Find My Place

Find My Place is probably my favorite project (other than my own). I think it was the most original while also elegant in its simplicity. It solves a very real problem that I think every decent human experiences a little bit of guilt over. Our homeless population has no real assistance, making it nearly impossible for them to get back on their feet. Yet people in society are still wary of homeless people, wondering what huge mistake landed them in their position.
Find My Place assists homeless people, and gives them some hope of a better life. It also gives people an easy way to help homeless people without fear. People believe homeless people will use the money for drugs or alcohol, and so instead they turn a blind eye to their situation entirely. Find My Place takes that excuse away. I also really loved this idea because it would be so simple, and easy to start at a small scale, and grow with success. We could make some prototypes and set them up in Memphis with a very small amount of money. I think this idea could really happen today without reinventing a wheel, and it could be expanded on in so many different ways. My favorite idea is the one I mentioned briefly in class: paying homeless people to restock the vending machines each day. It could be a daily task that came with a voucher for the shelter as well as maybe a couple dollars a day. I think it would give them a nice sense of purpose and income, and convenient because they could get the restock supplies from the shelter when they wake up and then take them to the nearest vending machine. This could employ multiple people per city with this simple easy task. 
In conclusion, this idea is very close to my heart for a number of reasons. I always worry about the homeless people I see and meet, and wish I could actually help them work towards something better. I traveled to Europe a year ago and saw the anti-homeless spikes and benches for the first time. I read about the anxiety a person can feel when their society is literally redesigning structures to keep them away. The first research was done when areas were redesigned with indented railings to prevent skaters from skating in the area. Now there are literally benches in Asia that charge per couple minutes to sit on them. My heart hurts for all of the people who have stumbled and now have been completely disavowed by society. That is the real reason I love Find My Place.