Dec. 15, 2008:

www.HomelessNation.org is a website BY and FOR our homeless citizens on the streets. We were recently honored with a Canadian New Media Award or our work. This week, we are launching our first funding drive, with special gifts offered by EyeSteelFilm (see below).

We founded this website 5 years ago with funding from the Canadian government, but sadly our pilot program has run out and we are starting a drive to become self-sustainable. That means we need donations to survive! Donations can be made here: http://www.givemeaning.com/project/homelessnation

What HomelessNation.org provides:

-training and access to the Internet in shelters and drop-ins. Increasingly, Internet access has become necessary for access to jobs, healthcare, basic information... things you need getting off the street. Few places provide this service for free. We want to help provide access to help break the cycle of poverty.

-a forum to share information, stories and advice about survival and growth. We have thousands of hours of user-generated video of stories from the street on the site. Unique testimonials and experiences.

-training in web and computer literacy skills, as well as video and editing skills.

We now have over 3700 members, and would like to continue growing and providing this service. We are trying to raise $5000 dollars this holiday season to keep alive.

YOUR DONATION WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE! Any donation is helpful.

All the money raised goes to this website and services. Most of HomelessNation.org's staff are people from the street community. Office space is donated. Administration is volunteered. We are a not-for-profit. We make do on a very small budget.

Here's what you get for your donation:

All donations:

If you would like to give this as a gift donation, please specify and we will send you a gift card certificate in the person's name.

Documentary film company EyeSteelFilm currently donates office space and time to HomelessNation.org. For this funding drive, we are also giving away T-SHIRTS and award-winning DVDs to donors:

Donations over $50:

A choice of any hand-made Silk-Screened T-Shirt (please specify Men's or Women's, S/M/L/XL)

Available Shirts:

-HomelessNation.org

-EyeSteelFilm

-Up the Yangtze

-Mouse Liberation Front

-Rip: A Remix Manifesto

Donations over $100:

Any available DVD by EyeSteelFilm (NTSC) - SIGNED by the director. Please specify:

The Street: a film with the Homeless

SPIT: Squeegee Punks in Traffic

UP THE YANGTZE

Chairman George

BONE

PUNK THE VOTE

RoachTrip

http://www.givemeaning.com/project/homelessnation

PLEASE SHARE THIS EMAIL. Thank you very much for anything you can donate. And please check out the website homelessnation.org and browse the testimonials.

Sincerely,

Daniel Cross

www.homelessnation.org

Currently in festivals:

RIP: A REMIX MANIFESTO (IDFA 2008 Audience Choice Winner)

ANTOINE (RIDM 2008 Special Jury Prize)

UP THE YANGTZE (Independent Spirit Award nominee --"Astonishing" -New York Times)