Penny Callan

Washington, DC

I'm a 49-year-old mother of four adults and grandmother of three. I live alone with my two male cats. More than twenty years ago, I became homeless going from shelter to shelter for ten years here in Washington, D.C. Before homelessness I was welfare mom with no education or job. In addition, I’m an adult survivor of child abuse, rape, and a battered woman. Therefore, I felt worthless as a human being. God was watching over me.

With the help of so many people, I was able to obtain my GED and then an AS in Management. I had high hopes of getting a BS and becoming a case worker for women. But, breast cancer took that dream away.

My new goal in life is to help women feel empowered by using socialization type activities. I’m a survivor of so many life obstacles and I believe it’s my turn to be a guarding angle in disguise. So join me in helping others learn how to change their lives around and move forward into a new life. Become a guarding angle in disguise too!

Penny signed the petition | 11 days ago

Protect Affordable Housing in the City of Los Angeles, STOP the Community Care Facilities Ordinance!
Penny signed the petition | about 1 month ago

Justice for Cisco, Dog Killed by Austin Police Department
Penny commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Finally, Some Good News About Domestic Violence

Here ing Washington, DC, there are many organizations that cater to domestic violence. There's the DC Rape Crisis Center, House of Ruth, My sister's Place, Her Space, Community Connections just to name a few.

The most important thing that I have learned from my experiences is that I'm not crazy, I've been reacting to past traumas from abuse.
Penny commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Finally, Some Good News About Domestic Violence

I'm thankful to see that things have changed since the mid 80's. Spring of 1985, I had to goto a shelter for battered women with three kids and pregnant with the forth. My time was up and with no place to go, I had to put my two youngest into foster care and my mom took my oldest while I went into a unwedded mothers program through social services. At the time, I didn’t know they wanted me to give up my unborn to the family that they put me with. So, I left and went to my uncles and he called my mom to come get me. Almost two years later I had all four kids and we moved into a four bedroom townhouse that was subsidized.
Penny commented on the article | over 1 year ago

How Will the 11th Circuit Court Rule on Homeless Feeding Ban? Let's Guess ...

I feel that all homeless and advocates should overload the phones calling the Mayor’s office, radio stations, and the police reporting all other citizens including the police for eating outside and they'll get the message. This should also include families having picnics at the parks!!!

Cause if homeless people can’t eat outside in public places, then nobody should be able too!!!
Penny signed the petition | over 1 year ago

Tell the 11th Circuit Court to Reverse the Feeding Ban
Penny commented on the article | over 1 year ago

Little Rock Wants to Ban Anything Remotely Homeless

I agree that discussions should revolve around the who, what, why, etc. and NOT more chances to goto jail. BUT, how else can the officials differ from the real needy to the fake needy.

It’s sad, BUT there are some homeless people taking advantage of free services and making it bad for those that really need help.

On the other hand it’s funny, cause it seems that it’s not illegal to be crazy, but it’s illegal to be homeless. So, the real question should be how to differ the real needy from the fake needy and not goto jail or the crazy house.

Part of the real problem is "the haves vs the have nots". How do you make everybody happy, everybody safe?

Most of the haves are mental and emotional healthy and they are able to work and take care of themselves and care about the community being beautified.

Most of the have nots have mental and emotional issues that started from childhood abuse and/or learning disabilities. These alone can make one feel feelings of worthlessness causing people to search out the addictions of sex, drugs, and alcohol to relieve them of the pain, only to be missed diagnosed with bipolar or alike.

How do you fix that? How do you get parents to stop abusing each other and their children? How do you stop men raping women and/or children? Even a low active Thyroid has a symptom of depression.

The answer is, when you help people get the right help they need, then they want to continue getting better and help others along the way.

PS I’ve been working on this for four hours and I’m getting too tired and I think I stopped making since.
Penny signed the petition | over 1 year ago

Tell Little Rock: Don't Criminalize Homelessness
Penny signed the petition | almost 2 years ago

Thank Our Wounded Warriors For Their Sacrifices
Penny commented on the article | almost 2 years ago

Lessons Learned (and Taught) at D.C.'s Newest Tent City

PS.....One of the Blogs on the google list had a lot of racism on it. The tent city is about trying to end homelessness, not racism crap.