Homelessness, Happiness Is, Mobile Loaves and Fishes, and Free Beer

This is (mostly) a re-post from the MLF blog. Support Mobile Loaves and Fishes if you want and feel free to re-post this to your blog as well. I added the Free Beer to the headline–though it’s true–to get more attention…

Mark Horvarth (@HardlyNormal) for those of us on Twitter, has been garnering national attention for his efforts to bring voices to the homeless. His blog and his website have given him a place to explore unexplored stories, and call attention to some of our most overlooked citizens—the homeless among us. Alan Graham, President of Mobile Loaves and Fishes, (@MLFNOW) invited him to come see Austin and go on a truck run, attend the screening of Happiness Is, and serve the homeless. So, Mark decided to make Austin a stop on his nation-wide tour! He’ll be here from the 29th of July through the 1st of August.

Mark, who is, as he puts it “not a solutions guy,” is embarking on his road trip to “see homelessness” and to “help people” by calling attention to their stories. According to Mark, he has two main strengths going for him: he’s “pushy,” and he’s “loud”—not to mention compassionate. During our conversation he was particularly upset about the stories he has heard of families “downsizing” by kicking out their eldest children.

So why is he doing this now? Good question. As Mark puts it, we are entering into a “perfect storm of homelessness,” with the economy in the place it is, with government out of money. (In fact, some of his sponsors haven’t even been able to commit because of financial difficulties!) So, what better time to call attention to this immense need?

Mark will be arriving in town just in time to take part in our social media extravaganza around the movie “Happiness Is.” You’ll likely be able to have your OWN conversation with Mark at any of the events below:

Happiness Is DVD Signing:

• Waterloo Records Downtown from 5-7 PM on Thursday, July 30th.
• free BBQ from Stubbs and free beer from Shiner
• MLF catering truck and Stubb’s BBQ World Tour trailer

Tweetup (you don’t have to go to both the movie and the tweetup–stop by for a few!)

• Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar from 7-9 PM on Thursday, July 30th
• cash bar + free popcorn
• Here’s a link to the twtvite (#nosuffering), spread the word and RSVP: http://twtvite.com/bn6p48/2

Happiness Is Screening (Documentary, MLF is prominently featured in the movie. Preview here.]

• Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar (directions) at 9:30 PM and 9:50 PM
• Two theaters–one for the movie, and one for social media! You can tweet to your heart’s content 🙂
• Reserve tickets by visiting their site at www.HappinessIsTheMovie.com and clicking on the email link for “tickets” on the front page.

For more information on the events visit: www.mlfnow.org/happiness

We would love your help in spreading the compassion and awareness, please help!

• Make a micro-donation to Mobile Loaves & Fishes (www.mlfnow.org/NoSuffering)
• Tweet and Blog the events and the movie–what did you think?
• Follow @MLFNOW
• Follow Happiness Is the movie @HappinessIs_tm
• Help @MLFNOW start a conversation around homelessness and palliative care by interacting on Twitter and the MLF blog
• Help MLF win a $25,000 social media makeover! Retweet the following: RT to help Mobile Loaves & Fishes win a 25K social media makeover http://ow.ly/4pcs @CommuniCause #cause3324
• Hand out water to the homeless