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Ken Leighton

Ken Leighton is a Reader contributor. See staff page for published articles.

Alpha Project, Bread of Life, Solutions for Change – incomparable?

Mr. Megison you call it "bias." I suggest that may be open to interpretation. I see Chris Megison as a treasure trove opportunity of topics. An ongoing source of fascinating material. Consider your recent facebook post where you rabidly claim that other support groups besides Solutions for Change are "socialist" and promote a "socialist agenda" just because they give homeless a place to sleep for the night. Really? Are you saying your program is superior because you immediately put people to work so they can make money for your "enterprise fund"? Hey look, Solutions for Change is successful and it is helping people get off the street. No doubt about it. And if your empire building and your cult of personality shtick works, then god bless you and your program. I just frankly think that most reasonable people don't see how your mean spirited tirades against other programs are helping anything. At some point I think your involvement in the the Bread of Life rent increase would be healthy to more fully air out (even though Bread of Life itself is not asking for such scrutiny). As you may remember, I was a big supporter of Solutions for Change 20 years ago when I organized a march in Vista in support of your fledgling program. The North County Times even did a story on the march that had like 25 people. Remember that Chris? I can show you the article in case you didn't keep it. That came about because my radio talk show Night Talk on AM 100 KCEO had you on as a regular guest, promoting Solutions for Change. Solutions For Change became a cause for Night Talk. I have tapes of those shows. Since then, helping the homeless has become an industry. Solutions' payroll is $1-million plus. And you like Brother Bennos were on the cutting edge of helping people in need. But according to someone who knew you back when: "Chris has changed." This Reader story started as a feel good piece on Mario. But just as I was writing it I discovered this whole other angle that started with me seeing you speak at that meeting last Saturday. I humbly suggest you might do well to stop throwing grenades at other programs. Then again, it does make good copy.
— August 15, 2019 10:44 a.m.

Alpha Project, Bread of Life, Solutions for Change – incomparable?

Hey Chris- I was there at that October meeting. You screamed and talked down to people at that meeting just as you do most every time you speak in public. Ask anyone at that meeting last Saturday. At that October meeting you said that the City of Oceanside SHOULD NOT take this HEAP grant money because it didn't help people the same way you do. You did not necessarily criticize other programs, you basically said that anyone else who does business other than you do, should not get any grant money and the City of Oceanside should reject that money because it would this money to those other prograsms. What business was it of yours Chris Megison? You admittedly weren't getting any of it. You just wanted to keep other programs from getting this grant money. Plus, you say that all these other programs allow housing for people who use drugs. That is a lie. Bread of Life provides temporary overnight housing and they screen for drug/alcohol use. If you use, you don't get a bed at Bread of Life. Not cool Chris Megison. You also said Solutions For Change does not get federal or state money which is also a lie because your clients who use vouchers to stay at your shelters are using federal money. Oh, and by the way, nice move with the Bread of Life landlord who immediately upped their rent by 40 per cent immediately after you contacted him...for...ummm...what was the reason? Why did Chris Megison of Solutions for Change contact that specific landlord? Hmmmmmmm. I think it would be good if that all came out. Oh, and you said Bread of Life does not do restorative work which it is about to launch next month. I'm pretty sure you knew about that. Yet you said they do not. Were you mad that I pointed out that Bread of Life has a fully volunteer staff and you pay yourself and the rest of your paid staff over a million dollars a year? Nothing wrong with that, I guess, but why did you get so upset when I mentioned it? As it turns out, people in this line of work seem to be humble, decent, sweet people, including the leading lights at Bread of Life and Brother Bennos. In this industry it seems you happen to be the lone bully. I would be the first to admit your bullying and bombast has got you far. It works for you and Solutions for Change. Every program has its own way of doing business and its own way of fundraising. But when you start tearing down other programs because they use a different m.o. than yours, that seems to be counterproductive. Oh, and do you want to talk about "rep." Let's talk about rep Chris Megison. This is what someone (who you know) wrote to me after the article came out. "Chris Megison is a conman, a liar, a charlatan, a bully and tRumpier than tRump!" Solutions For Change is helping people. That is a good thing. Why not let it go at that? Just because I exposed things you did not want exposed, I don't think it hurt the "integrity of media journalism. I am speaking only for myself.
— August 15, 2019 12:28 a.m.

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