Center for Social Policy Researchers Recognized for Work on Issues of Homelessness in America
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Center
for Social Policy Researchers Recognized for Work on Issues of Homelessness
in America
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By
Sarah Oktay
The Center for Social Policy’s John McGah and Julia Tripp were recognized recently for their invaluable work in documenting, alleviating, and understanding homeless-ness in America.
John McGah, a senior research associate, is the youngest New England recipient of an International Eisenhower Fellowship. This prestigious award will enable McGah to live in Europe for four to eight weeks next year and study local responses to homelessness. He will try to compare Boston’s homeless situation with that in a city in Europe. His first choice is Amsterdam, a city with a population comparable to Boston’s, but with far fewer homeless people. There, he intends to interview local officials, care-giving agencies, historians, homeless people, and advocates to see what lessons can be gained from successful attempts in other countries to address homelessness. This work will likely inform his other projects, including the documentary film and education project titled “Give Us Your Poor. Homelessness and the United States,” and his work as a team member of the CSPTech Project, a statewide computer information system gathering data on homeless shelters in Massachusetts.
Julia Tripp was recognized for her advocacy work by the Philanthropic Initiative as one of six 2002 Boston Neighborhood Fellows. This award recognizes individuals of unusual creativity, vision, and initiative who are quietly making the community a better place. Each year, six individuals nominated by “spotters,” are chosen to each receive $30,000 “no strings attached” awards.
Tripp is a consumer representative and consultant with the Center and co-coordinator of the Consumer Advisory Committee. Julia is also a “consumer,” a person who ended her homelessness five years ago, utilizing housing and other service assistance, and has dealt first hand with substance abuse and living with HIV/AIDS. She has used her life experiences to become a powerful speaker for consumer advocacy, convincing people that they need to be involved in the processes that affect them. A dynamic speaker, Julia has developed a consumer capacity building module titled “Chart Your Path to Empowerment.” In addition, she serves on several policy and planning boards such as the National Coalition for the Homeless, the City of Boston Homeless Planning Committee, and the Mayor’s Task Force on Consumer Involvement.
Image: Advocates for the homeless: John McGah and Julia Tripp are honored for their dedication. (Photo by Harry Brett)