Laveda Jones Community Uplift is a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to restoring dignity and opportunity to unhoused individuals by meeting them exactly where they are—on the streets. Unlike traditional programs that expect people to come to them, we believe in street-direct outreach, taking services and resources directly to those in need.
Our mobile teams provide essential items requested by the homeless themselves, including compact mobile tents, weather-resistant sleep shells, hand-crank air conditioners for summer relief, and professionally designed hand-out signs that reflect pride, not pity. But our work doesn’t stop at survival—we also empower long-term self-sufficiency by assisting with the tools people need to rebuild their lives: official ID cards for employment, check cashing assistance, public transit passes, and other crucial resources that help bridge the gap between street life and stability.
Laveda Jones Community Uplift is driven by compassion, guided by dignity, and powered by the belief that every human being deserves a real shot at getting back on their feet—on their own terms.
Homeless People Are Just Like Us—And Deserve Better
Homeless people are not a separate species, not a threat, and not inherently lazy. They are simply human beings—mothers, veterans, students, workers—who’ve hit hard times. Life dealt them a bad hand, and instead of compassion, society often meets them with judgment and fear.
The stereotype of the "dangerous vagrant" or the "jobless slacker" is a harmful myth. Many unhoused individuals spend their days searching for shelter, food, hygiene facilities, or desperately trying to maintain some thread of stability. Far from being unwilling to work, countless homeless individuals want jobs—but the barriers stacked against them make it nearly impossible to land or keep one.
Consider this: how can someone apply for a job without clean clothes, a shower, or even a mailing address? How do they cash a paycheck without a bank account or valid ID? How do they keep that job if employers find out they're living in a tent, car, or on a bench? Some cities even criminalize homelessness, making the simple act of surviving a punishable offense.
The cost of living is actually higher for those on the streets. They must buy food day-to-day instead of in bulk, pay extra for basic hygiene, and often fall victim to fines, theft, or illness that housed people are better equipped to avoid. Getting out of homelessness isn’t just about “trying harder”—it’s about breaking through systemic walls that most people never have to climb.
Instead of blaming the victims, we should meet them where they are. Uplifting the homeless means understanding the reality of their lives and dismantling the lies that keep them down. A little dignity, support, and opportunity can be the bridge between despair and a second chance.
Drug addiction is rampant, fetanyl is a killer. We do not advocate feeding their addiction, but they do turn to drugs and alcohol as a means of escaping their long days and stressful existence. They do not have mental health, medical resources, and recreational outlets like you do. Don't fall for the lies.
We are pro-marijuana legalization, see here:
https://lavedajones.com/marijuana-legality
However, we do not supply or advocate drug use. What you do is your own business, but if you need our help to get you off the street, you must be willing to receive our help. Doing street visits, we literally get turned away by those that say "I'm fine right where I am". We don't judge you but we are not going to expend resources for you. You have to do your part for us to help you. We get it, life is hard and being on the street all day is not what you look forward to. This is some way is similar to the comforts of those more priviledged that rely on wine, cigarettes, and mental health medication to cope with life. You have your way of coping too that you have access to. But if you make a conscious choice to only get what you can to make it to your next hit or buzz, we cannot help you. This is your choice to make. We can help you long term, not short term, but you have to make a conscious effort. If you tell us you are on drugs and have a desire to get of the streets, we will continue to listen and work with you, no problem, but we will not cater to those that have no intentions of moving in that direction. Most importantly, you must be an active participant. We get that you may not have a phone or access to a computer, and we make extra effort to work within your constraints, but simple "no shows" or "take and disappear" does not help you and is a waste of resources for us too.
Here is a "Homeless Bill of Rights" modeled after the spirit of the U.S. Bill of Rights, but tailored to safeguard the basic civil liberties and practical needs of unhoused individuals while they are still on the street, and to support their pathway to stability:
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Homeless Bill of Rights (Street-Level Edition)
1. Right to Remain in Public Spaces
Individuals experiencing homelessness have the right to peacefully exist, rest, and move about in public spaces without harassment, displacement, or criminalization due to their housing status.
2. Right to Identification and Documentation Access
Every person has the right to obtain, renew, and safely store personal identification, including birth certificates, social security cards, and government-issued IDs, without requiring a permanent address.
3. Right to Be Free from Employment Discrimination Due to Homelessness
No person shall be denied employment or terminated solely on the basis of not having a permanent address or being currently unhoused.
4. Right to Portable, Personal Safety Infrastructure
Individuals have the right to use and maintain mobile tents, sleep pods, or other personal protective gear necessary for survival, privacy, and safety without arbitrary confiscation or penalty.
5. Right to Access Public Sanitation and Hygiene Facilities
All persons have the right to free access to restrooms, handwashing stations, and showers in public areas or designated facilities without discrimination.
6. Right to Charge and Communicate
Individuals have the right to access public charging stations, basic Wi-Fi, and public phones in order to maintain communication, seek work, and access essential services.
7. Right to Be Free from Police Harassment
Law enforcement shall not target, intimidate, or forcibly relocate individuals solely due to their homeless status or visible poverty.
8. Right to Basic Survival Tools and Information
Individuals have the right to access resources like bus passes, navigation tools, maps, local rights info, and survival handbooks without undue barriers.
9. Right to Maintain Possessions Without Seizure
No person’s personal belongings shall be arbitrarily taken or destroyed by city workers or authorities without due process and access to reclamation.
10. Right to Self-Representation and Advocacy
Individuals experiencing homelessness have the right to represent themselves or have advocates speak on their behalf in public forums, hearings, or policy processes affecting their lives.
11. Right to Be Counted and Heard
Homeless individuals have the right to be included in local census efforts, surveys, and decisions regarding the use of public space, funding, or urban development.
12. Right to Travel Freely in Search of Opportunity
No jurisdiction shall restrict a person’s movement between cities, neighborhoods, or transit zones simply because of their unhoused status.
13. Right to Sleep Without Criminalization
Every person has the right to sleep outdoors safely and without threat of arrest, fines, or forced relocation if no viable alternatives are available.
14. Right to Equal Protection Under the Law
Homeless individuals are entitled to the same legal protections as housed citizens and must not be treated as second-class citizens under any local, state, or federal law.
15. Right to Nonprofit and Peer-Based Aid
Individuals have the right to receive assistance directly from nonprofit and mutual aid groups—including mobile help, signage, temporary gear, or ID support—without local interference.
Yes, we work with local, state, and federal state representatives to be your voice. Please contact us to amplify our voice on your behalf.
| Name | Julia |
| Age | 25 |
| Family | alone |
| Raising Money for | Mobile tent, provided by Laveda Jones Community Uplift |
| Area Frequented | 27th Avenue and Bethany Home Intersection. Come visit me! |
| Other Immediate Needs | Ice water, transportation to get drivers license and social security card |
| Long Term Ideal Plan | Get Job as social worker to help others |
| Email Address | none |
| Phone Number | none |
| Sponsors | 3 |
| Co-sponsor of | pending |
| GoFundMe page |
