Explaining About ‘Voice’ of Homeless

I would like to thank the Ventura County L.A. Times for its coverage about the Outsider newsletter in the article “Publication Is Called ‘Voice’ of the Homeless” printed on Sept. 7.

There are a few things in the article that need to be clarified. The first newsletter for the homeless in Ventura County was called the Street Sheet, and that was started Jan. 17, 1992, and the last publication was April 3, 1993. Bill Valenteen, a VISTA (Volunteer In Service To America) volunteer for the Commission on Human Concerns, started a newsletter for the homeless in Ventura County and named it the Outsider in May, 1992. Valenteen left his project the following January, not because of poor health, but because his VISTA contract ended, and he passed the project on to another VISTA starting at the Commission on Human Concerns, who kept the newsletter going. The Street Sheet was not connected in any way to the Outsider newsletter.

The homeless are great people who have many fine qualities. Programs that are supposed to help the homeless should include the homeless in order to be successful. I hope to have as many homeless people as newsletter volunteers as possible.

PATTI SPINA

VISTA Volunteer

Commission on Human Concerns