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About 150 people slept on the sidewalk outside the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Monday night. (97.3 KIRO FM/Chris Sullivan)

Homeless target Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

BY Chris Sullivan  on October 11, 2011 @ 5:19 am (Updated: 8:46 am - 10/11/11 )

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Protesters targeted the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation Monday night, asking that it give more money to end homelessness in Puget Sound.

About 150 people slept on the sidewalk in the driving rain outside the foundation to highlight recent government funding cuts that have forced the closure of several shelters. Most spent the night wrapped like mummies in plastic tarps.

Birdie has been homeless for four months. She says it's great that the Gates Foundation donates money to disasters and relief efforts around the world, but it should focus more at home.

"There's people right here locally literally right in their face that they won't help," she said.

The protest was sponsored by Share/Wheel. Justin Embry, with Share/Wheel, says it won't take a lot to keep its shelters open.

"It's about $50,000 to put us back indoors," he said. "You know it's going to take a lot more than that obviously to keep us going. That's what we're hoping for."

The Gates Foundation released a statement saying it is very concerned about the homeless problem. It says the Foundation has donated more than $100 million to homeless programs around Puget Sound.

Chris Sullivan, KIRO Radio Reporter
Chris loves the rush of covering breaking news and works hard to try to make sense of it all while telling stories about real people in extraordinary circumstances.
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Comments (22)


  • Add A Comment

  • sportsguru wrote...
    Why hit up the gates foundation
    October 11, 2011 5:42 am

    In this way? They didn't cause your homelessness and they should be able to choose how they want to donate there money.

    Why not just ask them instead of trying to get media attention camping in front of there doors. I am not a big fan of Bill Gates, but I have to admit that the man put's his money where his mouth is.

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  • It's me! Ha ha! wrote...
    These fools are just in a feeding frenzy now.
    October 11, 2011 5:57 am
    Who knows where these losers will surface up next? I don't think that a lot of these people are even thinking of what their "Goal" is. They are just having the time of their lives drinking and doping it up. Free of charge and all the free food that they eat. Would Mrs. Obama approve of what they are eating? We taxpayers are paying for it.

    They are wrapped up in plastic like mummies. How long before some of them are so drunk that they actually suffocate themselfs in that wrap?

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  • FreeRange wrote...
    Want to cure homelessness
    October 11, 2011 6:17 am
    Pick up your Bag and Walk! Walk to one of the many shelters that offers food and training....like Union Gospel Mission or Salvation Army. Start looking for a job....pick fruit in Yakima, Flip Burgers, Drive a cab.....BTW, under OBAMA we are now seeing what we get, spoiled, lazy, brats that hold out there hands and say GIMMEEE, GIMMEE, GIMMEE! Well, guess what America has nothing left to give you except opportunity. Get out there and take it! GO HERMAN CAIN!
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  • sportsguru wrote...
    FreeRange
    October 11, 2011 6:46 am

    Sorry to burst your bubble, but guess what!!

    Homelessness has been around and a problem since the 80's and welfare has been around longer than that.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • TwoTrees wrote...
    I wish it were so simple...
    October 11, 2011 6:18 am
    We just need more money, right? Decades of dumping money into the 'War on Poverty' has proved otherwise.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • sweetpea123 wrote...
    I too...
    October 11, 2011 6:32 am
    would like to see the Gates foundation choose more of their philanthropic efforts locally. However, homelessness can and will be eradicated only when the homeless themselves take pride in themselves by wanting more than a fresh beer or a crack pipe. The Gates foundation has reported spending more than $100 million on homelessness in WA, to what end? Likely, the bulk of it paid salaries to some administrators for programs, or rehab for repeat drug and alcohol sufferers. The bandaids pay for more tents? Why not refurb old buildings and give homeless people a real leg up, by giving them a real place to hang their hats? Use money wisely...jobs programs for the homeless are under-utilized because no one will hold these people accountable. The excuses have to end. Quit giving them handouts and expect them to properly utilize the hand up that is being offered!
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  • Yelmonian wrote...
    Sweatpea
    October 11, 2011 6:41 am
    I don't believe the article indicated they donated money to the homeless. I believe it indicated the donated money to the region.

    It is not the Foundation's responsiblitiy to fix all that is wrong with the Puget Sound. This group has done more positive than could ever be expected. At this point, people are complaining to complain.

    They better be careful, or it will become how obvious it is that the protestors are just protesting. When you target people that are already helping... you are not doing your cause any good. You are causing your cause harm.

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  • nevetssnikpoh wrote...
    Reality Check
    October 11, 2011 6:54 am
    All of Bill Gates' money will not solve the homeless problem. A lot of those folk need to be in an institution (Thank you ACLU)because they aren't capable of caring for themselves. There are a lot of local ministries that care for the homeless but most of the homeless continue to choose the streets. If you think they need help then you should be out there personally helping and not telling others that they HAVE to do something.
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  • anotherfencewalker wrote...
    Gimmie some of your money!!
    October 11, 2011 7:10 am
    If I was the Bill and Melinda Gates reading this, I would see red. At least be pi55ed. Their whole agenda for chrissakess is propping people and industry up around the world..If the news media would like to do THEIR job, they should go and conduct an interview with each and every one of these protesters and get their personal story. That would include how they got homeless, the license plate number of the car they live in or what bridge they sleep under and what they've done up until now to change all that. Everybody wants to get into the rich peoples pockets. It's not just the government. They get badgered to death to buy failing sports teams, businesses that are tanking, capitolize new business that hasnt shown that they can YET stand on their own feet and not to mention the non-profits orgs.. Those who over-commit themselves and their intentions on helping those who have run out of luck and money and then realize that, like commercial businesses have to pay the rent and keep the heat on.
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  • Lonestar wrote...
    Whites for Whites
    October 11, 2011 7:12 am
    Screw the poor people in India, Africa, Asia, etc. The poor white folks in Seattle should be first in line. And BTW, don't hop a bus to the East side. You see something really scary - HELP WANTED signs!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Rhodehouse wrote...
    :)
    October 11, 2011 7:59 am
    Well said!
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Bucket Dad wrote...
    Here's a thought...
    October 11, 2011 7:29 am
    Why not camp out and protest at the White House, or at the Governor's Mansion? The Prez spends at least $50k per trip to fly Air Force One to play golf in Hawaii or to eat at some campaign dinner for a fund raiser (of which all funds goes to the campaign, not the homeless). That should do it right?

    The Gov spends way over $50k to go over to Paris to hobnob with other capitalists over wine and snails.

    Or hey, while Obama or Gregoir is out of town, they got a few extra rooms, right? Just take these homeless in.

    Idiots!

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