Interview with Boona Cheema, Executive Director of BOSS

In its 35 year history, the non-profit organization BOSS (Building Opportunities for Self-Sufficiency) has created programs to help homeless people achieve health and self-sufficiency. BOSS, based in Berkeley, provides services to over 2,000 homeless families each year in the East Bay.

I met Boona Cheema, the Executive Director of BOSS, at a event where she talked about her efforts and goals and then had the opportunity to visit with her.  Some thoughts she shared -

(on what motivates her)   "When I see a homeless mother get up at our shelter at 5:30 or 6 am in the morning, with three kids, get them up, take them to the bus station, send them to 3 different schools, pick them up, take care of them, get them to bed.  I'm like YES.  It's the people that put one foot in front of the other and with strength, courage, and intelligence - that's where I live."

(on the need for housing for the poor)  "We have not built affordable housing for poor people. We have taken away housing and land during the last 10 years for development."

(on the election)  "What I don't hear Senator Obama, Senator Clinton, or Senator McCain talking about is affordable housing for poor people - that's why there needs to be a fourth candidate...We have to elect someone who will balance what we are spending on war with what we are spending here."

(on the future)  "We need a federal commitment to affordable housing for poor people.  We going to have homeless people in the future.  I'm worried about the veterans coming back from Iraq and Afganistan and the people here losing their jobs."

(Ms. Cheema is pictured to the right with me.)