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Help A-SPAN Win a New Van

by ARLnow.com | June 22, 2011 at 10:50 am | 1,130 views | 26 Comments

The Arlington Street People’s Assistance Network is asking Arlingtonians to help them win a new van.

A-SPAN is one of 500 finalists in the Toyota 100 Cars for Good contest, which is awarding a new vehicle to 100 charitable organizations over the course of 100 days. Each day, the public can vote for one of five nonprofits via Toyota’s Facebook page.

Today, A-SPAN is up against organizations like a Florida arts center, an Illinois animal shelter, a Connecticut HIV/AID clinic and the large, nationwide service organization City Year.

“We are very excited to participate in this contest and have the chance to win a new van for outreach. We are placing more people into housing than ever before, but the first step for each of these formerly homeless people was an A-SPAN outreach staff person finding and building a connection with them,” A-SPAN Executive Director Kathleen Sibert said in a statement. “A new van will help us with this, please encourage all of your friends to vote too!”

A-SPAN has also released a video (after the jump) explaining how a van would help the organization. Vote for them here.

Sharon

Take the time to vote, it’s for a great cause in Arlington!!!
SoCo Resident

Oh Sharon, some awful homeless-hating comments are about to be posted from ARLNOW readers. They hate Goodwill,helping hardworking immigrant students, and of course, the homeless. It all interfers with their Arlington “lifestyle.”
- PikeResident
  
  SoCo, you took the words right out of my mouth. I always expect the hatred to flow so easily in the comments section!
- Louise
  
  Well said, SoCo.
- SoCo Resident
  
  See, I scared off the hating homeless comments, except for TGEoA’s (below) who was certain to post.
Bob

+1 SoCo Resident…I’m just waiting for those b-holes out there to start chiming in. Worthless little rodents.
4Arl

You do realize that your comments on hateful comments are hateful comments?
- samsonite
  
  I hate your comment.
CW

I doubt there is going to be much hate for this story. The hate usually only comes out when there is taxpayer money being spent. If these guys can win a free van, good for them.

Now, where they choose to use said van for their nightly distribution sessions, well, that’s a different topic for discussion…
- Westover
  
  Too bad it can’t be an American van….. just saying….
  - Jake
    
    It is an american made van – made in Indiana – unlike the mexican built F-150 you are driving
- doodly
  
  No, there’s plenty of just plain hate out there, tax money or not.
Oakland Park

I, for one, hate that the homeless flock to me every night to await the free food handouts from the current van.
- CW
  
  Hate is a strong word, but I lived bordering you for a good long while and I was not a big fan myself.
Henry

Went to vote for them, but get a page that reads something like:

Let Toyota access your information? They will be able to see your name, gender, networks, profile picture, date of birth, SSN, place of birth, GPA, and mother’s maiden name.

No thanks.
- jjbug
  
  Henry,
  You caught the same bug I did. I passed this request on to many friends, but here on the day the vote was needed, I remembered that Facebook is a dangerous entity to join!
  
  I have been privileged to work at A-Span a few hours a week in the last 2 years and am impressed with the work ethic of the staff as well as the absolutes they teach to their clients. Staff serve, listen, calm and correct, They offer more options for someone stuck, bring hope to families who observe their options are all gone,. Let me have the chance for a shower when I have nothing left, please!
  
  Renting buses to move the homeless to some other jurisdiction is costly and cruel. Finding where they hide here in Arlington and offering them food, clothing, counselling makes sense.
  
  I know there are people who feel if someone has no job, let them join the military and fight in Afghanistan, etc., but the military can do little with a person so poor as to have no home, no regular food, no continuing education. Awk, I cannot take the hatred and self-congratulations of those who think homeless reduce their perks. Come on! A-Span is funded by us with the County offering funds when the project is not discriminating among the homeless. Your taxes are not the principal support for A-Span.
  
  I bet it is hard for you to stand in line at the Emergency Room when mysterious medical needs demand you wait in line for attention! You want to be first in line!
  - Henry
    
    Just for the record, I voted for A-SPAN, and my family donates money every year =P
TGEoA

Does said van include bathing facilities?
Thomas

Really unfortunate you have to install a Facebook app to vote for this. I don’t do Facebook apps, but I wish them luck.
- ShirliMan
  
  Ditto
  - JammingEcono
    
    Ditto X2.
    - samsonite
      
      No, silly, this is the internet talking about the internet – it’s Ditto 2.0.
    - R.Griffon
      
      Ditto x3.
      
      I don’t even do Facebook, much less the aforementioned apps. No vote from me.
KL

you can unregister from the Facebook app tomorrow–ASPAN is currently in second place and really needs help from the committee!
- Glebe Roader
  
  Nope. Your “data” never goes away when you unregister.
  - R.Griffon
    
    And it’s not even “YOUR” data. Everything you put on Facebook belongs to them, and they can really do whatever they want with it. You didn’t pay them a penny; they owe you nothing.

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