Original Press Statement:

Vigil for homeless man who froze to death

 Chicago - Residents, religious, peace and community activists from Ravenswood and Albany Park will hold a vigil
Saturday, January 24 at 5 pm in memory of a homeless man who froze to death on January 18. The vigil will be held for
Raymond Greenwald in West River Park near
the spot on the north branch of the Chicago River at 5100 North Albany (just north of Lawrence Avenue) where he died.
Floating candles will be placed in the river as a memorial.

"The death of Mr. Greenwald is a horrible tragedy for our community. It is unthinkable and unforgivable that a
person can freeze to death in this day and age. He died in silence, but we will not ignore his death or the growing
homeless and hunger crisis in the country," said Julie Peterson, chair of Beyond Today, a neighborhood group dedicated to peace,
environmental and social justice.

"President Bush is planning to go to Mars yet our cities and states are in fiscal crisis and cannot fund essential health
care or housing services for our residents," she said. Residents are demanding a reorientation of federal priorities from
military spending and tax give-a-ways to the rich and for emergency funding for jobs creation, affordable housing and
healthcare. Over $120 billion has now been spent on the war in Iraq that could have been spent on such programs.

Representatives from the Coalition for the Homeless will also participate
in the memorial.

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