|
|
|
16th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration
Stride Toward Freedom!
2002 King County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award — individual winner
2002 King County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award - individual winner Tito Titus, former Deputy King County Hearing Examiner, pictured with his wife Kate and King County Assessor Scott Noble and King County Executive Ron Sims. [Enlarged view, 103K]
Tito Titus was nominated as the 2002 King County Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Humanitarian Award - individual winner by a friend Sherry Bah. Up until his recent retirement, he was the King County Deputy Hearing Examiner.
Along with his wife, Kate, Mr. Titus established the Shirlee Miller Titus Foundation. Ms. Bah wrote:
"They established this non-profit foundation to support the St. Martin De Porres Shelter for homeless men. The foundation
is named in honor of his mother who also volunteered at the shelter. The shelter serves older men, form 50 to 70+, a particularly vulnerable
population. The organization's primary function is raising funds to send 18 shelter residents on a restorative retreat twice each year. Tito
serves as volunteer staff and as a counselor on the retreats. Tito donates time each month to serving meals to the men at the shelter.
Last year Tito helped prepare a special soul food Christmas dinner for the shelter. In his work as Deputy Hearing Examiner,
Tito has shown remarkable compassion for many of the people who come before him with code enforcement disputes."
Tito Titus's Humanitarian Award acceptance speech, delivered during the Celebration event on Jan. 16, 2003 at the
5th Avenue Theatre:
"Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his teachings have been an inspiration to me since I was 15. This is the most treasured recognition I have ever received. I thank Bailey deIongh, Minerva Villarreal and the Committee. And I thank Sherry Bah for her generous nomination. I also thank Sherry for teaching us how to make corn bread the way it is supposed to be made.
I do not consider this recognition to be mine alone. It belongs also to Marge Barrett, the assistant program director at St. Martin de Porres Shelter for the Elderly Homeless. She created the retreat program that is funded by the Shirlee Miller Titus Foundation. It belongs also to my wife Kate Titus, who has invested immense personal energy to support the foundation and to the retreats for older homeless men that it funds. Finally, it belongs to all of the people who have responded to our requests for funding support. Many of you are here today.
I want to tell you about my friends at the shelter. They are all over 50. Most are in their 60’s. Some are even older. I have been volunteering at St. Martin’s for twelve years and I have never once seen one of them panhandling. They include virtually every race and religion. Disabilities and health problems are common. Many have jobs-as security guards, landscapers, recycle sorters, dishwashers — but they are not able to put together what it takes to obtain safe housing. Seven days a week 215 men sleep on a mattress on a warehouse floor twelve inches from the mattress next door. At seven in the morning, with a breakfast roll in hand, they are out the front door looking for day labor. You cannot comprehend their pain until you have witnessed their gratitude on one of these retreats.
Until I was 40 years old, I was afraid that I might become one of these men, that I might become homeless, without possessions or family. At 60, I have discovered that I am one of these men. And it couldn’t make me prouder or happier. They are my friends, my community. I invite you to join us. Bailey deIongh has generously agreed to place my e-mail address on the Martin Luther King Celebration Web site. Please e-mail your questions to me.
Thank you Bailey, Committee members, Kate, Marge, Sherry and Bob Goetchius, program director at the Shelter. I will strive for the remainder of my life to earn the honor you have given me."
— End —
About the St. Martin de Porres Shelter
Visit the St. Martin de Porres Shelter for the Elderly Homeless Web site to learn more about the organization.
You can learn about opportunities to volunteer by e-mailing Marge Barrett at margeb@ccsww.org.
About the Shirlee Miller Titus Foundation (SMTF)
SMTF is a tax exempt nonprofit organization created to fund restorative retreats for residents of St. Martin de Porres.
The retreats provide them a week quiet reflection, rest, beach walking and sight seeing-something they never
experience on the streets of Seattle. They return refreshed and ready to find safe housing, which many of them do.
It is a small and wonderful miracle. We raise the funds to support these retreats through small donations,
garage sales, concerts, auctions and similar activities. If you would like to help, or to ask questions, please
e-mail Tito Titus at tttitus@attbi.com soon to become tttitus@comcast.net.
|
