, set in the center of the four other buildings, will serve as a medical/dental clinic, a classroom area, and administrative offices.
Each dormitory building will have an exercise area on each floor, as well as a dining hall on each floor. Food for each building will be prepared within that building, cooked to the standard of a five-star restaurant by Five-Star members, served by Three-Star members. The staff for this operation will be trained and supervised by a certified professional, and taken from the those within the program who are willing to abide by the rules of the Five-Star program. The cleaning staff for each building will also be taken from those within the Five-Star and Three-Star program, trained and supervised by a certified professional, also be expected to provide services equal to a five-star hotel and be willing to abide by the rules of the Five-Star program.
Within each building each program member will be assigned his or her individual room. 250 rooms per building, 25 members per floor. One member per room, no exceptions. Each room will have a bed, television set, a bathroom with a shower and other amenities depending on the level of program they volunteer for. The size of the room will likely be small, but with enough room to walk around in.
Each building will have access to wifi, however no pornographic sites will be allowed and internet usage should be monitored by a staff consisting of trained and certified five-star program members.
Absolutely no drugs or alcohol is allowed within any shelter building. All guests will be thoroughly searched and recommend using drug sniffing dogs at the entrance of each building. Members caught with alcohol on their person will be permanently banned from the program. One-Star program guests may come into the shelter under the influence, however they may not enter the three or five-star program while under the influence.
Five-Star Program
There are 3 levels of program members.
One-Star program guest are simply there to have a place to sleep and food to eat. Their rooms have the basics outlined above, and nothing more. One-Star guests may use the medical clinic for basic health maintenance, but may only use the training program if space is available, based on a first-come-first-served waiting list. One-Star members can use the case management services provided within the shelter to find jobs and suitable housing. One-Star members will be assigned rooms on a space-available basis. Once rooms are filled, there will be no more rooms assigned. One-Star members will have to leave in the morning, and  return in the afternoon to see if they will receive a room. They are not guaranteed a room every night.
Three-Star program guests are expected to work, either within the program or at outside jobs. They are expected to save their money and use the resources within the shelter to find alternative housing. They are guaranteed a room and have second choice of training classes. All three-star program members must pass a drug screen and alcohol test before being admitted into the program. Three-Star members have access to a small washer and dryer in their rooms and a drop down ironing board and iron. Three-Star members also have access to a computer within their room.
Five-Star program guests have the highest level of expectation. They are guaranteed a room. They are expected to enter one of the Five-Star training programs, which include cooking, cleaning, and computer certification. Other training programs may become available. They are expected to be at work on time, be prepared to work to the satisfaction of their Five-Star trainer and maintain a professional demeanor. Profanity will not be tolerated from Five-Star members. Five-Star members will have the same amenities as Three-Star, and will be issued a laptop computer for use with their classes. Once the Five-Star training program of choice is completed, the member must use the resources of the shelter to find permanent employment and housing.

Both Five-Star and Three-Star members will be randomly tested for drugs or alcohol in their system. Any presence detected will result in removal from the Three or Five-Star program, but will not prevent them from being accepted as a One-Star member.

Training Programs
Basic training programs will consist of GED training and testing. Arrangements may be made with a local college to provide training to the equivalent of an Associate’s Degree. Five-Star program members will have their education paid for with a combination of Federal and Project funds. No loans should be applied for by these members up to the Associate’s level. Three-Star members will have help filing their Financial Aid packages, but the members should apply for loans and Grants to cover their non-Project related training.

Project training should include the Five-Star Food Preparation/Chef training, the Five-Star Hotel Maintenance training, the Five Star Computer Maintenance/Networking training, a Five Star Landscaping training, Medical/Dental Assistant training, Security training, Administrative training, Multimedia training (including creation of online content, published content, audio and video recording). Chauffer training (with drivers driving members to certain destinations via van.)

Funding
While the initial costs of the project can be expected to be high, once the buildings are built and furnished, the month-to-month costs will be covered in the following ways:
Medical costs: The cost of maintaining the medical facilities will be covered by Medicare/Medicaid billing where possible.
Other costs: Those costs not provided by government grants or private donations will be covered by selling various Five-Star Services, including Landscaping, computer repair, set up and troubleshooting, as well as Internet services such as Web Design and maintenance. The possibility exists for establishing a Five-Star restaurant close to the shelter grounds. The recording studio will not only be an outlet for members, but the results of the recording sessions will be made available for purchase online. Other shelter-made products could also be sold online to help defer costs.